Dana Marie Bell - Heart'sDesire01 (18 page)

“Studlicious, as you put it, is Chris Beckett.” Lana’s eyes were drawn to Chris. He was standing in the corner of the room, talking to one of the groomsmen, his gaze constantly tracking around the room. When he found her, he smiled, hefting his glass to her before turning back to his companion.

“New boyfriend?” Lana turned to find Kerry checking Chris out. “Mommy approves. What does he do for a living?”

“He’s a graphics artist for Black Wolf.”

“That’s nice. The Armani says he makes good money. Is he packing?”

“Kerry!”

Kerry turned back to her. “What?” She glanced back at Chris, her expression wicked. “I’d hate to think a sundae that yummy didn’t have a cherry on top.”

“Let me put it to you this way, baby bear. He’s juuust right.”

“Really?” Kerry’s head tilted to the side. “Does he have any brothers?”

She sipped from her champagne before answering. “Three.”

Kerry batted her lashes. “Invite me to the next family barbeque? Please?”

“Kerry—”

“I’ll pay for your next pedicure.”

“Done.” She wondered how the Beckett brothers would react to her brash, outspoken friend. It would be fun finding out. Kerry was her best friend, so they’d better get used to her.

An arm snaked around her waist. “Hey, sweetheart. Having a good time?”

Chris’s deep voice washed over her. She shivered, her body heating up at the feel of his warm body curling around hers. “Yup. You?”

A kiss landed on her neck. “It’s a lot better now.”

“He’s good.” Kerry held out her hand with a laugh. “Kerry Andrews.”

“Christopher Beckett. Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too.” She turned her head. “They’re getting ready to throw the bouquet!” She grabbed Lana’s arm. “C’mon!”

Lana allowed herself to be dragged along behind Kerry, laughing at Kerry’s enthusiasm. They took their place in line with the other single women, eagerly waiting for Kelly to toss her bouquet. She ignored the glare Chris was sending her way, stretching her arms up and screeching with the other girls when the flowers flew overhead.

They landed in Lana’s arms with a thump. She clutched them to her chest, startled; she’d intended to direct them Kerry’s way. Oops.

“Darn it.” Kerry pouted briefly before grinning. “Looks like Chris might be the one after all, you lucky, lucky girl.” Kerry rubbed her hands together and backed away from the dance floor. “Let’s see who gets the garter.”

*

Christopher stood in line with the other single men, determined that not one of them would claim the prize and touch Lana’s sweet flesh. He had every intention of using maiming tactics if he had to.

From the smirk on Annabelle’s face he had a pretty good idea how Lana had gotten the bouquet so easily. If anyone could manipulate thrown flowers without causing a ripple in the magical stream, it would be Annabelle.

He figured she planned on making sure he got the garter. He was all for helping her along on that plan.

The garter was tossed, and Christopher jumped, snagging it in midair. From the shocked look on everyone’s faces he might have been a smidge too enthusiastic, but what the hell.

He led Lana over to the seat and slid her shoe off, stroking her instep with his finger. She wiggled and jerked, glaring at him, daring him to do it again.

Mm. Ticklish spot. I’ll have to remember that for later.

Ignoring the raucous calls of the crowd and the sexy teasing of the DJ, he placed her foot on his knee. Sliding the garter slowly up her leg, savoring the soft feel of her skin, he watched her, his gaze tangling with hers, keeping her focused only on him and what his hands were doing. Her face flushed darker and darker the farther up her leg he got. He slid it up to mid-thigh and stopped. Her breathing hitched, and she gulped. His fingers flexed on her soft skin, reminding her of what his touch could do to her.

His hands drifted back down, lifting her foot to his lips. He kissed her ankle and slid her shoe back on, the dazed expression on her face a fitting payment for the blue balls he was sure he would have until he could get her back home and into his bed. He stood and helped her from the chair, the clapping and laughter of the guests surrounding them.

Lana hid her face against his chest. “You are so bad.”

He grinned wickedly and dipped her. “And you like me that way.” He stole a kiss from her, beyond grateful when she immediately kissed him back.

When he managed to pull away from her lips, the expression on her face had his heart stuttering in his chest. Full of warmth and want and laughter, it made him want to whisk her away from every-

one and everything and explore whatever it was that was lighting her up from within.

Instead he stood, twirling her and taking a bow to her friends and family. She got it immediately, curtseying to the crowd before dragging him off the dance floor. She led him past Kerry, laughing when the blonde fanned herself. “This is a hell of a first date, Chris.”

He stumbled. It wasn’t how he’d envisioned their first date going, but somehow… somehow, it was perfect. He squeezed Lana’s hand. She looked back at him, so full of happiness she glowed with it.

Absolutely perfect.

“Christopher!”

He turned to find Zachary running towards him, his expression panicked.

“Zach?”

“Gareth’s hurt bad.”

He didn’t even stop to think. He ran.

“Who’s Gareth?” He was startled to hear Kerry’s voice at his elbow.

They shoved the door to the reception hall open and ran into the parking lot. “My brother.”

“Crap.” The blonde put on an extra burst of speed, impressive in the heels she was wearing. She actually reached the bloodied man on the street before he did, going to her knees and assessing the damage in a professional manner that screamed experience. “Call nine-one-one,” she ordered, pushing Daniel out of her way without a second glance. Daniel allowed himself to be pushed, but from the look on his face he was none too happy about it.

Christopher had never felt so helpless in all his life. “What can I do to help?”

Kerry checked Gareth over, her face turning grim. “Think happy thoughts.”

Christopher pulled out his phone and dialed.

Chapter Ten

“He’ll be all right, Chris.” Lana hugged Chris, pulling him down onto the hard plastic seat. He’d been pacing since Gareth went into surgery.

“If he’d been two inches shorter his throat would be slit.” Her wolf was growling. Rage poured off of him in palpable waves. “I’m going to kill him.”

She didn’t even have to wonder whose death he was contemplating. “Cole can’t get away with this.

The karma alone is going to be a bitch.”

“Thank the Goddess your friend Kerry was there.” He shuddered. “I don’t know what we would have done without her.”

She stroked his hair, sighing when he relaxed into her. “Called an ambulance and held cloth to the wound, same as she did.”

“He’s going to make it.”

“Yes he is. Don’t doubt it for a second.” Because if Gareth didn’t make it, she had no idea what Chris would do.

“How the fuck did this happen?” Zach growled. His sunny blue eyes were dark with worry. The youngest Beckett was pacing the worn linoleum, tension riding his lean frame.

Lana stared blearily at Zach. She was so damn tired. “I’m not exactly sure.”

“There’s no fucking way Gareth would drive with an open switchblade on the dashboard and you know it.” Zach was practically vibrating. Lana wondered if she had the strength to deal with all of the Beckett males.

“We already know Gareth isn’t stupid. We also know that stomping on the brakes plain old can’t drive a knife into a man so hard it penetrates his collar bone and sticks there.” Daniel cracked his knuckles, his eyes never leaving the swinging doors the doctors would come through after surgery.

“That knife was shoved into him by someone or something.”

Kerry snorted. “The man was locked in his car, no broken windows, no nothing. If he got stabbed it was because he stabbed himself.”

“Or the attacker was already in the car with him.” Daniel cracked another knuckle.

“The angle of the knife tells me it came dead on from the top of the steering wheel. I’m not sure an assailant could even angle his arm the right way to get that shot.”

Daniel finally turned his glare onto something other than the doors. “You stay out of this. You have no idea what you’re dealing with.”

Kerry leaned towards Daniel. “Magic. Woo-woo stuff. Right?” She wiggled her fingers in his face, ignoring his shocked look. “Lana’s my best friend. Whatever is going on here involves her, therefore it involves me. And the angle of that knife indicates that it came out of the steering wheel of that car. What if Lana had been driving? She’d be dead. So get over yourself, get over the fact that I’m a mundane, and let’s all assume that Kerry has a brain in her pretty blonde head. ‘Kay?” She patted Daniel on the head like a dog, nearly earning herself a bite from the normally unflappable Daniel.

Lana was shocked. She’d never told any of the Andrews what she was. How had Kerry known?

“Kerry?”

Kerry turned to Lana with a sigh. “You really think you could hide that from me? Seriously? I had a nice long talk with Grammy when we were sixteen, and she told me everything.” Kerry shook her head, an echo of an old hurt deep in her eyes. “I understand why you didn’t tell me, but I wish you’d trusted me.”

Lana blinked away tears. “I couldn’t, not without permission. But I wish I had, too.”

Kerry nodded. “So. A spell, right? Who was the target?”

“We’re not sure.” Chris cuddled Lana closer, kissing the tears from her cheeks. “We do know who cast it.”

“Cole.” Lana shuddered. “I’m really beginning to hate that man.”

“You and me both, sweetheart.”

Kerry plopped down on the seat, the satin of her dress crackling against the plastic cushion. “So what now?”

“Now you keep your pretty ass out of it.” Daniel was still glaring at Kerry. He actually growled at her when Kerry flipped him off. “I mean it. You have even less defenses against Cole than Lana does. Do you understand me?”

“Actually, there may be something I can do about that.” Grammy stepped over to Kerry. “Do you still have that charm Lana gave you for your eighteenth birthday?”

Kerry nodded. “In my jewelry case back home. Why?”

Grammy smiled wearily. “It was a gift of love from a dear friend. If I can borrow it for a day or two, I can enchant it to protect you from those who would wish you harm. Would that be all right?”

“Yes. Thank you, Grammy.” Kerry’s smile was tinged with relief. “I want to help Lana, even if it means helping Mr. Grumpypants.”

Daniel took one step towards Kerry. What he intended to do when he reached her was a mystery, because at that moment the surgeon came out of the swinging doors. “Christopher Beckett?”

“Here.” Chris stood, holding on to Lana with everything in him.

“Your brother is going to be just fine. Frankly, if the knife had hit him just slightly to the left he’d be dead right now, so he’s a very lucky young man. We’re keeping him overnight for observation, and he’ll have to undergo some physical therapy to get full use of his arm back, but I think he’ll make a full recovery.”

“Thank the Lady.” Lana turned Chris and hugged him, his body sagging against her in relief.

“Now that we know Gareth will be all right, why don’t you come with me, Kerry? We’ll get that little thing taken care of, and you’ll be able to change your clothes.” Grammy gave each of the Beckett brothers a hug before tugging Kerry out of the hospital waiting room.

“When will your parents get here?” Lana forced Chris to sit back down. He still looked a little gray to her.

“They were in Chicago at a seminar. They’re still trying to get a flight.” He rubbed his face wearily.

“It could have been you in that car, Lana.”

She shook her head. “I don’t think we were the targets. Not this time. I think it was a message.”

He looked at her through his fingers. “Sort of I can get you anywhere, anytime?”

“Yeah.” She rubbed Chris’s back, hoping to soothe him.

His jaw clenched, his pupils widening until his eyes were small golden rings around a sea of black.

“Message received.”

* * * *

Lana went down to breakfast Sunday morning a week later to find three of the four Beckett brothers seated at Christopher’s table. She wondered if Gareth’s pain medication had made him sleep in, or if he’d already been down to eat and gone back to bed. She was pretty certain it was the former.

Getting the oldest Beckett brother to move in temporarily had been a battle all on its own. He’d wanted to return to his home in Pittsburgh, feeling he would only be in the way now that he was groggy on pain meds. She and Chris had talked him into staying with them. It had been Chris’s argument that he’d feel safer knowing Gareth was there to protect Lana if anything happened to him that swayed the tide. He’d totally worked Gareth’s overdeveloped protective streak to their advantage. So far, nothing had happened, thank the Lord and Lady. She didn’t know if Cole was laying low after the attack at the wedding, or preparing for one hell of a spell. Either way having the Beckett brothers so close made guarding everyone that much easier.

She turned her eyes to Chris. Her wolf looked grumpy this morning, swatting Zach’s hand away from the last piece of toast with a low growl. “Save some for my mate, you heathen.”

“Speaking of which, good morning, Lana.” Daniel stood, pulling out her chair for her.

Chris took one look at her still wearing his shirt and frowned. “Why aren’t you dressed?”

“Thank you.” She took the seat gingerly, waiting until Daniel sat back down. “It’s Pajama Sunday.”

Chris blinked, a slow frown forming on his face. “Pajama Sunday.”

“Yup.” She snagged the last piece of toast and nibbled on it delicately. “I get to sit around in my jammies, watch television, and generally make a pig of myself.”

Chris chuckled. “I like it already.”

Zach ducked his head under the table. “Are you wearing underwear?”

“Zachary!” Chris yanked his brother up by the hair.