by Vella Day
“Robbed?” Connor practically growled.
“I’m still so embarrassed—and pissed. My engine was knocking, so I stopped at a rest stop to check it out. I was looking under the hood when two rather cute guys came over to see if they could help. While I was listening to one of the men’s theory about the cause of the problem, it gave the other guy the chance to slip my wallet out of my purse that I had stupidly left on the front seat of my car.”
“And they drove off, leaving you without any money,” Sam added.
“Yes. I did have a twenty dollar bill stuck inside a zippered pocket, which I used for gas.”
“That’s a real shame.” Sam pushed back his chair. “More coffee?”
“I’d love some.” She was thankful they didn’t give her a lecture about being careless.
While he carried all three of their mugs to the coffee station for a refill, Connor leaned back in his chair. “What are your plans now?”
“Sleep?”
Connor chuckled. “And afterward?”
“Head south where it’s warmer.”
Sam set her refreshed cup in front of her. “Before you were basically forced out of your home, what did you do for a living?”
“Since September, I was a substitute high school math teacher, but the regular teacher came back from maternity leave last week, which means I’m back to looking for a job.”
“A math teacher?” Connor shot Sam a look she couldn’t identify.
“Yes, why?”
“How are your computer skills?”
Where was he heading with this? “My programming skills are limited to easy HTML, but I’m a whiz at spreadsheets and word documents. Why?”
“The way I look at it, you need money and we need a secretary,” Connor said.
Chapter Three
‡
Lexi was speechless and nearly choked on her coffee. Were they offering her a job? Maybe she had been transported to a different realm—albeit still a cold one. “I admit I’m strapped for cash, but I don’t plan to stay very long. You should give the job to someone who needs it.”
“And you don’t?” Sam asked.
He had her there. “I mean I do, but I don’t need much to drive to Florida.” She’d have to find a job once she arrived down south though. Her teaching certificate didn’t extend to Florida, so she’d have to find something else.
Sam glanced over at Connor who imperceptibly nodded. “Then stay for just a while—until we find someone permanent. We just moved into this building and really need a person to answer the phone and relay messages in a timely fashion,” Sam said. “Besides, you’ll be safe here.”
There he went again dangling that safe word. Her first instinct was to ask him once more why they were being so nice, but when her mother was alive, she had always said to accept gifts graciously. It was insulting to turn a person down when they were trying to do something for you.
“Thank you. I accept.”
Both men smiled. “Good. I’m not sure about the shifters in New Hampshire, or rather Vermont, but for the most part here in Silver Lake, humans aren’t aware of them, so you’ll have to be careful what you say,” Sam said.
“You don’t have to worry about me. Unless I’m in the presence of my Clan, I say nothing.”
“Perfect,” Connor said. “To ensure your safety, do you think you can get a picture of this Justin guy in case we spot him in town?”
“I can try. He’s often in the news. If not, I can ask my brother to find something and email it to me.”
“Have him email it to us at the firm so there is no trace.”
She hadn’t been thinking. “Of course.” The food, coupled with the lack of sleep was getting to her. Lexi yawned. “I’m sorry. If you don’t have any more questions, I’d like to hit the sack. I promise I’ll be more alert tomorrow.”
Sam pushed back his chair and stood. “Do you need anything?”
She smiled. “I’m good.”
“Then goodnight.”
Hug him, her wolf said.
Yeah, right. The last thing Lexi needed was to become too attached, especially to someone as hot as Sam. If she had to relocate, it would be to a beach town, not to a place similar to where she’d come from.
*
“What do you think?” Sam asked Connor as soon as he heard the office door close.
“Think? She’s a woman on the run who needs our help.”
Sam was relieved to know his boss was on board with giving her protection. Thankfully, Connor didn’t insist she pay for their services—not that she could anyway. It wasn’t like she was a client asking to be protected. “I agree. Here’s the strange part. I respect people’s privacy and don’t go mucking around in their heads, but I couldn’t help but try to read her mind.”
Connor’s brows rose. “That’s not like you, but what did you learn?”
“Nothing.”
“What do you mean nothing?”
“Because I thought it was possible that the Changelings sent her to infiltrate us, I tried to give her some suggestions, but she didn’t respond.”
Connor stiffened. “Back up a minute. You think she’s a Changeling?”
“No, but I didn’t want to dismiss the possibility. It would be like them to stoop to something this low. When I attempted to make her think something was different than it really was, I failed.”
Connor watched him for a moment. “I thought you could do mind control on anyone.”
“I can, with one exception. From what I’ve been told, I can’t get into the head of my mate.”
His chin tucked under. “Your mate? Are you serious?”
“Crazy, right? Not only is she blocking me out, my whole body started to vibrate the moment I was near her.”
Connor shook his head. “I wouldn’t jump to conclusions yet. You probably can’t get into James’s head either, and he sure as hell isn’t your mate.”
Sam waved a dismissive hand. “He’s an immortal. I’m talking about regular humans here.”
“Who told you that?”
“My grandfather; we both have the same talent. He passed away a few years ago, but when I was young, he mentioned it. I swear he said that if I met a woman and couldn’t read her mind, or affect her in any way that she was my mate.” If the physical attraction hadn’t been so strong, he might have dismissed it.
Connor picked up the last piece of pizza and wolfed it down. “I’d give it a few days and see what you think. Personally, I don’t think she is. Being a werewolf, she’d know if you were her mate, and if she were, she wouldn’t be claiming she wants to leave.”
“Then what should I do?”
“If you’re sure, then I guess you need to follow her to Florida,” Connor said.
She did seem determined not to stay. “Maybe I need to convince her that Silver Lake is her destiny, and that I’m the best thing since sliced bread.”
Connor cracked up. “I like it. I just hope this mate stuff isn’t contagious.”
“Your day will come.”
“Not for many years, I hope.” Connor washed down his pizza with the last of his coffee. “Far be it from me to stand between a man and his destiny. I’ll ask Devon if he’s free to fly to Vermont and check out this guy Justin Kapok.”
“Really? I know Lexi would be thrilled not to have to look over her shoulder the rest of her life.”
“No promises, but in the meantime, Jackson can do some research on this guy.”
Connor pushed back his chair. “I’ll ask him to get on it tomorrow morning. You can head on out. I’ll lock up.”
“I’ll crash on the sofa. If Lexi wakes up and comes upstairs, I don’t want her to be afraid.”
His boss chuckled. “Give the girl a break, will ya?”
“Now that’s insulting. I respect women. I want her to feel safe, that’s all.”
Connor failed to keep the smile off his face. “Make sure you get some sleep.” With that he left.
Sam should be tir
ed, but he wasn’t. Lexi had jacked up his hormones to the point where he might never fall asleep again. Even if he wanted to crash, the Marines had taught him to stay awake when he needed to accomplish something—like getting the dirt on Justin Kapok.
Ducking into his new office, he fired up his computer. Jackson was the real genius when it came to research, but Sam wanted to do a quick search first. Connor didn’t need to be wasting the company’s resources with a non-paying client, so the more he could do, the less impact it would have on McKinnon and Associates. The fact Connor considered asking Devon and Jackson to help was amazing.
In the search engine, Sam typed the man’s name followed by Vermont, and several hits appeared, one of which was a picture of Kapok wearing a nice suit standing alongside a Ferrari. That wasn’t what Sam expected. It made sense though he’d be rich if he succeeded at gambling, but this rich?
The next shot was of Justin smiling. The fact he was a good-looking man bothered Sam. Jealousy had never played a role in his life, but right now, his blood pressure was rising. He needed to remember that the man was scum, looking only to improve his position in the Clan. Sam had learned that ambitious men with money had the reach to obtain what they wanted. No wonder Lexi was scared of him.
After another hour of digging into his background, Sam called it quits. Tomorrow would be a big day for her, and he didn’t want to be the one yawning. She’d be seeing Silver Lake in the daylight and would hopefully like what she saw.
*
Lexi jerked awake and clutched the teal spread to her chest. Her heart pounded, flooding her body with adrenaline. It had been a dream—yes, only a dream. In it, Justin Kapok had entered her bedroom and was sticking her with a needle to sedate her. The part that scared the shit out of her the most was that she hadn’t even been able to fight back.
When she focused on the cream-colored walls and the plush beige carpet, along with the shiny new deadbolt on the door, it helped to calm her down. She was safe, and best of all, Justin wasn’t there to harm her. Normally, locking a bedroom door was overkill, but for a person on the run, it was a godsend.
Inhaling deeply to control her breathing, she finally calmed down. Because this room was underground, there were no windows, but the closed, green striped drapes helped give the illusion of being able to look outside. She leaned over and clicked on the light next to the bed. The clock read 9:35 a.m. Lexi was normally an early riser, but the long drive and constant worry had exhausted her. With no light entering the room to wake her, she’d overslept.
Planting her feet on the ground, she rose and a wave of dizziness assaulted her. She needed coffee and then a good breakfast.
Oh, crap. She didn’t have any money to buy food. Maybe Sam would be willing to lend her some, or rather give her an advance on her new job—a job she really did need.
Lexi slipped into her jeans and a nicer shirt than she’d worn last night then grabbed her jacket before heading upstairs. The rich aroma of coffee teased her nose as she stepped into the main room. A blanket was tossed on the back of the sofa now, where there hadn’t been one, before. Had Sam slept in the office last night? Given his protective nature, she wouldn’t be surprised.
“Good morning,” he said. “Coffee?”
“Yes, please. Black.” She settled down at the same table where she’d had pizza last night.
“Sleep well?” he asked as he delivered the fresh brew.
“Yes.” The sunlight pouring in through high windows brightened her mood.
“Connor called this morning and said his brother Devon would be heading up to Vermont to check on Justin Kapok.”
A quick shot of adrenaline woke her up. Then guilt assaulted her. She’d be working for years if she had to pay them back. Flights and time were expensive. “He doesn’t have to do that. As you might guess, I don’t have that kind of money.”
“We’re in the protection business. We do a lot of pro bono work.”
She swept a hand around. “Someone has to pay for this.”
He smiled. “We have enough clients who do pay.”
The rich aroma distracted her. She needed her caffeine fix in order to function, so Lexi sipped her coffee, and her muscles began to unwind. “So when do I start work?”
“We’re closed today, but I can show you the ropes. How about we start after breakfast?”
As much as she didn’t want to fall for this man, he was doing a good job of meeting her every need. “Perfect.”
“Finish your coffee, and then I’ll take you to the best little breakfast place in Silver Lake.”
Never in her dreams did she think she’d be taken to breakfast the day after leaving Vermont. For now, she’d enjoy herself and later on, question why this was happening. At least with Sam by her side, she didn’t have to worry about Justin.
She’d been told there were gods and goddesses in the shifter realm. Perhaps there were Wendayan deities too, one of whom might have been assigned to be her guardian angel.
“You’re smiling,” Sam said. “Care to share?”
Heat raced up her face. “Just being thankful for my temporary respite from the evil man.” Bill was just as bad, or should she say just as weak, but he wouldn’t care enough to come after her.
As soon as she said the word temporary, Sam’s expression darkened. What was that about? He didn’t even know her.
“Ready?”
“Yes.”
She pushed back her chair and stood. Sam opened up the front door to exit the building, and the sun nearly blinded her. The sky was a cerulean blue with scattered white puffy clouds, and the ground was coated in pure whiteness. “It’s beautiful,” she said.
Sam inhaled deeply. “It looks like it snowed quite a lot last night. It smells fresh.”
Maybe it was the fear that had resided in her for hours, or the relief of not having to be on the run for a while, but Lexi felt like a kid again—free and almost giddy. She stooped down, grabbed a handful of snow, and packed it tight. As if guided by an invisible hand, she stepped back a few feet and threw the cold projectile at him.
When she saw his eyes widen, she realized her mistake. Her pent up anxiety had caused her to toss it too hard, and it smacked him in the chest with enough force to elicit a grunt.
She rushed up to him. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to bean you that hard.”
“Uh-huh. This is war, lady.” The levity in his voice helped loosen the swirling in her belly.
He bent down and grabbed a handful of snow. Instead of making it into a ball, he rushed toward her and quickly dumped a bit of snow down her back.
“Arggh, that’s cold.” Her voice came out shrill.
“Serves you right.” Sam winked.
He would pay for that. Lexi darted to the far side of his truck while Sam headed for a three-foot tall cement wall that bordered a retention pond and ducked behind it. Clearly, he understood what would happen next. She rolled five snowballs and placed them on the truck’s hood for rapid firing. Sam did the same.
“I was a Marine, you know,” he called from about fifteen feet away. “I’ve defused bombs and never had an accident. You aren’t going to win, so you might as well give up now.”
She laughed. “Is that so? You haven’t seen my power and accuracy.”
“Show me, fighter girl.”
She’d never met a man so serious one minute and whimsical the next. Lexi might be strong and agile, but she wasn’t fast enough to sneak up on him without him noticing. Having all of her projectiles within reach, she stepped out from behind the truck. “Show yourself; unless you’re too scared?”
“Me? Scared?” Sam stood and immediately lobbed a snowball that fell at her feet, well short of its target.
“That all you got, cowboy?” She threw a fastball, but Sam managed to duck at the last second. It landed behind him.
“Is that how you want to play?” he asked, faking a scowl.
His next toss missed her head by inches, but that was only because she’d le
aned to the side in order to throw her snowball. Wanting to win this battle, Lexi threw three snowballs in rapid succession. When the last one hit his arm and then burst into snowflakes, she raised her arms in victory. The goddess of humility must have been watching because Sam’s snowball hit her square in the forehead a second later. She shrieked.
He came running. “Are you okay? I wasn’t trying to hit you, I swear.”
Lexi couldn’t help but chuckle at the dismay on his face. “Other than being a bit embarrassed that you bested me, I’m fine.” She swiped the water dripping down her forehead.
“You missed a spot.” Sam moved close and when he dragged a thumb across her cheek, sparks burst off her body. Had she not been covered from head to toe, he’d have noticed her inappropriate response.
She stepped back. A moment later, her teeth returned to their human state. “Ah, thanks.”
He smiled and wagged a finger. “While I admire your grit, be careful who you start a fight with. Definitely make certain not to engage with a man named Dalton Garner or his sister Jillian. They both move faster than the eye can track. Dalton’s mate is almost as fast too.”
She’d love to see that. “I’ll be sure not to engage in a snowball fight with them.”
“Smart woman, now hop in the truck. I’m starving,” he said.
He was starving? She’d been the one who’d nose dived into a dumpster last night. Happier than she’d been in a long time, Lexi slid into the passenger’s seat. “Do you normally sleep at the office?” she asked.
“First time.”
Her pulse spiked. “Did you think Justin would come after me?”
He jammed the key in the ignition and fired up the engine. “No. As I said, this building is safe. We have security cameras around the perimeter, and the only way to get in requires a scan.”
“Then why stay?” Lexi shouldn’t have asked since his answer would only make him more attractive. Not only that, she was already fighting with her wolf too much. Sitting this close to him made her nails elongate and a few bones crack, threatening a shift. Using her strength and willpower, she forced them back.