Her Guardian Werewolf
Olivia Hill
Chapter 1
Skye shrunk back from the man and his rotted teeth. His breath was terrible, but what was worst was the grip he had on her arm. When she tried to yank away from him, he tightened his hold painfully. She bit her lip, holding back her cry of pain, and lifted her knee into his groin.
He yelled and let go, shoving her back. She fell to the ground and backed away. Rocks and something sharp dug into her back, but she ignored the pain.
He glared at her and cupped himself. "Stupid bitch, you'll pay for that-after Mickey gets his money."
"I don't have that kind of money. How was I to know Joey borrowed money? I'm not his fucking mother."
"That's not our problem. He wrote your name down for contact. If he disappears, it's on you. It's the way of the streets."
"Fuck," she said, and glared before standing up. Her pants were torn and she felt the trail of blood sliding down her back. She looked down, saw the glass, and cringed. "I'll have to figure something out."
"Yeah, well you better. If not, we might have to think of some other form of payment," he said, and licked his lips while his eyes traced down her full, curvy body.
She wasn't small by any means. Short, yes, but she was busty, and clothing did little to hide her-assets. "I'll figure it out," she replied, tense, and definitely not liking his implication. She would die first. He wouldn't touch her.
He stepped toward her, holding out a card. "Here's a number to get in contact with Mickey. He won't want to meet with you until you have all fifteen thousand."
She gritted her teeth. "How much time do I have?"
"He was feeling generous. You've got two weeks."
She sighed and shoved the card in her pocket. "Okay, well I suggest you let me go so I can figure this shit out. And if you see my brother before the two weeks?"
"He pays the debt and you're left alone."
She nodded. "If you see him, tell him to go to hell."
The thug didn't stop her when she walked away. Her back was killing her, and the fact that her brother dragged her into another one of his messes pissed her off. He knew better than to involve her, yet he always did it. She couldn't take it anymore. After this, she was done, and cutting him out of her life. As much as she didn't want to, he was more trouble than she could handle.
Skye walked out from the dingy alley and down the cracked sidewalk. She could really use a drink, but it was too early, so she went to her favorite coffee shop. Caffeine would have to do. She was lost in her own troubles and didn't see the man coming. She smacked right into a hard and muscled body. She tipped to fall back, but his hands shot out and caught her. The scrapes on her back tore more and she whimpered.
"Shit, are you okay?" he asked. His eyes searched her for an injury, probably wondering why she seemed hurt.
"Yeah, I'm good," she replied, but the tears that slid down her face told him a different story. Skye wasn't one to cry, but it hurt.
The stranger's nostrils flared, and he closed his eyes briefly before they shot open and stared at her in a way that melted her from the inside out. She should have been frightened. His grip on her shoulders tightened before he shook his head and dropped them to his sides.
"You're bleeding."
"How do you know?" she asked, instead of denying it.
He ignored her question and spun her around. Before she knew what was going on, he lifted the back of her shirt and whistled. "This looks pretty bad. What happened?"
The tense tone sent a thrill through her senses. What the hell? She should have been terrified and pulling away from yet another stranger manhandling her.
"Nothing," she replied, and turned back around. He let go of her shirt, but his eyes were firm.
"I can't help you if you don't tell me."
"Why would you want to help me? I'm a stranger who ran into you." She looked to the ground and sighed. "I knocked your coffee to the ground."
"It's what I do."
She shook her head. "I don't think you'd be able to help me with my problem."
He looked behind him and nodded toward the empty table. "Try me. But first sit down, and I'll go get coffee."
Skye nibbled her lip and was about to say no.
"Please. I can help you."
She doubted it, but walked to the small table anyway. He nodded and turned to go back inside the shop. She wouldn't leave without her coffee, and there was no way he'd help her. He was a stranger for hell's sake. She licked her lips because he had to have been the sexiest man she'd ever laid eyes on. The concern in his hazel eyes seemed so genuine.
Skye couldn't remember the last time anyone tried to help her, and though she didn't accept handouts, she was pretty lost as to what to do with this new problem. She couldn't get fifteen thousand dollars in a year, better yet two weeks.
The man came out carrying two cups, and she sighed in relief when he handed her one. "Thank you." She reached into her pocket to grab her cash and he shook his head.
"It's on me."
"But I ran into you."
He shrugged. "That's okay by me." He held out his hand. "I'm Chase Selby by the way."
She took his hand and warmth engulfed her. "Skye."
"It's nice to meet you."
She went to lean back and grimaced. She'd forgotten about her back. The pain must have shown on her face because his smile disappeared.
"You wanna tell me what happened now?"
"Not really."
Chase pulled a card out of his shirt pocket and handed it to her. "Here's how I know I can help you."
She took the card and read it. Of course. He worked at a high-end security firm. One of those services reserved for the well off. "There's no way I could afford you, and there isn't much you can do against my problem, I don't think." She handed it back and he pushed it away.
"But I can. We do all sorts of things people don't realize."
Rolling her eyes, she decided to tell him. "What do you do when you have a client whose brother disappears and managed to get you sucked into a debt owing 15k to a loan shark with no way to pay it back? Oh, and don't forget the thug who jumped her on the street. I bet you deal with that sort of shit all the time."
He worked his mouth a few times, and she knew she had him. Or so she thought.
"So you need protection and someone to track your brother down so he can pay his own debt then?" He leaned in close and whispered. "The thug can be handled a little more-privately."
She didn't know what that meant, but she wanted to lean in and kiss those lips. She stopped herself and jerked back before she did something stupid. There was no explanation as to what the hell was wrong with her. Skye was normally refined.
"You don't really do that, do you? Track people, I mean," she asked.
"All the time, and it's something we are all superb at doing. We have special skills."
Skye wondered what those could be, but she sipped her coffee and groaned when the warmth coated her tongue and her body. She also watched Chase. He eyed her like she wasn't a stranger who ran into him. Recognition flared in his eyes, and something else too. She had a feeling there was more to Chase than what showed on the surface.
Chapter 2
She stayed quiet as Chase observed her.
"So what do you say? Let me help?"
"I don't know. I still don't know how I'd afford you. Plus, I don't want to drag you into my mess."
"Not your mess, your brother's mess."
She rolled her eyes. "He's obviously still an extension to me. And it's not your problem."
He waved her off. "Come back to the office with me, and we'll talk to my partner."
"I don't know. It will be a waste of time."
"Nothing new is a waste of time," he replied, and stood holding out his large hand.
She glanced at it, and then up at him before sighing, but she stood without his help. "Fine, but I don't accept handouts."
He smirked. "Understood. My office is down the street. Are you okay to walk?" As if he remembered she was hurt. "And we'll be taking care of your back first."
"It'll be fine, and yes, I'm capable of walking."
It looked like he wanted to say more, but instead, he led the way down the street. Her legs were short and she walked much slower. When he realized she wasn't keeping up with him, he slowed his stride to let her catch up.
"Thanks."
They walked a few more blocks before he stopped in front of a large building. "Our offices are on the ground floor-thank God," he said.
She chuckled at the look on his face. "Are you afraid of heights or something?"
His eyes turned serious. "All of us are. Some, like me, are worse than most."
"All of you?"