by Sierra Brave
“Lucy? I’m sorry. Please open the door and talk to me.”
I can’t let him see me in such a shameful condition. She turned on her side and stared at the wall before crying herself to sleep.
Chance stood in front of his kitchen counter as he flipped pancakes on an electric griddle. The scent of the fresh maple syrup he’d mixed into the batter hung in his nose as he worked. Once he had a large stack buttered and displayed on a platter, he put the flapjacks on the table between the bowl of fresh fruit he’d diced and the syrup bottle.
He approached the door to his room and took a deep breath before knocking. “Lucy, breakfast is ready.”
To his surprise, the door swung open a few seconds later. Lucy stepped out of the room, freshly showered and dressed in the clothes she worn the day before. “I hate to show up to work in yesterday’s clothes, but since I’m wearing a uniform shirt, maybe no one will notice it’s the same one. Thanks for putting my shirt and underwear back in your room, folded all nice and neat.” She pushed her way past him before sitting down to the table.
He nodded. “Found them last night when I was looking for you.”
She served herself, spooning some fruit on top of her pancakes before adding syrup. After taking a bite, she chewed slowly and nodded her head before swallowing. While pointing at her plate, she continued to nod. “Mmm, very good. Aren’t you going to have some?”
“Yeah, just let me get us some milk.”
She smiled, balling up her fist and pumping it. “Yes! Milk—that’s exactly what this needs to make it perfect.”
In a daze, Chance made his way to the kitchen before filling two glasses. Is she just going to pretend nothing happened between us? His stomach twisted in a knot. As much as I don’t want to have this uncomfortable conversation, there’s no getting around it.
He set their beverages down before taking his seat. Lucy, who was nearly half-way finished eating, picked up her drink and took a couple of gulps. She wiped her mouth with the white napkin he’d lovingly folded for her. Chance watched as she cut another bite and picked it up with her fork. She stopped just short of putting the morsel in her mouth. “You’re still not eating.”
He looked down at his empty plate and glanced at his untouched glass of milk. “My stomach feels a little funny.”
She shrugged. “More for me. Now that you mention it, you do sort of look like shit.”
“I didn’t get much sleep. I was worried you’d run off again. Are you still mad at me?”
She looked up from her plate and swallowed the food in her mouth. “Why would I be mad?”
He dropped the fork he’d been idly holding. “Don’t be like that. What happened between us—”
She lifted her hand, showing him her palm as she cut him off. “We had sex. Good sex, but still just sex. Now we’ve settled all the primal tension between us and we can move on.”
The edges of his mouth turned down as the inner portion of his eyebrows dipped. He slumped down in his chair as he sighed. “I care about you.”
“We need to get going soon or I’ll be late for work.” She stood and picked up her plate. “I’ll help you clear everything.
“Are you kidding me? You can’t go to work. There are two creepers looking for you, and they’re camped out very close to your job site.”
Her eyebrows lifted as she shook her head. “That’s stupid. For starters, one of those men is my daddy. Besides, I have to work. I’m on the schedule. They’re depending on me.”
“I called Davis last night to let him know someone would have to cover for you.”
Her eyes bulged as she pursed her lips and shook her head. “There you go tending to my affairs again!”
Chance’s heart skipped a beat. She’s pissed, but damn, she looks cute. He stood up and cleared his empty plate. “I’m not arguing with you.”
As Lucy stared at the half-full glass of milk she wanted to throw at him, the doorbell rang. She glanced his way. “Expecting company?”
He set his plate back down before walking toward the door. “I have some work stuff I can’t put off today so I’ve asked a couple of my family members to watch out for you.” After he opened the door, an attractive young woman walked in followed by a teenage boy. They both had Chance’s coloring, and the woman’s hair looked exactly like his. The boy was about two heads shorter than Chance and the same height as the young woman.
Chance exchanged hugs with the woman first and then with the boy before turning his attention to Lucy. “So this little lady is my cousin, Joanie, and this guy is her brother, also my cousin, Parker.”
Lucy smirked as she looked the two over. Joanie was about as big around as her wrist and didn’t look like she could go a round with a squirrel. “Is this a hoax? They aren’t my protectors. They’re my wardens. You just want to make sure I don’t go anywhere.”
“That’s not true.” Chance’s voice was calm. “I don’t want you to leave the house for your own protection, and they’re here to make sure you are safe.”
She laughed. “How the hell are they going to do that? Are they packing because honestly…” She pointed at Parker. “Shouldn’t he be at school…middle school?”
Parker’s jaw dropped and his eyes narrowed as he motioned toward Joanie, who was covering her mouth to muffle the sound of her laughter. “We’re twins.”
Joanie spoke up, “We’re werewolves. If we sense trouble, we’ll shift and when we let out our danger howls, any wolf shifter in earshot will come running.”
“Ooh, pancakes,” Parker seemed to forget all about Lucy’s unkind remark as he took Chance’s seat at the table and began filling his empty plate.
Lucy threw her hands in the air before she walked over to the couch and then plopped down. “Whatever, any danger is imaginary on Chance’s part anyway.”
Chance whipped around to face her. “Well, I wouldn’t know because you won’t tell me what the hell is going on.” He put on his game warden hat and then his gun belt. As he started out the door, he leaned in toward his cousin and spoke in a muffled tone, “I know she’s really pissed at me right now, but please don’t let anything happen to her.”
Lucy pretended she hadn’t heard him as her heart attempted to bang its way through her ribcage. She put her hand over her chest in a futile attempt to settle the pounding. Maybe I should just tell him the truth…ease his mind. Craw would never hurt me, and Grayson has the reputation of being more of a teddy bear than a grizzly with his girls at the brothel. He stepped into it once by being too protective of some of the ladies and badgering a few others who had left his place to work for a competitor, but he hadn’t harmed anyone. On the other hand, I promised mama I wouldn’t bad mouth Craw, and putting up his stepdaughter’s hand in marriage to a man she has no interest in as collateral for his gambling debts wouldn’t endear him to anyone.
Once Chance left, Lucy stood up and made her way to the table to clean up. As Parker polished off the rest of the pancakes, she apologized for her rudeness earlier. Joanie looked over her shoulder. “Don’t sweat it. He hears it all the time.”
“Hush up, sis,” Parker shot her a look of annoyance.
Joanie shrugged. “I’m just saying you have a baby face. She brought her attention to Lucy and smiled. “No one believes he’s twenty-four.”
“Still, I had no right to be such a bitch to you. I’m sorry. Chance just…”
“Infuriates you?” Parker asked as he stood up from the table and stretched his arms above his head. “Our cousin can have that effect until you get to know him.”
Joanie nodded. “He’s got a hard candy shell, but the inside is all sweet.”
Parker laughed as he muttered, “Hard candy shell? Pfft. He’s stubborn as hell and a stickler for rules—a real tight ass.”
Lucy nodded. “That’s him to a tee.” As she cleared the table, Joanie and Parker secured the house, making sure all the doors and windows were locked. To take her mind off of being practically held captive, she unloaded Chanc
e’s dishwasher and then filled it with dirty dishes from the table. She noted Chance had already cleaned the griddle and wiped down the counters before calling her to eat. Neat freak.
She headed out to the living room where Joanie was peeping out the window by pulling down on one of the slats of Chance’s mini blinds. Lucy glanced around the room.
Most of the bachelor pads she’d seen had been furnished with secondhand furniture and featured some sort of exercise equipment in the middle of the room. Chance’s place was homey. Instead of the comfortable, functional couches and recliners so often found in the homes of men who live alone, his living room featured a sleek but contemporary chenille upholstered sectional with slipcovers on the arms and colorful throw pillows that matched his accent chair along with a matching loveseat. The only thing in the room screaming it had been decorated by a man was the large trophy fish mounted on the wall, but she still thought the area needed a rug.
As Parker opened a door to a room Lucy hadn’t seen yet, she glimpsed where Chance’s gym equipment was hidden. Well, you don’t get a body like his by accident. She smiled at Parker. “No boogie men hiding behind the rowing machine?”
“Nope, but there’s a decent size window showing the backyard in there.”
“Clear?” Joanie spoke without turning around.
“Yep.” Parker closed the door.
Lucy made her way to the sofa and began to peruse the magazines stacked neatly on the coffee table. One featured cars while another one was an outdoorsmen publication. The last one focused on caring for the home and gardening. She perused the glossy pages for a few minutes before speaking up. “I feel bad about keeping you guys here. I’m sure you have better things to do. Are you missing work?”
Parker sat down on the other side of the couch. “We work security at the Dupree factory in the evening from four to twelve so we’re good. Plus, Chance is family. When my mama fell and broke her ankle, he helped with making sure she had meals and transportation to work.”
Lucy listened with interest before asking, “What’s she do?”
“School teacher.” Parker reached for the car lover’s magazine.
Joanie crossed the room to head toward the kitchen. “Yeah, Chance is always the first one to offer help. He looks fierce and comes off as unapproachable, but he’s just very regimented. It’s all about keeping his schedule.” She smirked. “Plus he’s resistant to change particularly if it wasn’t his idea. On the other hand, he’d give you the shirt off his back. She chuckled. “He’s even on the meal rotation list at church.”
Lucy tilted her head. “What’s that?”
“When someone, usually old people, have surgery, get sick or someone at the church has a baby, people on the list take turns bringing them dinner for a couple of weeks.”
Lucy tapped her finger against her chin. “Well, he is a good cook.”
Joanie nodded. “Sit tight. I’m going to check the window in the kitchen again.” After a few minutes, the she-wolf returned with two cold bottles of water and offered Lucy one.
“Thanks.” Lucy screwed off the cap and took a drink.
“Where’s mine?” Parker shot Joanie a nasty look.
“I only have two hands. Get it yourself.”
He shook his head while poking out his lips. “You could have held one against your chest with your arm and still carried the other two in your hands.”
His twin scoffed. “We’re not ten anymore. The days of me babying you are over.”
“Not cool.” Parker stood up before heading to the kitchen, and Joanie promptly stole his warm seat.
“So how long have you and Chance been a couple?” She brushed a lock of dark hair behind her ear.
Lucy swallowed the water in her mouth. “Um…we’re not together. His matriarch is forcing him to look after me.”
She raised one of her thin, well-manicured eyebrows. “Chance never brought any of his other dates to his house and we certainly never got to meet any of them.”
The mention of Chance with another woman sent a sharp pain to Lucy’s chest. She wrung her hands. “Does he date a lot?”
Parker returned carrying a glass of soda instead of a bottle of water. He shot Joanie a nasty look. “You took my seat.”
“You can sit over there.” Joanie motioned toward a blue Queen Anne style chair that picked up the same hue from the brown, beige and blue pattern of the accent chair and throw pillows. Joanie turned her attention back to Lucy and shook her head. “He used to drive into the city to meet ladies and go on dates regularly but I guess he got tired of swiping right.”
“Too many humans on those dating apps—someone needs to come up with a shifter-only one.”
“You're prejudiced against humans?” Lucy glanced his way.
“No, if other people want to date them, that’s them. I mean…I ain’t got nothing against human girls, but I like a woman who knows where I’m coming from.”
“Regardless, he certainly never brought any of those hook-ups to his house and made them breakfast. You’re special.” Joanie tilted her head and smirked as Lucy’s cheeks flushed and her heart galloped.
“You think so?” She clasped her hands together while fidgeting.
Before Joanie could answer, Parker interrupted. “Oh, wait, wait. Here it is.” He pulled the lever to make the chair recline and laughed. “Undercover easy chair.”
Joanie rolled her eyes. “How are you going to protect Lucy if you’re sprawled out like a sleeping puppy?”
“I’ve got great hearing and awesome reflexes.” He snapped his fingers as he relaxed.
Joanie groaned as she stood up. “I’m going to check the backyard again.”
While reading an article in one of Chance’s magazines about the top ten freshwater fishing spots in North America, Lucy dozed off. When Joanie nudged her awake, she wasn’t sure how long she’d been asleep. She blinked until her vision cleared enough for her to focus on Joanie’s face. The she-wolf had a single finger pressed against her lips as if to caution Lucy to stay quiet.
Lucy nodded as Joanie motioned for her to ease down off the couch and crouch on the floor. “Is it still there?” Joanie whispered from her spot on the floor beside Lucy.
“Yep, sniffing around the yard. Could be the one.” Parker’s voice was low but clear as he peeped out the window.
“What? What is it?” Lucy stretched her neck in an effort to see who or what was outside.
“Stay down.” Joanie pointed toward the floor before she crawled into Chance’s bedroom. A minute later she emerged with a shotgun in one hand and a bottle of Chance’s cologne in the other.
She squirted Lucy’s clothes and hair with a scent that reminded her so much of her night with Chance it made her heart flutter and the area between her legs damp. “What the hell?”
“Shh!” Joanie’s eyes narrowed as she placed her finger over her lips again. “Camouflaging your pheromones.” Her voice was a low whisper. She turned to her brother. “See anyone else?”
He shook his head. “Not yet, but I sort of feel someone else’s presence.”
Joanie took position next to the door where she couldn’t be seen before holding up two fingers and motioning for her brother to open the door. “Okay, confront him now.”
Parker opened the door about an inch and immediately slammed it close. “Shit! You smell that?”
Lucy watched Joanie’s neck as she swallowed hard and nodded. “Bear. Take Lucy out through the back. Chance’s motorcycle is under a shelter that he built beside the deck. Keys are on a hook by the door.”
Before Lucy could protest, Parker attempted to hustle her out of the room. “What’s going on?”
“You’ve been found.” He tugged her arm.
Lucy looked over her shoulder as Joanie opened the door and aimed her rifle. “Who the hell are you?” The short, slender woman called out.
“Wait!” Lucy pulled away from Parker. “What’s she going to do with that gun?”
“I’m going to p
ut a bullet in that coyote’s ass if he doesn’t get moving.”
“No!” Lucy tried to squirm out of the hold Parker had around her waist. “Stop! That’s my daddy.” She broke away and rushed toward the door. “Lower the gun.”
Joanie complied as Lucy stepped out on the front porch. “You might as well come in. She walked down the steps and out into the yard. “Come out from where ever you’re hiding, Grayson.”
The bushes on the side of the house tussled as Grayson pushed his way out and waved. He wore the goofiest grin Lucy had ever seen. Craw ran toward the bushes as Grayson strolled toward her. “Hey there, pretty lady. How you doin’?”
As Lucy repressed the urge to throw up, Craw came strolling out of the bushes while pulling his shirt on over his head. “For God’s sake, zip your fly, Craw.”
“What the hell is going on?” Parker asked from the porch.
“I wish I knew.” Joanie shrugged as Lucy headed her way.
“Let’s just go inside and get this over with.”
Once Craw and Grayson entered the house, Parker begrudgingly asked them to sit down while Joanie offered them both bottles of water. Tension hung in the air as thick as molasses as Grayson and Parker stared each other down.
“Who’s this clown?” Grayson asked while pointing at Parker.
“Who you callin’ a clown?” Parker jumped to his feet and Joanie growled while grabbing his wrist to keep him from hurdling into a fight with a man twice his size.
“You.” Grayson bowed up, ready for a tussle.
“Don’t be rude,” Lucy snapped while shaking her finger at Grayson. He sat back down, looking like a whipped pup. “Do either of you know where mama is?”
Craw nodded. “I tracked her down a few days ago, but she seemed to have a grift going so I stayed clear and concentrated on finding you. “I picked up your scent at that ranch down the mountain, but then you never showed up again so we widened our search.”
“Where was mama?”