Legacy Found: Legacy, Book 3 (7 page)

No, she wasn’t okay, but she was working on it. And that brought her back to the here and now. “You can’t buy me clothing. I’m going to pay you back.” It would eat into her small reserve of money, but she didn’t have any choice. In her experience, you didn’t get something for nothing. And she wasn’t going to owe a man anything.

James didn’t say anything as he unlocked the passenger door of the truck and opened it for her. She climbed in and he stood there watching her for several long seconds before shutting the door.

She let out a shaky breath as he went around to the driver’s side and let himself in, stowing the bag from the shop behind his seat. He shoved the keys in the ignition and started the truck, but he made no move to pull out into traffic. Instead, he peered out the window.

Shelley dug into the pocket of her jeans where she’d stuffed her money. Dragging out a handful of bills, she counted out enough to pay for her clothing and repay the twenty James had given her to buy something to eat. She didn’t want to owe him anything.

“Here.” She thrust the crumpled bills at him.

Slowly, he turned to face her. His expression was blank as he glanced from her face to the money and back again. “No. I won’t take your money, Shelley.”

She ignored the little shiver of pleasure that rocketed through her when he said her name and placed the money on the seat beside him. “I can’t let you buy me clothes.”

“Why?” His voice was even and unthreatening, but she sensed the underlying anger in him and put one hand on the door handle just in case.

She wasn’t sure why he was angry with her. “Because it’s not right.”

He laughed, but it was a bitter sound with no pleasure. “What’s not right is you having nothing but a few ragged dresses to wear.”

Her face heated and she knew her cheeks were red with shame. “It’s all I had.” She squared her shoulders, refusing to be embarrassed by her clothing.

“I know.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

“Maybe I should leave.” Her hand pulled the handle and the door popped open.

James leaned across her and yanked it closed again. His large body was pressed against hers. He was too big. Too close. Her chest tightened and she couldn’t drag enough air into her lungs. She grabbed her throat, unable to breathe. The blood vessels in her temples pulsed until her head felt as though it was pounding. Her hands shook and her eyes began to water.

She was having a panic attack.

James jerked back and took in the situation at a glance. He cupped her face between his large, calloused palms and gently spoke. “You’re okay, Shelley. Everything is okay. Just calm down and take a deep breath. You can do it.” He kept up the patter, speaking softly until she was able to suck in some air. “That’s good,” he crooned. “You’re safe with me. I will never hurt you.” He rubbed his thumbs over her cheeks in a circular pattern. “Just breathe, honey.”

Another wave of humiliation washed over her. It seemed she was always going to be at a disadvantage around this man. She felt mortified by her lack of control. She’d thought she’d passed this stage several months ago.

James hooked a loose lock of hair behind her ear and smiled. “Feeling better?”

She nodded. “I’m sorry.” She still felt lightheaded, but not as though she was in danger of passing out. “I don’t know what came over me.” That wasn’t quite true, but she wasn’t about to go into details.

“Nothing to apologize for. These things happen.” He eased back and Shelley felt bereft when he was no longer touching her, which was crazy. She didn’t want him touching her. Did she?

Neither of them spoke and she took those few minutes to compose herself. She swiped at the tears in her eyes and took another deep, cleansing breath. Her heart was no longer racing, but her headache was getting worse. She needed time to think, to make a plan.

Her entire life had been unexpectedly turned upside down only a few hours ago. No wonder she was emotional and off-kilter.

“I really think you should come to Wolf Creek with me.” He held up his hand before she could object. “No, listen to me. You can stay with my daughter and her husband and take a few days to figure out your next plan of action.”

He shifted and something crunched beneath his thigh. He swore softly as he yanked out the money she’d tried to give him. “I can’t take this. If anything, I owe you. I cost you your job, remember?” He caught her wrist with his free hand and pressed the money into her palm, closing her fingers around it.

His hand was warm where it touched her. It was also gentle. She wanted to go with him, but couldn’t take a chance. She didn’t trust anyone. Couldn’t afford to.

She shook her head. “I can’t.”

Rather than get frustrated or angry, one corner of his mouth kicked up in a wry grin. “You’re a stubborn little thing.”

She just gaped at him, knowing her mouth was wide open. She really didn’t understand this man at all. He wasn’t reacting like any other male she’d ever met. That made him unpredictable.

He yanked on his seatbelt, put the truck in gear and pulled out of the parking spot, merging into traffic. “Buckle up. I’m going to stop for gas, then we’ll leave town. You think about my offer for a bit longer before giving me your final answer.”

Shelley pulled at the belt and realized she was still clutching the money in her hand. She stuffed it back into her pocket for now and then snapped her seatbelt into place.

James was such a strange man. He’d bought her clothing and food, refusing to let her repay him for it. Nor did he seem to want anything in exchange for his kindness.

Not yet anyway
.

She hated the mistrust that ate at her, but she couldn’t stop it. Nothing in her life thus far had disproved her theory. Nothing was free and men always wanted something from her. If she didn’t give it, they took it.

Fear nibbled at her psyche, but she shoved it back. She would not give in to it. She’d faced her demon and come out the winner. She was alive. The demon wasn’t.

But that didn’t mean her ordeal was over. There were men out there looking for her. She knew it as well as she knew the sun would rise tomorrow morning and every morning after. It wasn’t fair to drag James into that mess.

She’d get him to drop her in some town with a bus depot once they left Tennessee. She could buy a bus ticket to California where it was sunny all the time.

For some unknown reason, the thought depressed her.

She rubbed her finger up and down the soft denim of her jeans and snuggled into her warm coat. She’d never owned such fine clothing before, clothing she’d picked out for herself. Okay, maybe she hadn’t chosen the coat, but she couldn’t fault James’s taste. She loved the leather jacket. It was stylish and the lining was warm and cozy, like a soft blanket.

She didn’t want to leave him.

That was the bottom line and the problem she was struggling with right now. James made her feel safe. But that was just an illusion. She had to take care of herself.

She hadn’t been paying any attention to where they were going, but she focused on their surroundings as he turned off the road. The sign announced it was a gas station.

“I’ll just be a few minutes.” James shut off the ignition and climbed out. He’d left the keys. It would be so easy for her to steal the truck and drive away. If only she could drive. She’d never learned how, but he didn’t know that.

There was so much she didn’t know how to do. But she was learning. Watching the battered, ancient television in her apartment and observing other folks had helped. But she still felt like a child in many respects, blindly trying to find her way. She’d never used a cell phone or a computer or had a bank account.

She straightened her shoulders, staring straight ahead. She refused to feel shame. What had happened to her wasn’t her fault. She hadn’t chosen to be abandoned by her family. She hadn’t chosen her heritage. She hadn’t chosen to be held captive for all those years. Those things simply were. But she was working to make her life better.

A knock on the window yanked her from her thoughts and she jerked around. James moved his hand, making a cranking motion. She fumbled for the handle and rolled down the window. The pungent smell of gasoline made her wrinkle her nose.

“I’m going in to pay. You want anything to drink or eat?”

She shook her head, feeling slightly exasperated. The man had to stop offering to buy things for her. “No, thank you.”

“Back in a sec.” He strode toward the small brick building to pay and she couldn’t help admiring his long legs and the way his jeans cupped his firm butt.

Heat suffused her cheeks as she quickly put up the window and, this time, it had nothing to do with shame and everything to do with desire. She fanned her face, grateful James wasn’t here to see her blush. The last thing he needed to know was that she was attracted to him.

Her hand went limp and dropped to her lap. She was attracted to James Riley. Only a day ago, she would have said that was impossible. There was no way she’d ever feel that way toward any man.

What made him so special?

A vehicle pulled in on the other side of the gas pumps and she automatically glanced over. Every bit of blood drained from her face as she caught sight of the man driving the black SUV. It couldn’t be.

But it was. She’d seen his face too many times to mistake it—handsome, yet cruel at the same time. He’d grown a goatee since she’d last seen him. It gave his face a more sinister look. His blond hair was longer than she remembered, but it still didn’t touch his shoulders.

Shelley turned away and hunched down in her seat. Should she run?

No
. That would bring attention her way. Reaching her hand out blindly, she hit the lock on her door.

She leaned across the seat to lock the other door, but before she could, it popped open. She gasped and shrank away.

It was James and, of course, he noticed the way she was practically hiding under the dashboard. “What’s wrong?”

She shook her head and hunched lower, willing the man at the gas pump across from them not to notice her. “Drive.”

James’s asked no questions as he started the truck, but his head swiveled around and she knew he saw the man across from them putting fuel into his SUV. The man who would kill her without a thought. And why wouldn’t he? She’d killed his father.

It had to be coincidence that Steve Macmillan had turned up at the same place as her and James. Or maybe it was fate. A reminder of what she’d done and everything she had to lose.

There was no way he could have tracked her movements. When she’d awoken this morning, she’d had no idea she’d find herself at this particular gas station in Nashville today.

Desperation swept over her. If James didn’t hurry, nothing else would matter. The second Steve saw her she was dead.

But the truck was already moving. James pulled out of the lot and accelerated slowly, gliding easily into traffic. Shelley didn’t breathe, didn’t sit up until he’d driven for five minutes. She peered out the back window to make certain there was no sign of the SUV before slowly sitting up straight again.

Sweat made her new sweater cling to her torso. Her body trembled as adrenaline pumped through her veins. Fight or flight. It was a primitive reaction to danger. And Steve Macmillan was as dangerous as it got.

“You want to tell me what that was all about?” James tone was mild, but she knew he was curious. He had to be. She’d just acted slightly crazy and told him to drive. She paused as it occurred to her he’d done just that with no questions asked.

She shook her head. “You’re safer not knowing.”

Steve Macmillan casually scoped out the other vehicles as he pumped gas. Not that he expected to see anyone or anything special, but it was as natural to him as breathing to be aware of his surroundings. His father had taught him to always be on his guard. Those werewolves and other freaks of nature were everywhere.

He noticed the big man who walked out of the small convenience store attached to the gas bar. His movements were fluid with an animal grace that gave Steve pause.

That would be too much of a coincidence to run into a werewolf here. There wasn’t enough time to assess the man as he climbed into his vehicle. There was a passenger in the cab of the truck, but Steve couldn’t get a good look at her. And it was a woman. He caught a glimpse of her profile before she turned away. Her soft brown hair tumbled around her shoulders. Her leather jacket was scrunched up around her neck and ears, blocking most of her features from view.

The back of his neck began to itch and he released the nozzle of the gas hose and took a step to the right to get a better view of the passenger.

It didn’t help. The woman kept her head turned away from him. The driver glanced at Steve, his dark eyes narrowing slightly before he put the truck in gear and pulled away.

Steve watched as the vehicle disappeared down the road, automatically taking note of the license plate. Damn—the woman reminded him of someone. It would come to him in time. He was certain of it. It was probably nothing, but it wouldn’t hurt to check it out.

Chapter Five

Tension thrummed through James. He didn’t know what had just happened to frighten Shelley, but something sure as hell had. Maybe it had something to do with the guy at the gas station and maybe it didn’t. All he knew is Shelley wanted to get away from there so he drove.

The farther away they got, the more relaxed she became.

“You want to tell me what that was all about?” He kept his tone mild, sensing that she was close to the edge. Sweat was beaded on her forehead and her hands were shaking.

“You’re safer not knowing.”

Her words cut him like a knife. She was trying to protect him. He wasn’t having it. He was male. He was alpha. It was his job to protect her. “I can take care of myself. It’s you I’m worried about.”

She shook her head and he had the urge to shake her until she told him what had just happened to frighten her. Not that he’d give in to it. There’s no way he’d ever lay a hand on her in anger. He was very afraid she’d had more than her share of that kind of treatment in her life.