The Beast Within (2 page)

Chapter 2

B
oth of them turned and
saw a huge man, also dressed in business attire, maneuvering through the trees and making his way toward Laren.

“Are you okay, Laren?” He turned his dark green eyes on Connor. “Who’s this?”

“I’m fine, and this is Connor. He was just out for a jog.” Laren turned to Connor. “I’m sorry, my brother can be quite rude sometimes. This is Lu.”

Connor gave the man a friendly smile. Sensing the tension, he tried to think of something to say. “Hello, Lu. Is that short for something? Lewis or Luke?”

“Yep, it is short for something.” He turned to his sister and whispered, “They didn’t show. More than likely this means trouble. We need to contact Father and see what our next move is. Come on, let’s go.” Lu turned his back and without a second glance, stalked off into the forest.

“It was nice meting you,” Connor half shouted to his back.

“Sorry, don’t take it personally. I actually think he likes you. You were talking to his little sister and he didn’t threaten to kill you.”

“So, does that mean I have his approval?”

“Shouldn’t you be worrying about my approval?”

“You’re right. So, do I?”

“Laren, come on!” Lu, although out of sight, was apparently not out of yelling range.

“I really have to go now, Connor, but it was very nice meeting you.”

“Wait, am I going to see you again?”

Laren hesitated a moment before replying, “Usually I’d just say no. My family isn’t big on me dating outside of their approved circle. But if we meet again, then we’ll know it’s fate and you’ll have yourself a date.” She then turned and disappeared among the trees.

Connor was stunned. Not only had he met an incredibly attractive and witty woman, but he was powerless to do anything about seeing her again. His boldness at asking her out surprised even him. He had never been good at striking up conversations with complete strangers, especially those of the opposite sex.

In his truck on the drive home, Connor couldn’t get Laren out of his head. He kept wondering what type of business meeting would take place in the woods, but mostly he wondered how he could feel so drawn to a stranger after one short exchange, and why he kept thinking about her necklace.

Shaking off these thoughts, he pulled into his driveway. His single story, three-bedroom house was in a middle-class suburban neighborhood just outside of New York City. The dark brown fence and freshly trimmed yard gave him a sense of greeting as he walked to the front door.

An only child, Connor lived with his mother. His father left them when he was just a baby. Connor didn’t have any memories of his father, nor any desire to find him, and his mother rarely mentioned him; a clue for Connor to leave the topic alone.

Connor had decided to take the summer between his senior year of high school and his freshman year of college off from his normal job at the gym to help his mother with her store. He didn’t ask her for any compensation but he knew she would eventually insist or find some excuse to give him money.

After taking a quick shower and throwing on his favorite pair of old jeans and a black shirt, he was off again. Connor’s tastes had never been expensive. His vehicle embodied this trait. He owned an older model pickup, but it was reliable and quicker than it looked. Within minutes, he pulled up to his mother’s shop.

The store was located on Park Avenue, the main business street of town, a perfect location for enticing the everyday passersby with sales and new products. The store boasted a huge brightly colored sign that read
Moore’s Flowers and More.
Connor warned his mother that the store name was cliché but she insisted it was catchy. He pulled into the back parking lot and headed into the tastefully decorated store.

The sign on the door that should have read “Open” at this time of day was flipped over to “Closed.”

That’s odd
, he thought as he unlocked the door. A familiar jingle met his ears as he entered the building. The smell of fresh flowers, newly delivered mulch, and insect repellent greeted him like old friends.

Aisle after aisle was lined with everything imaginable needed for landscaping. Posts, pots, shovels, rakes, and hoses stood like rows of Spartan soldiers waiting to be deployed.

“Connor, is that you?”

“I’m here, Mom.”

Walking to the rear of the store, he saw his mother. At forty-two, Rebecca Moore hadn’t lost a bit of her youthful charm and elegance. She was average height, with shoulder length light brown hair that was just beginning to turn white.

She smiled and motioned him to follow her to the back.

“Why did you close the store?”

“We have a guest,” Rebecca explained. “Come and say hello.”

Connor followed his mother to the small back office, which held a desk and three folding chairs. Ledgers lined the walls and a tall lamp stood guard in the corner. Entering the office, Connor did a double take when he saw his mother’s guest. There, sipping on a cup of tea and wearing the same suit she’d worn earlier that day, sat Connor’s mystery woman.

“Connor, this is Laren. Her family owns most of the real estate in the area, including this location. Since we opened the shop, they have been very generous landlords.”

Both Connor and Laren were dumbfounded. Laren set her tea cup on the desk and was the first to find her voice.

“Hello, Connor.” She stood and extended her hand, “It’s very nice to meet you.”

As her intense green eyes met his, she shook her head slightly, indicating she didn’t want Connor to show recognition.
But why?

For the time being, he chose to play along. “It’s a pleasure, Laren.” Connor stopped his hand mid-reach and looked at her palm. “And I would love to shake your hand but—”

Laren couldn’t hold back a smile, however she quickly straightened her lips.

Connor’s mother stood back, aghast. “Connor, I thought I raised you better than that.” Looking over at Laren, she began to apologize. “I am so sorry, Laren. I don’t—I can’t—”

“No need to apologize, Mrs. Moore. Thank you for the tea and for letting us know about the men who visited you. Rest assured the matter will be dealt with quickly and professionally.”

Still recovering from her son’s rudeness, she took Laren’s hand in her own and addressed her with sincere gratitude. “Thank you, Laren. Thank your family for me as well.”

Now it was Connor’s turn to be out of the loop. What men had visited his mother? What did they want? And why didn’t Laren want his mother to know they’d already met?

As Laren moved toward the office door, Connor intercepted her. “Please allow me to walk you to your car. You never know who you might run into out there.”

“That would be very nice, Connor. Thank you.”

The two walked side by side, neither saying a word until they reached the door. Once outside, Connor turned to Laren. “If you wanted my attention, you could have just asked me out like a normal person instead of stalking me and finding out where I work.”

Laren rolled her eyes. “Please.”

“But seriously, all joking aside, it’s time for some answers.”

The cool mid-day June air, accompanied with a slight breeze, met them on the other side of the door. People walked busily from shop to shop. Cars cruised by at slow speeds, wary of pedestrians.

Still walking to her car—a brand new black BMW 5 series—Laren said, “Ask me.”

“Who are you and what are you doing at my mother’s shop?”

“Connor, it’s really not that mysterious. I work for my father, who owns a lot of real estate in the area. My brother and I are just here making sure his assets are in order.”

“And earlier today you were at a meeting in the woods?”

“Granted, not the most professional of settings, but yes.”

“What were you talking about with my mother when you said ‘the men who visited you would be dealt with?’”

Laren chose her next words carefully. “Another large
company
has recently moved into the area and is trying to buy our properties by scaring our renters off or strong-arming them into signing bogus contracts and giving them illegitimate rights to our land.”

“And why didn’t you want my mother to know we met before?”

“The less people know about what’s going on, the better. My father values discretion above all else. It just didn’t seem important to tell your mother about our meeting earlier today.”

Connor was a great judge of character and he knew when people were lying to him. The subtle shift in tone, the wandering eyes, the hesitation, all told him that Laren, though maybe not lying, wasn’t revealing the entire truth. Connor knew Laren’s cryptic answers should have sent up warning signs, but instead something urged him to find out more about her. “You said that if we met again, it would be fate.”

“I was wondering when you were going to get to that. I do remember saying something along those lines.”

“Tomorrow night? There’s a new restaurant downtown on Main and First, six o’clock?”

Laren hesitated, but then gave in. “Okay, Connor, you have yourself a date.”

Connor watched Laren drive away and couldn’t help but wonder what the odds were that their paths would have crossed again so soon. He was interrupted by a familiar voice.

“Penny for your thoughts?”

He recognized this voice all too well; he’d looked forward to hearing it every morning for years. Yet now, it held pain, not pleasure.

Connor turned to see Katie, his “friend,” behind him. Fashionable as always, she wore a new pair of white shorts, a loose-fitting top that hung off one shoulder, and a headband that gently held back her honey blond hair.

“Just thinking, Kat,” he said using his pet name for her. “What are you up to?”

“Out with a to-do list for the day. Going to stop by your mom’s shop to pick up some insect repellent. We have an invasion of ants in our guesthouse and it’s gross. Oh, by the way, have you told your mom yet?”

Connor knew what she meant. He’d been admitted into numerous universities on athletic scholarships, but he knew he couldn’t leave his mother and the shop. Instead of moving away from home, he’d elected to attend the local community college. He chose to keep this information from his mother. Connor knew she would insist he travel away from home, getting the full college experience, so he was still waiting for the right time to tell her.

Katie, on the other hand, didn’t have a care in the world when it came to deciding on a college. Her father and mother were both attorneys and very wealthy. She didn’t have a second thought about leaving for school and pursuing her dream. Katie had wanted to be a doctor as long as she could remember. She had been admitted into a leading university in that field. It just so happened this university was on the west coast, on the other side of the country.

“No,” Connor said. “Just haven’t found the right time.”

“You know, the longer you wait the harder it’s going to be, right?”

“I know, I know.”

“If you want, I can be there with you when you break the news.”

“Thanks, you’re a great
friend
.” He added just enough emphasis on the last word for Katie to take notice.

“Connor.”

“What? I love being your friend. It’s great.” With that he winked at her and they both couldn’t help but laugh.

“It’s for the best, Connor, you’ll see.” She reached up and placed her hand on his left cheek. “I gotta get going but I’ll call you soon.”

When she left, Connor was more confused than ever. He resented her for breaking up with him, although a small part of him couldn’t blame her and even understood. And as much as he didn’t want to admit it, he still had feelings for her.

Heading into his mother’s store, he finished the day by helping her clean, perform inventory, and fill purchase orders.

That night Connor had a dream that left him in a cold sweat. In it he was running through the woods on the same trail he’d taken earlier that morning. But this time he was being chased. His pursuer crashed through the underbrush as it barreled through the woods behind him. The darkness surrounded Connor and would have engulfed him if not for the full moon shining down through the forest’s canopy. A light mist rose from the ground and consumed his feet every time they touched the dirt path.

Connor pumped his legs faster and faster; his heart beating like a war drum. Daring to take a look behind him, all he saw were two huge yellow eyes gaining on him. Looking forward, he increased his pace.

As he rounded a bend, he saw two figures sitting on a bench. The first was Katie, white as a ghost—unnaturally white. She wore a doctor’s coat and urged Connor to escape the beast behind him.

Beside her was his mother. Dressed in her green work apron, she added her voice to Katie’s, yelling at him to run. He passed them at record-breaking speed, unable to slow himself. His chest was burning; air came in sporadic gulps. He longed to rest.

That was when he saw another group of figures. There were a dozen of them, all wearing long brown cloaks and standing directly in the middle of the path.

“Move!” he tried to yell, but instead an oxygen deprived gasp escaped his lips.

As he approached the group, he realized he recognized faces. On the right was Laren, her piercing emerald green eyes and stoic beauty made her easily recognizable. On the left was her brother Lu. Standing like a wall, he glared at Connor as he approached. Yet by far the most disturbing figure out of the group was the one that stood immediately in his path.