Bitter Vows (Crimson Falls 1)

But I don’t. Instead, I sit in my chair, my arms crossed as I watch his next move.

“Thank you for dinner, folks,” he says in a bright tone, which belies the darkness swirling in those forest depths because his gaze never strays from me. “I’ll have to get going if I’m going to catch the early flight to New York.”

“Of course, I’m so sorry you have to leave so soon,” Mom coos as if she’s about to kiss his shoes as he leaves our house. “Let us walk you out. I have to apologize for Scarlett. She’s feeling anxious about her future.”

“There’s no need for that,” Shaw says before stopping at my chair, his hand landing on the back of it, but I feel the brush of his knuckles against my skin. He leans in, his lips a hair's breadth away from my cheek, and he whispers, “The big bad wolf won’t eat you if you don’t veer off the path.”

I turn my head, branding him with my stare. “That’s a fairy tale told to little girls to scare them.”

Those deep, jade gemstones take in my sleek strands before he shrugs. “Perhaps. But little girls should always be wary of predators hunting for sweet, supple flesh,” he says. “Especially when they go visit Grandma.” He straightens as I shoot to my feet, but he’s walking off before I have time to focus on what he’s just said.

“Wait,” I call, but all he does is offer me a wave as he makes his way to the exit where my parents are cowing to him as if he were the fucking King of England, and they were mere peasants.

I don’t know who he is, but his attempt to scare me won’t work.

I’m not a little girl afraid of the big bad wolf.

At least, that’s what I tell myself.

5

Lycan

The plane touches down on the East Coast, and I’m already anxious to get back and see her. The private hangar is empty apart from my men, who seem to have taken it upon themselves to ensure I have two cars waiting for me. When I built my empire from the ground up, there was only one thing I knew I needed to do, and that was to ensure my brother never came near me again. Being in New York sets me on edge because I know he’s not far.

Our father left me with the export business, but I created Shaw Industries and made it what it is today—a sought-after conglomerate that would make the wealthiest men weep. With hotels and nightclubs, exclusive BDSM venues, and even a security company that would seed out the most hidden secrets, men come to me to fix what they broke. Kahn and his team have ensured I can vouch for them without blinking, and that’s what I wanted, something to be proud of. With my plans to open a string of BDSM clubs across the country and then the world, I knew I needed to come to the New York branch to ensure everything is running smoothly.

But the thought of Darius on the loose sets me on edge. My brother isn’t someone I can rely on or trust. With me being someone who runs his business with an iron fist, I don’t doubt some of the men I’ve let go over the past few months have found him and ensured he knows my every move. But I’m not afraid. I’ve never been scared of him, and he knows it.

I should be back in Washington, where she is, but I needed to face the team here in person. Once I’m done, I’ll fly back and find my little red when she visits grandma in Crimson Falls and claim what is rightfully mine. The fire she exuded certainly left me hard for her all night. I didn’t want to walk away from her and come out here, but offering her a false sense of security will ensure she won’t see me coming.

They’ve always called me the hunter and my brother the wolf, but I became both somewhere down the line. When the Bardots fucked me over with Horatio stealing money from me, I showed them I’m not some pushover they could fuck with. And now, their beautiful yet feisty daughter’s hand in marriage is my payment.

After meeting her last night, I’m certainly intrigued by the young woman. She may be young, but she’s exquisite. The way she carries herself captured my attention and every inch of her sweet curves tempted me enough to keep me interested.

What she doesn’t know is that her life has already been planned out. It’s sweet she thinks she’ll be opening her own business. When I’m done with her, she’ll be in my bed, pregnant with my heirs. At thirty-nine, I know I have to get started on a family who will be there one day when I’m gone. That’s why I wanted someone younger, someone supple and sweet.