Five Months Ago…

 

Kira Walker pushed through the door of the beachfront bar and stepped inside. She stopped dead in her tracks and surveyed the room's occupants. Yep, it was a Navy bar all right. The place was packed to the brim with sailors. Some in uniform, some out of it. But the men seated at a table in the back of the room assured her that she was definitely in the right place.

Nothing about those men looked like standard military issue. They wore their hair too long, their facial hair too scruffy. And every last one of them looked completely lethal. No doubt about it. They were a SEAL team. The air of danger that surrounded them was unmistakable. A shiver of fear danced down her spine.

Panic set in.

Savannah was crazy. This was not a case of fighting fire with fire. This was more like out of the frying pan and into the fire. Trading one dangerous situation for an equally dangerous situation was not a solution to the problem. It was insanity. She couldn't do this. Uh, uh. No sir. No way in hell could she do this.

Kira began inching backward toward the door.

Then one of the men at the table made eye contact. Her heart seized at the intensity of his gaze. He looked at her as if he could see right through the wall of false courage that was quickly crumbling around her. Right to the very heart of her where absolute terror had taken up permanent residence.

As if he could read her thoughts.

She instinctively made her mind go as blank as her expression, trying to shield her thoughts from that penetrating stare. A bubble of hysterical laughter nearly escaped as she realized how ridiculous that was. Geez, Louise. She'd obviously been reading way too many paranormal romance novels.

That she could even think about something so ludicrous at a time like this proved that she was a few French fries short of a happy meal. It was time to bolt. No sooner than the thought formed, the doors behind her burst open and a group of rowdy sailors filled the entry. Exit blocked. Looked like she was gonna have to hold out a little longer.

Breaking the hold of his penetrating gaze, she ducked her head and hauled ass to an empty seat at the bar. She ordered a beer and wrapped both hands around it to keep them from trembling. Kira didn't dare drink it. She was already a hot mess. The last thing she needed was alcohol inhibiting what little sense that remained.

The sailors surrounded her. Hit on her. Offered to buy her a drink, among other less savory invitations. She ignored them all, kept her head down and tried to become invisible. Her anxiety mounted even more. But all the while she could feel the heat of the SEAL's gaze practically burning into her like a brand. It was nerve-wracking.

And oddly enough, seriously hot.

The man was completely focused on her, yet he made no move to approach her. Curiosity finally got the better of her, and she risked a glance in the mirror behind the bar. Yep, he was still watching her. Those dark as night eyes immediately connected with hers in their shared reflection. A shiver shot up her spine.

If she were going to follow through with Savannah's crazy plan, he'd be the last man she'd pick to help her. Everything about him looked cold, detached. Unfeeling. Even the way he watched her felt clinical. Like she was some lab rat he was examining. The last thing she needed was a man like the one she was running from.

But Christ Almighty, he was hotter than the fires of hell!

Hair as black as night fell across shoulders that looked broad enough to carry the weight of the world. The beard stubble merely accentuated a face so stunningly handsome that it could make angels weep. And those piercing black eyes. So dark and unfathomable that they sent a shiver of raw desire up her spine.

All he needed were fangs.

Because he looked exactly like the wolf shifter from her deepest, darkest erotic fantasy.

 

***

 

When the woman first entered the room, Jaxon Caulder's first thought was, Which of these is not like the rest? She didn't fit. The tag chasers and frog hogs that frequented the beach bar wore as little clothing as possible and did everything they could to garner attention. This woman was covered from head to toe and looked like she wanted to disappear.

So, yeah, she got his attention.

He'd watched her do a quick recon of the entire room before her eyes locked on his table. He'd seen her mentally process his team, come to some sort of realization. Saw the fear that flashed in her eyes. She shivered. Panicked. Was about to do a rabbit. Began to edge back toward the door.

Then their gazes locked. She'd frozen in place. A myriad of emotions crossed her face before she wiped her expression clean. But her eyes told their own story. She was terrified. And that just did not sit right with Jax. It lit him up in places better left forgotten. Because no woman should ever know fear.

But this one did.

And it was eating her alive.

When the sailors entering the room blocked her escape route, she broke eye contact, ducked her head and made a beeline for the bar. He watched her make herself as small and unnoticeable as possible. Merely holding the beer she'd ordered, but not drinking it. And she had ignored every man who'd hit on her.

She didn't drink.

Didn't flirt.

Nope. She for damn sure didn't fit.

He watched her reflection in the mirror. Saw the anxiety on her face grow each time one of the sailors approached. Wondered how long it would be before she tried to run again. What it was she was running from. Then she looked up. Their eyes locked. The desperation in hers was like a roundhouse kick to the gut.

It was more than he could take.

Jax rose to his feet and made his way slowly toward her. Never breaking eye contact. He saw her stiffen. Knew the second that panic set in. She was afraid of him. The knowledge gripped him on a primal level. Shredded him from the inside out. Because he'd sworn no woman would ever fear him.

Yet this one did.

That shit wasn't happening.

He walked up behind her and the sailors scattered. Jax placed a hand on the bar on either side of her body, effectively holding her in place without touching. She trembled all over in response. Those sea-green eyes looked like a frightened does. Careful to keep his expression completely bland, he bent until his lips were next to her ear.

"You look like you need a friend," he said in the calm, soothing tone that he had perfected as part of his interrogation technique. "My name is Jaxon. I don't know why you're afraid of me, but I swear I'll never hurt you."

***

Kira panicked when she realized that the man was approaching her. If he hadn't caged her in with his arms, she would have bolted. But the action had not frightened her. It seemed almost… comforting. As if he were sheltering her from the rest of the men with his body. Like he was trying to protect her.

Maybe he was, because the sailors were gone.

Then he'd opened his mouth and completely blown her away. Geez, Louise, it was like he really could read her mind. Because he was dead right. She was in desperate need of a friend, and he did scare the bejesus out of her. Or at least he had. Now she could only stare at his reflection in shock.

Her mouth opened and closed, but no words emerged. She didn't know what to say. How to react. Somehow this completely lethal looking man had read her correctly and managed to allay her fears with a few simple words. It was a conundrum her mind simply could not unravel. Maybe Savannah wasn't crazy after all.

When she didn't respond, he suggested, "There's a coffee shop a few doors down. It's quiet. We could sit and talk. Or just watch the ocean. Your choice."

He had managed to boggle her mind even further with the offer. She studied his eyes intently. Those fathomless black eyes that saw everything yet gave nothing away. Oh, how she wanted to trust him. To believe it really could be that simple. Then his lips quirked in a crooked smile, so unexpected, yet absolutely perfect for his masculine beauty.

"I'd like to be your friend. If you'll give me the chance," he said and raised one hand slowly, holding it palm up in front of her.

Kira exhaled a shaky breath and realized she didn't have anything to lose. It was either trust someone or risk going back to a hell she'd never survive. This man might not be the answer she'd been looking for, but he was offering to be her friend. Right then, that meant more than she could say with words.

Since actions spoke louder, she placed her hand in his.

***

The sense of relief that washed over Jax when her trembling hand touched his was staggering. The electrical charge that shot through his entire body, even more so. Because he was well trained in how the human body functioned. Knew exactly how much electricity it could take, and for how long, before the heart would stop.

Permanently.

But this hadn't been that kind of electrical impulse. No, what he had experienced was an electrochemical reaction. That of a man being forcefully informed by his body that it had a strong attraction to a female. Meaning his cock wanted to fuck her brains out. Fucking hell. That was the last thing this woman needed from him.

Waif was more like it.

He hadn't realized how tiny she was until she stood. The top of her head reached the center of his chest. Her hand was small in his, her fingers delicate. Fragile. Yeah, that pretty much described everything about her. Which explained why every protective instinct he possessed had gone to DEFCON 1.

Her hand held gently in his, Jax led her out the door. They walked along the boardwalk in silence to the coffee shop. Once inside he ordered them both a cup and they sat in the open air section, staring out at the ocean. She took a sip and then just held the cup between her hands. Savoring the warmth, or to have something to hold on to, he wondered.

After a few minutes, she seemed to relax. The set of her shoulders eased under the oversized hoodie she wore. She closed her eyes and lifted her face to the sun, inhaling the salt air deeply. He realized the beach was as cathartic to her as it was to him. The rhythmic sound of the waves, the gulls circling overhead. The warmth of the sun, the gentle breeze.

He could actually see it lulling her into a peaceful state of mind.

"Thank you," her voice said softly. "I needed this."

"Good coffee, perfect view and a quiet companion," he replied. "I need moments like this, too."

She turned her head and looked at him. Really looked at him. As if she were searching for answers to questions that she'd never speak aloud. She came to some sort of determination. Her expression cleared, a tentative smile touched her lips, and she extended her hand. "It's very nice to meet you, Jaxon. I'm Kira."

She had decided to trust him. Jax was elated. He offered her his crooked smile and shook her much smaller hand. That damned electricity arced between them again and her eyes widened in surprise. Yeah, she'd felt it too. That shit wasn't happening. Out here in the sunlight, she looked about seventeen. Way too fucking young.

Then again, she had ordered a beer at the bar, so she must be at least twenty-one. The bartender was strict as hell when it came to checking IDs. The man had enough trouble keeping the sailors in line without adding underage drinking into the mix. But even if she were a legal adult, she was still too young for him.

"So, Kira, my friend, what's your pleasure?" He asked evenly, ignoring his bodies response to her. "Do we sit here and soak up the sun or would you rather take a walk on the beach?"

She stared at him as if trying to determine if he had an ulterior motive, just like she had when he'd suggested coffee. Obviously not a female who trusted easily. Good for her. When he thought she wasn't going to answer, she replied, "I'd like to walk."

"Then a walk it is," Jax agreed as he stood and tossed his empty cup into the trash can. Kira kept hers and sipped it as they headed down to the edge of the water. They walked in silence, occasionally stopping to pick up a shell. He found a sharks tooth and presented it to her. Her eyes glowed as if he'd wrapped her in diamonds and fur.

"For me?" She asked in surprise as a huge smile lit up her face.

Goddamn, she was beautiful. Perfect porcelain skin, a stubborn little chin, and sea green eyes deep enough to drown in. Weird thing was, she looked exactly like the pixie from his favorite erotic fantasy. Hey, it was his fucking fantasy, and he could have a smoking hot mythical creature in it if he wanted one.

Pixies might look sweet and innocent, but those little she-devils packed quite a punch. His had a petite, curvaceous body, a snarky attitude and long, flowing red hair. Yeah, redheads were his crack. That Kira looked like his ideal dream woman was not a plus. Thankfully the oversized hoodie she wore hid her hair, and her figure, completely.

"If you want it," he confirmed, firmly slamming the door on his vivid fantasy life.

"I do, yes. Thank you. I've always wanted one," Kira admitted almost sheepishly as she slid it into her pants pocket.

"I have quite a collection," he confessed.

"You must spend a lot of time on the beach," she deduced.

"In one fashion or another," Jax admitted. As a Navy SEAL, his missions routinely involved water insertions and extractions. So, yeah, he spent a lot of time on beaches. Though the shells he normally noticed underfoot were spent from an automatic weapon. Times like this were few and far between.

"I love the beach," she sighed. The sound so melancholy for one as young as she seemed to be. "My dad…" Her voice broke, and tears filled those sea green eyes. She dashed them away with the edge of her sleeve and finished, "He used to bring me when I was younger. It was my favorite place."

"Then you should come more often," he suggested.

"Maybe I will," she agreed and gave him that half smile again.

They walked, barely talking, for well over an hour. Kira had completely relaxed. Until she realized they were nearing the coffee shop again. Then her eyes became guarded. Shadowed. Fearful. That shit just ripped his fucking guts to shreds. Jax still didn't know anything about her, or what she was afraid of, but he was determined to find out.

And fix it.

***

"Why did you come to the bar?"

Kira glanced up at him in surprise. Met the intensity of his gaze. She swallowed painfully and looked away. "You don't want to know."

"I do," he assured her and damned if she didn't believe him. There was something so calm and soothing about his voice. It was… comforting. Kira felt safe and secure with him. On some level, she instinctively knew that she could trust Jaxon.

He stopped walking and faced her, his black as night eyes seeing everything, missing nothing. "You didn't want to be there, but you didn't leave. That tells me you had a reason. And it was stronger than whatever you were afraid of."

"You're very perceptive," she pointed out even as she wondered how the hell he'd known all of that without having been told.

That crooked smile quirked his lips again. "Reading people is what I do," he confessed. "And you evaded the question."

Nope. He didn't miss a damn thing.

She wrapped her arms tighter around herself, dug the toe of her tennis shoe into the sand. "My friend Savannah suggested I go to a Navy bar and… hook up with a SEAL," Kira admitted past the lump in her throat. Because it sounded awful to her and she could only imagine what he thought of the harebrained idea.

"Why?"

"She called it fighting fire with fire, but I couldn't do it," she confessed and stared at his broad chest instead of those piercing eyes. And what an impressive chest it was. The Henley he wore was stretched to the max. "Her ridiculous theory was that if you have a dangerous man after you, then you need someone even more dangerous to keep him away."

If she'd been expecting Jaxon to react in disgust, he'd managed to surprise her again. "Do you?" He demanded evenly.

Risking a glance at those midnight eyes, she queried, "Think it's a ridiculous idea? Hell, yes."

"Have a dangerous man after you?" He clarified. Feeling like some kind of freak, she nodded and ducked her head again. Gentle fingers touched her chin, lifted her head until their eyes met. Jaxon didn't look cold and unfeeling now. His eyes practically glowed with fury. Christ Almighty. He really was the wolf shifter! "You found what you were looking for."

Her jaw dropped, and she stared at him in astonishment as his meaning sank in. Kira began to shake her head. Took a step back from him. "No," she emphatically denied. No way in hell was she letting him get involved. He was a kind, decent man. Jaxon didn't deserve the kind of trouble she'd bring to his door.

"Yes," he confirmed, his jaw as implacable as his expression. "You need help. That's what friends do."

Tears sprang to her eyes, but she stubbornly shook her head. Took another step back. "You don't know what you'd be getting into," she assured him. "You don't need trouble like that, Jaxon."

***

She was getting ready to do a rabbit again. Jax knew it. No way in hell was he gonna let it happen. "Don't even think about running," he warned. "I'd catch you, and we'd still have this convo. So you might as well save us both some time and accept my offer."

Something between a laugh and a sob escaped her. "You're crazy; you know that?" Kira accused. "The man after me is completely ruthless. He'll destroy anyone who gets between him and what he wants."

"And he wants you," he deduced.

"Yes," she hissed as if admitting it hurt. "He kills people."

"So do I," he assured her and saw her pale to ash. Fuck. That hadn't gone over as he'd planned. He'd meant it to be reassuring, but the fear was back in her eyes again. That shit just slayed him. "I'm a SEAL, Kira. It's my job to kill bad guys."

"And there's the difference," she pointed out in a tone that was fast approaching hysteria. "He does it for fun!"

Not so different after all. There had been a time or two that he'd taken great pleasure in ending a particularly bad mofo. The ones who'd committed heinous acts against women and children. But she did not need to know that. Kira was freaked out enough like it was. He needed to calm her down again.

"Okay, let's look at your options," he said evenly. "Obviously you can't go to the police, or you would have." The way her lips tightened assured him that was correct. "You could walk away right now and take a chance that he won't find you." The absolute fear in those sea-green eyes convinced him she didn't have any more faith in that idea than he did.

"Or you can accept my offer," Jax said persuasively and took a step to narrow the space she had put between them. His hands lifted and gently grasped her upper arms. She felt so small and fragile beneath the bulky folds of material that separated them. " Let me help you, Kira. I swear I'll keep you safe."

Her face crumpled. A sob burst from her lips. He pulled her into his arms and held her in a comforting embrace while she cried. Her petite body shook with the force of her tears. It wrenched what was left of his heart from his chest. He bowed his head, laid his cheek against the top of her head.

"Trust me, Kira. Please trust me," Jax whispered into the heavy cotton hood that covered her head.

When she had gained a measure of control, she looked up at him. Eyes red from tears searched his face intently for answers. This time, she asked the question. "Why would you do this?" She asked, confusion in her tone and expression. "You don't even know me."

Jax opened his mouth and told her things he'd never shared with another human being. He started with a question. "Have you ever heard the quote, power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely?" She frowned and nodded confirmation. "My father was very powerful, and that made him a dangerous man."

"He beat my mother. And me. Whenever the mood struck him. And there wasn't a damn thing I could do about it," he confessed in a cold, detached voice. "Because I was just a kid. A scared kid with no one to turn to for help. Until I got big enough to fight back. That was the night he put a gun to my head."

Kira gasped in horror. Her hold on him tightening. Jax barely noticed, lost in a memory that played out in his mind like a long forgotten movie. "My mom lost it. She hit him over the head with a frying pan. The bastard dropped the gun, but he didn't go down," he said coldly. "He backhanded her to the floor. She landed on top of the gun."

"I tackled him. Took him down. Would have beat him to death. If my brother hadn't come in and pulled me off," he explained tonelessly. "The old man staggered to his feet. Said he was gonna kill me. We all knew he meant it. My mom got between us, unloaded the gun in his chest. I watched him bleed out at my feet."

"Oh, my God," she whispered in horror. "What happened to your mom?"

"My brother shot her right between the eyes," Jax informed her, his tone completely void of emotion.

Tears were streaming down her cheeks again, her expression stricken. "Why would he do such a thing?"

"Because with our father dead, that meant he was the one who held all the power. Just knowing that it would be his one day had already corrupted him," he explained.

"What did you do?"

"He gave me a choice: walk away or die," Jax said without expression. "I walked away."

"And he got away with murder," she said sadly.

"Now do you understand why I can't walk away from you?" He asked calmly. "Why I can't stand by and let a man hurt a woman? Why I have to protect you?"

She nodded, the sea green eyes solemn and sad. "I do," Kira agreed. "All I need is a place to stay for a few days. I don't… I don't want you to get hurt, Jaxon."

He brushed her tears away with his thumbs and said, "You can stay at my place. The view is great, but the food is awful." She smiled as he had intended her to. "Seriously, Kira. My place is safe, and you're welcome to stay as long as you like. No hooking up required."

***

Well, damn.

Apparently the attraction Kira felt for him was one-sided. Which was understandable since the man saw her as some pitiful stray in need of saving. A completely accurate assessment, unfortunately. But she sure as hell wouldn't have complained if he'd wanted more. She'd felt his rock hard muscles when he'd held her, and Geez Louise, the man was ripped!

Maybe he was gay.

Not freaking likely.

"Thank you, Jaxon," she said sincerely and stood on tiptoe to brush a kiss over his chin. The stubble on his face was a little bristly, and she couldn't help wondering how soft his lips would be. Most of the time they looked hard and unyielding. Until he smiled. That adorable crooked smile made them look so damn kissable.

Fortunately for her libido, he didn't do it often.

They fell into step heading to the boardwalk, and he asked, "Do you need to go home and pick up some things?"

"I haven’t been home in weeks," she admitted. "I've got a backpack in a locker at the bus station. Thought it might be easier to leave it there if I have to get out of town fast."

"You don't think he'll be watching the station?" He queried.

"Nope. I left town in my car, so he'd be looking for that. I took a bus back," she admitted as he led her into a parking garage next to the coffee shop. He stopped beside a chromed out motorcycle, and her eyes widened in surprise. It was almost as sexy as Jaxon. She gave a low whistle and said in genuine appreciation, "This is a biker's wet dream."

Jaxon stared at her for a beat before his face broke into a full-fledged grin. Christ Almighty. The man had dimples! That heart-meltingly beautiful smile was positively lethal, and she felt the effects of it all the way to her ovaries. Then a rusty chuckle escaped him. "That's what I named her," he explained. "Because she is a biker's wet dream."

"Seriously?" Kira asked in surprise and then laughed in amusement. And oh, God, it felt so good to be able to laugh. To feel anything besides the grief and absolute terror that had consumed her for the last six weeks.

"You up for a ride?" Jaxon queried with the devastating full dimpled grin that left her thong more than a little damp.

Ride on the back of a badass custom bike while wrapped around him? Talk about a wet dream! "Hell yeah," she enthused. He opened the rear door of the blacked out SUV parked next to the bike and handed her a helmet. Kira slid it into place over the top of her hoodie and secured the chin strap with practiced ease.

"Looks like you've ridden before," he commented as he slid his own helmet into place.

"You could say that," she confirmed without giving any details. The last thing she wanted to do was get him caught up in the middle of her mess. If there was any way to keep him in the dark, she planned to take it. The less he knew, the better off he'd be.

The ride was heaven and hell.

The vibration between her thighs and holding onto Jaxon's muscular body had her libido in overdrive. Because, damn, he was hotter than his bike. For a while, she actually forgot about the danger that was snapping at her heels. It was so nice just to enjoy the freedom. The security of not being alone.

Then they arrived at the bus station.

And her bubble of security evaporated in an instant.

There were three bikes parked at the curb, a prospect keeping watch over them. She could see two more prospects prowling around in the waiting area. Her heart literally stopped beating as terror consumed her. Oh, God. He knew she was back. And he'd sent his goon squad looking for her. Panic gripped her. The need to run filled her.

But she couldn't do a damn thing.

Because Jaxon didn't stop.

He kept right on going around the loop and back out onto the road at the same easy pace he'd maintained the entire ride. Kira sat frozen in place until he pulled back into his parking space in the garage and switched off the bike. She forced her hands to relax their grip on him, swung off onto legs that felt as solid as quicksand and removed the helmet.

He followed suit, stowed the helmets in the SUV and led her to an elevator. She kept her head down, arms wrapped around herself as she blindly followed his lead. Once they were inside the condo, he led her over to a couch where she all but collapsed into the cushions. Risking a glance up at his face, she realized that he was furious.

Now he really looked like the wolf shifter… right before he ripped someone's heart out.

Oh. Shit.

***

"Tell me the Hell Riders aren't after you," Jax demanded even though he already knew the answer. Had known it since she'd locked around him in a death grip outside the bus station. Because he'd seen the club members parked outside before she had. And he'd known. He'd known exactly what had scared the hell out of her.

And who she was running from.

"Tell me this has nothing to do with Raven."

Kira's face, already as white as a sheet, paled even more. Tears leaked out the corners of her eyes. Eyes filled with so much fear it felt like she'd sliced him open from the inside. She drew her knees up to her chest, locked one arm around them. The other was a fist buried against her mouth. "I can't," she said, and her voice shook with anguish.

Mother fucking hell!

He raked both hands through his shoulder-length hair. Grasped two hands full and yanked. Hard. This was not the time to let his emotions have free reign. This was when he needed to be cold, calculating and in complete control. Because now he understood her reluctance to tell him anything. She was hiding from the worst fucking OMC in the country.

And he had sworn to protect her from them.

Which is exactly what the fuck he would do.

The last time he'd crossed paths with the Hell Riders president, Jax had been at an extreme disadvantage. That shit wouldn't happen again. This time he was a goddamn SEAL, prepared for anything and everything. And he would be. Because Kira was depending on him to keep her safe. No matter what he had to do to accomplish it.

"How… how do you know Raven?" She asked warily.

His expression was fierce when he replied, "He's my brother."