by M. L. Briers
He groaned an instant before pulling open the door and slipping in beside the woman that was more potent than he could ever have expected.
Vicky felt the tension in the confines of the truck’s cab and wondered at it- she could only surmise that whatever was bothering Cade was to do with the family business that would be waiting for him when he dropped her off and returned to his place, but as they rounded the drive leading up to her grandfather’s house, she saw him stiffen beside her out of the corner of her eye as her gaze fell on the man who was standing on her front porch.
“Devanaux.” It was a mutter of disgust from his lips as he clenched his jaw and she saw his hands tighten on the steering wheel, his knuckles were turning white and she shifted in her seat uncomfortably as his anger seemed to seep into her subconscious and warn of her things to come.
When they drew close enough for Vicky to get a good look at the man waiting for her, she could see the dark glare that was aimed at her companion and mentally resented it- a protective streak ran through her a mile wide as she tipped her chin up defiantly and narrowed her eyes on the newcomer- she had never taken an instant dislike to anyone in her life, until now.
Vicky attention was still intent on the man, as Cade pulled her door open and held his hand out to her to help her from the cab and she took it- wanting to feel that connection- now more than before.
“Ms Gerrard, I’m Carson Devanaux and I’d like to extend my sympathies for your grandfather’s sad loss to our community.” He was stalking towards her with an easy grace that didn’t befit the rugged look of the man and she was torn between taking a step backwards and throwing a punch at the man she had never even met before, but she had no clue why.
He held his hand out to her and she raised a brow and inclined her head towards Cade, who at that very moment stepped between them- his back firmly to Vicky as his arms came down either side of his lean hips as if building a wall around her, that she felt safe behind.
“Devanaux- Ms Gerrard has agreed to sell her land to us and I think your business here is done.” The steely tone of Cade’s voice caught her off guard, her heart double tap in her chest as she blinked at Cades broad back.
“What’s going on here Cade?- You seem a little on edge-?” Devanaux’s hard voice drifted around the wall of Cade’s body and sent a shiver through her, that she neither understood nor appreciated- there was something about him she really didn’t like.
Damn. Cade cursed himself in so many ways by his beast’s show of protection for Vicky that had so obviously alerted Devanaux to there being something more than a land deal here. Stupid! He cursed the protective nature of his beast for his mate- he could see the wheels turning inside Devanaux’s head, just by the look in the guy’s almost black eyes.
“Just don’t like you Devanaux- no mystery there.” He offered trying to loosen the rein his beast had on him.
“I’m shocked Cade- it’s just so sudden.” Devanaux spat out with equal measures of sarcasm and disgust, before remembering he was in the presence of a human whose land he still wanted. “Maybe Miss Gerrard would like to speak for herself- after all- there’s always a counter offer to yours that I could put on the table.”
Cade bristled with the knowledge that he was going to have to let Vicky come face to face with his enemy, if he didn’t want to hang a target around her neck and send everyone of Carson’s men on the hunt. His beast howled within him, protesting the move away from her- even though he only moved far enough for the two of them to have sight of each other- she was still well within his protection.
“Mr Devanaux- it is true, I have agreed a deal with Mr Blackthorn over the land and unfortunately, I’m not now in a position to listen to counter offers- I’m sorry you had a wasted journey here.” Vicky’s words were clipped and precise- chiselled from the very best training that mock trials in law school had provided her, but she still wasn’t exactly sure what her beef with this guy was.
She saw Devanaux’s eyes darken to an almost black aura as he stared back at her- the insincere smile he had plastered to his face dropped away and she saw the anger flare within his eyes- the long draw of breath that had his broad chest drawing up and the slight fist’s at his side as he glared back at her made her somehow glad for Cade’s protective manner.
“What did you do Cade?” Devanaux almost growled as he narrowed his eyes at the man who was moving back in front of her and blocking her view of Carson Devanaux and she was happy not to have those black eyes on her.
“It’s just business Devanaux- I found a beneficial solution to Ms Gerrards needs and she agreed the sale- nothing more, nothing less.” Cade’s voice could have polished diamonds, it was so deep and rough that it played on her nerves as she heard the slow rumble of what sounded like thunder, but on the ground and from somewhere in front of her.
“You think it’s over Cade?” The threat in Carson’s voice was evident, even to her as she frowned at his obvious displeasure- she didn’t need to see the man to hear the warning tone in those dark words and Cade’s back- already rigid with tension, seemed to grow tighter in front of her- his fists balled harder at his sides, until those white knuckles were back.
“Get off my land Mr Devanaux, the deal’s done- you have no business here.” She announced not moving from her place behind Cade and she had no intention of doing that either- she felt safe and with the tone of Devanaux’s voice- she needed that security right now.
“You heard the lady Carson- don’t force the issue or I’ll remove you myself.” It was the dark warning in Cade’s voice that seemed to sooth her and she tried to shake off the surreal situation she found herself in. While she didn’t really know either of these men, who seemed to be butting heads with underlying potential for violence running through both of them- she rationalised the fact that while Devanaux set her nerves on edge, Cade seemed to sooth them with equal measure. It was as insane as it was unexpected.
“Three days Cade and then we’ll see who has the upper hand.” There was a dark warning of impending danger within those words, but Vicky didn’t have a damned clue what they meant- what was in three days?
Cade swayed on his feet- caught between the indecision of ripping Devanaux’s throat out and ending any threat to Vicky and his pack right there and then and remembering that he would be doing so in front of a human and not just any human- his mate.
He saw the smirk on Devanaux’s face as the man’s eyes flicked to the woman he couldn’t actually have sight on behind the protection of Cade’s body and knew the man was amused by the fact that Cade couldn’t act due to her presence. He doubted he would have been so stupid as to challenge him had Vicky not been present.
Devanaux turned on his heels and stalked back towards his truck. Wrenching the door open and throwing himself into the driver’s seat with gusto as he thumbed his nose at Cade and roared the engine to life- the wheels catching the dirt and churning it up as he barrelled down the driveway, leaving Cade with the distinct impression that he had just set the wheels in motion for a showdown that was not only going to affect his pack, but his mate as well.
Cade steeled himself to turn around to Vicky- she was probably wondering why the hell she had acted towards the man like that and he had no reasons to give her- well none that he could give her and when he opened himself up to her feelings, he sensed that confusion within her, but there was something more powerful that stirred his beast within him to life- fear- waves of it coming from her and when he turned, he saw it in her eyes and his beasts needs roared within him.
“Get your stuff you’re coming back with me.” He demanded and saw her instantly balk at the idea. Here we go- humans.
It took a moment for it to sink in- ‘Get your stuff you’re coming back with me.’ – the look in his eye, the cocksureness about himself- his domineering posture- the gravel in his tone- what the hell did he expect her to do, give a little curtsey and run off to get her things?
“That’s so not happening.” She scoffed, putting
her hands on her hips and regarding him with raised brows and wide eyes. Cade felt the inward sigh and that little – thump- thump- thump in his temple.
“Devanaux just threatened you- you expect me to leave you here- alone?” he would try the easy approach- make her see sense- if that failed, he was going to damn well sling her over his shoulder and truck be damned- he would carry her back to his home and lock her in the bedroom until she saw sense.
He watched her eyes narrow- watched her open those kissable lips and they started to form the first pucker of a word and she hesitated- her mind replaying the conversation- damn- he just wanted to reach out, pull her to him and kiss her into submission, but she was human- that probably wouldn’t work and he might end up taking her right there on her grandfathers driveway.
“I don’t remember him threatening me-“ she rolled her eyes to the charcoal sky above her and considered it a while longer, while he stood there patiently waiting- too patiently, his wolf was getting irritable. “Nope- he kind of threatened you in a roundabout way- but me?- not so much.”
“Trust me- he did and you are leaving here with me- so go get your stuff.” Cade shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans so he didn’t reach for her- dragging the worn fabric further down his hips and causing her eyes to drop to what he was doing- that fired an awareness within him- that her gaze had gone below the waistline and he felt himself twitch to life as the blood rushed to his groin.
“Listen Cade-“ she started while dragging her eyes back up to his face- the darkening of his eyes matched her own and she stopped to moisten her lips with her tongue.
Damn. The tip of her pink tongue shot out over her lips and he nearly groaned out loud as the rush of the blood reaching his groin grew to almost painful- he gave way to the lowest growl of desire deep within his chest before he dragged his eyes back to hers and saw the heat in her cheeks and the darkening of her eyes as she stared back at him.
“Vicky- I’m not going to debate the rights and wrongs of why you should do this right now- I will say that Anna lives with me, so you won’t be completely alone with me- you’ll have your own bedroom and I won’t lay a finger on you-“ Damn it- he knew he wasn’t going to be able to keep to that- even if he had Marcus tie him down and sit on him all day and night long- but he needed to get her to go with him- whatever it took.
She looked decidedly disappointed right then as she wet her lips again and he couldn’t help the devilish grin that spread across his face- “Unless you ask me to and then-“ He pulled his hands from his pockets and took a long step towards her- he saw her tense and stopped his progression.
“But I can’t leave you here with Devanaux on the war path.” He breathed down at her and heard her take a long breath as she tipped her head up to look at him- not defiant this time- more curious- probably wondering what the hell kind of power he had over her for her to sway slightly towards him like that and he liked that she felt off kilter right now.
“Vicky?” He softened his voice to almost a whisper as he saw her sway towards him again- the more time she spent in his company, the more she would want him- recognise the bond between them- the need- right now she was feeling it and so was he- damn it.
Vicky looked up into his eyes and found the rest of the world slipping away around her- she saw only those dark eyes mesmerising her- holding her attention and the need for those eyes to be the first and the last thing she saw everyday tore through her mind. God she was like some love sick teenager and yet it felt so damn natural- like he was the one who could make her complete- whole- bring her to life from where she passively watched the world.
“I don’t know you-“ She was as much talking to him as she was to her own reaction to his proximity- she was trying to push past the drawing phase- he had seen it with females before- trying to deny that such an attraction could possibly exist and he didn’t much care for it- his wolf wanted to howl to his mate- for her to recognise his call and yet she carried no mate for the beast within her to answer his cry.
“But you know you can trust me to keep you safe.” He was speaking to her with his eyes- those amazing brown eyes that held hers.
“Trust-?” That was a big word for her to deal with. She was a city girl, she didn’t really trust anybody- that would be insane and yet she knew he wouldn’t hurt her- at least not in the physical sense.
“Let me protect you- it’s who I am Vicky.” He breathed the words into her very soul and having him there felt like- home.
He had her- he could see her pupils dilate- see her breathing ease to a steady beat that followed the rhythm of his own heart and felt the synch almost complete, when she suddenly shook her head- her body physically drawing back from him and she looked so totally confused and flustered.
“Did you put something in my coffee?” She was backing off now- one small step at a time and he felt his beast growl within him- the female was denying him.
“Sugar.” He informed her evenly, trying not to panic her now that she had felt that bond- that drawing towards him and couldn’t explain it to herself.
She flustered, her eyes dropping to the floor between them as if she knew that to not look at him would be helpful for her free will.
“I should leave now.”She took another step backwards away from him and he couldn’t help the small smile that played on his lips- not only was she flustered, she was also kind of disorientated.
“So you are coming with me?” He mused and she shook her head, swallowing hard against the restriction in her throat.
“No- I need to get back to my grandfathers-“
“Job done sweetheart- you’re here.”
He watched her head snap upwards and take in the scene behind him- her grandfather’s house looming large against the now, almost black sky.
“You should leave now.” She corrected herself as she went to take a step forwards and then realised he was standing in her way- so she took a step to the side instead, which was when he stood in her path and she snapped her head back, looking up at him and getting snagged by his gaze again.
“Vicky- I told you- I’m not going anywhere without you.” She almost groaned her lack of mental ability out loud- what the hell was with the fact that she couldn’t stop looking at him? That she couldn’t think when he looked at her like that with those eyes- those eyes that were all she could see?
“I –“ she paused- swallowed and thought about it- “Can’t.” she finished almost giving herself a mental pat on the back for managing to find the second word.
He felt for her- being human and not understanding the drawing process that was way stronger than both of them put together- but unlike her, he knew what was happening to him- knew that it wasn’t something you could control and when you gave up trying to control it, it was a lot damn easier to think and speak than she was finding it right now.
He rolled his eyes and kept them down to give her a break- his wolf growled its annoyance, but he would make it up to him somehow- right now he needed to let Vicky have a little breathing space- it was hitting her hard and that was partly because he was pushing her and he felt like crap about it.
“Ok- I’m feeling an impasse here- so here’s what I’m going to do- a compromise-“
“Sounds- good-“ she still sounded confused and yet she almost managed to string the two damn words together, so he guessed she was regaining some cognitive abilities.
“I don’t wanna leave you alone- so either I stay here- all alone with you- just you and me-“ He emphasized the point- not wanting her brain to miss that part of his offer, “or you come back with me, where Anna will be the chaperone- along with many family members who will be coming and going the whole time-“ He paused to let her take it all in.
“To recap- you and me alone here- or a whole houseful of people not fifteen minutes away.”
“That’s not my only choices Cade-“ and there she was- she was back- good for her he thought, a little amused at how it had affected her so thoroughly, “I can tell you t
o get lost and stay here by myself.” She informed him those little hands back on those shapely hips again and he grinned down at her- his eyes snagging her again.
“Really Victoria? You want to send me away so you can stay here all alone with Devanaux ready to pay you another visit?” His voice was low and deep and he sounded gravely to her ears and damn she just loved it- why?
Vicky swayed a little- a lot and then took a step towards him and she didn’t have a damn clue as to why she was behaving like this- it was infuriating.
Cade saw the drawing take her faster this time and held her gaze with his- it was a certainty that she wasn’t going to come of her own free will- she was going to need a little push and if he had to do that to keep her safe, then so be it- he had tried the other way and she had resisted it- so here it was- he was going to use that damn response to keep her safe.
“Let’s go get your stuff.”
He didn’t let go of her hand until she was sitting at his kitchen table- her fingers so delicate within the strength of his hand, she felt so fragile and he pushed away the guilt at using his draw on her to get her here, because he knew he had to keep her safe.
Three days Devanaux had said and he knew that was when the full moon would be upon them- the Were’s would be able to shift and they would be on the war path or maybe it was just Devanaux blowing off steam- after all the pack could change at any time they saw fit, would Davanaux risk a war between his clan and the pack when they could only protect themselves during a full moon?
“Coffee?” Cade asked after a moment of letting her hand go and he watched her struggling to come back to reality- her eyes blinking as though she was fighting to wake from a dream and her lips parted on a question that she just couldn’t formulate yet.