Primal Heat (12 page)

Chapter Seventeen

“Does this mean what I think it means?” he asked. “It’s been a while
since I’ve done anything with property law.”

“I don’t know what you think it means. There’s a reversionary interest
on both of those land tracts you had me research. It’s a little odd, but I don’t
know who the players were in all of this. Is Willis Gaither related to the
Bonners? Is he still alive? I’ve got to find out who
his
heirs are to be
able to tell you for sure what happens to the property.”

“Come on,” he said. “This is too good not to share. It’s your find so
I’ll let you in on the meeting. Trust me, Abby. After I help you explain this
to the congressman, I can pretty much promise you’ll be able to write your
ticket with him.”

Under normal circumstances, I might have been glad to hear it. Beaming
even. But, if it made Dale this happy, it had to be disastrous for Bas. Dale
put a hand at the small of my back and led me into the congressman’s office. My
skin seared where he touched me, and I wanted nothing more than to duck and bob
away from him. But, Foster was watching now. Dale spread the copies I’d made of
the estate documents and the Bonner deed on the desk. Foster stared at them,
uncomprehending, and looked to Dale for answers.

“Go ahead, Abby, I’ll let you take the glory. She’s really come through
for us, Landon.”

After taking a halting breath, I laid out the gist of what the title
search revealed. Two large tracts of land in the middle of the Wild Lake lands
belonged to the Bonner couple. But, when they passed away, their interest reverted
back to someone named Willis Gaither. If
he
was dead, the land went to
his heirs, whoever they might be. Unless the Bonners
were
those heirs,
their heirs had no possession rights over the property. It extinguished upon
their deaths.

“Gaither?” Foster leaned back in his chair and scratched his chin.
“Willie Gaither?” He looked over my shoulder back at Dale.

“But these papers were drawn up more than fifty years ago. Surely, this
Gaither’s gone now too.”

Landon smacked his hands together. “Oh, he’s dead as a fucking
doornail. Sorry, hope you don’t have sensitive ears, Miss Winslow. Dale, are
you telling me Will, Jr. gets the property?”

“I’m not sure that’s true, Congressman,” I interjected. “Without
looking at Gaither Sr.’s will or even finding out if he had one, we can’t know
that yet. I’ll need a few more days to suss that out.”

“Suss away, Miss Winslow, suss away.”

“It’s a formality,” Dale said. “I’m sure it’s Will Jr. we’ll need to
deal with. This is like winning the lottery, Landon. It’s better than I could
have ever hoped. Forget the conservation bill. Forget anything else. This is
much, much better.”

“Brilliant!” Foster rose from behind his desk and rapped his knuckles
on the desk. “You tell that overgrown husky Bas Lanier to shove it up his ass.
We are in
business
!”

“The business of what? This is still private property. With all due
respect, Congressman, whatever you’re thinking you might be able to do with
this land, the Bonners in effect own it during their lifetime.”

I caught Dale’s eye, and what I saw there chilled me to the bone.
During
their lifetime
. He didn’t have to utter a single word but on some elemental
level, I swear I knew what he was thinking. It was bad. It was very bad. I
thought about the leg traps. The cold menace when he warned me about what might
happen if I didn’t fall in line here at the office. Though he said nothing, I
knew with absolute certainty in that moment that whoever Pat and Harold Bonner
were, Dale had sinister thoughts where they were concerned.

“Do you need me anymore today?” I said past a dry throat. “I’d like to
get started on finding the last piece of this probate puzzle. Let me go down
and find out what I can about Gaither Sr.’s estate. Then, you’ll have a clear
picture of what’s going on.”

I wanted out of there. Fast. The looks between Foster and Dale set me
on edge. I wanted to run to Bas and explain what I knew. Though I didn’t
understand Foster’s game plan completely, I knew enough. He wanted control of
Wild Lake lands. He tried to get it through his ill-conceived conservation
bill. He’d tried the dead end of eminent domain. Now, I’d unwittingly given him
a back door answer, possibly.

Foster flapped his hand. “Go. By all means. Come back tomorrow with a
fresh brain. You’ve done excellent work today, Miss Winslow. Better than you
know. I’m very impressed.”

“Th-thank you.” Dale kept his laser focus on me as I moved toward the
door.

Go! Flee! Danger!
The words didn’t form in my head, but
adrenaline coursed through me along with that rising feeling of dread that
seemed to form a circle around Dale. I didn’t look back. I grabbed my bag off
my desk and headed for the elevators. I pushed the button once, then stabbed it
three more times.

Screw it. I took the stairs. My stomach churned and rolled. It was as
if the air itself grew thick with poison.

Chapter Eighteen

All the dread and toxic atmosphere melted away the instant I was with
Bas again. I hugged him a little tighter than I intended, kissed him deeper
when he finally wrapped his arms around me. We’d just stepped out of the car,
and he pulled away, holding me at a distance as he regarded me with questioning
eyes.

“What’s going on with you? You’ve been twitchy ever since we left your
apartment.”

Again, the overwhelming urge to tell Bas everything that transpired in
Foster’s office warred with my ethical responsibilities. There simply wasn’t a
simple way to tell Bas what I knew about the Bonner lands without crossing a
line. Still, keeping silent felt like a real betrayal. Something was brewing with
Dale and the congressman, something bad. I went up on my tiptoes and pressed my
lips to Bas’s, trying to kiss away my problems. Bas leaned into me and groaned,
driving away any thought but him.

A sharp howl penetrated the air and sent a shiver of heat down my
spine. Bas pulled away and smiled. He turned me so I leaned against the solid
wall of his chest and folded his arms around me.

“Look!” He pointed to a high ridge on the north border of the property.
One by one, a chorus of howls joined with the first as a line of wolves stood
side by side, silhouetted against the darkening sky. I pressed my head against
Bas’s chest and closed my eyes, letting the sound vibration fill me, making my
heart soar.

To my left, the front door of the lodge swung open and three men
stepped out, raising their hands high in greeting. They were Eli and Connor
from my first trip out here. They stood shoulder to shoulder, smiling bright.
Eli lifted his beer bottle and took a sip. Behind them, I recognized Curtis,
Bas’s receptionist from the W.L.O. offices.

The wolves from the ridge trotted down in formation, a large white wolf
taking the lead. His silver-blue eyes glinted in the setting sun as he
playfully nipped one of the smaller gray wolves at his left shoulder when he
got too close. The gray wolf stepped back, and took his position a few feet
behind the white wolf. It dawned on me who he was. Bas’s second in command, no
doubt. But, I’d seen that luminous, white coat before.

“That’s Alec!” I said, looking up at Bas. “From the meeting the other
day. In Foster’s office.” I remembered that shock of white looking almost
painted through the crown of his jet black hair. In wolf form, he was all white
and striking to behold.

Bas nodded. “You’re a natural. It takes most people a long time to sort
out who’s who.”

“Well, he’s kind of hard to miss.”

Alec broke into a run and I marveled at the powerful muscles rippling
through his haunches as he covered the ground between us. A few yards away, he
slowed to a walk, holding his huge head high, his ears pricked back. He stood
directly in front of us, his white teeth gleaming and fearsome.

The others flanked Alec and sat back on their haunches. Bas rubbed my
arms then stepped around me, putting himself half a step in front of me as he looked
at the wolves. He reminded me of a military officer inspecting his troops. The
moment I thought it, I realized that probably wasn’t too far off an assessment.

Bas looked back at me and gave me a quick wink. Then, he turned back to
his pack and gave them a nod. In unison, they all stretched forward on their
front paws. The air crackled with energy as they summoned whatever primal magic
it took to shift from wolf to man. Bones crunched, muscles rolled. Fur became
flesh, and all eight of them rose together, rounded backs becoming straight and
proud. Then, where a moment before eight wolves stood before me, now I faced
eight naked men.

I gasped, shocked at what I saw, but only for an instant. Hearty
laughter came from the porch as Eli and Connor whistled and shouted. All eyes
were on me, even Bas’s. Suddenly, I realized I was wrong. This wasn’t about Bas
inspecting his troops. It was about them measuring me. Heat flushed my face and
I tried not to stare. But, to a man, they were all beautiful specimens of the
male form. All well-muscled. Some stocky. Some tall and lean like Curtis. This
was life with a pack of shifters. Their change was raw, brutal, but also
beautiful. This is who they were. Could I handle it?

I put a hand on my hip and answered Bas with an arched eyebrow. “You
better let them head up to the lodge, Alpha Dog. They look cold.”

Dead silence for a fraction of a second, then Bas’s face split into a
wide grin and his rich laughter sent a chill up my spine. The rest of them
broke ranks and laughed along with him. They went ahead of us and I got a view
of their supple, white asses as they filed up the porch steps into the lodge.

Bas put his arm around my shoulder and kissed the top of my head. “You
hungry? I’ve got enough to feed a small army.”

I spread my fingers across his chest leaned into him as we walked up to
the lodge together. “I’m starving.”

The lodge became a different world when Bas and I walked up the steps
together. The last time I was here, he’d kept the pack away. The place had been
warm, inviting, cavernous, and quiet. Now, with the bustle of a dozen hungry
werewolves, it became a mess hall. A frat house. Their rich laughter filled the
great room as they clanged plates, muscled each other aside, and helped
themselves to the heaping pots of food. Bas had turned the place into a Chinese
food buffet. My stomach growled in protest, and for an instant I felt more
animal myself as Eli handed me a plate and shot me a wink.

“Better hurry,” he said. “Once Alec gets through here, there might not
be anything left.”

Alec had at least four inches and twenty pounds on Eli. He reached over
Connor’s shoulder and swatted Eli in the ear. Then he palmed the egg roll Eli
had just put on his plate. The two of them disappeared into the crowd of men,
swearing as they went.

Bas had a hand at the small of my back. He leaned down and whispered in
my ear, sending a skitter of warmth across my skin. “Sorry. It’s a lot to take
in when you get us all in a room like this.”

I laughed and reached up to touch his face. It really was. They’d all covered
themselves in various states of dress. Mostly low hung drawstring sweat pants
or jeans. A few of them had even taken the time to throw shirts on. But, the
room swam in brotherly insults and testosterone. I did a mental count.
Including Bas, there were twelve of them.

“Are all the packs like yours?”

Bas reached over me and landed a dollop of white rice on my plate. He
licked his thumb and held up the metal lid on a pot of almond chicken. I took
the serving spoon and plopped a heap of it on top of the rice. Bas gave me an
approving nod. Though I wouldn’t win any eating contests with this bunch, I had
a big appetite for my size.

Bas took a seat at the head of the long granite bar. I sat at his
right. Eli sat on my right and Connor took the chair directly across from me.
The room filled with a cacophony of clanging forks and laughter. All Bas had to
do was clear his throat and everyone fell silent.

“Guys, thanks for heading up here on short notice. I wanted to formally
introduce you to Abby. Abby Winslow, this is, well, everyone.”

I lifted a hand and nodded. Connor gave me a lopsided smile, his mouth
filled with wonton. A few whistles and cheers rose from the other end of the
table and I lifted a fork and waved down there. Then Bas attempted to introduce
me to all of them.

There was Connor, Eli, Curtis, and Alec. I’d half met them already.
Finn, Davis, and Toby sat further down from Connor. Callum sat on the other
side of Eli and reached over him to give me a proper handshake. His warm grip
sent gooseflesh up my arm. It wasn’t a shockwave like I felt when Bas touched
me, but on an elemental level, I understood the sensation now. My body seemed
tuned to weres. Callum had thick, dark hair and bushy brows, but his eyes were
the most striking feature about him. One was palest blue, the other dark sable.

Beyond Callum sat Aaron and Ben. They were the youngest of the group, I
guessed in their teens. Eli filled in some of it, whispering in my ear that
they were twin brothers. At the far end of the table sat the oldest of the
group. Seth. He had long, wiry gray hair and a grizzled countenance with wisdom
in his deep-set, blue eyes. I put him at sixty, maybe older. He too waved a
fork at me, and I gave him a mock salute which made him smile as he chewed.

The table discussion stayed light. They talked about business at the
store, a recent hunt Seth took Aaron and Ben on. They asked me questions about
my life, my family. And I told them, holding nothing back. Something happened
that evening that I didn’t expect and was hard pressed to explain. From the
moment I sat down at the table, it felt like I belonged there. Each and every
member of Bas’s pack seemed to accept me as though I’d been part of this group
all along as they included me in jokes, offered me seconds, and patted me on
the back if I cracked a joke myself. Connor reached across the table and forked
a piece of chicken from my plate he saw I wasn’t eating. It seemed familiar,
brotherly, still, I felt obliged to lob a clump of rice at him in protest. He
laughed and caught it neatly in his hand.

And then there was Bas. As the men talked and joked, he sat back a bit,
surveying the group and the conversation. His eyes twinkled in the light when
they caught mine. He pressed his foot against mine under the table then rubbed
my leg. As much as I enjoyed the company at the table, I wanted it to be just
the two of us as well.

He didn’t say anything to the others, but they seemed able to
communicate on some preternatural level. The instant Bas’s eyes caught mine,
the conversation began to wind down and Aaron and Ben stood. It seemed they had
drawn cleanup duty, so they began clearing plates as the others excused
themselves. Some went back outside. Others started to head down to the basement
where Bas told me he kept a game room. Each of them nodded and smiled, politely
asking for leave and wishing me a good evening. Eli rose and actually gave me a
kiss on the top of the head as he excused himself.

Then, it was just Bas and me with the younger guys in the kitchen. He
threaded his fingers through mine and warmth flooded my chest. I felt a little coltish
at first. Bas’s eyes changed as he managed to somehow transmit his arousal
through his fingers even. If the rest of the pack could sense his desire to
clear the room, surely they understood his other pressing needs as well. And my
own.

Bas leaned across the table and placed a chaste kiss on my forehead.
“Why don’t you head on up? I’ll join you in a few minutes. I’ve got a couple of
things to talk over with the boys.”

I reached up and clasped Bas’s hand to my chest. “Don’t take too long,
you. You give me all of this good food and excitement and I can’t promise I
won’t just fall asleep on you.”

“Oh, I think I know how to help you get your second wind, baby.” He
shot me a wicked wink that sent a thrill through me, then he headed out onto
the porch where Alec and Seth had congregated.

Aaron and Ben gave me good-natured smiles from the kitchen where one of
them washed dishes while the other dried. Be still, my heart.

I went into the master bedroom at the top of the stairs and waited for
Bas. He’d already turned down the sheets and warm, honey-scented candles were
lit throughout the room. I walked into the bathroom and turned on the bathtub
faucet. I planned to sink beneath the warm water to wait for him.

It had happened so quickly. Just a few weeks ago, I didn’t know this
man. Now, I seemed to feel most at home when he was nearby. I suppose I should
have been scared of this. I’d spent my whole life watching my mother jump feet
first into relationship after relationship. She’d upended our lives more times
than I could count, all because of her flavor of the month guy. But with Bas,
it just didn’t feel like that. Even as I thought it, I realized maybe that’s
exactly what my mother always thought too. Still, my body called out to his.
Even this place had started to feel more like home than anywhere else I’d ever
been.

I peeled off my clothes and folded them neatly on the bench against the
bathroom wall. The water had just reached the top of the tub. He had a bottle
of scented bath oil against the ledge and I poured that into the steaming
water. Then, I stepped into heaven, sinking beneath the water.

I might have fallen asleep. The water soothed me, wrapping my body in
warm silk, the flickering candlelight hypnotizing me. Then, brighter light
flooded the room as Bas opened the door and stepped in.

“Mmm,” was all the speech I could muster.

Bas shot that dazzling smile at me as he peeled off his own jeans and shed
his t-shirt. Wordlessly, he stepped into the tub, facing me. I ran my hands
across his chest, letting the tiny auburn hairs tickle my fingertips as he sank
down beneath the water. A tiny wave sloshed over the side of the tub, snuffing
out two of the candles. Bas leaned forward and kissed me, tasting like salt and
honey himself.

I knew what he needed, because I needed it too. He slid his legs
beneath mine and I rose up, spreading my legs and curling them around his
waist. As he held me steady, he slid me down, sheathing himself deep inside me
as I straddled him. Water sluiced off his arm as he raised a hand and gently
smoothed back my hair.