Captured Moon-6 (5 page)

“Abby,” he whispered. “I’ve waited so long for you.”

“Have you?” She lifted her hands to cup his face. “Why?”

The shake of his head was so subtle she almost missed it. “By the

time we realized, you’d married someone else. And since you loved him, were determined to work it out, we stayed away. We hated it, but we weren’t going to interfere. It was a matter of honor. You were a married woman.”

His regret with that decision was obvious, but it made her heart melt. They’d stayed away until her divorce, and then she’d needed time.

Needed to figure out who she was and who wasn’t for her and to find the strength to live with what she was.

But could she trust it? Trust mate bonds with werewolves after being married to a werepanther? It didn’t seem likely, but time would tell.

* * * * *

Abby’s eyes were in a state beyond dry, gritty and hurting as if she’d rubbed them in sand. With only one hour left of her shift, she was trying to get all the busy work done so she could clock out as soon as her last table left. Since she didn’t currently have one, she might even get out early.

The last two days had been long and hellish. Back to back doubles

on her feet at the restaurant was not her idea of a good time. But she’d traded a few shifts here and there, in effect volunteering for the doubles.

In exchange, she had the next three days off. She’d had a plan when she’d arranged this schedule. Survive these two days, sleep for ten hours, then enjoy three glorious days off to write.

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Captured Moon by Loribelle Hunt

She could already see that was going to be a problem. Ten hours just wasn’t going to cut it. She’d lost more than that tossing, turning, and worrying about Rule and Lawe the last couple of nights. The bond had made it so much worse. She craved them with a desperation she never would have believed possible. She hadn’t seen either of them, but they’d called, leaving messages on her cell and home voice mail. Messages to see how she was doing, messages to see if she needed anything, messages asking if she ever planned to answer their messages, and finally messages demanding she at least call and let them know she was still alive. She’d eventually sent a text message because she wasn’t ready to hear either of their voices. She was afraid their next step was to just show up.

It was easier to justify avoiding Lawe. The memory of how he’d taken her was burned in her mind. Demanding, dominant. So very, very alpha. Given half a chance, he’d try to take over her life. Almost every male in the pack did the same with their mates, and she wasn’t prepared to become dependent or needy ever again.

Then there was Rule. She’d answered his first couple of phone calls, but he wasn’t any better than Lawe. He wanted to see her. First, he’d tried talking her around, cajoling sweet words that made her melt. When that hadn’t worked, he’d turned to hot demands, telling her the things he wanted to do to her, with her. The things he expected her to do to him.

Finally, she just stopped answering her phone, but the calls didn’t

stop, the text messages didn’t stop. From both of them. Short, but explicit and carnal. A few brief words here and there that had her so revved up, she was sure she’d come if one of them growled the command in her ear.

She had no idea what to do about them. She’d spent the time bouncing between hopeful, guilt–ridden, confused, and angry. Stir, shake, repeat. Maybe she could deal with the confusion easy enough—sit them down, let them convince her. But she couldn’t help remembering the story she’d heard of a falsely claimed mate in Appalachia. Couldn’t help remembering the werepanther who’d promised her forever, too.

And then there was the way all of the women she knew mated to

werewolves were treated publicly. Like possessions. Cherished

possessions, but still. It made her uneasy and made her wonder about 31

Captured Moon by Loribelle Hunt

Rule and Lawe.

Would they be different? Did they want her for her or something else? Was it just the sex, which she admitted was incredible? But they could get that anywhere, couldn’t they? An unexpected surge of jealousy arose. Not anymore, they couldn’t. She was still pretty angry about being bonded without even being asked, but she’d be damned if she’d get into another relationship with an unfaithful party.

Did they both want her? Rule had picked her, but what drove Lawe? Agreement or was it simply the bond? She wished there were werewolf twins in the pack to observe. She’d never imagined being claimed by twins, wasn’t sure how that kind of thing worked long term.

Like for the rest of her life. She’d wanted them, fantasized about them, sure. But never like this.

It was Rule she could possibly envision something permanent with.

Lawe’s intensity scared her a little. But she couldn’t deny it also excited her. Was she crazy? What would people think? She was still learning to live with other people’s disapproval of her. All her so‐called friends and acquaintances had left her high and dry after the divorce.

Well, except Maggie and Marilyn. She groaned. She’d been

ignoring their calls, too.

She’d been working or trying to sleep or write to take her mind off

the twins and what they’d done. That was another problem, wasn’t it?

She’d been furious when she’d seen Rule reading her manuscript. It hadn’t taken long for that to turn to mortification, though. He hadn’t been just reading any old scene. Oh no, he was reading the kinkiest scene in the book. She was so embarrassed and full of questions. Did he think she was deviant? Did he think they were fantasies or based on experience? Did he think badly of her for them?

His reputation had never hinted he might be a prude, quite the opposite, actually. But until two nights ago, he’d treated her like a sister who needed watching over. How had that old attitude merged with his new knowledge? There was one sure way to find out. She was reluctant to move forward for all the reasons she’d been going over—and over again—in her head, but mostly because of fear. Fear he’d reject her. Fear 32

Captured Moon by Loribelle Hunt

he’d think she was a freak.

And who knew what Lawe would think?

After having sex with Rule the other night, she didn’t think she could handle either of those options. It may not have been perfect, but it was raw and passionate and the best orgasm she’d ever had. She’d been shocked at herself when she’d opened her robe for him, without considering the consequences of the action. She’d wanted him so long, the opportunity was there, and she hadn’t been about to pass it up.

Then there was Lawe. Sighing, she closed her eyes, mortification creeping in a blush down her throat. It had seemed so natural to give into his demands. Her body had sure as hell thought so. She wanted a lot more of it, too, of both of them, but when all was said and done, she might be too chicken to go after it. She was angry for a lot of reasons, but that just about topped the list.

She was jerked from her thoughts when Tony, the night manager,

walked over to where she was running a sweeper across the floor.

“Why don’t you take off, Abby? You’re about done here, and we’re

pretty slow tonight.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

“No problem.” He smiled. “I see your friends just came in. Bring me your cash out, and you’re free to go.”

She nodded, repressing a groan when she looked towards the front

door. She really didn’t need this now. Making eye contact with them, she nodded to a secluded table in the back. Walking to one of the restaurant’s computers, she typed in her access code and entered the sequence that totaled her sales. She took the printout and joined Maggie and Marilyn.

“Sorry I haven’t called y’all back.” She winced at the heavy drawl

she’d worked so hard to lose. “The last couple of days have been crazy.”

Maggie made soothing sounds while she started sorting credit card

receipts, but Marilyn watched her silently, speculation and something Abby couldn’t put a finger on in her eyes. She experienced a moment of anxiety. They were up to something. She consulted the printout and started counting out the cash she owed the house tonight.

“That’s fine,” Marilyn answered. “We’ll forgive you. If you come 33

Captured Moon by Loribelle Hunt

have a drink with us.”

A drink could only mean one place, but there was no way she was

up to facing Rule or Lawe right now.

“Oh God. Not tonight,” she pleaded. “I’m wiped out. Let’s do it tomorrow.”

“Nope. Tomorrow you’ll have some other excuse. Tonight, we

already have you in our clutches.” Maggie grinned. “Besides, we never got to hear what that scene was with Lawe and Rule and The Jerk the other night.”

“Don’t forget Gage,” Marilyn muttered. Something in her tone alerted Abby, and she studied her friend. Was she involved with Gage? If she was, she’d hidden it well.

Despite the urge to grill Marilyn on that matter, Abby was ready to

do whatever it took to beg off. Interrogation was a two way street with Maggie and Marilyn, but one look at their faces, and she knew it wasn’t going to work. Damn.

“So?” Marilyn prompted. “Rule and Lawe? What was that all

about? Not to mention Alex.”

She shook her head. “Nothing. Just boys being boys, you know.”

Maggie looked ready to accept that. Marilyn wasn’t about to.

“Looked like an impressive display of jealousy from Alex to me.”

“Why would he be jealous?” Her brows drew together in a frown.

She’d thought so too at the time, but for the life of her couldn’t figure out why. He hadn’t wanted her for a long time.

“You and Rule together?” Marilyn shrugged. “And Lawe. They’re

twins, after all.”

Desire raced through Abby’s body. She’d had them both but not together. What would that be like? Not that she was discussing it with their sisters.

“There is no ‘me and Rule’ together. Or Lawe. ” Her body heated

up as the image came to mind. Together with Rule and Lawe, naked, was something she could definitely get behind.

“Oh please,” Marilyn said. “They’ve been panting after you for years. You just never noticed.”

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Captured Moon by Loribelle Hunt

God, could that be true? They’d said as much, but she was afraid to

believe it. That still didn’t answer her questions about the future. How they’d make it work, how she’d handle Lawe’s dominance. How she’d reconcile herself to a subservient role in the pack. No matter what the answers were, she couldn’t rush into anything. She’d made that mistake once.

It didn’t help that Rule was enough like his brother to make her wary. She knew that easygoing, gentle face he showed the world was a façade. He was a Hunter. Probably just as demanding and temperamental as Lawe. He just hid it better.

“Are you done here?” Maggie asked, nodding at the neat stacks on

the table.

Abby gathered them up. “Yeah. Let me turn this in and clock out.”

It only took a few minutes, and they were on the way. Marilyn insisted they all go in her car. Abby watched her chances of getting out of the evening go up in smoke. When they got inside the Half Moon, her friends pulled her to the side right inside the door. They stood in a small circle next to the door that concealed the stairs leading to the twins’

upstairs apartment. Knowing for sure she’d been tricked then, she crossed her arms over her chest. They read her well.

“Look, just go up. Say hi. Hear them out,” Marilyn said.

She tensed with alarm. They were both up there? How the hell could she resist that?

“They’ve been going crazy, Abby. Give them a chance.”

“I can’t believe this. You dragged me over here for Rule and Lawe?

What’s in for y’all?” she added a little snidely.

Marilyn shrugged. “Maybe we get to see our friend get a little of the happiness she deserves. Not to mention our brothers. But you could avoid it. You’re good at that, after all, avoiding anything that might hurt in the long run.”

“There aren’t any guarantees in life,” Maggie added, her tone was

wistful. “But they are all about you. I think they love you. It would be a real shame not to find out.”

Loved her? Dropping her arms to her sides, she stared at the door.

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Captured Moon by Loribelle Hunt

Did she dare risk her heart if they, or one of them, didn’t?
Oh, the hell with
this
. Pissed at her wishy‐washiness and acknowledging she could no longer fight the bond, she opened the door and went up the stairs. There was a small landing at the top with another door. Taking a deep breath, she lifted her hand and knocked. The door swung open with the contact, and she peeked inside.

“Rule? Lawe?”

“Hey,” Rule called. “Back here. Come on in.”

She came all the way inside, shutting the door behind her. She loved their place. She walked into a huge living room. The kitchen was on her left, separated from the space only by a long bar. Two hallways led off from opposite sides. One went to the guest suite and the other to the main part of the apartment.

Dropping her purse and coat on one of the stools, she turned to face the opposite wall. An expanse of floor to ceiling windows stretched the entire wall of the apartment from the living room all the way back to the master bedroom. On a clear summer night like tonight, the lights of the city sparkled, but they couldn’t compare to the black sea of stars overhead, bright and crisp and oddly cold. It was beautiful. She could imagine snuggling up on their couch with a glass of wine and watching it for hours. Actually, that particular vision may have found its way, in one variation or other, into a book or two.