To Claim His Mate Page 5

  “Don’t worry about it. Just let me take care of you. We’ll go back to the house, and I’ll make you some soup, something light so you can rest.”

  When she didn’t immediately slide toward him, he climbed up onto the branch and scooted toward her. The shaking jostled her, and she looked down. It was about a twenty-foot drop. Eva gasped, and Adam watched as she overcorrected when she straightened. She pitched backward with a shriek. As he saw her flip, Adam dove, landing a spit second before her and catching her in his arms.

  “How did you do that?” she breathed, visibly shaking.

  “I’m very fast when I need to be. Are you all right?”

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and placed her head on his broad shoulder. “Yes, I’m fine. Thank you, again,” she whispered.

  “Don’t worry about it. Let’s go up to the house.”

  * * * *

  Being held by a pair of big, strong arms felt so nice. If she wasn’t careful, Eva knew she’d fall for Adam, hard and fast. He claimed to be drawn to her, and a selfish part of her hoped that he was. She was very attracted to this wonderful man but was still wary of trusting someone again.

  True, she was staying with him and he’d been the perfect gentleman, but she planned to play it safe. Well, as safe as she could when she was at the mercy of a man she’d known less than two days.

  Before she knew it, they were entering the house, and he carried her all the way into her room. Eva never uttered a protest as he slid her shoes off and placed the blanket on top of her.

  “How do you feel?”

  “Like crawling into a hole.” She gave a weak laugh. “Actually, I’m torn between curling up and crying or hitting something…repeatedly.”

  “I’ve got a punching bag if you want to have a go at it. But seriously, I know how you feel. You’re emotions are swinging between depression and anger.” He smiled and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. It was such a sweet gesture. “Go with the anger. It’s easier to work out and will keep you focused versus withdrawing into yourself.”

  “Are they in jail now?”

  “Unfortunately, no. When I met with Gus today, he informed me that they’re MIA. His landlady thinks Shane’s visiting his mother, but I think the little bastard has gone to ground. The plan is for you to stay here until they surface then we’ll parade around town like we don’t have a care in the world.”

  Evangeline cut in, “And then he’ll be enraged that his plans to either run me off or emotionally cripple me didn’t work, and he’ll mess up big time.”

  Adam nodded. “That’s the idea.”

  “Well, it’s not like I have a choice unless I want to continue to deal with him.” And boy, was she tired of dealing with him!

  “Did you know he has a gambling problem?”

  Eva shook her head. “I suspected there were drugs involved, because his behavior changed so drastically, but gambling? There’s nowhere around here for him to…” She trailed off, realization dawning.

  “What is it?”

  “All those ‘business’ trips. He must have been gambling the whole time. I’m sure he was cheating on me, too, because I got an email that was obviously not meant for me. He said it was just a joke and that I should lighten up, but I don’t consider a message on my answering machine from a woman, detailing all the different sexual acts she was looking forward to, a joke. Not when you’re supposed to be getting married.” Evangeline ended that sentence with a wide yawn before smiling sheepishly up at Adam. “Sorry, all this crying is really wearing me out. I promise I’m not usually this weepy.”

  Adam gave her a small smile. “Don’t worry about it. You have every right to be upset, and if you feel the need to cry, go ahead and let it out. If you want to hit something, you’re welcome to the punching bag in the garage. If you want something a little warmer, I could always call up one of my brothers.” He gave her a little wink. “I’ll even hold him still for you.”

  She laughed and his smile only grew.

  “I’ll go fix that soup now, and bring it to you when it’s ready.”

  Evangeline watched as Adam strode from the bedroom and silently closed the door. A hot tear slid down her cheek. She was surprised she had any left at all. Between the break-in, the destruction of her keepsakes and the burning of her home, she’d cried a river. Her head ached, her eyes were swollen and heavy and now, she was utterly exhausted.

  The noises from the kitchen were faint. It sounded as if he was cutting something. Eva hoped it was veggies for a homemade soup. After eating canned versions for so long she craved the fresh taste of a warm vegetable soup. Maybe even with a grilled cheese sandwich.

  Thoughts of homemade soup brought back memories of her parents taking care of her when she was sick, and then of her grandmother preparing some on a frosty winter day. Those thoughts led her back to the cold truth: she had nothing left of any of her loved ones, except for these memories. But Adam was right, Shane could never take those from her. In fact, he and his friends had done as much damage as they could. They’d destroyed everything she cared for…except Adam.

  Adam.

  Suddenly, the plan he and Gus had come up with didn’t sit so well with her. If Shane believed she cared for Adam, then Adam would become a target. Eva would have to carefully disguise her growing feelings while in public. Not to mention cage her raging hormones. The damn things went off like the Fourth of July whenever he was around.

  Eva sighed. She refused to allow her sexual urges to place him in harm’s way. He’d said Shane had drug and gambling problems, so her ex must need money. Well, if that was all it took to get him off her back, she’d do it. She’d pay whatever he wanted.

  God, if only she’d known about this sooner, she might have been able to save herself a lot of grief. But Adam was right. Anger would serve her better than crying. Grandma had always said Eva was a “tough cookie” and would do well in life. Now, she was determined to do just that.

  Feeling a little better as a somewhat rough plan formed, she curled up and drifted off to sleep.

  Chapter Six

  Adam stood at the kitchen island with a knife in one hand and a stalk of celery in the other. He tried to focus on the task of chopping vegetables, but his damn dick had other plans.

  Evangeline’s near accident had shaken him, but his wolf was bound and determined to bond with its mate. To connect them in a way that would forever let him know her feelings and wellbeing were secure. Problem was he could tell she wasn’t ready. He’d scented her interest and arousal at dinner the other night, but she wasn’t ready to take that step just yet. Hell, she didn’t even know what he was!

  She definitely didn’t need that shock yet.

  In the meantime, he was stuck walking around with a permanent erection…his own personal divining rod that always pointed to her. No amount of cold showers or jacking off seemed to dull the throbbing need, and Adam knew his control was slipping with every hour spent in her presence. He always found little ways to touch her or make her smile, but if he got another whiff of her arousal, that delicious, sensual perfume, he’d be a dead man, damned to the seventh circle of hell for taking advantage of her in her vulnerable state.

  “Fuck!” Adam hissed when he cut his thumb. A chuffing from below had him raising an eyebrow. “So you two found that amusing? Well, see if you get any leftovers,” he teased. Lightning gave a dismissive huff and wandered into the living room while Storm rubbed up against his thigh. “Suck-up.”

  Once everything was in the pot, he set it to simmer and made his way through the house, checking the doors and windows. Not that anyone in their right mind would enter a house with two timber wolves inside, but he didn’t think he was dealing with men who were playing with a full deck.

  His phone rang, and he raced to answer it before the sound disturbed Evangeline. “Hello?”

  “Hi, honey, how is everything going?” His mother was, of course, being a typical mom. She’d no doubt heard about his houseguest from his sis
ters-in-law and now wanted a full report.

  “Not too good.” After relaying the whole sordid tale, he added, “To make things even more complicated, she’s my mate.”

  “Oh, honey, that’s wonderful! About the mate part, of course, not the rest. Well, we were planning to come over next weekend, so let’s plan a barbeque. We’ll bring everything, and you just have the grill ready.” Yup, that was his mom, she’d just bulldoze right through and meet Eva as soon as she could.

  “Mom, I’m not sure if that’s such a good idea,” Adam interrupted.

  “And why wouldn’t it be? She’s your mate. Besides, this will help to take her mind off of her troubles.”

  “Yes, but she doesn’t know about us. I don’t want to spook her. She’s too important.” He spoke softly, knowing that Eva was likely asleep and unwilling to possibly wake her.

  “It’s not like we’ll show up wearing T-shirts advertising our family secrets. Really, Adam, have a little faith. Your brothers will be there too with their mates. And may I remind you that two of them are human, so don’t worry so much,” she chided. Ironically, her words helped. He did have two sisters-in-law who were human and had no qualms with their husband’s second nature. That fact gave him hope, something to cling to.

  A scratching noise drew his gaze to the hall. Lightning stood outside Eva’s door with his hackles raised and a low rumble starting in his chest, while Storm pawed the door as if she could dig her way through. Adam quickly ended the call with his mother and started down the hall to retrieve the wolves, only to growl in unease himself once he reached her room. He tried to focus and faintly felt her emotions. Before he could place them, the scent of her fear reached him.

  Throwing open the door, he rushed inside, ready to face whatever frightened his woman. The room was empty, but a glance at the bed showed him she was in the firm grip of a night terror. Eva was curled on her side tucked tightly into herself, as if fending off blows. The thought chilled him, and he wanted her awake.

  Now.

  Her back was to him as he approached the bed. A wheeze escaped her, and he reached out, placing his hand on her shoulder. Her skin was cold then suddenly, he was suffocating. Somehow, through the still-forming bond, he felt her nightmare while still awake and looking down at her. Someone was choking her. He felt the ghostly fingers squeezing his throat and noticed her straining breaths had stopped. She flailed now and fought the invisible assailant, all the while not breathing. Her face turned crimson then darkened, her lips growing pale, but no amount of shaking and yelling would wake her as her struggles became weaker.

  Adam was in a state of pure panic, his heart pounding in his chest. He’d heard an urban myth once that stated if you died in your dreams, you would die in your sleep. He had no desire to see if it was true. Her eyes flew open, revealing her terror in their emerald depths, and in a moment of desperation, he did the only thing he could think of.

  He kissed her.

  She grabbed his shoulders and pushed weakly against him. “Come back to me, Eva. It’s Adam. Baby, please come back.” Again, he covered her lips with his and felt her begin to breathe in slow, shallow breaths. Then she folded her arms around his neck and tilted her head to give him better access.

  Adam’s only clear thought was, please be awake.

  * * * *

  As it turned out, meeting with Shane to give him a cashier’s check wasn’t such a good idea. He was high.

  “What the hell do you want, you stupid cunt?” he yelled, even as he snatched her inside his home.

  “I want this whole thing over with.” Eva stood up straight and tried for a cool, bored expression. “Here,” she thrust the check at him, “this should help with whatever mess you’ve gotten yourself into. Now, just leave me alone so that I can get on with my life—”

  He punched her right in the side of the head, and she slumped against the wall, pain radiating through her skull in waves. “You dumb bitch! If we were married, I wouldn’t need your fucking handouts. I’d be rich!”

  “You’d be in rehab. I refuse to marry a junkie or a man who gambles everything away.”

  Wham! She probably shouldn’t have said that.

  “You’re mine now. I’ll get someone here to marry us then all my problems will just go away.” Shane grabbed her and shoved her through the living room and into the hall leading to the two doors in the kitchen…the pantry and the basement.

  “Have you lost your mind? You can’t keep me here!” She fought him with all her strength then began pleading when she realized it was no use. “Just let me leave. I’ll give you more money.”

  “Yeah, sure you will. You’ll call the cops before you’re out of my yard, and we can’t have that.” A sudden push between her shoulder blades sent her rolling down the last few steps. “You gonna be a good girl and say the words when he gets here, or do we need to rehearse?”

  Eva quickly crab walked away from his advancing form.

  “No.” she whispered, desperately searching for a way to escape.

  “No, what?” he asked, his lips tilting up a bit. It was that smile combined with the malicious look in his eyes that made her blood run cold. “Now, come over here.”

  She shook her head, unable to do anything more at the moment.

  “You’re forgetting the ‘love, honor, and obey’ section of your vows, dear.”

  Her anger sparked. “I’ll never take those vows with you! I’d rather die than be married to your sorry ass.”

  Shane charged forward and delivered a swift kick to her ribs. Eva groaned and curled into a ball. He punched, kicked and cursed before forcing her to her back. His hands closed around her throat as she stared into his soulless eyes and knew he would kill her now.

  “You have to marry me! I need that money, or I’ll never be able to live!”

  She shook her head and his grip grew tighter.

  “Then just fucking die! You won’t have it either, you selfish bitch!” Shane continued to curse her as his spittle rained down on her face.

  Only the tiniest stream of air slipped through her airways…until he increased the pressure. Now, her fight-or-flight was in full swing. Unfortunately, he was on top of her, and she just couldn’t pry his hands away.

  “Come back to me, Eva.” She knew that voice. It belonged to someone safe, someone who cared about her. “It’s Adam. Baby, please come back.” A soothing warmth followed his request. It started at her lips then flowed through her body, chasing away her terror, bringing her to the surface and freeing her from the horrible dream. Adam, her savior, was kissing her.

  And it felt wonderful. All softness and steel. Eva wrapped her arms around his neck, angling her head to deepen the kiss. He groaned, shifted, and she felt his erection on her hip.

  His thigh slid between hers, sending a flash of sensation through her core. As she lifted one leg to drape over his waist, he growled softly into her mouth. When she rocked her hips against him, he trembled and tore his mouth from hers with a curse.

  “Look at me.” His voice was low and rough. “I have to know you’re awake, that you know what’s happening.”

  Eva met his wild gaze. “I’m awake. I don’t know a single woman who could sleep through a kiss like that.” As she stretched up and nipped the side of his neck, another tremor shook his frame.

  “Are you sure you want to do this?” He groaned as she flexed her hips again in answer. “Be sure because I won’t be able to stop.”

  “I need to be with you, Adam. I haven’t been with anyone since him, and I need to replace those memories with someone special. I want you to help me forget.” Eva whimpered, still rubbing against his thigh and arching into his embrace. “Please.”

  “Please what?” he growled.

  “Don’t stop.” It came out as little more than a breathy sigh, but Adam leapt into action.

  Crushing her mouth with his in a kiss that bordered on violence, he tore her shirt down the front and spread the remains. Holding his weight with one arm he all
owed his other hand to skim up her side and cover her breast. Instantly, her nipples budded beneath the lace of her bra, and Eva reached for the front clasp, releasing the aching mounds.

  Adam raised his head and glanced down to take in her bare chest. “Absolutely beautiful.”

  She blushed and tugged his shirt up from his waistband. He responded by pulling it over his head and hurling it through the air.

  Adam was magnificent. Seeing all that golden-tanned skin over his hard muscles as they flexed above her brought a surge of moisture between her thighs. His nostrils flared as he took a deep, shuddering breath then his silvery gaze locked onto her, causing her to shiver in anticipation. Pure, undiluted lust raged in their depths, and she trembled when she heard the low rumble in his chest that ended with a slight growl.

  “I love that sound you make, almost like low growl,” she admitted.

  “I’m glad because I can’t seem to help it.” He lowered his mouth to her neck, trailing a path down to her collarbone, nipping lightly and praising her responsiveness. “I could eat you alive, you taste so good.”

  Whatever response she might have had fled when his mouth closed over the ultra-sensitive peak of her nipple. Her body was a giant mass of quivering nerves as his oral assault effectively reduced her mind to mush and succeeded in thoroughly saturating her panties with need.

  As he continued suckling her, Adam loosened Eva’s shorts and drew them over her hips. She raised herself a little to help him, and her garment was whisked off so quickly she yelped in surprise. His hand traced a lazy trail up her calf and to the crook of her knee, where he lifted and spread her before continuing up her thigh.

  Eva blushed and tried to close her legs, but he held her in place with virtually no effort. “Don’t hide from me. I intend to explore every inch of your body, Eva. I’m going to touch you, kiss you, taste you and then fill you.”

  True to his word, Adam whipped her hormones into a dizzying frenzy. She was so worked up when he began nipping, kissing and licking his way down her belly, she had no time to become embarrassed. As his tongue parted her folds, Eva threaded her fingers through his silky hair. The low growl he released sent a wicked vibration over her clit and had her quickly approaching orgasm.