by Tl Reeve
“Yeah, but you’ll love us for it. It’s time we had a female influence. It can’t be all male, all the time. Plus, I’m truly sick and tired of eating my uncles’ cooking. They suck.”
She laughed. “You’re assuming I can cook.”
He walked back to the table, reaching for her half-eaten plate, which she had pushed away from her.
“You can cook.” He winked at her. “We’ve all smelled the delicious scents coming from your house.”
“Maybe it’s Dani,” she interjected.
“I’m sure your sister can cook, too, but you’re the better of the two of you. Bonus, you make desserts.”
“How the hell can you tell that?”
“You often smell of sugar and chocolate. It’s a heady combination,” he teased as he walked back to the sink. “Kal rarely takes a lunch break. Instead he chooses to stay in the station to allow the rest of the staff their lunch break.”
Reaching up, she pulled her long ponytail around and over her shoulder, playing with the ends. “Why are you telling me this?”
“I’d hope to put the thought in your head about taking him a nice, romantic lunch.” He loaded the dishwasher, dropping the frying pans into the sink. “You might just get lucky again,” he announced as he dried his hands and walked out of the kitchen.
Dumbass that she was, she took Royce’s advice, heading home after breakfast to prepare a hearty lunch to take to Kalkin. In lieu of work, which needed to get done, she instead made a batch of her famous chocolate chip cookies, a double batch of blueberry muffins, and a pineapple dump cake. The plan was to leave half the cake and muffins with Royce and the other half, she’d drop off to Mrs. Martin. It gave her a legitimate excuse to check on the older woman, who had quickly become a surrogate mother to both her and Dani.
After loading her SUV up with the surprise picnic lunch, she walked over the bridge and knocked on Kalkin’s front door. When Royce opened the door, she placed the containers in his hands, turned and walked back to her vehicle, and got in.
He laughed the entire time.
Asshole.
The drive into town was quick. Main Street was busy. The little shops and restaurants peppered along the town's main strip bustled with activity. Apparently, a full moon and massive amounts of sex out in the woods was good for the town’s revenue stream. Last night's celebration was the major deal, although nightly activities would run the moon's cycle. She couldn't wait to see what would happen tonight.
Maybe another run?
At least now she knew what to expect from the run and more importantly, Kalkin. Her nipples pebbled and her clit throbbed as a wave of need washed over her, just from thinking of him. She needed to ask him if this constant need was normal. If so, she’d have to invest in more underwear. It didn’t help that with almost every shift of her body, the seam of her jeans brushed gently against her clit. It wasn’t helping her cause.
Unable to locate a single parking spot on the street, she drove to the additional parking provided by the town for overflow. It would mean she’d have to do her trip in two parts. First, she’d take Mrs. Martin her treats, come back to her car and gather everything for their lunch and then walk to the opposite end of town, where the station was located. Thankfully, she had packed the food into an ice chest, so it would remain cool.
Gathering the basket she’d put together for Mrs. Martin, she headed out of the lot and onto the main street. Luck was with her, because the crosswalk sign flashed, signaling she was good to walk across the two-lane road.
Looking to the right, the left, then back to the right, she stumbled when she saw a familiar figure down the block.
Simon.
Ohmigod. He had found them, even with all the back tracking and erasing the computer trail they’d left on their travels to Window Rock.
Hurrying up, she moved into a small crowd on the sidewalk. With a quick glance over her shoulder, she spotted him. Down and to the left, and so far, clueless she was less than fifty feet from him.
Knowing she’d have to keep her calm, she took a quick breath, working to center herself and focus on the task at hand. Her priority was to get off the damn streets, then call Dani and tell her to go pack and meet at the predetermined location they had agreed on when they moved into the house. They were getting the hell out of Window Rock. Tonight!
She quietly wished the herd of people she was hiding in would hurry the hell up so she could slip through Mrs. Martin’s shop door. It was so close she could see it, see the light shining through the glass, letting her know at least someone was working today. She hoped it was Mrs. Martin, even though she knew the older lady should be resting.
With another glance over her shoulder, she noticed Simon had crossed the street, heading her way. Reaching out, her fingers wrapped around the cold metal of the handle and she pushed the storefront door open.
Cool air and the scent of cinnamon and apple washed over her. “Mrs. Martin,” she hollered. “Are you here?”
“Keeley?” The older lady’s head popped out from the storage area in the back. “Is everything okay?” she asked, perhaps scenting the fear Keeley could only assume emanated from her body.
“No.” Her voice wobbled, her hands shook in terror.
She placed the basket of goodies on the countertop near the register before she dropped it. “I…I.” she glanced over her shoulder, watching Simon approach through the glass. He was on the phone and going by the look on his face and the hand he waved around, it wasn't a good conversation.
“Come back here, dear. Now,” Mrs. Martin urged her and she took off down the aisle like a bat out of hell.
“He’s here,” she whispered, ducking into the back.
“Who's here, dear? Kal?” Mrs. Martin inquired.
Not trusting her voice not to break, she shook her head, keeping her gaze riveted to the front door. Simon had stopped to the right of the front door, still on his cell phone, still having an animated conversation.
“Keeley, honey, I can’t help you if you don’t talk to me. Take a deep breath for me,” the older lady demanded. Keeley felt Mrs. Martin’s hands on her cheeks, forcing her gaze from the door and onto her. “Is someone after you?”
“Yes,” she croaked. “He’s here!”
“The man by the door?”
“Yes! He’s looking for Dani and me. He isn’t a good man, at all, Mrs. Martin. He hurt Dani,” she admitted.
“I suspect he also hurt you, too, my dear.”
“Yes. But he wants Dani. I can’t let him have her.” Her gaze darted to the door when the bell above it tinkled. “He’s coming in!” she hissed.
“I want you to stay here, Keeley. Do you hear me? Stay here and I will handle this,” Mrs. Martin assured her.
“No,” she begged. Reaching out, she wrapped her fingers around the older woman’s wrist. “He’s extremely dangerous. He could hurt you!”
“He’s human,” Mrs. Martin announced.
“How do you know he’s not supernatural?” she asked, watching a wicked grin form on the other woman’s lips.
“Easy. My shop is wired with an alarm system for shifters. If one comes into my store, it lets me know. That man,” Mrs. Martin gestured to the front of the store, “is just a man. Between the two of us, I'm more dangerous than he ever could be. I can shift into a wolf and rip his damn throat out. Don’t you worry about me, dearie.” Mrs. Martin patted her hand before she strolled back into the shop.
She could hear Mrs. Martin greet Simon in her normal, cheery way. When Simon replied, his voice was dark and condescending, and had her erratically beating heart ready to jump from her chest.
Revealing herself would place her and her sister in the line of fire again, and she couldn’t do it. She’d risk herself, not Dani. Unfortunately, not revealing herself meant leaving the grandmother-like woman alone, even if she could tear him apart, hanging out to dry with that snake.
Listening to Royce's advice had been a colossal mistake. She should have kept
her ass home, contacted Kalkin and had him over to her house for lunch.
Moving closer to the door, she peeked around, catching sight of Simon, who Mrs. Martin had steered so he was almost sideways, with his back to her. She released the breath she had been holding as she focused in on their conversation.
“Do you have a picture?” The normal welcoming tone of Mrs. Martin was gone. In its place was a remote, even cold tone she’d never have associated with her.
“Yeah. I do.” Simon slid his hand into his back pocket and removed a photograph, handing it to Mrs. Martin.
“I’m sorry. I haven’t seen her or anyone who remotely resembles her.” Mrs. Martin handed the picture back. “I’d suggest contacting our local sheriff, Kalkin Raferty. If she’s in the county, he’ll find her.”
Son of a bitch…Kal.
Why hadn't she thought of contacting him?
Maybe because I’m freaking the hell out, seeing my past come back and slap me in the face?
As silently as she could, she moved back from view, leaning against the wall and clearing her mind. Not something she normally had to do with Dani, but the link with Kalkin was new. It had only been used a couple of times. The pathways were still fragile. Every time she reached for him, the connection would grow stronger. In time, she could carry on a conversation with him and none would be wiser.
Ignoring the continuing conversation between Simon and Mrs. Martin, she focused, locating the pathway to Kalkin. Even with it being weak, she saw it, felt it, reached for it and gave a sigh of relief when she heard him in her head.
Kal? Can you hear me?
His sexy chuckle filled her head.
Yeah, sweet cheeks, I sure can. Missed me so much, you reached out to me? It’s only been a couple of hours and I planned on being home soon, he said.
She couldn’t stop the eye roll at his cockiness.
Listen to me, Kal. I’m in town. At Mrs. Martin’s. She cringed at the slight wobble in her voice. A deep dark growl filled her head, and she sensed him going on alert. Guess she’d never be able to hide or keep anything from him.
What is wrong, mate? he demanded.
Simon is here. In Mrs. Martin’s store, she stressed.
And where the fuck are you? he growled.
Hiding, in the back. Mrs. Martin is talking to him. He’s dangerous, Kal. He could hurt her.
She’s fine. She can take care of herself. I’m on my way. Stay where you are. Don’t move. Do you get me, mate?
What if…
What if, nothing. I’ll be there in under five minutes. If I find you in any other spot but the back storage room, I’ll redden your ass. Got me, sweet cheeks?
She didn't respond to him; instead, she bit her lip to stop the sobs she could feel building in her chest. To let it out might alert Simon. She couldn't risk Mrs. Martin.
Hurry, she pleaded.
I’ve got eyes on the front door. Jace is coming around the back. You’ll see him before you see me. Keep quiet, he ordered.
One of them better get here, like now, otherwise she’d pass out and it wouldn’t be pretty.
Calm down. I’m here and you’re not going to pass out, he assured her. His confidence helped ease her fear.
The bell tinkled, announcing a new arrival.
Is that you? she cried.
Yeah, baby. Let me get rid of this piece of shit, then I’ll take care of you.
“Keeley.” A toneless whisper had her looking to her right.
Jace Raferty stood, his eyes narrowed, with an intense look on his face as he pulled her back, placing his body between hers and any danger.
Jace is here, she informed Kalkin.
When he didn’t respond, she started to get nervous. Had Simon gotten to him? To Mrs. Martin?
Jace turned, catching her gaze. He gave a terse shake of his head.
Kal! she screamed through the link.
Busy.
“Easy, Keeley,” Jace whispered again. “He’s fine. Simon is leaving now.”
She let out the breath she hadn’t even realized she had been holding and slid down the wall, laying her head on her knees.
“Where is she?” Kalkin demanded as she felt him, rather than saw him, enter the back storage area. His presence was that large, that intense that she could simply feel him.
“On the floor, behind me,” Jace informed him. Kalkin growled. “Relax, bro. I didn’t touch her.”
“Is he gone?” she asked, not bothering to stop the hitch in her voice.
“For now,” Kalkin said, reaching out a massive hand to her. She took it, allowing him to pull her to her feet. “We need to get you back to the station. He won’t show up there again. Not after I just told him to stop doing my fucking job.”
The distinctive growl she heard in his voice had her frowning. “He’s looking for Dani, isn’t he?”
“Yeah. He is. Claims she is his wife,” he informed her.
Something flashed in his eyes, something she couldn’t recognize and before she could question him on it, he blinked and it was gone. There was more, she knew it, could feel it.
Before she could speak, Kalkin led her out the back door and into the small lot behind the store. She yanked her hand out of his grasp. “What else?” she demanded.
He cocked a brow at her, his gaze narrowing. “Jace has eyes on him. The moment he is in his hotel room, we’re moving,” he informed her.
She frowned. “He isn’t married.”
He ignored her. His gaze swung to the area behind them, scanning it, watching it for danger.
“He isn’t married,” she said again, this time more forceful. “Kal, listen to me. He isn’t—”
He turned on her and it was then she saw anger flash in his eyes. It had her shutting up and taking an involuntary step back from him.
He growled, low and long at her.
“He’s also claiming she’s pregnant.”
“That’s not true!” she cried. “Dani isn’t pregnant.”
“I know.” He sighed, then reached up and touched his right ear with his hand. “Got it, Jace.” Clearly, the sheriff and his deputies communicated with more advanced equipment than a walkie talkie. “It's clear to move you to the station.”
“Kal.” She reached out, laying her hand on his forearm.
“Not now, Keeley. I need to get you back to the station and safe.” He wrapped his hand around her unhurt arm and took off for the station.
Maybe once they both calmed down, she could have him send one of his guys to her vehicle and get the cooler. She doubted he’d even allow her to take one step away from his immediate area.
Chapter Thirteen
Goddamn it! He should have watched that stupid son of a bitch when he left the fucking station. But, no. He had to fucking think about Caden and what finding out about his potential mate’s pregnancy status might do to his twin. As the Alpha of his pack, he had to consider everyone, including his brothers, even if the asshole hid how he felt. Kalkin wasn’t sure how the guy would take the news. Which left him sitting at his desk, staring out into space.
The mere thought of Danielle being pregnant by another man would cause his brother to push her aside, mate or not, and allow the next nine months to eat away at his soul. Shit. He had to bring his brother back to town. He had to sit them both down and force Dani to explain it all—even if it meant hurting both Caden and her.
“She’s not pregnant,” Keeley said again, this time with a bit more steel in her voice. “Don’t you think with everything going on, I’d know? Or she would? Hello, she’s an empath!”
Yeah, he figured it out, too. “Keeley, I’m warning you. Sit there and be quiet so I can think.”
She shook her head. “So you can think? Are you serious?” She stood then crossed the room, getting into his face—which made the raging erection pushing at his slacks even harder. “Simon will kill us. He will rip Danielle apart mentally then open her up to experiment on her. She is that damn powerful. They want to learn how we work.
How we think. What makes us special, only there isn’t a damn thing special about us, except our brains are wired differently.” She smacked her hand against his chest.
The anger and arousal rolling off her smacked him in the face, and he lost his damn mind. The beast he had a tight leash on the majority of the time rose to the surface. A snarl curled his upper lip as his canines elongated. “Do you think I don’t already understand what he is looking for? That I’m some dumb, hick sheriff at his first rodeo?” He grabbed her wrists. “I should arrest you for hitting a sworn officer.” He flipped their positions so she faced the wall, her arms above her head. “Don’t move them.”
“What are you doing?” She glanced over her shoulder. Arousal and a bit of fear reflected back at him.
Simon got too close today. The man was pissing in Kalkin’s territory and he’d be damned if he let the man dominate his mate’s thoughts. “You’re under arrest.”
She spun to face him. “You ca—”
“I am and I can.” He repositioned her. “Hmm…this won’t do.” He closed down the link between them. He didn’t need to hear his little mate right now. Her body vibrated with anger. Her nipples were hard and fuck all, if her pussy got any sweeter, he’d come in his pants. “This…this won’t do. I believe we need to perform a strip search.” He palmed her breasts and squeezed. “You could be packing.”
He rubbed his groin against her ass, and she mewled. “Like you are?”
He pinned her to the wall and ground against her. “It’s a deadly weapon, sweet cheeks.” A rough chuckle passed his lips. “It’s already cocked and loaded.”
“You’re a pig,” she snapped. The half-hearted attempt to sound disgusted made him grin.
“Oink, oink.” He stripped her shirt off. “Mmm…” He ran his fingertips over the marks he left the night before. “So fucking sexy. Makes me want to mark you all over again.”
“You’re a crude man who needs to learn some manners.”
Kalkin ran his palms over the hard tips of her breasts. “You going to teach me, Keeley?”
A disgruntled sound passed her lips as she rolled her eyes. “Haven’t you heard? You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”