by Spear, Terry
“You never know when a little muscle can turn the tide.”
After they packed up the car, they headed for the airport, turned in the rental car, and waited for their plane.
Tanner wrapped his arm around her shoulders as they sat next to each other in the airport. “I wonder how long it will take him to notice some of his money is gone. As much as he had, maybe he won’t notice right away.”
“He probably will notice. He’s tight with his money.”
“Do you feel better about everything now?”
“I do. Payback can cause some major heartburn—for him. I wonder if now that he’s not as wealthy as before, his girlfriend will want to stick with him.”
“I believe they might be mated,” Tanner said.
“I agree.”
“One hundred and sixty plus some change is only a drop in the bucket if Howard has that much money. Too bad we couldn’t have made more of a statement.” Tanner rubbed her back.
“If I’d known that he’d swindled others like me, I would love to give the money back. But without knowing that for certain, I won’t be a thief like him.”
“He swindled the wrong she-wolf.”
* * *
An hour and a half later, they landed on Cayman Brac, grabbed their bags, rented a car, and headed to the villa. Serena loved the other island and would have enjoyed exploring some of the fun things they had to do there, but now that they’d finished the business she’d come for, she didn’t want to chance running into Harold or his new girlfriend—and she was ready to have some fun.
“Did you want to keep the pretense that we’re just friends?” Tanner asked as they entered the sunny villa.
“You mean as far as the bedrooms go? Nah. Not unless you’re worried about what the other guys will think about us rooming together.”
He laughed. “I would hope they would think they have no chance with the beautiful she-wolf.”
“They don’t. This is really nice. Not that the other place wasn’t also. But it’s nice to know we’re here to just have fun now. Do you want to go swimming?”
“I’d love to. Then for lunch, I’m taking you to a restaurant. Seafood sound good?”
“In the islands, absolutely. They have caves here we could explore too. Right now, the ocean is calling to me.”
Tanner finished removing his clothes and pulled on his board shorts.
She pulled on her bikini bottoms, then pulled off her bra, but before she could fasten the bikini top, Tanner was doing it for her. “Are you worried he might figure out I did it and track us here?” she asked.
“Not here. If he believes we flew out of here, I’m sure he’ll assume you went home with a wolf. He’ll probably be looking for you on Grand Cayman for a while though. They have some flights back to the States, even if they didn’t have the one we needed, so we could have been on any one of those. Did you ever tell him where you were from originally?” He grabbed a couple of beach towels and set them on loungers on the back patio.
“No. I never talked to anyone about it.” They headed out into the tropical warmth, a sea breeze carrying the scent of fish, brine, seaweed, and salt water.
“If he finds us, I’ll take care of him. As to whether he’d figure out you had a hand in this, maybe, since you had his email password. And he might realize you could have seen his bank passwords in the drawer.”
“True.” She dashed for the water. She smiled back at Tanner as he chased after her. “The sand is so white and so soft underfoot.” She dug her feet into the warm sand, then reached the water’s edge.
He swept her up in his arms and ran into the stirred-up surf, the waves cresting still higher than when they went swimming the first night. “Are you serious about not seeing any of the other wolves when we return?”
“After you stayed with me when I was in the woods, carried me to the house when I was injured, brought me here and helped me to break into his place, protected me during a tropical storm, let me beat you at dominoes, and now…this?”
“If you put it that way…” He smiled down at her, still holding her in his arms, braving the impact of the waves as they rolled against his legs.
“But it’s a lot more than that. I’ve never felt this way for another man. A wolf. With you, it goes a lot deeper. I love you and I didn’t think I’d ever feel that way for someone.”
“I fell in love with you the moment you showed up and I began to follow you as a wolf. I was ready to claim you for my own from the beginning. Wolves sense when they’ve found their mate. And I knew I had to convince you in any way I could that I was yours. I love you right back, Serena.” He leaned down to kiss her, but just as his mouth touched hers, a rogue wave crashed into them, sweeping them off their feet, and they were pulled under.
He was out of the water first, grabbing her hand and pulling her from the water. She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him back.
The waves tugged back and forth at them, but they only broke free of the kiss when they were ready. Then they swam out beyond the breakers and floated together, loving sharing this time on the island before she met the rest of the pack and learned what her role would be.
She would no longer be on her own, but a contributing member of the pack. “I could create a small library, if you don’t already have one,” she suddenly said.
He smiled, and kissed her cheek. “I was thinking about returning to the villa and mating. You’re thinking of going to work.”
She chuckled. “Sorry. I know it’s important to contribute to a pack.”
“A library would be welcome.”
After walking along the beach while holding hands, she said, “I want to come here again sometime. Not just to this island, but to Grand Cayman, to take the excursions Harold is going on with his mate.”
“Anytime.”
She wrapped her arm around his waist as they headed to the villa. “What do you want to do for the rest of the day?”
“I’m taking you to the seafood restaurant for dinner, but before that, we need to finish some other business.”
“You’re eager to be a mated wolf, I take it.”
“Hell yeah.”
She loved the way he wanted her, as if nothing could please him more. And she wanted him just as much—a new beginning, a return to her lands, and becoming close to her twin sister again.
They rinsed off outside under the shower and then dried off quickly. Then he opened the door, scooped her up, and carried her over the threshold. He paused to shut the door with his hip, and she reached down and locked it. Then he headed for their bedroom.
“Oh heavens, put me down,” she said, as he reached the stairs.
He just leaned down, kissed her, and carried her up the stairs.
Tanner figured his brothers would ask him how he managed to convince Serena he was the right wolf for her. Loving the she-wolf came easy. Protecting her could be a challenge, but he would always be there for her no matter what.
He set her on the floor before helping her out of her bikini. She reciprocated, pulling off his board shorts. Then he joined her in the bed, cupping her face and kissing her mouth, her hands wrapping around his waist, and pulling him closer. “I’ve waited for you all my life.”
She smiled. “I feel the same for you.”
Then they were kissing again, his hands molding to her breasts, feeling her nipples tighten. He rubbed his hard cock against her belly, a way of sharing his scent with her and carrying her scent with him. She was his and he was hers.
“You are one hot wolf,” she breathed against his chest before she licked his nipple, sending shivers of pleasure to his core. She pulled gently on his nipple with her lips, then moved to the other.
She was breathing harder, her pheromones heating and triggering his own.
“Beautiful,” he whispered as he trailed
kisses down to her breast and licked one nipple, then tugged gently on it with his mouth, just as she had done to him.
She moaned softly, running her hands over his biceps.
He moved his mouth over her left breast to the right one and licked the nipple, his hand cupping the left, his thumb rubbing the nipple.
He couldn’t believe how lucky he was.
He reached between them and began to stroke her, kissing her belly. He rubbed harder, more vigorously. She clutched at his arms, her face tight with concentration. He could see when the climax was about to hit, smell her sexy arousal, loved hearing her cry out with pleasure.
He began to kiss her mouth, and then she reached for his hips, grabbing hold, and pulled him closer.
“Do it,” she said.
He slipped his cock into her, and once he was seated fully, he began to thrust. She was hot, wet, and tight, perfect for him. He hoped she felt he was just as perfect for her as she gyrated her hips and he thrust harder.
He paused to kiss her throat, her chin, her mouth, wanting desperately to prolong this. Then he drove his cock in deeply. Striving to make it last, he rubbed against her, but he couldn’t hold off any longer and groaned with release.
She thrust her pelvis at him as he finished, then still joined with her, he pulled back enough to coax another climax out of her.
She clutched at his hair, tightening, then let go. “Oh. My. God.”
He smiled, slipped out of her, and pulled her into his arms. “I love you, Serena.”
“I love you right back, you beautiful, big wolf.”
They were enjoying the afterglow of making love, of being mated wolves, when Serena’s phone rang. Thinking Bella was calling, she rolled over to grab her phone off the bedside table and saw it was Harold. Her heartbeat quickened.
“Harold,” she whispered, as if she had answered the call already and he could hear her.
“You want me to talk to him, or just hang up?”
She let out her breath. “I could block his calls, but I think it’s important to hear what he has to say.” She sat up, answered the phone, and put it on speaker.
“When I find you, you’ll give me every cent back. Or you’re dead.”
Then he hung up on her.
Chapter 7
Tanner was livid. No one threatened a pack member, let alone his very own mate, and got away with it. Harold might have just been mouthing off about deadly retribution, but Tanner assumed he wasn’t. What made it so unbelievable was that Serena had only taken back what was hers.
The wolf had the chance to live, maybe a few thousand dollars poorer, but at least he had his life. Not now. Serena wasn’t going to have to worry about looking over her shoulder all the time. Living in a pack, she’d most likely be perfectly safe, but all the bastard would need was one chance to get at her.
“I’m sorry,” Serena said.
“Don’t be. How much do you want to bet that he would have been just as much of a bastard if you’d taken only a fraction of your own money? You were able to access his accounts and make him feel vulnerable, yet you were gracious enough not to take his money too.”
She frowned. “Right. Just like he violated my trust and my privacy by accessing my accounts.”
“Correct. But I suspect he doesn’t see it that way. He can do it to you, but no one gets away with doing it to him.”
She let out her breath. “Okay, so we return to Colorado?”
“No. I suspect if he doesn’t learn where we’ve gone, he’ll be waiting at the airport, watching for us. We’ll wait for my brothers and cousins to get here and make further plans then.”
“He didn’t say he was going to kill you also. Do you think he believes I’m alone?”
Tanner pondered that for a moment. “I think you’re right. Which would make sense. How would you have found another wolf so quickly when you weren’t seeing any and didn’t know any in the area? He would have known about it. Everything happened so quickly, he most likely wouldn’t suspect you’d be here with a male who would protect you with his life.”
“I’m sorry I got you into this.”
“This has all worked out for the best. I got you.” Tanner grabbed his phone and called Devlyn. “We might have trouble. Harold discovered the money’s missing and threatened to kill Serena. We’re at a villa in Cayman Brac, and from the sound of it, he thinks she acted alone.”
“Damn it. Okay, the guys are on their way. Vaughn and Brock got on a flight flying standby. They’ll be in tomorrow morning. Your brothers are still waiting for a flight. Vaughn and Brock will help you put the guy out of his misery if it comes to it.”
“Okay, thanks.”
“You keep your heads low. Don’t take any risks.”
“We’re going to be here. We’re eating at a seafood restaurant, but otherwise, we’re staying here.” Tanner gave him the location of the villa.
Serena had quickly gotten on her cell phone, and he wondered what she was doing.
Devlyn responded, “All right. I’ll let your brothers know what’s going on. The other guys are on their flight, and we won’t be able to reach them for a few hours. Anything else?”
“No. I’ll call you if we learn anything further.”
When he ended the call, Serena put her cell down on the bedside table. “Harold doesn’t have any reservations for anything. Not for a flight out here either.”
“He must know you used his computer to get into his bank accounts. Maybe he remembers you accessed his email for him before.”
“Then he changed his email account and made up a new one so any reservations would go to that instead of just changing his password. That way he’d give us a false sense of security if he reserved a flight out here. Now we won’t know about it.”
“That’s a good bet. We won’t be able to monitor what he’s up to. But he can’t monitor us either. Brock and Vaughn are on their way. They should be here by tomorrow. Fisher and Shawn are stuck at the airport. They’re still trying to get a flight out.”
“Is Devlyn mad about it?”
“Hell yeah. No one threatens his pack members and gets away with it.” Tanner pulled her into his arms and they snuggled together.
“I mean, that I got us in this predicament?”
“No, he respects you for what you did. Let’s rest for a while, then go to eat.”
They fell asleep for a while, then woke to go to the restaurant.
Serena so wanted to do this, but she was upset about Harold. She was trying not to show it, but she worried he might discover she was here and try to kill both Tanner and her. She felt they needed to stay put and just wait for the guys to arrive.
“We’re going out to eat,” Tanner said, pulling her from the bed. “We’ll deal with him if he shows up.”
Tanner set up triggers that would reveal if anyone had come into the villa: sand left at the back door so that if anyone entered that way, they’d have to walk through it. Harold couldn’t jump far enough to avoid it and if it was disturbed, they’d know. At the front door, he secured a strand of Serena’s red hair at the bottom of the door with a little brown sugar and water solution. If anyone opened the door, it would pull loose.
They packed their laptops and her camera in the car and kept all their important documents with them. All they left were their suitcases and clothes, nothing they’d miss if Harold decided to take them.
They were off to the restaurant after that, ordering lobster tails and shrimp, her favorite food. In the islands, they were really fresh and tasty. “I think we need to take turns on guard duty tonight, don’t you? Until your cousins get here?” She pulled another piece of lobster meat from its shell and dipped it in lemon butter sauce.
“I think it’s a good idea, but we’re staying together.” He drank from his fruity rum drink.
“In the living room? We
could set up the sofa bed.”
“That’s what we’ll do.”
“This was the nicest dinner I’ve ever had, the nicest company too.”
He leaned over and kissed her. “It’s been great. Ready to go back to the villa?”
“I am.” She could tell he was tense too, not enjoying the meal as much as they would have liked. Not when they had to worry about Harold.
Tanner paid the bill and they returned to the villa. But he checked the front door, found her hair was still in place, indicating no one had been through the door, and she checked the back door. The sand hadn’t been touched. No smell of Harold or the she-wolf either. They wouldn’t have hunter concealment here, so Tanner was confident if they arrived, he’d smell them.
“Looks good. No problems yet, and we might not have any. Let’s make up that sofa bed, we need to finish off this day right.”
They quickly made the bed and fell into it, tearing off each other’s clothes, half dressed and kissing. What a way to end their first day of mated bliss.
* * *
Tanner wanted Serena to pull first watch so he didn’t have to wake her in the middle of the night. He assumed if Harold found where they were located, he would try to approach them in the middle of the night, figuring they’d be asleep. He had his gun nearby, but when he took out the wolf, he didn’t want to show he’d shot the man. Better to have a wolf kill him; no one would be able to explain that.
Serena had shifted to be able to take him on if he showed up. Tanner told her if Harold did, he wanted her to come get him. They had no way of knowing if Harold’s mate would take part in a fight or not.
An hour later, he heard Serena growl low. Tanner was out of bed in a flash, shifting, and joining her. He nuzzled her with his cheek against hers. And she turned and licked his face.
Then he heard movement outside the villa. Something moving quietly.
He stayed where he heard the movement while Serena headed to the back door.
The sounds moved away. They waited for a good half hour, then Serena shifted. “We need to see if it was them.”
Tanner shifted. “We can’t leave the villa. We’re safer here. If they break in, we have the advantage. Besides, he won’t want to kill you right away, if that was him out there. He’ll have to force you to give up your money first. Why don’t you try to sleep for now? I’ll shift again and keep watch.”