Watch Me Burn

by Nikki Drost

  Ugh, none of this makes any sense. First, he shows up at my grandparent’s house and kisses me until I’m weak in the knees. Then he practically begs me to be his girlfriend. Matt’s right, I need to talk to Jamie and find out what truly happened last night.

  ***

  As I’m walking to my car, I notice a bright green Challenger parked in my driveway. The driver side door opens and my jaw hits the ground.

  “Morning, beautiful.”

  I drop my purse and duffle bag on the ground and jump into Landon Stone’s open arms.

  “What are you doing here?”

  He holds me close and kisses the top of my head. “I have some business in town and thought I’d stop by and see my favorite girl. I also wanted you to be the first to hear that I’m moving to Westhaven. I hope you’re ready to see a lot of me.”

  I instantly start to jump up and down while clapping my hands like a goof.

  “Oh my god, this is wicked awesome.”

  He laughs at my antics, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “I hope that others will share your enthusiasm.” He sighs. “I’m not sure how to break the news to my brother so for the meantime, let’s keep this between us, yeah?”

  Why wouldn’t Adam be happy about having his brother in town?

  “I’ll keep my mouth shut for now, but it will cost you, Stone,” I say playfully.

  “Is that so, name it and it’s yours.”

  That’s what I love about Landon, he’s so eager to please a woman.

  “It just so happens that I have a spare bedroom and if you are in need of a job I know there is several openings at my family’s company that is if you don’t mind wearing a suit.”

  I bet he would look scrumptious in a suit and tie.

  “I appreciate that, Kelsey, but I think Jamie would have my head on a platter if he found out I was sleeping under the same roof as his girl.”

  Wait… what?

  “What makes you think I’m his girl? Did he say something to you?”

  Landon rolls his eyes as he leans his body against his car. “No, luv, but it’s obvious to anyone with eyes that you belong to him. I can also smell his scent all over you.”

  He leans forward and pulls back my jacket collar. “He hasn’t marked you yet, that’s strange. Can I assume that he has formally claimed you?”

  I playfully slap his hand away. “No, he hasn’t claimed me, and he never will. We’re…well, it’s complicated.”

  I nervously begin to twirl a piece of my hair. Now that I think about it, Jamie did say by sleeping with him I would belong to him mind, body, and soul. Oh crap, maybe he did claim me. I went along with his dominant behavior because, let’s face it, it was hot. I had no idea that he I actually meant it.

  Freaking shifters and their weird customs, they really should get with the times. Women aren’t objects or pieces of property. We are strong, independent, and fully capable of taking care of ourselves. If Jamie thinks he is going to dictate how I live my life then he is sorely mistaken.

  Landon starts to pace while ranting in Greek. Sure, he picks the one language that I don’t understand. Even though I have no idea what he’s saying, there is a deadly edge to his tone and if I didn’t know any better I’d say he was seriously pissed.

  “Listen Kelsey I know you’re new to all of this supernatural stuff and even though Jamie may have not said the words, you do in fact belong to him. My advice, stay clear of other males, not only for your sake, but for theirs.”

  “So let me get this straight, I can’t date other people, but Jamie can fool around with whomever he wants? That doesn’t seem fair.”

  “Trust me. If the two of you have been intimate, then he is no longer capable of being with anyone else.”

  I roll my eyes, but in the end, I decide to keep my mouth shut. There is no use arguing with the man.

  “I’ll tell you one thing. If you were mine, I’d treat you like a queen and never let you leave my bed.” Landon reaches forward, caressing my cheek with his knuckles.

  Why couldn’t I be attracted to Landon Stone? The man is sweet, gorgeous, and one hundred percent pure gentleman. It would certainly make my life easier.

  “Thanks, Landon, you’re a great guy and any girl would be lucky to have you.”

  I need to change the subject before I start flirting with him unintentionally. It’s not my fault that shifters are hot as hell.

  “I’ve got an idea. I have to teach a few classes this morning, why don’t you come with me then we can go to lunch. We can discuss your new job and living arrangements.”

  I give Landon a look letting him know I won’t take no for an answer, I owe this man my life and giving him a job and a place to stay is the least I can do.

  “You are an exceptional female, Kelsey Collins, and I humbly accept your offer.”

  Yay, I’ve got a new roommate. This is going to be so much fun.

  “I’m so excited. I can’t wait for you to meet my brother, Matt. He’s just returned home from the Navy and I think you two will hit it off.”

  And Henry shouldn’t have a problem with Landon staying here. They both seemed to have gotten along when they met.

  “If he’s anything like you then I’m sure you’re right.” He chuckles.

  We talk for a few more minutes before we head to the community center. Landon insists on driving as he holds the passenger door open for me. See, gentleman.

  Landon starts his car and the engine roars to life while Jason Derulo blasts from the speakers.

  “You and I are so going to get along.” I laugh.

  ***

  I wave good-bye to the last of my students and breathe a sigh of relief. I love working with kids, but I sometimes forget how draining teenage drama can be. The girls had been so distracted by Landon’s presence I had to send him on his way. He had been a good sport and offered to wait for me, but what was he supposed to do for three hours, knit a sweater?

  Landon assured me that he would be back as I shoved him out the door. I did it more for his sake than for my hormonal underage students. The girls had been eying him as if he was a giant piece of man candy. Not that I can blame them, Landon does look like he stepped out of an Abercrombie ad.

  I check the hallway for Landon, but he is nowhere in sight. Since I have a few minutes I push play on the CD player, deciding I might as well work on the next half of the choreography. Just as Olly Murs begins to sing, the door to the classroom opens. Figuring it’s one of the other staff members, I ignore the interruption and concentrate on the steps. All of my problems seem to fade away with every beat of the music. Dancing has always had this effect on me. It’s one of the reasons why I wanted to dance for a living; it’s too bad my father had other ideas.

  The moment the song ends the sound of clapping breaks through my haze. Landon is casually leaning against the wall with a huge smile on his face. Man he looks yummy in his designer jeans, black dress shirt and Aldo Brue boots.

  “I must say, not only were you wasting your talents working in an office, but if your life had a theme song, it would be that one, luv.”

  I roll my eyes at his teasing comment. “Yeah, well, you’re wasting your time doing whatever it is you do instead of working as a model. I bet photographers would pay you a fortune to capture your image.”

  Landon tilts his head to the side while his lips twist with humor. “Nah, no one would pay to put my ugly mug on the cover of magazines. I guess I’ll just have to settle for kicking a little ass and rescuing beautiful woman from harm.”

  I shake my head as he gathers my things from the floor. Ugly my ass, the man is beyond gorgeous. I bet women all over the world would swoon and lick the pages of whatever glossy magazine ad he was featured in.

  ***

  A short time later, Landon and I are sitting at a table in Romano’s Bistro. I’ve been trying to talk him into taking a job in the sales department of my grandfather’s company to no avail. Honestly, with his good looks and charismatic personality, he could c
harm the panties off of a nun. He also has a take no prisoners attitude and that can come in handy when you’re trying to close a deal.

  Unfortunately, we keep getting interrupted by what seems to be every available woman in the restaurant. I swear our waitress almost passed out when she heard Landon’s last name. Right after the name Stone left his full lips we have been treated like royalty.

  The owner even came out to meet us and expressed his happiness that we chose his establishment. I can only presume that some of these people are shifters or vampires themselves and must know the name Stone because of the family’s badass reputation.

  At one point, I had asked Landon what the strange bowing thing was. He explained it’s a sign of respect to Enforcers and since his brother is one, he gets the same treatment by proxy.

  If the interruptions from the bistro’s employees weren’t bad enough, the female attention Landon’s received is enough to drive anyone batty. I swear he’s collected at least a half a dozen-phone numbers not to mention countless business cards. One woman even openly propositioned him in front of me. I had to stifle my laughter at her brazen behavior. Poor Landon, he’s taken all of the sexual harassment in stride. He’s being a good sport about it and not letting it go to his head, although I’m sure he’s used to it.

  “Before we get interrupted again, why don’t you tell me the reason you decided to move to Westhaven.”

  Landon leans back in his leather chair as he flashes a sly smile. “I’ll tell you my secrets if you tell me yours.”

  I nervously fidget in my seat. “What makes you think I am hiding anything?”

  Landon moves his menu aside and places his arms on the table, leaning his weight on his powerful forearms.

  “Everyone has skeletons in their closet, luv. Some are good, some are bad, either way we all need people we can trust to share things with. I want to be one of those people, Kelsey, you can tell me anything.”

  I quickly weigh the pros and cons of telling him my deep dark secrets. Landon is a good man whose always been straight forward with me. Plus, he saved me and my best friend from a fate worse than death.

  “Talk to me, luv, tell me what’s going on and I’ll do whatever I can to help.”

  He reaches across the table and squeezes my hand.

  For the next several minutes, I give him a PG-13 version of the last few months. Landon rubs his hand over his smooth jaw.

  “While I can understand your reluctance to be with Jamie, I can’t say that I agree with your methods. You must understand that even though we appear to be human, we aren’t. Shifters play by an entirely different set of rules. Certain things that you would believe to be innocent or unimportant will have completely different meanings for us. Until my brother got together with Andy, it was unheard of for Enforcers to have families. I can’t speak for Jamie, but I know Adam never had a real relationship until he met your friend. Most of these men stick to casual sex because they fear the person they are dating will become a target. In our world, it’s a real possibility.”

  I remember what happened to Lincoln’s girlfriend, Vanessa Clark. The poor girl had been abducted, tortured, and then killed. Her body had been left on our lawn for Andy to find. Lincoln had spent several days in jail accused of her murder.

  “You also didn’t leave Jamie with very many options. The man isn’t known for being dishonest, so when he told you that he wanted you, he meant it, yet you ignored him and continued to deny him. In our world, that means you consider him unworthy. It’s no wonder he turned to other females for comfort. It’s what I’d do if I were him.”

  Great so the fact that Gia is in the picture is my fault. Damnit this explains Jamie’s annoyance with me last night, he thinks I find him lacking which is just absurd. Jamie Trudeau is the most remarkable man I’ve ever met. I’m not saying that because he has the ability to transform into a wolf or for having the power to wield fire and electricity. I’ve thought Jamie was unique since the first night I spotted him at the bar.

  “I feel awful, Landon. I never meant to hurt him I just… I want to be with him, but what if he doesn’t want the same things, I can’t risk my heart being broken.”

  “Trust me, luv, he wants to be with you. Jamie just needs a swift kick in the ass and both of you need to be open and honest about how you feel. It’s not as if you two could go back to being friends. Shifters are extremely territorial creatures who will go to great lengths to protect those we care about. Toss in an alpha male with an explosive temper and it’s a recipe for disaster. Jamie will never be able to sit back and watch you with another man. He would kill his competition in a heartbeat, just as you would like to do to this other woman.”

  Sheesh, it would have been nice to know all of this last night before I intentionally tried to make Jamie jealous. I guess I should be thankful he hadn’t done more than threaten Nathan with bodily harm.

  Landon leans forward his smile turns wicked. “You have no reason to fret, luv. No other woman in the world can hold a candle to you. Trust me when I say that you are the only female that Jamie Trudeau wants in his life and in his bed.”

  I offer Landon a small smile while turning my attention back to my menu even though my mind is focused on everything but food. The only thing I want is to come up with a way to make this work with Jamie.

  In all honesty, he’s ruined me for other men. Since I’ve met him, nobody has caught my attention or made me feel the way he does. He’s so confident, commanding, and sexy, not to mention stubborn, arrogant, and overly protective. I’ll never find another man with his qualities and I could kick my own ass for denying my feelings for so long.

  Our waitress finally reappears to take our orders. I opt for something light since I’ve seemed to have lost my appetite, and order a salad while Landon orders pasta.

  “So what’s your story, Landon? Why are you really here?”

  He eyes me for a moment before speaking. “The truth is I needed a change of scenery. After my stepbrother set me up for murder and held me prisoner, I was angry at the world and myself for not seeing what was right there in front of me. Terric had gone so far as to plant a fake girlfriend in my path. I hadn’t been with Jess for very long, but I liked her, I let my feelings for her cloud my better judgment and when she betrayed me it felt like everything I had ever known or fought for was a lie.”

  Landon sighs loudly as he runs his hand through his hair.

  “After we were rescued I decided that things had to change. The Shaw’s want my father to suffer, which means they are going to come after me and my siblings. They have already hurt my brother once and I’ll be damned if they will get the chance again. My hands may appear to be squeaky clean, but I’ve been fighting alongside my dad for centuries, I know how to handle this type of situation and I will stop at nothing to help my family end this, once and for all.”

  I have no doubt that Landon means every word, even if it costs him his own life. The thought of losing him, or any of the Enforcers for that matter, causes me to instantly panic. God, what if something happens to, Jamie? He could die never knowing how I truly feel about him.

  How could I have forgotten how dangerous his job is? He puts himself at risk every time he steps outside his front door. I’m hit with a sense of dread as my heart begins to beat so hard I fear it will beat right out of my chest.

  “I can’t lose him, Landon.”

  Life is too damn short to worry about what others might think. Even if our relationship only lasts a short time, I’d still cherish every moment that we spent together.

  Landon’s lips curve into an evil smile. “That a girl, so what are you going to do about it?”

  I’m going to do the only thing that will set all of this right. “I’m going to bag myself a wolf.”

  Chapter 4

  Landon

  I pull into the driveway and park in front of the Enforcer cabin. I take a deep breath while running my hand through my short hair. My conscious has been weighing heavily on my shoulders th
ese last few months. When I had taken this assignment, I hadn’t realized how difficult it would be. I’m not concerned with the toll it will take on my body, being a soldier for over two hundred years has prepared me for any type of battle.

  The real problem is my conscience. My uncertainty has clung to me like a second skin and if I’m not careful, I fear it will begin to eat away at my soul. I continually reassure myself that this course of action is the only way to get what I want, that it’ll all work out in the end. It hasn’t helped alleviate the guilt I feel for having deceived those that I care about. I’ve made a deal with the devil and I intend to see this through.

  With that in mind, I ease myself out of the comfort of my green monster and walk toward the front door.

  “Landon? Well, this is a nice surprise.”

  I can’t help but smile at the woman standing before me. “It’s wonderful to see you again Grace.”

  Grace Lively is a beautiful woman inside and out. She always has a kind word or a piece of motherly advice. And whether you like it or not, once you cross the threshold, you’re treated like family.

  “If you’re here to see your brother I’m afraid he’s indisposed.” She chuckles softly.

  “That’s alright. I’m actually looking for Jamie.”

  He isn’t the Trudeau I am here to see, but I feel the need to intervene on Kelsey’s behalf.

  Grace crosses her arms over her chest while giving me a stern glare. “I hope you’re here to straighten that boy out. He’s been in a foul mood all morning. He has barely slept or eaten anything in days. I’ve tried to tell him that ‘whisky’ is in fact not a food group, but that wolf is stubborn as hell. I know things have been quiet lately, but I also know that can change in an instant and I’m worried that he will be hurt because he isn’t taking care of himself.”