There's Something About Werewolves: Seven Brides for Seven Shifters, Book 1 (18 page)

The tiny camera in Garrett’s hand crunched between his thumb and forefinger. He stared at the bits of metal and plastic as they landed on his palm. The destruction didn’t satisfy him. His ancestors’ habit of ripping out and devouring entrails suddenly seemed reasonable. Hell, it didn’t seem cruel enough a punishment for Daniel Hewes.

Still, despite the rage inside him, Garrett smiled for the paparazzo.

Chapter Eighteen

After an extremely long twelve-day wait, Dan Hewes called to set up a meeting time and place. Garret had closed the Spielberg deal on the night of the gala. He and Lennox had an amazing time as well. Yet the reporter and his demands were all he thought about that week.

Garrett and Cash had run through an in-depth list of possible demands. From a high-ranking job at Zephyr, to rescue from the mob, to a ton of money—they’d covered it all. They’d also spoken with an infamous hacker. Just in case negotiations fell apart and settling the matter required something slightly left of legal. Garrett hoped he and Cash had planned well enough as they parked the roadster to meet the reporter in the main park of a neighboring town to LuPines.

Hewes had the balls to pose on a park bench and read a paper while wearing a trench coat straight out of film noir. How very cinematic of him.

“Let me kill him,” Cash said as they walked up. “They’ll never find all the pieces if I do it.”

Garrett silenced his friend with a gesture. “Let’s see what he wants first. We make sure we get every copy of the tape in existence. Then I kill him and you dismember him. Deal?”

Cash’s eyes actually twinkled at that arrangement. “How about I dismember him, then you kill him?”

“Deal.”

Arriving at Hewes’s bench, they took seats on either side of the smaller man—for extra intimidation factor.

“What do you want in exchange for the tape? Money?” Garrett asked, without greeting or preamble.

That slimy smile appeared again. “You have far better things to offer than money. How about you let me screw your woman? It looked like she’s got a party in her mouth.”

Garrett’s fists clenched. Cash didn’t show the same restraint. He punched Hewes in the side of the head. The smaller man slumped toward Garrett. Shaking his head, he blinked several times as though trying to clear tweeting birds from his vision.

“Cash,” Garrett said.

“Sorry. I’ve got a neurological disorder. I see an asshole and it’s an auto reflex to punch him in the head.”

“Refrain.” Garrett propped Hewes back up.

“I was joking,” Hewes said, cradling the side of his face. “Miss Averdeen is not to my taste. The bitch swallows.”

Garrett ripped the entire back of the bench off and let it fall to the ground. Hewes looked over his shoulder. “You wolves,” he glanced at Cash, “and whatever species you are, seem to stray toward violence. As compensation you can add a couple million to my other demand.”

“Lay it all out,” Garrett snarled.

“Of course.” Hewes took off his sunglasses and held them up to the daylight. “Announce me as the new writer and director of
A Theft of Shadows
. It’ll be my debut. Can you imagine the press?”

“You want to rewrite the script too?” Garrett didn’t bother concealing his shock. He and Cash hadn’t accounted for this possibility or anything close to it.

“Oh no, I’m sure you’ve done an outstanding job with the adaptation. I’ve heard nothing but good things.” Hewes smirked. “I’ll simply change a line of two and take the credit from here on out.”

Cash punched him again.

“Hey, Cash?” Garrett intoned calmly before turning up the volume. “I’m going to ask you to control yourself,” he said through clenched teeth.

The former stuntman shrugged. “It’s a reflex.”

Hewes blinked and wavered dizzily. “Four million plus my directorial debut, then?”

Garrett cursed. How the hell was he supposed to choose between his lifelong dream and Lennox’s dignity? He’d been working toward making
A Theft of Shadows
for thirteen years. One of the greatest filmmakers of all time had signed on as a producer, and industry insiders called Garrett’s screenplay genius. He only needed to stretch the length of his fingertips to touch his dream, until Dan Hewes came along with a sadistic choice and an ax to cut those striving fingers off.

Then again no choice existed. A vision of Lennox flashed in front of him. She trusted him. Had given him her everything for as long as he’d known her. He’d only gifted her with pain in return. Time after time he’d hurt her, whether through his choices or through her association with him. This time no choice existed because he’d never again allow Lennox to come to harm because of him. He’d never sacrifice her again. Some way or another he’d find a way out of this or he’d deal with the loss of his dream. “We’d sign a contract agreeing to terms. Yes?”

The puddle of ooze between him and Cash nodded in agreement.

“Garrett,” Cash interrupted, “think about this. There’s got to be another option outside of giving up
A Theft of Shadows
. It’ll kill you if you do. It’ll kill Leni if she finds out.”

True. It would break her heart to know he’d sacrificed
A Theft of Shadows
for her. “It’ll hurt her worse if anyone with an Internet connection can sign on and see her most intimate moments.” Garrett groaned. “Even if we prosecute this asshole it won’t keep the tape from coming out. Can you imagine it being entered into evidence and then leaked because of my fame? The media will be all over me and Lennox will be all over mass media. I couldn’t live with the world seeing her like that, Cash.” Pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes, he said, “You have no idea what’s on that tape.”

Cash turned on Hewes. “The four mil is no problem. Give him some time to think over the rest. You can allow him that much.”

Hewes rolled his eyes. “I’ll give him until midnight. If I don’t get a positive answer by then
The Lennox Averdeen Sex Show
goes live on the Internet.”

Chapter Nineteen

Garrett parallel-parked in two easy rotations of his steering wheel. Neither the hazy heat nor the mosquitoes fazed him, but it didn’t sit well with him to leave his roadster on the side of the hard-packed dirt road. Yet he had larger problems than expensive cars and country drivers. His troubles demanded he sacrifice something or someone who mattered. He didn’t know how to handle that.

Lennox nearly bounced in the passenger seat. Camp Big Bad had invited them for a parent/camper dance and she couldn’t wait to see Nox and Paolo. They’d been away for two weeks—way too long for her. Her excitement infected Garrett with a sense of glee he didn’t feel on his own. Her light kept the darkness of his thoughts at bay.

She went to open her door. He stopped her. “Why don’t you get out on my side? I don’t know what kind of mudslide might take you down over there.”

Her incredulous look didn’t deter him from holding out his hand. She took it and he helped her across the driver’s seat and onto the road.

The flounce of her gingham halter dress caught his eye as it swirled around her calves. Flashbacks of those gorgeous legs wrapped around him sent his arms snaking around her waist. Their bodies came together in an explosion of heat. His hands slid down and gripped her sweet ass, pressing her closer. He grazed her earlobe with the edge his teeth. Shivers of excitement rippled through her, bringing him pleasure too.

Holding Lennox felt right as he whispered promises of a long sinful night into her ear. She giggled. Then the thought of midnight sent alarm bells blaring through his head. An image of the sex tape projected itself in grainy disgrace against the walls of his mind. He released her fast and took a step backward.

Lennox didn’t notice his erratic behavior. She swatted him while fluffing the skirt of her dress, a moue on her pretty lips. “I miss the boys crazy bad,” she said. “Do you think they miss us?”

He shook his head. “You tell me. You talk to Nox every night on Paolo’s phone.”

She covered her face to hide the guilt.

“Did you really think you were a super spy and no one else in the house noticed?”

She shrugged and then grabbed his wrist. “Come on. I’ll race you,” she said. They ran hand in hand. He let her drag him along, remaining a few steps behind so he could watch her laugh over her shoulder. She teased him as they moved. He loved every step.

Nox tackled them the moment they walked under the arch the kids had erected to welcome their parents to camp. Lennox rained kisses on Nox’s forehead. Garrett swore his son would grow past him before the summer ended.

“Hey, Dad.” Nox turned his attention on him.

Garrett threw a quick one-armed hug around his neck. “Hey, kid. Good to see you.”

Nox patted him on the back. “Yeah,” he said.

Paolo joined them. Lennox gave him his fair share of hugs and kisses too. Garrett shook Paolo’s hand. “How goes it?” he asked.

“We’re doing okay.” Paolo nodded. “It’s not easy for Nox but mostly because he has some catching up to do. Sometimes the other kids forget he’s not on their level yet.”

Lennox’s brow creased. “Catching up on what?”

“All right, then,” Garrett said, cutting Lennox off, before focusing on his son. “Nox, have you gotten hurt at all?”

Nox eyed Lennox in his peripheral vision. “Just bruises, cuts, and stuff.”

“From what?” Lennox asked with stormy eyes, looking ready to fight.

“Nothing major,” Nox quickly corrected. “Just from rock climbing and kayaking and, um…” his voice rose into a squeak, “…chasing girls.” The kid’s eyes widened at the end of that colossal blunder.

Lennox burst out laughing and Nox blushed in relief. “That’s pretty normal,” she said. “Okay, so, I’ve never been here before. Show me everything.” She held out one hand each to the camper and the counselor. They led her off in a flurry of excitement, leaving Garrett to follow. Apparently dads got no love at Camp Big Bad.

After the tour Nox took them to the pavilion. The campers had decorated the rough-hewn wood structure in flowers and balloons. In one corner a DJ spun Top 40 pop tunes. Kids danced in groups, circled up in impenetrable fortresses to block out their parents. Parents danced in pairs with the kind of abandon that came from the absolute glee of embarrassing your kids.

Garrett groaned. He and Lennox had been tricked into a backwoods prom. He mimed stabbing himself in the chest. Lennox grabbed his hand and hid it behind her back. Then she bumped hips with him. Clearly she felt the same way. Even though she hid her feelings to keep up appearances.

Nox and Paolo disappeared without a word. There one moment, then gone. Garrett decided on a prank. He wanted to humiliate his son as much as any parent. Seemed like fun. So he asked Lennox to dance. The techno moves of the ’90s were about to make a comeback.

Faye, the alpha female of the pack—as far as Garrett could tell—chose that moment to walk by. “Look who’s smelling like a couple,” she taunted. For extra effect she faked a sneeze.

Lennox stink eyed the woman. “Shut your face before I manually give you lockjaw, Faye.” She shook an upheld fist for emphasis.

Faye glowered. “You’re on my home turf now, Lennox. Don’t forget.”

A bewildered look overtook Lennox. “What does that mean? You’ll have more of your fans watching when I give you this ass whipping?”

Faye jumped at Lennox, who set her shoulders and flashed a Darth Vader glare.

“Easy.” Ian walked between the two women and patted their shoulders. “We’re trying to teach the kids not to fight outside of sparring. Are you two really going to take each other down during the dance?”

“Consider it a sparring match,” Faye said.

Icy-blue eyes froze her where she stood. “But I don’t,” Ian replied. The reprimand must’ve been a repeat. Unsurprised by Ian’s ire, Faye backed down and went on her way.

Ian took the opportunity to hug Lennox. He sniffed and pushed her to arm’s length. Hurt darkened his expression.

“What?” Lennox asked, her voice laced with concern. She had no way of knowing part of her scent had comingled with Garrett’s.

Ian shook off whatever emotions had claimed him. “I’m running out of time. That’s all,” he answered Lennox’s question.

Garrett took his cue to take her by the hand. “That’s for sure,” he told his rival as he led the object of their frustrations onto the dance floor.

A slow country song started up. Garrett whirled Lennox into his arms and swayed with her in time to the music. They hadn’t danced in thirteen years. The magic between them hadn’t died either. As if powered by an electrical switch, fireflies began to flicker in the darkness around the pavilion. Lennox’s body fit snuggly into his, her hand felt right on the small of his back. Garrett buried his face in her curls and lost himself in her.

“Do you remember?” Lennox asked, her breath soft against his neck.

“What?”

“When you first told me you’d dance with me at my wedding,” she murmured. “I dreamed of this.”

Garrett threaded his fingers through hers and cradled them to his chest.

Those watching knew something special had grown between them. Garrett knew because he could hear the talk, whispered in whirlpools, around them. Some hinted at pity for Ian. A few thrilled in happiness for Lennox. Others spoke of their relief she wouldn’t become their alpha female.

Garrett forced them out of his mind until only he and Lennox remained. He ran the pad of his thumb across her lower lip. She leaned into him. Their lips met gently, in the kind of butterfly softness reserved for first loves’ first kiss. He reveled in the tenderness of the moment. She yielded to him completely, her body molded to his, her heartbeat thrummed wildly. In the starry-eyed moments afterward, her eyelashes fluttered as though weighted. Dazed, she rested her cheek on his chest.

Garrett had no words to explain why he’d kissed Lennox for everyone to see. If someone asked, he’d say he’d done it to piss Ian off. He’d be lying.

As far as his problems, no choice existed. Lennox came before the dream of
A Theft of Shadows
. The end. He’d give Daniel Hewes whatever he wanted as long as Lennox never suffered a moment’s embarrassment.

Out of the corner of his eye Garrett caught Nox watching them in slack-jawed wonder. One of the other campers, a cute wolfen girl, walked up to stand beside him. “Oh my god,” she said. “Your parents are super cute.”

Nox rolled his eyes. “My parents are embarrassing.” Belying what he’d told the girl, a grin spread across his face.

Each beat of Garrett’s heart beneath her cheek made Lennox more frantic. If she allowed this
Garrett Love Train
to keep rolling down the track he’d run her over and drag her wasted backside on down the line. She had to get away from him now. Or risk hyperventilating on the dance floor, first, and being destroyed when he left, second.

Murmuring excuses about the bathroom and powdered noses or wigs or whatever the hell, she made a break for it.

She’d tried. No one could say she didn’t give it her best. She’d gone so far as to pretend Garrett wasn’t going to leave at the end of Nox’s run at Camp Big Bad. She’d lived in the moment and all that. None of her delusions worked to hide the truth. More fear than blood pumped through her veins. Their affair had to be brought to an end before it ended her.

Her phone sang from the pocket of her black-and-white-checked dress. Lennox fished it out and answered. “What’s up, Jules?”

Silence, then, “Leni, is Garrett around?”

“No I left him at the pavilion while I go to the bathroom. Something going on?”

Jules seemed to think about it. She exhaled in surrender.

“Okay, Jules, you’re scaring me.”

“Sorry. Cash has something to tell you.” Another pause. “Do me a favor. Go in the bathroom, put a seat cover over the toilet and have a sit down, okay?”

“No.”

“It’s me telling you this.” Exasperation weighted the words.

“One sec,” Lennox said. She crossed the remaining few feet to the girls’ bathroom. Following Jules’s instructions, she locked herself inside a stall. “I’m ready.”

Muffled sounds of the phone being handed off before Cash said hello.

“Hurry up and tell me what’s going on, Cash. I can’t take much more espionage.”

“All right, but you should brace yourself. I’m only telling you this because everyone keeps you in the dark. They think they’re protecting you, Leni, but I don’t believe they’re doing you any favors.”

What fresh hell did life have in store for her tonight? Neither Cash nor Jules were prone to drama. Something must have gone FUBAR beyond all limits of FUBARosity.

Cash inhaled. “The night you and Garrett went to Coburn Elliott, the reporter who interviewed Garrett left a remote video camera in the town car. Now he has a sex tape of you and he’s going to release it at midnight if Garrett doesn’t make him the director for
A Theft of Shadows
and give him credit for writing the script on top of it.” The entire story whooshed out in one breath.

Lennox slumped, hitting the toilet dispenser. Her left eye went twitchy the way it always did when something agitated her. “Say that again.” Cash repeated the whole spiel. Nothing about it made any more sense than it had the first time.

“I can’t...I can’t even…” she stuttered.

Jules got back on the phone. “What do you want to do, honey?”

“Disappear,” Lennox said. Her hands shook. No part of her life had ever gone in her favor. No matter how promising the situation somehow or another she ended up on the losing end of it.

“There’s one factor that might help,” Jules offered. “You actually know who this is. It’s Danny.”

“Danny who?” Wait. Lennox suddenly remembered the big-head kid they’d grown up with, who always seemed to take joy in the misfortune of others. “Danny—
Danny
, from school?”

“Yeah, him.”

How much crazier could this situation get? Lennox flicked her hands to shake off the effects of feeling sorry for herself. “Jules, do me a favor. Call Stan and fill him in. I’ll call you back in a few.”

Lennox hung up and deflated. Desperation claimed her thoughts as horrible grainy images flashed through her mind. She saw herself on her knees, ass up in the air, making greedy slurping noises. She lifted a fist and bit into her index finger. More images of a twisted porn version of the night in the car assaulted her mind. And then she made the mistake of imagining her grandmother watching it, then Nox, then the entire town. She bit down harder on her finger to staunch a wave of nausea.

She wasn’t ashamed of the things she and Garrett did together. She actually loved it. Hell, she couldn’t get enough. But she would feel shame if people stopped seeing her and started flashing back to visions of her with a dick in her mouth whenever they looked at her. The idea of loosing the respect of the people she cared about scraped her insides raw. Lennox might as well shoot Gran in the face with a shotgun, the shock of her granddaughter’s sex tape would have the same effect. No matter which way she twisted the possible outcomes nothing could be done to solve the problem without someone getting hurt.

Footsteps sounded in the bathroom. She straightened, preparing to leave. The click of the bolt on the main door locked into place, slapping her out of her depression. Tentatively she pushed the stall door open and peered out.

Ian glowered at her. Anger radiated off him in nearly visible waves. He strode across the tiled floor too fast to track. In seconds, he took hold of her, pulled her out of the stall, and slammed her against him. His jagged breathing gave her no warning of his intent. Slowly, he lowered his head, holding her gaze. He hesitated, inclined his head more, then claimed her in a kiss.

She clung to him, needing to forget, needing him to anchor her in the storm of Garrett Westlake. Passion scored her through the brand of Ian’s hot mouth. She abandoned all the excuses she’d used to push him aside. Her arms encircled his neck. She gave in completely. But…she didn’t connect with Ian. Not the way she did with Garrett. With Ian she only felt safe.

It didn’t matter, she told herself. Safety could be enough.