by Rivi Jacks
“I’m gonna kick Sawyer’s ass when I get home and maybe yours when you get back!”
“Everything is okay and no one’s hurt—”
“Everything is not okay, and it’s a miracle y’all made it out of there,” he practically growls.
His chewing me out and basically yelling at me is starting to piss me off. “Where are you? Diane said you were doing something for Lucas.” I’m hoping to distract him.
“Don’t change the subject. I’m pissed, Sofie. You scared the shit out of me. Nick could sense something going on with you, but I couldn’t reach you or Sawyer.”
Oh crap. My anger gives way to guilt. “I’m so sorry, Jake.” I should have remembered Nick’s weird ability. I don’t mean to be ungrateful, but I’m not comfortable with this connection Nick seems to have with me. Especially with our history.
“Sofie,” —Jake’s voice is somewhat calmer— “you have to realize you can’t go traipsing after Sawyer like you used to. It’s not safe with everything that’s going on.”
“Jake, you know Sawyer. He was going to go out to the McNish whether I was with him or not, and I couldn’t let him go alone.” Purl definitely did not count.
“Ok then, I’m just kicking Sawyer’s ass!” he says heatedly.
I close my eyes briefly in annoyance. Sometimes these men— As calm as I can, I ask, “What do you think about what Purl told us?”
“I think that should have been your second clue to stay away from that place.”
“Jake!”
I hear him sigh thoroughly, and he’s silent for several moments. “I think there’s a whole hell of a lot of shit going on out there.”
My eyebrows lift at his candid answer. Jake’s not been very open or straightforward with me for a while now, and I know it’s because he thinks he’s protecting me. “I do too,” I tell him.
“Promise me you won’t go out there again, Sofie.” The tone of his voice reminds me of how close our relationship used to be.
I swallow deeply wanting to give him that promise. And right now, I could wholeheartedly vow to him that I plan to never step foot on McNish land again. But the thing is, I will if any of my family needs me there with them. And he knows that. “I’ll try, Jake.”
He sighs in resignation, knowing he needs to let it go. “At least I know Lucas is going to keep you out of trouble for a few days.”
Seriously? “What do you mean by that?”
“Now don’t go getting all riled up. I just mean I know you’re safe when he keeps you close.”
I think it best not to respond.
Jake eventually clears his throat. “Okay, I need to get off here. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. At least promise me you’ll be careful.”
“Jake, believe it or not, I’m always careful it’s just that these are uncertain times.” I hear his quick intake of breath and know he’s about to go off on another sermon. “But I promise I will be extra careful” —I insert quickly and then because I can’t resist— “And besides, I’m perfectly safe here with Lucas, right?”
An hour later I’m pacing the room, fighting the urge to call Jake back and tell him about my dream. I’ve heard nothing out of Lucas. I’m sure that he’s busy, but where the hell is he and who is he having meetings with here in Jackson Hole? And why here? I mean, why some touristy town out in the wilds of Wyoming? And does he have any idea there are—or might be—a horde of Kihn gathering for a confrontation? I don’t think so because one thing I do know is that Lucas would never have brought me here with him if that were the case. I’m also thinking about the men posted at the doors. Were they instructed to keep me here? I’m pretty sure they were, and if so, I need a plan because I need to leave this room and check things out, hopefully finding Lucas in the process.
I pace over to the desk that sits in the corner of the seating area and slide the drawer open to find the room service menu. If my suspicions are right about the energy I feel around the two men guarding the doors, and the fact that they’ve been on guard while I’ve slept, I’m certain they’re hungry. I hope the food will be a bit of distraction and peace offering for what I’m about to do.
I’m sitting on the bed waiting when Ryan Hayes knocks on the door. “Room service is here,” he says when I open it.
“Great, come on in.” I open the door wide and the room service waiter wheels a cart laden with food through the door. “Mr. Hayes, I ordered something for you and Mr. Losa too.”
“That’s… very kind of you Miss Reece, but not necessary.” He frowns as if not sure what to make of me.
I direct the waiter to the seating area where he promptly sets a dish on the table and removes the cover.
“That’s okay we’ll do that.” I step closer to Ryan. “Mr. Hayes, could you possibly tip the man? I’ll pay you back.”
He smiles indulgently and reaches for his billfold as he moves into the room. Once he’s thumbing through his money, I decide to make my move and clear the door into the hallway before he has a chance to realize what I’m up to. I sprint toward the elevators I saw when we came in last night. I think I hear someone call my name, which spurs me on with an excited giggle. My luck holds, and the door to the elevator opens almost immediately when I hit the call button. It’s empty, and I punch the up button repeatedly. I don’t know where I’m going, I just know I feel a strong need to get away, and the elevator seems like the quickest way to get out of their reach. Only, according to the floor buttons, there are a whole three floors to choose from. Out of the corner of my eye, I see someone in the hallway, moving toward the elevator. I look up as the doors are closing and catch Lucas’ slightly amused frown.
I lean, following the closing of the doors, holding his gaze. Crap. Is he mad? He didn’t look mad; he looked—puzzled—as in totally at a loss about what I’m doing. I was so intent on making my getaway that I didn’t feel Lucas’ presence or discern that he was the one calling to me. I groan, suddenly feeling very foolish.
The elevator comes to a whooshing stop, and the doors slide open. I hit the down button, and when the doors open again, Lucas is leaning against the wall directly across from the elevator with his arms crossed over his chest, one black brow arched in that cocky way of his.
“My sweet.”
I take a deep breath. “Lucas.”
His lips twitch, and his eyes are alight with humor. “Making a quick getaway?”
I flush bright red if my heated face is any clue.
Chuckling, he holds out his hand to me. As I take it, he pulls me close and then backs me up against the wall where he was just leaning, his hands planted on either side of my shoulders. He leans down, his lips almost touching mine. “Don’t you know you can’t escape me?” His voice is rich, full of sensual promise.
“I’m learning,” I whisper looking up into his eyes.
He gives me a slow seductive smile and then his mouth, warm and delicious, settles on mine. I lean into his body and wrap my arms around his waist, my hands moving up his back so I can press more fully into him.
At the sound of voices, Lucas raises his head releasing my lips, but he doesn’t step away. He smiles, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “I think your lunch is getting cold.” I blush again at the reminder of my antics.
Lucas laughs outright, and I duck under his arm, heading back toward the room. It doesn’t take him long to follow.
“Did you think I was keeping you a prisoner?” There’s way too much amusement in his voice. I choose to ignore him.
We pass the people we heard talking, and I look back at them, catching Lucas’ grin. I also catch the other couple, looking back at us. Outside the room, I stop, wondering where Ryan is. Lucas opens the door and waits for me to precede him.
I step in, coming to a halt at the sight of the two bodyguards, sitting at the table in our room, ea
ting the lunch I ordered.
“Lucas,” —I look back at him— “I really need to talk to you.”
Lucas pushes me on in, laughing under his breath. “Don’t be a coward, Sofie,” he whispers near my ear, snorting in amusement when I elbow him.
Mateo looks up and smiles, whereas Ryan keeps his attention on his food. “Your food is getting cold,” Mateo says and lifts the cover off a plate.
I raise my chin and walk toward the table. Lucas is right, it is sort of cowardly of me to want to avoid the two men, plus I’m hungry. “Thanks,” I say as I sit.
Mateo grins, but Ryan, still focused on his plate keeps his head down. Oh no! He is really mad.
“I’m… sorry,” I say, glancing first at Mateo and then at Ryan. Mateo grins again and passes me the ketchup and mustard. Ryan glances up quickly and then back down, his only acknowledgment of the apology.
Lucas sits near us on the couch with what looks like a glass of bourbon. He certainly drinks a lot, but I’ve never seen him drunk. Maybe he’s like Sawyer. No matter how much Sawyer drinks, he’s never out of control. He gets happier, but never drunk. Jake says it’s a true medical phenomenon. Maybe vampires don’t get intoxicated. I feel Lucas watching me, and when I glance sideways at him, he smiles.
Mateo and Ryan finish eating and take their leave, with Mateo thanking me profusely and Ryan mumbling a quick thanks. Lucas sees them to the door, speaking to them in a low voice. As he walks back, I lay my napkin down.
“Finished?”
“Yes.” Unbidden, I have the disquieting thought of what he does about—food—when he’s away from home. I know he said they purchase blood, but surely not here, and I can’t imagine he hauls a supply around with him.
Lucas takes my hand and pulls me to my feet, eyeing me speculatively.
“What?” I ask.
“How did you know Ryan and Mateo weren’t vampires?” I arch my eyebrow not sure where he’s going with this. “You ordered food for them,” he clarifies.
I shrug. “There’s the same energy about them that I feel around Taylor. They’re the same, right—I mean the same as Taylor.”
His brow lifts, and he shakes his head. “You amaze me.”
“Why—you think I’m slow-witted?” I ask, annoyed.
He gives a bark of laughter pulling me close chuckling. “Sofie, most humans don’t recognize supernatural beings as you do.”
“I-I can’t tell about vampires,” I confess. At least I don’t think I can. I couldn’t tell that the man I was sleeping with was one. But now that I know they exist—
“It’s better that you don’t.”
I look up to catch his bemused expression. “What?”
“I was just wondering” —he frowns, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear— “why you felt you needed to trick Ryan earlier, so you could leave.” His voice is gentle as he watches me closely.
“He’s mad at me.”
Lucas gives a short grunt. “He’s not mad at you, he’s embarrassed.”
I frown. “Why’s he embarrassed? I’m the one who acted like a fool,” I mumble.
“He’s a highly trained soldier, Sofie.” Flashing me a grin, Lucas reaches out and touches the tip of my nose. “You gave him the slip while he was guarding you. Mateo may never let him live it down, and heaven help him if Taylor hears about it.”
“He knows Taylor?” Lucas nods. “Because he’s a—the same,” I state softly.
He’s staring down at me, and his continued perusal starts to make me nervous. “Sofie—why did you leave?”
I fidget, not sure how to begin. “I—” Reaching up, I run my fingertips along his jawline. His whiskers have grown out enough that they’re soft. “I wasn’t leaving. I just didn’t know if you’d told them to keep me here in the room or not.”
He frowns. “So, where were you going?”
I swallow hard. “To find you.”
He tilts his head, gazing at me intently. “Is that right?” He crosses his arms over his chest. “I told you to call if you needed to speak with me.”
“I did. It went right to voicemail.” He frowns, immediately reaching for his phone. “I really have something I need to tell you, Lucas—”
“Why didn’t you leave a message?” he murmurs. He looks up, and I lower my eyes when he frowns as if he has an unwelcome thought. “I’m sorry I missed your call, Sofie. I should have checked. That still doesn’t explain why you felt the need to leave as you did. Do you really think I would forcibly keep you where you don’t want to be?”
I chew my lip. The verdict is still out on that one.
“That is what you think,” he says with quiet disbelief, and I venture a look up, my heart clenching a little at the expression on his face.
“You have threatened more than once,” I remind him gently.
“With good reason,” he says, his voice sharp.
“So you say.” I shoot right back suddenly annoyed. I narrow my eyes at him, but just as quickly, I let it go. “Lucas, I really do need to tell you something important.” I take a deep breath, and before I have a chance to let my worry of how to explain my dream to him stop me, I blurt out, “There may be a large group of Kihn gathering for battle. Maybe here in this area.” His brow rises in surprise. “I—had a dream, and—they were in a cave, but now that I think about it, if it was in this area it may have been an old mine shaft. They have a lot of those here, right? I mean from the old mining days.” Amusement crosses his features, and his lips twitch suspiciously. “Don’t laugh at me,” I say softly. “You need to take me seriously.”
His expression sobers. “I’m not laughing at you,” he says as he eyes me speculatively and about the time that all-too-knowing gaze has me squirming, he says, “Tell me about this dream.” He reaches for my hand, pulling me closer.
“Like I said,” I begin nervously, “I was in this—cave or mine—and there were a lot of Kihn.” I look up. “That’s why you’re here, right? Because of the Kihn.”
He’s silent as he studies my face and then he shakes his head slightly. “Sofie, there are no Kihn in the area—”
“Lucas.” I pull my hand from his. “This has to stop.” He tips his head to the side. “You think you’re protecting me by—shielding me—or whatever it is you think you’re doing, but it makes me feel like you’re pushing me away.” Whoa. I really didn’t mean to say that but—it’s the truth.
I hold my breath, not sure of how he’ll respond, and then without warning, he gathers me to him. “I am not going to lose you,” he whispers in my ear, his hot breath causing goose bumps to erupt across my skin.
I stand on tiptoe to bury my face against his neck, breathing in his exotic scent. Why would he think he might lose me?
He squeezes me close and then abruptly, he picks me up, crossing to sit on the couch with me on his lap. I lean my head against his shoulder as he settles me close.
We sit quietly like this for several minutes before he says, “There are no Kihn in the area. Please don’t worry, it was just a dream.”
“My dreams are very real sometimes,” I answer softly.
“I won’t let anything hurt you, Sofie.” He tips my chin up, and I meet his gaze. “You know that.”
I nod. “I do know that, but you have to trust me on this. Please.”
His eyes search mine, and then he nods. “I’ll call Max and Lucian.”
“Thank you.” I lean my head against his shoulder, and then I look back up into his face. “So, if there are no Kihn here… why did you come to this place for a meeting. Does it have anything to do with the Kihn?”
The skin around his eyes tightens slightly. “It all has to do with the Kihn,” he says, his voice cool and dangerous.
His gaze holds mine as the ominously charged silence hangs between
us. It is at times like this that I am reminded of what he is and how dangerous he probably is. “Thank you for telling me that,” I finally whisper, and his lips lift slightly. I wait, hoping he’ll tell me more. I don’t let his silence deter me though. “Was Clea at these meetings?”
His gaze slides back to mine. “She was.”
I nod and look down at his hand resting on my leg. “I really need to meet this Clea.”
When he doesn’t say anything, I glance up to see him watching me. He gives me a smirk. “You want to meet Clea—along with her husband?”
“She’s married?”
A wry smile touches his lips. “Very happily.” He reaches out to stroke his finger across my bottom lip. “Clea and her husband, Alan, both work for me. Clea—I guess you could say—is a type of personal assistant.”
Personal assistant! I frown. Why has he never said anything to me about her before the other night?
“That’s all she is, Sofie.”
“She’s also a good friend,” I reply tartly. Okay, maybe I shouldn’t poke the vampire as I notice the muscle on the side of his jaw flex. Why do I find that so sexy? “I believe you, Lucas.” My gaze drops to his mouth as I bite my bottom lip.
I watch as one side of his sensual mouth lifts. “Good answer.” He brings his head down and takes my mouth, sucking gently on my bottom lip. I turn into his kiss, wrapping my arms around his neck. We don’t lose contact as I maneuver my position on his lap to face him. He weaves his fingers through my hair as my hands rest on his shoulders. I raise a hand to let my fingertips lightly brush along his jawline as the other hand slides under the collar of his shirt, loving the feel of his warm skin. I think his kiss will consume me, and my head is spinning when he releases my lips. He leans his forehead against mine, and I have the satisfaction that his breathing is as unsteady as mine. “You are a lot of trouble, but you’re worth it.”