Paws for Change

Out of the Cage: Pause...a temporary stop or rest, a cessation of activity because of doubt or uncertainty.

Derek Sommers is fleeing a bad situation, made worse by foolish decisions from years before. He’d given into his father’s demands once and it had cost him a relationship with his brother, Deke. When Derek’s father demands he marry a certain woman, Derek has had enough. He decides to find out if Deke’s partner was telling the truth and travels to Stone Ridge in hopes of repairing ties with his brother. Except, even from states away, Derek’s father doesn’t want to let him go.

Dillan Shoreman travels to Stone Ridge to visit his godson, Edwin. When he nearly takes out a man jay-walking, he discovers the battered human is his mate. Having been alone a long time, Dillan thanks Fate’s oddly timed blessing. Unfortunately, he discovers that convincing his mate they have a future together will be harder than he thinks. Between a manipulative father, a guilt-tripping mother, and a conniving wannabe bride, Dillan’s mate already has plenty on his mind. Can Dillan convince Derek that he can give him the peace, healing, and strength that his heart so desperately needs?

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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Paws For Change

Copyright © 2015 Charlie Richards

ISBN: 978-1-4874-0270-9

Cover art by Angela Waters

All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

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Paws For Change

Wolves of Stone Ridge: Book Twenty-Eight

By

Charlie Richards

To Hugs.

“We will be announcing your engagement this weekend.”

Derek Sommers gaped at his father, Forest. Surely he had not heard what he thought he’d just heard. His father couldn’t truly expect him to marry Jennifer Davidson. Derek had met her twice, and each time it had left a sour taste in his mouth.

While the woman appeared strikingly beautiful with her heart-shaped face, flowing blonde hair, and the perfect hour-glass figure that most women would probably kill for, she was conniving and manipulative.

Maybe that’s why his father liked her so much.

Derek had first met her when attending a dinner function at the country club six months before. After Derek’s mother, Sophia, had introduced Jennifer, the blonde had attached herself to Derek’s side like a crustacean. While, he loved seafood, and his first inclination had been to take Jennifer home and show her just how much, he’d quickly grown tired of her personality. Looks, it seemed, really were
not
everything.

When Derek had introduced her to Lindsey, his old high school friend, Jennifer had dutifully taken her hand. Then, after releasing Lindsey’s fingers, Jennifer and rested her own hand just below her throat and swept her gaze over Lindsey’s yellow and blue-dress-clad form. She’d smiled and stated, “You look absolutely lovely, Lindsey. Last year’s fashions look wonderful on you.”

A look of uncertainty on her face, Lindsey had replied, “Wh-Why thank you.” Lindsey had excused herself and walked away.

Derek would have chalked that up to Jennifer not thinking before speaking, but she’d continued with those sorts of comments most of the evening. She’d say something that sounded like a compliment, but was really an insult. Just because Derek’s dick found her somewhat interesting, that didn’t mean he was ruled by it. He’d always prided himself in using his head, and his mind had been telling him to get as far away from Jennifer as possible.

After asking for her phone number, Derek had lied and told her he had an early meeting he needed to double check his reports for. He’d deleted her number from his phone as soon as he’d gotten in his car. Unfortunately, that hadn’t stopped his mother from inviting Jennifer, as well as her brother, Wayne, and parents, to a dinner party.

Derek had been extremely irritated to discover his mother had assigned their seats so he sat next to Jennifer. He’d spent the entire dinner gritting his teeth and listening to her tell all about herself...what charities she was involved in, how she donated her money—or rather, her father’s money—and how she volunteered her time at a hospital reading to children in the cancer ward. Okay, so that last one was actually pretty damn admirable. Still, that didn’t make Derek want to be with her. There were too many nicely said, snide comments about how the dresses other women wore made them look, or even how a man’s cufflinks were beautiful but they didn’t match his tie. It was ludicrous and superficial. Derek didn’t understand any of it.

Neither did Derek want to. Derek didn’t want anything to do with Jennifer. He’d worked hard to be polite throughout the dinner, then he’d made his excuses to his mother and gone home. Derek hadn’t missed his father’s look of disapproval, but that hadn’t stopped him.

To have his father literally set up his engagement for him as if they lived in the fifteen hundreds, blew Derek away.

“So don’t be late.”

Forest’s words drew Derek out of his musings. Evidently, while his mind had been shocked into nothingness, his father had kept talking. Derek had absolutely no idea what his father had said. In truth, he didn’t care, either.

“Understand?”

Derek lifted his gaze from where he’d been staring vacantly at Forest’s desk. He met his father’s gaze and noted the man’s narrowed eyes and jutting chin. It was the same look Forest gave paralegals that he thought were doing shoddy work. The man expected to be obeyed.

“I understand,” Derek replied. Even as he said the words, his chest tightened. Somehow, he needed to figure out a way out of this. “I have the Anderson report to finish before leaving,” he stated. “Is there anything else? Or am I free to go?” While Derek wanted to snarl the words, he kept his voice level and respectful.

Forest leaned back in his chair. Smiling indulgently, he waved his hand. “Go on. Send the report to my inbox before you leave today.”

Derek turned on his heel and strode from the room. Clenching his jaw, he ground his teeth. Anger seethed through him.

One choice had started this trend of Forest controlling his life. Derek had so wanted to keep his father’s approval. When he’d played football in high school, he’d dated the head cheerleader. Forest had showered him with praise, then.

Derek had enjoyed that.

After Derek had graduated from high school, he’d dumped the girlfriend and gone to law school. He’d thought that was what his father would have wanted...for him to focus all his attention on his studies. His only out of school activities had been spending time with his brother, Deke.

Unfortunately, Derek had heard more than one conversation between his parents about ways to fix Deke, as if being gay was some kind of disease to be cured. Derek didn’t agree, but he’d never spoken up, either, for fear of reprisal. It had blown Derek away when Forest had finally given Deke an ultimatum—stop being gay or be disowned. He’d sat in shock as Deke had risen with dignity and walked out of the house.

Derek had missed his time with his brother, but he’d stood by his father’s decision for years. Finally, he’d pulled his head out of his ass and decided to talk to his brother, to apologize to him. Derek had tracked Deke down and watched him for several months, trying to get up his courage. Unfortunately, before he could figure out the best way to approach his brother, Deke had moved, disappeared, only to have his brother’s new boyfriend show up with friends and pack his stuff.

When Derek had approached them, he’d demanded to know what they were doing. He’d met Luther, his brother’s new partner, and a few of his friends. Derek had learned Michael was now an ex-boyfriend—he viewed that as a good thing—and something in Luther’s eyes and the hardness of his voice told Derek how much the man cared for his brother.

At one point, Derek had watched a tall Native American and a lean Caucasian practically jump each other’s bones. He had to admit, watching the pair making out had caused his dick to thicken. The aggressive interaction was fucking hot.

Reaching his desk, Derek realized he couldn’t remember the walk back to his office. He sighed and shook his head. Easing into his seat, he rested his elbows on the desk and rubbed his temples. When had his life become so complicated?

Right. When I let pleasing my father become my whole life. When did I stop caring about my own needs?

Growling softly under his breath, Derek grumbled, “Time to take back my fucking life.”

Derek picked up the phone, dialed nine to get an outside line, then called his mother. If anyone could tell him how long these bullshit wedding plans had been in the works, it was his mother.

“Hello, dear,” Sophia greeted. “How’s my baby boy today?”

Narrowing his eyes, Derek glared at the far wall. He remembered, once upon a time, she’d called Deke that. “I’m fine, Mother,” Derek responded. “I just had a disturbing conversation with dad and thought maybe you could help me.”

“Of course, dear,” Sophia agreed. “What’s the matter?”

Derek decided to be blunt. If he’d been smart...and patient enough...he would have gone to his parent’s home and asked her in person. Now, Derek would have to rely on her voice tells.

“Why is dad planning an engagement party between myself and Jennifer Davidson?”

“Oh, I’m so happy, Derek,” Sophia squealed, sounding like a giddy school girl. “I’ve been waiting for this day for years, sweetie. I admit I was a little worried when you left our dinner party early, but when Forest heard from Raymond who says Jennifer showed him the ring? Oh,” she gasped happily. “Well,” she scolded. “You’ve always kept things close to the chest. You really shouldn’t do that, you know.”

“Jennifer told you what?” Derek swallowed hard. If he hadn’t been sitting, he would have collapsed, his knees suddenly weak. “Why?”

Sophia tutted. “You really think your fiancée could keep that kind of secret? Especially from our families?” His mother huffed. “I’ve been waiting for this for a long time. I hate seeing you alone,” Sophia continued. “You’re my only child, darling. I just want you to be happy. Settled down. Taken care of.”

After taking in a deep breath, Derek let it out slowly. He’d never been much of a drinker, but at that moment, a shot of whiskey sounded like a damn good idea. Maybe he could pass out, wake up, and find out this had all been a bad dream.

Derek closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead, struggling with something, anything to say. It rankled more than he admitted that his mother so easily dismissed Deke. He was her child. How could a parent do that?

“I need to go,” Derek whispered. “I-I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“Oh, don’t be angry at Jennifer,” Sophia cried. “She was just excited.” She giggled, then added, “After all, how could a woman as lovely as Jennifer not get excited over snagging such an amazing catch as my wonderful boy?”

“I’m not angry,” Derek mumbled. “I’ll talk to you soon.”

Derek hung up before his mother could say anything else. He then called his receptionist and told her to hold all his calls. He was just hanging up when his cell phone rang. He pulled it out of the inside of his suit jacket pocket and checked the number.

My mother.

Shaking his head, Derek shut his cell phone off, too.

He buried himself in work. He’d already finished the report he’d said he needed to finish, so he worked on other stuff. Finally, a soft knock on his door drew his attention.

Derek glanced at the clock and realized it was nearly six thirty. “Enter,” he called. As he pulled up his email and attached the spoken-of file to an email to send to his father, he saw Tiffany enter. After hitting send, Derek forced a smile and asked, “What are you still doing here, Tiffany? Shouldn’t you have left half an hour ago?”

Tiffany strode to his desk and squared her shoulders. She placed an envelope on the desk. Derek saw
Mister Sommers
was written on it.