Present

The watcher having backup didn't surprise Dallas. No sooner had Julian’s fading steps vanished up the stairs than a shadow blocked out the sun shining on her. The taste of borscht in his scent coupled with the distinct odors of salt water and vodka sent a chill up her spine.

Prepared for the possibility of assault, she opened her eyes and caught the hand sweeping down to grab her. A nerve pinch on the wrist along with a solid kick square in the guy's balls dropped him. He let out a harsh sound a half second before her third strike caught him in the throat. Bouncing to her feet, her fourth and final strike cracked her elbow into his forehead. Stunned, his eyes went blank and he crumpled.

A fast glance to the surf told her water dude was gone. Likely, he was on his way to the beach to join his compatriot. With Julian gone, a second assailant would complicate matters. Hoisting her would-be kidnapper over her shoulder, she followed the beach wall for the parking lot. She’d parked her van there, a good place to at least dump her prisoner. Carrying him as swiftly as she could, she kept her guard up.

No way he would stay unconscious for long. She certainly hadn’t hit him hard enough to guarantee he stayed out of trouble. Oddly enough, no one stopped her along the way. She did get some applause. They probably thought it was a performance art piece.

God, she loved California. You could do the weirdest shit and nobody said a word. She reached her van then hauled open the door. Sleeping beauty was already beginning to wake. Pivoting, she swung and bounced his head against the side of the van. The action stunned him long enough for her to dump him inside.

Following him inside, she pulled the door closed. The smothering heat trapped inside the vehicle soaked her back in sweat. Ignoring the unpleasant sensation, not to mention her captive’s ripening stink, she found zip ties to secure his hands and wrists.

A groan alerted her to his continuing return to consciousness, she pulled her keys out of her pocket then stretched forward to get the van started and click on the air conditioning. The engine knocked a few times as the fans all started running, but cool air rapidly followed the first hot puff. Slamming her foot down on her captive, she turned and settled her knee into his chest to keep him still.

Inside the cooler behind the driver’s seat, she fished out a long slender plastic case with three fully loaded tranq darts. Extracting one, she slammed it into the wolf’s thigh with the hypo injector. It reminded her of a modified epi-pen. Her Chinese cousins were damn clever, and they’d tendered the powerful narcotic and delivery device as payment for services rendered.

Straightening, she glanced up to find the asshole’s mouth going a little slack. Drool ran down to his chin and then he slumped. Holy shit that’s some good stuff. I have got to get me a few more of these.

After returning the spent cartridge to the case, she sealed it then dropped all of it back in the cooler before grabbing a bottled root beer. Popping the lid off, she took a long drink. It had been a long time since she had to bag a wolf, much less a smelly, oversized one. Climbing into the driver's seat, she blew out a breath and squinted towards the beach. Her surfboard watcher was nowhere to be seen. Granted, the beach grew more crowded by the moment, but still…few wolves were invisible.

Not even Julian.

Of course, just because she didn’t see him didn't mean he wasn't there. Or maybe she hadn't been his target. Maybe the one he'd been looking for was the one she sent up the stairs.

“Son of a bitch.” She tugged her seatbelt on and drained her root beer, before dropping it into a plastic bag she hung for her trash. Twisting in the seat, she checked behind her once before accelerating out of her parking spot.

The scream of the fan belts created a horrendous racket, which didn't make the vehicle all that stealthy. Fortunately, she didn’t want to be stealthy. All she wanted to do was go find his royal pain in the ass, sit down, and figure out what was going on.

Then beat him up with a baseball bat.

Maybe.

She pulled out onto the two-lane road, wedging herself into the thick traffic and ignoring their complaining horns. More family and tourists were heading out for the pier. Knowing Julian, he parked either in the lot closest to the pier or the one across the street. If he checked the beach after he got upstairs, there was a chance he thought she’d bailed.

Not an unfair thought, considering it wasn’t the first time she disappeared.

It wouldn’t be the last, either.

Flipping a mental coin, she turned right the public parking and started looking. Rolling down the window, she tested every breeze for a hint of his scent. At least the tangled force of the breeze helped clear out her visitor’s stench. Even as she let her nose seek, she searched for any sign of him. As men went, he stood out. Tall, broad shoulders, stunning platinum hair and a tan, which told her he spent hours out in the sun.

He wasn't hiding—hiding wasn’t Julian’s thing. A more likely scenario, he returned down the steps to try and pick up her trail. That scenario left him wide open to assault from one of the other wolves.

Dammit, she wouldn’t have to worry about him being exposed if she hadn’t summoned him to the beach with her stupid message. His safety was now partially her responsibility.

It pissed her off.

She completed a full circuit of the parking lot without spotting him anywhere. Rolling up towards the exit, she scanned across the street and the sun glinted off a particularly platinum blond head. Damn, she liked how much he let his hair grow out. It really did suit him. Pressing the horn on the van, she let it ring out with its half rebel theme song before it petered out on a broken note. Unsurprisingly, Julian's head swiveled in her direction. Wiggling her fingers as if to say hello, she shifted her attention from him to the lot behind him.

She could feel the weight of Julian’s disapproval striking like a two-by-four. When an opening the traffic presented itself, she accelerated across and into his lot. As soon as she reached him, she turned to put the passenger door in front of him and hit the down button on the passenger window. It halted at the halfway point, putting a damper on her effort.

“Hey, hot stuff, I picked up dinner. Want to go for a ride? “

“Someday, you're going to grow up,” Julian said and despite the warm California sun she shivered at the ice sheathing his tone. “What happened to your plan?”

“If you get in, I'll give you a shiny surprise.” She flashed what she hoped was a cheerful grin, but at the moment all she wanted to do was growl. Baiting him and watching his back at the same time irked her. Too many damn people flowing out toward the pier.

With an exasperated sigh, Julian pulled the door open and grimaced. Yeah, there was no mistaking the stink inside the van. Julian's gaze darted to hers then he paused and glanced over his shoulder. Without another word, he climbed into the passenger seat and pulled on his seatbelt. She didn’t wait for him to close the door before she started accelerating

Julian said nothing while she made her way back out to the road. Dallas kept her attention on the rearview mirror and side mirrors. There was no guarantee they wouldn't pick up a tail. The more she thought about it, the more she had to wonder where their little watcher had gone.

“The other thing all those items you listed off have in common,” she said not bothering to repeat Julian’s speech. “You.” Julian had contact with everything.

“Why would they hunt your daughter to get to me?” Flat, implacable and utterly without feeling. She could live with his anger. She could even live with his hate. It was no skin off her back.

“You seem to have a thing for my daughter. You took her in, after all.” He dug the blade into her back, and maybe she deserved the assault. Leaving Chrystal behind had not been on her agenda. At the time, there were too many dark forces closing in, and there was no way in hell she was going to lead them back to her daughter.

Chrystal knew the rules, she knew how to live and keep her head down. Dallas made sure she had plenty of money…and Julian was right around the corner. If Dallas didn’t return, she’d known he’d find her. As unsettling of a thought as it always remained, by then, Chrystal was safer with Julian than her mother.

“I kept an eye on her for two years while she finished school. It's not the same thing as being her mother.” Tempered steel sliced with every verbal cut of his tongue.

“Well, anyone not aware of your stunning stellar personality might mistake that for affection.” He didn't flinch, but he did glare at her.

“Who is the guy in the backseat? Your latest stooge?”

Ouch. “No, the moron back there rushed over to fetch me after you left me helpless and wan on the sand.” The mock southern drawl didn’t work for her, but it was a hell of a lot of fun giving it a shot, particularly when it aggravated Julian so much.

“I thought your plan was to have me leave you there with the appearance of helplessness…”

“It was, and it worked. Come on, you can say it…” She really was playing with fire, but goddammit, Julian made everything work. “You can say I was right. It won't kill you.”

“You got lucky.” His dismissive snort rankled. “Why were you so concerned about what was going on back there?” No, he didn't miss much, except what she refused to let him see.

“Mr. Happy back there wasn’t our guy watching us from the water. He arrived far too soon. But when he showed up, the guy in the water disappeared, which tells me while Mr. Happy might’ve been coming to get me, Mr. Waterboard was looking for you.”

Julian’s expression went to stone. He didn’t believe her.

Ass.

“Maybe if you hadn’t spent the whole time scowling and being infuriated about what a horrible witch I am,” she said, casting a sidelong look at him. A muscle ticked in his jaw. She shot; she scored. “You’re not the most rational individual when it comes to me. Since I got your dumb ass into this mess, I figured I would be the one to get it out. We can question them together.”

“That’s all this is going to be. You are nothing more than a mistake I made. I learn from my mistakes. I do not repeat them.” With every word, it was as though he systematically flayed the skin from her. “Not that you need worry about anything being repeated. I don’t go back for sloppy seconds, especially from a stray who wanders.”

Shit on a stick. The last comment hurt.

“I'll make you a deal.” She could afford to be magnanimous. She couldn't afford not to be involved—not if they really were intended to protect her daughter.

“What kind of deal?

Dallas paused, checking the traffic and the road signs. She had to head inland. A place in Big Bear would do for interrogating Mr. Happy.

“Don't go that way,” Julian ordered. “Take the next exit to the right. Head towards the marina.”

Marina?

Fuck it, she checked him then the road. “You don't have any reason to trust me, nor I you. Except that I do trust you. Told you that on the beach.” The admission fostered nothing in his scent. One thing she knew about Julian—above beyond all else, he was a stickler for the rules and a man of honor. If he gave her his word, nothing would break it.

Ever.

“Still doesn't tell me what your deal is”

“We work together on this. I'll tell you what I know, open up all of my contacts to resolve the threat. When we’re done, when Chrystal is safe and the threat to her is eliminated, you can take whatever shot you want.”

“My shot? You mean I can take you into custody. Then what? You’re under the protection of Hudson River. I’d have to turn you over to Brett, and then you’ll skip off into the sunset.” Julian shook his head.

“Brett will back me if I ask for his help. I don’t have to ask.”

“The punishment for your crimes.” Though it wasn’t a question, she heard the lingering doubt and concern vying for supremacy in his tone. “You expect me to believe you will face it, without fighting or running?”

“Give me your word I can be part of this, that you will let me work with you.” Her pride meant nothing. All that mattered was Chrystal’s name ended up on a wanted list through no fault of her daughter’s actions. It didn’t matter if Dallas was to blame or not, she would kill anyone who came after her daughter.

“Why should I trust you?” The demand thundered through the van, even though he didn’t raise his voice.

Still following the road, Dallas took the next exit toward the marina, every part of her quaking. Though she had long since mastered containing her emotional responses, it didn't make them go away. “I can give you my word, but that doesn't mean anything. I could swear on my child, but you don’t have any respect for me as a mother. So, you tell me what you need.”

“You get on my boat, no tricks. No arguments. You stay on board until we’re out to sea. Then we’ll talk and decide from there.”

She had to trap herself with him without any opportunity for escape. Once out there, he could try to break her neck and throw her body overboard.

Fantastic.

“Challenge accepted.” She turned onto the road toward the marina gates.

What the hell? She could go out with a bang.

Decades earlier…

The caress of his lips against hers ignited a storm in her system. A gentle stroke of his tongue demanded access. Delving against her mouth, he proved a welcome invasion. Strength flexed around her, and the power he held contained seemed to lick over her.

His energy pressed in, overwhelming her senses. Sliding her fingers into the short crop of his hair, she stroked his scalp with her nails. He shifted his grip against her ass, then he peeled her away.

Breathless, Dallas gaped. Julian’s blue eyes glowed, an icy ferociousness to them. Who knew cold could burn so intensely?

“I’ll start the grill.” He abandoned her to the aftermath of intimate shocks. Falling back a step, she ran her tongue over her lower lip. The taste of him lingered, even if the man himself vanished onto the dark porch. Firelight flickered from the grill, and she continued to stand there like a bump on a log.

It was a kiss, dipshit. Shaking her head, she turned to start preparing the steaks. The baked potatoes had another thirty minutes or so to go. She’d put the first round of potatoes in the oven the week before, fully expecting Julian to appear again—as he had each week since she first arrived in California.

When he didn’t, she’d debated phoning him and then it occurred to her to wait. What was he going to do if she broke his holy, vaunted rules? Spank her?

An inappropriate shiver of anticipation spun a path up her back.

“The fire is lit,” he said from the porch, the low rumble of his deeply masculine voice stroking over her like a physical caress.

In more ways than one. “How do you like your steak?” It was the first question to come to mind.

“Since I’ll be cooking it, you should tell me how you like yours.”

“Rare,” she managed, but only because she didn’t face him. The kiss did more than unsettle her, the wealth of responsiveness disconcerted her wolf. “Just let the fire lick it a few times. I don’t want it burned.”

“Noted.” He was right behind her when he spoke, and her muscles went rigid. Her wolf stilled, and only years of discipline at her grandfather’s side kept her growl in check. He reached past her, and the full weight of his presence crowded her.

Eyes narrowing, it took her a moment to realize he was doing it on purpose. Irritated, she swiveled and planted her hand against his chest. Meeting his gaze, she let her wolf rise and her eyes shifted. The action brought his features into sharp relief. She could even count the hint of stubble along his cheek.

“What are you doing here, Julian?” The insistence in her tone earned her a scowl.

“You weren’t on the beach.” He lifted the steaks. “And I’m cooking our dinner.”

Without another word, he withdrew and left her staring after him as he vanished back into firelight flickering darkness.

Her wolf didn’t believe him, but he hadn’t lied. No sourness accompanied the statements. Both were true. Not the whole truth.

Checking the baked potatoes gave her something to do, then she reached into the fridge and pulled out another beer.

“For someone who was struggling with money, you have a lot of alcohol.” His observation floated in, requiring an answer.

“Who said I was struggling with money?” No need to pretend insult, as he’d just challenged her ability to take care of herself.

“You were living in a tent.”

Dallas snorted. “I chose that. It was comfortable, and I was in front of the water. Kind of like I chose to take Bobby up on his offer so I could live here…near the water.” Carrying her beer outside, she pointed to the gap in the trees. “In the daytime, I can see the water from here. If I hike down, I’m on a private beach. I’ve swum in the surf every morning since I got here.”

The fire continued to heat the grill, but he hadn’t placed the steaks on there. Donna and Marie trotted around the edge of the house, but the Dobermans hesitated when they caught sight of Julian.

“You were mean to the dogs?” She thumped him on the shoulder as she pushed passed him and went to the girls. They lowered their heads, then their tiny little stubbed tails began to wag as she drew near them.

Dropping to a squat, she set her beer aside then let the dogs lick her in enthusiastic greeting. “Poor babies,” she murmured. “Was the big bad Enforcer mean to you?”

“They showed me their teeth; I showed them mine.” Annoyance discolored his tone.

“They’re babies,” she said, not disguising her scowl. Hugging them, she fussed until their trembling abated.

“Impossible woman,” Julian muttered as he joined her, then he let Marie snarf him with a wet kiss. Kneeling next to her, he reached over to pet Donna. Marie leaned past him, but Julian rumbled a growl and the dog withdrew. “I draw the line at sharing the steak.”

“Well, it’s good to know you have some boundaries.” She liked that he thought her impossible. It was the kind of compliment she could embrace.

“You’d be surprised at my boundaries.” Then he ran a hand over her hair, before grasping her arm. Rising, he pulled her to her feet. She barely had time to grab her beer, lest the dogs knock it over.

Marie might have been eyeing the steak, but Donna was a lush. Julian held her arm a moment longer than necessary. Then he returned to the grill.

“Go on,” she told Donna and the dog dashed away with Marie right behind her. Tipping her beer up for another long pull, she tried to get her scattered thoughts under control.

“So you chose to sleep on the beach, and now you choose to take some human’s charity to be his beard—but you don’t have any struggle with funds?”

“Do you practice that skepticism in a mirror? Or does it come to you naturally?” Every time she thought she had him pegged, he shifted gears.

He fascinated her.

“Every morning, right after I shave.” He tossed the steaks onto the grill. “Before I eat bad wolves for breakfast.”

A quiver radiated from her belly. “I don’t need more reasons to be bad.”

“No, you don’t. So what are your plans after the roam?” The unsubtle subject change amused her.

“Does it matter? Or is that another box we need to tick off on your law and order routine?” She’d endured his lecture on the laws all Lone Wolves had to obey, and more, she’d managed to not lust after him while he exerted his dominance. If they planned to do it again, she was going to strip and go for a swim in the surf.

“Call it professional curiosity. You’re a disaster waiting to happen.”

“Oh, you wound me.” She grinned and toed open the cooler. He’d finished his beer. She did him a favor and opened him a second. “Drink up and flip my steak. I told you I like it rare and juicy.”

The innuendo didn’t escape him, and he exhaled a half growl. If she kept poking the Enforcer, she might get bitten.

Anticipation coiled in her belly. What would he be like? If the single kiss he’d given her was any indication, he’d wear her out. Sheer excitement tangled with wariness.

Dangerous.

Her wolf wasn’t wrong, but then she wasn’t toothless.

Julian didn’t scare her.

“Plates.” The command didn’t irk her, not when he tended the food, so she went and fetched them. The oven beeped as she returned. She left her beer in the kitchen, so she held the plates as he offloaded the flank steaks—one to each plate. “Are we eating outside or in?”

“I’ll let you choose. You are the guest.” Inside might force her to spend too much time draped in his scent. At least on the porch, she had the ocean breeze to dilute all that yummy masculinity.

Five minutes later, loaded baked potatoes on their plates and armed with cutlery, they settled on the porch. Julian left the grill open and it served as a fire pit, warming them despite the cool breeze. It also made for a cozy atmosphere with the warm light flickering over his features.

“Tell me what your plans are,” he said before taking a bite of the steak. The request held no element of command.

Making him wait another moment while she sampled the meat, Dallas experienced a mini-orgasm at the beef’s perfection. “Okay, this is sex worthy.”

His attention riveted on her, and she didn’t miss a nuance of his focus.

“Don’t get excited. I said the steak was sex worthy, not you.” The tease elicited a most delightful response in his laughter. Happy with his acceptance of her play, she said, “I have no intention to go back. My grandfather has the rest of my life planned out. Going back means I will have too many to disappoint. Better to roam, embrace my freedom, and experience the world.”

Julian raised his eyebrows, but he didn’t dismiss her answer. “What plans does he have for you?”

“Does it matter? I’m a wolf. I choose my fate, and that fate doesn’t involve a collar. No matter how decorative or fancy.”

Ever.