ABOUT THE BOOK
Whenher sister was killed, Dee Wixx’s soul shutitselfaway, never to see the light ofdayagain, not even for a hunky bear shifter who was there for her at every turn. Her sister’s death dominated her past, present, and future. At least the murderer was in prison…until he showed up at her front door.
NathanPierce, the beta ofthe Pierce sleuth, found his mate, butshe has locked herselfawayfrom trusting any man again. He sympathizes with what she’s suffering and is determined to get her throughthe tragedy…one wayoranother.
But he can’t sit backand watchher walkinto danger whenher life is threatened. Takingthe case into his own hands, or paws, he’s led to something he never saw coming. Something that not only couldkillhismate but endthe entire sleuth.
For my amazing readers.
Another wild bear for you!
Another girls' nightwithKiera and Caitlyn. While Dee was happyto have themover to her house for movie night, she could do without this particular conversation. She let out a sigh to cover her frustration.While she busiedher hands inthe kitchen, Kiera andCaitlynwere swappingstories about their mates.
Her best friend, Kiera Wilson-Pierce, had been happily married to the alpha bear shifter of the Pierce Sleuth since last fall. Even before that, she had chosen him as her true mate. She had been immersedinthecultureoftheshiftersfor awhile,andKierawasreadytotakeonthatlife.
LevPiercewas strong,confident,andtrue,justlikeanygoodalphashouldbe.Hetookcareofhis business,hissleuth,andhiswomanaseffectivelyasahoneybeegoesaboutitswork.Kierawaslucky tohavehim,andLevwasluckytohaveher.
They met at the hospital where she worked and were immediately drawn to each other. She had justgottenengagedwhenshewasinahorriblecar accidentthattookall her memoriesoftheprevious year. Kiera was having a hard time understanding her relationships with people she didn’t recall, includingLev,andDeehadtohelpher remember whoshewas.
Lev stood byKiera whenshe had amnesia. He was patientand understanding. And he had always chosenher safetyover all other matters.Intheend,shehadfalleninlovewithhimall over again.Her memoriesreturned,andtheygotmarriedastheyhadalwaysintended.
Dee's cousin, CaitlynWilde, had just moved here last winter and had alreadyfound herself with her mateaswell.MaxEllisonwasthealphaofhisbear sleuthandalliedwithLev'ssleuth.
While Caitlynalmostrefused Maxatfirst, he knew she was his mate and persistentlyshowed his love and dedication to her. Their unorthodox relationship blossomed into a little family. They were expectingshifter cubsinthecomingmonths.
Maxwas also a well-to-do gentleman, and his companyhad hired Caitlynas controller after the previous controller was killed. That should have been an indicator that something was up, but of course,Caitlyndidn'tknow thatwhenshehadapplied.
Caitlyn helped Max discover who was embezzling the money from the company. This act had almostgottenher killed, butMaxwould never letthathappen. He risked his ownlife and the welfare ofhisbusinesstoprotecther.
Dee, however, was dead set against the very idea of mates. Her heart was not open to any romantic relationship. She was overjoyed for her friend and her cousin, but she vowed it wouldn't happentoher.Notifshecouldhelpit.
"Dee, have younoticed how Nate watches youwhenever we are atthe sleuthhouse? Iamwilling tobetmoneythatyouarehismate,"Kieraquipped.Deeimmediatelysaw whatKierawasgettingat.
"No, Ihaven'tnoticed, and Ihonestlydon'tcare." Her sour attitude could ruingirls' night, butshe hated when Kiera tried to matchmake. The comment didn't seem to register with Kiera as her lips curledintoasmirk.
Ofcourse, Dee had noticed the hunkofa manthatcouldn’tkeep his eyes offher. She would have tobeanobliviousfool nottonotice.Sheknew full well thathewasLev'slittlebrother and,therefore, abetabear shifter.Strong,capable,loyal.
Ofcourse, her stomachburstinto butterflies whenshe feltthe heatfromhis eyes burninginto her soul. She could feel the attractionthatmade her sexquiver. She had all the tell-tale signs ofbeinghis humanmate.
But she had been over this so many times with them she could puke. She could not extend her heart, not even to someone as yummyand available as NathanPierce. No one could get to her heart anymore.
"But if you married Nate, then we would finally be sisters for real. And then we can be those cliché sisters who get pregnant together and go shopping together … " A giggle of excitement came fromKiera.Caitlynsmirkedaswell,butDeerolledher eyes.
"Well,yougirls know Ialreadybeatyoutothatpunch,"repliedCaitlyn,pattingher growingbelly. Shewasn'tveryfar alongyet,butshewasstartingtofeel theeffectsofher pregnancy.
So far, her gestation had been fairly normal, but she had been seeing doctors specializing in humans with shifter babies. While she was afraid at first, she is now excited. But Dee had grown frustratedwiththeprodding.
"Kiera, I know that you think Nate would be a perfect match for me, but let me remind you of something.Ihavelessthannointerestinarelationshipafter whathappenedtoEmily."
The roomwentsilent. Itstill stung, notjustDee, butall three girls, everytime Dee mentioned her baby sister who was taken out of the world way too soon. She had a less-than-perfect relationship, somewouldcall ittoxic,withher long-timeboyfriend,JackGrant.
Emily and Jack had fought a lot, and Dee was afraid for her sister. Emily denied the abuse, but Dee thought she needed help. She seemed afraid to leave him. Finally, Dee put her foot down and helpedEmilyescape,butJackhadhuntedher downandkilledher.
The loss was devastating to everyone, especially Dee. The love of her life murdered her. She couldn'tforgive whathad beendone to her sister, and she definitelycouldn'ttrusta mannotto do the sametoher.
"Cuz, youknow shifters mate for life. If Nathanis the real deal, thenhe would go to the ends of theEarthfor you.Ishouldknow.Maxnearlylosthis lifewhiletryingtoprotectme.AndIhadn'teven acceptedhimasmymateyet."
Dee remembered all too well. The whole situation was so awful. Max was the only reason she came outofthatsituationalive.She shiveredtothinkwhatwould’ve happenedifMaxdidn'tlove and protecther sofiercely.
She brieflywondered if Nate could be her mate and would love her just as fiercely. If he would protect her, and if she would truly be safe with him. Dee had always wanted a love like that and a family like that. Regardless of how happy the idea made her, she couldn't risk her safety and the possibilityofgettingher heartbroken.
Besides, she was still grievingthe loss of her sister. She loved her sister witheverythinginher. Shecouldn'tdedicatetheloveshehadfor Emilytosomeoneelse.Itdidn’tdojusticetothememoryof Emily.
"Besides,thesexisoutofthisworld.Superhuman,even,"Caitlynaddedwithawink.
This sent all three girls into fits of giggles. That sort of intimate comment could only be made amongreallygoodfriends.Andthesethreegirlswerethekindoffamilyonewouldchoose.
Dee could onlyimagine the carnality. She’d thought about Nate violatingher so manytimes. She even had to take care of personal business because she couldn't get himout of her head. And if she wastruthful,sheactuallywantedthevisionstocometrue.
She had so many fantasies of her riding him slowly and sensually. Him marking her, and her letting out screams of ecstasy. Sex so wild that they would have to replace the furniture. He was a bear,after all.Atingeofarousal madeher shiver.
She shookthe idea fromher head and tried to focus ongettingreadyfor the movie. She would not lettheideaofNathandistracther this evening.Thegirls hadbeenworkingonputtingsnacks together: popcorn,candy,chocolatepretzels,andgummies.
Caitlyn also had brought Red Vines because that was one of her favorite pregnancy cravings. Don'tgetbetweenashifter babyanditscravings.Theyfoundthatoutthehardway.
She had satonthe sidelines and watched bothofher friends be wooed bytheir mates. Theyboth expressed that, while it was hard to succumb at first, the menalways made their mark. But whenher sister wasmurdered,shejustcouldn'tstandtheideaoftrustingsomeoneenoughtogetthatclose.
Kiera and Caitlyn couldn't be happier. Dee loved that they had such wonderful guys. Lev was everything an alpha should be and had been like a brother to her, even though she was just Kiera's goodfriend.Maxhadalsoacceptedher asoneofthesleuth,andDeewashonoredtobeapartofboth sleuths.
But when Nathan looked at her, she felt a fire in her soul, and it scared her to pieces. She knew this was what Kiera felt, and then Caitlyn. She had no idea if this was how Emily felt in the early stages of her relationship, but Dee wouldn't allow herself to get sucked in, to possibly get hurt … evenkilledfor love.
When Jack crossed her mind, she was filled with an enormous amount of rage. How could a personwhoclaimedtolovesomeonebesohateful astokill thatsignificantother?
After all, people watched that stuff on documentaries but always assumed it wouldn’t happen in their life. That it was all exaggerated for television purposes. It was practically make-believe. But notfor Emily.
While the police had booked him, she didn't feel as if justice was properly served. She wanted himtodietoavengethedeathofher sister.Shewishedhehadnever comeintoher sister'slife.
Kiera pulled Dee into a hug. Dee didn't want to accept the embrace, but Kiera had a way of reading her like an open book. Dee's arms circled Kiera's waist loosely as Dee held back tears of frustrationandpain.
"Sweetie, Iknow these lasttwo years have beenextremelydifficult. Ican'timagine the tormentof losingsomeone so dear to me. IwishIcould remove all the tragedy. Iwould do anythingto take this painawayfromyou."
Thatwas whenthe floodgates broke open. Sobs broke silentlyinDee’s chest. Caitlynplaced her handonDee'sback.
WhenCaitlynandDee were growingup,their mothers usedtodraw shapes ontheir backs tohelp themfall asleep. Caitlynand Dee grew up withthat quirkas beinga silent comfort. Just as Dee had donefor Caitlynwhentheyfoundoutshewaspregnant,Caitlyndidthatfor Deenow.
Slowly, Dee calmed, attemptingto puther feelings aboutEmilyand Jackto the side so she could enjoythe companyofher good friends. While still sufferingthe consequences ofher crying, she was readytositwithher friendstowatchthemovie.
They gathered up the snacks and moved them to the coffee table. They were about to sit when therewasaknockatthedoor.
The girls shared an inquisitive look. They weren't expecting anyone. Dee tentatively made her wayacross the roomand opened the door. All the blood drained fromher face. Her words caughtin her throat.Shecouldn'tbelievewhoshewaslookingat… Jack Grant. He was the veryimage ofa villain. His darkfeatures were litonlybythe dimlightcomingoutof thehouse.Theonlythingmissingwastherainandaflashoflightningstrikingbehindhim.
How can he be here? Why is he standing at my door? Why isn't he safely behind bars? Andthenitstruckher: Oh God, he came to finish the job. Hewasheretokill Dee.
Nathanleaned over the deskas he and Lev talked business. Nathanwas always intrigued whenhe got to talk shop with his brother. He learned a lot from Lev, including planning and general work operations.
"So, based on that information, if we aren't careful, the wolves can breach this border here, and our outlierswill beatrisk."
"Goodjoblookingout,brother.WecangetJosieouttherewithsomeenforcerstosecuretheweak spot,"Levrepliedwithagrin."Youwouldmakeagoodalpha."
Nate brightened with a smile. If only he could have his mate, then he would be a true alpha. NathanPierce was the younger brother ofLev, Alpha ofthe Pierce Bear Sleuth. He was his brother's betaandright-handman.
He had knownfor some time thatDee Wixxwas his mate, buthe had never beenclose enoughto tell her so.Shekepther heartreallyclosetoher chestandwouldn’topenuptopeople.
He had seen Dee enough times since she was the best friend of Lev's wife. She had practically beeninducted into the sleuth. He could not keep his eyes offher, eventhoughhe was sure it creeped her out.Hehadbeendrawntoher sincehefirstshookher hand.
DeestruckNathanasasortoflonewolf,or bear,andthatwasalsosomethingthatattractedhimto her.Shewasamysterywrappedinanenigma,andhewantedtoopenthatpuzzlebox.
Obviously, she was physically stunning, but what made her beautiful was her dedication to her friends. When Kiera was in the hospital with amnesia, Dee would not leave her side. When Caitlyn movedtotown,Deewasher official tour guide.Shealwaysgavemorethanshetook.
Not that she had ever given himanything but the side-eye. She had a very hard time being truly closetopeopleandanevenharder timelettingthemintoher heart.
Nate had resigned himselfto fightfor her love everydayuntil he earned her trustand showed her what it meant to be a shifter's mate. Finding a mate was like reaching enlightenment; your existence finallymadesense,andnothingintheworldcouldharmyouagain.
While Dee had full knowledge of Nate's emotional feelings, it was doubtful she understood that she was his mate. Mosthumans didn'tfeel the connectionthe same waythatthe shifters did, although therewasastrongforcedrawingthetwoindividualstogether.
Nathan checked back into Lev, who was talking about some hotel he owned, but Lev had seen whereNate'smindhadbeen.
"So,how'sitgoingwithDee?"Levalwayscutrighttothepoint.
"You know, she isn't terribly receptive, and I am not really sure how to approach the situation anymore. I feel like she knows I have feelings, but ultimately, she ignores me." Nathan shrugged,
defeated.
"Convincing your human mate that you are a destined pair is not easy. Every couple comes with differentchallenges.Thepathisnever clear.Theroadisfull ofbumpsandturnsyoudon'texpect."
"Youdidn'tseemtohavetoworktoohardatit,"Nategrumbled,sullen.
Lev smiled. "Well, I got lucky. My mate was happy to accept me. But I didn't have to overcome thedeathofher sister either."
Nathan sometimes forgot that two years ago, Dee suffered a great loss that left a massive hole behind.Deehadnever fullyrecovered.
Nathan's ears turned red and began to burn as he tried to control the rage. He had wanted to rip Jack Grant's head off for hurting the Wixx family so much. Aparent should never have to bury their child,andanolder siblingshouldnever havetoburytheir younger sibling.
Nathan let out a depressed sigh as he tried to turn his focus back to the paperwork on the desk. Levdidnot,watchinghisbrother'sfaceintently.NatefeltLev'seyesonhimbutrefusedtolookup. He came to his senses as the alpha command broughthimto attention. His brother wouldn'tuse it onNate,butNatestill understoodthemeaningandrecognizedtheauthorityhisbrother hadover him.
"I understand how youmust be struggling. Keep the faith, brother. She will come around intime. Whatismeanttobewill be.Sheneedstime,patience,andunderstanding."
"Iknow.Iwill never losefaith."
"Youknow Deeisdelicate.Shehasdedicatedher lifetomakingothershappy,sosheoftendoesn't know how totaketimefor herself.Youhavetobegentleandreceptivewithher."
Nathan's bear growled inside his head. Nathanknew all the things Lev had just said, but Lev felt like he was helping. He hadn'tknownDee all thatmuchlonger thanNathanhad, but he liked to think hehadtheinsideedgebecauseofhiswife.
"Iunderstand. Itjusthurts mybear and me thatshe won'tletme in. ButIwill never give up hope thatDeewill acceptmeasher truemate.Sheiseverythingtome."
"Good,now aboutthishotel … "
Lev stopped mid-sentence and frowned. His brows furrowed, which meant something was not right. He pulled his phone out of his pocket. Kiera must have sent hima negative vibe as his phone startedringinginhishand.
"Hello,mylove."
"Lev,therewasastrangeknockatthedoor.WhenDeeopenedit,itwasJackGrant."
NathanhadlefttheroombeforeLevevenlookedup.Nathanfelthis brother's well wishes through the familybond, givinghimencouragement. He ranas fastas he could to his car and peeled outofthe parkinglot. Please let her be okay, please let her be okay …
Assoonasthevoiceonthephonestarted,Nathanknew somethingwasverywrong.Thechangein Lev'stemperamentwasthefirstsign.ThenthepanicinKiera'svoice…andshedidnotscareeasily.
Nathan had never moved so fast in all his life. He was determined and desperate to get to Dee, andtherewasnowayhisbear wouldbesatisfieduntil theyweresureshewassafe.
Whenhe arrived at Dee's house and saw the door open, he almost didn’t put the car inpark. He flew throughthefrontdoor andsaw DeeandJacknose-to-nose,deepinaheatedargument.
"Youdeservetorot,youbastard!"
"Tell ittothejudge,sweetheart.Iwasacquitted!" "What?"
Nathanwas immediatelybetweenthem, readyto destroythis guy. Alow growl rose fromNate's throat. Grant had threatened his mate, and regardless of whether or not she wanted himto, he would
protecther.Hehadto.
Grant came back with what was supposed to be a threatening move but looked more like a chicken pecking a wall. Nate was unfazed, if not more agitated, and shoved Grant hard. Grant stumbledbackacoupleofpaces.
"Getoutofhere,"Nathanwarned. Gimme a reason, punk, gimme a reason …
Nathan thought that was a pity. It would have given him a reason to rip his head off like he wanted.Thisloser didn'tdeservetolive.Nathanwouldbedoingtheworldafavor.
Jack Grant's lip curled into a sort of snarl. He looked around the house one more time, and his eyesfell onDee,Kiera,andCaitlyn.Nathansteppedinhislineofsight.
"Leave.Now."
Jack looked Nate square in the face, and for a moment, Nate thought Jack was going to take a swingathim. ThenJackturned onhis heel and left. Nathanfollowed the punkoutside and across the lawntoensurehewasactuallyleaving.
Jack climbed into his car, and with another sneer in Nate’s direction, he drove off into the darkness. Nathan watched the car until it was completely out of sight. Then he waited a few more minutestobeconfidentthatJackwasn'tcomingback.
That asshole showed up at Dee's house and made trouble. Why would he do that? What was the point?
Afire burnedinNathan's bellyas he thoughtaboutthe useless piece ofgarbage possiblyattacking hismate.Another low growl madeitoutofhisthroatbeforeheturnedtoheadbackinsidethehouse.
Nathan's stomach dropped out from under him. He suddenly realized how terrified he was for Dee.Sheseemedstrongandholdingher ground,whichhewasproudof,butshecouldhavebeenhurt.
He quickly made it back into the house and locked the door. He closed the curtains on the windowsandturnedonthelightsbeforemakinghiswaytowherethegirlsweresittingonthefloor.
Itlooked like Dee had collapsed after the adrenaline wore off. Her breathingwas heavy, and she hadadistantlookinher eye.Hequicklycheckedher legsandarmsfor anysignofdamage.
"Didthatbastardtouchyou?"
Her head shookfrantically. Whenshe looked up at him, the emptiness inher emerald eyes broke his heart. He picked her up and carried her to the couch. He covered her with a throw blanket that wasonthebackofthesofa.
She shooklike a leaf, and itwas devastatingto his bear. Amixture ofrage and concernfoughtfor control inhismind.HewantedtohuntJackGrantdownandkill himrightnow.
He squatted next to her and tookher hands inhis. He hoped she couldn't see the ragingemotions flowingthroughhim.He lookeddeeplyintoher emeraldgreeneyes,hopingtobringbacksome life to thebeautiful womaninfrontofhim.
"I'mheretoprotectyou,Dee.Iwon'tletanythinghappentoyou."
She noddedgentlyandtookher hands back.She tuckedherselfunder the blanketandcurledintoa ball.Natehadtoprotecther.
He made safetychecks all over the house … verified windows were locked and secure, checked for anyunexpected gifts thata villainwould leave behind, and ensured thatall the entrances were not accessible.
Whenhe returnedtothe livingroom,Kiera andCaitlynwere sittingwithDee.Kiera heldher,and Caitlynrubbedher back.Nathanneededtoexplainjusthow seriousthiswas. “Dee,youneedtocomewithmeintosleuthterritorywhereyou’ll besafe.” Shehuffedathim.“Idon’tthinkhe’scomingbackafter meetingyou.”
“Youdon’tknow that,Dee,”hereplied. “Dee…”
“No,” she said, rising fromthe sofa and stepping away fromthe girls, “this is my home, and no oneischasingmeoutofit.”Her fistsplantedonher hips.
Nathanshookhis head.Itseemedhe was more afraidfor her life thanshe was.He liftedinhands, palmsfacingoutward.“All right,youwin.”
“Thankyou,”shesaidsoftly.
“ButI’mstayingheretoo,”hereplied.
“What!”Somuchfor her softvoice.“Youcan’t…”
“Hold on,” he interrupted, “I’ll stayonthe couch, and you’ll never know I’mhere. This is a good compromise.Isuggestyoutakeit.”
Her one eye narrowed at him, and her arms crossed over her chest. “Fine, but put the toilet seat downafterward.Idon’twanttofall inwhenI’mhalfasleep.”
Hegrinned.“Icandothat.”
He was exhausted from the physical manifestations of what had just happened. He wanted so badlyto hold her. He figured itwas bestleftto the girls to comfortDee since she obviouslystill did nottrusthim.
While it broke his heart to feel like she didn't need himthere, he tooka small comfort inthe fact she was allowinghimto stay. He wentto the kitchento geta drinkofwater. He watched the backof thegirls' headsastheysatonthecouch.
My beautiful mate, I swear I will protect you if it's the last and only thing I do.
All the blood drained from her face. Her words caught in her throat. She couldn't believe who she was looking at … Jack Grant "Dee…"
Dee immediately tried to slamthe door on him. He wedged his foot in the doorframe to prevent that.Completelyhorrified,Dee staggeredbackwardtowardwhere her friends were watching. Oh no. Not him … anyone but him ….
All three girls were ata loss for words, unsure how to address this. Caitlynhad never seenJack before,butKierahad.Sheknew whatitmeantfor himtoshow uponDee'sdoorsteplikethis.Nopart ofthiswasagoodsituation.
Kierahadgottenbadvibes whentheyheardtheknockandimmediatelycalledLev.Shehadgotten out "strange knock," "Dee," and "Jack Grant" before Dee staggered back. She clicked her phone off andsteppedtowardtheintruder.
"You stay away fromher, you jackass." Kiera had always been fierce, and Dee silently thanked her for being the one to step up. Caitlyn put two and two together and stood up fast to protect her cousin,despitebeingwithchild.Granthadsteppedintothehouse,leavingthefrontdoor ajar.
"Ladies, I just want to talk." He held his hands up in surrender. Dee was not buying it. She suddenlyhad her moxyback. She advanced onGrantuntil theywere face-to-face. His eyes widened, buthisfaceremainedtough.
"Youwanttotalk?How areyouhere?Whywouldyoucomehere?Whodoyouthinkyouare?"
Grant frowned. He did not have a chance to respond. His mouth opened when Dee decided to continuespewingher anger.
"How dare youcome to myhouse and pretend like youhave anyright. How dare youstand here likeyoudidn'tmurder myEmilyincoldblood."
"Yousoundsosureofyourself,Wixx.Butitjustsohappensthatyouarewrong,"hetaunted.
"Whatthehell areyouonabout?"KierashoutedfrombehindDee.
"I was framed, you stupid bitch," he directed at Kiera. He turned his attention back to Dee. "I didn't kill Emily. I loved her. I would never hurt her. I know youcan't believe it, but it is the truth. I haveanalibi."
"Yeah,right,youbastard.Ican'tbelieve youwouldstandhere andlie tomyface aboutmysister's life.YoutookEmilyfromus.Youdestroyedour family.Youdestroyedme."
"Ididn'tdoanything,Ididn'tkill her,Ididn'tdestroyanything,andIjustwantedyoutoknow thatI amoutofprisonwhereyouall leftmetorot.Ishouldbetheonewhoispissedoff."
"Youdeservetorot,youbastard."
"Tell ittothejudge,sweetheart;Iwasacquitted."
"What?"
Agushofwind blew in, and suddenly, Nathanwas there. Ithad onlybeena few minutes since the interchange had begun, and yet here he was. His chestnut hair and semiformal clothes were disheveled. Itwas obvious he gotthere ina hurry. His bodywedged betweenJackand Dee, who had beennose-to-noseaminutebefore.
He shoved Jacktoward the door so hard thatthe girls thoughtitwas goingto be a serious brawl. Surprisingly, Jackbacked down, and Nathanfollowed himout to be sure he left. Finally, Dee tooka shakybreath.
Where did Nate come from? How could he have gotten here so fast? How did he even know?
Kiera and Caitlynwere comfortingDee, who was hyperventilatingat this point. How could they clear him of charges? How can he be walking around a free man?
Her head spun, but she refused to show weakness. She continued to step backuntil she stumbled andfell onher butt.Her façadeshattered.Her friendscametoeither sideofher asshebegantosob.
What's going to happen? Why is life so cruel? Oh, Emily, I knew his sentence wasn't justice I am so sorry …
Despite her friends' attempts to comfort her, Dee started panicking. Her heart rate and blood pressure shot up. Her hands shook. Her vision blurred. Her mind was blank. Her breathing was reducedtoheaving.Thentheshakesmovedtotherestofher body.
Her eyes had long since glazed over as she retreated into her mind. She struggled to control the hurricane of emotions swirling in her head. She was starting to feel sick. No longer aware of her surroundings,Deewasbeingswishedaroundlikeshewasstuckinthewashingmachine'sspincycle.
She couldn't feel her home around her or her friends' comfort. She felt stripped naked and put on display. No one could ever feel more broken than she did at that moment. A rabid emptiness consumedher,anditfeltlikeshehadbecomeanemptyshell ofaperson.
She felt like giving up on life, and the energy around her turned dark and dismissive. She was readytobereunitedwithher sister.
When Nate returned, he locked the door and shuttered the windows. He glanced quickly around the room, but he seemed to know exactly where Dee was. He approached calmly and slowly, and withthe wayhe was watchingher,itwas like he was seeingthe darkness ofher sorrow,notwithpity butunderstanding.
He kneltdownwhere the girls were sittingonthe floor and checked Dee over to make sure there were no physical injuries. The other two tookthis as a signthatgirls' nightwas over, and theystarted cleaningup.Hiseyessearchedhersfor emotional damage,knowingwhathewouldfind.
"Didthatbastardtouchyou?"
She shookher head frantically, unable to get words out. She felt like she was drenched insweat. She was still breathingheavilybut was muchless upset now that Jackhad left. She hoped she didn't lookasbadasshefelt,butNathan'sfacewasaclear reflectionthatshedid.
He looked pained at the sight of her. He scooped her up and put her on the couch, pulling the blanket off the backof it to cover her tremblingbody. Embarrassed byhis attentive care, she pulled her kneesintoher chest.
He took her hands in his and looked deep into her eyes. His hazel eyes were devastated. She could see the panic and concern clearly rippling through him. Her embarrassment grew, and her cheeksturnedpink.
"I'mheretoprotectyou,Dee.Iwon'tletanythinghappentoyou."
Dee nodded gently and tucked her arms under the blanket. Nathan moved around the house, double-checkingfor security. She watched himdisappear fromher sight and thenretreated backinto her mind.
How? How was Jack here? How is Nathan here? Why is Nathan here to protect me?
Dee sat quietly, unsure of what to do at this point. She stared blanklyat the wall, curled into the backofthecouchinthefetal position.Nothingseemedrightintheworld.
Kiera put her arms around Dee and snuggled into her. Kiera had probably never seen Dee so scaredinall theyearstheyhadknowneachother.
Caitlynfinishedcleaningthekitchenandthencametositwiththem.Shehadlittlecomforttogive, sosherubbedDee'sback.ThetensionslowlyleftDee'sbody.
Shewasgrateful tohaveher bestfriendswithher.Sherelishedthelovethegirlsputintoher aura. She hadn't been so completely terrified in a long time. She felt like she’d seen a ghost. Essentially, shedid.Her mindracedwiththoughts,thebiggestofwhichwasher safety.
What am I going to do? Is he going to come back for me? Is there anywhere I can go where I would be safe? Is there anything at all I can do?
She felt utterly helpless, and the room shrank around her. It was hard to breathe. Not even the comfort of her friends could stop the panic attack. Her anxiety eased when Nathan returned and squattedinfrontofher.
"Your house is as secure as it canbe, but it maynot be safe to stayhere. Youshould thinkabout going somewhere safer, somewhere more protected." Devastation consumed her. She refused to succumbtothelossofeverythinggoodinher world.
"Where would I go? This is myhome." She knew it was stubborn, but she did not like to be told what to do. And, after all, this was her home. The last thing she wanted was to abandon her only sanctuaryandrunaway.
"Butitcould be dangerous for youto be here. IfGranthas malicious intent, he could be lingering until you are alone. It's not worth the risk," Nathan continued. She frowned. He was right, but she couldn’tbackdownnow.
"I'mnotgoinganywhere, Nathan,"she insisted. What is he going to do about it? Pick me up and carry me out of here? He can't force me to leave.
"I'm not saying anything would need to be permanent, but your life could be at risk here. I am tryingtohelp.Doyoucareaboutyour safetyatall?"Now shewasgettingmad.
"Icareverymuchaboutmysafety.It'syouwhoneedstomindyour ownbusiness."
Dee was enraged. How dare he tell me what to do and how to feel I’ve had it with men today Nathanranhisfingersthroughhishair,exasperated.
"Dee,please.Letmetakeyoutosleuthterritory.Thenatleast…" "No!Iamnotleavingmyhome.Backoff,Nathan."
Dee refused to lookat Nathan, havingmade her mind up. Nathantooka deep breathand glanced atthegirlsoneither sideofDee.Kiera'seyesread Don't push it.So,heletoutasigh.
"Fine.Ifyouwon'tgosomewheresafe,thenIwill stayheretokeepyousafe."
"Idon'tneedababysitter."
"Inever saidyoudid."
Nathan walked to the kitchen and poured himself a glass of water. Damn, he is irritating And why does he have to be so hot? Shecouldn'ttell whichfeelingwasstronger.
Kiera kissed the top of Dee's head and whispered, "He is just trying to help." While Dee knew that, she was still havingsucha hard time balancingall the events that had happened inthe last few
years.Emily,Nate,Kiera'saccident,Caitlyn'spregnancy,andnow …
Ithad beenover two years since Emily's passing. Almosta year and a halfofNate pursuingDee, and the last sixmonths had beentumultuous at best. Maybe Nathanwould be worththe trouble now. Deeshookher head.
While Dee was furious that Nathan was attempting to boss her around, it touched her heart to know hecaredsomuch. I guess having him here wouldn't be such a bad idea
Unless, ofcourse, Dee succumbed to the charming, roguishshifter who had justinvited himselfto stay the night. There was no doubt that she was attracted to him. Who wouldn’t be? But he had not earnedenoughofher trusttosecureanythingmorethanattraction.
Nathan is here Nathan is obsessed with me Nathan wants to protect me I had considered the idea that I might be his mate, but I never gave merit to it. Maybe he is. Maybe I am making something out of nothing.
All I know is that it cannot happen. No matter how attracted I am, no matter how fiercely he protects me, no matter what happens, I will not give in. I cannot give in. Am I strong enough to continue to say no?
Dee’s attitude abouther safetywas enoughto give hima coronary. Though, Nate was sure his shifter geneticswouldsavehim.
Butthenshe’dbestubbornagain.Anditwouldturnintoaviciouscycle.
A vein still throbbed in his neck from the confrontation with Jack. His heart thudded uncontrollablytheminutehesaw thelittlesnake.Andseeingthefear andrenewedgriefonDee’s face wasenoughtosendhisbloodpressureskyrocketing.
AtleastDeehadconsentedtohavinghimstaythere.
“You guys going to be okay for the night?” Kiera asked Nate as he went around the kitchen and checked the windows. He wasn’ttoo worried abouttheir safety. His extra strength, speed, and agility wouldprotectDee.Buthedidn’twanttostressher outanymorethanhehadto.
“Yeah,” he answered Kiera, his voice curt. He turned whenshe cleared her throat. “Yes, we will befinefor thenight.”
He spoke more slowlythis time around, lookingwarilyatKiera’s narrowed eyes. Nate knew that hehadspokensharplyandregretteditinstantly.ButthenKiera’sexpressionsoftened.
“Hey.” She came up to him, placinga gentle hand onhis arm. “We all know you’re just worried aboutDee.Andyouhavearighttobe.”
Nate letouta frustrated huff. “Don’tIknow it. Whatgets me is thatshe doesn’tseemto be taking thisseriously.”
Kiera laughed exhaustedly. The unexpected visit from Jack had shocked them all. The painful memoriesthathehaddredgeduplingereduncomfortablyintheair.
“Dee is taking it seriously,” Kiera said eventually. Her voice was soft, and Nate leaned in to listen. “She is protecting herself in her own way. Look, you have to trust her. That is the only way she’ll starttrustingyou.”
Nate didn’twantto saythatKiera didn’tmake anysense. Buthe saw some truthinher words. He had been in love with his mate for a long time. Longer than Dee would ever know. But for the most part,shewasstill anenigmatohim.
“Okay, we’re heading out,” Caitlyn called from the living room. Kiera leaned in to kiss him lightlyonthecheek.ThenshefollowedCaitlynoutside.
HetrailedKieraandCaitlynoutontotheporch.Their mateswereparkedinthedriveway,andthe twowomenleftwiththeir respectivepartners.
Nate stood onthe porchfor a while as he watched themdrive away. Thenhe allowed his human sighttotakeabackseatinhismind.
Andhisbear sightcameout.
It was a special skill he had perfected years ago. It had taken himabout half a decade to learn, andithadbeenapainful process.
Butnow Nate was able to adoptsome ofhis bear’s features while remaininginhumanform. Not thatheoftenneededtowithhisalreadyenhancedhumansightandhearing.
Butwithhis bear sight, he could see heatsignatures and didn’thave to shiftto see a wider range ofthings.Itwasaskill thatcameinhandymorethanonce.
Nate was only satisfied after he had walked around Dee’s property twice. There was no sign of lifeanylarger thanastraymouse.
He letouta sighofreliefwhenhe finallystepped inside Dee’s house and turned to lockthe front door.
And…shehadnosecurityalarm.Ofcourse,shedidn’t.
“I don’t know how you expect to stay safe,” he muttered to himself. Nate heard movement from thelivingroombehindhim.
Theair tastedwarmandwet,andhefollowedthescentofpineappleandeucalyptus.
Whenhewalkedintothelivingroom,itbecameclear thatDeehadjustgottenoutoftheshower. Her short, honey-brownhair hunginwetringlets to her shoulders. Her face was still red fromthe steamoftheshower.
Nate’sstomachflippedashewatchedher biteher full lower lip.
Heat stirred in his chest, and the bear inside himstarted pacing. Nate couldn’t suppress the low growl thatescapedhimashelookedatDee.Butshedidnotseemtonotice.
She wore a white sleepshirt that contrasted beautifully with her green eyes and tanned skin. The shirt hung down to just above her knees. The hem had a pale, lilac trim. The neckline was low, scooped,andtrimmedwiththesamelightpurpleasthehem.
He swallowed hard as he walked up to her. The bear growled again, and Nate cleared his throat. Deelookedupathim.Her eyesweredazedandglassy.Shehadher laptopopeninfrontofher.
“You really need to get an alarm system.” Nate sat next to her. “I know a few people in the industry.I’ll givethemacall.”
“Okay,thanks,”Deesaid,her voicevague.Sheturnedbacktothelaptop,andNateleanedin.Jack Grant’sfacestaredupathimfromthescreen.
“What the hell are you doing?” Nate winced at the harshness in his own voice. He took a deep breathandtriedagain.“Dee,don’ttortureyourselfover this.”
She kept scrolling, and a few moments passed before she spoke. “I need to know, Nate. I can’t justletitgo.NotthatI’mfindingmuch.Thereisn’tanythingabouthimonline.”
“Give that here.” Nate took the laptop fromher. He didn’t want to help Dee obsess, but he was equallycuriousaboutJackGrant.
He hated the manand did notbelieve for a minute thathe had beenframed. JackGrantwas guilty, andtherewasnothinghecoulddotochangetheir minds.
Besides, a juryoftwelve ofhis peers had convicted him. The justice systemhad actuallyworked for once.
“Whatareyoudoing?”Deeleanedagainsthim,tryingtogetabetter look.
Nate focused onthe keyboard, tryingnot to be distracted byher natural scent and the softness of her skin.
“Hacking into the Department of Corrections,” he murmured. The website gave access to informationonprisoners.
“Won’ttheytraceitbacktome?”ThewordscamefromDeeinasqueak.
“That’swhyI’musingaVPN,darling.”Thetermofaffectionfell fromhislipsinvoluntarily. He would have expected Dee to stiffen, pull away, and guard herself against him. But she remainedasshewas,her weightagainsthim.
Nate focused onthe website again. After a few minutes of tappinghis fingers onthe sides of the keyboard,hecameupwithasolution.
Beingthe Vice PresidentofTechnologyatLev’s massive companyhad its requirements. Some of those requirements included beingable to hackinto the DepartmentofJustice onthe rare occasions it wasneeded.LevhadbeenhappytofindoutthatNatewasmorethanqualified.
Now Nate ran a quick program that sent malware crashing through the webpage. This quickly openedabackdoor tothesite.Hewasaccessingclassifiedinformationwithinminutes.
The searchfor JackGrant’s name tookonlya few seconds, butall the profile showed was thathe was released and onparole. Nate left the site quickly, deletingall traces that he had beenthere, and satback.
“Why would they release him on parole?” Dee’s voice was frustrated. She had seen the same informationhehad.
JackGranthadbeenreleasedearlyfor goodbehavior.
“Theyshould gettheir heads checked,” Nate murmured. He tapped a few more keys, hackinginto thelocal policedepartment’sarchives.“Well,thisdoesnotmakeanysense.”
Natestaredatthescreenandtriedtofigureoutwhathewasreading.Therewasnologictoit.
“Whywould he reopenthe case?” Dee whispered almostfrantically. Adetective, BillyHawkins, had flagged Emily’s file six months into Jack’s sentence. He had pulled all information on the case andhadcheckedoutall evidenceofher murder.
DetectiveHawkinshadaddedanelectronicpagetothefileayear intoJack’ssentence.
Nate clicked onit. Outside, the wind had picked up, and the sharp cries ofunhappybirds pierced thehowlingwind.
“Wow,thatis a lotofwork,” Dee spoke,her voice hushed.She movedevencloser toNate,trying toreadthescreen.
Nate wondered idly if his mate needed reading glasses. Then he focused on the page that DetectiveHawkinsadded.
It was a note to his boss maintaining that Emily’s case should be reopened. Billy Hawkins was adamantthather murder matchedthefactsofanother recenthomicide.
Billyalsoclaimedthattheevidenceofher murder didnotmatchupwiththeproposedmovements ofJackGrantsketchedoutbythearrestingofficer.
Therewasanother morecolorful paragraphatthebottomofthepage.
“This will, if you excuse my French, Captain, be a damned miscarriage of justice if that little son of a bitch stays in prison for something he didn’t do. None of us liked him, not from the minute he walked into the station. But this makes no sense. I’ll tell ya that for free.”
The file had not been opened since. Nate looked at the time. The police department was in the middleofashiftchange.
He downloaded Emily’s file and Billy’s information before logging out quickly. Once again, he wiped all traces of the search from Dee’s laptop. Nate was tempted to throw the laptop into the nearestriver andgethismateanew one.Hedidn’twanttoimplicateher inhisillegal searches.
Next to him, Dee let out a sigh of frustration. His ears perked up slightly as he listened to her heartbeat.
Her pulse raced erratically in her chest. His sensitive hearing picked up the sound of her nails scrapingagainst her skin. She was diggingher fingers into the palms of her hands. Doingher best to maintaincontrol.
“Idon’tunderstand.” Her voice was low and unsteady. She tooka deep breathbefore continuing. “Why did no one follow up on his notes? And why would he even think that? Jack is guilty. We all know it.”
“We know he is guilty, Dee.” Nate placed his armlightlyaround Dee’s shoulder. “But I thinkthe detectivewasjustdoinghisjob.”
“Butwhatifthis iswhyJackwas letoutearly?Becausesomeoneatthepolicedepartmentthought theymessedup,andtheylethimoutto…tocover their assesor something.”
Dee’s breathing was as shallow as her erratic heartbeat now. Nate heard the way her blood whooshed and thumped unsteadilythroughher body.
Inside,hisbear growled,complaining.Heneededtocomforthismate.
Nateturnedbacktothelaptop.
“Maybe we can find out why Detective Hawkins never followed up on the case,” he said, relievedashefeltDeerelaxagainsthim.
Heloggedbackintothepolicedepartment’srecords,thoughhewaslookingfor personnel records thistime.
That was when he saw that Detective Hawkins had retired six months earlier after thirty decoratedyearsasanofficer ofthelaw.
“He retired, Dee,” Nate said. He turned to her, notmissinghow white her face was. Or how wet her eyeswere.“Heprobablywantedtocontinuetheinvestigation,buthecouldn’tavoidretirement.”
“Iwanttotalktohim,”Deesaidimmediately,sniffinghard.Shelookeddownandwipedher eyes quickly.Hedidn’tcommentonthetears.Deewouldn’twanthimtopointitout.
Shedidn’ttrusthimwithher tearsyet.
“We cando thattomorrow.” Nate finallyclosed the laptop. He spoke as firmlyas he could. “You needsleep.AndsodoI.Let’sgetsomerestandstartfreshinthemorning.”
Dee had been rushed and onher feet all morning. She hadn’t sat downfromthe moment she walked intoher office.
Butitdidn’tmatter.Aroundlunchtime,she realizedthata bombcould’ve explodedinfrontofher, and she wouldn’t have been worried about it. All she would think about was Jack Grant and how muchshehatedhim.
She had managed to escape into the bathroom for a few minutes and inhaled sharply, though it sounded more like a sob. She was grateful no one was inthe bathroomwithher. All the womenwho workedwithher werenosyashell.
She left the bathroom stall and washed her hands. As she stood there looking at herself in the mirror,Deegaveherselfapeptalk.
No more thinking about Jack Grant He isn’t worth the ground you walk on You need to do your job and do it well.
Maybe the silent pep talkworked because Dee focused onher duties for the rest ofthe day. Jack crossedher mindonlyonceor twice.
It had beenimportant after the trial for her to focus onthe present and tryto forget about Jack. If she thought about him, she was instantlypulled into the past, and anyhope of a future would escape her.
When she thought about Jack Grant and her hatred of him, she also thought about her deeply unhappysister.
And now, even though Detective Hawkins had put doubts into her mind about her sister’s death, Dee believed Jackwas guilty. If not of murder, thenof emotional and mental abuse. She had not lost her sister whenEmilyhaddied.Shehadlosther sister theminuteshestarteddatingJack.
She jumped when her office phone rang, and she scrambled to pick it up, scattering a thousand paper clipsontothefloor intheprocess.
“Hello?”sheansweredbreathlessly.
“Hey,I’mjustcheckingin.Makingsureyou’reokay.”Nate’slow,huskyvoicewarmedeverything insideher.Deeclearedher throatseveral timesasheatrosetoher face.
“Um, thanks.” Her voice was as bright as she could make it. “I amfine, though. I ampretty safe here.” She couldn’t help but shiver at the pleasure of listeningto Nate speak. She also couldn’t hide theschoolgirl blushathimcallingtocheckuponher.
Itwas…nice.Itwascomfortingthatshehadsomeonewhocaredenoughtocheckonher.Notthat shewouldever tell himthat.Deedidn’tknow anythingaboutNateanddidnotplantoanytimesoon.
“I’ll beoffearlytoday,”shesaidbeforeNatehungup.“Thenwecandowhatweplanned.”
There was silence on the other end for a moment. “Sure,” Nate replied. “I’ll see you then.” Completesilenceendedthecall.
Whenthreeo’clockrolledaround,Deewas packedandleaving.Shefeltthestares fromeveryone intheoffice.TheyhadseenNatedropher offthatmorningandprobablywonderedwhohewas. Or theyhadheardaboutJack’searlyreleaseandwerepityingher.
Bothoptions made Dee itchwithmental discomfort.She hadnever reallysharedher personal life withanyofher coworkers. And theyhad eachmade a thousand assumptions abouther. Butthere was nothing she could do about it. She wasn’t willing to start opening up to them now. Especially not aboutJackGrant.Or Emily.
Dee was very cognizant of the fact that Emily had become the most constant ghost in her life. Therewereother ghosts…failedrelationships,andbrokenfriendships.
But Emily’s ghost loomed the largest. And her sister’s ghost was starting to get ugly, probably becauseofall thegriefshewaswrappedin.
“Man,” Dee muttered to herselfas she walked outthe frontdoor ofthe office. “Youare so fucked up.”
Natewaitedfor her ontheoppositecurb,leaningagainstalarge,shinypickuptruck. Andhelookedgorgeous.
For aminute,DeecouldimagineherselflettingNatedowhatever hewantedtoher.
Her skin prickled, tingling with anticipation. Her mouth went dry, and she quickly crossed her armsover her chestasher nipplestightened.
Hehadstayedover thenightbefore,determinedtokeepher safefromwhatever threatJackposed. It had been torture, staying alone in her room, thinking about himjust a door away. Especially now thatsheknew hewantedher.
As muchas Dee preferred keepingmenat arm’s length, she wasn’t sure how longshe was going tolastifNatestuckaround.
“So, have you tracked down the detective?” Dee asked Nate after he climbed into the car and pulledontothestreet.Hemergedeasilywithtraffic,eventhoughhisvehiclewasabehemoth.
Nate turned and flashed a quick smile at her before turning back to the road. “Yeah, I got the information this morning. By the way, there’s a new laptop for you in the back. Just to be safe, I wouldn’tuseyour oldoneifIwereyou.”
He relaxed in his seat, still smiling. Dee couldn’t help but notice how thick and curly his eyelashes were. She didn’t miss the laugh lines around his mouth or the way his nose wrinkled up whenhesmiled.Itdidthatwhenhelaughedtoo.
“Whyshould Istop usinga perfectlygood computer?” Dee forced herselfto lookawayfromhim. Her mouthwasdryagain.
“BecauseeventhoughIdiduseaVPN,well ….call meparanoid.”
Nateturnedontoasidestreet.Theywerefar fromthecity’scenter whereDeeworked.
“Are youready?” Nate asked whentheyhad pulled infront of a small white-and-blue house that looked to have beenpainted two decades ago. Buteventhoughitwas slightlydilapidated, Dee could seethecharmofwhatithadoncebeen.
Atwo-bedroomfamilyhome witha small yard and wraparound porch. Asmall vegetable garden satinonecorner oftheyard.
Dee followed Nate throughthe rusted, wrought-ironfrontgate and up the path. The porchcreaked loudlywhentheysteppedontoit,andDeemovedcloser toNate.
She shivered as the wind blew wild and fast. Dee had been conscious of the speed of the wind
ever since Jackhadknockedonher frontdoor.The wind,andJack’s appearance,feltlike a harbinger …abadomenofsomethingworsetocome.
Dee cleared her throat as Nate knocked loudly. A broken letterbox was taped halfway up the porchwall,adyinglilywiltedinagiantstonepot,andseveral pairsofshoeswerestackedinfrontof thedoor.
Itdidn’tlookasthoughanyonehadever worntheshoes.
They both heard the creaking footsteps from inside the house. A few deep groans accompanied each footstep. The door opened after several minutes, and Dee and Nate stood face-to-face with DetectiveBillyHawkins.
Well Retirement isn’t treating him kindly, a snide voice in Dee’s head said. She shook the thoughtawayasNatespoketoBilly.
Fromhis photographonthepolicedepartmentwebsite,Deehadgottentheimpressionofastocky, powerful man.
It was clear that he wasn’t tall, but his broad, formidable shoulders made up for it. His muscles had softened, and he had grown plump. Now he stood in front of them wearing a pair of shorts, sandals,andawifebeater.
“Whatdoyouwant?”hesaidbluntly.
Dee didn’t miss the way his hand traveled to the baseball bat that leaned in the doorframe. It didn’tmatter ifBilly’s physical frame had softened slightly. The singular power thatradiated offhim inthephotographstill existedintheperson.
Now shewasreallyhappyshewasherewithashifter.Apowerful bear.
“We’re here to speakto youabout a case,” Nate said. He held up bothhands to show theymeant noharm.“TheEmilyWixxmurder.Almostt…”
“Twoyearsago,”Billysaid,finishingNate’ssentencepromptly. Hehadnotletgoofthebaseball bat.
The wind howled and shrieked behind them. Somehow, the rickety old porch was keeping them shelteredfromtheviolentwind.
“Whythe hell do youwant to know about Emily?” Billycoughed the words. Dee’s heart twisted inher chest.ThedetectivesaidEmily’snameasifheknew her.Asifhehadknownher. “I’mDee,”shesaidbeforeNatecouldanswer.Shecontinued,“DeeWixx.”
Billy’s eyes widened as he looked her up and down. “You’re the sister. The older one,” he said slowly.
Deenodded.
“Look,”Natespokesoftly.“Canwecomein?Wehaveafew questions.”
Billybarelyhesitated before heftingthe bat onto his shoulder and steppingaside. He let themin andthenshutthedoor,keepingthewindout.
“Sowhatdoyawanttaknow?”Billyaskedthemafter hehadshownthemintothelivingroom. Eventhoughthehousewas rundowninsideandout,itwas extremelyclean.Therewasn’taspeck ofdustanywheretobeseen.
“We want to know whyyoureopened the case,” Nate said bluntly. Nate sat next to Dee, and she leanedintohimalmostautomatically.
Billygaveahackingandcoughinglaugh.Thenhesatinanarmchair oppositethem.
“BecauseIdidn’tthinkthesonofabitchhaddoneit,that’swhy.”Heshruggedandcoughedagain. Thenhe leaned forward. “The arrestingofficers did not like JackGrant. No one inthat precinct did. Shit, I didn’t like himeither. But the whole thingdidn’t sit right withme.” Billylooked downat his
hands,shakinghishead.
“Canyoutell uswhy?”Deesaid,her voicesmall.
“Because, young lady,” Billy sounded almost polite as he addressed her, “the evidence didn’t matchwithwhat the prosecutor claimed had happened. Now, I’mno forensic scientist, or what have you….”
Billy coughed loudly. He got up hurriedly and headed for the kitchen, where they heard a tap opening. “Sorryabout that,” Billysaid whenhe returned, his voice hoarse. “Smokingfor fortyyears will dothattoya.”
“Youweresaying?”Dee’svoicewasstronger thistime.
“Well, I’mno doctor, no scientist. Butthe waytheysaid he had killed her didn’tmake sense with whatactuallyhappened. Ithinktheyjustwanted to puthimaway. ButIalways thoughtsomeone made thewholethingup.”
“Soyoureallybelievethathewasframed?”Nateasked.
“Framed,amistake,whatever.Theyshouldhaveputhimaway,butnotfor somethinghedidn’tdo. Theboywasawrong‘un.Butnotamurderer.”
“Sowhatdoyouthinkactuallyhappened?”DeeaskedBilly,leaningforward.
“Thesearetheories,younglady.Ihavenosolidproof.”
Dee sat back, unable to stop the disappointment that filled her. Billy noticed instantly, and he noddedather almostkindly.
“Whatabouttheother murder?TheoneyouthoughtwaslinkedtoEmily’s?”Nateasked,hisvoice sharp.
Billy swallowed water before speaking. When he spoke, it sounded as though he was reciting somethinghehadmemorized.
“Celia Amada. Suspected to be killed by her husband, who was the CEO of the same bank that youngEmilyworkedat.”
Deehadflickersofamemoryofanewspaper article.CeliaAmada’sdeathhadbeenscandalous.
“Her husband killed her, no doubt. But we could never catch the bastard. And the case is still open,soMrs.Amadahasn’tgottenher restyet.Blessher soul.”
Natestoodthenasthoughtoleave,andDeejoinedhim.
ThedetectivewalkedthemoutandhandedNatehiscard.
“Thanks for everything, Detective.” Nate and Billy shook hands. A shy smile spread across Billy’sface.
“Notadetectiveanymore,youngman.It’sjustBillynow.”
Deewasunsettled.Thathadbeenclear toNatefromthemomenttheyhackedintoEmily’sfile.Hefelt her discomfort and discontent throughthe matingbond as clearlyas if she was expressingit through words.
His bear wasn’t happy either. The animal had sensed that its mate was out of sorts and was demandingthatNatefixtheproblem.
You have no idea how much I want to do that, he told the creature sternly. The bear rumbled softly,andNaterolledhiseyes.
Stop. You sound like an old man. We’ll fix this. But this isn’t a problem that can be fixed overnight.
The bear kept grumbling and growling. Nate pulled off Billy’s road and onto the main street. At theintersection,heturnedthepickuptruckinthedirectionofdowntown.
Dee hadn’t seemed to notice that theyweren’t headingtoward her home yet. She was too lost in thought.
Theybothwere.
Their visittoBillyhadnotyieldedanyanswers.Instead,theyonlyhadmorequestions.
Billy, a seasoned detective, firmly believed that Jack was innocent. He had also introduced the mysteriousCeliaAmadaintotheequation.
And all Nate and Dee could askone another before he started the pickup was: “What does it all mean?”
Neither ofthemhad come up witha satisfactoryanswer. And itwas becomingharder and harder toseethroughthenew murkinesssurroundingEmily’scase.
When Jack had been guilty, and Emily’s murder had been simple, that had provided Dee some closure.Butnow,withJack’s reappearanceandabsurdclaims,everythinghadbeentornapartandput backtogether wrong.
“Wait,whyare we here?” Dee’s confusedvoice pipedupas Nate pulledintothe parkingspace in frontoftherestaurant.
“I’mtakingyououtfor dinner.” Nate turned to her and almostgrowled withdesire. The bear did growl,andhesmiledashestudiedher face.
Deehadturnedawayfromhimandwaslookingattherestaurantinfrontofthem.
They were in front of La Mer, a pub and restaurant with live music evenings. Nate had ensured thatoneofDee’sfavoritesingerswouldbeperformingthatevening.
He had realized the wisdomofKiera’s earlier advice and called her after droppingDee at work thatmorning. He had quizzed her until Kiera finallytold himabout La Mer and how muchDee loved
theplace.
He knew he was cheatingbynotfindingoutfromDee herself. ButNate needed to gether to trust him,andquickly.
Hedidn’tmissthequicksmilethatflashedacrossDee’sface.Her brilliantgreeneyessparkledas shehoppedoutofhistruck.
“Are you coming?” She looked back at him. Her head was cocked to the side, and a smile lingeredacrossher full lips.
Nate forced himselfto breathe before he passed out. His chesthad tightened atthe sightofDee’s smile.Itwasthefirsttimeinthepastfew daysthathehadseenher lookhappyandrelaxed.
Natequicklygotoutofthetruck,lockedit,andfollowedhismateinside.
The bear in himwas happy and thankfully silent. The animal could feel Dee’s sudden change in moodandwascontentthatNatewasmakingher happy.
“CanIseatyouguys?” Awaitress came over to them, and Nate automaticallyplaced his hand on Dee’swaist.
The movement was completely involuntary, but Dee leaned into the curve of his arm instead of pullingaway.
“Sure, canwe get a seat onthe terrace?” Nate asked. Dee had spotted the singer for the evening andwaslookingather avidly.
“So, how was work?” Nate asked Dee after theyhad beenseated. The waitress had broughtthem drinks,andDeewassippingonone.
Asuddenlookof exhaustionswept over her face. It was so palpable that Nate could feel it right throughtheir bond.
How could she be that tired? A voice in his head asked as he reeled from the violence of her fatigue.
“Itwas okay,” Dee said. Her voice was slightlydespondent. “Itcould have beenbetter. Butwith everythinggoingon,Idon’treallythinkthat’spossible.”
Natereachedfor her handacrossthetable.Surprisingly,Deeallowedhimtotakeher handinhis.
“Things will get better,” he said as earnestly as he could. Dee nodded, looking directly at him. “Andwe’ll figurethisout.We’ll getthroughthis.”
“I hope so,” was all Dee said. Just then, the waitress brought their meals. Nate was relieved to seethatDeestartedeatingrightawayandhungrilytoo.
Soon,thelivemusicbegan,andDeeswayedbackandforthwitheachbeat.
“THERE’S AN ALL-NIGHT galleryrightaroundthe corner here.” Nate turnedthe truckoffthe main street.
Dee hadn’t wanted to go home after dinner. Nate wasn’t sure if she was still scared that Jack mightcomebacktoattackher.
Healsowasn’tsureifshejustwantedtospendmoretimewithhim.
For a longtime now, Nate had knownthatDee was his mate. And he had also knownitwould be difficulttogainher trust.EspeciallyonceKieraandCaitlyntoldhimabouther past.
Her distrustofhimwas obvious witheveryminute theyspenttogether.Buthe hadcome torealize thatitwas a distrustofmeningeneral. Dee simplyexpected to gethurtateveryturn, and the thought
angeredNatebeyondbelief.
JackGrant had destroyed so much of Dee’s life bytakingaway her sister. But he had also taken her abilitytoevenhaveanormal relationship.
“This looks reallypretty.” Dee peered throughthe window atthe artgallery. Itwas a quaintlittle placehousedinasmall loftthatoverlookedtheShenandoahRiver.
“Afriend ofmine has her artcollectionondisplay. Everythingshe collected throughouther life,” Natesaidastheybothgotoutofthevehicle.
He didn’t miss how Dee’s shoulders stiffened, and he bowed his head, smiling. She was clearly jealousofwhoever thewomanwaswhoownedthegallery.
“Nate!Whatare youdoinghere?” Jennycalled fromthe other side ofthe roomonce theywalked in.
Dee’sshouldersrelaxed,andsheunconsciouslymovedcloser tohimagain. Jennywalkeduptothem,hand-in-hand,withher husband,Rob.Shewasalsoheavilypregnant.
“Ijustthoughtwe’dtakealookaroundafter dinner.”Natesmiled,shakingRob’s handandkissing Jennylightlyonthecheek.
He introduced Dee to themand didn’tmiss the thumbs-up he gotfromJenny. Nate rolled his eyes, evenastheheatrosetohisface.
“We’ll leaveyoutoitthen,”Jennysaid,makingher waytothepartofthelofttheylivedin.“Baby ismakingmeexhaustedtonight.”
“Cheers,” Nate called,watchingDee walkintothe paintingroominfrontofhim.There were four morelargerooms.Eachoneheldartinadifferentmedium…sculpture,ceramic,video,andmusic.
Nate thought back to Jenny and her rounded belly. He had a sudden vision of Dee pregnant and glowingwithhis babyinside her. Withoutthinking, he blurted outthe nextquestion, wincinginstantly oncethewordslefthislips.
“Doyouwanttohavekidssomeday?”
Thesilencewasdeafening,andhewatchedasDee’sshouldersstiffenedagain.
Nice going, dude. A sardonicvoiceinhisheadspoke.
I know, hethoughtresignedly. Not my brightest moment.
Dee turned to him, and it was obvious that she felt awkward. But she spoke before Nate could assureher thatshedidn’thavetoanswer.
“Yes,Ihavealwayswantedkids.”Shespokeopenlyandhonestly.Her eyes,however,werewary. Shelookedathimalmostsuspiciously.
“Oh,sodoI.I’vealwayswantedabigfamily.”Natelookedathismatewithuncertainty.
“Me too. But mycareer has always come first,” Dee answered. She turned backto the paintings aroundthem.Natefollowedher.“Ithasalsobeenhardfor metofindarelationshipIcanholdonto.” “Youmean,it’sbeenhardfor youtotrustanyone?”Nateaskedquickly. You’ve just started getting close to her, you know. She might be your mate, but slow down. The voiceinhisheadspokealmostmockingly.Thatitwasjusthisownvoicemadeitworse.
Even though he had known she was his mate for a while, Nate had only ever known Dee from afar. And here he was, protecting her fromthreats and asking her intimate questions three days after theybecamecloser.
What happened to courting her? the voice mocked him. Dee had stopped in front of one of Jenny’smoreprolificpaintings.
I’m trying to get to know her, aren’t I? heansweredback. Then he stopped arguing with himself because Dee had answered him. “I see you’ve been
speakingwithKieraandCaitlyn,”shesaid,atoneofirrevocabilityinher voice.
“Yes,Ihave,”Nateanswered,steppingcloser toher.
“Look, whydon’twe getoutofhere?” Dee said suddenly, lookingup athim. Her sparklinggreen eyesseemedtotracethelinesofhisface.
Nateforcedhimselftostaystill,tonotshudder withanticipation.
“Sure.” The word came out in a rumbling growl, and Dee’s eyes widened a fraction. But she didn’tstepawayfromhim,didn’tmoveoutofthecurveofhisbody.
Theyremained like thatfor a minute, and Nate would have swornthe matingchemistryhad never beenstronger betweenthem.
“We canalways take a walkalongthe river,” Dee said once theyleft the gallery. It was close to tenintheevening,butitwasanuncharacteristicallywarmnight.
Dee stayed close to Nate as they walked around the building that housed the gallery and onto a footpaththatledtotheriverbank.
Nateremainedpatientashewaitedfor Deetosaywhatever shewasworkingupto.
“Itwasn’tjustmysister’s deaththatruined mytrustinmen,” she said after a while. Theywalked a stone pathway next to a barricade that shielded them from the spray of the water. The river was clear,andtheir surroundingswerelitupbylamppoststenfeetapart.
Nateremainedquiet,encouragingDeetospeak.
HehopedthatKierawasright.HeprayedthiswouldhelpDeetrusthim.
“It was seeing how she was around Jack. Jack turned her inside out and tore her apart. Then he put her back together wrong. By the time she died, she was an emotional wreck. She could barely formanindependentthought.”
“That must have been tough to watch,” Nate said. He lifted a hand and brushed a strand of her curlyhair outofher face.
“It was hell,” Dee said, her voice filled withpain. “And it changed me forever. But I amtrying, youknow?”Her voicewaveredonthelastwordsasshelookedupathim. Deesmiled,thenturned,lookingoutover theriver.
“Thiswasagoodnight.Ifeel morerelaxedthanIhaveinawhile,”shesaid. Awave ofwarmthwashed over Nate, almost unbalancinghim. “Youdon’t have to thankme,” he saidquietly.
“Well,Ineedtogethome.Ihavetobeupearlytomorrow.”Deestartedbacktowardthecar.
“I don’t want yousleepingalone,” Nate said. He caught up to her quickly. “Not until we sort out thesituationwithJack.”
“Well, you’ll have to stay in my living room again because I’m not staying at your place,” Dee said.
Natestoppedfor asecond,unabletostopthegrinthatstretchedacrosshisface.
