Two Minutes (Seven Series Book 6) (13 page)

Denver leaned on his forearms. “And what business is it of yours?”

“Let’s just say that you’re encroaching upon my territory.”

The hairs on the back of Denver’s neck rose. This alpha was staking his claim on Maizy? “You forget she’s my packmate, not free game.”

Prince tipped his head to the side. “Perhaps, but technically she’s human, so she belongs to no one’s pack.”

Denver lifted his chin. “Have you been following us? This doesn’t look like your kind of joint.”

Prince’s eyes lifted and he observed their surroundings. “Precisely. I would never bring a woman like Maizy to a classless, cheap establishment such as this.”

Denver waved his finger between them. “She’s the one who brought me, buddy.” Maybe that didn’t impress the alpha, because a smug look crossed Prince’s expression.

“It must be hard times indeed to have an unemployed woman pay for your breakfast.”

Asshole
. “She didn’t buy my food. It was free.”

“Keep flapping your gums and it will only reaffirm what an unworthy man you are.”

Prince had an arrogance about him that came with age, but he’d never gone out of his way to be rude to one of them. It was as if he was trying to provoke Denver and get him to do something foolish. Denver wanted to flip the table over, but he wasn’t sure if it was bolted to the floor. Aside from that, Prince was a Packmaster, and there were rules about that kind of thing that could land Denver in hot water for attacking him.

Prince knew it too, and that’s why he kept a supreme look of satisfaction on his face. The same face Denver wanted to shove into a plate of half-eaten eggs and cover in maple syrup.

“What do you want?”

Prince peered over his shoulder at the bathroom door and stood up. “Walk with me to the exit.”

Denver set an empty glass on a few bills and followed Prince. They paused at the glass door with Prince leaning his right shoulder against the wall.

“I don’t know what relationship exists between you two, but we both know it’s not uncommon for watchdogs to mate with the ones they’re protecting. I’ve seen it. The relationship is unbreakable, and once the woman comes of age and begins dating, that old instinct kicks in. The one that tells you to fight for her, only I don’t see you fighting so hard, and I’m guessing it’s because she’s a human. I want you to keep your distance.”

“And what’s your sudden interest in a human? Looking for a pet? Well, it ain’t gonna happen.”

“She has always been a special child, and now she’s an exquisite woman. I can offer her more than your tip jar at Howlers. Why would you deny her that measure of security? Think about what kind of life she could have before you decide how greedy you want to be. I have an abundance of wealth and power, and who I choose to set my sights on is none of your affair.”

Denver leaned in. “What makes you think we’re not together?”

Prince’s features hardened, and Denver’s attention was drawn to his blue eye more than the brown. “Because I know the look of a man who covets. It’s not the same look as a man who already has the object of his desire in his possession. You’re never going to get her. She will never be yours.”

Denver leaned in tight. “She has
always
been mine,” he said through clenched teeth.

“Let this be a warning. If I find out you’ve put one finger on her, then I’ll see to it your pack is stripped down to nothing.” Prince disappeared out the door and Denver stepped back to let a young couple follow behind him.

Denver watched him cross the parking lot and get into his Audi. Prince had always done their pack a good turn, so Denver never had a reason to dislike him. He didn’t trust men who wore ponytails, but who was he to judge? He barely ran a comb through his own hair. Prince’s packmates boasted about how much they loved living under his rule. He was firm, and that’s the sort of leadership a decent pack respected.

He was still a prick with a ponytail.

Prince must have been the one Maizy had visited the other night. Denver wondered if she’d given him the impression that she was interested. And why the hell would an ancient like Prince want anything to do with a human? Probably just wanted her for a plaything. It disgusted Denver and he folded his arms as he watched the car speed off.

A hand slapped his shoulder and he spun around. “Jesus, Maizy. You scared the bacon out of me.”

“What’s wrong?”

He tried to ignore his thundering heart. “Nothing. Just anxious to get this show on the road so I can see what torment awaits me.”

Her eyes curved into crescent moons as she smiled up at him. “Good. Follow me to the torture chamber!”

“Stop yelling at me!”

When the car jerked to the right, Denver let go of the wheel. “Then stay on the right side of the road. We’re not in Europe anymore.”

“Sorry. It’s a habit. Maybe I need to get my license.”

Denver snatched the hat off my head and put it on his own. “If you can read a stop sign, then you’re good to go. Nobody needs to know how to parallel park. We can always make you up a fake ID if you’re worried about getting a ticket, but you know we have connections to get that ticket erased.”

Everyone in the Breed had fake human identities, but I wasn’t Breed. “No, I want to do things the legit way.”

“I don’t see why people have to get a license,” he grumbled. “You know how to drive. I taught you on the property when you were twelve.”

“I remember. Mom’s poor bird bath.”

“People shouldn’t put those things just anywhere,” he said, scooting down in his seat.

I took another right turn and headed down the back roads, away from the city. A squirrel darted in the road up ahead and did a zigzag before making up his mind to climb a tree. “I really missed Texas.”

Denver bent his legs and put his feet against the dash. “Yeah? What did you miss?”

“Crepe myrtles, mockingbirds, amazing sunsets, ice cream cones on a hot summer day in the back of a pickup truck, craft fairs, Breed music festivals, the Alamo Drafthouse, barbecue.”

“Not a fan of English barbecue?” he asked with a snort.

I gave him an amused look and took another wide turn.

Denver cleared his throat, his voice becoming textured and deep. Something about the heat and humidity in the South did that. It slowed things down a beat once you got away from air-conditioning. Your pace slowed, your way of talking changed, and life seemed to pass by as infinitely slow as the clouds drifting by overhead.

“This is starting to look familiar,” he said. “Are we going where I think we’re going?”

“It’s been a long time, but I wanted to see if I could remember how to get here. Lexi brought me here a couple of times before I left home, but I can’t really remember why. Something about digging on the property. Here it is!”

As soon as I turned off the engine, Denver sat up and put his hat on the dash. “Home sweet home. Do you remember when we lived here?”

Even though it was long ago and I’d been just a little girl, it was such a transitional time in my life that the memories of the house were crisp. “When Lexi brought me here, we didn’t go inside,” I said quietly.

“Why not?”

I listened to the sound of the engine clicking from the heat. “Because… I still remember what my father did.”

Denver’s knuckles turned white when he clenched his fists. “You don’t remember the Mage?”

“I remember a man grabbing me, but that didn’t seem as terrible as meeting my father and seeing him shoot Lexi.” I wiped a tear from my eye and a cool breeze swirled in the cab of the truck. “I think about that a lot. I knew how it affected me, but I can’t imagine how it must have made her feel. She grew up with him in her life.”

“Why do you want to come back here if all you have are bad memories?”

“This was your home, and you guys had all these great times here. It’s still your home, and I want to remember it for more than just one memory. That’s what’s kept me away for so long, but I need to put all that behind me and move on. I still remember you blowing bubbles with me in the atrium, and that silly apron you used to wear.”

“Silly?” He gave me a sideways glance and popped open the door. “I beg to differ. There’s nothing silly about a woman’s nude body.”

Denver wiped his brow with the back of his hand and we headed toward the front door. Dirt had blown onto the small porch, and he kicked a large stick into the yard. When he unlocked the door and we stepped inside, I was surprised to feel cool air.

“Aus doesn’t mind paying the electric bill. He says a house will fall apart if you ignore it. The heat house is fine for a retreat, but I know Reno and Jericho still like to come out here every so often to get away. Last summer Izzy and Jericho stayed here with the kids and did a whole cookout and camping thing. I think Reno just likes to come out here with April and get his freak on.”

I glanced at an empty row of nails to the right of the door. It seemed empty and depressing. I kicked off my shoes in the corner. “It’s smaller than I remember.”

He patted me playfully on the head. “You’re bigger, Peanut.”

When Denver strolled toward the glass door, I released my breath. He hadn’t noticed he’d just called me by my old nickname, but the familiarity made my heart clench.

He slid open the door to the atrium and stomped on some of the tall weeds. The grass had died, and all that remained were patches of dirt and wild plants. I saw an empty bottle of bubbles next to the glass and stepped back. I hadn’t been ready for the emotions. As I looked around, the memories of my father faded and were replaced by other images. Ben and Wheeler, before the drama that tore them apart. I remembered how big and menacing Reno seemed, but he had always made sure the pack was nice to me.

The next thing I knew, I was standing in the middle of the empty living room. Just a few pieces of furniture remained, and it looked a shambles, like something that had once been loved and was left behind.

“Hey,” Denver said, coming back inside. “This all you want to see?”

“Maybe I’ll save the bedrooms for next time.”

“Good idea. I don’t feel like explaining why Reno has hooks in the ceiling.”

I cupped my arms and turned around, staring at the ratty maroon recliner. The air in the room stilled, and memories crept back of right before we began staying with the Weston pack. My father had forced his way into my mom’s house. I couldn’t remember what he’d argued with her about—only that the next thing I knew, we were in his car.

“What are you thinking?” Denver asked. His voice was quiet, and I felt the air shift as he moved close behind me.

“My father dumped me off on the side of the highway.”

Denver put his hands on my shoulders. When I didn’t say anything, he turned me around. “You remember all that?”

I nodded, staring at his stubbly chin. “He threw me out of the car because I was crying and wanted to go home. Then I stood on the edge of the ditch, cars speeding by. I still remember how terrified I was—suddenly no one was there to protect me.”

Before I knew it, Denver had pulled me into his arms. His right arm curved around the back of my head, and I felt his heart thundering against his chest. A feeling swept over me, something I’d never felt before, but it filled me with a need to pull myself closer against him.

“Maizy, look at me,” he said in a firm voice. Denver captured my face in his hands and looked down at me with resolute eyes. “No one’s ever going to treat you like that again, you hear me?
No one
. Don’t let a lowlife define your worth.”

His smell tangled in my thoughts with the way he touched my skin, the tender way he caressed my cheek with his fingers, and the invitation in his eyes. The one he didn’t speak of; the one he couldn’t hide.

I slipped my hands around his waist and he sucked in a sharp breath. “Kiss me.”

“I can’t,” he whispered back.

“But you were going to the other night until I almost got sick.”

A smile hovered on his lips. “Divine intervention.”

“Don’t you like me, Denny?”

He shifted his stance. “I’ve never looked at you like that before.”

My voice fell to a whisper. “Then look at me like that.” I rose on my tiptoes until our faces were close. “Don’t make me beg for something you want too. Give me a good memory in this house, Denny. Kiss me the way you would if you loved me.”

His hands slipped behind my neck and his mouth crushed against mine. Warmth. Wetness. Desire. Eagerness. He kissed me hard—ours lips parting and tongues intimately discovering each other. I flattened my hands against his sides, up his strong chest, and then over his broad shoulders.

Someone moaned. Was it me?

Or was it him?

Denver delivered a smoldering kiss that would set the bar high for future suitors. It was demanding and experienced. His lips melted against mine, slowing down and searing into my memory. My legs trembled, and my body ached for him to hold me again. His fingers slipped into my hair, tickling me with soft strokes.

Just when I thought it was dying down, Denver moved in for the kill. This time he moaned audibly. Passion stirred as his body seemed to harden and warm all at once, and images flashed in my mind of us doing things in that room—naughty things. I stood on his feet to get as close as I could.

When he dragged his mouth away and rested his cheek against mine, I curved my arms around his back and put my feet on the floor. We could have pressed on, but Denver embracing me right after was more intimate than the kiss itself. Feeling his chest move with breath, his body warm me with heat, and his muscles tense as they held me tight, filled me with a sense of belonging.

“Is this wrong?” he whispered against my ear.

“Does it feel wrong?”

“No. But maybe I need someone to tell me it is.”

“Why?”

Denver moved back, but I held on. “Wanting something and deserving something aren’t the same. You deserve the best.”

I didn’t want to ruin it. Everything in me screamed for an argument—to accuse him of shunning me for the past several years and find out why he continued to push me away, even after the kiss. But I’d never felt anything so pure with a man, and I knew if I opened my mouth and argued his point that I would tarnish the moment and create another bad memory in that house.

“Let’s not say anything regretful on my birthday,” I said with a smile in my voice. “We still haven’t gotten to part three.”

His chest rocked with laughter and he raked his fingers through his hair, a look of embarrassment on his face. “I’m afraid to ask. It just gets weirder and weirder.”

“Did you bring your swim trunks?”

His brows knitted. “Odds are slim to none.”

I brushed past him toward the hallway. “Then be afraid. Be
very
afraid.”

***

Not too far from the old house was a wide creek. I’d never walked there from the house, but the pack had talked a dozen times about it, so I had a good idea of where it was located. When I was younger, we used to drive out there for a swim. Unlike the muddy, shallow waters of the creek by our current home, this one was deep, wide, and perfect for a summer day.

Each time I veered off course, Denver would steer me in the right direction. As soon as we arrived, I stripped out of my shorts and shirt and dove right in. I’d prepared by putting on my purple bikini that morning, but Denver looked a little apprehensive from his position on a flat rock.

“What’s the matter? Since when are Shifters shy?” I teased, moving toward the center. A shiver ran up my spine from the delicious feel of the chilly water.

Not one to be challenged, Denver stripped out of his T-shirt and unzipped his jeans. My eyes wandered down to his chest, defined abs, and warm tan. When he stripped out of his pants, I dunked my face low enough in the water to hide my smile. Gracious, he really did have nice legs. With him standing before me like that, I noticed every line of muscle from his biceps to the V-cut that led into his briefs, which were white with a low waist and black waistband. For a second I hoped he might strip out of them, but Denver leapt off the rock and grabbed his knees, doing a cannonball.

He hit the water with an explosive crash, and I paddled backward. “You’re crazy!”

He shook his head like a dog, sending a spray of water around him. “That’s brisk. Why didn’t you tell me it’s thirty degrees in here?” He swam a few strokes in my direction. “I seem to recall I wasn’t the only one who liked jumping in and making a splash.”

I tried floating on my back, but my stomach kept sinking. Denver came up next to me and I felt his hand below my back, pushing me up.

“Do you remember me teaching you this?” he asked. “You were scared I’d let go and you’d drown.”

“It didn’t help you kept telling me there were holes I could fall into and end up in China. I panicked when you let go.” I closed my eyes, the sun warming my face.

“I may have let go,” he continued, “but I was always there in case you needed me. You were a headstrong little brat.” Denver splashed me in the face with a few drops of water.

After a moment, I put my legs down and swam around him. “I hope I wasn’t a brat. I know you guys didn’t sign up for having me in the house.”

“Any bratty behavior I take full credit for,” he said proudly.

We circled each other, and it seemed as if Denver’s blue eyes were on fire. The sunlight made his pupils small, so all I saw was the brilliant, deep hue. His hair was slicked back, and he’d never looked so handsome.

I smiled nostalgically, watching a dragonfly land on the water before flying off. “Remember how you used to throw me? I bet I’m too heavy now.”

His mouth disappeared beneath the water and his right eyebrow arched. Anticipating his mischief, I swam away, but it was too late. Denver corralled me in the shallow end, and before I could escape, he gripped my waist and launched me over his head.