A Promise Of Home (A Lake Howling Novel Book 1) (18 page)

Jake watched Annabelle laugh as Newman led her to the floor.

Buster grabbed Branna before Jake could and by the smug look on his face, it was payback.

“I can’t line dance, Buster.” She tried to stop him, but he simply picked her up and placed her on her feet, then tugged her behind him.

“You ever danced in a line, Oliver?”

“I haven’t, Ethan, no.”

The Englishman was looking at the dance floor as the lines formed. Jake watched Buster grab Branna’s hips and push her into the space between him and Newman. She was nervous, her body stiff, as she listened to Buster explain the moves. She took a step to the right and turned back as Buster instructed her to do, and the hem of her skirt lifted, showing Jake, and anyone else watching, the lower half of her thighs. It was a dress that caressed her curves just like his hands had last night, a dress that he wanted to remove slowly and then kiss everything he uncovered. She had on heels, high enough to give her a few more inches, the color of raspberries; they did amazing things to her already amazing legs.

“Right, so let’s find some partners, Oliver, and attempt to teach you a few things before you return to your homeland. Off your ass, McBride, and get us some women, seeing as you know every one of them in this room.”

He did as Ethan asked, because he wanted to get onto the dance floor. Minutes later, he’d asked three women he knew, and soon they were all in a line. Jake could hear Branna’s laughter as she got the steps wrong, often going the wrong way. Buster was patient, just placing a hand on her back and pointing her back the right way.

“You getting it, Rosebud?” Jake grabbed her hand as the song finished and she started to walk off the floor.

“No, in fact it’s fair to say I’m hopeless.”

Her skin glowed under the soft lights, and her eyes were alive, and he wanted her in his arms. “Come and dance with me and I’ll give you some more lessons.”

Branna looked into the black eyes of Jake McBride and fought the shiver of longing that raced through her. He was dressed in jeans and a white fitted T-shirt, and while she’d only had two glasses of wine, which for her was one too many, he looked so sexy her body was actually tingling being this close to him.

“I don’t think I should embarrass myself anymore, Jake, I have to live here, after all.”

“Just one dance, Branna.”

She took the hand he held out to her and let him lead her back into the line.

“Think about the basic pattern, Branna. Right heel to the ground, then left. That’s it.”

He stood behind her, hands on her hips, leading her through the steps, and she began to see the pattern as he explained it to her. Pushing aside the feel of him so close, his breath on her cheek, hands on her hips, she concentrated and soon had the rhythm.

“I’m doing it!”

He came to stand beside her. “Clever girl.”

She bumped into him a few times and his hands steadied her, then usually caressed whatever part of her body they touched before removing them. It was like some kind of bizarre mating ritual that was heating her up faster than a hot tub. His hip bumped hers, his eyes, when she was foolish enough to look up, would wander over her face and down to her breasts. Branna needed to get off this dance floor before she gave into the urge to jump him.

When the music finished, she thanked him, and then started back to where the others sat with Jake on her heels.

“My pleasure, now let me take you home and you can show me just how grateful you are.”

Branna stopped at those growled words, turning, she looked up at him. His smile was soft and only for her, filled with sensual promise of just what the night would hold if she let him take her to bed.

“That’s not a good idea, Jake, not after you running scared this morning.”

“Sure it is.” He stepped closer, crowding her with his big hot body. “And I wasn't running scared I had work to do.”

“No,” she took a step backwards, “it’s not, and you didn't” Branna said, turning away from him and continuing on to the table, where she said goodnight to everyone as she retrieved her bag. Giving Oliver a friendly wave and telling him to come back soon, she then left before Jake could lay a hand on her, because she knew that if he did, she’d be lost.

Branna woke to sunshine again, her sleep had been deep, and luckily, she couldn’t remember her dreams, as they were almost certainly about Jake. Climbing out of bed, she hurried through her shower.

Mikey and Belle were coming to help her in the garden and she’d promised to cook them breakfast as payment. After she’d prepared the batter for the waffles and started the coffee, she wandered outside. This place was changing her; she could feel it. Softening her edges, making her feel like she hadn’t for years and Branna wasn’t sure how she felt about that. For so long, she’d managed not to care. But now she had a house, friends, and Jake, whatever that meant.

Walking around the side of the house, she came to a stop before the garden. It was totally destroyed. Plants had been uprooted, others stomped on, and the ones she’d bought, that had sat waiting to be planted, had been destroyed. Dropping to her knees, she looked at the mess. Why would someone do this to her?

The sound of a vehicle had her regaining her feet. She didn’t want Mikey or Belle to see the mess. She’d take them out; tell them she hadn’t managed to get the plants, take them to The Hoot for breakfast.

“We’re here!”

She was too late; they were both coming around the house towards her. Belle saw the garden first and grabbed Mikey, but it was too late, he’d seen it too.

“What’s happened, Branna?” He ran to the garden and looked at the plants, bending to pick up petals and broken plants.

“I didn’t hear them doing it, Belle, I just saw it before you drove up.” Branna felt the anger begin to simmer inside her.

“Bastards,” Belle hissed. “Low life fucking bastards,” she said so that the boy couldn’t hear.

“Who would do this?” Mikey’s little face was tight with worry as he looked from Belle to Branna.

“Some dickhead, with shit for brains is who, Mikey. Now, don’t you worry about it, we’ll get to the bottom of it. You just get mad and that’ll make you mean, which is what we women need about now,” Belle added. “Go get my camera from the car; I want to take some pictures of this.”

“I can do mean.” He bared his teeth and Branna managed to laugh. He hugged her then, before running to Belle’s car.

“Jesus, Branna, why would someone do this to you?” Branna let her friend wrap an arm around her neck and pull her close. Normally, she didn’t like being touched or hugged, but that too seemed to have changed since she’d come to Howling.

“We should tell Cubby.”

“Why? It’s a garden, Belle, some kids probably got high and did it.”

“This is Howling, Branna, not Washington. Kids may get high here, but it’s behind closed doors where no one can see. People here know people; kids wouldn’t risk doing this, not so close to the house. You could have woken anytime and seen them.”

“But who else would want to and why? I’ve made no enemies since coming here, and I don’t think even Macy hates me that much that she’d get dirt under nails.”

They stood looking at the mess until Mikey came back and handed Belle the camera. She started snapping pictures as they watched.

“You should let Jake know, Branna.”

“What is it with you and him?” Branna said, poking the boy in the stomach, which made him squirm. “He got a big S on his chest or something?”

“He’d make a fine superman, though, you know it’s the truth,” Belle muttered from behind her camera.

“I’m going inside and this conversation is at an end.” Branna made her way back into the house and sagged against the door when she was out of sight. Who had done this to her garden and why? It terrified her to think that someone this angry had stood and destroyed her garden while she slept just above. Making her way to the kitchen, she started cooking the waffles, and wondered how the hell she was going to get any sleep tonight.

The day was spent cleaning the garden up, and by the time Belle and Mikey had gone, she’d just about convinced herself that it was a random attack…just about. When she finally climbed into bed, exhausted, she closed her eyes and willed herself to sleep.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Something woke Branna; lying still in the dark, she tried to identify what. The faint whisper of voices and then the sound of breaking glass drifted up from below her. Someone was inside, and anyone who entered a home uninvited in the middle of the night was not paying a social call. Fear momentarily rooted her to the bed, and her heart thumped so hard it hurt.

Move!

Edging the covers aside, she forced herself to get up. Finding her shorts on the chair where she’d left them, Branna quickly pulled them up her legs under the large T-shirt she slept in. Moving silently towards the door, she eased it open, then listened. Something was ripping, and then there was more glass breaking, followed by a muffled curse. Shaking her head to clear it, she hurried to the window and opened it, then swinging a leg over the sill, Branna climbed out and rested on the small ledge. There was a ladder here somewhere, because Georgie had said that Dan had it fitted to the side of the house in case of fire; she just needed to work out how to lower it.

Feeling along the boards, she found it, and then fumbled with the latches until she had them opened. Hoping it didn’t make too much noise, she slowly lowered it to the ground.

Branna turned and stepped onto the ladder, and then worked her way down as fast as she could without falling. Fear made her clumsy; occasionally missing a step, she was reduced to clutching the sides of the ladder to stop herself from falling. She hoped whoever was inside the house stayed downstairs while she escaped, because if they came outside now, they’d find her before she had a chance to run, and Branna didn’t want to think about what they would do to her then.

When she finally reached it, the ground was cold on her bare feet. Running to the garden, she found the old boots she’d left there earlier and pulled them on, then sprinted to the driveway. The moon was high and showed her the way, but would also show anyone else who was looking. Running down the road, Branna searched for the entrance to the trail that would lead her to Jake. She needed to get off the road, because if they came looking for her, she’d be easily spotted in their headlights.

Her eyes began to adjust and she saw the opening in the trees. Running up it, she tripped on a root and landed on her knees; thankfully, she hadn’t put her injured wrist out to stop her fall. Regaining her feet, she started again, this time more slowly.

Don’t panic, Branna, it won’t help you.
Her father had often used those words when he had been in her life and still loved her enough to care. She’d always been a panicker. Things used to unsettle her easily, small things that really didn’t justify her jitters, so he’d taught her to say that,
courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear—not absence of fear
, and
it had often worked enough to calm her down, help focus her attention elsewhere.

I need it now, Dad.

The big trees towered over her, and she knew they weren’t dangerous. She knew she was the only person out here, but still the fear nearly choked her. It was hard to walk without knowing what was ahead, but she took it slow and stumbled a few times, but didn’t fall again. Every noise and rustle made her flinch and fear made her imagine that at any second, someone would spring out of the dark and grab her and she would never be seen again. She’d never used this track, but Branna knew Jake’s house was close, because she’d run past it a few times.

It felt like she’d been walking for hours when she saw it, the long low house bathed in moonlight. Running off the path as quickly as her shaky legs would let her, she made for the front door. She’d never seen his house, but this had to be it. Hammering on the wood door seconds later, she hoped he was there. Branna battled to subdue the sting of tears as a light came on through the windows. The door opened and revealed a bare-chested Jake, clad in shorts.

“Branna?”

“I-I need your help, Jake.”

“What’s happened?”

Her body shook as the adrenaline that had coursed through her and kept her moving drained away. She was suddenly weak and fighting the hopeless tears that wanted to fall as she scrambled to find her voice.

“I-I need to use your phone, please.”

He gently pulled her inside, then led her to a chair, which he lowered her into. Are you hurt?” He crouched in front of her.

“No.”

“You’re frozen,” his big hands rubbed her arms. Did you walk here?”

“I just need to use your phone, please, Jake.”

“Branna, it’s three in the morning, honey, tell me what’s going on?”

“Men, Jake, there were men in my house.”

His fingers bit into her skin briefly, before they unclenched.

“Tell me what happened, Branna.”

His hair stood on end, and his skin would be warm from the sleep she had dragged him from and she desperately wanted to fall into his arms, needed to so badly she had to restrain herself by gripping the arms of the chair. She wasn’t weak, and wouldn’t fall apart now that she was safe.

“Something woke me and I heard them, the sound of footsteps downstairs. I listened, and I-I th-think they were trashing my house.”

His body had gone still, alert, as he listened and watched.

“I d-didn’t wait around, just climbed out the window and lowered the ladder that Georgie—”

“I know about the ladder, Branna.”

“I didn’t stop; just kept climbing down, and then when I reached the bottom, I found my boots and ran here. I remembered that Belle said the path led to you, so I was sure I was going in the right direction. I didn’t think I’d make it to town and was worried they’d see me if I tried.” She hadn’t even thought of running into town. He’d been the safety she wanted, and so she’d run to him, not that she’d ever tell him that.

“Christ!”

She was slammed into his chest and two strong arms banded around her as he held her so tight she thought her ribs would crack. It was bliss.