by Maddy Barone
“Mr. Wolfe,” he said, with a little bow. “Please come in. Mayor McGrath is in the library.”
“Thank you, Davidson.”
It was cool inside the house, but Sand began to sweat anyway. He followed Sky to the back of the house, past half a dozen armed guards into a room with a fireplace, a round table in the center, and books on the walls. Another time he might have liked to look at the books, but now all he saw was the smug, oily face of Terry Askup. Just as his lip began to raise in a snarl, Sky jabbed his elbow into his side. Terry, seated at the small table, tilted his head with a smile that made Sand yearn to punch his fat mouth. Sand subsided with a tight smile for Vann, who sat in a straight-backed chair along a bookcase. The man beside Terry rose from the table to shake Sky’s hand.
“Sky,” he said warmly. His hair was brown with lots of gray, his body tall and going soft around the middle, his smile wide, with too many teeth showing. He reeked of cologne. Sand’s hackles, barely smoothed after sighting Askup, threatened to rise again. His wolf didn’t like this man, or his perfumed scent. “Thank you for coming.”
Sand shot a glance at Sky. They’d had a choice? His cousin took the mayor’s hand with a smile as falsely cordial. “Thanks for setting the investigation here instead of at City Hall.”
“I think we can get things settled a little more quietly here, don’t you? There’s no need for formality.” The mayor sent Askup a quick frown before he turned the wide, too perfect smile on Sand. “And you must be Sand Wolfe.”
Sand allowed the mayor to pump his hand up and down and hid his distaste behind a cool nod.
“You all know Peter Vann? Excellent. Let’s all sit down and make ourselves comfortable. Coffee?”
Sand declined, Sky accepted. Sand sat in the leather arm chair and forced a calm, polite expression on his face. Sky and the mayor wasted a few minutes exchanging pleasantries about the mayor’s wife’s delicate health, the weather, and some upcoming social event that Sand couldn’t care less about. Askup didn’t seem to care either. His stare was fixed on Sand with an unpleasant smirk twisting his lips. Peter Vann said nothing.
The mayor set his coffee cup aside. “So, let’s get down to business, shall we?”
“Certainly,” Sky said, leaning back in his chair with supremely relaxed smile. In the years he’d been away from the Pack he had become a fine actor. Sand thought that was sad. At the den Sky had never used a word like ‘certainly’.
“Terry has made a complaint about treatment he received at your house a couple of days ago. He tells me Mr. Sand Wolfe threw him out without explanation when he had a long-standing appointment with Miss Amanda. He incurred some physical injuries during the encounter.”
Sky just kept smiling. “Naturally The Limit regrets any inconvenience to Terry. We have always reserved the right to cancel appointments at the lady’s discretion. Amanda has canceled all her appointments for the foreseeable future.”
Askup sneered at Sand. “Because he threatened her if she didn’t?”
Sand barely controlled his wolf’s snarl, but forced himself to keep his mouth shut as instructed.
“Not at all.” Sky lifted an ankle to the opposite knee. “Miss Amanda is taking some time to consider if she will accept Sand’s marriage proposal.”
Askup slapped a hand on the table. “Now, see? That’s just wrong. Amanda is my fiancée.”
Only Sky’s foot slamming down on his kept Sand and his wolf from exploding. Sky was still smiling, but the smile took on a fiercer curve. “I believe you are mistaken, Terry. You asked Amanda to be your wife, but she declined.”
Under the overpowering reek of the mayor’s cologne Sand caught a whiff of Askup’s self-satisfaction. Eyes narrowed, Sand wondered why the man was pleased.
Askup waved that off like it was smoke irritating his nose. “Every woman wants to be pursued, especially a whore.”
Sand’s wolf nearly took over. He fought to keep it back. Sky lost the smile and the relaxed posture. He shot up straight in the chair. “We never use that term for our ladies.” His voice was almost pleasant; his face was not. “I would appreciate it if you’d remove that word from your vocabulary.”
Askup laughed heartily. “We’re all men here. We don’t need to pussy-foot around the name. Speaking of pussies…” He leaned forward, his lips shiny with spit, to leer at Sand. “Have you tasted Mandy’s? I don’t usually like to eat pussy, but Mandy’s is worth it. Just hearing her beg me to go harder when I stick my tongue up her--”
Sand’s control broke. With a howl he lunged over the table, hands closing around Askup’s throat. He’d barely begun to squeeze when Sky’s arms dragged him back, forcing his grip to break. Vaguely he realized a dozen men had poured into the room, but he didn’t care. He just wanted to taste Askup’s blood on his tongue.
“Let me go!” he growled.
“Calm down,” Sky commanded in Alpha tones. It took a few moments of hoarse panting for Sand to identify Askup’s scent. Gloating triumph didn’t show on his face, but the scent was clear. The townsman reeled out of his chair, clutching his reddening throat.
“See? He’s a dangerous, out-of-control criminal! I want him arrested for assault!” he demanded.
Was that regret on the mayor’s face when he exchanged a glance with Vann? He gestured to the guards standing around Sand and Sky. “Place Mr. Sand Wolfe under arrest and take him to the city cells.”
Chapter 7
A knock sounded on Amanda’s door and Cayla poked her head in. “Hey,” the younger businesswoman said. “Some of us are going shopping. Want to join us?”
No, she didn’t. She wanted to hear what was happening to Sand. But it could be hours before he and Sky returned from the mayor’s house, so she might as well keep herself occupied. “Sure. Give me ten minutes to change.”
When the ladies of The Limit went out en masse on what Sky called an assault on Omaha’s shops, men on the street took notice. Knowing they would draw attention, and thus more business, Amanda and the other ladies always dressed for it. Not sluttishly, no. They left that for the women who worked at Gabe’s Girls. Instead, they wore pretty clothes and made their faces up in a more dramatic style than Omaha’s married ladies did. Amanda put on one of her favorite prairie skirts and a loose top with a low scoop neck, some jewelry, a touch of sheer lip gloss, and a broad streak of kohl on her eyelids, and went downstairs to join Cayla, Aimee, and Tasha.
Amanda walked down the road to the bus stop, Tasha and Aimee in the lead, laughing and talking, with Cayla beside her, putting a comment in now and then. Amanda tried to join in, but her thoughts kept circling back to Sand. Cayla noticed. She was a loud woman, with a boisterous laugh and an off-color sense of humor, but a strong streak of empathy ran through her too.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“Sure.” Amanda forced a smile. “What are you shopping for today?”
“I heard that a new shipment of winter dresses has come in from Lisa & Hannah. I’d like to get a few more things from that company. Everything they put out is so pretty. What about you?”
“I think I’ll just browse,” Amanda said vaguely. “Maybe something will catch my eye.”
Cayla’s smile was just a little wicked. “You should buy something for Sand. He looked good enough to eat in Sky’s suit this morning.” Her voice fell into a fake southern drawl. “Lawdy, Mr. Wolfe, you can huff and puff and blow my house down any old time you please.”
A tiny shaft of jealousy shot through Amanda, so she laughed to brush it away. “He does look good in a suit.”
Cayla tucked a lock of her brown curly hair behind her ear. “You could buy him a suit for your wedding,” she suggested in a very innocent voice.
Amanda sucked in her breath, envisioning Sand waiting for her at the front of a church while she paced up the aisle, dressed in her mom’s wedding gown. A part of her was startled by how appealing that image was. The rest of her just felt comfortable with the idea. Very comfortable, like she felt w
hen she walked into her dad’s house and knew she was home.
Her dad hadn’t met him yet, but she was sure he would like Sand. Last night he’d said the words she wanted to believe with all her heart. She was the most important thing in his life. Or, at least, she was neck and neck with his wolf. She raised trembling fingers to her lips, remembering his kisses. Sand loved her. Other men had said the words to her, but none of them had shown love to her the way Sand did. Last night even Sky had tried to hide the truth from her to protect her, but Sand trusted her to be an adult. He treated her like an equal, and she loved him for it.
She blinked, standing still in numb shock. Was that love? It was too soon. She’d known him only two days! But in those two days they’d talked and kissed and slept together. Not once had he done or said anything to hurt her. Years of catering to men’s pleasures gave her an excellent perception of when a man was being honest, and Sand hadn’t lied to her. When he said she was the most important thing in his life, he meant it. A woman could search all over the world and never find a better man than Sand Wolfe.
Cayla broke into her thoughts with a snap of her fingers. “You are going to marry him, right?” Her voice lifted in a teasing lilt. “Put the poor man out of his misery? Aren’t you?”
A roar heralded the approach of the bus. Amanda hitched the strap of her bag higher on her shoulder. “Yes,” she said firmly, peace and happiness flowing through her. “I am going to marry him.”
Ignoring Cayla’s dropped jaw, she mounted the bus with a flip of her hair over her shoulder. Now she knew what she wanted to buy. She needed a negligee for her wedding night. It had to be new, something no other man had ever seen her in, something for only Sand’s eyes. She settled into a seat on the bus, smiling. She could hardly wait until Sand came back so she could tell him she would marry him.
Amanda returned home from shopping with a box under her arm containing a lacy nightie that covered almost nothing, and a sheer robe that hid barely more. Cayla walked beside her in the light drizzle through the gates to Sky’s House. She nodded to Randy, the gate guard, as he swung the gate closed behind them.
“You should have had something made up special,” Cayla said, nodding at the package Amanda tried to shield from the rain. “I mean, that one special night with the one special man deserves something unique.”
“That would have taken at least a week.” Amanda smiled in anticipation. “I’m not waiting that long.”
Their hair was damp by the time they rushed into the house, laughing, but their laughter died when they saw Sky standing in the front hall, face set in harsh lines.
“Where’s Sand?” Amanda asked, heart jumping in her chest.
“Come back to my office.”
She gripped her box tighter for a moment before surrendering it to Cayla. The compassion on the other woman’s face hurt. She followed Sky to his office, noticing he had changed into jeans and a cotton button down shirt. He had been back for a while, then.
As soon as the door closed, she asked, “Where is Sand?”
Sky looked her right in the eye. “During the meeting, he attacked Terry. He was arrested for assault. He’s in the city cells.”
Turning away with fist clenched against her stomach, Amanda huffed, “That idiot!”
“He was provoked. Askup said some nasty things.”
Amanda whirled back with a swing of damp hair. “Not Sand. Terry! That asshole just won’t give up. Doesn’t he understand English? Is he stupid enough to think this will make me accept him?”
“Who can say what a stupid man thinks when he’s in love?” Sky’s voice was full of bitterness that he instantly banished. “I petitioned for a speedy trial. It’s going to be even speedier than I expected. Three pm today.”
“Today?” That didn’t give them much time to plan a defense. “Where’s Joe?”
“He’s with Sand, coaching him in how to answer questions at the trial.”
“Good.” Joe Sullivan was a quiet man whose thin pale hair matched the rest of him. Shy and unassuming until he stood in a courtroom, Sky’s lawyer was passionate in pursuit of justice. “I’ll go get changed. Don’t leave without me.”
Sky caught her elbow. “No, you need to stay here.”
“Are you crazy?” She jerked her elbow free. “This is my fiancé we’re talking about.”
“Your fiancé?” Something lit Sky’s eyes to radiant blue. “You’ve accepted him?”
“Yeah. He doesn’t know it yet, but yeah. I decided this morning that I would marry him.”
Sky was silent for a moment before nodding. “Get changed and have something to eat. We leave for City Hall in an hour.”
The courtroom was packed. That was unexpected, considering how the trial time had been rushed through. Amanda could see a dozen of her usual appointments present, as well as quite a few young men, apparently expecting to see a show. If the trial went badly for Sand, she would damn sure give them a show. Terry was sitting with another man, probably his lawyer, at a table at the left in the front of the courtroom. She studiously ignored him as she let Sky’s firm hand guide her into a chair right behind the defendant’s table on the right. Joe Sullivan was already there, shuffling papers in a false show of nerves. Sky leaned forward to whisper in the lawyer’s ear.
She smoothed the skirt of her long floral dress over her knees while the men whispered. What to wear had been a hard choice. She wavered over her one conservative suit, but decided to wear a dress Sand had admired. Her hair was brushed out, damp from the rain, over her bare shoulders. She wore less makeup than usual. As she’d feared, even with an umbrella, she’s gotten wet on the walk downtown. No way would she attend Sand’s trial with her mascara smeared over her face as if she’d been crying. Instead she put her shoulders back, slipped the skinny shoulder strap of her dress back up and put a mildly interested expression on her face.
It was hard to maintain that expression when the door to the side of the room opened and Sand was marched in. He was still gorgeous in Sky’s borrowed suit, but the handcuffs holding his wrists together in front of him made Amanda’s blood boil. His face, with eyes narrowed into black slits, looked barely civilized. The guardsmen steered him to the table beside Joe, nearly within touching distance of her. His nostrils flared, and he jerked his head around to search the crowd. When he saw her, his eyes opened wide.
“Amanda,” he said, twisting further to stare at her.
“I’m here with you, Sand.” She kissed her fingertips and flicked her fingers toward him to throw him the kiss. “I’ll always be with you.”
He opened his mouth to say something, but Joe tugged on his sleeve, murmuring urgently. The reluctance was obvious when he turned around and sat, leaving her to stare at his hair. It was still braided, with the watery light from the windows gleaming on the rain that wet it.
“All rise for Judge John J. Case,” the bailiff bawled.
Amanda relaxed a little and stood. Johnny had been one of her regulars until he married five years ago. And, more importantly, he wasn’t a friend of Terry’s. She made sure she caught Johnny’s eye as he mounted the steps to his seat. She gave him only the smallest of smiles, trying to convey thoughtful respect, no flirtation or sassy appeal. His answering smile and nod were warm, lifting some of the weight off her chest.
“Everybody, take your seats,” Johnny said, settling himself behind the tall imposing desk. “Bailiff, read me the charges.”
“Mr. Terrence Askup, plaintiff, accuses Mr. Sand Wolfe, defendant, of physical assault on two occasions, the first on the evening of September 10th of this year, and the second in the morning of September 12th. That would be today, Judge.”
“I know what day it is,” the judge said, gazing at Terry with a cool expression before turning that same expression on Sand. “How does the defendant plead?”
Joe and Sand stood up. “Mr. Wolfe pleads not guilty to both charges.”
The back of Terry’s neck went red and he leapt to his feet. “Liar!”
Johnny cast him a narrow-eyed glare. “The plaintiff is not to speak unless asked a question. Sit down, gentlemen.”
Amanda couldn’t see Terry’s face, but she would bet he was scowling. The judge raised a sheaf of paper. “I want quiet in the courtroom while I review the complaint.” He muttered something about haste making waste, and began reading. After long minutes he raised his head again.
“It says here that Mr. Sand Wolfe is employed by Mr. Sky Wolfe in the capacity of Hall Monitor, which I believe is a fancy word for bouncer.”
Some of the men in the room laughed.
“Mr. Askup alleges Mr. Sand Wolf ejected him from the premises with no explanation, and excessive force, causing bodily harm. Is that right, Mr. Askup?”
“Yes!”
Amanda saw Sand twitch, and Joe laid a soothing hand over his shackled wrist.
The judge read the paper again. “And this morning Mr. Sand Wolfe attacked you in the mayor’s home without cause or reason. Is that right?”
Terry’s neck reddened again. Shame? Amanda hoped so, but she doubted it. “Yes,” he said loudly.
“Do you have any changes you’d like to make to your statement or anything to add?”
Terry’s lawyer whispered into his ear. Terry shook his head as if irritated. “No, Your Honor.”
“Very well. Mr. Wolfe?” Johnny cast a quick glance at Sky and clarified, “Sand Wolfe?”
Sand and Joe stood up.
“The complaint states you removed Mr. Askup from Sky’s House without any explanation. Is that true?”
“No, Your Honor,” Sand said in a clear, level voice. “I told Mr. Askup that his appointment had been cancelled. That all his appointments with Miss Amanda had been cancelled. He said very insulting things about me and tried to push past me to go to Miss Amanda’s room. I had to lift him off his feet to stop him. I carried him down the stairs and pushed him outside. If he got bruised, it was his own fault. He should have left when he was told to.”
The gallery buzzed with whispers and chuckles. The noise stopped dead when Terry leapt to his feet.