ROMANCE: BIKER ROMANCE: Werewolf Rider (MC Shifter Pregnancy Romance) (New Adult Paranormal Romance Short Stories) (125 page)

The journal explained everything. He knew there was millions upon millions of dollars in gold on thousands of acres of land his father had once owned. But the land had been sold, to a developer. Little did he know, until now, his brother had been the ‘developer’ involved in the purchase transaction, not revealing what was hidden beneath the soil. He paid off his aunt and uncle to keep their mouth shut. They knew he was capable of anything and feared not only for their own lives, but that of their nephew, Colt.
A successful Navy SEAL, they knew he would be fine. They justified it best to allow the secret to remain just that. The will clearly outlined in case anything happened to him and his wife, his two boys would inherit the land. Unbeknownst to him at the time, it was rich with gold. The only way Chase had found out was by a colleague, who revealed gold was found along the river, further past his parent’s property. After investigating the wealth hidden on his family’s land, he had arranged to sell it, ensuring it was purchased under a corporate entity and unable to be traced to him.

It was time Chase paid for his greed. Being the clever military man that he was, Colt had also taken his late uncle’s phone book as he had thought it might come in handy. Colt perused the contact list and made a call to Valerie, his late uncle’s estranged wife. If anyone knew what was going on, it would be her. Besides, he also needed to understand why his Uncle John had kept the truth from him. It didn’t add up, he knew he was a good, kind albeit somewhat weak man.

The call between Colt and Valerie lasted nearly two hours. Colt learned his parents had died in a car accident. He had been a passenger in the car that night but he had wandered off, confused and in shock. Chase had been at his uncle’s house that night. When the paramedics found only two dead bodies despite receiving reports that the car had three passengers, they declared him missing.

His uncle John and Aunt Valerie had searched for Colt for years, believing he was out there alive somewhere. Colt, a scared little boy who had just lost his parents before his eyes, was eventually found half way across the country, after getting a ride from a trucker asking him if he needed help. He wandered the streets until he was found by authorities disheveled and put into a foster home as a John Doe.

Meanwhile, even as a child, Chase seemed relatively unaffected by his parents’ death and brother’s disappearance. After losing his brother, his wife, and both his nephew’s, Uncle John had sunk into depression which is how the drinking started. Chase had gone into boarding school, where he excelled. Uncle John had agreed to keep his mouth shut about Chase selling the property, and in return, Chase would make sure he was well taken care of financially, booze and all. That was about the time Valerie left him. Be that as it may, John had secretly continued to search for Colt. He found Colt when he was practically an adult. By then, Colt was immersed in his life as a Navy SEAL. Uncle John was also too afraid of Chase so he only offered up half-truths and didn’t mention anything about a gold mine or a twin brother.

“Tell me where my parents were buried,” Colt finally asked his aunt.

She gladly told him which cemetery. Colt got into his truck again and drove towards the cemetery. He was finally going to get a semblance closure. Before he made any move against Chase, he would first pay his respects to his parents and say his final goodbyes. The road was clear and he arrived at the cemetery sooner than he expected. He jumped out of his car and quickly found the two grave stones with his parents’ names.

He took a deep breath and was overwhelmed with emotions. Eventually, his knees were unable to support his body and he found himself kneeling on the grass in despair at all of the lies and deceit. His heart was racing and tears stung his eyes, forcing them back so he could stay clear and focused. 

A strange feeling settled in the middle of his heart. It was guilt. He parents had died in the crash and he had forgotten and wandered away. After all, he was only a young boy when it happened. A few memories of his childhood slowly crept in but the most important, a visual memory of his parents.  

He had found his way into foster care on the other side of the country. Always the one for adventure, he found himself going the route of the Military. The sea, land and air, Navy SEALs became a passion of his, of protection, and somewhere deep inside he knew this was his way of compensating for shutting down his memory. Tours of duty and his SEAL brothers replaced what he had longed to have.

Colt came to the comforting realization that his parents had never really left him. He gently kissed both grave stones. He rose up slowly and turned to leave with the full intention of visiting again. As he rose, he felt as if his stars were aligning somehow, putting the pieces of his life together right before his eyes, his deepest desire. Colt was just about to enter his car when it started raining heavily.

He quickly entered the jeep and put the key in the ignition when he saw her. It was Jenna, kneeling by a grave stone at the other end of the cemetery, crying. “What on earth is she doing here?” he thought, as he rushed toward her.

Rain was now pouring down but she seemed not to notice or care. She didn’t hold back as she wept grieving the recent loss of her mother, and closest friend in the world. Her display of vulnerability made her even more beautiful to Colt, and moved him deeply, as he approached. 

He crouched next to her, covered her with his jacket doing a lousy job of keeping her dry as she was already soaked through and through. She didn’t even realize who was trying to shield her from the downpour, as she was completely lost in despair. She managed to glance up, where he knelt beside her, and was utterly shocked. He too was stunned, when the golden haired beauty revealed a bruised, bloodied and swollen face, blood running from her face, as the rain gently carried it away.

Colt went into action. “I’m taking you home,” he declared softly. She nodded after which he lifted her easily and carried her towards his truck. He gently placed her on the passenger’s side seat, got into the car and drove off. All he could hear were muffled gasps of breath, and the sound of the pouring rain.

Colt occasionally glanced at her, willing to say nothing sensing that was her preference. Her face said it all. He concluded she was morning both her mother, and the physical abuse she obviously just endured from someone she mistakenly thought had loved her. 

Finally, the silent sobs subsided. He looked over at her with so much compassion that her heart trembled. They were both soaking wet and shivering from the cold, or perhaps it was the shock, each with their own reasons. Jenna said nothing and didn’t even look at him.

He took her to his log cabin, at the edge of the forest. Jenna spoke for the first time, “Where are we?”

“This is my home, come inside for some dry clothes and a hot drink,” he quietly insisted. She obliged and followed him inside. Colt led her to his bedroom and showed her to the bathroom. “Why don’t you take a hot shower to warm up, and I’ll leave some dry clothes for you on the bed, while I make us some hot chocolate?” “You’ll be safe here, I promise” he added.

She walked slowly into his bathroom with her eyes fixed squarely on the floor as if she was trying to avoid meeting his gaze. She could feel him staring at her which made her nervous. She entered the bathroom and closed the door gently, glad to finally be alone. Jenna was indeed freezing and quickly peeled off all her clothes and got into the shower.

The steaming hot water didn’t stop her from shaking though. She stood there for some time as reality finally dawned on her. Jenna recalled the events of the afternoon bitterly. When Jenna called Chase to tell him about her chance encounter with Colt, he had summoned her to his office immediately. When she arrived, his face was dark and creased with the ugliest scowl she had ever seen. She told her about meeting Colt and his asking about Chuck Sinclair. She told him how confused she was that Cold didn’t know his friend’s real name. His eyes were cold and ruthless, and she was frozen and confused.

When Jenna asked for an explanation about what was going on, Chase stood there and laughed dangerously. A growling like laugh, and the moment she realized she had no idea who he really was, the facade now gone. Trembling with fear, she recalled him darting towards her, slapping her, throwing her hard towards the wall then yelling cruelly “You stupid little bitch, you’re a nobody who has managed to ruin my life. Get the fuck out of here,” he went on, “I want nothing to do with you, you useless piece of shit”.

There was nothing but pure evil in him, Jenna recalled, also for a moment unsure if he would let her leave with her life, just about the time when Hank, his bodyguard, walked in. Jenna raced off the yacht the second he came in, sensing Chase’s moment of hesitation on how to handle the situation to her obvious bloody face.

Jenna spent most of the afternoon at the cemetery in total shock and humiliation. She always went to her mother’s grave to seek solace when she was hurting. Sadly, six months ago was the last time she saw her alive.

Jenna finished showering, dried off and wrapped herself in the white towel draped over the shower door  Finally exiting the bathroom, she found a warm pair of sweat pants and sweat top on the bed, which were placed in the dryer so they would be toasty warm for her. This small detail didn’t escape her, even in the deep fog she was in. She was jolted lucid, when she looked into the mirror however, and saw her swollen and bruised face.

She mustered up the courage to tiptoe into the living room to join Colt. He heard her footsteps coming up from behind him but decided not to turn around. He did not want to scare her off so he acted preoccupied while preparing a fire. It wasn’t until she said “Thanks for the warm clothes… and the hospitality.” that he finally turned around and acknowledged her.

“Why don’t you sit down by the fire and have some hot chocolate?” he suggested.

Jenna obliged and watched him for a minute. Finally she said, “I think it’s obvious what has happened to me, so why don’t I let you do the talking” she softly insisted.

“You’re absolutely right, I should explain what happened earlier..,” he went on.

He told her about his parents’ death and how he had just learned he had a twin brother named Chuck. Jenna gasped, realizing what this meant, and the slight changes in her delicate facial features made Colt want to scoop her in his arms once more. But instead, he continued on revealing Chase’s deception.

Jenna could see the raw pain in his eyes. His eyes were full of a longing which she understood. He longed for family. She also lived with constant anguish of losing her loved ones and tossing and turning at night wondering if the void would ever be filled again. Instinctively, she moved closer to him to give him a comforting hug.

She realized that he was still wearing wet clothes and that his skin was as cold as ice, but he was oblivious to it.

“You must be freezing!” she exclaimed.

“I’m fine. Drink your hot chocolate,” he told her, more concerned for her comfort than his own.

Jenna ignored his orders and rose to her feet, taking his hand so he would rise too.  They were both standing and facing each other when Jenna began took off is drenched t-shirt, and then rubbing his hands between hers to warm them. He obviously knew how to completely dissociate from pain and cold, but not heart ache, as she looked deep into the sadness and despair in his eyes.

“Chase isn’t worth it; he is who he is” she told him.

Colt was surprised that her statement made him feel immensely relieved. He didn’t want to ask her about the specific details she endured today, as it should be in her own time and in addition, he couldn’t pull himself away from the moment. Her warm touch made Colt realize just how truly cold he was. He savored the feeling of her warm and soft hands attempting to warm his hands and arms, rubbing swiftly.

It had been a long time since he had enjoyed the warmth of a woman’s touch and desire began to build up within him. His body trembled and he suddenly felt his head spinning from the recent revelations. He also felt like a man under a spell. He had to sit down, and she helped him gently into the deep, cushioned leather chair.

She worked faster to relieve him of his wet clothes at this point his pants were all that remained. He simply couldn’t wear them any longer, and if he wasn’t going to get out of the wet clothes himself, she would have to do it for him. When he was fully undressed, she wrapped the soft throw blanket from the couch around his cold, shaking body.

She snuggled in to him, held him tightly, and rubbed both her hands against his massive chest, in order to create friction to warm him up. Realizing it wasn’t helping reduce the involuntary shuddering Colt was enduring, after a few minutes she peeled off the borrowed sweat shirt she had been wearing and wrapped her warm, smooth, voluptuous chest over his mighty body, pressing him deeper into the large, leather chair, as she lay on top of him to offer as much warmth as possible. A hint of blue was starting to appear on his lips, and all inhibition had left her.

The feeling of her warm, soft body pressed up against his, her insistent hands rubbing his back and shoulders was almost too much for him to bear. She couldn’t help but enjoy the masterpiece of a body she was working to warm. The chiseled ripples of his muscles, in every location she touched were extremely arousing. She smothered his body with hers again, pushing soft warm breasts into his chest, now rubbing his neck, deltoids and lats, forcefully. He found himself becoming ever more aroused. Sensing this, she looked up at him and stared directly into his eyes for the first time that evening. Her golden eyes shone with deep concern and tenderness.