He reached across and touched her hand. “No, not at all.”
It was amazing how easily she responded to his touch. She threaded her fingers through his and held on tightly. He was practically a stranger, but her instincts told her Luke could be trusted. He’d done nothing to hurt her. In fact, he’d protected her. Taking a deep breath, she spoke the words inside her heart. “I like being with you. I don’t know why, but I feel different when I’m with you.”
He slid closer, his light green eyes darkening, cautious yet full of yearning. “How different?”
“Like I should know you.” His crisp male scent enveloped her. “Which is crazy. I don’t know you from Adam.”
He lay mere inches away, not quite touching, but close enough for her to feel the heat from his body. He lifted their linked hands and pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles. “Ask me anything and I’ll tell you.”
She wanted to ask him about the mysterious research he and Dominic were working on, but didn’t want to lose the tender moment. “Tell me about your life in Mississippi.”
Cloudy, troubled eyes met hers. “My childhood isn’t as pretty as yours.”
She sort of figured that. Tension radiated from him, his shoulders stiff and unyielding, but softness remained around his lips. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”
He glanced away for a moment. “My sister and I grew up in Jackson.”
“Wait, you have a sister?”
His eyes grew darker still. “I had a sister.”
“Oh.” Sympathy made her want to hug him. “What happened?”
His grip on her fingers tightened. “She was murdered.”
“I’m sorry.” Words couldn’t express her sorrow.
He shook his head. “It’s fine. Anyway, Laura and I grew up dirt poor. Our parents died when I was seventeen. She was thirteen. None of our relatives wanted to take us in, so I quit school and got a job at my uncles’ lumber yard until I could save enough money to move us to Boston. Laura was smart. I’m talking genius-smart. She got a scholarship to MIT. That’s where she met Dominic. They were lab partners.”
Gina couldn’t imagine losing her parents so young, or being strong enough to survive without them. “I think Dominic mentioned Laura before, but he’d never told me she died.”
“He didn’t take her death well. Hell, none of us did.” A small smile played about his lips. “Laura was one of those girls who could light up a room just by being in it. She looked like our mother, long blond hair and blue eyes. I think Dominic was half in love with her. When she died, I hired him so he could continue the research she was so passionate about.”
“Is this the drug you’re developing?”
He gave her a wary look. “Yes.”
It was easy to put two-and-two together. “And you think she was murdered because of it?”
His mouth hardened into a tight line. “I’m beginning to think so. Someone knew and wanted to stop her research.”
“Just like they’re trying to stop yours,” Gina added. She touched his shoulder. “You need to go to the police.”
“And tell them what? They’ll never believe Laura’s death and the recent attacks are related. Besides no one knows about L-12 and I plan to keep it that way.”
“Obviously someone knows.” She gripped his shoulder, dragging his gaze to hers. “Is it worth risking your safety?”
He answered without hesitation. “Yes.” He released her hand and placed his arm around her waist, drawing her forward for a light hug. “But it’s not worth risking yours. I promise you’ll be safe with me.”
“Will I?” She lifted her eyes to his, daring him to deny the attraction between them.
“You don’t think so?”
Her pulse sped up, making it hard to catch her breath. She could easily slip out of his grip if she wanted to, but she relished his arm around her. “You . . . you intrigue me.”
His tone lowered to a sexy whisper. “How so?”
She buried her face in the pillow, reluctant to share more than she’d already had. Could he guess she was a virgin? Did it even matter?
“Gina, look at me.”
She shook her head, her face still buried in the pillow.
His lips touched the exposed skin of her neck. She sucked in a breath, the pillowcase sticking to her lips, as she struggled to bring oxygen into her starved lungs.
He pressed tiny kisses there before moving away. “You don’t have to be scared of me. I’m not going to hurt you.”
She lifted her head, shocked to the core by the need reflected in his eyes. He’d been honest with her about his family. It was only fair she was honest with him. “I’ve never done this before.”
He swooped in for a kiss, nibbling at the edges of her lips. “Done what? Been with a human?”
“No.” She pulled away, needing him to see she was being serious. “With anyone. I’m a virgin.”
It was painfully obvious when he put the brakes on his seduction. Disbelief was mirrored in his gaze. Her words tumbled over one another as she struggled to get them out. “It’s not important. I just thought you should know.”
He touched her cheek softly. “It does matter. You’ve saved yourself for someone. Otherwise you wouldn’t have waited so long.”
“No!” She needed him to understand this was what she wanted. “I’ve just never found a man I wanted to be with before.” She echoed his gesture and put her palm against his cheek. “I want to be with you, Luke.”
“You said it yourself. You don’t know me.”
“I can get to know you.”
“Before sex, Gina,” he said with a light laugh.
“It feels right. Can’t that be enough?” she asked.
He closed his eyes, visibly struggling for control. When he reopened them, the green of his gaze glittered dangerously. “I . . . I can’t. I’m sorry.”
Chapter Eight
What was wrong with her? Surely, she was attractive enough to warrant having sex?
Gina kicked an empty soda can out of her way, satisfied by the loud sound the aluminum made as it slid across the pavement. She continued on her way to the snack machine, desperate for chocolate.
Luke was still asleep when she’d awakened. Getting dressed in a hurry, she’d slipped out of the room before he could tell her no. He’d probably be mad, but it was his own damned fault. If he’d given her some loving last night, she wouldn’t be in this predicament. She always ate when she was upset, courtesy of her Italian heritage.
It was cold that morning, the drizzle from the night before lingering in the misty air. The sun hadn’t yet peeped through the fog, but the yellow glow of the safety lights guided her way as she ducked into the alcove where the vending machines were located. She dug a few quarters out of her pocket and purchased a couple Snickers. She didn’t know if Luke liked chocolate, but it couldn’t hurt to share her stash. Chocolate was an aphrodisiac, right?
Grinning at the thought, she nearly missed the flash of movement reflected in the glass of the vending machine. With seconds to spare, she ducked, managing to miss the guy’s fist by mere inches. What the fuck?
Dropping her cherished candy bars on the sidewalk, she came up, ready to fight. Her hands balled into fists and she smashed into the guy’s face with a crushing right upper cut. Despite the differences with her father, he’d taught her how to fight. She landed a quick blow with her left fist. Dropping down low, she twirled, extending her leg to knock the guy on his ass. She didn’t stick around to gloat. Scooping up her chocolate, she ran like hell back to their room.
It took several tries for her to get the key inserted. Once she had, she glanced over her shoulder, relieved to see the man wasn’t following her, and tumbled inside the room. Luke was pulling on his shoes, frowning at her sudden appearance. “Where the hell have you been?”
“Getting breakfast.” She tossed him a Snickers, which he caught mid-air. “No time to explain right now, but we need to get out of here.”
“Nothing!” The adrenaline of the fight still poured through her veins. No matter how much she tried to deny her wolf nature, there was no hiding the enjoyment she got from a good fight. “I just got ambushed at the vending machine is all.”
Within a second, he was at her side. He took her in his arms, turning her face to the light to get a good look at her. “Were you hurt?”
She lifted an eyebrow. “Do I look like I am?”
“No.” He was clearly confused. “What the fuck happened?”
“I protected myself. I told you I could.” She tossed him a cocky grin before bending and grabbing her cell phone from the table. She tossed him his keys. “We’d better go.”
She pulled open the door, but Luke was faster. He slammed his palm down on the wood, preventing her from exiting the room. His breath ruffled her hair as he exhaled heavily behind her. “From now on, you don’t go anywhere without me. You hear me?”
“Are you serious? Do I need to remind you that I have superhuman strength?”
“Gina,” he growled her name. “I don’t care if you’re the biggest badass in town, promise me.”
“You sounded like my father just now,” she muttered.
“Jesus fucking Christ! This isn’t a joke.”
Shocked he’d raised his voice, her amusement faded. It was replaced by desire so strong it nearly brought her to her knees. Alpha tendencies, as long as they weren’t her family’s, were pretty hot. “Chill out, okay? I promise.”
Luke left the room first, checking right and left to make sure it was safe, and motioned her forward. At his signal, she ran to the car after him. They climbed inside and squealed out of the parking lot as if the hounds of hell were on their tail. He checked the rearview mirror several times. “They don’t seem to be following.”
Feeling a bit shaky, and hoping it was just due to hunger, she unwrapped her Snickers and took a bite. “How do you think they found they found us?”
His brows snapped down over his eyes. “Put a trace on my credit card probably. I didn’t think about it.”
The chocolate and peanuts satisfied her hunger. Now that the danger was over, her natural proclivity toward human emotion kicked in. Her hands shook as she balled up the wrapper and stuffed it in the center console.
Luke noticed and curled his warm fingers around her shaking ones. “You did good.”
She clung to his hand, embarrassed by how much his touch comforted her. “It was stupid of me to go out alone.”
“We’re going to have to be more careful. Apparently whoever is after us are more determined than I imagined them to be.”
A thought occurred to her. “You said Laura was murdered. Did they ever find her killer?”
Luke joined the traffic on the interstate and moved into the passing lane. The speedometer inched near seventy. “No. It was a random event the police said. They didn’t pursue it for long.”
“So it’s possible her murderer may really be involved?”
“Why did you ask?” He spared her a quick look. “Did you notice anything about the guy back there?”
She struggled to remember the details. “He wore a black jacket, youngish. His scent was strange, like the guy from yesterday.”
Luke nodded as if he understood. “Something more than just wolf.”
She stilled. “How do you know how a wolf smells? A shifter’s scent is undetectable to humans.”
He didn’t even flicker an eyelid. “You told me.”
“No, I didn’t.” She was sure of it. She would remember if she had.
He quickly changed the subject. “Okay, there’s going to be a change of plans. First, I need to get you home and then I’ll . . . ”
“No!” She wrenched her hand from his. “I’m not going back to Clinton.”
“Be reasonable, Gina. You’ll be safe there.”
Frustration made her long to punch him. “I’ll be miserable. I can’t go back. I won’t. Not yet.”
Luke ran a hand through his hair. The blond tipped ends stuck up in spiky angles. “I understand the need to choose your own path, really I do, but we’ve got to face the facts. Someone is after me and doesn’t seem averse to using you to get to me. I refuse to let you be hurt because of me.”
She leaned forward, desperate for him to see things her way. “I can help. I’m a wolf. You can use me.”
He arched an eyebrow and sent her a strange look. “And I’m just some weakling?”
“No, I didn’t say that. But I have skills you can’t hope to possess.”
He sighed. “The men we’re dealing with aren’t human. I’m not quite sure what they are, but just being a wolf isn’t going to be enough.”
“But . . . ”
He cut her off immediately. “No. I’m taking you home.”
She snapped her mouth closed, content to give up the fight for now. Apparently, she would have to use more than just reasoning to get it through his thick skull that he needed her.
•●•
They reached Cleveland after ten hours of driving. Although night hadn’t fallen, it was time to stop driving. Gina’s muscles had to be stiff after sitting so tensely in the passenger seat. It was plain to see she was upset with him. But he couldn’t risk her getting hurt.
This time, they were able to get a room with two beds. To say he was disappointed would be an understatement. He’d loved having her beside him the night before.
Gina bounced onto one of the beds and fell backward. “I’m so tired!”
He kicked off his shoes and followed her example. Cutting his gaze to her, he unobtrusively watched as she scrolled on her cell phone. She appeared to be scanning the day’s headlines. “Anything interesting?”
She frowned, sitting up and her lips moving as she read silently to herself. “Oh my God.”
“What?” The tone in her voice jolted him to attention. He bolted upright, his muscles tense with dread.
She began to read aloud. “In a bizarre twist, several bodies have been found in Boston’s alleyways and parks. All appeared to have throats ripped out, but the odd absence of blood has police stumped.”
A pit of apprehension lodged in his gut. Just like Laura. He reached for the phone. “What else does it say?”
She handed the cell over to him and he quickly scanned the few lines of text. A picture of one of the victims was included with the article and he sucked in a deep breath. “Several of these names are familiar.” He pointed at the face on the screen. “I know him.”
Gina stood and leaned over him to view the picture. “Howard Trotter?”
“He’s a wolf.”
His words lingered in the air between them, neither seeming to want to put voice to his suspicion.
Gina plopped down beside him, the mattress bouncing as her hip brushed his. “Do you think the murders are related?”
“Seems that way.” He handed the phone back to her.
“And the murderer seems to be targeting wolves?”
Impotent rage filled him. Like Laura, Howard was a lunar wolf. He wouldn’t have been able to fight off a stronger shifter. But why all the sudden deaths?
“We need to get back to Boston.”
Her eyes widened with surprise. “But I thought you wanted to take me home?”
“I still do, but I’ll have to come up with something else.” There was no way he could stand idly by while wolves were attacked. “Until I know what’s going on, you’ll be safer with me.”
“My father would beg to differ.” Her eyebrow arched.
“Do you want to go home?”
Red hair slapped against her cheeks as she shook her head. “No. I want to help you.”
He faced her, his hands coming up to frame her face. “Let me make this absolutely clear. I’m taking you back to Boston to keep an eye on you. In no way does that mean I’m going to let you assist in finding out what’s going on.”
She
pouted, her full bottom lip plump and red, ripe for the tasting. “You need me.”
He did. He really did. But not in the way she meant.
“Don’t argue with me,” he commanded in a stern tone.
Her mouth opened. “But . . . ”
He put a finger against her lips. “Hush.”
Her tongue flicked against the pad of his finger. Whether intentional or accidental, it had the same effect. The flames of desire flickered to life. He leaned closer, his attention focused on her mouth. He was just about to kiss her when she jerked away.
She stood, sniffing the air, and a bewildered expression crossed her face. He reached for her arm. “What?”
Her face turned to him, disbelief clouding her eyes. “You smell different.”
“What do you mean?” Mentally he slapped his forehead. He hadn’t taken L-12 today. He’d left his daily dose behind, locked up tight in the lab.
Her nostrils flared as she leaned in and sniffed his shirt. Reeling away, she held up her hands as if to ward him off. “Why do I smell a fucking wolf on you?”
“I can explain.” It was stupid of him to have forgotten that L-12 has to be taken daily. The effect wasn’t long-lasting. It took time to build up the result and had to be maintained every twenty-four hours.
She crossed her arms. “Start explaining then.”
“The reason I’m so familiar with wolves is because I am . . . ” Shit, it was hard to come clean with her. “One.” He owned up to the truth. She wouldn’t accept anything less.
Her eyebrows arched skeptically. “No, you’re not.”
“Yes.” He wished there was a way to avoid her anger.
She shook her head, her gaze no longer bemused, but wary. “How did I never notice?”
“The research Dominic has been doing. He created a drug that masks the scent of a wolf.”
She frowned. “What? Why would he do that?”
He stood, hoping she knew he’d kept the secret for good reasons. “My sister was a lunar wolf. She wanted to protect others like her from those who would prey on the weak.”
Unmasking the Wolf Page 7