Live It Up (9 page)

She bit at the skin of her thumb, dread spreading throughout her at the thought that maybe the honeymoon was over. Maybe, he’d finally remembered she wasn’t a shifter and never would be. Maybe he’d realized she would never be enough for him or his father…or his Pride for that matter.

Tears threatening to fall, she tugged the covers down and slid into bed. She laid there, wondering what would happen when he stepped out of the bathroom.

They usually spent their evenings making love. On the bed. In the shower. On any rickety piece of furniture they could find. Even now, just thinking about it made her pulse quicken and her body soften.

Except that this time when Andy appeared, he took one look at her and said, “Remember when you asked who Lana was?”

She blinked then turned around in bed so she could face him. “Yes?”

“She’s my mate.”

Sunny struggled to sit up in bed, but by the time she’d moved, he’d already left. She heard the door slam shut behind him and wondered where he’d sleep for the night. She guessed it truly didn’t matter. He was right. He was an animal. He could shift and sleep anywhere out there.

He’s got a mate
.

He’s mated
.

She knew enough about biology to know she was screwed, her dreams shattered by one simple word.

She just didn’t know what felt worse, that he’d lied to her from the start or that she’d really thought she had something real with him.

Stupid, stupid her.

Chapter Ten

The atmosphere was so tense inside the SUV it was a wonder the top hadn’t lifted up from the emotions swirling around, Sunny thought as she stared out the window.

The view had gradually changed over the past couple hours and had become more familiar. She knew that they’d be at her hometown soon, the place where she’d grown up with her parents, the only place she actually felt a kinship for in this world.

And yet she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

She loved the commune, but she didn’t know anyone there any longer. Even worse, she really didn’t want to live there again. So why had she given Andy that name when he’d asked her where her home was? She could have just made something up, but he’d needed to take her somewhere so she’d said Lincolnstown.

And now that things were so off between them, she had no idea what her future would entail. She had no car. She barely had any belongings, apart from the ones she’d left in a friend’s garage all those months ago when she’d first started on her road trip.

She’d wanted to discover herself along the way and understand what her purpose in life was. Instead she’d been hurt by a mad woman and saved by a lion shifter. And the man she’d thought might be her soul mate had turned into someone she wasn’t sure she knew, someone who’d lied to her and made himself look good even though he really was no better than any other man out there.

She’d been the one falling into his bed so she only had herself to blame. Dark thoughts whirling inside her mind, Sunny closed her eyes and leaned her head against the window.

Andy felt his fingers tighten around the wheel, and not for the first time that morning either. His lion was going berserk inside him, threatening to take over so he could go and console his heartmate. But things were complicated enough as they were.

Even if he could feel her every emotion and even if it was driving him crazy to know he was the one at fault here, that he’d shattered the very thing he loved about her, he also knew he'd had no choice.

One day, she’d come to realize he’d done her a favor. They weren’t suited. They wouldn’t have had a future together, he knew that.

After all, his Pride didn’t like strangers and they liked humans even less. She’d have had a challenge just trying to fit in, and being with the Enforcer didn’t always mean doors opened for him. Most people feared him, and they were right to.

He rubbed a palm over his tired face. He’d spent all night sitting in the car, staring at the motel room where she slept. He hadn’t wanted to leave, too aware of her frailty and the bruises still covering her body. He’d missed her too, missed feeling her close, hearing the little snores she made when she was deeply asleep.

“Can you pull over at the next station?”

Her question brought him back to the present. He turned toward her and frowned. “We’re close.”

“I know, but I’m thirsty. It won’t take long.”

“Fine.” He didn’t want to prolong the inevitable, but he’d stop if she wanted to. The faster they were in Lincolnstown however, the faster he’d peel out of there. He couldn’t take being in the same car than her and not being able to touch her. It was driving him and his lion crazy, and he was tired of fighting himself.

Ten minutes later, he parked the car in front of the small shop that stood empty in the middle of the parking lot. He stretched out his arms above his head as soon as he was out of the car. He didn’t mind driving, but his body didn’t particularly like being cooped up for so long.

His lion paced inside him. He sniffed the air and relaxed when he decided everything smelled all right.

He turned around just in time to see Sunny walk into the shop. She stopped for a second then strode toward the back. Deciding he had enough time to stroll around a little, Andy closed his car door and sauntered toward a nearby patch of trees.

Once he was amidst nature, he felt himself unwind. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, listening to the usual noise of small animals die down at his approach. He was the predator, the one they feared.

It was only when he heard the telltale sound of a car engine sputtering to life that he opened his eyes again. He frowned. Something felt wrong. He ran to the edge of the woods and swore. His SUV!

That was his car accelerating as it bumped onto the open road.

“Sunny!” he called out, reaching the shop. He opened the door and called out her name a second time. He couldn’t believe he’d left the keys in the ignition!

Fuck, there hadn’t been another car in the lot, but he should have been more careful. He’d been so eager to put some distance between them, he’d forgotten about anything else.

“She left.”

“What?” He came to a stop in front of the antiquated till. “What do you mean?”

“She drove away, bro. Guess you must have really pissed her off or something.”

He blinked. “She’s the one driving my car? The woman who was with me?”

“Sure thing. You better apologize, dude, or you’ll be stuck here all night.” The boy, who couldn’t have been more than sixteen, chuckled as if this was the most entertainment he’d seen all day. And it probably was.

“Fuck!” Sunny had left…in his own car. He’d known she wasn’t happy, but why had she done that? They were so close to her hometown, too. That didn’t make any sense!

He slammed the door on his way out, but it swung aimlessly.

“Fuck!” he repeated, his gaze on the empty road. That’s when he realized something else. She’d gone in the opposite direction to Lincolnstown.

She was going back to the Pride. He wasn’t sure how he knew that but he didn’t need any more convincing. He hurried to the woods and shifted as soon as he was hidden by shrubs. If he ran all night, he should get there before her.

He prayed he did. If she turned up back there without him and no good explanation about his absence, his father would go nuts.

* * * *

Sunny had driven all night, and she was so tired she could barely function. Only one thing kept her awake, and that was the knowledge that she was only minutes away from learning more about Andy’s mate.

The SUV came equipped with a GPS, and it had been easy enough to drive back to the Pride. She’d realized too that Andy had taken his own sweet time driving her to Lincolnstown. He’d driven in circles, it appeared, almost as if he’d purposefully lengthened their road trip…and their time together.

Which didn’t make sense, damn it! Why would he do such a thing when he’d pushed her away at the first opportunity? God, he was driving her mad, and he wasn’t even here.

She didn’t know that many people so she’d decided she’d try and find his brother and his girlfriend. Kellie had been nice that day they’d met, and hopefully, she’d understand why Sunny needed to know what was going on. Girl power and all that, right?

She nearly missed the building and braked just in time. Swerving into the only empty space, she quickly put the car in neutral and climbed out. As soon as she pushed the front doors open though, she remembered something vital.

She wasn’t a shifter.

The waiting room was packed, and in seconds, everyone had turned around to stare at her. When they started sniffing the air and she began hearing growls, she grew worried. Those were not fun growls like when Andy got very excited but very bad-sounding growls that heralded violence, like the ones Mary had made.

“Oh God.” She stumbled back, the frosted glass cold against her bare shoulders.

“Sunny?” Kellie appeared at the end of a hallway and hurried toward her. “What are you doing here? Are you hurt?”

“No. No. I… Can we talk?”

The other woman gave one look at their unhappy audience and nodded. “Sure. Let’s go into the break room. I’ll tell Nate to join us.”

“No!” Sunny grabbed her forearm. “Just the two of us. Please?”

“Uh, sure.” Kellie motioned her into a room and sat down on one of the two available chairs. “What’s going on? Where’s Andy? Alistair told us he was taking you back home.”

“Uh, yes. He did.”

“So what are you doing here? And where is he?”

What she’d done truly hit home then. She’d stolen his car and had driven off without him. He was going to kill her…but only if the rest of his Pride didn’t get to it first. “I…I have a question. Do you know Lana?”

“Lana?” Kellie asked, a frown marring her face. “Who is she?”

“Andy’s mate,” someone answered behind them.

Sunny gasped and whirled around, but it wasn’t Andy. It was his brother who entered the room and closed the door behind him. “What’s going on? Where is he? He should be the one answering your questions, not us.”

“I…I need to know about her.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.” Nate replied as he crossed his arms over his chest.

He leaned against the opposite wall, reminding her so much of Andy she felt something pinch inside her. “Please. I’ll tell you everything afterward. I just…I need to know.”

“So do I,” Kellie replied. “Since when is your brother mated? He’s been on his own ever since I got here.”

“He is and he isn’t. It’s his story to tell, not mine.”

“But I need to know!” Tears pooled in Sunny’s eyes. She was exhausted. She was scared. But what felt worse was the way her heart ached. “Please.”

“I’m sorry,” Nate answered, shaking his head. “I can’t tell you. Where’s Andy?”

The door banged open. “Good question. Where the hell is my son, human?”

“This place is like Grand freaking Central,” Kellie muttered under her breath.

Sunny ignored her. She was too busy staring up at the man who’d already made it clear he didn’t like her and thought her worthless. What would happen when she told him she’d purposefully ditched his son and stolen his car?

Chapter Eleven

Andy was limping by the time he reached the Pride’s eastern border. He’d never cut through this particular wooden parcel, but he was in a hurry and today called for it. He ignored the smell of the woman he’d done his best to forget as he ran past her cabin; and even though he knew she’d realize he’d come near and hadn’t stopped, he chose to ignore that too.

She’d made her choice, and they both had to live with it. Sure, it’d been partially his fault, but the outcome was definitely on her shoulders. And yet, that meant he’d been able to spend time with Sunny. These past few days were the only time he could remember laughing so easily.

Maybe Lana had been right after all. Maybe there could be life outside a mating bond.

Thoughts spinning in his head, he pushed his lion to the limits of his endurance and burst through town as if the devil was chasing him. He stopped at a corner and ignored the surprised glances of the people in human form hurrying past him. They knew who he was. They knew it wasn’t good news that he wasn’t on two feet while in town, and so as they avoided him, he paid them no mind.

Instead, he sniffed the air and followed Sunny’s scent, the one that was now permanently engraved in him. By the time he reached his father’s building, he was seeing red. He felt how scared she’d been when she’d gone through this door, and his lion was so mad it was a wonder he didn’t burst into the office with claws first.

Instead, he took the time to shift back to his human form and grab the change of clothes he kept in the closet for emergencies. He’d barely pulled on his tee when he was already striding toward his dad’s office.