It wasn’t supposed to be that way. Daughters were supposed to love their dads and want to be with them whenever possible. Little girls were supposed to be the apple of their father’s eyes. When did things get so out of hand? Had there ever been a time when she didn’t dread talking to Cleland? When family dinners didn’t make her so nervous that she couldn’t eat a bite? Yeah, when Mom was here.
Hand on the brass knob shaped like a wolf’s paw, she blew out another breath. “Here goes.”
Plastering on a smile and masking her scent to hide her anxiety, Lucy threw open the door and stepped over the threshold. “Hey, Dad. What’s so important? I would’ve been home in less than an hour.”
Trying not to react to the unfamiliar scent of an unknown male wolf and cheap cologne, she kept her face front and eyes trained on her father. Why did some wolves, usually the bottom feeders, ignore the fact that all shifters had a heightened sense of smell? They knew they had it. What made them think the others didn’t?
Ignoring the tall, lanky wolf with slicked-back hair and a gold chain that looked like he should’ve been in a bad 80’s movie, Lucy walked up to her father’s massive mahogany desk. Holding up her hands in her best ta-da move, she tried to add levity to the room. “I’m here. What’s up?”
“Yes, I understand.” Tapping the earbud in his right ear, Cleland furrowed his brow and continued talking to whoever was on the other end of the call. “But you must see my point. Terrance has a well-established and thriving import/export business.”
“Yes, but let me finish.” Pausing with a look of arrogance on his face that made Lucy’s palm itch with the need to slap it right off, her father raised a single eyebrow.
Does he think the guy on the other end can see that? Does he think it impresses me? Does he believe any of his showmanship means anything to anyone?
Then the scent hit her. Pure, unadulterated idolization and good old-fashioned envy. The kind that attacked her senses and made her need to sneeze almost unbearable. Unfortunately, it didn’t stop there. The hits just kept coming.
Cleland knew he was being idolized. He wasn’t even looking at her. His eyes were focused just over her shoulder at the wolf behind her. She should’ve known. It was all an act. The big, bad wolf at work. Not for her benefit, but for the jerk that smelled like a high school locker room.
She didn’t have to turn around, didn’t want to witness it, the proof was filling the airwaves like the smell of weed at a Jimmy Buffet concert. The dude revered her dad. It was sick. The wolf behind her was sad. Lucy wanted out of the room, out of the house, hell, out of the state.
“I will be doing business with Terrance. He is about to become family.” A wide, eerie grin spread across his face as his eyes shifted to hers. “You will be our backup, and I will have others transfer their business to you to keep you living in the style to which you have become accustomed…”
The man on the other end of the call just got louder. So much so that Lucy could almost make out what he was saying, but her father just kept going. His tone never wavered. His intent was clear. Cleland Benton had spoken. Everyone else would have to fall in line.
Boy, do I know that feeling. Poor guy. Don’t know who he is, but he had to know it was coming. Dad treats everyone the same—like dirt.
Opening her mouth to speak, still trying to find out why she’d been summoned, Lucy got as far as taking a breath when her father got to his feet and talked right over her. Holding out his hand, motioning toward her like she was the big prize on some stupid game show, he cleared his throat. “Terrance Holloway, alpha of Pack Holloway, it is my pleasure to introduce you to my pride and joy, the princess of Pack Benton, my beautiful daughter, Lucy.”
Working hard not to look over her shoulder for her missing twin with the same name, she did everything in her power to school her features. Cleland had never ever introduced her as anything other than his daughter. Hell, sometimes he didn’t even say her name, and it was always in passing.
Keeping her eyes on her father, Lucy turned as Cleland moved toward the newcomer. The old bastard was up to something. She knew it. Her wolf knew it. The pit in her stomach knew. Shit was about to hit the fan. The question was, could Lucy duck fast enough to keep from getting hit.
“Lucy, I am pleased to introduce you to Terrance Holloway. A real up and comer in the world of imports and exports.”
Drugs. Gotta be drugs. Nobody that icky looking with a business at the docks isn’t in the drug business. Can’t wait for old dad to find out. He’ll flip his lid, and Terri there will be a wolfskin rug.
“And the newest alpha to win his place by combat.” Patting Terrance on the back so hard Lucy was surprised when she didn’t hear bones crack, her dad continued to schmooze as the wolf by his side stood taller and pushed out his chest. “Our boy here isn’t a legacy. He wasn’t just given leadership. No, Terrance fought his way all the way up from the bottom. He’s paid his dues. He’s a hard worker, and he will be your escort for the Beginning of the Season Ball.”
“He’ll what?” The words, full of venom and disbelief, flew from her lips with no thought of the consequences, and they didn’t stop there. “You have got to be kidding me.” Throwing the hand closest to the younger wolf into the air, the tips of her fingers pointing right at his heart, she shook with fury. “I don’t know him. I don’t want to know him. You can’t do this. I won’t let you do this.”
Pulling her arms to her body, fists clenched so tightly that her nails bit into her palms, she growled, “I am an adult. I am not your show pony to parade around and auction off to the highest bidder. I have a mind of my own. I will go with whomever I like, and I like Beau Sampson.”
“Lucy…”
Cleland’s snarl had heat behind it, the kind that made the hair at the nape of her neck stand on end. His rage, and moreover, his embarrassment, beat at her like a flyswatter all over her body. But Lucy couldn’t have cared less.
Spinning on her toes and storming toward the door, she hollered over her shoulder, “No, screw that.” Stopping so quickly that she was back up on her toes, the Luna wolf spun around and announced through gritted teeth, “I love Beau Sampson, and there is nothing you can do about it.”
Chapter Eight
He needed to think. What he’d learned from Miss Bea changed everything. Sure, it was going to ruffle a lot of fur, probably meant the Sampson clan would be suspended from the shifter council, maybe even blacklisted from a lot of area businesses.
“But none of that matters,” he told Henry, his favorite retired quarter horse. “Lucy’s all that matters. She deserves to be happy, to have a rich, full life, and I plan to do everything in my power to make that happen.”
Smoothing the blanket over the horse’s back, he got the saddle off its stand. Hoisting it into the air, the big grizzly alpha almost fell flat on his back when Lucy appeared in the center of the massive doorway of the barn.
Haloed in the sun, she looked like an angel. Prettier than any picture ever taken. Had there ever been a more beautiful woman? A better person? If so, Beau hadn’t met her.
Completely dumbstruck, he couldn’t take his eyes off her. Unable to move, forgetting that he was holding a saddle over his head, he stood still as a statue as she slowly moved closer.