The Guardian (Mended Souls Book 1) (10 page)

L
ucas lost
track of how long he sat on the floor with Natalya’s unconscious body in his arms. The fire had died down to nothing but a few glowing coals leaving a damp chill to the air, and still there was no sign of her recovering. What sort of God allows the innocent to suffer while the unjust prosper?

The anger raging inside turned into a rampant beast. It filled every pore, leaching into his soul. The longer they sat there alone, the more vengeance colored his thoughts.

He brushed a kiss over the tender skin of her forehead. Natalya had always been his angel. From the moment she and Scott moved into the house next door to his parents’ shack, she’d been his savior. Her bubbly personality and positive attitude, no matter how poor they were, made the days lighter, brighter.

And her payment? Death and a deep dark hole where no one could reach her.

“C’mon, sweetheart, talk to me,” he whispered, but her mouth remained lax. She reminded him of a porcelain doll he’d seen in a big department store window one Christmas. He’d wanted to get her for Nat so badly, but by the time he’d raised enough cash from bottle-picking and washing dishes at the Chinese restaurant downtown, they’d sold out. So he’d used the money for some bootlegged whiskey instead. Yay, him.

He gently laid Natalya on her side and climbed to his feet, stretching to relieve the kinks, then bent and lifted her into his arms so he could carry her to the couch. Her body was slight and weighed next to nothing. It increased his fear for her recovery.

He used the same cover she’d thrown over him earlier, and wrapped her up snuggly before adding another log to the fire, teasing it to life. His gaze went to the sofa, willing her to open those beautiful blue eyes and mock him for his worries. She seemed so small, with that larger-than-life personality of hers subdued.

The sound of the door opening lifted his heart with a surge of hope. Maybe the Lord had heard his prayers after all. But no, Mike stepped through the entry and when their gazes met, Lucas was filled with a black rage. The room darkened as though his mood infiltrated its corners, filling the air with malevolent energy.

He jerked his head, indicating they should step outside. Mike hesitated, then nodded and went back the way he’d come. Lucas glanced at Nat once more and followed the other man, leaving the door ajar, just in case.

“Where’d you go?” he growled the moment he stepped off the landing.

Mike stiffened. “You my keeper, now?”

“What if I needed help, asshole,” Lucas sneered. “We’re supposed to be
teammates
, remember?”

“Fuck you,” Mike snapped. “Maybe I needed some air after finding out my
mate
killed my fricking family.”

Lucas’ head snapped back. The vision of Mike’s wife staring at him in horror through the windshield filled his mind until he thought it would shatter. This wasn’t heaven, it was more like hell.

“Look, I know there’s nothing I can say or do…”

“I think you’ve
done
enough, don’t you?” Mike retorted. “Maybe this is
His way of evening the score.”

The storm that had threatened earlier broke. Just a few light drops at first, but then the pewter gray clouds opened up. They were soaked to the bone in seconds, yet neither moved. The wind picked up, sent waves crashing against the shore, and bent the trees until it seemed they would snap like toothpicks.

Lucas turned his face into the storm and accepted the bite of the rain against his skin. If only it could wash away his sins. Maybe Mike was right, maybe Natalya’s accident was his penance, but why him? Why did everything good always disappear from his life? It wasn’t fair.

A swirling mix of wind and rain surrounded him, snaking around his body and exploding upward. Lucas shook the gusts away, surprised to find his wings spread open on his back. He hadn’t even noticed them forming this time.

“What the hell, man?” Mike stared at him like he’d grown…well, wings.

“What’s your problem, you’ve seen these before.” Lucas folded the wings against his body.

Mike shook his head. “It’s not that, you dumb-ass. Look at them.”

He glanced over his shoulder, and froze.

His beautiful white swan wings had transformed into the same leaden gray as the clouds.

S
cott helped
Tracy to her feet, his side on fire. This was serious. She could’ve been killed tonight. If that shopping cart hadn’t taken the brunt of the hit… He shuddered.

“Are you hurt?” He cataloged her disheveled clothing and wide-eyed stare, and wanted to growl. What the hell was going on?

This was when he could’ve used Lucas’ calming influence. He was beginning to believe his celestial visit with his friend had been nothing more than a dream. But, that didn’t stop him from wishing Lucas would make a reappearance. If anyone could get to the bottom of this, an angel could.

“Okay, that pissed me off,” she snapped.

Whoa.

He stared at her in shocked surprise. Hadn’t seen that one coming. A slow grin curled his lips and dissipated some of his tension.

“That’s my girl. Go get ‘em,” he chuckled.

She frowned and bent to check her dog. “You smart boy, you. Thanks for warning us, Sugar-Bear. You’re in for a treat when we get home.”

What about him? He wanted a treat too. One green-eyed brunette to go, please.

Leaving them to their cuddling, Scott straightened the overturned cart and hoisted the bags. “Why don’t you two wait by the doors and I’ll bring the car around? There’s no need for both of us to make the trip.” And, he would feel better about her staying close to the safety of the building.

“Oh, no you don’t.” Tracy rose and planted her hands on her hips.

She was amazing. They’d just about become hood ornaments tonight. Yet there she stood, hair a mess, eyes sparking, torn stockings, the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.

“Look, Trace…”

“Don’t you ‘look, Trace’, me.” She sighed, and moved to his side. Her fingers sent tingles upward from where they rested on his arm. “You may be used to playing the hero for damsels in distress, but that’s not me, okay?” Her eyes were emerald green, mesmerizing in their brilliance. “I’m used to taking care of myself. I don’t need coddling.”

No, maybe she didn’t. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t use someone to take the burden away. He wanted to be that someone.

He raised a hand and brushed a velvety soft cheek, reveling in her body’s response. Eyelids fluttered and lips parted as though waiting for a kiss. Maybe she didn’t want the fairy tale, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t be her prince.

He leaned down and accepted her invitation.

Heaven.

Her taste reminded him of blue skies and endless meadows. Of songbirds and bubbling brooks. She was his fire when he got cold and food when he was hungry. She made him weak, yet superhero strong, all with a look or a touch. And he couldn’t get enough.

“Take me home with you,” he whispered.

Tracy gazed at him, her eyes conflicted. “We should…”

“What? Slow down? Deny what’s happening between us?” He tunneled his hand into her hair and cupped the side of her head, relieved when she leaned into the touch. “I can’t. If there’s anything I’ve learned in the past couple of weeks, it’s that there are no guarantees.”

He leaned forward until their foreheads touched. Until every breath was shared. Until there was no more room for misunderstandings.

“I want you.”

T
racy released a shaky sigh
. It was hard enough denying her feelings to herself, never mind the words of the man of her dreams. That was the whole issue though. This relationship was taking on all the characteristics of one of Scott’s action movies. The question was; could she be his leading lady for however long he wanted her before the next big sensation came rolling into his life?

His body was a warm furnace, a heat she craved. His mouth against hers promised hours of pleasure. But more than that, it was the connection they shared. Even though they’d barely met, their bodies knew and welcomed each other.

Temptation.

Sugar-Bear whined and tugged on his leash. She stepped away from the six-two enticement and hugged her dog.

“Ready to see your new home, big guy?” She smiled when he wagged his tail, and glanced up in time to see Scott crossing the lot into the dark.

“What am I going to do, huh, boy?” His soft brown eyes stared up at her. “You think I should give him a chance, don’t you?” He licked her hand.

“Way to take his side.”

The rumble of the Mustang’s engine warned her that she better make up her mind soon. The car pulled up and Scott leaned over to open the door for her. “Ready?” he asked.

Now, or never.

She let the dog in first, then straightened her seat and climbed in. Before she could second-guess herself, Tracy kissed Scott. She put everything she had behind that kiss. It wasn’t neat, and it wasn’t pretty, but it obviously got the message across. He froze. And just when she was going to pull back, embarrassed, his mouth opened over hers and she forgot to breathe.

His mobile lips tormented and teased while his tongue made her think wicked, wanton thoughts. She squirmed and tried to get closer but only succeeded in knocking the car out of gear.

Scott pulled back at the harsh grinding sound and heaved a loud frustrated sigh.

Tracy met his gaze and smiled. “They always make love scenes in a car seem sexy.”

After a moment, his lips quirked upward. “Believe me, with you, they are.”

Oh, wow.

“The answer’s yes, Anderson. You don’t need to sweet-talk me.” She couldn’t meet his gaze any more and fiddled with her skirt instead.

“Hey,” he said, quietly.

When she looked up he ran a light finger along her jaw and shivers popped out in its wake.

“It’s not a line, okay?” He waited until she hesitantly nodded. “I want us to be together, but only if you’re ready. I can wait.”

She considered him doubtfully and he grinned.

“What? You don’t believe I can hold on to my virtue?” He pretended to look pained, and she had to laugh.

“You don’t have to,” she said. And then she turned serious, though her heart was ping-ponging around her chest. “Take me home, Scott.”

He gazed at her for a long moment, then gave her a sharp nod, and shifted the car back into gear.

T
racy awoke and stretched contentedly
. The warm male body against her back explained why every bone in her body felt like butter left out in the sun. Slowly, afraid to move in case she woke him, she rolled to the edge of the bed and crawled out from beneath the down comforter.

The view when she turned would live on in her fantasies for years to follow. Scott lay spread-eagle, his big body taking up most of her king-sized mattress. The blanket had pooled on the small of his back, hinting at the globes of his drool-worthy butt. His arms tucked up under the pillow beneath his head highlighted the v-shape of his spine and the fluid lines of muscle. The black and blue bruising along his side and the white of the plaster were a stark contrast to the teak cast of his skin. Sympathy held hands with the sensuality flowing through her body.

She fought an argument with herself and turned away from the temptation. The mirror in the bathroom told the tale of their erotic encounter. She lifted her hair on top her head and shivered in remembrance of how the love marks came to decorate her neck and breasts. Her nipples hardened and her womanhood pulsed with remembered delight. The man knew how to please a woman, there was no doubt about that. But the thought of how he’d learned those skills cooled her ardor. She sighed, and turned away to climb into the shower.

The cool water made her gasp and she hurried to add more hot, relaxing as steam filled the cubicle. She’d just added citrus-scented shampoo to her hair when the glass door slid back and Scott joined her, a plastic garbage bag tied around his cast.

Unaccountably shy, Tracy got an eyeful of all that blessed-by-God body and ducked her head.

“Good morning,” she murmured, scrubbing her scalp raw.

He reached out and lifted her chin, stilling her movement. The warm, teasing glow in his eyes made her lips quirk in an answering smile.

“Morning,” he rasped, just before their lips met in a lingering morning-after-and-I-feel-good kiss. “Why didn’t you wake me?”

The water dripped off their lashes and turned the scene surreal. How could she explain how out of depth she was? Where this was little more than a casual hook-up to him, for her… well, it wasn’t. She didn’t do casual. Had never had an interest in sex for pleasure’s sake. Though after last night, she could see the attraction.

“Scott…”

He leaned back a little so that he could meet her eyes. “That better be a
Scott, when can we do this again?
” His gaze turned somber. “That’s not what you were going to say though, was it?”

Oh God, this was hard. How was she supposed to explain that the most momentous night of her life scared her to death?

“I think we should take some time to evaluate,” she started.

His expression turned inscrutable.

“Evaluate what?” he asked, and picked up where she’d left off with the scrubbing. His big hand massaging her hair made her eyes practically roll back in her head. Then they left her scalp to begin a reunion tour of her body and she was lost. The combination of slippery soap and calloused fingers had her pulse pounding so loud she barely heard what he was saying.

“What do you think this is, doc? I’m not giving up, if that’s what you want.” He punctuated the words with kisses that teased and promised without delivering. It drove her mad.

She rubbed against him, desperate for the friction caused by their wet bodies. Her hand slid between them and wrapped around his erection. She smiled wickedly at his answering groan, and began a slow squeeze designed to drive him around the bend. It was good, but not enough. She needed to taste him, to feel his length within her mouth. His hands forced her head back so he could meet her gaze as she fell to her knees.

“You don’t need to prove anything to me,” he grated.

Embarrassed, she leaned back. “Don’t you like it?”

His laugh was low, pained. “God yes, but that’s not the point.”

Reassured, Tracy smiled a cat’s smile and leaned in for a long slow lick. “What is then?”

“Oh, fuck,” he groaned.

She laughed. “Well yeah, that too, I hope.”

And then she made it her mission to blow his mind.

S
cott lay
on his side and stared at the woman sleeping next to him. Her hair, wet when they’d left the shower, now lay in a tangled coffee-colored mess across her pillow. There were marks on her smooth flesh, marks he’d placed there. Was it wrong to go all caveman and thump his chest?

She’d surprised him in the shower. His dick jumped just thinking about it. He’d never seen anything more sensual in his life. Her eyelids had slowly closed over clover green eyes dark with hunger, and then she’d proceeded to tug the heart from his soul with that greedy little mouth. He’d never be able to climb into a shower again without reliving that moment, so help him God.

When he thought of how close he’d come to losing her tonight… He brushed a stray lock of hair off her cheek and smiled when she leaned into his touch. Her body accepted him, now if he could only get that stubborn mind of hers to believe in them.

His cell set up a faint ringing from the other room where he’d dropped his jacket last night. Tracy’s brows furrowed, and he cursed the thing. Careful not to jostle her, he rolled out of bed, grabbed his pants, and hurried down the hall. And of course the stupid phone shut down just before he got to it. The call display listed five missed calls from his agent. Whoops. Guess he must have been otherwise occupied. He commandoed his jeans and flopped into a flowered recliner that was more comfort than fashion before doing a callback.

“What’s up?” he asked impatiently. What part of
give him some space
did the guy not get?

“Hey, man, where you been? I’ve been calling for hours. You bumping some bimbo, or something?” Ray’s nasally, frankly annoying voice whined in his ear.

Scott glared at the framed print of a farmhouse on the opposite wall.

“Watch your mouth, I won’t tell you again. What I do on my time has nothing to do with you.” If he still smoked he’d be reaching for a cigarette right now. They were coming to a parting of the ways, him and ol’ Ray. It was different when Lucas was alive, the agent never ran his mouth around him. Not sure why he figured it was okay now, but Scott was getting right sick of it.

“Relax, man, I didn’t mean nothing. You want to screw every chick between here and L.A. it don’t make no difference to me. I just want you back to work. I got some prime opportunities lined up, but they want answers like yesterday, man. Cut me a break, I’m only doing my job here. I’m sorry about Lucas, but…” Ray paused. Scott’s hand fisted and he longed to punch something. “It’s over, buddy. We have to move on, you get me?”

Yeah, he
got
him all right. The asshole had a gambling problem. They’d warned him about it before, but it sounded as though he was in deep again.

“Look, I have to go. I’ll call you later and we’ll get together to talk. I want to make some changes.” He could practically hear the sweat break out on the dude’s forehead.

“Let’s not do anything hasty,” Ray back-pedaled. “Take your time, man. There’s no rush.”

Scott’s lips quirked cynically. “Yeah, sure, whatever. Talk to ya later.” He thumbed the end button and threw the phone down on the table, wincing as it clattered. He cocked his head and listened, but all stayed silent down the hall. Good. She needed the rest.

He leaned his head against the back of her butt-ugly chair and stared at the popcorn stippling on the ceiling. The conversation with Ray wasn’t going to be easy. The three of them had been a team for a lot of great years. But he was different now, they both were. With Lucas gone, the glue that bound them together was slowly stripping away. And besides, he wasn’t sure he wanted to continue acting any more. It would take him away from Tracy, and he wasn’t prepared to do that. He didn’t need the money; he and Lucas had set up an account long ago. They funneled a good portion of their revenue into its coffers. The dream had been to take care of the two of them and Natalya so they’d never have to worry again.

If only they’d known to beware of what you wish for.