Ink Reunited (11 page)

Lexi blinked at Cailin’s impassioned speech.

Well then.

A blush crept over Cailin’s cheeks, and she ducked her head. The look
suited her and made her look her age, rather than the image of the sex goddess
she usually presented without trying.

“Sorry. I get a little worked up thinking about all the shit my family
has been through.”

“And the fact that you haven’t been able to help,” Lexi whispered,
knowing they had begun to attract the attention of the others. A few Jamensons
glanced their way, but it was mostly the others not of the family that looked
out of the corner of their eye or blatantly stared at them. Those had their
normal sneer on their faces whenever they were near.

Lucky her.

Cailin’s head shot up, and she blinked. “I
hate
it.” She looked
over her shoulder at her family, who had no doubt quieted to hear her words.
Werewolves, after all, had exceptional hearing. “We can talk about it later.”

Lexi nodded then watched the young woman, who looked so sure of herself
but clearly wasn’t, walk toward the pile of pups and start to play.

“I’m glad she talks to you when she won’t talk to anyone else,” a voice
said from behind her, and she froze.

Hell, he was freaking quiet when he wanted to be.

North slid to her side but didn’t look at her. Not that she was looking
at him—oh no, she couldn’t do that and breathe nowadays—but she could see him
out of the corner of her eye.

Lexi swallowed hard and tried to regain the cool, collected composure
she used when she had no earthly idea what else to do.

“She doesn’t talk to the rest of you?” She found that hard to believe,
considering Cailin had wonderful parents, six big brothers, a brother-in-law,
and five sisters-in-law.

North shrugged. She felt the touch of his overheated skin against her
arm, and she held back a shiver.

She would
not
show the man how he affected her.

Ever.

“She’s so much younger than the rest of us. Yes, she’s the same age as
a few of my brothers’ mates, but it’s different. They’re family now but still
new. Cailin’s never felt comfortable about showing who she is to outsiders, and
it’s even worse really within the family. She’s great with that façade of
hers—the bitchy, twenty-something power attitude—but she doesn’t break down
with us. Not since she was a little girl.”

Lexi’s heart ached for Cailin and even more so for the man she felt a
connection to, despite all the reasons she shouldn’t.  It wasn’t as though
Cailin was any different than the rest of them, but she was so much younger
than her brothers, and there were things the woman might not even
want
to share.

“I’ll do what I can. I like her.” Lexi had no idea why she’d said that
first part. She couldn’t even take care of her own crap, let alone another
person’s. Okay, she could take care of Parker and Logan, but they were…hers.

North moved so he blocked her view of the pups again, and she sucked in
a breath.

Gods, he was beautiful.  Tanned skin created by genetics and touched by
the sun covered a hard body that she’d seen naked only because of his shifts,
not for anything more. And damn, she wanted to have that be for something more.
He had those Jamenson jade-green eyes, framed by light lashes, that Lexi knew
she could fall into if she didn’t watch herself. Unlike most of his brothers,
he and his twin Maddox had inherited their mother’s hair, a dark blond, unruly
mass that looked damn good on him.

She
really
needed to stop looking at him that way.

“Thank you for taking care of my sister,” he whispered, tucking a lock
of hair behind her ear.

She didn’t dare breathe. She knew once she caught a whiff of that spicy
scent, latent or not, her wolf—or what she thought of as her wolf—would want to
hunt.

That wouldn’t be happening.

Ever.

His fingers lingered on her cheek, and her body shuddered.

Traitor
.

She pulled back, the loss of his touch like a deep abyss she knew she’d
never be able to cross.

“I need to go.”

She didn’t even bother to lie. Not this time. She turned tail and ran
back to her home. No, not her home, the place where her family slept.

Her name carried across the wind as North called her back, but she
ignored it.

Ignored him.

She kicked the door closed, then turned, bracing her back against it.
Her legs gave out, and she slid to the floor, the sobs wracking through her
body as memories flooded and attacked her.

The darkness of his eyes tearing into her.

The feel of those callous fingers digging into her when she screamed.

She shut her eyes against the nightmares and banged her fists against
her temples.

“Get out! Stop!” she screamed into the empty room, tears rolling down her
cheeks.

She had to get it under control. The others couldn’t know what had
happened, or her baby boy’s life would be forfeit.

It was a dangerous game living with the Redwoods as it was. It would be
even more dangerous to get close to the one man who could break her.

Even though her body told her, just as his was no doubt doing to him,
that they could be mates, she knew that would never happen.

The wolf in her dreams begged for the man—at least that was what she
thought since she couldn’t actually hear her wolf—she could feel the man’s
touch on her cheek and knew it was useless to dream.

To hope.

There would be no future with North Jamenson.

She was already mated.

You can find more
from Hidden Destiny on Carrie Ann’s website.

www.CarrieAnnRyan.com

Did you enjoy this selection? Why not try another
romance from Fated Desires?

From Heather Long’s The Martini Sisterhood

Shaken

The Martini Sisterhood—five women bonded by the ties of
friendship, supporting each other through challenges of surviving love, and
loss.  For these women, life can change on a whimsical dare and a magic
eight ball…

She’s good at sorting out professional messes…

Accountant Zip Crenshaw spends so much time on
spreadsheets that’s she’s forgotten what it’s like to be between the sheets.
During her weekly cocktail hour with the girls, they consult a Magic Eight Ball
about her crush on bartender Tony. When the toy advises her to go for it, Zip
dares to color outside the lines and go after the man who heats her dreams…

He’s in the middle of a personal trial…

Tony Giordano enjoys Friday nights above all others,
because it’s the one night a week he’s sure to see the sexy accountant and her
friends. Having long since resigned Zip to the look, but don’t touch category,
he’s blown away by her invitation.  Tony’s always been a planner but with
his custody battle looming, he’s not prepared for the effect she has on him…

One night leaves them both shaken…

What began as a whimsical dare quickly turns
passionate, but is an unquenchable desire—and a Magic Eight Ball’s
advice—enough for these two planners to risk happily ever after on?