Chapter 11
Ford
I woke up that morning to a very flirtatious text message from Amelia. She had sent me a picture of herself in a mirror, wearing a very interesting number to school. It was Spirit Week at the elementary school she worked at and they were supposed to be wearing their school colors for the day. Her makeup was done in orange and green and she was wearing a very tight pair of black pants and a form-fitting orange tank top. The only thing that covered the paramount curves on her body was a white cardigan she was wearing over her shoulders.
Oh, the things I could’ve done to smudge that makeup.
I thought about that picture all day. Through meetings with the clan and wedding planning ideas with Violet. Through money collection reminders for our clan’s protection work and new business meetings. I thought about asking her out for the evening. Or possibly having her over so I could cook her dinner. I could tell her to leave on the makeup and leave the cardigan at home so I could bask in the beauty of her form while I seared off some steaks.
But things with the clan needed to come first.
Jackson came by the lodge because he thought he saw the coyotes surveying the area while he was out in the woods. If the coyotes were planning something, we needed to be ready to fight.
I called Lincoln, Jackson and Grant, who was now finally healed, and we shifted and started to patrol the area around the lodge for any potential threats.
As soon as my paws touched the ground, I knew something was off. The distinct spell of a coyote was in the air and I let out a growl letting the guys know that I caught a scent.
I took off running through the woods, following the smell. The guys quickly followed after more. The more we ran, the thicker the scent got, and I knew we were getting close.
I slowed down as we were heading into a clearing. On the edge of the tree line, I spotted the coyotes, but they hadn’t spotted me yet. I felt my muscles twitch in anticipation. I stalked behind them slowly.
Suddenly the air blew and I knew by how they shot their heads up that they picked up our scent. The quickly took off into the woods. I dug my claws into the ground and chased after them, as quickly as my legs would take me.
But being coyotes they were able to dart between the trees faster, and within a few moments I knew we lost them. I let out a frustrated growl, and returned back to the lodge.
When we got back inside, I sat down with Lincoln, Jackson and Grant.
“They seem to just be casing our lodge,” Lincoln said.
“Yeah, but for what?” I asked. “Are they looking for another way to attack?”
No one had an answer. The only thing we could do was just wait and see what happened.
After the chase with the coyotes, I needed a way to calm my mind, and that wasn’t going to happen with Amelia. So long as I was with her, the only thing I would want to do was have my way with her. Strip her down, sheath myself within her, and take what had been rightfully given to me by her father. And I was trying to woo her. I was trying to get her to trust me again.
The last thing I needed was to destroy that.
I went home and changed my clothes before cleaning myself off. A strong drink or two at a club with loud music would help erase my mind of the day. When I was married, I could do that with my wife. Pin her down and make her beg me to stop before my tongue made her beg me for more. I shivered at the thought of Amelia pinned underneath me, her legs spread open and thrumming with heat as my cock slid up the inside of her thigh.
Soon.
Soon, I would be able to do just that. But until then, a strong drink and a pumping bass line would have to do.
The club was vibrant and full of life. I went and took up residence in the seat I always sat in. The darkened table at the back where I could sit against the wall and overlook the crowd. My eyes scanned everyone, not landing on one particular person for the night. Those days were over. The days of picking a woman who was lucky enough to sit on my cock for the night was done. I was an engaged man whose sights needed to stay on my fiancé at all times.
Especially given the fact that it was all she asked of me on our first date.
“Ford? Is that you, handsome?”
I cringed at the voice as I plastered a smile on my face. It was my cousin Chloe.
“Oh my gosh, it is you! It has been so long. How have you been?”
“Hello, Chloe. I’ve been well. And yourself?” I asked.
I stood as Chloe approached me, and kept the fake smile on my face. Chloe was my cousin by marriage. My uncle married her mother when Violet and I were younger. My father had a falling out with my new aunt, when our uncle mysteriously passed away. They never really spoke to us after the funeral, unless they needed something.
“Better now that I’ve seen you,” Chloe said with a smile. “What’s kept you away for so long? I told you to call if you ever needed anything.”
“Well I never needed anything,” I said with a smile.
“You’re such a tease. Come here.”
She wrapped her arms around me and I hugged her. She would act like we were best friends, despite the bad blood that was between her mother and my father.
But I wanted her to leave me alone.
“Mind if I join you?” Chloe asked.
“I do, actually. I’m here on business,” I said.
“In a place like this with a drink like that? I don’t think so,” she said with a grin. “Come on. What’s the real reason why you don’t want me to sit down?”
“Because I want to be left alone,” I said with a grin.
“Oh, does Ford need some cheering up? Come on. I’ve got another hug for you to help.”
She wrapped her arms around me again and I rolled my eyes. This time, I only patted her with one hand on her back. My eyes panned around the club, trying to find an excuse to leave. To get out of here and find another club where people would leave me the fuck alone.
Then, I saw her.
Amelia.
Staring straight at me.
She was in a group of women with their drinks held high in the air. My arm went slack around Chloe as Amelia turned her gaze away from me. I went to take a step towards her but felt Chloe’s grasp strengthen around me.
“Where are you going, handsome?” she asked.
“Somewhere,” I said as I unraveled her from me.
I needed to get to Amelia. She was moving too quickly towards the exit.
“Come on. Share a dance with me,” Chloe said.
“No,” I said.
I looked down at her with a stoic stare as I clenched my jaw. Chloe took a couple of steps back, her face twisted in angry confusion. Her eyes flickered around, taking in the people that were staring at us. A flush of embarrassment cascaded across her face before she drew in a deep breath.
“Well, that was all you had to say in the beginning,” she said.
“I highly doubt that. If you’ll excuse me, I have something to tend to.”
I had to get to Amelia. I had to explain to her what she had just witnessed. I pushed through the crowd, tossing people left and right. I grew closer and closer to the exit as my heart rate picked up.
I couldn’t see Amelia standing anywhere outside.
I stumbled out of the club and kept my head on a swivel. I saw a bodyguard standing on the edge of the curb, looking down the road instead of standing at his post. My eyes followed his gaze and I saw a cab racing down the road. Going much faster than it should have been going given the area we were in.
Amelia was in that cab.
And I had a feeling I knew where she was going.