“So you think you have to protect her, too.”
“Isn’t that what family is supposed to do?” She snapped, her brain feverishly working. Seeking the answers.
He felt his chest aching at the soft, lost voice. So much uncertainty from a woman he’d have considered anything but uncertain.
“Then it’ll be Elise Winston’s job to make certain you’re a well-kept secret,” Jude turned the key in the ignition. “I kind of liked those wide blond curls you wore that one night,” he told her with a wink, watching her eyes widen. “The windows are tinted. They might think you’re here, but no one can tell for certain, Lydia. It isn’t yourself you’re worried for,” he said softly, watching her turn from him and stare out the window. “And I don’t have any intention of letting you run on me, mate. So get that idea out of your head now,” he told her, that growl she found more sexy than menacing rumbling in his throat.
Lydia leaned back in the seat, her face turned from him and staring at the town they’d come to, the shops and nicely bricked round-about in the very center. Houses of all shapes and sizes dotted the hills around them.
A nice, friendly little town. That just got thrown into the spotlight. She tried to believe it wasn’t her fault. But she’d never been one to blame others for things that shouldn’t have been.
True, if they hadn’t been holding Luna prisoner with drugs, she wouldn’t have escaped and come here, but still…
“Restroom,” she said quietly when Jude pulled into the guarded and gated underground parking facility half way up the hill behind town. “The Institute must be huge.”
“The facility is huge,” Jude answered, striding around the front and taking her palm in his, leading her toward a triple bank of elevators. “Seth is staffing it slowly and carefully. People are vetted very closely before they’re allowed to become part of what he’s planning.”
He knew where all the exits were. He knew the restrooms were safe, because there was no other way out of them for her. He could smell the urge to run on her, crashing around him in dangerous waves.
Part panic, part fear. He watched her stride to the stainless steel door and disappear inside. It wasn’t a scent he was comfortable with coming from Lydia Jones. All she’d been through since they’d met and neither had ever shown its head around her. He leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest and his frown thoughtful.
Because it had just been her in the past, he realized. For herself, alone, she wasn’t afraid of anything. It all registered inside her as part of a normal day. She felt she was expendable, and she’d die keeping everyone else safe.
Jude stared at the claws that had pushed their way to the surface in his attempt to contain the fury inside him. How did he protect her from what she’d made herself? Did he have that right to take it away from her?
Lydia stepped from the restroom, her eyes on the palms he was staring at. Her gaze rose to meet his.
“Are you alright? No windows in there…nowhere to go,” she knew it’s what he was thinking. And she had considered it. She’d only given her word as far as Devil Hills was concerned. Everything going forward was fair game, especially if it had to do with keeping the people around her safe.
“Let’s go, princess,” Jude put an arm around her, his palm settled possessively on her lower back as they stepped into the elevator. “I thought about the cuffs.”
“Kinky.”
“Is it so difficult for you to not run?”
Lydia kept her gaze on the flashing buttons, three floors went in both directions from the parking level they’d been on and they were going up to the top at the moment.
She didn’t have an answer for him. She needed time to think. She’d had a plan. She’d had a long, lonely path she was intent on following.
Then Jude St. John threw himself into her life.
And her cat took charge of her destiny, changing her path. The cat made a choice she would have been afraid to make on her own, she realized, blinking and taking in the people that were suddenly a part of her new life.
****
“What took you so long?” Seth Anderson had listened for the elevator and was standing outside his office. Annoyed. But more than annoyance edged his voice. It wasn’t that the conversation he’d been having with the reporter wasn’t interesting. He had a plan. And having her suddenly thrust into his life had not been part of it.
Lydia just stared at him, striding past him into the office and not looking back over her shoulder.
“I see he hasn’t bitten your head off yet,” Lydia threw herself into one of the large cushioned chairs, long legs stretched out in front of her, hands shoved into the pockets of her jeans.
Elise frowned at her. “You didn’t know him before you came up with this crazy idea, did you?” She hissed furiously, leaning over the arm of her chair toward Lydia.
“No. But I knew you just as much,” Lydia grinned. “I just had a feeling you’d be what he needed. He growls too much.”
“Gee, no kidding,” Elise mumbled, straightening up in the chair when Seth and Jude came into the room. Her eyes widened on the next couple. The man sexy and rugged. The female…her gaze went from Lydia to the other woman and widened seconds before her palm came up to cover her mouth. “It’s amazing,” she breathed softly.
Lydia sat up very slowly, her gaze on Elise and her shocked expression. Her tongue came out, dragging moisture over her lower lip before she closed her eyes and turned toward the door. She didn’t know how, but she knew it was Jude’s palms on her shoulders, reassuring and warm.
Luna stared, her head tilted and pale lashes blinking. It was like looking into a mirror but wearing different clothing. She watched the other woman rise to her feet and shake her shoulders a little, the man’s palms falling to his side as she stepped forward and held out both hands.
Elise was up from the chair, grabbing a male jacket in each hand and pulling.
Jude and Seth were amazed at the strength in the woman no more than five foot seven and that was in those sexy heels. She shoved them through the office door and reached back to grab Sage by his collar, pulling and closing the door behind her.
“I never thought…” Lydia’s voice cracked and shook.
“I thought I was alone…” Luna let her fingers close around the similar palms. She gazed around, pulling and sinking them both to the sofa. “Before we fall over.”
“Good idea,” Lydia worked to pull air into her lungs.
Both of them gave up on trying to keep the hot, stinging tears captive.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Jude and Sage paced the wide, long hallway.
Elise stood guard in front of the door, feet apart and arms crossed over her chest. All three of the men easily towered over her and had her by at least a hundred pounds each. But none of them was willing to take her on.
Seth Anderson paced in a tighter circle, glaring at her.
“That’s my office.”
“Too bad, too sad,” Elise shrugged. “For the moment, you turned it into something better. You brought them both here, so don’t whine. Go get coffee or something in the cafeteria.”
“We don’t have a cafeteria yet.” He ground tightly.
“Lord, you need a serious admin,” Elise shook her head. She checked her watch several long minutes later, frowning. Maybe she should have stayed. But she didn’t hear any sounds. In fact, she heard nothing at all when she leaned her head against the door.
“Fuck.” Jude took two long steps toward her, ignored the wide eyes and lifted her by her shoulders to the side, pulling the door wide. “Is there another exit from your office?” He demanded, looking at Seth and then Sage. He hastily patted down his pockets. “Hug my ass…she stole my fuckin’ keys!”
“Shit,” Seth took off running with Jude behind him.
“I’ll get on the radio and have a watch kept out for them,” Sage took off toward the elevators, slipping inside with the others and quickly slapping the down button.
“You guys know how to clear a floor fast. Should I ask why?” Elise leaned on the empty admin desk and watched them head to the stairwell.
“Can’t get in trouble for what you don’t know,” Lydia answered, winking and disappearing from the hall into the stairs, two blondes running full out toward the bottom floor.
Elise watched them vanish, that irritating prickle at the back of her neck making her turn around very slowly. She struggled to swallow because all of a sudden all the moisture in her mouth vanished with the blondes and the appearance of a very feral looking male leaning against the open door to his office. She hadn’t heard the return of the elevator.
“I think you should come into my office, Miss Winston,” Seth straightened up, his palm out for hers.
Elise looked at the hand. She knew it wasn’t exactly a request. She slid slowly from the surface of the desk, rubbing palms suddenly damp down the sides of her skirt before placing one in his hand.
“Where were they?”
“The closet,” she answered, pulling her lower lip between her teeth.
“It didn’t occur to you to call out and let us know?”
“You were much too far away. Other levels even…probably…” Elise wondered where the other exit was. Just in case. Her eyes went around the large office and landed on a door. “I didn’t tell them to hide or…or…I just thought they should have some time alone. Girls don’t want to have emotions spilling all over the place in front of guys.”
“Really?” Seth closed the door firmly, leaned back and watched her pace to his desk and back. She definitely filled out that pinstriped suit well, the slit up the side of the pencil skirt revealing a length of leg that went into those four inch chunky heels she wore. Now and then when she turned a sparkle of light struck her legs and he noticed that she wore stockings. Pantyhose? Hell, he hadn’t been around too many women who bothered these days.
“I appreciate you taking the time to speak with me, Mr. Anderson, but I really should be getting to the station,” Elise fell back to what she knew. Professional. Curt and efficient.
“To turn in your resignation.”
“I…” Her head snapped up from the keys she’d dug from her purse, the ring jangling as it fell to the carpeting. “Resignation? I’m…what are you offering?”
“I don’t want you in PR. I want you as my admin. You can do the PR things from that position until we flesh out the rest of the Institute,” Seth kept his voice level, almost flat. Control, he told himself firmly. He could easily control this odd urge to sweep her against him and bury his face in her hair. He could smell it from where he stood. A sweet collection of flowers that seemed to spring from those wide curls teasing her throat.
“And the salary? Benefits?” Elise wasn’t really sure where the nerve came for the questions. She seriously felt itchy. Something in those dark eyes made her realize what a pot roast felt like. She listened to the salary he quoted and worked to keep her surprise inside.
“Benefits…we have contracts with a physician’s office, a dental office and an eye specialist. We’re working on building a hospital,” he supplied answers without blinking. “We’re a growing community, Miss Winston. We also are incorporated with Morning Star Lake, since the alpha there is now mated to our alpha.”
Elise reached for the desk, just a little on the wobbly side. She was almost twenty-eight years old. This type of position didn’t come to someone with only one professional slot on her resume. Let’s not count the Colonel Chicken slot or the sub sandwich slot. Lips pursed she considered and leaned on the edge of the desk. The pizza slot didn’t count, either, she decided.
“I have to give two weeks notice.”
“No, you don’t. You won’t be going anywhere else and I’m not questioning your professionalism by expecting you to stay at that station, Miss Winston,” Seth pushed away from the closed door and moved closer, stopping a scant two feet away. “When they find the little terrorist, I’ll have to admit to owing her for bringing you here. That’ll make me really grouchy for several days, I’m sure. If she says you’re not safe at the station or where you live, I believe her. She said your apartment was broken into.”
Elise stared at him, red lashes blinking above the bow shaped frown.
“It was…” she shrugged. “Crime is rampant.”
“You don’t think it has something to do with the sympathy you extended during the interview?”
“And you do? Why in the world would anyone care? I usually just do traffic and…and stuff…around the station.”
“What if someone got it into their head that you’re associated with not only the Institute, but shifters as a whole? That you could be a threat?” He watched that alluring little bow of her mouth open and the softest laughter bursting free. “Or a valuable resource. That perhaps you know more than you’ve ever allowed anyone to see.”
“Oh. Excuse me. Somehow I didn’t imagine you with a sense of humor,” she said, her head shaking and the smile freezing in place when he simply stared and arched an eyebrow. High. She had no idea that was even possible. “You’re serious.”
“Very.”
“This is my first ever serious job out of college, Mr. Anderson. Not here, the station, I mean. I’m an office gopher. Period. My brothers and parents consider me sheltered and…well, I’ll leave it at sheltered,” she amended quickly, her head shaking. “I lucked into the interview with Lydia. No one in their right mind would ever think I had plotted or planned it.”
“How long have you lived in your current apartment?”
Elise opened her mouth and then closed it, pouting.
“I’ll travel back with you, Miss Winston. You can pack and return tomorrow or the next day,” Seth looked over the calendar he had at his elbow. “I’ll secure a small truck and we can…” He looked up to see her striding toward the door. “A problem, Miss Winston?”
“Can’t take the job. But thanks for offering,” she said simply without looking over her shoulder, the door pulled wide. She made it half a step before coming face to face with another suit, just as thick and just as immobile. She managed to avoid bouncing off him but couldn’t stop the stare. She knew this one. Too well. “Mr. Newman.”
Eyes filled with open animosity became slightly narrowed; his mouth thinning in the sneer he offered. Alex Newman looked down at the younger woman and then over at the man who’d come around the desk to stop her.
“Miss Winston…Elise…this is…unexpected,” he said dryly.
“Out searching for a follow-up story, Newman?” Seth asked coldly, annoyed at the prickling from the claws in his palms. His gaze swept to the two men that had come with him, his shoulders stiff as he straightened. “Elise, come over here.”
She looked over at him, ready to move when a strong set of fingers closed over her wrist. Tightly. Painfully. The little whimper of pain floated free before she could stop it, suddenly very aware of the reaction it caused.
All of which was reflected in the scent now filling his office. There was a pure rage that soared through his blood like a wild moving storm and almost brought him to his knees in its intensity. It had been a very long time since he’d felt this kind of rage and then it had been at people shooting at him.
“I’m curious about why my employee is here with you, Anderson. She’s not a qualified reporter,” he looked kept his gaze on the paling features of Elise. “That’s obvious by that biased interview that idiot producer allowed to air.”
“She’s resigning, Newman. She won’t be working for you any longer. Let her go,” Seth felt his canines prodding his gums and ground his teeth together.
“Or what, Anderson?”
“You really don’t want an answer to that one,” he responded, his voice low and menacing.
“I keep telling people how dangerous you shifters are,” the older man tsked. But only for a moment. Then he heard t
he subtle sound of metal clicking and a very soft feminine voice speaking clearly.
“My friends have your guards covered,” Lydia said quietly. “But you’re mine. I don’t like your smell. You’re a racist, sexist pig and I don’t like your hand on my friend. I’m only going to ask once that you open your hand and release her. Now.”
Elise almost stumbled, his palm pushing at her in anger. She only had a few steps to take before Seth pulled her to his side, still casual outside. Raging and boiling inside, the storm not easing even with one arm securely around his, his palm at her waist.
Elise stared. She knew she was pale. She felt it the instant he had gripped her wrist. She absently rubbed the budding bruise, not sure how she was still standing since her knees were shaking until she realized most of her weight was being supported against Seth Anderson.
“Do we have a budget for discretely disposing of unwanted guests?” Lydia asked, ignoring the pure male sighs from both behind her and in front of her.
“No, we do not,” Seth said firmly. “However, since I’m no longer interested in anything Mr. Newman has to say to me, Devereaux, would you and the sheriff please escort these gentlemen from the property. Assaulting my employees makes me a tad less than sociable.”
“Oh, and do relieve them of their weapons,” Lydia released the trigger and put the safety back in place. “There’s a sign on the door warning that weapons will be confiscated.” She reached inside Newman’s jacket and pulled the gun from inside, examining it with an approving nod. “Nice. I love collecting guns, don’t you?”
“Since they only made it through the front entrance because my staff was probably helping track you down…” Seth growled at her as she shrugged and slid the gun into the small of her back. “Newman.” He waited until the man met his gaze. “Touch what’s mine again and I’ll form the budget she asked for. Get them out of here. Sheriff, have them watched until they leave town, please. They’re obviously a threat to our citizens and children.”
Devil Hills: #2 Luna & Lydia Page 31