Surely he wouldn’t be greedy enough to want details. Well, at least great amounts of detail. She could tell him she’d been in a bad relationship and divorced. He didn’t need to know about the drugs, deaths and forced sexual encounters. It was all in the past.
She picked up the receiver mounted on her kitchen wall and began to punch the numbers. The phone connected and began to ring. She inhaled a shaky breath as she waited for Luken’s voice to sound through the earpiece. What she heard made her pulse jump.
“Yeah,” Luken answered.
The sound of animals gone wild nearly drowned out his voice. Growls, yelps and the gnashing of teeth continued in the background. “Oh my God, Luken, what is that noise?”
“It’s nothing. But can I call you back in a minute?”
Another male voice crooned in the background, “Hell yeah, Kendall. Fuck. Him. Up.”
Julie blinked, shocked as she said, “Sure.”
The phone disconnected and she numbly hung up the receiver. “Holy shit!” She looked at the phone on the wall as if it would spout answers to what the hell was going on in the background. Suddenly she remembered in the news a few years ago, a story about a football player in trouble for dog fighting.
She groaned and leaned against the counter, covering her face with her palms. Damn, she could pick them. First a drug lord now a dog-ring leader. Was that even what they called them? Hell, as if it mattered what the infamous “they” called them.
Her hands dropped down to her sides. Maybe she was getting carried away. Maybe he stumbled upon some incident, or maybe it was the TV or something. She looked up at the ceiling. It wasn’t fair to judge him so quickly without even giving him a chance to explain.
But did she want to risk spending more time with him and getting attached to him if he were in fact doing something illegal? “Seriously!” she shouted at the ceiling. “Can’t a girl just get laid without all the drama?”
Problem was she didn’t want to just get laid. She wanted a relationship. No matter how bad the scars were from her previous one, she still wanted to hold on to the possibility of finding her forever. But forever didn’t include a man involved in illegal activity. She didn’t want any more close brushes with the law.
She stared at the phone, wondering what she should say when he called back. She could either cut it short and say, “Lose my number,” or she could still invite him to dinner and give him a chance to explain.
* * * * *
Luken shut the passenger side door of Javin’s truck after helping Kendall into the seat. It had been one hell of a fight between the two teens, but in the end Kendall had arisen the victor. But Gage sure as hell managed to get some hellish injuries in. The teen would be sore for days. But Luken admired Kendall’s strength and determination. He fought well.
Brock agreed to supervised visits in his den with Selena twice a week. As much as the other alpha irritated the shit out of Luken, he trusted his word that no harm would come to Kendall and his escort during those visits. Kendall would need that time to get the female used to him and give a chance for the mating bond to snap firmly into place.
As Javin climbed inside and started the engine, Luken headed for his own truck. Before he reached the door he heard another vehicle approaching. He turned in the direction of the sound and saw Konrad’s black lifted truck pull into the clearing.
Luken waited as Konrad exited and approached. It had been a few weeks since he’d seen his best friend and ex-alpha. Konrad looked happy. Apparently his recent mating suited him well. “How did you find me?’’
Konrad laughed. “I heard this crazy story about this wet-behind-the-ears alpha who managed to piss off Brock. Naturally I thought of you,” he replied.
“Ha ha. Bite me.”
“I think I’ll pass. I reserve my biting for Tyra these days.” Konrad cast him a shit-eating grin.
Tyra was his beautiful mate. A spirited wolf with long dark hair. “How is Tyra? Adjusting?” Tyra had a few issues with embracing her inner wolf. Luken hoped it was getting easier for her.
“Like a champ.”
Luken leaned against the bed of his truck and crossed his arms. He knew Konrad hadn’t tracked him down here over the skirmish with Brock. As much as his friend liked to give him shit, Konrad knew he was capable of handling his own. “So what really brings you out here?”
“Javin might have said something about you being tense.”
Luken ground his teeth. When he got home he planned to kick the shit out of the other wolf. “It’s nothing.”
“Is it a woman?”
Damn Konrad for reading him so easily. “It’s nothing you need to concern yourself with. I don’t answer to you anymore.”
“Hey, I may not be your alpha anymore, but I’m still your friend. And even though Javin can be a pain in the ass, he called me because he is worried about you. Not that you will slip up or anything, he just knows if either of us can get something out of you it’s gonna be me. So what has you so twisted up?”
Luken let loose a growl of frustration. “Do you remember that waitress you tipped to get Tyra to wait on us that night at Harry’s?”
Konrad’s brow furrowed. “I think so. Little blonde gal?”
“Yeah. Her. Well, I asked for her number that night before we left, and I’ve kind of run into her a few times since.”
Konrad’s brows snapped up. “Really? Isn’t she human?”
“Hence the problem. I know there are a few wolves out there who mess with humans on occasion, but it’s a hit ’em and quit ’em kinda thing. And Julie’s not like that. At least not for me.”
“Whoa. Are you talking about changing her?”
Luken stabbed his hands into his hair, holding his head for a second as he growled again. “Yes. No.” He pinned Konrad with his stare. “I don’t fucking know. There’s just something about her that calls to me.”
Konrad gave his head a shake as if he were trying to clear away confusion. “Wait a sec. Are you saying she’s your mate? I’ve never heard of that happening with a human, and I’m fairly certain it’s impossible. It’s our wolves that form that bond.”
Luken gave him a duh look. “I know that. And I’m not saying she’s my mate. I’m just saying that for some damn reason I’m drawn to her.”
Konrad released a low whistle. “Damn.”
“Yeah. I hear you. Maybe I should just stay away from her.”
Konrad stood next to Luken, his back against the truck. “That’s something you need to figure out. You can change her. The full moon is only three days away.”
Luken looked over at his longtime friend. They’d been through many things together. And as much as it pissed him off that Javin ratted him out, he knew deep down that both wolves cared about him. “And what if she’s not my mate?”
Konrad inhaled a hissed breath between clenched teeth. “Now that could be a problem. If you change her, then it probably needs to be for a less selfish reason. Maybe because she wants to become one of us. But no matter what you do, you will need to make sure you can trust her completely in case she decides against the change.”
“What made you decide to change someone?”
Konrad shrugged one shoulder. “Different things. Mainly a deep gut feeling that told me they would be at home in my pack. You are going to have to learn to trust your instincts in a new way. It’s not always going to be easy.”
Luken felt something deep down inside concerning Julie. He just needed to figure out if it was more than lust. “I won’t make the choice anytime soon. I need to spend more time with her. Get to know her a little better before I let the wolf out of the bag.”
With a laugh, Konrad pushed away from the truck. “You do that. I better get back to my mate. She promised to do awesome sexual things to me before I left.”
Luken covered his ears. “Don’t want to know how sexually twisted you are.”
Konrad chuckled as he walked to his truck. Luken let loose a laugh of his own as he fished his c
ell from his pocket.
* * * * *
Julie sat on the sofa waiting for the phone to ring, still unsure of what she would say. An hour passed before the wall phone chirped loudly. She dashed across her living room, reaching over the counter for the phone. “Hello?”
“Hey, Julie. Sorry, I was busy with something when you called.”
There was nothing but silence on the other end of the phone in the background. Whatever had been transpiring during their last phone call was over. “I heard dogs or something in the background. Is everything okay?”
“Yeah. Fine. So what did you want when you called?”
Well, he definitely wasn’t offering up any info willingly. Maybe he would talk about it if she went ahead and invited him over? Hell, who was she kidding? Like she had ever really considered not inviting him. She closed her eyes, a little disgusted with her weakness where Luken was concerned. “I was wondering if you would like to come over for dinner?”
“Sure. I can be there in about an hour. Would that be okay?”
She could whip up something in that time. “Yeah. An hour will be fine. I hope you like chicken.”
“One of my favorites.”
“Good. I’ll see you then.”
“Okay.”
She hung up the phone and quickly set to work prepping the food. She had a fifteen-minute marinade for the chicken breasts and could throw some potatoes in the oven to bake. There were plenty of fresh greens in the fridge to make a salad. She swore she was a rabbit in another life, because she kept the fresh veggies stockpiled.
She set to work on the meal, sneaking in a quick shower, makeup job and hairdo. There wasn’t time to debate on an outfit, so she snagged a blue sundress that buttoned all the way down the front. It was simple, but pretty.
With haste, she set to chopping the veggies for the salad. The garlic-and-rosemary chicken scented the house with a mouthwatering aroma as it sizzled in the pan. As she tossed in the last bit of veggies in the salad, she looked at the clock. Luken would arrive any minute.
As if on cue, the doorbell chimed. She turned off the burner and wiped her hands on a towel, trying her best to ignore the nervous churning inside her belly. Please don’t let him be a dog-ring leader.
With quick steps she made her way to the door, unlocking the dead bolt before twisting the knob. She couldn’t help but smile as she opened the door and looked at Luken. He leaned casually against the door frame, a bottle of wine in one hand and flowers in the other. He was turning on the charm and she knew she didn’t stand a chance. His long hair flowed over his broad shoulders like black silk. She wanted to touch it—run her fingers through it. The smile he bestowed on her had her heart fluttering in excitement. He wore a dark-blue V-neck T-shirt that showed off the smooth tanned skin of his neck and upper chest. Blue jeans hung low on his lean hips and ended at his running shoes. “Come in.” She stepped back and allowed him to enter, closing the door and locking it behind him.
Luken stopped and faced her. “Something smells wonderful.”
She smiled. “Rosemary-and-garlic chicken.”
He closed the distance between them and ran the tip of his nose up her neck. “No. It’s you.”
Her eyelids fell to half-mast as she sighed. His lips brushed the tender skin behind her ear. Before she could lean into him he retreated.
“After you.” Luken gestured for her to lead the way.
She blinked a few times to clear her head and started toward the kitchen. A fortifying breath entered her lungs. He was dangerous to her senses. She still didn’t know if he was into anything illegal. As much as her body craved his touch she had to be more sensible about the whole thing. “Everything’s ready.”
She had set out two place settings on the bar, forgoing the candles because she didn’t want it to look as if she expected a romantic interlude. She needed to know things about him, and he undoubtedly wanted info about her. So she kept things as casual as possible.
Luken handed her the flowers and the bottle of wine. She couldn’t help the giddy feeling it gave her. He took a seat on one of the bar stools and she entered the kitchen to get everything situated, making quick work of putting the flowers in water and serving the food.
Julie took her seat next to Luken and poured the wine. He cut into his chicken and took a bite. She smiled as he made an appreciative noise.
He swallowed. “You can cook for me anytime.”
She laughed. “Is that the only thing you want me for?”
Luken took a drink. “Well, I’ll have to see what else you are good at before I can answer that.”
She gasped and tried to bat him playfully on the arm, but he grabbed her wrist with lightning-quick reflex and pulled her off her stool and against his body. A wave of desire crashed through her as she inhaled a staggering breath. Her tongue snaked out to moisten her lower lip a second before his lips were on hers.
The kiss was slow and sweet, flavored by the grapes from the wine and far more intoxicating. She wanted more, but he severed the contact and lifted her, placing her back into her own seat. Neither said a word for a few seconds, but Luken finally broke the silence.
“I’d like to keep you for kissing too.”
She couldn’t stop the giggle that escaped her lips. She felt young and free again. This man was dangerous. She’d better start questioning him soon, before she fell hard and convinced herself she didn’t care about his background.
Julie set up straighter in her chair and reached for her wine. One deep gulp later she started her inquisition. “Do you like dogs?”
He lifted one arched brow in question.
“I was just wondering because I thought about getting one.”
“I don’t have a problem with dogs.”
Well, he could like dogs and still raise them to fight. She’d have to dig a little deeper. “I was thinking about adopting one from one of those rescue shelters.”
“That sounds like a good idea.”
Silence fell between them as they ate. How in the world was she going to find out what she needed to know without coming straight out and asking if he was into dog fighting? She sure as hell didn’t want to wait for him to invite her to a match. Julie dabbed her lips with her napkin and took another sip of wine, before resuming her line of questions. “I just feel really sorry for those animals. It takes a real jerk to abuse them like that.”
She watched him as he nodded in agreement and took a drink of his wine. Well, he didn’t exactly jump on the animal abuse hate wagon with that nod so she pressed further. “Like dog fighting.” She watched his face for any twitch. Nothing. Oh God, did that make him guilty? She pressed ahead. “How can people raise a dog for fighting? It’s so cruel, don’t you think?”
A direct question. Would he answer? He cast her a puzzled look instead.
“Did you see one of those depressing commercials before I came over or something?”
She sighed. “No.” Damn. As much as she hated to, she was going to have to come out with it. “I heard the noise…in the background…when I called you.”
Luken tossed his head back and laughed.
Julie felt like a fool. She stood up and started grabbing their plates. “You can show yourself out.” She stomped off into the kitchen and started scraping the plates off into the trash can.
“Julie, wait.”
She dropped the dishes into the sink and they crashed against the metal, not breaking, but causing a racket. Spinning on her heel, she met his gaze over the bar. “Yes. I’m the stupid woman who once again managed to reel in a law-breaking ass. I’m glad you find my ignorance so damn amusing.”
A muscle ticked in Luken’s jaw. “Your last statement brings up a lot of questions, but I’ll start by saying I do not fight dogs.”
She blinked, confused. “But I heard—”
“What you heard was not what you’re thinking.” He began to move toward the doorway of the kitchen, keeping his gaze locked with hers. “Let’s go back to the ‘onc
e again you’ve brought home a law-breaking ass’ part.”
Her bottom collided with the counter. She hadn’t even realized she’d been retreating. But something in the way he prowled after her now, staring deep into her eyes with those dark brown peepers, made her want to run.
“Don’t fear me. I would never hurt you.”
Her first instinct was to deny. “I’m not afraid—”
Luken made it to the doorway and stopped. “I know you are and there is no reason for it.”
She swallowed hard, willing her heart rate to decease. “I didn’t mean to call you an ass. It’s just…my past.”
Luken continued forward and cupped her face in his hands. “What did he do to you?”
Julie blinked as her eyes started the familiar burn of unshed tears. His whispered question held so much tenderness and warmth it had her heart constricting. “He’s the past. It’s not important.”
“I disagree.” He leaned in and kissed her lips gently, a featherlight caress that was there and gone. “Tell me.”
She closed her eyes and sighed. “A year ago I got divorced.”
“And what did your ex do for a living?”
She opened her eyes and looked straight into his. Might as well bare it all. If he wanted nothing to do with her after this then so be it. “Drug lord.”
The muscle in his jaw ticked as he took in her answer. She fully expected him to release her and make a quick exit. After all, who wanted to get involved with that? Yeah, Ivan was a part of her past, but sometimes pasts like hers you couldn’t outrun. It shocked her when his hand slid down and caressed her neck, moving to her nape where he gave a soft squeeze of comfort.
“I can only imagine some of the things that you have endured. And I understand why you were worried that I might be another law-breaking ass.”
She inwardly cringed.
“But I’m not. What I am is a little harder to explain, but I promise it isn’t anything on the wrong side of the law.”
When Lust Rules Page 4