Wolf's Desire Read online

  When he returned to the stove, most of the smoke had disappeared and his grilled cheese sandwich was still intact albeit extremely charred. Groaning, he threw the blackened mess in the trash. He grabbed a large bowl, poured in a generous helping of corn flakes and milk and retreated to have his meal on the sofa.

  If he expected to survive in his retirement, he needed to learn how to cook or hire a chef pronto. Hunting and eating in wolf form wasn’t always possible in this town. Maybe he should’ve taken Devin up on his offer to build a cabin on his land just outside of Caedmon village. Then at least he wouldn’t have to worry about scaring any of the townsfolk while hunting. On the other hand, he’d have to worry about other wolves too close to home getting in his business. There were advantages to moving near his kind, and there were disadvantages. He still didn’t have all the facts to determine if one outweighed the other.

  The Pack meetings had become frequent and lengthy over the past few months. It seemed every month he was being called to attend one. He understood it was his duty and all, but had he lived a little closer to the village the meetings probably wouldn’t have been such an inconvenience to attend. That was the one thing about this retirement. He could now devote all his time to the Pack, as it should be. With so many things going on, his Alpha needed him and the other Council members now more than ever.

  Picking up an envelope he’d thrown aside in the haste to get to the kitchen, he settled back on the sofa. After sliding his thumb under the seal, he pulled out what he expected to be his last real check.

  It was written out for forty thousand dollars to guard a congressman during his three month re-election campaign. Not a bad bonus at all.

  The actual fee of three times the bonus had been received during the term of his employment. A five month contract. This had already been invested in various portfolios by Truman, his trusty financial advisor. Not all jobs brought in stipends of this size. With this particular client, there were already threats on his life. And the higher the client’s risk, the more the pay.

  Just seeing and having the check in his hands brought back temptations of calling his scout up and asking if there were any others. But he had to remind himself why he was retiring in the first place. Money wasn’t everything. Especially when one never had the chance to enjoy it on himself.

  At thirty-five years old, Aiden was a retired professional bodyguard. It came late—two years after he’d originally planned to quit this line of work. All his life he’d only served one purpose…and that was to protect. He was damn proud of his accomplishments, but what he wanted now was his own purpose in life. There was purpose—there was always a purpose—but not much time to embark on it.

  While he was finishing up his cereal and flipping through a few channels on the TV, his cell phone rang. He unhooked it from his belt loop and pressed it to his ear without checking the caller ID. “Aiden Price.”

  “I’ve got an assignment.”

  The sound and urgency of his scout’s voice caused a vein on Aiden’s neck to twitch. He took the phone away from his ear for a few seconds to look at the LCD screen that flashed with a name. Max.

  Aiden brought the phone back up to his ear, and sat straight up in the chair. “I’m retired. Why am I still on the list?”

  “You’ve technically been removed from the master list, but you’re still programmed in my cell.”

  He made a mental note to change his phone number. Moving probably wouldn’t have been a bad idea either. Disappearing off the face of the earth would’ve been even better. “I’m done, Max. You know this.”

  “Come on, Aiden. The client requested the best. All my good people are out on other assignments…and you are the best. You know that, don’t you? Why do you have to quit out on me now, man?”

  “Call Rodney. I spoke to him yesterday and he’s out of work and looking for another quick job.” Rodney was a fellow friend and trusted co-worker. He’d just entered the profession, and for the past year Aiden had trained him in some areas that the newer bodyguard schools didn’t cover.

  “No, I’m calling you,” Max said, adamantly. “Besides, you’re less than three hours from the client.”

  “Who is it?”

  “Aiden, you know I can’t reveal that until you accept.”

  Aiden swallowed. “And you and I both know I never accept a client without the details.”

  “A widow. Once married to Jamison Ellis, a very wealthy man. The liaison claims that she’s alone, confused, and scared. She requested protection beyond the police. Based on the circumstances surrounding their request, I negotiated and they’re offering one hundred thousand…upfront.”

  Ellis. The name sounded vaguely familiar, but he was too rattled about being bothered in his retirement to paint a clear picture of anything at that moment.

  “What is she scared of?” There was more to it than Max was telling him. The generous fee told him that.

  “Will you take the job or not? If I don’t deliver the best, there’s a chance her liaison will move to the next security firm.”

  “Call Rodney, or they’ll have to do just that.”

  “Come on. I’ve already sent them two portfolios. The liaison picked you.”

  He growled. “Max…”

  “Just one more, and I promise, I won’t ever call you again.”

  Aiden didn’t believe him, but the guy had a job to do and client’s requests to fulfill. “Answer my question. What is she afraid of?”

  “Her husband was murdered some time ago. There was an incident recently. Police are already watching her and patrolling the neighborhood. Like I said, the liaison mentioned that she’d feel safer with her own protection. You’d have minimal duties as she was a housewife and barely leaves the property.”

  Aiden grumbled. “I’ve a vacation planned in a few days.”

  “I’ll decrease my percentage. Take less of the cut. Do this last one.”

  “For how long?”

  “Just four months.”

  Damn. Just four more months to serve and protect. He had this keen instinct that he was getting himself into some really bad shit, but this job was what he was born to do. The satisfaction received at the end of the day for protecting a client from their fears, and sometimes real threats, was reward enough.

  He’d rest sooner or later, but first….

  It was only four months.

  “Email me the contract. Now. If I don’t see it before I go down for a nap in thirty minutes, there is no deal.”

  “Standby,” Max said, and disconnected the call.

  Not even sixty seconds later, a sound came from the laptop lying on an end table notifying him that he had an email.

  He opened his wallet and folded the bonus check from the congressman neatly inside for depositing later, then he got up and retrieved his laptop.

  Things had always been this way. A never-ending cycle.

  The moment one job ended, another began.

  Chapter Two

  “Is that all of your luggage?” The man looked down at the luggage on either side of Aiden’s feet.

  “I don’t require much,” Aiden said, stooping to gather his suitcase and weapons bag before the servant could. Behind him, he heard the taxi cab pull out of the stone-lined driveway and speed off.

  The male housekeeper stepped inside, pulled the door open, and held his arm out in a gesture that implied for him to come in.

  The home was larger than he expected. In this small town, most people prided themselves on having large lawns and cozier houses. Acreage over square footage. This house was possibly one of the biggest in the area. As the taxi cab passed through the wealthiest part of the town, he’d observed many of the surroundings, storing most everything to memory. The wide open spaces of the landscape was certainly something he missed while living in the populated area further north of the town.

  The housekeeper cleared his throat, interrupting him from his thoughts. Aiden knew that as soon as he crossed the threshold his job would
begin. He had no doubts he could and would protect this client with everything he had, but something nagged him. Intuition maybe. He couldn’t quite pinpoint it. There was this feeling that this one last job would be like no other he’d ever had.

  Aiden stepped inside the home and the housekeeper closed the door behind him.

  A sweet lavender smell immediately greeted him as he stood in the foyer. There was a vase of them on a stand near the entrance. The home itself smelled fresh and seemed airy. The hardwood floors gleamed as though someone had just polished them that day. The first level of the home was open floor space with the focal point being the double glass doors leading out to a back wrap around porch and a massive back yard. All of the furniture was modern style, from the patterns etched across the throw pillows on the sofas, to the curtains hanging over the windows. Everything was spotless, neatly arranged, and under-used.

  “I’m Thomas, by the way,” the male housekeeper said. The corners of his eyes crinkled as he observed Aiden carefully. “I’ll take you to your room, and then show you around the estate.”

  Thomas looked to be in his early fifties. A mass of thick black hair with threads of gray running through it was piled on his head. He reminded Aiden of many of the male housekeeper working at homes of most of the elite clientele that he’d protected.

  From what he’d researched about the Ellis estate, only five people actually lived here now. The late Miss Ellis. Thomas, the butler. A chef. And two maids.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Thomas, and thank you. At this time, I’d like you to take me to Miss Ellis.”

  Thomas seemed stunned by his request. He lifted an eyebrow before saying, “Very well. This way…”

  The hallway was wide and bright courtesy of the sun shining in through the open window on the other end. Lamp scones were hung from the ceiling every three feet. Intricate crown molding adorned the floor at the base and on the center of the wall. Paintings lined the wall—of beaches, fresh waterfalls, and fruit groves—reminding him of the vacation he’d just canceled on the way here. He made memory of what he could before they turned the corner and came to a halt in front of a door.

  Thomas knocked lightly. “Miss Ellis?”

  “Yes, Thomas?” a soft voice called out from inside.

  “Mr. Price has arrived. He immediately asked for you.”

  There was a moment of pause, and Miss Ellis spoke again. “Come in.”

  Thomas pushed the door open.

  Aiden stumbled back as he took his next breath. His body shivered, sending a wave of conflicting feelings throughout him. He parted his mouth in shock, and his taste buds pulsed in hunger. His dick stirred behind the zipper of his pants, and he bit into his lips while taking slow even breaths to relieve the tension.

  His profession became him for more reasons than most knew. His sense of smell and the ability to detect fear and danger within milliseconds were his greatest assets. This same sense of smell told him that the woman behind that door was his mate.

  Fuck.

  There was no other explanation. Or perhaps he’d completely lost it, in which case he should have turned down the job and remained retired. He was no use to a client if his nose was playing tricks on him.

  “Mr. Price?” Thomas swung his arm out in the direction of the open door.

  Aiden swallowed as more of the woman’s scent infused him and stepped over the threshold.

  Thomas nodded once and then began to back away. “There are preparations to be made for dinner. I’ll have a maid upstairs right away to get your room ready.” With that, he left Aiden in the doorway.

  Aiden waited a couple minutes and not another sound came from the room. But Miss Ellis was in there alright. He could already smell the subtle fragrance of her perfume. With his bags in tow, Aiden walked to the center of the room.

  His gaze moved from one corner of the room to the next. It was an office, or maybe just a library. Rows of bookcases lined the walls. A massive red oak desk sat in the center of the room. The big black leather chair behind it was empty. There was a leather bound book open in the center of the desk and a fountain pen lying beside it.

  A gust of fresh wind floated toward him and the strong relaxing aura overtook him. His head turned in the direction of the breeze to an open bay window where a woman sat with a book in her hand. His skin seemed to tighten against him and a powerful energy rushed down his spine.

  Miss Ellis didn’t immediately look up as she was busy reading the book folded open on her lap. She sat Indian-style on a plump cushion with the curtains billowing out around her and the early breeze flowing in. Her hair was caught in a bun at her nape. As she bowed her head, Aiden admired the long gracefulness of her neck. She looked extremely young—it wasn’t something Aiden expected.

  Her top of her dress clung to her ripe breasts tightly. Arms the color of warm melted caramel were completely exposed. The sole of one foot was bared to him. They were small, delicate, and the skin looked baby soft and flawless.

  Aiden swallowed as a hot flash spread through his core. His nostril flared as he identified the scent rendering him senseless. Above the infusion of yet another set of lavenders in the vase poised on the desk was the smell of something sweeter. Like a fruit. Peaches.

  At that moment, she chose to look up causing Aiden to stumble once again.

  Gods, she was beautiful. Young and beautiful. Delicate and exotic.

  Her eyelashes fluttered as she lifted them to focus on him. Deep hazel eyes examined him slowly, from head to toe. Her plush lips were opened slightly and they parted even more as she observed him. Eyebrows lifted only momentarily, hinting at a bit of surprise.

  Why did he expect an older woman? Maybe because Jamison Ellis, her late husband, was in his late fifties? Perhaps, she was his daughter, but nothing in the files indicated that the Ellis’ had any children.

  When she closed the book, and placed it on the sill beside her, he noticed that her fingernails were painted a deep red.

  He released the breath he’d been holding since the moment he caught glimpse of Keira Ellis, attempted to regain his composure, and met her at the bay window.

  “Aiden Price. Reporting for duty, ma’am.”

  A shy smile crossed her face. “Call me Keira.”

  He wanted Keira. He wanted her to himself. At his side. In his arms. On his bed. Without a doubt, the wolf knew what the connection was. She was the one the animal craved to possess. She would make both of them happy. Satisfied, not just temporarily, but indefinitely.

  “Hello, Keira.” Everything about her was beautiful. Even her name was mesmerizing. Whatever he’d learned during his training over fifteen years ago about containing strong emotions toward a client were now only a distant memory. “I hope I wasn’t interjecting but I was told to report at 1500 hours sharp.”

  “I was only reading.” She picked up the paperback book and waved it in front of him before putting it back down again.

  Aiden noted a knight in full armor embracing a scantily dressed woman on the cover. Evidently, she’d been enjoying a romantic novel. “Please forgive me, but this assignment was impromptu. I’d like to perform physical inspection of the property and surrounding areas.”

  Keira squinted up at him with a confused expression on her face. Her eyes travelled once again from his head to his toe and then back up again. She pursed her lips before saying, “Are those weapons in that bag?”

  “Yes,” he said. “The report says you’re a moderately high risk client. They’re for your protection.”

  She frowned, and her brow wrinkled in worry.

  “Don’t worry. I’m highly skilled and effective at what I do. I will keep you safe.”

  He watched as she lifted her chin slightly. The delicate veins shifted on her neck as she swallowed slowly.

  “Thank you,” she whispered.

  She didn’t seem to exhibit the same feelings as he, but then again she was human. His mate was human? Was it a mistake? Maybe the smell of her perfume confuse
d his wolf.

  He was here to protect Keira Ellis, not take her to bed. He had rules. One of them was: Never fuck a client.

  This feeling would fade…perhaps. And if it didn’t…he’d worry about that later.

  There was something else in her scent that registered.

  Keira Ellis was afraid. Among the aura of ripe peaches, the air was also tinged with an abundance of fear and apprehension. Aiden felt sorry for her. He’d lost many who he’d loved over the years, but nothing could have been as terrible as losing a spouse to a killer.

  “According to Thomas, there is a room where I’ll be staying. I’d like to drop off my bags and a tour of the property, if you don’t mind,” Aiden said. “After this, I will no longer inconvenience you.”

  She nodded, and dropped her gaze to the floor. “I’ll have one of the maids show you.” She picked up her book again.

  Aiden felt his lips tightening into a thin line. “You misunderstand. You hired me as your bodyguard. 24/7. Except during times calling for privacy. The terms of the contract are one that require me in your presence or not less than one room away from you, depending on the situation and security at the present time. Were you not made aware of these arrangements or did you not request them?”

  “It’s just that I’ve never had a bodyguard.” Her voice sounded strained and troubled, and tears pooled in her eyes. “Nothing like this has ever happened to me before.”

  “I’ll wait outside if you need some time,” he offered. The look of distress on her face caused a lump of concern to rise in his own throat. There was an urge to go to her and ensure her that nothing else would harm her, but he wasn’t her counselor—he was her bodyguard.

  “Yes, please.” Keira tore her gaze away and looked out of the window. “I’ll be out in a minute.”

  Aiden turned with his bags and waited outside near the door.

  ***

  Keira wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand before the tears had a chance to spill. Every moment that she spent mourning could be better spent on finding out why Jamison was murdered.