Wolf's Desire (3 page)

“
Just one more, and I promise, I won’t ever call you again.”

Aiden didn’t believe him, bu
t the guy had a job to do and client’s requests to fulfill. “Answer my question. What is she afraid of?”

“Her husband was murdered
some time ago. There was an incident recently. Police are already watching her and patrolling the neighborhood. Like I said, the liaison mentioned that she’d feel safer with her own protection. You’d have minimal duties as she was a housewife and barely leaves the property.”

Aid
en grumbled. “I’ve a vacation planned in a few days.”

“I’ll decrease my percentage.
Take less of the cut. Do this last one.”

“For how long?”

“Just four months.”

Damn.
Just four more months to serve and protect. He had this keen instinct that he was getting himself into some really bad shit, but this job was what he was born to do. The satisfaction received at the end of the day for protecting a client from their fears, and sometimes real threats, was reward enough.

He’d rest sooner or later, but first….

It was only four months.

“
Email me the contract.
Now.
If I don’t see it before I go down for a nap in thirty minutes, there is no deal.”

“Standby,” Max said, and disconnected the call.

Not even sixty seconds later, a sound came from the laptop lying on an end table notifying him that he had an email.

He opened his wallet and folded the bonus check
from the congressman neatly inside for depositing later, then he got up and retrieved his laptop.

Things
had always been this way. A never-ending cycle.

The moment one job ended, another began.

“Is that all of your luggage?” The man looked down at the luggage on either side of Aiden’s feet.

“I don’t require much,” Aiden said, stooping to gather his suitcase and weapons bag before the servant could. Behind him, he heard the taxi cab pull out of th
e stone-lined driveway and speed off.

The male housekeeper stepped inside,
pulled the door open, and held his arm out in a gesture that implied for him to come in.

The home was larger than he expected. In this small town, most people prided themselves o
n having large lawns and cozier houses. Acreage over square footage. This house was possibly one of the biggest in the area. As the taxi cab passed through the wealthiest part of the town, he’d observed many of the surroundings, storing most everything to memory. The wide open spaces of the landscape was certainly something he missed while living in the populated area further north of the town.

The housekeeper
cleared his throat, interrupting him from his thoughts. Aiden knew that as soon as he crossed the threshold his job would begin. He had no doubts he could and would protect this client with everything he had, but something nagged him. Intuition maybe. He couldn’t quite pinpoint it. There was this feeling that this one last job would be like no other he’d ever had.

Aiden stepped
inside the home and the housekeeper closed the door behind him.

A sweet
lavender smell immediately greeted him as he stood in the foyer. There was a vase of them on a stand near the entrance. The home itself smelled fresh and seemed airy. The hardwood floors gleamed as though someone had just polished them that day. The first level of the home was open floor space with the focal point being the double glass doors leading out to a back wrap around porch and a massive back yard. All of the furniture was modern style, from the patterns etched across the throw pillows on the sofas, to the curtains hanging over the windows. Everything was spotless, neatly arranged, and under-used.

“I’m Thomas, by the way,
” the male housekeeper said. The corners of his eyes crinkled as he observed Aiden carefully. “I’ll take you to your room, and then show you around the estate.”

Thomas looked to b
e in his early fifties. A mass of thick black hair with threads of gray running through it was piled on his head. He reminded Aiden of many of the male housekeeper working at homes of most of the elite clientele that he’d protected.

From what he’d researched about the Ellis estate, only five people actually lived here now. The late Miss Ellis. Thomas, the b
utler. A chef. And two maids.

“It’s nice to meet you, Thomas, and thank you. At this time, I’d like you to take me to Miss Ellis.”

Thomas seemed stunned by his request. He lifted an eyebrow before saying, “Very well. This way…”

The hallway was wide and bright courtesy of the sun shining in through the open window on the other end. L
amp scones were hung from the ceiling every three feet. Intricate crown molding adorned the floor at the base and on the center of the wall. Paintings lined the wall—of beaches, fresh waterfalls, and fruit groves—reminding him of the vacation he’d just canceled on the way here. He made memory of what he could before they turned the corner and came to a halt in front of a door.

Thomas knocked lightly
. “Miss Ellis?”

“Yes, Thomas?” a soft voice called out from inside.

“Mr. Price has arrived. He immediately asked for you.”

There was a moment of pause, and Miss Ellis spoke again
. “Come in.”

Thomas pushed the door open.

Aiden stumbled back as he took his next breath. His body shivered, sending a wave of conflicting feelings throughout him. He parted his mouth in shock, and his taste buds pulsed in hunger. His dick stirred behind the zipper of his pants, and he bit into his lips while taking slow even breaths to relieve the tension.

His profession became
him for more reasons than most knew. His sense of smell and the ability to detect fear and danger within milliseconds were his greatest assets. This same sense of smell told him that the woman behind that door was his mate.

Fuck.

There was no other explanation. Or perhaps he’d completely lost it, in which case he should have turned down the job and remained retired. He was no use to a client if his nose was playing tricks on him.

“Mr. Price?” Thomas swung his arm out in the direction of the open door.

Aiden swallowed as more of the woman’s scent infused him and stepped over the threshold.

Thomas nodded once and then began to back away
. “There are preparations to be made for dinner. I’ll have a maid upstairs right away to get your room ready.” With that, he left Aiden in the doorway.

Aiden waited a couple minutes and not another sound came from the room. But Miss Ellis was in there alright. He could already smell the subtle fragrance of her perfume.
With his bags in tow, Aiden walked to the center of the room.

His gaze moved from one corner of the room to the next. It was an office, or maybe just a library.
Rows of bookcases lined the walls. A massive red oak desk sat in the center of the room. The big black leather chair behind it was empty. There was a leather bound book open in the center of the desk and a fountain pen lying beside it.

A gust of fres
h wind floated toward him and the strong relaxing aura overtook him. His head turned in the direction of the breeze to an open bay window where a woman sat with a book in her hand. His skin seemed to tighten against him and a powerful energy rushed down his spine.

Miss Ellis didn’t immediately look up as she was busy reading the boo
k folded open on her lap. She sat Indian-style on a plump cushion with the curtains billowing out around her and the early breeze flowing in. Her hair was caught in a bun at her nape. As she bowed her head, Aiden admired the long gracefulness of her neck. She looked extremely young—it wasn’t something Aiden expected.

Her top of her dress clung to her ripe breasts tightly
. Arms the color of warm melted caramel were completely exposed. The sole of one foot was bared to him. They were small, delicate, and the skin looked baby soft and flawless.

Aiden swallowed as a hot flash spread through his core. His nostril flared as he identified the scent rendering him
senseless. Above the infusion of yet another set of lavenders in the vase poised on the desk was the smell of something sweeter. Like a fruit.
Peaches.

At that moment, she cho
se to look up causing Aiden to stumble once again.

Gods, she was beautiful. Young and beautiful.
Delicate and exotic.

Her eyelashes fluttered as she lifted them to focus on him. Deep hazel eyes examined him slowly, from head to toe. Her plush lips were opened slightly and they parted even more as she
observed him. Eyebrows lifted only momentarily, hinting at a bit of surprise.

Why did he expect an older woman? Maybe because Jamison Ellis,
her late husband, was in his late fifties? Perhaps, she was his daughter, but nothing in the files indicated that the Ellis’ had any children.

When she closed the book, and placed it on the sill beside her, he noticed that her fingernails were paint
ed a deep red.

He released the breath he’d been holding since the
moment he caught glimpse of Keira Ellis, attempted to regain his composure, and met her at the bay window.

“Aiden Price. Reporting for duty, ma’am.”

A shy smile crossed her face. “Call me Keira.”

He wanted Keira. He wanted her to himself. At his side. In his arms. On his bed. Without a doubt, the wolf knew what the connection was. She was the one the animal craved to possess. She would make both of them happy. Satisfied, not just temporarily, but indefinitely.

“Hello, Keira.” Everything about her was beautiful. Even her name was mesmerizing. Whatever he’d learned during his training over fifteen years ago about containing strong emotions toward a client were now only a distant memory. “I hope I wasn’t interjecting but I was told to report at 1500 hours sharp.”

“I was only
reading.” She picked up the paperback book and waved it in front of him before putting it back down again.

Aiden noted a knight in full armor embracing a scantily dressed woman on
the cover. Evidently, she’d been enjoying a romantic novel. “Please forgive me, but this assignment was impromptu. I’d like to perform physical inspection of the property and surrounding areas.”

Keira squinted up at him with a confused expression on her face.
Her eyes travelled once again from his head to his toe and then back up again. She pursed her lips before saying, “Are those weapons in that bag?”

“Yes,” he said. “The report says you’re a
moderately high risk client. They’re for your protection.”

She frowned, and her brow wrinkled in worry.

“Don’t worry. I’m highly skilled and effective at what I do. I will keep you safe.”

He watched as she l
ifted her chin slightly. The delicate veins shifted on her neck as she swallowed slowly.

“Thank you,”
she whispered.

She didn’t seem to exhibit the same feelings as he, but then again she was human. His mate was human? Was it a mistake? Maybe the smell of her perfume confused his wolf.

He was here to protect Keira Ellis, not take her to bed. He had rules. One of them was:
Never fuck a client.

This feeling would fade…perhaps. And if it didn’t…he’d worry about that later.

There was something else in her scent that registered.

Keira Ellis was
afraid. Among the aura of ripe peaches, the air was also tinged with an abundance of fear and apprehension. Aiden felt sorry for her. He’d lost many who he’d loved over the years, but nothing could have been as terrible as losing a spouse to a killer.

“According to Thomas, there is
a room where I’ll be staying. I’d like to drop off my bags and a tour of the property, if you don’t mind,” Aiden said. “After this, I will no longer inconvenience you.”

She nodded, and dropped her gaze to the floor. “I’ll have one of the maids show you.” She picked up her book again.

Aiden felt his lips tightening into a thin line. “You misunderstand. You hired me as your bodyguard. 24/7. Except during times calling for privacy. The terms of the contract are one that require me in your presence or not less than one room away from you, depending on the situation and security at the present time. Were you not made aware of these arrangements or did you not request them?”

“
It’s just that I’ve never had a bodyguard.” Her voice sounded strained and troubled, and tears pooled in her eyes. “Nothing like this has ever happened to me before.”

“I’ll wait outside if you need some time,” he offered.
The look of distress on her face caused a lump of concern to rise in his own throat. There was an urge to go to her and ensure her that nothing else would harm her, but he wasn’t her counselor—he was her bodyguard.

“Yes, please.”
Keira tore her gaze away and looked out of the window. “I’ll be out in a minute.”