Deliciously Mated(16)

Eagan shrugged, trying for nonchalance. “Maybe she’s here with someone else. An overnight guest. Layna doesn’t keep track of who our visitors are fucking does she?”

Gash looked to Magic, who seemed to be contemplating the situation.

“So why was she rushing out to the woods?” Gash asked, throwing his hands in the air.

“How the fuck would I know?” Eagan laughed. “I’m just saying, this isn’t evidence. Especially since nothing was taken from the lodge last night.”

“The camera didn’t catch her returning from the woods,” Magic argued. But it was half-hearted.

Eagan shrugged. “Probably came back another way. Look, we can’t be getting all up people’s asses in our quest to find whoever’s taking shit. People come here expecting a modicum of privacy. We start monitoring their every move, that’ll be as bad for business as a thief.”

His heart pounded in his chest and he hoped the others couldn’t hear it. His logic was sound, but still, it stung him to be leading his brothers in the wrong direction on purpose.

Magic sighed, yanking his floppy man-bun down and redoing it. When it sat tight atop his head again, he muttered, “Eagan’s right. Shit.”

Gash nodded reluctantly. “But I have a feeling about this. Something isn’t right about this female.”

Eagan ground his molars at the cat’s impression of his mate.

“Fucking hell,” Magic grumbled. “I guess it’s time to start patrolling. If the cameras can’t do the job, then we’ll have to.

“You mean night security?” Gash asked. “Should we hire someone?”

Magic shook his head. “No. We do this ourselves. Can’t bring anyone else in on this. We have our secret to protect. It would be hard to do that with an outsider. Besides, we don’t know how much this thief knows about us.”

Gash nodded.

“I’ll take the first watch. Tonight. We’ll take turns. I’ll get Renner and Owyn to help.”

“And Mason.” The cat was too mellow for his own good, but Eagan knew he wouldn’t hurt the female if he caught her. If it came to that. Which it wouldn’t because he was going to catch her himself.

Magic tipped his head. “Keep your eyes peeled and your noses scenting. We’ll find this person. And when we do…” He ended with a growl that left chills on the back of Eagan’s neck.

But they wouldn’t learn of her. Not if he had anything to do with it. Because somehow, he was going to stop her. And he was going to do it without mating her. Somehow.

Somehow.





Chapter Eight



Clara read the words over and over again. The cook wasn’t giving her book back. Not without a fight. But she didn’t want to fight him. She stared at the food he’d left for her. Again. What did it mean, him feeding her like this? Once was charity, which she both appreciated and loathed. But twice? Twice was something else.

Clara crumpled the note into a ball and tossed it away. She looked around at the empty kitchen contemplating her next move. She really didn’t want to do this, but she didn’t see another way.

Her shoulders sank with defeat. She was going to fight. Fight the kind man who would feed her instead of turn her over to the police.

Yeah. This was the only way to get back what was hers.

“Be strong, Clara,” she whispered. “Be tough. Be the badass you’ve always been. You can do this.”

With a deep breath, she rushed over to his desk. She had to find something of his. Something important. Something to hold for ransom. She’d start here, and if she didn’t find anything, she’d locate his room. Tear it apart until she had him by the balls. He’d give her book back then. He’d have to.

She rummaged through the drawers, not bothering to keep quiet. There was no one around. If he’d meant to catch her, he would’ve done it already. With her hip, she shoved the drawer closed to move on to the next one. She might be thinner than before, but her hips were still broad, and they sent the drawer soaring home with a loud slam.

Shit.

She hesitated for only a second before she began shuffling through the next drawer. There were papers galore, pens and markers, rubber bands, but nothing personal. Nothing that she could use against him.

Clara yelped as a hand wrapped around her mouth from behind.

“Shhh,” a mouth hissed at her ear. “You have to trust me right now, okay?”

He didn’t wait for her to respond. With his other hand, he reached forward, sweeping his arm along the surface of the desk and knocking everything to the floor. In a swift move, he twisted her until she was facing him, and lifted her to sit on the desk like she weighed no more than a feather.