Four Days (Seven Series #4) (9 page)

That took Lorenzo off guard. Suicides were extremely rare among Breed. “She took her own life?”

“That’s all I know. Couldn’t find any details on that, but if you want me to dig…”

“No, don’t bother. If someone finds out, they’ll think we’re conspiring against the Kizer pack—especially with the woman missing. I don’t want a magnifying glass on my family.”

“What are you going to do with her? Cole’s going to come sniffing around. We’re in the same territory and—”

“Let me deal with Cole,” Lorenzo said in slow, thick words. “The woman is in no condition to be moved. Once she heals, I’ll contact her Packmaster. The last thing I need are those mongrels banging on my front door. Are you ready to face the firing squad? You’re one of my best men, William, but I can’t cover your tracks on this one. I can’t lie for you. I can offer him money, but Cole is a stubborn man and may refuse.”

“A death match?”

“That’s something we’ll sort out later. Remind everyone that my floor is off-limits, and anyone who breaks the rule will be reprimanded. That goes for the women too.”

“Rebecca’s really going to love that. Say, how about we send him payment in the form of Rebecca? Cole might need another bitch.”

That was a thought. Lorenzo didn’t think Cole would go for it, but who knows? Cole’s men might take a shine to her and… Rebecca would never agree to it. Lorenzo could suggest the trade, but no Packmaster could force a woman into another man’s pack. The only power he had was to banish her from his own, but he couldn’t tell her where to live. She had her sights on mating a Packmaster, and Cole already had a mate.

“Stay close to the house so I can call you if needed, William. Make sure the pack understands that I won’t take insubordination lightly. If anyone chooses to try my patience, they’ll discover I’m not a man who likes to be tested. You’re the only one allowed up there. Knock on the door twice so I’ll know it’s you. With that said, use the elevator in the back to bring up a cart of food. Chicken soup, a fruit bowl, and find some meat. She needs protein.”

“Shall I scramble some eggs?”

“I’m afraid eggs wouldn’t agree with soup.”

William put his hands on his waist. “What do I look like, the maid brigade? Would you like me to turn down your bed while I’m at it? Fluff your pillows?”

“No, William, but if you’re good to me, I’ll let you kiss me good night.”

William’s cheeks flamed and Lorenzo laughed robustly. “For a man with a sense of humor, yours seems to have gone missing.”

He shook his head. “I must have lost it when I almost killed someone last night. But hey, I appreciate you trying to lighten the mood with dirty talk.”

Lorenzo stepped forward, glowering. “Do not think for a moment I have forgotten the gravity of this situation. My position hangs in the balance with every choice I make because of your ineptitude. You had no business going out that way, especially to break into their house. That is
not
what I asked you to do. You’re a better wolf than that, and I expect more out of you than such foolish behavior. And see if there are any brownies left.”

With a swift turn, Lorenzo exited the room and took the elevator upstairs so he wouldn’t run into anyone. No expense had been spared in upgrading the home, and the private elevator was often used to bring him a food cart on days when he wanted to be left alone.

Once on his floor, he walked down the spacious, shadowy hall, passing an empty room before reaching his door on the right. When Lorenzo turned the knob and pushed the door open, he surged forward.

Lorenzo caught Ivy’s arm as she walked clumsily toward him. Outrage flooded his senses and rolled off his tongue like fire. “Why are you up? I told you not to move!”

He was momentarily distracted by the fact that she was wearing his long silk robe. She’d also braided her hair, and Lorenzo wondered why a woman so beautiful would bind her hair in such a manner.

“I had to go to the restroom. I’m sorry, but I can’t just lie there like an invalid on the floor and wish it away. And I certainly didn’t want you to carry me in there.”

He hooked his left arm around her back and almost lifted her as they returned to the fire. She turned around to sit on the bed and he offered his arm for support. Ivy grimaced, unable to pull her legs up, so he lifted them and then propped a pillow beneath her knees once she settled in.

After he closed the door, he returned to give her a piece of his mind.

But she’d fallen asleep, and all he could do was stare in wonderment at her beauty.

I awoke to a hand pressed firmly over my mouth.
Lorenzo’s steely eyes glittered by firelight and filled me with terror.

“Shhh,” he said. “You were having a nightmare and began to scream. I can’t have a woman screaming from my bedroom.”

He slowly pulled his hand away, and I found myself panting.

Lorenzo stood up and rolled a cart to the foot of the bed. Then he returned and, without asking my permission, propped another pillow behind my back. After getting me to a comfortable position sitting up, he moved the food cart beside me and lifted the silver lids.

“Those are very fancy dishes,” I said, raising an eyebrow. “I must admit it took me off guard when I saw how ordinary your porcelain toilet was.”

He set a tray on my lap. “I’m having a man come out next week to dip it in gold.”

A laugh pealed out of me and I covered my mouth. “Does your pack know I’m here?”

He regarded me with serious eyes. “No, so hearing a woman screaming from my bedroom wouldn’t be well received.”

“Why would saving my life be a secret?”

He took a seat in the chair to my right, distancing himself on the other side of the fireplace. “Wolves are nosy when a new bitch is in the house.”

I speared him with my glare. “I’m not in your pack, so don’t refer to me as a bitch. It’s an inappropriate use of the word, but I won’t hold a grudge against you because of your lack of manners. I’ll repay you for the kindness you’ve shown.”

Lorenzo waved his hand dismissively. “Your reward would be but a paltry sum.”

“Who said it would be monetary?”

His brow arched. “And what are you suggesting?”

I shook my head. “Certainly not what
you’re
implying. People undervalue rewards like generosity and favors. I can restore that chair you’re sitting in. The wood legs need refinishing, and some of the leather has worn.”

Lorenzo stretched his long legs and crossed them at the ankles. The lean muscles on his arms seemed to catch every shadow and flicker of light from the fireplace, making him more dimensional than the man I thought I knew. “You are offering to fix my chair?”

“It must mean something to you if it’s in here.” I lifted a strawberry from my plate and nibbled on the end. “You’re a man who puts a lot of emphasis on money and the value of things. And yet you sit in a weathered chair as if it were a throne.”

The fire popped and his eyes drifted away. “It was my grandmother’s chair.”

My heart warmed. For the first time, I saw a glimpse of the man behind the leader. “You loved her.”

“I was closer to her than my parents. You and I have something in common.”

“What’s that?”

He tilted his head to the side. “That we both lost our mother. My grandmother played an important role in my life. Many things in this room were hers,” he said, pointing at a low dresser at the end of the bed. Indian artifacts adorned it, and yet only this side of the room seemed down to earth, except for the mirror on the ceiling I tried to ignore. The windows along the far wall became a marker of sorts, where the heart of the room ended and the ego began. The space leading toward the bathroom had modern décor—an abstract painting, curved-back chairs, expensive trinkets sitting on a small table. Where one side of the room was warm and humble, the other was cold and soulless. It was as if Lorenzo Church had divided his life in half, never combining the elements of who he was and having harmony.

“It’s respectful of you to keep her things,” I said.

Lorenzo leaned forward in his chair, clasping his hands together. “Why did you take time to braid your hair? You must be in an immense amount of pain and yet—”

“That’s private.”

He pinched his chin thoughtfully. “How can something so visible be a secret?”

I pulled some of the blanket away and made sure the robe was tucked around me tightly. “The same way a scar can mark a man’s face. You can’t help but notice it, but does that entitle you the right to question him about it?”

“You are comparing your hair to a scar?”

I sighed and ran my finger over the grooves of the braid. “Maybe you should confess what happened to me. Why am I really here?”

The brown leather chair creaked when he rose to his feet, and Lorenzo silently walked barefoot across the room until he met with the bed. “You should eat before it gets cold.”

“I’ll agree to eat if you tell me how I got injured.”

He tipped his head to the side, a strand of hair slipping in front of his face. “I’ll agree to that bargain.”

I nibbled on another strawberry and Lorenzo hastily swiped the plate from my lap. “I refuse to trade information for berries.”

He shoved a plate of meat in front of me and I gawked at it.

“I can’t eat that.”

“You
can’t
eat a brick, but I’m confident you can eat a plate of ribs.”

I looked around, wide-eyed. “Do you have a napkin before I slather up your bed? Who is the cook on duty? They should be fired.”

He tossed me a cloth napkin. “Begin.”

I quirked a brow. “Begin? Chewing on meat isn’t a symphony. Have a seat in the chair and maybe
you
should begin.”

He clasped his hands behind his back and when he turned around, I stole a glance at his broad shoulders and V-shaped torso. Lorenzo was fit and strong in stature. Everything about his swagger exuded authority and confidence. When he turned to sit, I quickly lifted the rib and tore off a strip of meat.

While the rub was more dry than wet, it still made a mess of my fingers. But my mouth watered the instant the delicious flavors awakened my taste buds. My wolf was famished and greedily urged me on.

“Is there something special I can bring you?” he asked curiously.

Lorenzo wanted to know my craving.

All Shifters have a specific craving when they change back to human form. Some craved pickles, others gobbled up strange meats like elk or snake. Lexi had a thing for chocolate pudding, Reno stashed bacon in the freezer, and the popcorn in the house was off-limits to everyone but Izzy.

“What I have here is plenty,” I said.

“My house is well-stocked. I’m sure I can accommodate any request.”

I chewed off another piece of meat. “Cream cheese.”

“Do you prefer it on toast or crackers?”

“Just a spoon is fine.” When his face soured, I giggled quietly. “Tell me, Lorenzo, what is it
you
crave after a shift?”

“Sex.”

I set down my rib and wiped my fingers on the napkin. “No need to be vulgar, unless that’s your attempt at dry humor.”

His eyes glittered with mischief. “I crave honey. Incorporating that with sex fulfills two needs.”

“I would rather not talk about sex while lying in your bed.”

A dark smile crossed his face and he leaned forward. “That’s the first time a woman has said that to me. Tell me a little about yourself. Where do you come from? What is your father like?”

Why did he want to know so much?
“You promised to tell me how I got here. I think we should stick to our agreement, don’t you?”

He stood up and lifted the fire iron from the stand, prodding at the log and causing the flames to intensify.

“Why did you build a fire when you have central heating?”

He set the poker down and watched the fire for a moment. “The windows are floor to ceiling; they aren’t well insulated.”

“So why not block them off with heavy drapes?”

He turned to face me and folded his arms. “I prefer the view. Do you have a problem with my windows?”

“Spirit demons can find me,” I said in a quiet voice.

He laughed softly. “Such superstitions. Our folklore differs from that of human Native Americans for a reason. They are bedtime stories meant to frighten children and keep them at home at night so the Chitahs don’t get them.”

“I sleep better without windows.”

“Maybe your fear keeps you awake. Tell me, what is it you fear?”

“Not ever finding out what happened to my leg,” I said impatiently.

Lorenzo nodded like a stubborn man and took a seat in his chair again. “One of my men struck you with his car.”

My stomach turned. “Your packmate? Where?”

His face grew dark and serious. “What was your wolf doing running miles away from your property in the middle of a busy road? Our wolves know to stay out of sight; what drew her out of the woods? Or do you have a disobedient wolf who—”

“Wait just a moment.” I slammed my plate on the cart. “Don’t turn this around and put the blame on me. It’s not as if I threw myself in front of oncoming traffic.”

His face twitched and he slid his jaw to the side. “Did you?”

The way he looked at me—I knew. I just
knew
. “How did you find out about my mother? I assume you must have known about her death because you’re an intrusive man, but no one outside my father’s pack knows the details. And don’t tell me that news travels fast, because we both know that’s a lie.”

“I’m a resourceful man,” he said in a thick voice.

“My wolf is
not
suicidal.” The silence filled the room. When I managed to staunch my anger from bleeding through my words, I continued. “And your man collected my body and brought me here.”

“Correct. It’s not until you shifted that I recognized you.”

A pang of worry went through me. “Has anyone called Austin? He must be looking everywhere for me.”

He averted his eyes.

“You can’t erase your tracks from this one, Lorenzo. Let your man face Austin and take the punishment.”

“I protect my pack.”

“At what cost?” I said, my voice rising in pitch. “You would risk the Council breaking apart your pack to protect one man?”

He launched to his feet and stalked forward. “Woman, I’ve had
enough
of your insolence. I’ve given you more than a person could ask for in your situation. My bed, food, a warm fire, healing magic… What more could you want?”

“Am I free to leave?”

Lorenzo sat on the edge of the bed and glowered. His hair picked up a lustrous shine from the light of the fire, and it made me want to touch it. “Cole will use this against me,” he said in low words. “I have much to lose.”

I reached out and touched his arm, curling my fingers around his wrist. “Austin is a benevolent Packmaster. Perhaps he’ll recognize the generosity you’ve shown me and call it even.”

He peered at me through his hair. “Perhaps piglets will fly and diamonds will spurt from their asses.”

“Well, if you end up with a golden toilet, nothing would surprise me.”

He smiled warmly and tucked his hair behind his ear. Then I felt the heat of his eyes as he studied every feature about me. His gaze traveled from my eyes to my mouth and then down my body until finally settling on the end of my long braid. Lorenzo reached out and touched my face, sliding his finger down my cheek and to my lips. I nervously watched him as he slipped his fingers along the crease in my robe, gently tugging it closed in a spot where it had loosened.

Two hard knocks sounded at the door and Lorenzo sprang to his feet. The door eased open and a man with long curls of black hair that covered his head like a messy mop peered in. He looked like someone from Robin Hood’s Merry Men, not a Shifter pack.

“Say, bad timing?” he asked, slanting his eyes my way.

Lorenzo caught the direction of the man’s gaze and ripped the covers over me so fast I scarcely had time to breathe. The way he moved was predatory, and he approached the man at the door with such a slow stride it made me shudder.

“Has war been declared?”

“No,” the man replied, a smile hovering on his lips. “I just need you to tuck me in.”

Lorenzo’s face flushed when I giggled.

“Go on, Thunder,” I said. “It’ll give me time to finish gnawing on my plate of bones.”

The man’s brow arched and he looked at Lorenzo with amusement dancing in his eyes. “Thunder?”

Lorenzo placed his hand on the man’s chest and shoved him backward. “I’ll be just a moment,” he said to me without looking back.

I immediately felt his absence when he left the room. What a powerful presence he had. We were going into the second day, and I’d be healed as much as my body would allow by the third. Four days was as long as I planned to stay in Lorenzo’s custody, even if that meant climbing out one of his windows.

***

Lorenzo shut the door behind him.

William laughed silently and stared at Lorenzo’s crotch. “As in Thunder from Down Under? That’s quite a reputation to live up to,
kemosabe
,” he said, his expression deadpan.

“Keep it up, William. I’ll have you riding on a donkey instead of that BMW if you wish to continue. When you go back downstairs, bring up a container of cream cheese and a spoon.”

William scratched the stray hairs on his jaw. “I’m afraid your snack is going to have to wait. Austin Cole is on the property.”

Lorenzo cursed under his breath. “What does he want?”

“He showed up under the guise of speaking with you about the female’s disappearance. As soon as he parked his car, his packmate shifted and began sniffing around. The wolf picked up her scent.”

“Cunning bastard.”

William glanced down the empty hall. “Indeed. So now my involvement is clear since he smelled the blood on my car.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t piss on the grill.”

William shrugged. “I didn’t want to ruin the paint by using bleach, so I sprayed it down with the hose. Can bleach damage your paint?”

Lorenzo smacked him on the forehead. “Lead me to them.”

They trudged down the stairs and Lorenzo met the eyes of those in his pack who hadn’t left for work or gone down to the bar. They were restless and waiting for his command. Four men guarded the door and Lorenzo pushed them aside. “Move away.”

When he opened the door, Austin Cole greeted him with a stony gaze. His unnatural blue eyes were frosty and unblinking.

“Take me to her,” he said in a tight voice.

Lorenzo recognized the man standing behind Austin as his brother, the rock star. Lorenzo narrowed his eyes at Jericho, who had been the one to shift on his property without permission. He wondered if he was the omega in the pack—the lowest-ranking wolf.