Elizabeth's Wolf

Chapter Two

Dash barely stilled his rumbled growl as Cassie leaned against him. He lifted his arm, curving it around the frail shoulders, and stared back at her mother with a determination he prayed she was taking in.

His possessiveness toward these two had grown only stronger, only deeper over the months he had been searching for them. With each miss, each added awareness of the danger they faced, his resolve had only hardened. As though the extra DNA he possessed inside his body was howling out for a claiming in a way that threw him off guard. He didn’t like being thrown off guard. But he found himself accepting the responsibility of these two so naturally, that he often didn’t think to question it.

He could sense Elizabeth’s strength. It was there in her squared shoulders, the glint of battle in her weary blue eyes. She didn’t trust him and she sure as hell didn’t believe he was who he said he was. But he had expected that. Expected her to give him a fight. He had known she wouldn’t be easy to conquer.

He didn’t want her to be easy, though, Dash realized. She was a strong woman and his dominating instincts would run roughshod over any woman who wasn’t. She would have to learn how to stand up to him, when to push back and when to allow him to shoulder her weight. She would have to learn how to share the burdens rather than carry them on her fragile shoulders as she was used to.

Careful of the little head tucked against his chest now, Dash reached into his back pocket and pulled his wallet free. Opening it, he laid it between them. It had his driver’s license in one clear pocket, his service ID in the other, both easy to see.

He watched her as she studied both and then lifted her eyes, a single brow arching mockingly. She had spunk; he’d give her that. She wasn’t taking anything at face value. Not the letter, not his ID.

Her gaze went to her daughter once again. Cassie had slumped against his side, her fragile body slowly relaxing as Dash felt her soaking in the heat of his body through her thin sweater. “Eat, Cassie, then you can sleep.”

“Yes, Momma.” Cassie was plain worn down and it infuriated him.

Mother and daughter looked like they had spent too many days without sleep or proper food. Their faces were pale, their eyes overly bright from nerves and fear.

“I came to help, Elizabeth,” he promised her as he replaced his wallet, aware of the burly waiter as he moved from the bar with the plates of food. “Eat and then we’ll discuss it.”

He tried to sound reassuring. Tried to appear non-threatening, but he knew it was like trying to hide an elephant with a blanket. He was dangerous when crossed in the wrong way. Dangerous period if the situation warranted it, as this one did.

Mac, as his name tag proclaimed, set the platters heaping with food on the faded top of the booth’s table. As he did, the sleeve of his white T-shirt slipped up, revealing a Special Forces tattoo. Dash filed the information away for the moment. He would need someone to cover for them when they left. With any luck, he could gain help there.

“You’re very bossy,” Elizabeth murmured as she stared down at the food.

Dash could damned near see her mouth watering. Just as he could see her pride warring with her need.

“Realistic.” He shrugged. “You don’t eat, you can’t fight, darlin’. What’s more important? Your pride or your health?” Or your daughter. He left those words unsaid, though.

He knew exactly how important her child was to her. She had prevailed against odds that many men would have faltered beneath to save her little girl. He wouldn’t begrudge her the pride he saw glittering in her eyes, but she would eat.

And she did. He ate his own food, watching carefully as she ate more than half the huge sandwich and managed to put a dent in the fries. The milk was consumed with pleasure, a flutter of her eyelashes that betrayed her joy in the drink. As though it had been a while since she had tasted it.

He wondered if she would find as much pleasure in being touched, stroked, as he had fantasized about in the past months. The closer he had come to finding her, the more explicit his dreams had become, and the more savage his desire for her had grown. He wanted her with a hunger he had never known before. But first, he had to get them settled down, get them to a place of safety. He couldn’t relax his guard until he had managed that. To do it, he would have to drive through one of the worst blizzards of the century.

Dash kept a careful eye on the parking lot through the mirror behind her, making certain no other vehicles pulled in. There was a line of eighteen-wheelers extending for miles down the interstate due to the blizzard conditions, and the fluffy white stuff didn’t seem to have a mind to ease for a while. News reports were promising a full-fledged white-out, which meant he didn’t have much longer to get them to a place of safety.

Thankfully, one of the men he had fought with in the Middle East owned a place just a few hours from where they were. He had contacted him on the cell phone before leaving town and knew he and his family were waiting on them.

For years Dash had fought alongside his fellow soldiers, maintaining a careful distance, keeping a rein on his need to draw close to others. He had feared he would be turned down when he saw he would have to ask for help along the way. Surprisingly enough, he had been welcomed. They had quite a drive ahead of them and he still wasn’t certain their final destination would provide the sanctuary he hoped to give Elizabeth and Cassie. But at least he knew the way there would be easier.

First, he had to get her out of the diner. And she didn’t look so predisposed to trust him.

As he ate, one-handed to allow little Cassie her resting spot against his side, he watched her mother. Her delicate face was elegant; a sharp, determined little nose that rounded ever so slightly at the tip, hinting at a playfulness she had been forced to bury within her, wide blue eyes, high cheekbones and delicate rosy lips he could fully imagine kissing.

“Thank you for the food.” She finally pushed her plate away, her gaze settling on Cassie.

She had fallen asleep against his side, her slight little body completely relaxed against him. He glanced at her plate. Like her mother, she had been unable to complete her meal, but she had eaten enough to satisfy him. Enough to help her sleep through the long drive ahead.

“She’s so tired.” Elizabeth sighed as she raked her fingers wearily through her long, tangled, dark brown hair. It was colored. He knew the silken strands should hold the deep burnished color of dark chestnut, soft and shimmering with auburn highlights. It looked dull, not dirty, but as tired as he knew she was physically.

“You’re both exhausted.” He tried to keep his voice soft, to still the rough growl that kept building in his throat, roughening his voice, making him sound hard, but he was unable to.

Unfortunately, Dash thought, he was who he was, what he had been made into. He was hard, demanding, and made little allowances for any foolishness. Elizabeth would have to see that her only safety lay in him. He wouldn’t accept anything less.

“You’re coming with me, Elizabeth. You and Cassie.” He stared back at her firmly, watching her eyes widen. “I know you’re wounded and you’re too exhausted to keep up like this. I came to help you.”

She eased back, pressing against the back of the booth as she watched him warily. He could see the battle going on within her. The need to trust. The fear. She had been betrayed too many times to just calmly accept his offer. He wasn’t going to give her a choice, though.

At the moment she, like Cassie, was more shell-shocked than anything. The earlier escape had been a close one and he knew the terror of it still pulsed through her veins. Fine tremors shook her body occasionally, though he could tell she fought to still them, to maintain her appearance of strength.

“I appreciate the gesture…”

Dash grunted as he frowned at her heavily. “Don’t say anything you’re going to have to swallow later, Elizabeth,” he warned her, keeping his voice commanding. “While I’ve been chasing you down the past six months, I learned exactly what you’re up against.” He hated the way her face whitened further and the hunted look that strengthened the shadows in her eyes. “You can’t fight this alone. You know that.”

Her gaze went to Cassie, and Dash watched them moisten with tears. She pressed her lips tightly together as her fists clenched against the stained Formica of the tabletop.

They were small, delicate hands, with long, graceful fingers. Hands a man would kill to have stroking over his body. He was dying to have her touch him. To see if the woman could match the drug-induced dreams he still clearly remembered.

“I don’t have a choice.” Her voice was rough, hollow. “I can’t take the chance, Mr. Sinclair. I don’t know you. I won’t trust you.”

They weren’t empty phrases. She had been betrayed one time too many. Had fought too long to give in now and just accept anyone else taking over. Which was okay, he told himself silently. He would let her fight as much as her pride needed, but in the end, he would win.

Dash allowed a smile to tip his lips. “I didn’t ask you for your trust or your permission, Elizabeth. I was stating a fact. We have to get you and Cassie somewhere safe, then we can see about eliminating the problem.”

If her face could have whitened more, it would have. He knew she had tried more than once to go to the authorities, to find a way to do what was right. But men, even those sworn to uphold the rights of the innocent, were often much too human. Those who couldn’t be bought had been killed. And he knew her conscience had been laid bare by the deaths of those who had tried to help.

“I went to the police. Once,” she said bitterly. “I won’t make that mistake again.” Not all of the officers at that station had betrayed her there. The chief alone had been responsible for that one. Several of the investigators were still looking for her, unaware of what had caused her to flee. They only knew she was in trouble. In trouble, and a friend. Elizabeth had grown up with several of the officers in the small town she had been raised in. They couldn’t help her, but Dash knew he could.

The small southern California town had been home to a drug dealer as well. A very powerful dealer. One willing to pay for the protection he needed. Unfortunately, Dane Colder had made the mistake of crossing the man. Then, in an effort to save himself had tried to sell his little girl to the perverted bastard.

Dane was resting in hell now, courtesy of the dealer’s bullet as Cassie watched. The man had every intention of stealing Cassie away then. There was no doubt she wouldn’t have survived long.

Thankfully, Elizabeth had somehow known to check on her baby and had heard the gunshots, watched in horror as her daughter was locked into one of the bedrooms as the body was being disposed of. How she slipped in and took her from under their noses Dash had no idea. One thing was certain, though; she had, and now she and her daughter were in more danger than they knew.

Terrance Grange wasn’t just a drug dealer. His connections to the mob and the power structure he had built around his silent little empire had tentacles running all across the United States and into several goverment agencies. Now Dash had to figure out a way to save them, because who to trust, just as Elizabeth had found out, wouldn’t be easy to decide.

“I didn’t say we’d have smooth sailing, I just said we could do it.” He shrugged. “It’s your choice, Elizabeth. You can come with me and live, or keep running until the bastards take you down and take Cassie away from you.”

She drew in a hard, deep breath. Dash knew she was aware that eventually she would fail. She didn’t have the connections or the power to protect herself and her child. She was a woman alone and learning exactly what that meant.

“And how do I know I can trust you?” she asked him mockingly. “I don’t know you, Mr. Sinclair, and I sure as hell don’t believe you would chase us for six months out of the goodness of your heart.”

Dash glanced down at Cassie. When he returned his gaze to Elizabeth he knew his own anger was flaring in the depths of his eyes.

“Wrong, lady.” He wanted to growl with the strength of his sense of ownership toward the two females. “She saved my worthless life when it didn’t matter to anyone but her. And I’ll be damned if I’ll let her or the mother she loves die. Now it’s your choice if you come with me or if you stay. But Cassie will be protected. She goes with me.”

He watched Elizabeth’s eyes widen as fear shadowed them further. Dammit, he hated seeing her eyes go dark with terror rather than the pleasure he wanted to bring her. He could see it snaking through her, knew it would be chilling her blood as she fought to find a way to fight back. She was a strong woman and having control taken from her wouldn’t be easy for her to accept. But he had to do it. Had to establish authority with her and Cassie if he was going to pull this off.

A frown snapped in place over her eyes. Battle glittered in the fierce depths. His cock hardened, which was more than disconcerting for the situation and location they were in.

“That’s my daughter you’re talking about,” she finally hissed as she leaned forward, anger shaking through her. Which sure as hell beat the lethargy he had seen in her moments before. “You don’t do a damned thing without my permission.”

Blood surged through his body, hot and exhilarating, as her scent flowed to him, wrapping around him. She was aroused. Not a lot, curiously aroused maybe, a bit shy. He liked that. Liked that shyness, that hesitancy. But even stronger was her sudden anger. Her child. Her responsibility. She wouldn’t let it go easily. Even to him. Which meant he would have to fight her for it. He was looking forward to that fight.

“Your permission?” He tried to keep his voice soft, but he was aware of the throbbing growl resonating just beneath the surface of his words. “If you haven’t noticed, I’m not asking for anything here, Elizabeth. I’m telling you. I didn’t travel halfway across the world and chase your pretty little butt across half the United States only to have you pat my head and send me on my way. You can accept this gracefully, or we can just go ahead and fight it out. But I promise you, baby, I know who’s going to win in the end.”

Her eyes widened in incredulity.

“Are you insane?” she finally asked him curiously. “Or do you just have a death wish, Mr. Sinclair? If you know what I’m facing then you know the men he’s already killed to get to me. Do you really want to end up being the next bloody body he leaves in his wake?”

She was smart. He had known that all along. The mocking condescension in her expression and her voice would have given any other man pause.

“Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of making him the next bloody body I leave in my wake,” he said casually. “Make no mistake, Elizabeth. I’m not so easily brought down.”

More than one terrorist had tried, men more diseased than Grange with a larger network of evil to back them. Dash knew well how to play this game and how to succeed.

He watched her then, sensed the battle waging within her, her instinctive knowledge that if anyone were capable of saving them, it was him. But she also doubted that there was any hope for her and Cassie to survive, period. Hope was slowly dimming within his mate.

He stood casually to his feet, laying little Cassie gently in the seat as he did so. Then he leaned in close, his hand flat on the table, his nose merely inches from hers as she stared back at him in surprise.

“We leave in five minutes. Me and Cassie, or you, me and Cassie. As I said, it’s your choice.”

Her eyes narrowed, her delicate little nostrils flaring as heat swept into her cheeks. He could smell her excitement now, but he also smelled blood.

“I won’t let you…”

He leaned closer. “You’re hurt,” he snarled in her face as she jerked back from his fury. “Fight me now and I promise you’ll regret it. Now get ready to pull out of here. We’re leaving.”

He didn’t give her time to comment. He straightened up, giving her one last hard look before turning and stalking to the counter. The husky ex-soldier waited, watching him with narrowed, appraising eyes as he neared.

“She’s in trouble.” The balding head nodded to Elizabeth as Dash stopped in front of him. It wasn’t a question. The man had an extra sense for trouble. It was something you learned in combat, something you never forgot.

“And I’m here to get her out of it,” Dash growled. “But I need a favor.”

Mac stared back down at Elizabeth and Cassie. “I haven’t made the call, but there’s a lot of money being offered for information on those two. ” His gaze turned back to Dash. The hazel depths were hard and cold. “Tell me what you need, boy.”