"I don't dream anymore. I have no future, I only have 'now'." *** For Samantha Covington, these words are her stark reality after her husband Richard's increasing brutality. Anxious to reclaim her life and autonomy, her lonely and wounded spirit has caught the attention of the protective Alpha wolf in Daniel Sanford, who, despite his misgivings, is drawn to her time and again. In his attentive care, he uncovers the vibrant spirit of the woman her husband labeled worthless. But Daniel’s secrets chillingly echo Richard’s lies. Can Daniel earn her trust? Will his wolf respect her freedom? Or will she forge a new path as she leaves Richard in the wreckage of his self-destruction?
Lihat lebih banyakShe sat quietly, exhausted but tense, in the dark living room. The TV was off and the room was quiet, somber, and still to fit her mood. The small lamp beside her emitted a soft glow, but the subdued light did little to ease her increasingly painful headache that was beginning to throb.
She glanced at the clock again, its thundering ticks matching the knocking in her head. Eleven thirty-two. She scolded herself for hoping he would be home by now. But why would today be any different? The past three months had gone the same way in one big blur of loneliness.
Her glass of Malbec was just over halfway gone. The more she drank, the less patience she had. She tightened her fingers around the cool globe and opened her mouth, letting the warm liquid roll in, savoring the tannins coating her tongue before she swallowed it down.
Come on, do your job, she prayed to the wine. She inhaled its earthy, plum aroma like incensed smoke at an altar. Hopefully, she’ll get some kind of sleep tonight. In the stillness of her never-ending thoughts and doubts, she saw the headlights beam through the sheer curtains as his car pulled into the driveway, causing her heart to pound. As much as she detested him being gone this late, she dreaded the frustration she felt when he came home pretending nothing was wrong.
When the door opened, cheerful notes of his breathy whistling an upbeat tune slipped in before him, low so they wouldn't carry. She heard his keys drop into the bowl by the door as his tune transitioned to a hum. His bright mood cut through the heaviness of her dark one like a dagger straight to her heart. It was bitterly painful knowing he could be so carefree while her misery was left to fester unchecked.
He treaded lightly as he passed by the living room on his way to his study. It was clear he was attempting to come in unnoticed. Classic. But angry at him or not, his mere presence soothed the ache in her spirit. She preoccupied herself with a sip and watched him through the stained, distorted curve of her wine glass, and her movement must have startled him because he jumped a little and turned to look at her.
"Oh, shit. Samantha?" he asked as he took in her appearance, sitting in an armchair across the room, holding her glass of wine.
Just like that, his good mood evaporated, and irritation compressed his features. He assumed she wouldn't notice, but she knew every intimate detail of his face and could decipher his thoughts and feelings with the slightest change in nuance or shadow.
"What are you doing?" he asked with an edge to his voice.
"Just having a nightcap, as I'm sure you have been." Samantha took a slow, deliberate drink with defiant eyes locked on him.
"And how much have you had to drink tonight?" he asked disapprovingly. Her glare made him uncomfortable.
A sharp laugh barked in her head. She was still on her first glass and resented his attitude and implied inebriation.
"Almost enough, Richard," Samantha's voice slid out dangerously silky with condescension. "Almost enough to not notice the dark, empty bedroom when I go upstairs. Almost enough so that I won't notice the cold bed when, or if, I go to sleep. Almost enough to not wonder..." She trailed off, hearing herself getting heated with each line. She wouldn't beg for his attention, apologies, or accountability… Or to be heard, or seen. Considered.
“Sam,” he began. He palmed his forehead as if at his wits’ end. She could hear the forced patience thick in his tone, as if he’d explained this a million times. “You know, with the merger, they’re breathing down everybody’s necks. I’m trying to secure our future here, and all I hear from you are selfish complaints! I’m busting my ass to make sure not only that I get to keep my job, but my portion of the company!”
“Richard, don’t start,” Samantha said wearily.
“No!” he seethed. “You already started it! I’m the one who supports you and buys everything you want, and like a child, you expect me to entertain you because you’re ‘bored’. You can’t even be grateful for what I provide for you. How many of your friends can say the same of their husbands? Oh, wait, you don’t have any anymore because you’re so damn miserable, and you make everyone around you miserable, no one wants to be around you!”
Samantha flinched, knowing the last line held more truth than she cared to admit. She had let her friendships dwindle throughout the years as she focused on Richard and their marriage. As he continued, the agitation simmering in the air made the living room feel too small to contain it, and his aggressive steps toward her made it feel even smaller.
“In fact,” he dug out his wallet and threw several crisp hundred-dollar bills onto the floor. “Here, I’ll be the adult. This should entertain you tomorrow. I don’t care what you do with it, but I don’t want to hear shit from you when I return. You wonder why I’m never here? Because I’m tired of having to listen to your bullshit.”
Samantha let his tirade wash over her as she tightly gripped her glass; her white knuckles were the only indication of her anger.
“Look at you,” he sneered as he leaned towards her, invading her space and curling his lip. “You’re nothing but a lazy drunk anymore.”
Keep your cool, she kept telling herself. If she said anything, she would just make it worse, but the more she tried to let it go, the more she couldn’t. It’s not worth it, it’s not worth it, it’s not… Fuck it.
“You know, Richard,” Samantha got up, dropping the glass in her haste with fury flashing in her eyes, forcing him a few steps back. “You wanted me to stay home, support you, and work for you, so I gave up my career. I cook your meals, if you care enough to be home for them. I do your laundry, I clean this house, I make sure the bills get paid! I even set your clothes out and wake you up and gather your shit for work in the mornings. I guess I’m lucky that you don’t expect me to wipe your ass while I’m at it! Please, an adult! You’re nothing but a spoiled man-child that needs a mommy to take care of you.”
Smack!
She never saw it coming. His hand came out of nowhere, and it took her a few moments to register what had just happened. At first, she was numb and disorientated, her ears ringing, but as the burn flared on her cheek, she realized what had happened. He. Hit. Her. It lit a flame that erupted from within her, enraged that he would dare touch her in that manner.
“Why you, mother-” she said furiously as she cupped her left cheek, and he reached up, yanking her backwards by her hair.
“I wouldn’t finish that sentence if I were you,” he said in a dead voice. His eyes were cold and empty, as if the anger that raged had burned away the last of his humanity.
A giddy feeling welled up in Samantha. Daniel texted her back. She couldn’t stop the smile on her face when she read his last text.Goodnight, Samantha.He was appreciative of the meal she bought. And he asked if she got home safely. Richard didn’t even care if she was gone, as long as she was here when he was.She felt better for setting an appointment to discuss security options for her home. But it also meant he was going to need to come by to figure out what she needed.She wasn’t ready for that yet, hence why she set a meetup for Tuesday. She inherently knew she could trust him. He had already proven that her safety was a priority for him, whether it stemmed from his profession or because he cared about her, she didn’t know.
When they returned to the hotel, it was pushing nine. Thomas retreated immediately, grumbling about being up before everyone else this morning.Thomas is getting a little cranky, Daniel thought aimlessly. He poured himself an Irish whiskey.His wolf is cranky, Daniel’s wolf commented. All of their wolves are getting restless.I’ll take everyone up for a run at Blue Ridge on Saturday, Daniel promised. Why aren’t you cranky, then? Daniel heard a coughing chuckle from his wolf at the question.
Samantha returned home and retreated to her bedroom. She still wasn’t ready to be in the living room, and she didn’t want to be downstairs when, or if, Richard came home tonight.It was ironic that just a few short weeks ago, his absence upset her, and now, the thought of his presence was almost too much to bear.She ran a hot bath. It was still early in the day, but she hoped the heat and some essential oils would relieve the knots of tension embedded in her back and shoulders, and she thought about her meeting with Mandy. It didn’t go how she expected.What did you expect? The silent, sarcastic voice mocked her. She didn’t have an answer to that. She just knew now that she had some big decisions to make.Mandy laid out a few options. Talk to a psychiatrist. File a restraining order. Petition for Divorce from Bed and Board. All of it was so detailed and were huge steps. It felt like overreacting. He had already left and had a chance to calm down. That moment last night was on both of
Richard couldn’t pinpoint when his fascination with Mari began. Once she began dating Nate, she became a natural addition to their friendship dynamic.He does remember their first night, though, when they crossed that line of friendship into… whatever this was. It wasn’t love. Neither one of them was going to leave their marriages. But it was fun, raw, and dirty, and the taboo of it all appealed to their mutual need for adrenaline and danger.He got her a job in the marketing department with his brother around three years ago. She excelled very quickly and had a great eye for detail. Almost two years ago now, she was working late on a project he was overseeing. Once she had his final approval on it, they went out for drinks afterwards to celebrate.After the long night and the glowing feeling of s
Edward could see where Daniel was going with the proposed changes, but he had to admit, in his situation, he would have pushed for the same thing. He knew Richard wasn’t going to take it well, but he did what he could to make sure Richard didn’t lose his stake in the company completely out of his own idiocy.He called him on the way home, the first time going to voicemail, so he called a second time. Richard answered the phone in irritation.“Uncle Eddie, what do you need?” He asked.“It’s not what I need, it’s what you wanted,” Edward snapped. “You asked me to do you a favor, and I’m doing that favor.”“Can this wait until tomorrow?” Richard asked, sounding repentant but distracted.
“We have a few things to discuss, I was hoping to inform the other shareholders of, and we will need a vote on some changes.“First of all, we’re announcing that Lucas Dunn, our COO, is now a twenty-percent shareholder. That leaves me, and Clearfork Securities at an even fifty,” Daniel explained.Daniel noticed as Edward nodded his head, and then he continued.“You’ll find the breakdown and relevant transference information on page one of your folder. The more important matter, however, is to generate the new bylaws and shareholder agreements to accommodate the acquisition. I was hoping your nephew would be present to weigh in on this, but since he is not, we’ll proceed without him.”
“Tell me you have some good news, Thomas,” Daniel said, looking over his CFO. “What have you found?”“Honestly, nothing yet,” Thomas shook his head. “Sorry, but I can’t seem to make any connection to either Merrick or Roble.”“How are we on background checks?” Daniel asked.“They’re starting to trickle in, but so far, the worst I’ve seen is an open container violation.”Daniel’s jaw ticked. He felt the pressure of time bearing down, making him restless.Thomas is a good hunter, his wolf said out of nowhere. Daniel drew his eyebrows down. It was right. Thomas was a good hunter. He was always patient and thorough. Sometimes his style reminded Daniel of a cat.He could crouch motionless for hours if he needed to. He could wait there, taking everything in. He’ll find something eventually.Daniel opened his mouth to speak when the men heard two sets of footsteps approaching. Daniel raised an eyebrow and looked at the others. Their expressions mirrored his.Paige knocked on the door a little
Paige walked calmly to her desk, which was set up directly in front of Lucas’s office. She opened her top drawer and reviewed its contents - a couple of loose paperclips, pens, and a used notepad.A man in light gray slacks and a cream shirt with his sleeves rolled up approached her as she took out the pen and notepad.“Good afternoon,” he smiled. He had light brown eyes with flecks of green. They were just a shade too dark to be considered hazel. She sat up straighter.“Good afternoon,” she returned, keeping her face in a professional mask.“I was wondering if Mr. Dunn was in his office?” he asked.“He’s not,” Paige replied. “He is preparing for a meeting toni
Daniel let the events of the morning wash over him, and let the stress and sweat disappear down the drain just like his shampoo and soap.Instead, he focused on his incredible luck at running into her today. Samantha. He had a name to the face. It made her more real, more concrete. Instead of being plagued by visions of an ethereal beauty with haunted eyes, he now had memories of her voice, emotions, mannerisms, and the feel of her hand in his.He waited for her inconspicuously. Since they’d come from the park, he didn’t know where she’d left her car. When she left the lawyer’s, he didn’t see the confident square of her shoulders indicating someone was taking back the power to reclaim their life. He saw worry and hesitant insecurity, causing him to worry.Which caused him to worry.
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