To Claim His Mate Page 3

  * * * *

  Numb.

  That was the only way Eva could think to describe how she felt. It was almost like watching some police show drama on television instead of it being a very real scene playing out inside her home. As she watched the officer’s board up her last family possession, Evangeline retreated a little further into herself. She’d always heard it said that a person could only handle so much before they broke down completely, and she idly wondered if she’d finally reached that point. Her lack of concern over that possibility told her that she was probably close to her breaking point.

  Adam and Gus had walked out onto the porch, speaking softly and eyeing her as one might a frightened animal.

  “I’m all right.” Damn, that didn’t sound believable, even to her.

  “You don’t have to act strong for us, you know.” Adam’s voice was low and meant for her ears only. “Nobody would hold your tears against you.”

  Eva stiffened her spine, feeling a spark of determination flash inside. “I fully intend to indulge myself in a hysterical fit later, so don’t you worry. However, I refuse to let those sons of bitches see me cry.” Taking a deep, fortifying breath, she handed her keys to Gus. “I’m not giving them the satisfaction of knowing how much they’ve hurt me.”

  “You’re right, they don’t deserve that. Do you really think they stuck around though? There are a lot of policemen here. Surely, they’d be seen,” Adam said, and she watched him quickly scan the area.

  “You’d think so, but they’ve often commented about a reaction I had or some other occurrence after they were no longer around, so I’m pretty sure they just hide and watch.” Eva shrugged. “It doesn’t matter anymore. Pretty soon, I’ll have nothing left and no reason to stay. I can only pray that they don’t decide to follow me when I leave.”

  “Don’t worry about that right now. We’ll go to my place, and you can take a bath or rest while I see about getting a few things—” Adam stopped midsentence and scented the air for a moment. Danger was near. He could literally smell it. All emotions had a distinct aroma. Love was usually a pleasant smell while lust held a little more spice. Evil, rage and other similar emotions held a hint of sulfur that burned his nose. “Something’s wrong.”

  “What do you mean?” Gus asked even as he stepped in front of Evangeline. “Where’s your truck?”

  “Down the street. I didn’t want to scare her and would have left to head home if I hadn’t seen the house,” he explained.

  “I’ll take her car and go around town a few times to see if I can draw them out.”

  “Just start the car with the key fob and see if that draws any interest,” Adam suggested. “The windows are dark enough they’ll never know if someone was inside.” Backing up, Adam forced Eva to re-enter the remains of her foyer.

  They’d only been waiting about twenty minutes for the police to arrive at her home, but with them not being in plain sight, anyone could have come up and messed with something, but his money was on her car. He couldn’t explain why, but his gut told him that’s where the danger was.

  He and Gus looked out the cracked open door when she spoke up from behind. “Just so you know—because Shane does—I always turn my lights on before I start the car. You can do that from the key ring, too.”

  “All right, the lights are on,” Gus relayed.

  “Now, wait long enough to buckle a seatbelt then start it,” she instructed.

  The deafening explosion that followed lifted the car into the air and sent glass and metal flying in all directions. The bastards must have planted the bomb while he and Eva were in his truck. It was the only explanation because she had just driven it to the store.

  “What the fuck was that?” one officer yelled as he struggled to pick himself up from the ground.

  “That,” Gus growled, “was attempted murder.”

  Adam heard a whoosh of breath, spun and caught Evangeline as she crumpled to the floor.

  “Get my truck, Gus.” Adam threw his keys then swept her up into his arms. “Pull it up to the damn door, through the yard. I’m getting her somewhere safe.”

  Gus made no objection, catching the key ring and running to fetch Adam’s vehicle. A few officers had gotten fire extinguishers from their cruisers and were trying to douse the flames still leaping from within the vehicle, while others worked to secure the scene from curious and frightened neighbors.

  Adam prayed they could find some evidence on these men. He’d make sure the trial went to a court outside of this town. This couldn’t be allowed to continue. Surely, this woman hadn’t done anything to deserve to be killed.

  As he glanced down at her limp form, he vowed to solve this problem for her. This tiny female couldn’t possibly fight off the kind of attacks these men would bring. She was a well-built woman but so petite she could easily be overpowered. The bruises forming on her upper arms were a testament to that, and he swore they would pay for them.

  Gus came bounding across the yard in the pickup, pulling Adam from his dark thoughts. He quickly carried Evangeline out to the truck and gently placed his unconscious guest in the passenger seat, reclined it back and buckled her in.

  “Keep your phone handy. If I’m followed, I’ll call.” Adam stalked around to the driver’s side, desperately trying to get a handle on his emotions. Worry and rage warred within him, and he didn’t want her to see either when she came around. She would need him to be strong, so that’s what he’d be.

  “She hasn’t come to yet?” Gus’ concern was evident in the way he eyed the slender form resting in the truck.

  “Hasn’t moved an inch,” Clearly, Adam wasn’t the only one worried about her current state. “If she doesn’t wake up soon, I’ll take her to the clinic or have my sister-in-law check her out. You remember Stephanie, the physician’s assistant? She’ll come quickly if I need her to.”

  “I know who she is. She’s a good woman, too. I’m sorry that I couldn’t make it to your brother, Ethan’s, wedding yesterday evening. I was on duty, but tell him congrats for me, would you? And let Lacy know I’m looking forward to her joining the force once she’s ready.” He looked down at Eva again as she lay in the seat. “You call later to update me. I want to know how Evangeline’s doing.” The tone of his voice made it clear the last wasn’t a request.

  “I will. She was clearly exhausted, so this may be just what she needs.”

  “Tell Evangeline I want for her to remain hidden for a few days. Let’s allow these shits to think they’ve accomplished something, and maybe, they’ll slip up somewhere.” Adam saw the wheels turning in Gus’ head as he spoke. Obviously, the man wanted Shane and his friends to believe they’d been successful and see what they did next.

  “I’m sure that won’t be a problem. I’ll make sure she understands what you’re trying to do.” Voice pitched low, he added, “I want them fried for this, Gus. And I’m warning you now, if they come after her again, you won’t be able to find them.”

  “I’ll never admit to saying this, so do your best not to get caught, but you have my blessing.” Gus gave Adam a sly smile and went back to the wreckage to continue his investigation.

  Chapter Four

  Evangeline awoke to a wonderfully soft bed, birds singing and the smell of fresh baked bread. The haze of semi-awareness was shattered as memories of her attack rushed to the surface of her mind.

  She slowly opened her eyes and looked around. The room was fairly simple, an obvious guest room. Everything was made of wood, giving it a rustic beauty she loved. The floors, bed, dresser, nightstand and even a rocker were all solid wood and looked to be high quality. A shaggy blue rug was next to the bed, and she wiggled her toes on it after sitting up. The window on the wall she faced showed a low light that made her wonder whether it was dusk or dawn.

  “Well, there’s only one way to find out,” she muttered as she walked over to the door.

  A robe hung on the back of the door, and to her horror, Eva realized she wasn’t wearing her
clothes. In their place was a barely there pajama set. Immediately, she wondered who had dressed her in this. After hastily donning the robe, she looked around for her clothes.

  No luck.

  There were plenty of women’s clothes, but hers weren’t anywhere to be found. “Shit!” she hissed. “I can’t run around in this. I don’t even know where the hell I am.”

  The soft knock at the door made her jump and left her heart hammering in her chest.

  “Evangeline?” She knew that voice. “Are you all right?”

  While backing away from the door, she tripped on the rug then toppled to the floor. The door swung open, and Adam, in all his shirtless glory, stood framed in the doorway. He scanned the room before settling his gaze on her.

  His visual inventory of her body brought heat to her cheeks when she noticed the robe gaping. She struggled to cover her exposed legs and retain some of her modesty.

  “Are you all right?” There was laughter in his eyes, but when she glared at him, he raised his hands in mock surrender. “I was only coming to check on you. You’ve slept all day. Well, you were unconscious really, but Stephanie—my sister-in-law, and a physician’s assistant—assured me you’d come around once your body recovered from the exhaustion.” He extended a hand, which she accepted, and pulled her to her feet almost effortlessly. “Sarah, another in-law, swears the clothes in the dresser will fit you, but if they don’t, let me know and we’ll get different ones.”

  “So they changed my clothes?” She couldn’t bear to look him in the face. If he’d been the one to dress her, she’d likely expire from her embarrassment over him possibly seeing her nude.

  “Yes. Stephanie insisted on checking you for injuries once she saw your arms.” He put his fingers under her chin and urged her to look at him. “You’re completely safe here. I won’t hurt you, and until Gus says otherwise, you’ll need to remain here.”

  Evangeline scrunched her face in confusion. “Why? Don’t they have a safe house I can go to?”

  Surely, there was another alternative. Her hormones were busy doing a little happy dance at the prospect of being alone with Mr. Perfect Pecs, her heart was gaining in speed, butterflies were flying around in her belly, but her brain was screaming, “Oh shit!”

  If this guy was half as good as he appeared to be, she didn’t stand a chance. Already, she felt drawn to him on a level she didn’t understand. This confusion of the heart and mind was frustrating. Her heart demanded she give in and do whatever it took to win his heart in return. Her logical side, though, reminded her she was no more than a good deed and a way for him to assist the police. But in the back of her mind was the memory of him confessing of his intention to ask her on a date.

  Her thoughts were interrupted by his response. “Gus has a plan. He’s hoping to lure your little problems out by keeping you out of sight for a few days,” he explained. “After your car…err…”

  “Blew up?” she helpfully inserted.

  “Yeah, after that, they may think you’re dead and do something that will give them away.”

  “Sounds like a good possibility. They’re just smart enough to be dangerous, but dumb enough to get caught. If they think they did succeed and I suddenly pop up in public somewhere, they’ll undoubtedly do something to give themselves away.” She smiled as the possibility of putting her tormentors behind bars for a very long time danced in her head. “Thank you for allowing me to stay here, Adam. I promise I won’t be a burden.”

  “It’s my pleasure, trust me.” He smiled back, and Eva’s insides turned to mush. “At least, this way, I can flirt all I want, and you won’t worry about what will happen to me.”

  Not likely, she thought. Her damn hormones were winning the three-way battle with her heart and mind. “We’ll see,” was all she said.

  Adam chuckled. “Go ahead and get dressed if you want. The bathroom is just across the hall, so if you’d like to shower, go right ahead. I’ll get dinner put together. I just made some fresh bread.”

  “You cook?” She sounded shocked, and he laughed harder.

  “I clean, cook, do laundry and dishes, shop, fix my own truck and work two jobs—though one is on an as-needed basis. Does that help my case in the dating game?” He grinned at her slack-jawed expression.

  “If that’s not a joke, I’m going to marry you.” Oops, that had slipped right past that whole brain-to-mouth filter. “I mean, why are you still single? You’re like the perfect man.”

  He just shrugged. “I’ve just never found the right girl. My family believes everyone has a soul mate. Mine appears to be hiding. Go on and take care of whatever you need to, and I’ll get dinner fixed. Do you like pasta?”

  “Love it.”

  “Good. Come down the hall when you’re ready, and you’ll see the living room and kitchen.” Adam turned and strode in that direction.

  Eva went back to the drawers and discovered that everything was, indeed, her size. He must have spent a lot of money. There was enough clothing to last a month. Without even doing laundry!

  Apparently, dog training paid quite well, and she wondered what his second job was. After tugging on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, she made use of the restroom, washed up and headed down the hall.

  His house was huge! He’d said he lived in a cabin, but this was too big to be a cabin. All the rooms were overly large, as were the windows. Oversized paintings of landscapes adorned most of the walls. The living room was just massive. High ceilings gave the room such a sense of openness and the floor to ceiling windows provided a breathtaking panoramic view of a well-manicured lawn and a small pond by the woods.

  She had just started to make her way through the room when a pair of gray wolves came around the sofa. Eva froze, rooted in place by her fear. These canines were predators by nature, and she’d always heard that you could never completely tame a wild animal. But these two were simply looking at her. Ears up and tongues lolling out, they stared up at her with eyes that looked so similar to Adam’s she could only stare back.

  “They’re just saying ‘Hi’. They already checked you out while you were…out.” He laughed. “I had to practically drag them from the room. Storm wanted to lay with you on the bed and Lightning was trying to lick your face, which is odd, because he doesn’t usually take to anyone like that.”

  “So they really are tame?” Eva asked as she took a tentative step forward.

  “Tame enough. We have an understanding. Anyone who comes into the house with me is a friend, and anyone who comes in uninvited is their new chew toy.”

  Her small laugh brought a smile to his face, and she nearly sighed aloud. He had such a great smile.

  “Come on, you don’t have to tip-toe around these two. Just think of them as your average house pet.”

  “Not likely, though they are beautiful.” Eva made her way into the spacious kitchen with Adam. While she took in the marble countertops, black appliances and just the overall cleanliness of the room, she asked, “So what made you pick those names?”

  “Well, I’m afraid it’s a fairly simple story. I was jogging in the woods, like I do most days, but this time, it was during a storm and I stumbled across a tiny pup. The mother was in the bushes, dead from a gunshot wound. My guess is she got too close to someone’s livestock. The pup was shy but came to me, and I named her Storm. I found her brother after hearing a whimper following a close lightning strike. If it hadn’t been for that, I wouldn’t have seen him at all, so his name became Lightning.”

  “It seems to fit them both. She’s a darker gray, like a storm cloud, while he’s got a white tuft of fur on his chest. But these wolves don’t look anything like the ones around here.” Storm settled her head on Eva’s thigh and rolled her eyes to look up with the pitiful expression most canines use to beg for treats or attention.

  Adam smiled affectionately at the wolf. “I think she’s happy to have another girl in the house. She’s been outnumbered two-to-one except for when my mom or sisters-in-law visit. As for th
eir difference from the local breed, they’re timber wolves. I brought them with me when I moved back home from Michigan where I found them. I have a special license to keep them and didn’t have the heart to leave them behind. I’ve become part of their pack.”

  “That’s sweet. They recognize you as family since you raised them.” She ran her fingers through the wolf’s soft fur and thought about what Adam had said about girls. “So you don’t bring your girlfriends or dates here?” Crap, did that sound like she was fishing for information or what?

  “No, I rarely bring anyone here.” He paused. “And I rarely date.”

  “Why the hell not?” she exclaimed then clapped a hand over her mouth and groaned when she realized that the choking sound was him trying not to laugh.

  “I told you before that my family believes in soul mates. We don’t waste our time pursuing women unless there’s an intense attraction. If we spent all of our time chasing skirts, we’d miss our woman in the process. We all hunger for that type of love and don’t want to risk losing our chance to claim it.”

  “But if you’re stuck here with me, you could be missing out on your dream girl. I’d hate to be responsible for that, and I can go somewhere else. It’s not a big deal.” Inside, her heart and hormones were stomping on her mind for daring to even offer to leave.

  Adam blushed.

  A man blushed because of her!

  “Actually, I kind of took you in for selfish reasons.”

  Evangeline tensed.

  “Nothing bad,” he quickly added. “I just feel drawn to you and wanted the chance to see where it could lead.”

  His intense gaze had her squirming in the chair. What was she supposed to say to that?

  “Uh, okay.” Eva didn’t know what to think. He could have his pick of women, and here he wanted to possibly date her? “Not that I don’t find you extremely attractive, because I do, but you could have any girl you want. Hell, you could probably, single-handedly convert the lesbian population to men, so why me? I’m not searching for compliments here, just some assurance that I’m not hallucinating from a head injury or maybe some drugs I was slipped.”