Scratching his head, he faked a laugh. “Well, when nobody answered the door, we thought we’d check before leaving. You wouldn’t happen to know the owner, would you?” His companion started coming closer as well, glancing around, presumably to see if we were alone.
My throat tightened. Where the fuck was Laken? He should have been there any minute. If I could keep them off until then… “It is a small town, everybody knows everybody.”
His deep eyes glinted with hope and something dangerous. Stomach tightening, I started wondering what objects nearby I could use as weapons because I damn sure wasn’t outrunning anyone. “Perfect; can you point us in the right direction, then?”
Turning my head toward town, just in the nick of time, Laken materialized with the sun outlining his body from behind in a red haze. For once, I actually was a damsel in distress. “Ah, there is an employee! He can help you more than I can.”
The man staggered back a step, clearly not as comfortable confronting Laken as he was me.
Laken quickened his steps, the muscles in his neck feathered, and he checked his pocket for something before taking out that dagger he carried. It wasn’t a wolf like he’d said, but it was as much of a predator. Yet he didn’t stop there, but startedcleaning out his nails?Gods, I thought mindlessly to myself,what dramatics.
“Hello, lads.” Laken grinned. “Can I help you?”
“Oh, they were wanting to speak with the owner,” I answered. “I told them you were an employee and could help.”
My ex-boyfriend, part-time assassin flipped the dagger in his hand, catching the hilt and pointing the tip at our visitor. “Ah,” he sighed, “what can I do for you, then?”
Staring down his nose at Laken, the man checked him up and down with a serpentine grin. Looking for trouble. “We heard you have healing cream. We’re interested in buying a few jars.”
Laken sighed, unbothered. “All out, sorry, fellas.”
“Is that so?”
“Yep.” Laken tilted his dagger, catching the sun on its edge. “Sold out yesterday.”
“How unfortunate.” He laughed in a high-pitched howl. “We’ll be going, then.”
Sliding his dagger back in its sheath, Laken grinned with a nod. “You two have a nice evening.”
Sauntering through the gate, the same one who’d done all the talking turned to face us once again. “You might wantto keep a supply of your healing cream on hand, you know.” The slight curl of his lip made me sick. “You never know when you’re going to need it.”
Asshole.Laken had yet to say anything as the men faded into the distance and we turned toward the house, but his face was set in a stern grimace. “About that.” He aimed his gaze over his shoulder at me, his eyes burning with a fire I’d never seen from him. Determined and dangerous. I swallowed. “We need to talk.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Poachers?” I stared wide-eyed at Laken standing across the room looking out the window to make sure the men left. “They’rehere? What the fuck am I going to do? Sic my chickens on them?” A hysterical laugh rushed out of me. Raking my hands through my hair, my mind reeled.
Laken explained they were from the group of poachers keeping a keen eye on McCarthen’s. Him telling me about them was one thing, but them actually showing up in our yard was different. Worse. I pressed the heels of my palms into my eyes. These weremycreatures in danger.Mysanctuary.
I stood so quickly the motion startled Laken, still on edge, turning him toward me. His lips remained in a tight-set line. His eyes continued wandering around our surroundings, observing, waiting.
“You’re going to teach me how to defend myself.”
Thathe might not have been prepared for. Shaking his head, he squeezed his eyes shut and reopened them—then it hit. A sense of clarity eased the stress in his features. His lips curled as he gave the slightest nod. “You want to learn self-defense?”
I nodded.That’s what I said.And before he got the chance to argue, “Right now.”
“Now?”
“Now.”
Laken’s lips parted, then he drew them between his teeth. Taking one last glance out the window, he raised his arms above him. The fabric of his sleeves stretched over his muscles flexing. “Alright, McCarthen,” he agreed, “but it’s not going to be fun.”
“It never is with you.”
A rough chuckle rose from his chest as he came closer. He stood just inches away, a strange tension heated between us like a warning that this was a bad idea. Bad because I’d basically agreed to getting my ass kicked or bad because of the proximity required to teach one self-defense, I wasn’t sure. Both, probably.
Sliding my gaze over his shoulders in front on me, up his neck and his sharp jaw, a swirling heat rose through my core. I traced the edges of his lips until I met his glare. Holding my ground, I kept my chin held high. Or I did, until he leaned in. And farther in.What the fuck is he—
