Free Sworn to the Wolf by Lauren Dane Page B

you haven’t told me the whole story,” he said.
    “It’s not that exciting. Nothing I want to talk about.”
    The fear in her voice tore at him, shredded his patience. “What are you hiding? You sound afraid when you talk about them. Are you?”
    “Let’s just drop it.”
    “I’ve been a professional bodyguard for sixteen years, I’m entirely capable of protecting you and me both.”
    “ I said I didn’t want to talk about it and I don’t. Drop it please,” she said sharply.
    “You’re being stubborn! Why won’t you trust me?”
    “ Because. Jesus, I’ve known you for a few days. I can’t talk about it. I don’t want to talk about it. Stop pushing me. Are you telling me that in the few days you’ve known me you’ve told me everything about your life?”
    She had him there. He sighed deeply. “I care about you deeply. I want to protect you. You can trust me to do that.”
    She turned and faced him then. “Laurent Cole, if you ask me about this one more time I will make you turn this truck around and take me back to Seattle. I. Said. I. Don’t. Want. To. Talk. About. It!”
    He scowled, even as he had to admit it was hot when she pushed back. “I’m sorry, I won’t ask about it anymore. For now.”
    It was tense for the next hour while she stared out the window, sketching on her pad, leaving him to his mood. Stubborn woman. Laurent’s cell rang and he picked it up, putting the receiver bit over his ear so he could talk without his hands but still have whatever was said to him remain private. “Laurent,” he bit out.
    “It’s Phillip. Her DNA came back but her name isn’t Rain Foster, it’s Julia Margoles. She’s got wolves in the family tree though, many of them. She’s compatible. I did wonder why the name change so I checked her out. Laurent, her father is a mob boss. She went on the run a year ago. No one knows where she ended up but according to some of my sources the father has started to look for her recently.”
    “Shit.” Laurent cut his eyes to her briefly, she turned to him, alarm on her face.
    “Yeah. Are you okay?” Phillip asked.
    “As long as she is, yes.”
    “She’s right there?”
    “Yes.”
    “We can talk later. Do you think the first part is good news?”
    “Of course, that hasn’t changed. Nothing has.” And it hadn’t, not really. He just had another reason to understand why she’d held back earlier when he’d pushed about her family. She must be terrified.
    “Be careful, man.”
    “I plan to. We’re only two minutes away. I’ll see you in a few.” He cut the connection and pulled out the earbud.
    He understood her reluctance to tell him now. She was alive only because she’d kept her head low and she didn’t want him hurt either. How isolated she must feel not being able to share her life with anyone.
    “Julia?”
    “Yes?” She paused a moment and turned toward him. She paled and whispered, “ No . Tell me you don’t work for him. Please god, not you...”
    He grabbed her hand. “No. Listen, it’s complicated, but someone I work with found out who you were. Please don’t be afraid. I know and I’ll protect you. Don’t you see? You don’t have to pretend with me, not ever.”
    She backed against her door, eyes wild. So freaked his wolf flayed his insides, pushing to be free to comfort her.
    “You’re fucking insane, you know that? Do you know what he’d do to you if he found out you helped me? You have to take me back now. I can’t see you anymore. I’ll have to leave Seattle, change my name again. Oh god.” She put her head in her hands and began to cry.
    He pulled down the long gravel drive of the lodge, stopping when they reached the house, but waved off Kari and Andreas who’d rushed out to greet them. Taking off his seatbelt, he moved toward her but she backed up against her door, fear rolling off her in waves.
    “ Nothing is going to happen to me or to you. I’m not going anywhere and neither are you. Rain, Julia—love,