Surrounded

Chapter Fourteen

"Finish Line" - SATV Music

      She stood as still as a bird dog as she watched his large frame disappear through the front door with the crowd. Before her brain could form a sensible thought, she felt her boots on the hardwood floor, making long strides toward the place she felt his pull. She didn't think about whether her men were following her, nor about the woman who was here with him. She had one mission and that was to find him and get answers. By the time she reached the door, she had worried that she was too late, that he was gone. Whipping her head around, she frantically scanned the many faces around her, finally spotting his companion's red-bottom heels rounding the corner of the building. Just as the sound of Marcus calling her name drifted to her ears, she was already in motion, following what felt like a string pulling at her heart. Rounding the corner though, she crashed head-first into a solid mass of warmth. She knew before looking that it was the strange man, his touch electrifying her as his hand wrapped around her upper arm and wrenched her into the shadows.

    Laura cursed herself now for being so careless. No matter how familiar this man felt, she didn't know him. Her heart practically stopped, as safe as she felt with him when she finally registered the woman leaning against the brick, smirking at her. Recognition flooded her like a bucket of ice water being dumped over her head. Laura shook her head, trying to understand why the woman she helped only a few days was now looking at her as if she were prey. Irrational anger lit in her veins like fire and she jerked her gaze at the large man's face, "Who the hell are you?"

    The man smirked and leaned down, boxing her in, and breathed in her scent, "My name is Jedidiah, Little One. But you can call me Jed. And it's nice to see you too." His nose traced a line from her collarbone to her jaw, eliciting shivers from her body. She knew she should be scared or even repulsed, but she was only repulsed by her reaction. He suddenly shifted his body between her and the woman that Laura knew to be scared of. His lips brushed her ear as he whispered, "Listen to me, your other mates are about to round that corner. I will find you again. Do not trust any other outsiders, especially not her." Sure enough, she heard boots pounding the asphalt and her men calling her name.

     Jedidiah straightened and caressed her face before taking the pale woman's hand and disappearing. Suddenly, Laura felt like she could breathe again, collapsing against the wall and she felt the tears threatening to spill. Arlo reached her first, pulling her to him and pressing a kiss to the top of her head. Marcus and Asher reached her next, each placing a hand on her and kissing one of her shoulders. Roland was last to comfort her, after ensuring no other threats were lurking in the darkness. Only once she had all of her men surrounding her, was she able to relax, her emotions overruling the logical part of her mind.