Graham Read online

  “How old are you?”

  I sat up straighter. “Fifty-one.”

  One side of his mouth tipped upward. “So young.”

  I was, by Lycan standards, but most days, I felt very old. I sat taller as I continued my story. “I bought a burner phone and called my father.” I had to take in several breaths before I could continue. “I sent half of the money to him, so my parents could pack up my brothers and sisters and leave.”

  Graham looked around my living room. “I assume they didn’t.”

  “I turned on the phone once a day to check for an update. There were photos of what…” I had to pause because it hurt to think about. “What they did to my family…” I started to sob.

  “Oh, baby.” He pulled me against his chest and hugged me tightly.

  “My fault,” I choked out the words.

  “No. They should have left.” His chest rumbled as he spoke. “You did the right thing, but it put your people in jeopardy.”

  I pushed back away from him. “The house across the street…”

  “The woman is dead. Homicide.”

  I closed my eyes for a moment to work up the courage to ask. “Was it…do you think…they were looking for me?”

  He shook his head. “It was her boyfriend.”

  I used my nose to verify he was telling the truth.

  His gaze darkened. “But you have had a visitor. A wolf. I caught his scent near your front porch.”

  “What?” I jumped to my feet, tugging on his hand. I felt out of control. “You have to go.” I refused to be responsible for another’s death.

  He pushed slowly to his feet. “Olivia, I can handle anything that comes our way.”

  “They. Will. Kill. You,” I screamed at him.

  “They can try.” He flashed a confident grin, once again showing his strong, white teeth.

  Graham stood tall, strong, and resolute. I wanted to believe him so damn much.

  5

  Graham Vincent

  “Assuming the wolf I scented is an assassin, you need to leave this place.” I stalked into the kitchen and glanced out the window into her small backyard.

  Olivia was close on my heels. “Bag’s already packed.”

  It was a small duffle. I took another look at the backyard. A five-foot white vinyl fence separated her yard from the community’s park. “Here’s the plan… We go through your backyard, skirt around the pond, and keep moving toward the park. I’ll double back to get my car and meet you.”

  “But…” She started to interrupt, then looked down at her feet and mumbled, “You don’t have to help me.”

  “Olivia, you know that I do.” She was now ours to protect.

  She looked out the window and then at the bag. “So much could go wrong.”

  “Trust me.”

  She lifted her gaze, and her eyes flared wide. “I want to.” She walked to her bag, bent gracefully, and grabbed the strap. “Okay.” She squared her narrow shoulders. “Let’s go.”

  I took the duffle from her shoulder. “I don’t expect any problems in broad daylight, but if I say ‘run,’ you go.”

  She dropped her head and nodded.

  We walked into her very neat but almost empty garage and exited through the back door.

  I made sure the door was locked securely behind us and took her hand as we walked. I placed my hands on her waist at the fence and lifted her high enough that she could pull herself over it. I pulled myself up and over, then dropped lightly onto the balls of my feet.

  I took her hand again. “Make it look like we’re out for a stroll. Maybe point at the water as if you’re showing me something.”

  She gripped my hand tightly. “Casual, got it.”

  My wolf liked that our mate followed our instructions, but he was ready for a fight. No one threatened what was ours.

  “I’m going to pause and point,” she whispered in a shaky voice.

  I stopped, let go of her hand, and pulled her into my side, wrapping my arm around her. “Describe the layout of the park.”

  “The entrance is two lanes, in and out, that leads to the parking area, big enough for maybe fourteen spaces. There are picnic tables, swings, a slide for kids.”

  I lowered my arm so my hand rested against her lower back and applied pressure to signal that we should continue our walk.

  “There’s a gravel path for walking,” she continued. “It’s lightly wooded.”

  We walked easily up the sloped lawn to the park. Olivia chose a picnic table with a clear view of the entrance road.

  “Wait here,” I ordered.

  She nodded and moved her bag so that it rested beside her body. “If something happens…”

  “It won’t.”

  “Don’t worry about me. Take care of yourself,” she urged.

  “Olivia, you know it doesn’t work like that, not for me.” My duty was to protect my mate. My wolf was uneasy with her wish. “I’ll be back soon, and then we’ll plan our next step.”

  She gripped my wrist. “Are you sure?”

  My wolf snarled deep in my gut, but I kept my voice calm as I said, “Baby, I’m with you.” I kissed her lips. “Promise.” Then I headed back to my car.

  I didn’t rush, but I also didn’t waste any time. We didn’t like being away from Olivia now that we knew she was vulnerable.

  6

  Olivia Stern

  Something was wrong. I glanced at my watch...again. Too much time had passed, and Graham hadn’t returned. My wolf wanted to go back to the house to check, but I knew that we didn’t have a chance if he couldn’t handle the problem.

  Mate. I had a mate. I felt my heart rate increase as I smiled, feeling elated. He was…very determined. I shook my head to clear the memory of how good it had felt when his large, strong body had held me in place against the wall.

  His black sedan pulled into the parking lot.

  I grabbed the strap to my bag and ran to the vehicle, not even bothering to check my Lycan speed.

  Graham leaned across the seat to open the passenger door. “Get in.” He was wearing a white T-shirt and jeans. He’d changed clothes.

  My stomach dropped as I climbed in. I knew what the different wardrobe meant. He’d needed to change into his wolf form.

  He hit the gas before my door shut. I quickly buckled my seatbelt. “What happened?”

  “Got jumped,” he said, his words clipped as he drove toward the street.

  He looked unharmed. I clamped my lips together, so I wouldn’t ask any more questions. Some Lycans were dangerous after an adrenaline rush. I settled into the seat and tried to move as little as possible, hoping that he could ignore me.

  He drove over the speed limit but was in control. I got the impression this was his usual style. We traveled to a side of town I wasn’t familiar with, and he pulled into a driveway next to a one-story brick ranch-style house.

  “My place.” He parked in his driveway and got out.

  I followed him into the breezeway that connected the house to the garage. Feeling unsure about his temperament, I stayed silent as I followed him into the kitchen. I placed my bag on the floor, out of the way, to the left of the doorway.

  Graham walked to the refrigerator. He then turned and asked over his shoulder, “Want a drink?”

  “What I want is to know what happened.” I was proud of myself. My voice sounded calm, not demanding.

  He opened the door and took out two bottles of beer. “Let’s sit.”

  I didn’t have much choice. I followed him into a living room that held a huge sofa.

  Graham sat at the far end, and I took the opposite side, not crowding him but still near. I yearned to take his hand or to rest mine on his strong thigh, but I was unsure. What did I really know of this male?

  He took two gulps and then dropped his arm along the back of the sofa. “It happened fast. He was on me before I knew he was near. He must’ve used a masking agent for his scent.”

  I tensed. “But you survived.” Gr
aham must be a very strong fighter.

  “Yeah,” he said, smirking before he took another drink.

  “Was it only one?”

  “Only one attacked. He was on me, and then it was over.” He finished the bottle.

  I waited for more, but when he added nothing, I pressed. “What does that mean?”

  “He’s dead.”

  My eyes widened in surprise. “So, uh…the evidence?” I’d never heard another speak so easily about killing—not that I had experience with those who did. My father and brothers had been bakers, not fighters. They shielded me from the violence within the Burke Pack because they thought that I was weak.

  “I dumped him beside the railroad tracks near Jenkins Road.”

  I’d ruined his career and his life. “I’m very sorry that I brought trouble into your life.” I did nothing to hide the slight tremor in my voice.

  “I’m not.” His scent registered as sincere. “One less to worry about.”

  “There will be more.” I dropped my head back and stared at the ceiling. The Burkes wouldn’t give up until I was dead.

  He finished the second beer, placed it on the end table, and angled his body toward mine. His posture was casual as he slumped a little lower on the soft cushions. “Olivia, what you did was courageous, but it made you an enemy of your birth Pack.”

  Like I didn’t know that. My eyes burned with unshed tears. The words fell from my lips. “It’s okay. I do understand.” I felt like I couldn’t breathe. “I release you.” It wasn’t fair for him to be tied to me. Although our time together had been short, for those precious moments, I’d felt the glimmer of hope and the warm comfort of security.

  “Not going to happen,” he said, his voice a low growl. He crept across the sofa then moved over me.

  My heart began to pound, and yet, I felt my lips lift in an inviting smile.

  His large hands went to my hips and slid my body down, so I was positioned beneath him. “We’ll figure this thing out.”

  I wanted that to be true. “But—”

  He kissed me. He was communicating his promise that I was his to protect. His kiss was hard and possessive—brutal like a male wolf.

  My arms wrapped around his shoulders as my leg curled around a muscular thigh.

  “Ready little one?” he said, his voice low and rough.

  “For what?” I loosened my hold because, with him, I had to be ready for anything.

  “To reward your hero.” He pushed up and stood and then pulled me to my feet.

  He led me down the short hallway to his bedroom. Letting go of my hand, he pulled his T-shirt over his head.

  I didn’t stare. Instead, I undressed quickly then stood beside the low chest of drawers, feeling unsure. What if I didn’t please him? I was small for a Lycan-born, not quite five-and-a-half-feet and slender. I’d lost weight since I’d left Texas. My appetite had disappeared while I’d focused on surviving.

  As he studied my body, I tried not to squirm. I felt my wolf awaken as she grew aware of our mate’s proximity. It started with a slight burn deep in my belly that sent waves of energy pulsing through my veins, making my senses heightened and my nipples so hard that they ached. I waited patiently for him to make his move.

  “Olivia,” he said softly, “I’ll try to be gentle.”

  I moved toward him without thinking. “Don’t.” I wanted all of him. “No holding back.” I was tired of being cautious, and with him, I knew that I could be free.

  He tossed me onto the bed then landed next to me. Rolling me onto my belly, he rained hot kisses down my back as I tried to roll again so that I could touch him.

  His body covered mine, pinning me to the bed. “Mine,” he growled.

  “Graham,” I cried, “let me touch you.”

  “Later.” He nipped my shoulder. “Anything you want…later.”

  “Yes,” I panted as I tried to rub my ass against him. We both could smell my arousal.

  His arm encircled my waist and lifted me to my knees.

  “Please,” I begged as I widened my stance for better balance.

  His warm palm swept over my ass.

  I felt the head of his cock at my entrance, and I pushed back toward him. My body knew what to do, to join with our mate.

  His hips surged forward, and he filled me.

  I had to catch my chest on my forearms, or I would have face planted.

  His mouth was on my shoulder, and I felt the sting as his teeth broke the skin. He growled, “Mine.”

  “Graham,” I said with a moan. I needed…so much at that moment. I squirmed beneath him, begging him to fuck me.

  Slowly, he pulled back his hips, and I felt every inch of his cock glide from my body. Then he pushed hard inside me. He did this several times, and it was driving me insane. My nails shredded the sheet beneath me.

  “Please…I want… Mate, I need…”

  He snarled, and I felt his teeth clamping down on my shoulder, again, holding me still as his hips moved faster, driving into my body.

  I made sounds that were unformed words of urging. This felt so good. My wolf let out a pleasure-filled howl that made my throat burn.

  He gave me more of his weight as his hands wrapped around mine, our fingers naturally entwining.

  It felt like my body was on fire, and I wondered if I would survive the burn. I wished this to never end. Every muscle tightened in a spasm as I shouted my release.

  Graham’s deep growl was deafening as his hands tightened over mine in a bone-crunching grip as he came.

  A few moments later, he pulled out and rolled off.

  I turned to face him. My fingers were shaking as I brushed them over his cheeks while he watched me. I wanted to remember this moment forever. “You are mine, Graham Vincent.”

  His chuckle was a low rumble, like far-off thunder. “Glad to hear it, my Olivia.”

  He kissed me, and we began again.

  7

  Graham Vincent

  I studied the sleeping female next to me. I had exhausted her with my attentions. Although Olivia seemed somewhat reticent to share her thoughts, in bed, she was generous and had no issue with shouting words of praise and demands for “more.”

  Ours. We would do everything in our power to protect our mate. My wolf had never backed down from a fight. He was strong and sure. No harm would come to Olivia.

  She appeared to be in her mid-twenties, slightly built with medium-brown hair and light blue eyes. Her wolf would defend herself to the death, but she did not hunger for a fight, she was no alpha. For her, being on the run from known and unknown foes must have been a terrifying experience. I could only assume that her intelligence and instincts were why she’d survived this long.

  Now that I was in her life, it was my duty to protect and defend her. If I had to kill all her enemies, then that would happen.

  Being raised without a Pack had drawbacks. My father and mother had done their best to educate me about Lycan ways, but it had been my choice to live as a human. I’d been a soldier, a private detective, and a police officer. I would develop a new persona, apply for jobs, or establish my business and work in a city for twenty-five or thirty years, and then retire and move away. Mine had been a solitary life since my parents’ disappearance, and I could only assume they’d died during a visit to the French Alps many years ago.

  I enjoyed humans. My many careers had allowed me glimpses into members of that race at their worst and their best. I’d made friends and had lovers. The problem was that humans were weak, and they died too soon.

  Now, I had a mate. Another Lycan I could share my life with. We could go anywhere and do almost anything, after I solved her problems.

  I watched her sleep for another half hour, and since I knew that I wouldn’t relax, I slowly got out of bed and smoothed the covers around her body. I pulled on my jeans and went into the room I used as an office.

  I made another call into the station. I’d done so earlier while on my way to drop the body, claimin
g that I’d become ill during my interview with the neighbor. An intestinal bug was making its way through our shift, so nobody questioned my claim, nor did they want me to come in. I began to research Olivia Stern.

  She had given me her “real” name when I’d barged into her home. Perhaps she’d been too frightened to lie. The information I could find was sparse for this day and age–no social media, no photos, except for her Texas driver’s license and nursing accreditation. I needed to ascertain what name she used here. I could only assume that she had arranged for a new identity when she’d run. I would need to file my report before I resigned from my job.

  Satisfied that I’d learned all I could at this time, I turned off my computer and returned to the bedroom. Olivia hadn’t moved. I undressed and slid in behind her, looping my arm around her narrow waist.

  With a deep exhale, she settled against my body. My wolf sighed contentedly as I brushed my fingers over her soft skin. She seemed so delicate in my arms, but no Lycan truly was. We were predators, dangerous if threatened.

  * * *

  “Mate, you need to eat more.” I’d prepared a meal for us. I wanted to continue proving to Olivia that I could see to all her needs.

  “I haven’t had much of an appetite.” She began to make designs in the baked potato with her fork. “It’s hard on your body when you constantly live in fear.”

  I reached across the table, took her empty hand in mine, and gave it a squeeze. “That will change.”

  She continued to watch her fork, but her cheeks were pink. “That would be welcome.”

  I watched as she continued to play with the food on her plate. Clearly, she was done eating. “Would you like to go for a run?” I pushed my chair back in preparation to head out the backdoor to the woods behind my house or to clear away our plates. It was her call.

  She didn’t move. “I think we need to discuss what we’re going to do.” She looked miserable, frowning, and her shoulders were rounded as if she wished to cross her arms protectively over her chest.