Page 9

“M orning, beautiful ,” Daire greeted her the next day, holding out his arms.

She rubbed her eyes and moved into his embrace, trying hard not to admit it felt extremely right. Like she was supposed to be in his arms. Something strong pulsed between them. Something she wished she could explore, and wondered if Daire felt the same.

I’m screwed , she thought.

This was only supposed to be fun. They agreed they weren’t dating because there was no future for them. But boy oh boy, she would’ve loved getting to know him fully.

“What do you have planned for today?” he asked. His breath teased the small tendrils of her hair.

“I’m helping Payton in the office today.”

“Okay,” he said, pulling back to look at her. “Want to grab lunch together?”

She smiled and headed for the coffeepot. “I’d love that.”

“Hey,” he began, and she glanced at him over her shoulder. “I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind staying in touch when you leave to go back to your pack.”

“I was just thinking about that.”

“Oh? We must be thinking alike.”

“Yeah, we must.” She leaned her hip against the counter and sipped at the hot beverage. “Would you freak out if I said I like you?”

“No, because I like you back.”

“Enough to maybe go on a date? I know we said no dates, just fucking, but—”

“Kinleigh,” he interrupted, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her in tight. “I would love to go on a date with you. How about we go to dinner tonight? Maybe dancing. Or mini-golf. Or rock climbing. Or whatever, if you have any ideas.”

“I love all those ideas,” she replied, draping her arms over his shoulders. “I’m down for anything.”

He placed a soft, tender kiss on her mouth. “Okay, let’s make this official. Kinleigh Shire, would you like to go on a dinner date with me tonight?”

“I would love to, Daire Nolin.”

“That wasn’t so hard,” he said and gave her another kiss. “As much as I’d love to continue this, I have to get to work.”

“Damn work, always getting in the way.”

“Right?” He gave her nose a little bump with his own. “Have a great day, beautiful.”

“You too, sexy HVAC man.”

He laughed as he grabbed his lunch cooler and waved her goodbye.

****

“S o,” Kinleigh said nonchalantly as she filed a large pile of invoices. “Daire and I are going on a date.”

Payton cocked her head. “Technically, haven’t you gone on dates?”

“They were non-date dates.”

“Oh, that clears it all up,” she snarked, rolling her eyes. “Call it what you want, sweet cheeks, but those were dates.”

“Tomato, to-mah-to. In any case, he wants to stay in touch.”

“Why don’t you just move here? I mean, there’s really nothing for you back in Lightfang and I’d love to have my favorite cousin here.”

“I’m your only cousin.”

“All the more reason to move here. I’m gonna need help with the baby anyway.”

It took Kinleigh about three seconds to digest those words, and when she finally did, shock rendered her mute for a moment. She looked from Payton’s still flat stomach to her face, back to her stomach and then back to her face.

“Are you knocked up?”

Payton nodded, laughing as Kinleigh rushed forward and hugged her.

“Does Jericho know?”

“Of course,” Payton said dryly. “He helped make the baby, after all.”

They were so engrossed with each other, they didn’t hear the door open. Unaware they were no longer alone until the muzzle of a gun pressed against Payton’s temple. In shock, Kinleigh’s heart stuttered in dread as she met the deranged stare in Vaughn’s eyes.

“Took me a while to figure out where you went,” he snarled at her. “Then some of my buddies still in Lightfang told me you came here.”

“Why are you here?” Kinleigh demanded.

“I’m taking you back, so you can tell your father to make me alpha heir. Then we’re having our mating ceremony so I can give you the mate bite, and then no one can take away my right to be alpha!”

“You’re delusional,” Payton said.

“Shut up, bitch! This doesn’t concern you.”

“You’re absolutely right.” Kinleigh held up her hands, trying to placate him. “This doesn’t concern her at all. Please put the gun down. And I’ll come with you peacefully.”

He studied her with narrowed eyes. “Fine.”

“No,” Payton whispered.

“Don’t worry,” Kinleigh told her. “He’s not going to hurt me because he needs me.”

Her cousin still mouthed “no,” but she’d already made up her mind because if anything were to happen, she’d never forgive herself.

“Come here,” he ordered.

Slowly, she moved closer. “I did what you said, now let her go, Vaughn.”

“Don’t use that fucking tone with me, Kinleigh!” Spittal from his temper tantrum flicked onto her cheek and she immediately wiped it off. The thought of mating with Vaughn sickened her, but she’d do anything for the people she loved. “We wouldn’t be in this predicament if you hadn’t fucked me over.”

“I’m sorry,” Kinleigh apologized. “What happens now?”

“We’re going.”

“Where?”

“Someplace special.”

“Fine, but you have to let her go unhurt.”

He stared at her a moment, before spinning Payton around and backhanding her. She fell and hit her head, laying still. Kinleigh gasped and knelt, making sure Payton wasn’t dead. Her steady heartbeat reassured her.

“I said unhurt, you asshole!”

He shrugged. “I took that as alive, and she is. I can’t have her go running to her alpha asshole mate and fuck up my plans for you. Now, come on. A deal is a deal.”

He held out his hand and she looked at it for a moment. She didn’t want to do this. She didn’t want to touch him, but she had no choice. He was forcing the issue and he still had a gun. Grasping it, he hauled her to her feet and led her outside, away from the office. Many people glanced at her, and then him, and she could see they realized something bad was happening.

“Don’t try anything,” he warned. “It’s the reason I have a gun. A bullet travels faster than a set of claws.”

She believed he’d use it, so she let him drag her away. Off the sidewalk and between buildings, yanking on her hand in order to break his hold. She was strong, but still no match for an alpha male.

A few streets over, she spotted his car. He stomped toward it, then opened the passenger side to shove her in. The few seconds it took for him to get to the driver’s side, she stealthily as possible reached into her pocket and placed a call to Jericho, turning the volume down so Vaughn wouldn’t hear any noise.

They sped out of town, but to her surprise they didn’t head to the Interstate that led back to Oregon.

“Where are we going?” she asked, hoping Jericho could hear her.

“Shut up.”

“No, tell me where we’re going. I thought you wanted to go back to Lightfang.”

“We will, but we have to pick someone up.” He flashed her an evil grin. “Someone you fucked over just like me.”

“Annette,” she said flatly.

“Bingo.”

They turned onto a road, clearly long abandoned if the weeds growing between the cracks were anything to go by. He pulled behind a truck that waited there.

“Where are we?” she asked. “Is that a falling-down barn by that stream? Are we still in Sheridan?”

“Shut up,” he snapped. “Come on.”

He exited the car and rounded it to yank her out, partially dragging her along. Now that they were away from Sheridan, and specifically away from Payton, she could plan her escape.

“My father is going to kill you,” she said, trying to rattle his calm facade. Vaughn actually thought she was going to follow through with his deranged plan. The only good thing about this whole fiasco was discovering that she felt absolutely nothing for him except disgust. One thing was very clear, however, and that was Vaughn had to be put down.

“I doubt it,” he said, sounding smug. “We’re going to be mated in a few minutes.”

Shock caused her to stumble as cold dread slid down her spine. Surely, she misunderstood what he implied. The only thing she could think about doing was to continue to taunt him.

“You’re weak,” she sneered. “That’s why you need me, because you can’t start your own pack.”

“Shut up!” he screamed, turning to face her. “I was gonna be alpha and you took it from me! Now, I have no pack. No future. This is your fault.”

“The consequences of your actions lay on your shoulders, not mine,” she snapped. “Besides, you would've made a shitty alpha anyway.”

Before she could blink, he backhanded her. Caught off guard, she fell sideways and landed awkwardly on her arm. Pain exploded and she let out a stifled groan. It took her a moment to collect herself and push to her feet. Vaughn’s fists were balled by his sides as he watched with malevolence.

Anger lit her up, and she spat the blood that had pooled in her mouth at him. The red stain landed on his cheek. In response, he grabbed her chin, squeezing hard. Tears welled in her eyes but she’d be damned if she let him see her cry. Bringing her knee up, she meant to incapacitate him, but he must have sensed her intention and blocked it.

They stared at one another, and she knew it was now or never.

The air crackled with a raw, hostile energy, and any pretense of civility vanished. Vaughn was too close, and he made her skin crawl. She let her claws out and swiped them across his face. He roared with fury, letting her go as he held his damaged cheek. Crimson stained his fingers. Kinleigh backed up as quickly as possible, keeping him in sight, but he moved with terrifying speed. Hatred poured from him as he became the hunter and she the prey. She turned to run, but his massive hand clamped around her arm like a vise, pulling her back into his front. It sickened her that this was turning him on, and he made sure to grind his hard dick into her ass. His intention was very clear.

As she tried to free herself, a surge of adrenaline made her kick back and her heel connected solidly with his shin. He cursed under his breath, so she followed that with a sharp elbow to his gut. Vaughn grunted in pain, momentarily loosening his grip. She used the opening to turn and unleash a flurry of fists and claws, each blow landing with satisfying force. Her punches landed against his jaw, making him stagger back, giving a sense of relief. She was strong, with a fighting spirit, but the downside was he was built like a tank.

She knew she couldn’t win this fight so she took the only option she had. Her wolf was fast, hopefully faster than his wolf. When she turned, however, she came face to face with Annette.

“I hate you so much,” she said, just as she swung a board and delivered a crushing blow to the side of her head, sending her tumbling into darkness.