Wrangled Fate: Book One: Black Claw Ranch

by Lane, Cecilia

  She continued, “One of my contacts recently purchased this adorable little inn upstate and has been trying to lure me to be her head chef. It got me thinking about my own future, you know. Not getting any younger.”

  “You’re right. You’ll be an old hag before you know it. Better start collecting cats.”

  “Ethan Ashford, did you just make a joke? I was so sure you were one of those strong, silent types that didn’t know the first thing about humor.” She watched him in the mirror behind the bar, smile twitching her lips even as her tone stayed flat.

  “I can joke. I have a sense of humor.”

  Ethan wanted to strangle his damn bear. Or press his nose into the crook of Tansey’s neck and drown in her scent.

  The silence stretched between them. Damn it all. He wasn’t as awkward as a teenager on his first date with any of the women he met at the height of the bar’s nightlife. Words and charm flowed freely then.

  All surface. Too much surface. He wanted to get beneath the waves.

  He asked the first question that popped into his mind. “What would you die for?”

  Motherfucker.

  “What would I die for? That’s kind of a morbid question, isn’t it?” She drew shapes into the condensation of her glass. “Death isn’t exactly what I’m thinking about. If I had to pick, I guess I’d say my brother? My mother? Here, how about this?” She sat up straighter and adopted the breathy voice of a beauty contestant. “World peace.”

  Ethan barked a laugh, and she relaxed. “Look, no one is going to need my death for their survival. So how about you, Mr. Unfair Questions? What would you die for?”

  “Putting me on the spot. Okay, that’s fair.” He nodded twice, then gave his answer. “Colette, hands down. She’s got a future in front of her and I’m doing everything in my power to make sure she never has the worries I did when I was her age.”

  “Sounds like you two are as close as me and Rye.”

  “Mmm,” he said around his glass. “Happens when you’re forced to be the parent.”

  A frown pulled down her lips. “That’s the worst, isn’t it? My dad abandoned the family. Yours?”

  “Fell into the bottle after my mom passed.” He shrugged. It was rough, and he still hated the old man daily, but it molded him.

  He never liked talking about those years. More than the vaguest of details sent his bear snarling away inside him. Not with Tansey. She made him want to open up about the struggles and the wins.

  She swiveled in her seat. Concern wavered in her scent again. For him.

  Ethan turned to her, bracketing her knees with his. The slight brush of their legs together rolled energy over his skin. His hands shot forward and grabbed hers. A current whipped through him at the touch, obliterating every cell of objection and reconstructing him with pure need for the mysterious woman.

  He dropped her hands and looked her pity square in the face with a challenge to call him out. No amount of whining changed the past. He worked hard to better the future.

  And no amount of brushing against silky soft skin changed the fact that he didn’t want a mate.

  But she didn’t say a word. Tansey cocked her head again like she saw something interesting.

  His bear echoed the motion.

  Curious, that. After the words with Viho, he expected the beast to keep on raging until he could shift and direct that anger elsewhere. The clan were always down for a brawl. The pent-up energy and lifelong fury could be unleashed on them.

  Instead, the bear just watched and listened and tested the air. The brief flurry of sendings ceased as Tansey talked. Ethan couldn’t remember a time where his inner animal wasn’t pushing for something.

  Tansey licked her lips and inhaled steadily, swiveling back to the bar. “So why don’t you rent out rooms anymore? Is it because you all suck at cooking?”

  “Woman,” he snorted, “is that any way to offer thanks for the meal you were provided?”

  “I’m not sure if a terrible chili counts as a meal. Do you just dump cans bought back in the seventies and call it dinner?”

  “You think you can do better?”

  “Oh, I know I can. You’ll be singing my praises at first bite.” She grinned and took a pull from her glass. “But really, why?”

  “My bears are not fit for civilization. Jesse and Lorne could probably stay steady. Alex would shred the guests’ belongings in five minutes.”

  “Too bad about your man-eating bears. You basically have the perfect setup. Extra rooms, from what I saw. Land galore to turn the tourists out to play. Hipsters aren’t solely focused on their organically grown coffee beans and craft beers. They want authentic life experiences. You can give them a dude ranch and rake in the cash.”

  The thought was nice, but impossible. His mother was around to take care of any house concerns while his father worked with others outside. There weren’t enough hours in the day to add babying guests to the daily schedule. “Except we’d be poisoning anyone that tried to stomach our revolting menu.”

  Tansey’s eyes laughed at him. “Let me cook for you guys tonight. It’s the least I can do.”

  “After shooting at me, accusing me of kidnapping, and being an all-around disturber of the peace?” Her smile widened like he’d thrown her compliments. Maybe they were, for a woman like her. Tough on the outside, with a caring streak a mile wide. “Tell me, is that offer purely as an apology, or is it because you’re saving your taste buds?”

  “Why not both?” She shrugged. She swallowed down the last of her beer and shook a finger at him. Sassy girl. “And that’s your one drink.”

  Ethan chuckled. She bounced from one thought to the next without any hint of where she’d take him next. Confusing, intriguing woman. Guarded, too. He could press her if she switched directions, but he liked the wild chase.

  He shoved away from the bar and threw down a couple bills. “One drink. Now you’ll relieve me of my servitude?”

  “Back to the dirt and manure with you, cowboy.”

  Her foot caught on the stool as she hopped off. Ethan clamped his hands on her shoulders and steadied her before she fell. He should pull away. He needed to let go. The heat that unfurled under his palms was like metal forging them together.

  A beat. Her throat worked with a swallow. “Was this your plan all along, Ashford? Get me liquored up?”

  Ethan did his best to hide his smile, then gave up. She got his best one. “Depends, Nichols. Is it working or do I need to order a round of shots to go with your one beer?”

  Tansey didn’t pull away or twist out of his grasp. She stared up at him with her gorgeous big eyes and time seemed to slow. The connection forged between them began to spiral and drew him closer.

  Ethan leaned down and hovered over her lips for a breath.

  The first brush of her lips sent a jolt of electricity surging down his spine. Fire rolled through him. He growled. She gasped.

  He was lost.

  Ethan locked a hand behind her neck and dragged her closer. Good skies above, she tasted so good, felt so soft. She moved with him slowly, twisting her tongue against his as he deepened the kiss.

  A sexy little noise worked its way out of her chest and his cock jumped in response.

  Mine.

  Fuck.

  * * *

  Tansey wrapped her arms around Ethan’s neck. Holy hot damn, the man could kiss. Tingles of electricity ran up and down her arms and all the way to her toes. Toes that curled, by the way. Her mother always said to beware a man that could curl her toes, because he would steal her heart and all her sense.

  Yep, that advice was out the window. She didn’t want to stop even to come up for air.

  Ethan held her so close she could feel all the hard muscles she’d seen since she tried to shoot some information out of him. Even more, she felt every hard inch of him that her body practically begged for. Her knees would have knocked together and she’d have fallen if it weren’t for his grip on her neck and waist. His fingers massa
ged her wherever they touched and further coaxed her into… whatever they were doing.

  The longer she spent with him, the more smiles he flashed her way, the worse she had it for him. He was nice, if rough around the edges. That had its own appeal, though. Not in a need-to-fix sort of way. He could hold his own through the worst of times and still give her a kiss on the cheek at the end of the day.

  He helped her, too. When no one else could give her solid answers, when her last hope bled her savings and screwed her over, Ethan was the one to set the wheels in motion to find her brother. He set aside his own responsibilities and ushered her into his life.

  She could let herself like him. Just a smidge. That was as far as it could go. Toe-curling kisses and warmth pooling in her belly were the perfect compromise.

  Her body felt flushed and feverish when Ethan finally let her go with a lingering sip of her lips. She didn’t think she’d ever been so thoroughly claimed.

  Ethan swam into her unfocused view, cocky smirk gracing his lips. She let him have it. He earned it.

  The tripping beat of her heart didn’t slow as he reached forward and brushed a bit of hair over her ear. “Damn, Nichols. Couldn’t wait for a little privacy?” he teased with a flash of his perfect smile.

  Another flush whipped through her and Tansey quickly glanced around the mostly empty bar. Leah hovered at the other end with the only other patron and looked elsewhere so quickly Tansey knew they’d been noticed.

  Her eyes bounced everywhere but the cowboy in front of her, then settled in one spot. The flames he’d ignited inside her froze to solid ice. Chills ran up and down her spine and lifted the fine hairs all along her body.

  “What the fuck is that?”

  Clearly, it wasn’t the reaction he intended. Confusion wrinkled his forehead, then shock smoothed everything out. Blank offense tightened his jaw and narrowed his eyes.

  Tansey pointed over his shoulder at the picture tacked on the wall with a mess of others. They were all poses and faces she’d seen while out with friends, and probably even made herself. Nights of fun and debauchery were forever enshrined for other patrons to see.

  But one held her entire attention. She jabbed her finger at it again.

  “Rye was here. With you.”

  Ethan twisted to look over his shoulder.

  In the photo, Rye and Ethan had their arm’s thrown over each other’s shoulders. Both wore well lubricated grins and unfocused eyes.

  Viho warned her. He wasn’t innocent in anything, that was obvious. But he warned her about Ethan and her stupid, traitorous ovaries muddied her brain and made her overlook the red flags everyone kept closely guarded, Ethan more than most.

  She’d just locked lips with someone who denied ever knowing Rye.

  The betrayal stung, despite all her reasonings. She didn’t know Ethan, could only take him at his word. He’d convinced her he could help and was involved all along.

  Was he laughing at her the entire time? Stringing her along when he knew the fate of her brother? Taking her to the fucking scene of the crime?

  Good lord, she’d been an idiot to try bonding with him. The brief moment where she let herself feel a tiny bit of hope that Rye would be found and she would get her answers were for nothing. Ethan was a liar and a fraud, just like every other man she’d let get close. Worse, because he hid the most important person in her life from her.

  She’d kissed him. Her stomach turned.

  Ethan whirled back around. “I know how this looks—”

  Tansey melted all her hurt into fiery anger. “No shit. It looks like you had a wild time with my brother, who then disappeared off the face of the planet. What did you do, bury him out on your ranch and pray no one turned up looking for him?”

  “Tansey, listen to me.” He grabbed her arms and ducked down to snag her eyes with his. “I don’t even remember that night. I couldn’t tell you if it was a month or a year ago.”

  “Most of these are shots of tourists,” Leah added, summoned by the outburst. “They like getting loaded and taking photos with shifters. It could have been something like that. We get a lot of traffic these days.”

  Tansey snapped her head toward the other woman. “You’re just defending your own kind,” she spat.

  Her skin crawled with Ethan’s continued grip. She forced herself a step back, then another.

  She needed air. She needed to find Rye. She needed to get away from Ethan Ashford.

  Tansey spun on her heel and nearly ran for the door.

  “Tansey. Tansey, stop.” Ethan stepped in front of her, distress lining every inch of him.

  “Fuck off. I don’t have time for liars.” She tried to step past him, but he darted in front of her again.

  “It’s not safe,” he said with conviction. “Viho could try to get to you. Come back to the ranch.”

  “I’m not stepping foot on your ranch again. I’ll find my own place in town.” He didn’t move, so she planted her hands on his chest and shoved. He didn’t budge, but at least he let her walk past him. “Leave me the fuck alone, Ethan.”

  She didn’t dare turn back around or probe why her heart hurt so bad.

  Chapter 11

  Ethan laced his fingers behind his neck and watched Judah’s officers crawl over his ranch. One held his clan apart, then led each out of earshot to ask questions. His barn had already been combed through from top to bottom, and no one appreciated him suggesting they could muck the stalls while they were in there.

  At least no big, black SUV had accompanied them. Even with the Supernatural Enforcement Agency supposedly swinging in a new direction, he wanted nothing to do with them. Cops he knew and mostly respected were enough of a problem without the damn feds breathing down his neck.

  An irritated growl tickled the back of his throat as he rounded on Chief Hawkins. “It was her, wasn’t it?”

  “You know I can’t give you that information.” Judah plastered patience on his face.

  “Who else would it be, Chief?” The fury in Tansey’s eyes and scent still stung. She was determined to find her brother, so it was only a matter of time before the police knocked down his door. He didn’t expect it so soon after their failed date.

  “We received a report that the missing person had a connection to you. We’re following up.”

  “She shoved that picture under your nose and told you to move.” He scrubbed a hand down his face, then flung his arm out to gesture at the scene with frustration. “How many times have you and your clan been called to the bar because someone got too drunk? How many tourists are in and out of there every night? By the Broken, how many other pictures are pinned to that wall where I’m in the background? I don’t remember the guy.”

  “As I said, we’re following up on all tips. I appreciate your cooperation in the matter.”

  A broken fucking record, that’s all Judah was. His calm tone made Ethan’s bear want to act up and get any other reaction.

  The bear had been wild ever since Tansey threw her sucker punch of accusations his way. He thought they were getting somewhere. She’d let her guard down enough for him to see the shining center beyond her tough-girl walls. And that kiss! Hot damn, he craved another fix. Just thinking about it had his cock straining against his zipper.

  Chances of that happening were as likely as the brother being found on his ranch.

  “Where is she staying?”

  The deputies talking to his clan finished up and stomped a path toward his home. Ethan’s jaw ticked to let them paw through his den, but the invasive search didn’t end at his porch.

  From threat to kiss to pain in his ass, Tansey had wrecked his routine in less than a day. He’d been right to avoid anything more serious than a night.

  Judah snorted. “I’m not telling you that, either.”

  “If it’s not Muriel’s, then it has to be the cabins at the crest. Unless she found a spot with all the humans, or someone opened a room for her. Just make this easy on me.”

  “Th
at’s nothing you need to know.”

  “Can you at least tell me if she went back to Viho?”

  His bear snarled at the idea.

  Ethan wanted to wash his hands of the troublesome woman. She’d been nothing put problems in a pretty package since she drove onto his land and took a shot at him. Damn him, but he didn’t wish her any danger. Viho was sure to hurt her if she got near him again.

  Fucking Viho. He’d planted the whole, insane idea in Tansey’s head. And for what? Nothing could be proved against him. No body would be found because he didn’t know the missing brother.

  Viho was out for blood. He wanted to toy with him. Drive him crazier by the second. Needling him into reacting when he should be protecting. Fucker. He’d rather see the ranch burn to the ground than give one inch of it to an asshole wolf with zero claim.

  He had no doubt that Viho’s parting words were heavy in Tansey’s mind, too.

  Judah watched him with a hooded expression and arms crossed over his chest. Even his scent was unreadable and shifty. Hopeful. Wary. Surprised.

  “Viho has not been spotted inside the enclave, and you heard Miss Nichols’ intentions this morning.”

  So she was still around. One hell of a roundabout way to say she wasn’t in danger of Viho ripping her throat out for talking to the cops.

  At least his bear stopped tearing him to shreds and a bit of the tightness in his chest faded. The beast was only mildly pissed. Ethan took it as a win. His week wasn’t complete without the animal throwing a tantrum over the wind changing direction.

  “Listen, stay out of town for a few days. Cool off. I have enough trouble with tourists trying to tap a vein, and now this Valdana mess.” Judah shot a look toward his officers, then turned his back and drew Ethan a little further away. “Keep Hunter locked down, too. Found out this afternoon one of my deputies has been seeing Joyce on the side.”

  “I’ll let him down easy,” Ethan answered wryly. Damn the woman, and damn Hunter for letting her walk all over him.

  “Good. Now, let me get through this without any problems. We can check this box and be done.”