A Fox Between the Bear's Sheets (15 page)

impressive combination of crystal, marble, and dark oak. The staff Mina’s family always seemed to

have on hand bustled around, but it was the raised voice of Luke that had everything else drifting

away. Following the noise to a small study at the end of a long hallway, she found her brother in a

very heated discussion with Mina. Talia didn’t want to intrude on their private conversation, but when

she went to turn and leave she heard Luke comment on how untrustworthy Mina was. Everything

inside of Talia had stopped. Had Mina finally dug her own hole? Would it be Mina that ultimately

ruined her own relationship with Luke?

“I think you’re blowing this way out of proportion, Luke.”

Talia’s interest was piqued, and she moved closer so she could see through the slightly open

door. Mina sat on one of the leather chaises and appraised her nails. The unconcerned attitude came

from her, and Talia gritted her teeth because she could feel Luke’s hurt and anger.

“Blowing this out of proportion? Are you serious right now?” Luke paced the length of the

room and came to a stop in front of her. It was clear his anger was clouding his other senses because

he didn’t even realize Talia stood right on the other side of the door. “I have to hear from your

gossiping friends that you were with another man only months ago?” Talia felt her eyes widen at the

admission.

“Luke, honey, that was two years ago. We had just started seeing each other, and it was far

from serious.” Mina glanced up at Luke and gave him a sugary smile. “You know I love only you. The

past should be just that, the past, honey.”

Luke opened his mouth, most likely to let his anger spew forth in the form of words, but her

brother didn’t say anything, and instead ran a hand over his mouth.

“How am I to know you didn’t do the same at some point in our relationship?” Mina asked.

“Are you fucking serious right now?”

“Luke, watch your mouth in my parents’ home.” Mina stood and smoothed her hands down her

too tight skirt. For someone who had supposedly come from such class, she looked pretty trashy at the

moment. “Listen, the wedding is tomorrow, and you are acting like a lunatic. I don’t doubt the whole

house can hear you right now.”

Talia could feel her brother’s ire growing by the second and moved away from the door. Was

there any need to even tell him about Ford? Before she could answer her own inner questions Luke

started talking again.

“You say you love me, yet I can smell your desire for another man coming off of you like a

cheap fucking perfume.” Silence followed, and Talia knew this was not a time for her to speak with

her brother. She headed out the same way she had come in, and just as she slipped back into her car

she saw her brother storming out of the front doors. He stopped on the top step and shoved his hands

in his front pockets. With his head downcast he looked like a broken male. Before she could get out of

her car and go to comfort him, Luke glanced up at her. He made his way toward her in long strides, got

into the passenger seat, and stared out the front windshield. Talia didn’t know what to say, so she just

kept her mouth shut and waited for him to say something.

“I know you were right outside the door and heard everything.”

Talia kept her eyes trained ahead and watched as men and women in black and white attire

moved back and forth in preparation. There was no accusation in Luke’s words. She shouldn’t have

thought Luke was too upset to realize she was there. Nothing got by him.

“I didn’t mean to spy or anything. I just came over to talk to you, and I should have left when I

first realized you were in an argument with Mina.” He didn’t respond, and when she looked at him she

could see the muscle under his jaw ticking. “I’m sorry.” Talia didn’t know what else to say.

“I’m not mad at you, Talia.” He looked over at her and smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

“Want to hang out with your older brother today?” Without responding, she nodded and started the

car. She had plans to meet Ford later on tonight, so she headed over to the bar. It didn’t matter if she

spent all day there with Luke. It was clear he needed to get away, and she was going to be the person

to help him ease some of his pain.

After they were at the bar and seated they spent the next several hours drinking beer and

talking about everything that didn’t have to do with Mina. The sun was starting to set, and although he

hadn’t broached the topic of Queen Bitch and whether or not the wedding would progress, it was

something they would have to discuss. Her brother’s turmoil was a living entity, and she wanted him

to unload his problems on her.

“I know you don’t want to talk about it or you would have already, but Luke, you should get

whatever you’re feeling off your chest.” She watched him, and although he stayed silent for several

long moments his emotions were written clearly on his face. “If you really have second thoughts on

marrying Mina, we should address them.”

“It isn’t really your problem, Talia.” His words were clipped. He stared at her for several long

seconds and then brought his beer to his mouth and took a long pull from the bottle.

“This isn’t the first time she has done this to a guy.” By the look on his face this didn’t come

as a surprise. “She did it with another guy more than ten years ago.” Again, he showed no emotion

over this. “Luke, are you even hearing what I’m saying?”

“Yeah, Talia, I’m not fucking deaf.” The sound of him using such crass words didn’t make her

flinch, but it did sound strange coming from him. He never swore in front of her. “This isn’t news to

me. Hell, it seems anywhere that I have gone in this fucking town someone was talking about Mina

and her ex, whoever the fuck he is.” He leaned back in his seat and scrubbed his hand over his hair. “I

don’t even care about that shit. That was before I came along.” He held her eyes, and she grew

uncomfortable because it was clear he had other things on his mind. “How about we not talk about her

and instead you tell me about this bear shifter.”

Well, she certainly hadn’t planned on talking about this with him tonight. “What are you

talking about?”

He finished off his beer and gestured their waiter for another one. Talia looked down at her

bottle and started picking at the label. He didn’t respond, just gave her that look that said “don’t play

dumb”.

“Okay, so you know I’m seeing someone.”

“Yeah, I can smell him all over you, and can see his fucking mark on your neck.” Talia lifted

her hand to the bite mark in question and felt the tender wound right under her fingertips. Surprisingly

there was no anger laced with her brother’s words. “So you and that Ford guy, yeah? Damn, Talia and

a bear … fucking crazy shit.” The waiter gave them a fresh round of beer, and Luke finished half of

the new one in two drinks. “He’s the same one that is Mina’s ex.” It was a hard statement, one where

she thought he might have been warning her about.

“Yeah, I know, actually just found out yesterday when Mina’s arousal for him nearly choked

the shit out of me in the café.” Luke nodded slowly, and she could smell his acceptance in all of this.

Just looking at him told her that he was already aware of who Ford Wylde was, and what he had been

to Mina.

“Yeah, I found out about his connection to Mina when she started talking about him today and

her lust was off the charts.” Luke shook his head and all she wanted to do was go and comfort him, but

he was drinking heavily, and needed his space no doubt. She didn’t bother telling him he needed to go

easy on the alcohol. Her brother hardly drank, but it was times like these some people just needed a

little something to help numb the pain. They didn’t speak for several more moments, but finally Luke

went on.

“He claimed you pretty hard, Talia. You do realize that, right?” He leaned back in his seat, and

although it was bizarre talking about this with her brother, it also felt right to discuss something so

serious and important with him.

“Yeah.” She cleared her throat and took a small sip of her beer. She’d had only two prior to the

one she was drinking now, so she was pretty clear on her thinking, but looking at her brother she could

see he was three sheets to the wind. “I care about him, a lot. I don’t want to leave Sweet Water.” Luke

showed no reaction, and she was surprised.

“Even if you ran it’s clear the bear would chase after you. No shifter male will let their mate

go once they find them.”

“Is Mina your mate?” She hated asking him, but there really wasn’t a good time for that

anyway.

“No, but it isn’t like I’m getting any younger. A shifter doesn’t always find his mate, and I

didn’t want to be alone with the hopes she might show up. That’s not to say I didn’t care about Mina,

because I did. She was sweet in the beginning, but I never felt the urge to mark her, and that had

always left an empty feeling inside of me.” He gave a humorless laugh. “I guess I should have known

right then when my cougar didn’t feel the need to claim her.” He ran a hand over his face, and the

devastation on his face broke her heart. She could kill Mina for the pain she caused in Ford and now in

Luke. He looked around the bar, but his gaze was emotionless. “It’s strange to see all these people

going on with their lives as if they don’t have a care in the world, but here I am heartbroken, knowing

I have no future with her.”

“But isn’t it best that way?” Talia didn’t want to rub salt in the wound, but he had to know he

was better off without her.

“Yeah, it is, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt like hell.” He stared at her and chuckled

humorlessly again. “Here I am, with everything I could possibly want, and yet I can’t have the one

thing I ache for.” He didn’t need to say “a mate” for her to know what he meant. “The wedding’s off if

you haven’t already figured that out.” He finished off his beer and snagged the waitress’s attention as

she passed by. “It wasn’t just what you heard today that made everything come to light, though. I have

always had this feeling that being with her wasn’t the right thing to do, but I was a fool to be ignorant

of the way she treated me and others.” He lowered his gaze so he was looking at the table. “I should

have broken it off with her a long time ago.” He smiled even though he didn’t look up at her. “I’ll tell

you what, there are going to be a lot of pissed off people when they find out the wedding is off.”

Talia’s heart broke even more for her brother, because although he tried to act strong, there wasn’t an

emotion that could be hidden from her. Instead of saying anything more about that she got up and gave

him a hug. They might be adults, but even her big brother needed a hug every once in a while.

They sat there for a while longer, and Luke continued to drink with no end in sight. Her back

was to the front doors so she couldn’t see him enter, but instantly she sensed Ford. He smelled crisp

and clean with a hint of citrus and wilderness mixed together.

“I don’t need to tell you your bear just arrived.” Right after Luke spoke he finished off his beer

and stood. Talia’s heart raced as she thought Luke might start trouble, so she quickly turned around

and headed toward Ford, but was surprised to see him already beside her. Talia meant to place herself

between the male she had grown to care about so strongly and her older brother, but apparently Ford

wasn’t having any of that since he took hold of her waist and moved her behind him. His wide,

muscular back took up her entire view, and she tried to move around him but it was no use. He reached

around and stilled her actions with a firm, yet gentle, hand to her hip.

“Calm down, Talia. I’m not about to get into a brawl with your mate,” Luke said with a slur in

his words.

Ford tensed, but she didn’t scent any discomfort over the situation from him. She also didn’t

sense any anger. There was only the deep rooted need to protect her, and Talia would be lying if she

said she didn’t melt at that very idea.

“I just want to tell him that you are very special to me, and if he hurts you in any way I’ll make

sure to hunt him down and break every one of his bones.”

Ford was still tense in front of her, and for a moment she thought things would get violent. In

just the short amount of time she had been in Ford’s presence, Talia knew Ford Wylde was not a

shifter to mess with, but then again Luke Landon was also powerful in his own right. Looking around

Ford’s massive bicep she could see the two males staring each other down. It was so tense between

them, but then again a glance around the bar showed no one paid them much attention.

“Yeah, I understand, but know this,” Ford curled his fingers just slightly on her hip. “I will

protect your sister with my last breath. She isn’t just my mate, she is my everything.” Nothing more