Free Damnation: Reckless Desires (Blue Moon Saloon Book 1) by Anna Lowe

pack.”
    They
. The same evil
they
. Her stomach turned as she recalled the gleeful cries of the Blue Bloods drowning out the screams of her packmates. Remembered them growing fainter as she grabbed Janna and ran and ran and ran…
    The shadows moved a little, and she shivered until she realized it was Simon, reaching a hand out. Did she dare take it?
    The headlights of a passing car stabbed through the room, then drew away, and she found herself reaching for him. Winding her fingers through his and hanging on.
    “I was stupid,” Simon said. “So fucking stupid…”
    Yes, you were
, part of her wanted to snap. But now that she thought about it…
    The bears have agreed to your betrothal to the Voss boy.
That’s all her father had said, and she’d assumed Simon, of course.
    Maybe she’d been stupid, too. In all that time she’d put in, all the carefully worded lobbying to her father about the advantages of an alliance, she’d never mentioned Simon. Never dared mention Simon, because it was too early to admit that they were in love. Her pack was old-fashioned and needed time to swallow the idea of a wolf mating with a bear. But once they’d jumped on the idea, it had taken off like a runaway train.
    And God, she’d been ignorant of the truth this whole time.
    His breath came in uneven rasps, and she was about to speak when a voice came from the hallway, making them both look up.
    “Simon?”
    It was Soren. Nowhere near as ferocious as before, but curt enough to drag them out of their thoughts.
    Simon looked at her. Squeezed her hand. Pulled it closer until he had it pressed against his chest.
    Her eyes slid shut. That contact was her anchor. Her hope. Her one chance not to lose it completely while she tried to process everything he’d said.
    “Simon,” Soren called again.
    Simon sighed wearily and called quietly back. “Be right there.”
    He pushed himself to his feet and held a hand out, helping her to her feet. God, she felt a hundred years older, but none the wiser.
    “There’s so much more I have to say,” he whispered.
    She nodded mutely. Yes, there was. But what she’d just heard was overwhelming enough. A minute or two — better yet, a week or two — to catch up with her racing emotions probably wouldn’t hurt.
    “Simon,” Soren called.
    She blinked at the hallway. Soren, she wasn’t quite ready to face. Soren, the man her family wanted to marry her off to instead of the man she loved.
    It made sense, in a convoluted, barbarian way. She was the eldest Macks child. Soren was the eldest Voss, the one poised to take over the clan someday. Bringing their families together would be a win-win. But Christ, hadn’t anyone bothered to ask her? To even tell her?
    God, if her parents were alive, she’d have marched right over and given them a piece of her mind. But they were dead, and she couldn’t summon any anger any more. Only bewilderment.
    Jesus, she couldn’t even imagine being mated to Soren. She’d never, ever wanted anyone but Simon. Never.
    Second son, second best? Her grandmother used to joke that about a cousin’s marriage into another pack. Jess had never linked it to Simon, though. To her, he was always the best. The only.
    Simon stepped away. She didn’t even notice his hand was still wrapped around hers until it slipped out, and then the absence was striking. Painful, almost.
    “I have to go out,” Soren said as Simon drew near, and they both turned down the hall.
    She hung back in the shadows, not ready to face Soren just yet. She detoured to the ladies’ room. Maybe she could get herself together again.
    She stared at herself in the mirror.
    Yeah, right.



Chapter Ten

    Simon watched the saloon doors swing on their hinges long after his brother left, off for a late-night meeting at Twin Moon Ranch.
    “You okay here?” Soren had asked. “I have to get going.”
    Not really okay, but…sure. He’d keep an eye on things, all right.
    Harry and most of the customers were gone.