Her Wolf's Guarded Heart Read online

  Jackson grinned. “You do realize that you suck at lying.”

  His pulse sped up. Was nothing sacred in this world? He refused to give in. “Hey, I am merely curious about EmmaLee, that’s all. I need to figure out what questions to ask her in regards to Slater.”

  “What do you need?’

  “Can you find out who took care of her after her parents died?” Connor told him what little he knew.

  “Sure, but why not just ask EmmaLee?”

  “She clammed up when I tried to discuss her past. It makes sense since they died when she was twelve. I don’t think anyone can get over something like that.”

  Jackson sobered. “That’s tough. I’ll dig deep and see what I come up with. You want to know the good and the bad?”

  There would be no bad. “Yes. As long as you’re investigating her, maybe you can see where Slater Coghill fits into her life.”

  “Tell me about him.”

  Connor filled him on what EmmaLee had said.

  “I’ll try. Could you ask her if she has one of Coghill’s credit card receipts? If she does, I might be able to figure out where he’s been recently.”

  “I can ask, but I’m not expecting she will. Why would she bring something like that from Georgia?” A few days ago, he’d thought about asking her to search Slater’s apartment, but he didn’t want to put her in that kind of danger or bring up bad memories.

  “She could have shoved it into her purse and forgotten about it.”

  “It’s possible,” Connor said.

  “If you need help with this case, why not ask Ronan to lend a hand? I heard he can track anyone. With Devon staying put in Pittsburgh, we could use another investigator.” In the past, his brother dropped in at a moment’s notice. Now that Vinea was pregnant, he’d requested that he stay put, and Connor couldn’t deny him. His mate had to come first.

  “Sam suggested that too.”

  “Let me know what he says.”

  Connor returned to his office. Wanting to be prepared if Ronan hesitated, he pulled up a fresh word document and then listed the reasons why Ronan should come down and help.

  Next, he jotted down a few questions he had for Ronan. Connor was interested in knowing how Ronan believed he could help him capture Slater Coghill. Lexi always bragged a lot about her brother, but it would be nice to hear from the man himself about his accomplishments.

  Lastly, Connor listed everything he knew about EmmaLee’s attacker. The bounty hunter would need something to go on.

  With that chore done, it was time to check in with the Billard police. He usually called every few days and spoke to Officer Terrance Waters, the man in charge of the case. He wanted to stay on top of any progress they might be making on their end in locating Coghill.

  “Officer Waters, how may I help you?”

  “This is Connor McKinnon.”

  “Oh, yes, Mr. McKinnon. Before you ask, we’re doing everything we can to find this man Slater Coghill. Unfortunately, we’ve had no more leads than the last time we spoke.”

  As much as Connor wanted to rant and rave, it wouldn’t do any good. “I appreciate your effort. You have my number if you do learn something.”

  “Rest assured, you’ll be the first person we call.”

  Connor hung up, disgusted by the lack of progress. Clearly, he had to find EmmaLee’s attacker on his own. Her face appeared in his mind’s eye—not the beautiful one it was now, but the one with the split lip and black eye. He squeezed his eyes tight, willing away the horrible image. In its place, a picture of Caroline Andrews appeared. A tic formed around his eye. If only he hadn’t left her that day, she might still be alive.

  This is why you need to be near EmmaLee. Go see her, his wolf urged.

  He understood what that horny animal wanted—sex with EmmaLee.

  Connor couldn’t let his wolf distract him. Right now, Connor needed to tend to business. His two-week departure had put a strain on his short-handed team.

  Before he could return to the task at hand, Jackson’s dad, Daniel, stepped into his office. “Heard you were back and might need help with a case.” Either Jackson had spoken with him, or Connor’s father had filled him in.

  At his age, Daniel didn’t need to be out chasing down a bad shifter. Coghill was a dangerous man. “Thanks. Maybe you can give Jackson a hand. He’s doing some research on EmmaLee’s case.”

  “I’ll ask my son what he needs help with then. Glad to have you back.”

  “Glad to be back.” Daniel would be discrete if he found information on EmmaLee. Even though his dad and Jackson’s father had turned over the running of the firm to him, they still owned the company. “Before you leave, let me ask you something.” Connor explained his plan to ask Lexi’s brother to help with the Slater Coghill case. “If he works out, what do you think of asking him to join the firm? Having a talented bounty hunter would be an asset.”

  Daniel asked a few questions, and Connor had to dig deep into his memory to recall what Lexi had said about Ronan.

  If you mate with EmmaLee, the release will help you focus better, his wolf said.

  No, it won’t. Christ, his wolf needed to quit panting about mating and go lay down. Horny bastard.

  “Sounds like a plan. Let me know what you think of him,” Daniel said.

  As soon as Daniel left, Connor went in search of Lexi. Head down, she was working away on her computer, filling in data in one of her color-coded spreadsheets.

  She looked up and smiled. “Hey there. What can I do for you?”

  “I was wondering if Ronan might be free to give us a hand on the case that involves EmmaLee, the woman I was protecting in Georgia.”

  “He’s a bounty hunter, not a bodyguard.”

  Connor would never ask an unmated male to watch EmmaLee, mostly because she had no idea they were fated mates. He couldn’t afford for her to fall for another man now. “I need him to look for the man who wants to harm her. There’s a bounty on his head.”

  Her eyes brightened. “Oh. That’s right up his alley, but my brother lives in Vermont. It might be hard to convince him to take a case down here.”

  “I’d like to give him a call anyway. I figure he might like the change in scenery. After all, it’s warmer here than in Vermont this time of year.”

  “Don’t I know it?” Lexi wrote down her brother’s number. “Try to convince him to at least visit. I’d love to see him. It’s been too long.”

  “I’ll do my best.” Once back in his office, Connor made the call.

  “Yeah?” Ronan said with a hard edge to his voice.

  Given the road noise in the background, he was in his vehicle. “Ronan Laramie?”

  “Yup.”

  While Ronan didn’t seem to be much for formalities, Connor liked him. “This is Connor McKinnon. Your sister works for my firm.”

  “Oh, sorry, man. I didn’t look at the screen when I answered. I thought it was someone else.”

  “No problem.” He told him about Slater Coghill and the woman this man might come after. “There’s a bounty on his head.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “I’m not sure where he is right now, but I was wondering if you could lend us a hand. You can have the whole bounty. I just want the creep caught.”

  His horn blasted in the background. “Fuck you, man!” Ronan shouted a split second after someone’s tires squealed. “Sorry about that,” he said. “Some asshole just pulled onto the road without looking.”

  “Nice to have those quick wolf reflexes, right?”

  He chuckled. “Totally. Listen, I’m interested, but I’m in the middle of another case. As a matter of fact, I’m heading south now to locate this scum.”

  Connor wasn’t sure what more to say since begging wasn’t his style. However, if Connor could lend support at his end, Ronan might find him faster and then be able to help him out. “Can I help you in any way? I realize you work alone, but McKinnon and Associates has a lot of resources.”

  “
You might be able to.”

  “Tell me about this guy,” Connor said.

  “Timothy Delahart is a real sleazebag. He’s into drugs, prostitution, you name it. I’ll send you all the info on this guy as soon as I stop. I really want to catch him. Once I do, I’m free to help. I’d love to catch up with Lexi too. I haven’t seen her since all that shit went down with our father trying to sell her.”

  Connor still remembered that nightmare. The image of Lexi in her wolf form dumpster diving would forever be burned into his brain. “When do you think you could get here?”

  “I’m halfway to Tennessee now. No promises, but if Delahart continues heading south, I’m thinking tomorrow afternoon at the latest. I should know more tonight.”

  He gave Ronan directions. “Looking forward to meeting you.”

  Once they disconnected, Connor leaned back in his seat, pleased he’d found help. A few seconds later, he realized that once they put Slater in jail, EmmaLee would want to go back to Georgia, and there was no way he could agree to that.

  Chapter Five

  ‡

  EmmaLee was happy with her new living quarters. While the kitchen wasn’t any more updated than the one in her apartment in Georgia, the furniture was a lot nicer and more modern, not to mention the seat cushions weren’t ripped like the ones she had. The only complaint was that the living room sofa sat in the middle of the room, taking up too much space. If it were up against the living room window, it would make the area seem bigger. It was how she had her furniture arranged back home.

  Since the flooring was wood, it would be easy to slide a few things around and see whether she liked the change. When she returned to Billard, she’d be sure to put things back the way they were, even though Mrs. McKinnon implied EmmaLee could do what she wanted.

  Because she had already unpacked her clothes, she set about redecorating. It would make her more comfortable to be in familiar surroundings. First, she moved the wooden coffee table off to the side and then slid the two heavy leather chairs out of the way. It looked better already.

  Next came the sofa. Because it was the heaviest item, she leaned over and gave it a big shove, but it fell short by a foot. Using all her effort again, she pushed harder and immediately felt something snap in her back. She froze as the twinge raced up her spine. Taking a few short breaths, she pleaded with whoever would listen to not let this be a serious injury. She slowly rose and winced. Well, damn. This was not how she wanted her first full day in Silver Lake to end.

  Determined to nip this strain in the bud, she eased her way to the kitchen and filled a kitchen towel with some ice then placed it on her back. For a split second, she considered calling Connor for some sympathy, but then she remembered he’d told her not to even turn on her cell phone. Slater might have figured out a way to trace it. So as not to be out of communication range, Connor had promised to bring her a burner phone in the next day or two. Bothering his mom was not an option either. EmmaLee owed the McKinnons enough as it was.

  Well, damn. The best thing to do was rest.

  After sitting with the ice on her back for twenty minutes, she returned the dripping mess to the kitchen and dumped the remains into the sink. Testing her back, she found she wasn’t as bad off as she thought. Hurray!

  Thinking some exercise would do her good, EmmaLee debated bundling up and going out for a walk but then thought better of it. She doubted Mr. McKinnon was sitting at his window waiting for Slater, and even if every shifter in the compound was aware her ex-boyfriend might come after her, she didn’t think walking around alone was a good idea. In the end, she grabbed her e-reader and eased down onto the sofa, ready to get lost in her world of fantasy.

  When four turned to five, and then five to six, she decided Connor wasn’t stopping over. She might as well prepare dinner for one. Most likely, Connor reasoned that if everyone in the compound was watching out for her, why should he come by? The poor man hadn’t left her side in a few weeks and was probably happy to have some time to himself.

  EmmaLee tried to remember if he mentioned his plans for the evening, but she didn’t think he’d told her anything. Not stopping by tonight was fine, but if he thought she’d be content to sit in this house all day long, everyday, and never leave, he had another thing coming. She wasn’t built for being idle.

  Before she reached the kitchen, someone knocked on her door. She jumped, and her heart jackhammered in her chest. For a moment, she thought it was Slater, but then dismissed it. He couldn’t have found her so soon. Or could he have? Because Connor sounded so confident that she’d be safe, the Clan must have a good system of surveillance.

  “Coming,” she called, knowing it might take her a minute to reach the door. Standing caused some pain, but once she was upright, she was pleased she was able to move a lot better. “Who is it?”

  “It’s Connor.”

  EmmaLee smiled. Anxious to see him, she pulled open the door and then just stared, ignoring the chilly air rushing in. It didn’t matter it had only been a few hours since she’d seen him. He must have stopped home after work because when he’d left this morning, he had on a black T-shirt. His jeans and boots looked the same, but now he wore a crisp white button down shirt. He hadn’t shaven, and the worry lines seemed to have deepened. “Come in.”

  Instead of looking at her, he studied the room. “Something’s different.”

  “I thought I’d rearrange the furniture.”

  His brow rose. “So you did. I like it better this way. I’m surprised Vinea didn’t do something like this. It makes the room seem bigger.”

  EmmaLee was pleased Connor liked what she’d done. “Can I get you something to drink? I have water, coffee, and orange juice.”

  He didn’t make eye contact. “Water’s fine, thanks.”

  Connor wasn’t usually this uncomfortable around her. “Did something happen at work today?”

  He finally looked at her. “No, why?”

  She shrugged. Even if she said he seemed to be avoiding eye contact, he’d never admit it. “You seem preoccupied.”

  He stepped into the kitchen, snatched a glass from the cabinet, and filled it with tap water. Well, so much for her offering him something to drink. “I had a lot of catching up to do today.”

  All because of her. “I’m sorry.”

  As if he remembered who she was, he set down the glass and clasped her shoulders. “No, I’m the one who should apologize. This isn’t your fault. I should have convinced you to come here right away. If I had, I could have had my team working on finding Slater sooner.”

  The urge to hug him was strong, until she remembered she was a sucker for an apology. At least this apology had nothing to do with someone hitting her.

  EmmaLee moved out of his grasp, but the act of twisting caused an intense pain to race up her back. She grabbed the edge of the counter and gasped out loud.

  “EmmaLee, are you okay?” he asked with such concern she almost didn’t recognize his voice.

  “I’m fine.” She rubbed her back. “I pulled a muscle when I moved the furniture.”

  Connor stepped over to the dining room and dragged over a chair. He then came back and placed his hand on her elbow, gently guiding her to the seat. “Come sit down.”

  As much as she didn’t like him waiting on her, she would be more comfortable sitting. “I’m okay, really. I just can’t move quickly.”

  “I can see that. Remember I mentioned Kalan Murdoch, the Beta of our Clan?”

  “Yes.”

  “His sister, Blair, is a physical therapist in town. I can give her a call to see what she suggests you do.”

  While she didn’t need that much help, meeting people in the community would make her stay more enjoyable, especially if Connor remained at work all day. “Is she a wolf too?”

  “No, a werebear.”

  Ooh, even better. “Then by all means contact her.”

  *

  EmmaLee hadn’t slept well last night in part because her back was givi
ng her a fit, and because Connor remained distant when he’d stopped over. Sure, her injury concerned him, even suggesting Blair Murdoch stop by and help, but he was pre-occupied about something. Did he regret asking her to move to Silver Lake or had the build-up at work been the issue?

  Foolishly, EmmaLee had thought if Slater wasn’t an imminent risk that maybe Connor would let down his guard, but apparently, she’d been wrong.

  Once Slater was brought to justice, she’d be on her way home, and the last thing she needed was to have her heart broken yet again. But damn, the enigmatic Connor McKinnon intrigued her. Too often she debated seducing him, but that little voice in her head told her it was too soon. She needed to study him more in order to decide if she wanted a fling to have something to remember him by.

  A rapping sounded on her door and jarred her out of her daydream. That must be Blair. With her hand on her lower back, EmmaLee walked carefully toward the door. After looking through the peephole, she opened up. A tall redhead with a folded table leaning against her leg stood there.

  The beautiful woman smiled. “Hi, I’m Blair.”

  “Come in. Do you need help with that?”

  Blair chuckled. “So you can hurt your back again? No thanks.”

  “I forgot. I’m not used to being hurt.”

  “I understand. It happens often.” Blair carried the table inside and set it between the living room and dining room. “I’d be screwed if I hurt my back. I know I take too many chances lifting heavy things, but I have confidence my bear can heal anything minor.”

  “What I wouldn’t give for some shifter blood in me.” Heat instantly raced up her face at what it would take to accomplish that. “I mean, I wish I had been born a shifter.”

  Blair tossed her a knowing smile then looked around. “I haven’t been in this guesthouse in a long time. I remember playing in here when we were kids, especially in the winter. The McKinnons didn’t get many guests when it was cold.”

  “We?”

  “The Murdochs and the McKinnons. My parents live next door in the two-story white house. Our two families are tight, in part because our fathers were the two Clan leaders.”