Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 59154 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 296(@200wpm)___ 237(@250wpm)___ 197(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59154 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 296(@200wpm)___ 237(@250wpm)___ 197(@300wpm)
His eyes narrowed, and his voice went deep. “You’re not in my bed because of my job.”
“I’m here at Wolf Ranch because of it. You climbing into my bed at the other ranch was. I was only a job to you.”
Tears started to stream down my cheeks.
“I thought… I thought… I was so stupid!”
I fled.
“Lyssa, baby, wait!”
He chased. Of course he would. That was what wolves did.
I didn’t have my small duffel. I didn’t care about my clothes. But my purse was on the small table by the entry along with Johnny’s keys. I snagged both and ran outside.
Barefoot. No bra.
I dashed to his truck and climbed in. Started the engine. Shit, the seat was so far back!
“Lys. Stop. Wait!”
I shook my head at him. With my butt on the very edge of the seat, I put the truck into gear and took off, the wheels kicking up dust.
None of this was real. It had been playtime. A fling while he waited until my boss contacted me. No, not my boss. Lyssa’s. And he was never going to contact me because I wasn’t Lyssa.
I was Emma. The one no one wanted to love.
29
JOHNNY
I watched Lyssa peel out down the drive.
“Lyssa!” I shouted, but it was no use. “What the fuck?”
What just happened? I had to get to her and find out. I took off to the barn, the closest building. At this time of morning… yes! Boyd’s truck was here.
I dashed inside.
“I need your keys.”
Boyd was by Chestnut’s stall door, and he turned at my approach. His eyes widened and came alert.
“What the hell? What’s wrong? Did you shift?”
I was frantic, ready to reach into his jeans pockets for his fucking keys.
“Lyssa left. We had a fight. She freaked and drove off.”
“She’s not in danger?”
I shook my head. “No. Give me your keys.”
“Dude, you’re naked.”
It was then I looked down at myself. “FUCK!” I shouted, agitating the horses.
He grabbed my shoulder and pulled me out of the barn and walked me in the direction of the bunkhouse.
“Tell me what the fuck is going on.” His usually playful demeanor was all seriousness.
I ran a hand through my hair. “We woke up, and I told her I was an enforcer.”
“Fuck. That’s a lot to lay on a human. That could be overwhelming.”
“She knew about what I did to the guy who hurt my sister, and she was okay with it. It was when I told her I was after her boss, Chapman, that she got pissed.”
“Chapman’s the guy you’re looking for?”
I nodded.
He pushed me into the main room of the bunkhouse, the front door wide open. “Go get some clothes on.”
“I need your truck to go after her.”
“Not without fucking pants you’re not.”
I huffed into my bedroom that still smelled like Lyssa and tugged on some jeans. I came back out as I buttoned a flannel over my chest.
“Give me your keys.”
He shook his head. “Where are you going to look for her?” he pressed. “Women need time to cool off.”
I growled.
“She’s not a shifter, Johnny. Driving off in a truck is like going for a run for us. She’ll be back.”
I ran a hand through my hair. “She’s my mate. My marked mate.”
He grinned. “Yeah, congrats.”
I glared. No congrats because she wasn’t fucking here. “I didn’t even get around to telling her what being marked means. She’s out there” –I pointed out the front door– “thinking I used her.”
“Did you?”
I flung my arms up. “No! I scented her, and there was no looking back.”
“But you still are looking for Chapman.”
“Yeah, of course.”
“Let me guess, my brother told you to pump her for intel.”
My eyes widened. “Yeah.”
He sighed. “Until she cools off, dude, you’re fucked.”
30
EMMA
I drove out of Cooper Valley and parked at a scenic pullout on the side of the road.
Thankfully, my cell had been in my purse when I fled.
I swiped at my face, wiped at the tears. Sniffed.
Called Lyssa.
“Emmie!”
The sound of my sister’s voice had tears filling my eyes again.
“Where are you?” I asked.
“Back at the ranch. Where are you? I thought you were staying for a while.”
“Is Mitch Chapman there?” I asked, first thing. If Johnny said he was a dangerous man… shifter, then I believed him.
“What? No. I got back from Ibiza last night.”
“Is the sultan with you?” I wondered. I wasn’t going to mess with her and her man.
“Raj? No, silly, we had our fun, and he’s on his way to some horse show in Dubai or something.”
Right. Raj was the flavor of the week, and she was done with that taste.
“So no one’s there with you?”
“All is quiet. Except we could be eating chocolate chip cookie dough and talking about boys if you were here.”
That sounded good. I missed my twin fiercely. Especially now after trying to be just like her the past few days.
“He hasn’t called you?” I asked, worried.