Reluctantly Lycan (Dakota Wolves Book 1)(8)

"Excuse me," he called out to a waitress with a tray full of breakfast in her arms.

She eyed him with a look of impatience. "I'll be with you in a moment, sir. We're shorthanded."

"Was it Mara? Is she okay?" He was on his feet before he realized it,  and the woman took several steps back. What was I thinking leaving her  alone with that giant wolf dog thing?

"Uh, yeah. Said she had a sore throat or something. She never calls in  sick, so I'm guessing it's pretty bad." The woman started walking away.  "I'll be back in a moment for your order."

There was no need. Taylor wasn't sticking around. He had to check on  Mara. He grabbed his camera off the table and headed out the door. A cab  passed him by, then another. That's how his luck went when he was in a  hurry. Finally, one stopped and he gave the address to Marala's  apartment building. If anything had happened to her, he would never  forgive himself.

~*~

After calling in sick for the first time in almost five years, Mara  walked into her bedroom. She bit her thumbnail as she stared at the  scene of the deed. When the sordid memory aroused her, she marched  forward, jerking the sheets off the bed. The blankets were gathered up  into her arms next and she headed downstairs to the laundry room. That  male wolf scent had to go.

She left the washing machine running and headed out the door. Probably  not the best idea since her laundry had been stolen before, but at the  moment, she could care less. When she neared the top of the stairs, she  heard a loud banging and someone calling her name. Taylor. She took the  rest of the steps two at a time and called out to him when she reached  her floor.

"Taylor! What are you doing here?"

He turned to her and she saw him visibly sigh as he rushed toward her.  For a second, she thought he was going to hug her, but he must have  noticed her recoil back from him. "I …  was worried after last night with  the animal and all."

"I'm fine, really. Thank you." She walked by him and unlocked her door.  The man was as handsome as could be and just as sweet, but she needed  him gone before Kaden returned.

"I get it, you're not into me. That's fine." He followed her inside  while he talked. "Tell me why. I'm used to getting what I want. Come on,  I mean if the food wasn't good or something, I apologize."

Mara laughed a little. "It's nothing like that. I told you, my son comes first."

"So? Doesn't mean you can't have a life, too. You're deprived of social interaction. Intimacy." He grinned.

She frowned. Marala liked this guy. The best part? He wasn't a wolf.  Hurting his feelings was not something she wanted to do, but he wasn't  the type to give up easily.

"I had meaningless sex with my ex last night after you left and he's  going to be back here soon with my son. I'm a terrible, pathetic person,  and you need to go back to your fancy photographer life. Find a girl  without baggage and take pretty pictures of her." Blunt, but that's what  it would take.

The grin slowly faded, but Taylor was nodding. "So you're getting back together with your son's father."

"God, no."

"I'm confused. Why can't we go out again if you're not getting back together with him?"

"Are you insane? I told you. You want a woman of loose morals who can't  keep her legs shut?" She made a sound of disgust, hating herself.

Taylor smiled again. "Normally, yes, but I hardly think you're like  that. It's not like we were a couple. We haven't even had a real date.  You hooked up with an ex. No biggie." He sounded a little jealous  despite his words.

"Listen. They're going to be back soon and you need to go. Kaden is not a  man to be trifled with. I really am sorry. In a different time or  world, maybe, but I can't see you again."

"A photo to remember you by?" He lifted the camera hanging around his neck.

"If that will get you to go, fine."

"Smile, beautiful." When she forced one, he clicked the button and the  flash lit up the room. "Maybe when things settle down we can try again.  What do you say?"                       
       
           



       

"Maybe."

He winked and then left without another word.

~*~

Taylor didn't go far. He knew something was up and he was determined to  figure it out. Dinner had been great. He'd been charming and she  interested. Then that dog and her baby's daddy had shown up to ruin  everything. Marala was different, too, and not only her exotic eye  color. He couldn't quite put his finger on it.

All these things raced through his mind as he waited on a bench across  the street for the father and son duo to return. He dug a discarded  Cosmopolitan out of a nearby trash can and kept his face concealed as he  watched, his eyes barely peeking over the top. His private eye work  came in handy in situations like this. He hadn't lied when he'd said he  owned a studio, but down and dirty investigative work gave him a thrill  and a few extra bucks.

A dirty, beat up Jeep went down the road. Shortly, it came back from the  other direction, parking in one of the few spots available. Jak hopped  out of the passenger side and a huge man with long black hair out of the  driver side. He was most definitely "the ex." If Jak had been hopped up  on steroids, they would have looked alike.

Taylor waited for them to cross the street and enter the building before  tossing the woman's mag in the trash and following. He waited until he  could no longer hear their footsteps on the metal stairs and then  climbed them himself. His back pressed flat against the wall at the top.  He peered around the corner to see them disappear inside. After a quick  glance around, he slinked up to Mara's front door and pressed his ear  against it. The material was cheap and thin, so he could hear most of  what they were saying.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I should have never doubted you were telling me the truth," Jak said.

"It sounds crazy, so I don't blame you. What did you think about it?" she asked.

"Still trying to figure that out. He made it seem cool and he rolled  around on his back all funny to make me less scared." Jak laughed. "Good  reason to skip school. I'm going to my room so you can talk. Thanks,  Kaden."

What the fuck? Rolling around on his back? If this dude was a pedo,  Taylor swore he'd break every bone in his gigantic body. Even if it took  a large hammer to do it.

"You did that, Kade? A pack leader acting like a common dog?"

"Yeah, well. That's what dad's do, right? Make the hard stuff easier for  their kids." He went silent for a moment. "He needs to be with other  wolves, Mara."

"I can take care of him."

"I don't doubt that, but it will be easier for him. For you. For …  me."  He seemed to be waiting for her response. She didn't say anything, so he  spoke again. "You can shake your head all you want. It's the truth. Do  you know I looked for you? Took me two years. I didn't even know I had a  son until he was a toddler. What I did to you wasn't fair, Mara, but  neither is what you did. I couldn't bring myself to confront you because  I was afraid I might kill you."

Marala began to speak, but a sob choked her up. "I'm sorry, Kaden. I was only a child myself."

"Me too. It all started with my mistake. And last night, you know that  was the wolf. I'm sorry if I did …  anything against your will."

"You couldn't help it and neither could I. It was because of how long we've been separated."

A phone went off and Kaden let out a growl. "One moment."

"Sure."

Taylor couldn't believe what he was hearing. Packs and wolves. That  brute saying he could have killed sweet little Mara. Apologizing for  doing things against her will. Taylor wondered what the man had done to  cause Marala to leave him in the first place. This conversation was  definitely none of his business, but the longer he listened, the more  curious he became. Besides, he thought he might love that woman. Maybe.  Infatuated at minimum.

"What?" Kaden said sharply into the phone. "Missing?" His tone softened. "Keep everyone calm. I'm coming home. We'll find him."

"Kaden, what's wrong?" Mara asked.

"One of the boys nearing his first shift went missing last night. We're  not sure if he ran away or something worse. Are you coming home with  me?"

"It's been too long. I don't think I can."

"What about Jak?"

"I'll send him to you when it's time if that's what he wants," she answered.

Growing brave and stupid, Taylor twisted the knob slowly and pushed the  door open a crack so he could see inside. He knew violating their  privacy was wrong. Sure, he'd spied on cheating husbands and wives and  taken pictures of naughty nannies, but not once had he invaded privacy  so severely without being hired.