Wild Rogues (third in lone wolf series)

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

                Abbey had never experienced a more cramped or awkward truck ride in her entire life. Marcus was driving the single cab truck while she rode in the middle with Audrey on her lap and Julian sat against the passenger door with Tanner in his.

                She realized as they traveled down this deserted snow covered road just how hopelessly lost she had gotten herself and her children last night. If not for Marcus and Julian…..

                She shook her head to clear those thoughts. There was no point worrying about the what ifs and could have beens. She was alive and safe and so were her children. Joseph was a distant memory and would hopefully stay that way because Abbey was very tired of running. She and her children needed time to recharge.

                “There’s your damn truck,” Marcus’s gruff voice broke into her thoughts. She wondered why he was so angry when Julian seemed so pleasant. The nicer man was even bonding with her children and telling them all kinds of stories about ranch life…

                Then again these weren't really men, they were werewolves.  She really should be more frightened of that and it truthfully frightened her that she wasn’t… instead she felt almost drawn to these men and trusted them completely.

                Which of course made her a fool! Hadn’t life taught her that you could not trust?

                She forced herself to concentrate on her truck and realized it wasn’t too badly damaged but the front tires were flat and there was a bit of damage to the bumper. Thankfully the truck was an older model and solid, not a plastic piece of crumpling junk that would have been destroyed when she hit the snow bank.

                Marcus brought the truck to a stop and Julian opened his door and got out, letting in a burst of cold morning air. He sat Tanner in the seat, “I will go get your suitcases and bags,” he offered. Abbey could do little more than nod because Marcus had his hand resting against her thigh.

                She was sure it was unintentional since her thigh was resting against his shifter knob but he didn’t remove his knuckles from that sensitive area and she could feel the heat of his touch through the fabric of her jeans.

                Abbey knew what she should do. She should smack him away or at the very least pull her leg away from his hot touch but she could not. She could do little more than sit there in awe and hold her tongue inside her mouth.

                “Mommy, Julian says there’s a big park in town with monkey bars and tire swings and everything! Can we go?” Tanner asked as he tugged on her arm.

                “We’ll see,” Abbey somehow managed to reply.

                She glanced at Marcus and saw his jaw tighten so tensely that it popped as his fingers flexed. Quickly Abbey jerked her leg from his hand and looked out the windshield at Julian who was filling his hands with suitcases and bags.

                “I want Marcus to come with us,” Audrey said as she reached over and laid her hand on the giant of a man’s cheek. “He’s silly!”

                Abbey jerked her daughter away from Marcus and stared at the man in shock. He turned his gaze to her and those ice blue eyes held her captive, “You don’t have to protect her from me dammit,” he grumbled. Then he raised one large calloused finger and poked Aubrey in the nose, “And I’m not silly,” he told her with what Abbey would swear was amusement in his voice.