Obsessions

by Bryce Evans

  “Dinner smells great,” London commented.

  “I wish I could take credit for it, but I think you know your grandmother’s cooking when you smell it.” Meryl and London laughed. When she glanced back at Ryder he was smiling at her. Clearly, she was missing something. Why was he smiling at her like that?

  The food was being passed around the table and everyone filled their plates. She stayed silent hoping that someone would start the conversation.

  “Ryder, do you mind if we speak about pack business in front of London?” Me-Len asked. London never looked up. She continued to eat like she wasn’t paying attention even though she was and wanted to know all the details.

  “I trust London. Maybe she can help with our problem.” Ryder agreed.

  “London. Someone has been testing the wards around the city. Checking to see when they’re the weakest. Jim Sanders, Alpha of the Sanders pack has mated with a witch recently, one that practices in dark magic. We think it is her but we can’t be sure. You’re still reading my books, correct?” Me-Len asked.

  She nodded not wanting to interrupt.

  “A ward protects the city, but someone who is very powerful is testing it. We need to come up with an idea on how to protect the city better. The ward is good but we need something else. I’m trying—well, we are trying to come up with some ideas on how to do that.”

  “I see.” London put down her fork, deep in thought. “Maybe you need some extra security system to help out. Something they don’t know about placed around the city that can let you know when it detects magic being used or whatever you are looking for.” Me-Len raised her eyebrow and looked over at Meryl.

  “You know that may be a good idea,” Meryl agreed, looking to Ryder for his response.

  “Okay, let’s look into that, but we need to work fast,” Ryder responded. He smiled at London, and it did strange stuff to her body. All the man had to do was smile and her libido flared up with goose-bumps all over her body. She shivered under his gaze. How desperate can you get London? It’s just a smile. Yeah, but it’s a panty dropping smile.

  Chapter 21

  They continued to eat and talk about the past. London loved hearing how Alpha City was built and how the Alpha Council was formed, and she lost track of time. When she glanced over at the clock on the wall she was surprised at how late it was. She still needed to call a taxi to come pick her up.

  Me-Len began clearing the table, refusing London’s help, and insisting she stay put and learn more about her new home, but London got up and walked toward her grandmother. “Me-Len, it’s late and I need to call a taxi. I enjoyed tonight so much. It felt just like old times.”

  Meryl and Ryder both stood up from the table, and London hugged Meryl and thanked him for inviting her.

  “I can take you home London,” Ryder offered.

  “Oh no. Really, I can take a cab,” London countered.

  “London, it is silly to call a cab when I’m going right past your house on the way home,” he said. She looked over at her grandmother for help, but as usual she looked like she was playing matchmaker.

  “London, it is too late to call the cabs around here. They would charge you a fortune to come out this late at night. Just ride with the Alpha.” Her grandmother suggested. She could hear how mischievous she was being. “I would feel better if Ryder took you home.”

  She frowned and swallowed hard at her grandmother, but what could she say now that Me-Len had thrown her under the bus?

  “Okay, I don’t want to put you out or anything,” London replied dryly.

  She followed him to the front door, hugging Me-Len and Meryl before they left. He walked to her side of his SUV and opened her door, helping her in, and then walked around to his side. She buckled her seatbelt and tried to act like she wasn’t dying in the car. His scent was everywhere and he smelled great. She reached down and cracked her window allowing some fresh air into the car.

  “How do you like the cabin?” he asked.

  “It’s great. I love it. Thank you for allowing me to stay there,” she answered, before going back to staring out the window.

  It didn’t take them long to get to the front gate of Ryder’s land. Peering into the window the guard saw that it was Ryder and just waved them in. Trying to hold her breath was easier said than done. His scent was mouthwatering. She grinned when her cabin came into view. She could finally get out of the car leaving his scent behind, but no. Ryder drove right past it.

  “Wait…you just passed my cabin,” she said, pointing out the window.

  “You haven’t seen my house yet and I wanted you to see where to run to or visit when you wanted to,” he answered with a grin.

  She knew she was in trouble now. This was just another ploy to get to her. He was just trying to string her along again. Well he wouldn’t get his way this time. London sucked in a breath but blew it out when her eyes focused on the big house Ryder called home. It was beautiful, a bigger version of her cabin. The porch wrapped around the house. It had rocking chairs on it, and a built in fireplace off to the side. She couldn’t stop staring at how simple and clean cut fabulous it was.

  Flowerpots sat all around the porch. Some type of vine with beautiful flowers hanging off was crawling up the entrance to the porch. She could take picture after picture of this one space. Never had she seen anything like it. Everything was neat and well groomed. Whoever took care of the place had a green thumb because flowers and plants were growing everywhere.

  London sat in the car not wanting to go inside, but Ryder opened her door. “Come on just a peek then I will drive you back home, promise.”

  She was acting stupid, but she huffed and got out of the car. He opened the front door to his house allowing her to pass by him. The inside of the house was just as magnificent.

  “Um…I need to go.” London whispered. Looking around, she was shocked at how beautiful and unique the cabin was. Even the inside was neat and appeared to be lived in, but nothing seemed out of place. Ryder walked over to a bar that was nestled in the corner.

  “Would you like a glass of wine?” He held up a bottle.

  “No thank you. I need to get home. I have a big day ahead of me. I can walk from here—I need to walk off that big dinner, anyways. I don’t think my butt needs to get any bigger.” London looked away quickly, cringing at her stupid comment. Now he would look at her big fat butt. She couldn’t think around the man. He turned her insides to mush and made her talk stupid. She seemed to be hitting an all-time high in the stupidity department.

  London almost made it to the door before Ryder grabbed her hand stopping her. Slowly, she turned to face him.

  “I think your butt looks great. In fact, I think it’s perfect,” Ryder whispered. London could feel the heat climb up her neck at the compliment, and then he did something else she didn’t expect. His touch this time felt different as he lightly caressed her face. Almost desperate.

  “I have to kiss you.” Ryder whispered, and then he softly put his mouth against hers.

  She opened her mouth allowing him to have his way, licking and sucking on her lips at will. Everything about this man turned her body on, and the fact that he was a great kisser just increased her addiction to him.

  His actions got heavier when he grabbed her hair allowing him to control her head. He backed her up against the wall, then reached down and pulled her legs up, and wrapped them around his waist. London knew she should stop this and get out of the house, but it felt so damn good. His kisses got more frenzied when he pushed his erection up against her. She didn’t know how to stop so she kept kissing him back. Common sense? What was that?

  Both were so caught up in the moment that neither heard the door open and close until Jamie said, “Maybe I need to come back later.”

  She gasped and quickly released her legs to stand up. A blush stained her cheeks as she chastised herself for being so stupid. Running past the smiling Jamie she said, “Nice to see you again, Jamie,” on her way out the door.r />
  How could I be so stupid? What will the man think now that he has almost screwed me twice? Oh I know, yeah you’re easy. Yep, they will probably nick name you Easy Rider.

  London didn’t turn around to see if Ryder was following her. She needed to get home. It was already late and she had a big day ahead of her tomorrow, but her body was still lusting after the man. She groaned thinking about how her body responded to him and how good he felt.

  Her steps slowed when she felt the hair on her neck go up, and she looked behind her thinking it was Ryder or Jamie. Nobody was around. She didn’t even hear the crickets in the woods. Something or someone was near. She knew it. Maybe it was just the Enforcers checking the area.

  London didn’t want to find out, so she picked up her speed and began running faster to her cabin. She felt something powerful tingling through her body as the lights to the cabin came into sight. Power like she had never felt before surged toward her. The necklace on her neck glowed; it was either her instincts or something within the charm that told her to fall to the ground. London dropped just as she felt magic wiz over her head. When she looked up, she could see a woman on top of the hill. Her body glowing as she held her hands out toward London.

  She couldn’t make out who it was, but she knew the woman wasn’t saying hello and waving. London lay on the ground watching and then the stranger was gone. She didn’t know if she was coming back to shoot her with another laser beam or whatever, so she continued to lie there until she heard someone behind her running fast. They were so close that she didn’t have time to react, so she just balled up and covered her head with her hands.

  “Are you hurt? Did you fall?”

  Her heart was pounding so hard she thought she was going to have a heart attack, and her body was frozen with fear. She couldn’t speak or say anything.

  “London, are you alright, baby? Please talk to me!” London could hear the fear in Ryder’s voice. He picked her up and carried her into her cabin, but her eyes stayed closed for fear that the woman would return. Never in a million years did she imagine she would freeze up from fear—she’d had way too much training for that.

  “Did you see her?” she finally sputtered. Her voice was only a whisper.

  “Who?” Ryder asked.

  “The woman on the hill who threw magic at my head,” London responded looking around her cabin as if someone was going to jump out at her. She knew she needed to get control of her fear, because if she didn’t it would control her.

  “No…wait, what?” Ryder asked, looking around the area. Slowly, he walked over to the couch and set her down.

  London watched as he backed away and opened the door, stepping out on the porch she heard the high-pitched howl of a wolf. Wrapping her hands over her ears, London balled her body up on the couch. She forced herself to take in deep breaths trying to calm her body. Franticly searching her mind for what might calm her nerves and get her thinking straight again. Looking toward the kitchen, London was surprised when she saw the liquor on top of the cabinet. Jumping up she ran to the cabinet and grabbed the bottle. Thank you to whoever put you here.

  Her hands were shaking so bad she didn’t know if she could pour the liquid into the glass. She opened her mouth and slammed the tequila down her throat then did it two more times before Ryder walked back in the door.

  She couldn’t stand this fear. She wanted to hit herself for reacting so cowardly. It had paralyzed her, but the liquor was doing the trick as she gulped in deep breaths.

  “Are you hurt?” Ryder asked, concerned.

  “No. I hit the ground before it could hit me,” she answered softly. Jamie and two other shifters walked into the door as she spoke.

  “Before what hit you?” Ryder asked.

  “The woman on the hill threw some type of energy at me, but it didn’t hit me. All I know is, I felt someone watching me, and I turned around thinking it was you, but nobody was there. Then I had the feeling that I needed to hit the ground, and when I did I felt the shot of energy go over my head. I looked up on the hill and saw a strange woman with her hands up toward me. I swear I didn’t even blink before she was gone. I thought she was running up behind…” London couldn’t finish her sentence when she observed how Jamie and the guards were staring at her, like she was crazy.

  “I know what I saw,” she said, angrily.

  “Maybe you just got paranoid and the wind picked up and…” Jamie responded.

  London flinched at his disbelief, “Get out of my house.”

  She wasn’t going to let these men tell her she didn’t see the woman or feel the energy zooming toward her head. She didn’t imagine it.

  Jamie crossed his arms. “Look London, I’ve seen a lot of people get paranoid and think they saw something when it was the dark scaring them.”

  Oh, hell no, he didn’t.

  “I said get out of my house. If this is where I’m living for a few days, then get out. If you don’t, I will. I don’t need this. I know what I saw, Jamie, I didn’t imagine it,” she fumed.

  “Yeah, well, women who are hyped up can see things,” Jamie suggested.

  London felt her face turn hot with anger, but before she could respond Ryder intervened, “Hey, hey let’s all calm down here. Jamie, go check the area on the hill where London said she saw the woman.”

  Jamie’s vein pulsed in his neck, but he dipped his head to acknowledge the command. “Sure, I’ll check it just to confirm that she didn’t see anything.”

  He had to duck as London chucked her glass toward his head. It hit the wall and shattered on the hardwood floor where he was standing, but he just shook his head as he walked out the door.

  Ryder pushed his fingers through his hair. “Look London, Jamie is my second in command, and he is very good at detecting people especially when they are hiding.”

  “Get out. I will be off your land tomorrow,” she responded. Her eyes were locked on him, and she was angry beyond words. Her body vibrated with rage. She couldn’t believe they thought she was lying. The woman threw some type of magic at her head and they thought she made it up.

  “Unbelievable. I know what I saw and felt. I won’t be called a liar by you or him. Get out now! I’m tired and need to pack my bags so that I can leave first thing in the morning.” London didn’t give him any room to negotiate; she grabbed the bottle of tequila and carried it into the bathroom, locking the door.

  “Damn it, London. I’m not calling you a liar. It’s just...”

  London ignored him, turning on the shower so that his words were muffled murmurs. All she could do was pray this nightmare would go away. She may regret it in the morning, but she needed to calm down and alcohol seemed to be the way to go.

  Chapter 22

  London woke up with a terrible headache. She’d continued her drinking even after Ryder left the cabin. Big mistake. After a bath and most of a bottle of tequila, she’d stumbled around in her bedroom packing up all her clothes, while cussing Ryder and Jamie at the top of her lungs. She knew they had to have heard her. She was drunk enough to not care at the time, but now she was embarrassed at how she acted. She should have just packed and called a cab to come take her to a motel until she could find an apartment.

  She knew her grandmother would believe her. London would call Me-Len when she got to the office to talk with her about the woman. She shook her head as she looked over at the bottle lying on her dresser. Now he probably thought she was a drunk. Every time something bad happened, she got the bottle out. She vowed to never drink again.

  She slowly got up trying not to throw up on the floor. She didn’t think she had the energy to clean that up too before she left for work. Zoey would be there bright and early probably before the time she said she would pick her up. Ryder most likely called her last night to tell her about her crazy ass friend seeing things.

  “Damn them,” London hissed as she ran to the bathroom emptying her dinner into the toilet along with the tequila.

  She couldn’t fix her hair lik
e she wanted to, because she didn’t have the energy to go all out. So she pulled her hair back in a ponytail then applied just a little mascara and lip-gloss. She didn’t want to look like a dead person so she gave her cheeks a little color too.

  She heard Zoey in her kitchen before she even opened her bedroom door. Taking a deep breath, London picked up her pocketbook and went to face her best friend. Grabbing her suitcase, she dragged it to the door, and she didn’t even look up to see who was in the kitchen. Then she went back in and grabbed two more, but this time when she walked out she finally looked up into the faces of Zoey, Ryder, and Jamie all watching her.

  Freaking figures, they would try to gang up on her. “I’m not in the mood this morning so if we could just go Zoey, I would appreciate it.” London marched back over to the front door.

  “London, stop for a minute and let’s talk this out.” Ryder suggested.

  She glared over at Jamie who smirked at her pulling the suitcase. “Yeah, okay well let’s talk then Ryder. On the way home, I saw a woman on the mountain glowing, with her hands out toward me then she threw some type of energy toward my head. I didn’t imagine it or dream it up for attention, and you don’t believe me. So don’t, I will get out of your hair, and you...” she pointed furiously at Jamie, “You act like I’m some kind of crazy woman, but if I were you, I would want to know why a woman was on your land and you couldn’t sense her.”

  “Hey I believe you,” Zoey said half-smiling. London could see it on her face clear as day that she was only pacifying her so she wouldn’t be mad.

  Shaking her head at her friend, she frowned, anger blazing through her. “Don’t try to pacify me, Zoey. Not you. If you could take me to the office, I will sleep on the couch until I can find a new place to live.” She jerked her suitcase up and hurried to the door.

  “London stop,” Ryder demanded, his voice shifting from sweetly understanding, to a growl. Donnie was pulling up when London walked down the steps. Great they called him too.