by Jenika Snow
“I don’t need to tell you your bear just arrived.” Right after Luke spoke, he finished off his beer and stood. Talia’s heart raced as she thought Luke might start trouble, so she quickly turned around and headed toward Ford but was surprised to see him already beside her.
Talia meant to place herself between the male she had grown to care about so strongly and her older brother, but apparently Ford wasn’t having any of that, since he took hold of her waist and moved her behind him.
His wide, muscular back took up her entire view, and she tried to move around him, but it was no use. He reached around and stilled her actions with a firm yet gentle hand to her hip.
“Calm down, Talia. I’m not about to get into a brawl with your mate,” Luke said with a slur in his words.
Ford tensed, but she didn’t scent any discomfort over the situation from him. She also didn’t sense any anger. There was only the deep-rooted need to protect her, and Talia would be lying if she said she didn’t melt at that very idea.
“I just want to tell him that you are very special to me, and if he hurts you in any way, I’ll make sure to hunt him down and break every one of his bones.”
Ford was still tense in front of her, and for a moment, she thought things would get violent. In just the short amount of time she had been in his presence, Talia knew Ford Wylde was not a shifter to mess with, but then again, Luke Landon was also powerful in his own right.
Looking around Ford’s massive bicep, she could see the two males staring each other down. It was so tense between them, but then again, a glance around the bar showed no one paid them much attention.
“Yeah, I understand, but know this.” Ford curled his fingers just slightly on her hip. “I will protect your sister until my last breath. She isn’t just my mate; she is my everything.” Nothing more was said, but she saw the subtle nod each male gave the other and let out the breath she was holding. “Now, maybe I could join you two for a beer?”
Luke nodded again, turned, and gestured for three beers before turning back toward them. “I’m Luke, by the way. We didn’t really get proper introductions the last time we met.”
“True.” They shook hands in the quick way men usually did, and just like that, there was no more tension. Maybe it was because Luke was drunk, but his easy acceptance of her relationship with Ford shocked her. That wasn’t to say she wasn’t pleased beyond belief. They spent the next hour drinking, talking, and actually laughing. To see her brother smile, despite what he was going through, had Talia feeling so much better.
The night was closing in, and she could see it was time for her to take Luke home. He was far too drunk to even speak in full sentences, and that broke her heart all over again.
“I should probably take Luke back to my hotel, since the wedding is off.”
That had Ford’s eyebrows lifting and him glancing back at her brother. “Man, she did a number on him, too.” It wasn’t a question. She went to grab Luke’s arm, but Ford shook his head and took a step closer. “Let me get him, baby. Here, pay the tab.” He handed her a wad of cash and leaned down to give her a long, drugging kiss.
“I’m good. I’m good.” Her brother stood but wobbled slightly. His words were slurred, and she had a moment of regret for letting him get the way he was, but then she heard the voice that sounded like nails on a chalkboard, and her anger went to nuclear levels. Turning around, she came face-to-face with Mina. For a moment, all she saw was a red haze, but she reined in her temper and took a deep breath.
Mina looked behind Talia’s shoulder, and her eyes widened. There was a shot of lust that came from her, and Talia knew it was because she was looking right at Ford. That had her inner fox rising to the surface. “I figured you’d be slumming it at one of the only two bars in town. I thought we could work out whatever it is you think is wrong, Luke, but apparently you’d rather get drunk.” The way Mina looked at Talia and curled her lip in disgust led Talia to believe she would have liked to say more on the subject. For whatever reason, she kept her mouth shut.
“Listen, I don’t think now is a good time to talk about anything, especially since Luke explained pretty clearly that things between the two of you are over.” Talia said it as nicely as possible.
“You’ve never wanted your brother and me to be together.” Mina gave her a onceover, the distaste on her face evident. “I don’t need to be an animal to smell the jealousy all over you, Talia. It isn’t my fault you got stuck with the less than favorable genes.” Mina crossed her arms under her chest, successfully popping the huge mounds up and in everyone’s face.
Mina looked at Ford, who was now standing behind Talia, and then back at her. Realization dawned on the human, and her eyes narrowed.
“Are you kidding me, Ford? This is what you’ve moved on to?”
This fucking bitch. Talia stiffened at the condescending tone. A glance over her shoulder showed Luke had taken a step forward. He wobbled slightly and braced his hand on the table to hold himself up.
“You are way out of line, Mina, and showing exactly how tacky and tasteless you really are.” Ford’s voice was loud and deep enough that the whole bar could hear, and this was verified when everything and everyone became utterly quiet.
“I told you it was over, Mina. I don’t care who gets pissed at it.” Luke stood to his full six-foot-two height and was surprisingly steady despite his glossed-over eyes and less than clear speech. “I shouldn’t have let it get as far as it did, and I’m sorry about that, but you said things that can’t be taken back, did things I will never forget, and have disrespected far too many people I care about. I’m not going to get into this with you again, especially with a crowd, but just know I can’t do this anymore.”
“Luke, we can discuss this later tonight back at my family’s estate.”
“No, Mina.” He shook his head. “Talia, I’ll meet you back in the car.” Mina tried to stop him, but whatever look he gave her had her snapping her mouth closed and grinding her teeth.
“This is all your fault.” Mina rounded back at Talia and bared her teeth like she had an animal inside her. “For the past two years, you never liked me, and, honey, the feeling is mutual.” Mina curled her lip. “It’s not my fault your social status is less than dog shit.”
Ford took a step forward and growled low in his throat, but Talia had had enough of this bitch. “No, Ford.” She curled her hands into fists, and right when Mina smiled in the way that always made Talia feel like she was the gum on the bottom of Mina’s heel, she reared her arm back and clocked the bitch right in the side of the face.
Mina gasped and stumbled back, covering her cheek with a hand. Her mouth opened and closed, but before she could mouth off once again, Talia said, “Say something else, bitch, because I can do this all night with you.”
Mina pursed her lips, and before Talia lost control again and the police were called, she was being ushered out of there by Ford.
He muttered a few choice swear words to Mina, and the next thing that Talia was aware of was the cool night air washing over her face. She spotted Luke in the front seat of her car, his eyes closed and his throat working.
It was going to take time for him to heal, but she would be there for him, because there was no way in hell she’d let him be consumed by the pain a woman like Mina could inflict.
Ford leaned in close, and Talia braced herself against the side of the building. This position brought back a lot of very good memories, and Talia let the negative and toxic emotions that came from Mina fade into the distance.
“There isn’t a female who can compare to you.”
Talia’s eyes fluttered, but she forced them to stay open.
He ran his hand down the side of her body, and her breathing hitched from the intimate contact. “Your gorgeous red hair reminds me of liquid fire.” He leaned in until his nose brushed the underside of her jaw and inhaled deeply. “And every time I look at you, all I want to do is drop to my knees and worship you.” He leaned back and star
ed into her eyes. “And the color of your eyes reminds me of cut aquamarine, and I can’t help but get lost in them.”
Talia’s knees threatened to give out. Never had anyone said such things to her, but it wasn’t just the things he said, but how he said them. Talia didn’t give a shit what Mina said, didn’t even bat a lash at them. She had wanted to hit her for far too long, and the throbbing in her fist made it all real.
Ford wrapped his arms around her, brought her flush with his body, and kissed her until she swore her heart was going to beat right out of her chest. “If you’ll have me, I plan on showing you every single day that what you have is exactly what I want.”
And just like that, Mina was no longer an issue, her self-image issues were the last thing on her mind, and all she could think about was always having this big, bad bear next to her.
Whatever it was about Ford Wylde that made her feel so at ease, Talia never wanted to let it go.
Epilogue
One year later
“Luke, stop it.” Talia smacked her brother’s hand away but grinned in the process.
Talia rubbed her palm over her swollen belly, and little Amelia kicked wildly. Luke immediately had his hand on her belly again. He looked in awe, and she couldn’t help but feel her chest warm at the sight.
The past year had been hard for him, but he was coming around and not immersing himself in his work so much. Even though things had gone badly with Mina, Luke honestly loved her despite the fact that he had known deep down what kind of person she really was.
Even after Luke called off the wedding and had spoken to everyone on the reason why he couldn’t marry a woman who would betray him, their whole family had been shunned by the Sheldon’s, since they blamed their daughter’s failed relationship and wedding on Luke.
In the end, none of that mattered, because Luke was strong and determined not to let her ruin his life like she did Ford’s. Now, here they were, twelve months later, and Talia was married to Ford. The little girl kicking inside her had been a pleasant surprise shortly after they were married.
“Have you talked to Mom and Dad yet?” His smile widened when the baby kicked again right under his hand. With only a few more weeks to go before she delivered, Talia couldn’t wait to have the baby. Her aching back and swollen ankles would be grateful as well.
“Yeah. They will come out the week after next, unless I have the baby before then.” She turned so she faced Luke.
Since the disaster with Mina, she hadn’t really sat down and talked with him about it all, mainly because Luke had always been standoffish about it. The time never seemed right, and he had immersed himself in work so that he was cut off from everyone who loved him. Although there had been plenty of opportunities, Talia hadn’t wanted to talk about something that was obviously still raw inside him. “Do you—”
He shook his head, cutting her off. “No, I don’t want to talk about Mina, or the almost wedding, or anything else that will take away from this moment I’m having with my soon-to-be niece.” He glanced up at her, and she saw his genuine smile. “Okay?”
Talia nodded. “Okay, Luke.” If he didn’t want to talk about it or how he felt, then that was okay.
“You guys ready to eat?” Ford came out of the kitchen. He was wiping his hands on the apron he wore, the one that had a bikini-clad woman on the front of it. Talia grinned and eyed her husband. How could a male as big and strong as Ford look so cute and domestic?
“Absolutely.” Talia’s stomach decided to give a mighty growl, and she felt her cheeks heat. She went to stand, but Ford was right there, taking her hands in his and helping her to her feet. As he did every time he was near, he drew her into the safety and warmth of his arms, and she felt her strength grow tenfold.
The doorbell rang, and she pulled away.
“Looks like the rest of the clan has arrived.”
She made her way to the front door and pulled it open. Bram walked in first, and after he gave her a brotherly hug and a belly rub, he moved farther into the cabin. Charlie and Ary were next, and they also gave her a hug before entering.
Little Cole hung onto his mother, and Talia couldn’t help but smile and place her hand on her stomach. Who would’ve ever thought a red fox who thought she was overweight and had self-esteem issues would have mated with an alpha bear that had been damaged for ten years of his life?
It just went to show that everyone made their own path in life, and Talia’s just happened to be a cobblestone one in the little town of Sweet Water.
The End
About the Author
Find Jenika at:
www.JenikaSnow.com
[email protected]