AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“And this wolf. He witnessed it all, but he’ll never tell.”
“He better not.” Parker glanced at the wolf. “But why do I feel as if he’s judging us?”
“You maybe.” Brandy gave Parker a shove. “He likes me.”
Parker shoved her back. “I’ll let you two be alone then. He seems to be doing well, and I’ve got an alpaca over in Burlington that needs my expert attention.”
“You’re so important, Dr. Daniels.” Brandy used a high girly voice and batted her eyelashes as she fanned herself with her hand.
Parker laughed. “I’ll see you tomorrow, B.”
She gave him a wave and listened for the door closing before slumping to the floor beside the wolf’s cage. “Oh my God, big boy. That was weird. Have you ever kissed your best friend?” She turned to look at the black beauty whose green-gold eyes were so intensely focused on her. A strange warmth grew in the middle of her chest and radiated to parts below.
Great.The gaze of an animal was turning her on. This day was just plain odd. She’d thought the wolf’s eyes were glowing. She’dkissedParker. Now she’d swear she was feelingsomethingfor this wolf. She needed to get it together and quickly.
“Let’s see how you react to another wolf, shall we?”
She got to her feet and shuffled to the door, intending to find Lug and bring him in. He was the friendliest and most laid back of all the wolves. If anyone could make friends with the new guy, it was Lug.
Brandy opened the door to find Hank Swift standing on the other side of it instead.
He pushed his way in and pinned Brandy to the wall. “You called the fucking police on me.”
“Listen, Hank, I—”
“I don’t want to hear any explanations, bitch.”
A loud clang sounded behind her as Hank increased the pressure of his forearm across her chest. She risked a glance in the direction of the noise and widened her eyes at the wolf cage now on its side.
Theemptywolf cage.
****
Reardon bolted toward the man with his hands on Brandy. He’d had enough of watching men have their hands on her, and although she hadn’t minded that Parker lad touching her, Brandy definitely did not like this new man pinning her against the wall. Her fear filled Reardon’s nostrils, and the only thing he could think about was sinking his teeth into the bastard’s flesh.
He let out a low warning growl and prepared to lunge when the man didn’t let go of Brandy right away.
“Go ahead, mutt,” the man said, not loosening his hold on Brandy. “Bite me and then I’ll have a great case for shutting down this fucking mangy zoo.”
Brandy’s gaze connected with Reardon’s and he read her plea not to bite the stranger, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t scare the potatoes out of him. Instead of biting, he went through a series of lunges, accompanied by his fiercest barking, snarling, and growling. He made sure he displayed every single one of his sizable teeth and he reared up on his hind legs a few times—though it pained his injured one—so the stranger could see how big he was. Saliva flew from Reardon’s jaws as they snapped and his claws scraped noisily against the room’s flooring.
The color left the man’s cheeks and, slowly, he released his hold on Brandy and backed toward the door. Reardon didn’t relent though. He kept up his menacing act until the man was on the step outside the door and still backing up.
“I’m leaving!” he shouted at Reardon. His gaze went to Brandy. “But this isn’t over. I got a right to put those traps out. If your beasts are too stupid to stay out of them, it’s not my problem.”
Brandy came up behind Reardon. “It will definitely be your problem if my son or anyone else I know accidently steps into one of your Jaws of Death, Hank. I don’t want anyone getting hurt.”
“Call the cops again, and you cancounton someone getting hurt.”
Hank turned around and Reardon had to stop himself from running after his retreating form, ripping him limb from limb, and pissing all over his shredded carcass. The only thing that truly kept him from doing any of those things was Brandy falling to her knees behind him.
A sob rose from her and the sound arrowed through Reardon’s heart. This woman had been nothing but kind to him, and he couldn’t imagine reacting to her the way that bastard had. Clearly, he was the one in the wrong. Reardon knew firsthand how wrong. He had a chewed up leg from one of the traps as evidence. And though Reardon didn’t have much experience with a respectable lass like Brandy, he knew for sure a gentleman didn’t talk to one the way that man had. Nor did he put his hands on a lass. Not unless he’d been invited to do so and then only with the utmost reverence.
More sobs followed the first one, and Reardon longed to shift so he could gather Brandy in his arms to comfort her. Deciding that would startle her more than console, he settled for sidling up next to her and going into a submissive position. He rested his chin on his paws, but kept edging closer, closer, closer. He didn’t stop until his head was in her lap and her hands had found their way into his thick fur. Reardon wasn’t sure if Brandy was conscious of what she was doing, but he did not want her to stop.
Her touch was… amazing.
She folded forward, burying her face in the fur of his neck, and he turned his head enough to lick her soft cheek. She tasted as good as she smelled and his desire for her increased tenfold. If they stayed this close, he was definitely going to shift and scare her. Not only would there be a large, naked man on the floor beside her, but a large, naked erection as well.
