by JoAnna Grace
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This book is a work of fiction. Therefore, all names, places, characters, and situations are a product of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places, or events is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2015 by JoAnna Grace
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever. For information address Y&R Publishing Rights Department, PO Box 2283, Lindale, TX 75771.
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Edited by BZ Hercules
Printed in the United States of America
Library of Congress Control Number Data
Grace, JoAnna.
Break her fall / JoAnna Grace.
Fantasy romance—Shapeshifters—Fiction.2. Romance—Fiction.
3. Sagas—Romance—Fiction.
Fiction. | BISAC: FICTION / Romance / Fantasy. | FICTION / Romance / General. | FICTION / Sagas.
PCN # 2016911680 2015
ISBN 978-1-940460-14-7
ISBN 978-1-940460-16-1 (e-book)
authorjoannagrace.com
yandrpublishing.com
BY JOANNA GRACE
Divine Chronicle Series:
Divine Awakening
Divine Destiny
Divine Judgment
Divine Encounter
Divine Pursuit (Coming Soon)
The Roles We Play
Blake Pride Series:
Break Her Fall
The Harder They Fall
Divided We Fall (Coming Soon)
Omega Office Romance Series: (Coming Soon)
Crossing The Lines
Blurring The Lines
Erasing The Lines
Table of Contents
TITLE PAGE
COPYRIGHT
OTHER BOOKS
QUOTE
ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
SEVEN
EIGHT
NINE
TEN
ELEVEN
TWELVE
THIRTEEN
FOURTEEN
FIFTEEN
SIXTEEN
SEVENTEEN
EIGHTEEN
NINETEEN
TWENTY
TWENTY-ONE
TWENTY-TWO
TWENTY-THREE
TWENTY-FOUR
TWENTY-FIVE
TWENTY-SIX
TWENTY-SEVEN
THE ROLES WE PLAY
MEET THE AUTHOR
FROM THE AUTHOR
OTHER BOOKS
CONTACT INFORMATION
AMILYNN SNUGGLED INTO the warm arms that were around her. God, Ezekiel smelled like heaven. The sweet honey of his mating scent filled her mind and made her inner leopard purr with desire. It was so easy to sleep when his strong arms held her close and kept her safe. He was there for her in her time of distress, waiting to see if her best friend would pull through the night. He’d given his own blood to save Vivian’s life. Amilynn never thought she could find peace in the middle of a hospital, in the midst of a catastrophe like this, and yet Ezekiel gave it to her.
Her cat had never been more satisfied, even if he was a wolf.
While Ezekiel kept her safe, Ami could focus on the crisis at hand. Vivian had to live. She had to make it. If there was no hope for Vivian to live a full life of love and happiness, then what chance did Amilynn have? Vivian was wilder, more feral in her independence than Ami and, somehow, she’d found a mate in Kasey Blackburn who was worthy of her devotion. The wolf alpha had shown his love for Vivian time and time again, gaining the trust of the rest of her Pride. But look where it got them. The songs were bullshit. Love is not all you need.
Vivian fought for her life in that hospital because members of Kasey’s Pack didn’t want the Pride coming in. The feline shifters didn’t belong there, so they said. The Pack might be a mixture of wolves and bear, but adding felines to the mix was more than some of them could handle. The rebellious group had done a fine job of letting Amilynn and her family know they weren’t welcome.
Amilynn, in particular, had been warned off the males of the Pack. Here she sat in Ezekiel’s arms, the arms of a future alpha. Wouldn’t that cause another rebellion? The hookers and hounds, what a mess.
Her cat came to attention when a rumbling in Ezekiel’s chest woke her up. The low growl was aggressive and full of warning. Her eyes popped open, ready to defend her family at any cost.
“Easy, fool,” Tyrone, her brother, warned Ezekiel in gravelly bass.
Ezekiel, who had also been awakened with a start, gripped Ty’s hand. It took a couple of seconds for all of them to realize there was no threat.
“V’s awake.” Ty yanked from Ezekiel’s grasp.
Amilynn didn’t hesitate to uncurl from Ezekiel’s lap and follow Ty. She didn’t look back, couldn’t. Once she was in her right mind, she would explain to Ezekiel that there was no way they were going to be together. They were too different.
Ami took her first easy breath when she saw Vivian’s eyes open. They were half crossed, but they were open. Relief and love bubbled over her, creating a wave of deep emotion she didn’t know how to process. She could cry, but who had time for hormonal drama? When Vivian smiled at her, she had to blink back the tears. Damn. This was not cool.
“Well,” Ami said, needing to escape with her dignity. “Since Kasey is stuck up your ass, and you’re in good hands, I’m going to jet.” She sniffed and made sure not to look Vivian in the eyes again. “Glad you’re awake.” Without another word, she left the hospital room. Her chest constricted so tightly, she could’ve passed out.
“Here.” Ty tossed her a set of keys. Of course her brother would know she didn’t want anyone to see her lose her shit. She gave him a nod and bolted from the hospital. Go figure; they were to Ezekiel’s motorcycle. At least if she cried while she was on the bike, she could blame it on the wind in her eyes. Sometimes being a girl sucked.
Ezekiel mourned the loss of Ami’s warmth the moment she shifted off his lap. It shocked him how much his wolf craved her, how much he wanted to protect her and take away all her sadness. He was paralyzed for a while, stunned by his wolf’s intense desire to have a mate. The human part of him didn’t care about mating until the moment he saw Amilynn step out of that Suburban and into his life. On principle alone, he’d tried to dislike her. But that was impossible.
“Give me your keys,” Ty commanded with his hand extended.
Ezekiel blinked a couple times before he realized who was talking. “Why?”
“For her.” He nodded over to Ami, who had just exited Vivian’s room. Ezekiel tossed Ty the keys and Ty passed them to Amilynn as she practically ran from the hospital.
Ezekiel took off after her. “Ami!”
“Leave me alone.” Her voice was strained and tight like a rubber band that was stretched too thin and near the breaking point.
“Where are you going? Did something happen?”
She twirled around, her eyes red rimmed and narrowed. “Do I need a translator who speaks fluent moron? Leave. Me. Alone.”
“I just want to help.” He reached for h
er arm before reconsidering.
“I don’t need your help. I don’t want you to . . .” She let out a heavy breath. “I just don’t want you.”
Ezekiel stopped, kicked in the junk by her words. Our mate doesn’t want us? His wolf whimpered, the dejected sound coming from the man’s throat before he could stop it. There was nothing he could say, so he turned to leave.
“Z.”
He glanced over his shoulder. Ami had her eyes clenched shut, the back of her hand pressed to her mouth. She was in so much pain, and it ripped him to shreds.
She finally opened her misty eyes. “It’s best this way. Trust me.”
Ezekiel tilted his head to the side. “How could you possibly know that?”
“Because whores don’t make housewives. And that’s all I’ll ever be.” Ami jogged off before he could smash that theory to shit. Was that what she thought of herself? Sure, he knew she had been less than angelic before she came to the Pack. Those choices were made out of desperation and the need to survive.
She needs time, his wolf said. Give her time and some space.
He tried his best to stay out of her way for the next couple days, but since they lived in the same house, it was harder than he anticipated. Vivian’s return home made Ami a bit more hospitable, but not much. His new aunt was on bed rest and the members of the household took shifts visiting her. Ami stayed with her the most, more than likely to avoid Ezekiel.
Waiting Amilynn out was easier said than done. He had to talk to her again. They had to work this out. Hell, he’d never had a chick run from him. It was a total ego killer. Usually, the girls of the Pack went out of their way to get his attention. His position as heir to Kasey’s alpha throne made him very popular with the ladies but not so much with the males. He had his crew of close friends, the ones that didn’t give a rat’s ass about his position or future power. Maybe he needed to go spend some time with them? Get away from the alpha house and the Pride members.
Not before he tried one more time to talk to Amilynn.
Hunted. That was how Amilynn thought of it. For days, a presence shadowed her, watching her every move and haunting her thoughts. Ezekiel never interacted, but he kept watch. Her cat, acutely aware of his movements, yearned for more of the comfort he’d given at the hospital. Ami did her best to ignore it.
Once again, she awoke in the middle of the night, unable to sleep. Her nightmares were full of Vivian getting shot. Sleep became her enemy. She shifted and snuck out of the alpha house, crossing the meadow and into the woods of the mountains. Her leopard loved this area of Oregon with the mountains and the tall trees, the thick vegetation that covered her cat well. Especially in the predawn hours, this part of the country was peaceful. Nighttime in the mountains took on a mythical feel. If only it would help her sleep.
She’d dreamt of her old apartment, the one Helena and Jake had splattered with the blood of domestic cats. Ami had been specifically warned off the males of the Pack—words like “whore” and “slut” painted on the wall of her bedroom. She’d been ready to run; maybe she should have. She didn’t belong here.
Ami’s tawny leopard made her way through the forest, far too deep in her own negative thoughts. To the north, she heard the soft footfalls of a wolf. Her leopard perked up. If Ezekiel had followed her out there, she was getting a restraining order.
“Who’s there?” said a man’s voice from the darkness.
Ami shifted so she could answer back. “It’s Amilynn.”
“Oh, hey.” The tall, blue-eyed, blond-haired cutie came into view.
Martin wore a huge smile. He had a very open crush on her and no doubt was more than thrilled to run into her on his perimeter check. “What are you doing here at this hour? It’s like four in the morning.”
Ami worked her goods, casting him a flirtatious smile and positioning her body with her hip cocked out. She’d clothed herself in a deep-cut shirt that drew his eyes to the plump curves of her breasts. “I couldn’t sleep. I guess all this mess with Vivian has my cat agitated. Lucky me, running into you.”
Martin’s smile grew. “You’re free to walk with me. I’d be more than happy to keep you company for a while.” His eyes raked over her body and he bit his bottom lip.
She had him, just that easily. If she ever needed a distraction, it was now. She could prove to her cat that Ezekiel wasn’t her mate, that Ami could be satisfied with someone else.
Ami looped her arm through Martin’s and pressed her chest against his side. They walked and talked about nothing in particular for an hour or more. He was easy to be with. There were no complications, no random mating scents making the moments strained. Martin had a good sense of humor and shared her fondness of reality TV. He was the perfect guy to take her mind off he-who-shall-not-be-thought-of.
“You know, Martin, I was very flattered by the way you watched me dance at the club that night Kasey came for Vivian.”
“I definitely enjoyed the show.” His voice deepened with desire. “You’re a great dancer.”
“You should take me out sometime. I could dance for you again.”
Her eyes were drawn to the way he swallowed hard, and she picked up the scent of his arousal. Ami was a professional seductress. She’d honed the skills years ago. And she knew the moment a man wanted her.
“Are, uh, are you sure that’s a good idea, given everything going on?” Martin remained alert, scanning the forest around them, just like she did. Ami too had been trained to be mindful of her surroundings.
“Dancing calms me, helps me work off stress. Physical activity is always a good way to relax. Don’t you think, Martin?” She purred his name.
“Oh yeah.” He glanced once more at her chest. “I’ve wanted to talk to you about that night after the party.” He referred to the alcohol-laden night they’d spent together, again when she was trying to prove she wasn’t mated. “I sure hope that wasn’t a one-time deal.”
“Why, Martin, are you trying to ask me if I’ll sleep with you again?” Ami stopped walking and stood in front of him.
Martin smiled down at her and rubbed his hands over her arms. “We are good together.”
Yes, but Amilynn was good with everyone. It was part of her game. She knew how to please men, how to give them the night of their lives.
Let’s be honest, pet, the voice of her trainer echoed in her mind. They expect sex from you and they expect it to be spectacular. It’s what all men expect of a whore.
She shoved that thought aside. “We are. How about you take me dancing tomorrow night and we will see what happens.” Ami lifted up on her toes and pressed a slow kiss to his lips. With a final wink, she shifted and loped off into the woods to the alpha house.
Her cat fussed and hissed the whole way home.
Instead of going into the house, she went around the small lake to the Pack’s shooting range and police station. The armory was in the back and, when the Pride moved in, they were given permission to access the knives and guns. Amilynn loved weapons almost as much as she loved clothes. Guns and knives held the same rank in her mind as shoes, food, and oxygen.
Ami focused on lining up the knives on the table in front of her. She needed to concentrate. Five throwing knives shined, ready for her to launch them at the targets across the room. She pressed a button on the table and the targets began to move around, crisscrossing one another, circling, creating targets that challenged her. Amilynn turned her back on the targets and took a deep breath. Palming one knife, she closed her eyes and listened to the movements of the machines. There was a pattern to their motions: near-silent clicks and slides of metal. That was what she needed to concentrate on.
In one smooth move, Ami swung around and sent the knife flying into the center of the first target in the right top corner. The second knife went into the target in the center of the room. The third and fourth knives hit their targets with ease, whistling through the air so fast the human eye would have missed it.
The fifth knife she spun and thre
w behind her, in the opposite direction of the targets. The blade imbedded in the wall, a millimeter away from Ezekiel’s head. Slate-blue eyes met hers and they were hostile, to say the least.
“Nice,” he said with dry sarcasm. He dug the knife out of the wall and sent it flying back in her direction. Amilynn caught it in mid-air and sent it into the fifth target across the room.
She hated—no, loathed—the way his presence rubbed along her skin in a feathered caress. If she didn’t have to meet his stare to show her dominance, she wouldn’t look at him at all. It was too tempting. Ezekiel had tall, dark, and handsome mastered like a boss. His ink-black hair was cut short on the sides with a bit more length on top that often dipped into the left side of his face. Long, thick lashes of the same color accentuated his intense eyes. Lush lips contrasted against a hard jaw line that currently sported a shadow. And damn it all to hell if he didn’t look like grade-A beef in that black tank top. The guy was built; muscled up and wide at the shoulders, slim at the hips, and thick in the thighs, just how she liked it. Her cat practically purred when she saw him. There was no doubting the physical attraction on both sides. But that was where it ended.
“What do you want?” Amilynn retrieved the knives, hoping it was enough of an excuse to look away without seeming to submit.
“We need to talk.” Z crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the wall like he had all the time in the world.
Ami gathered up the knives and polished them before replacing them in the racks. “I don’t do talking.”
“And how’s that working for you?” Ezekiel’s jaw tensed and she pushed aside the urge to bite it.
“Quite well, until you. Thanks for asking.”
“Bullshit.” He shook his head and rolled his eyes. “For someone who speaks her mind, you sure can avoid the subject.”
“I’m trying to avoid you. You clearly have a confused wolf on your hands and I’d rather not be around you. Is that direct enough or do I need a billboard?” Ami worked best with attitude and sarcasm.