Harriet glared at him and then stared ahead at the road. She didn’t have to speak to him ever again. She really did not.

  Chapter 16

  Lucas could still feel her anger, but he didn’t care. He was so glad she wasn’t talking. If he’d had to gag her, he wouldn’t have been able to live with himself. He drove fast, and almost recklessly, north. He just needed all this over with. She’d understand later, she had to.

  When it started getting dark, he knew that he was going to need to sleep, so he pulled off into a roadside motel. He left Harriet in the car after locking the doors and headed in to book a room. He was a little surprised to find her still there when he got back, but he supposed he’d broken her, in some way. Her trust in him was certainly shattered. But it also didn’t seem like Harriet to not fight at all, so his guard was up as he approached her door to let her out.

  Which was good. As he opened the door, she kicked it open, knocking him down with the overflow of her powerful legs. He caught himself quickly, scooping her up over his shoulder again.

  This time, she did fight, yelling. If there had been anyone around, his game might have been over, but there wasn’t, and Lucas again felt shame for what he was putting her through. It was time to tell her the truth.

  He plopped her gently down on the bed. She’d stopped struggling once they got through the door, she knew the tiny room afforded no escape.

  “Harriet. I need your help,” he began.

  Harriet snorted in derision.

  He shook his head. “I deserve your scorn and maybe even your hatred. But I need your help to get my children back.”

  Harriet looked shocked, which made sense, but also like she was trying to scramble backwards on the bed, to get away from him. She got to the top of the bed and started yelling.

  “What the fuck? You do this to me and now I’m supposed to feel sorry for you and help you? What the hell could you possibly be thinking? What the fuck is wrong with you?”

  Her hands were still tied in front of her, and Lucas could see they were getting chafed by the ropes he’d used. I’m such an asshole, he thought.

  “Just hear me out, Harriet. It’s fucking complicated, okay? The people who disappeared Max’s kids took mine, while I was out searching. They didn’t like how dedicated I was to Max, or to the idea that a wrong had been done. They didn’t want any questions to their authority at all. The kids, they’d been living with their mom for a long time, happily, safely, without me in their lives. But I could see them when I wanted, or if she needed a hand. It was good. When I took this year and then some, the kids and I talked on the phone every Sunday, I sent money when I could, and I’ve been getting back to see them once a month.”

  He looked up at Harriet who was watching him steadily and seriously. He continued.

  “Last month, I wasn’t getting any responses back from my ex about the visit, which was weird, but I just chalked it up to the stupidity of texting. It was regular enough that I just showed up at our park and walked over to the house from there. The house was shuttered. Completely empty. The mail had to have been collecting for a couple weeks. I realized our phone calls had been getting spottier in the past weeks, but I hadn’t put it all together. They were just gone.”

  Lucas sat heavily, his head in his hands.

  “I went crazy. I thought they were safe, I thought if I were gone, the pack wouldn’t use them against me or hurt them, and they probably haven’t, hurt them, I mean, God I’m hoping not… but it’s been months now. Their mom is a shifter, maybe she was part of it. I can’t imagine it, but maybe they turned her against me somehow. I don’t know what else to do, Harriet.”

  Harriet looked sad now and she finally spoke. “Lucas. it’s awful. It really is. But what the hell am I doing here? Why am I here with you?”

  Lucas looked up at her. “That poppet, Harriet, it is charmed. The woman who had it, Nanny? She said it calmed you when you were teeny, and that while it calmed you, it also focused your powers, so that you became more and more able to find what was lost. She said you never picked up on it when you were with her, but you were so young, she wasn’t surprised. She said you could find Max anywhere he was, even if he’d been running for days. You never lost a sock, or a teddy.” Lucas laughed. “I mean, when I found out my kids were gone, you were literally all I could think of. It drove me so hard to find Max’s kids, I can’t tell you. All to reach you. I mean, I love Max, I’m so happy Lucy and Joe have him again, but I needed you. I needed to get to you.”

  Harriet actually rolled her eyes.

  Lucas couldn’t believe it. He didn’t want to hear what she was about to say. He held up his hand and just said, “Don’t. That’s the story, Harriet. That’s why I’ve done this. If you don’t believe me, or you hate me, I don’t really care right now. I need to know that the kids are safe, then I’ll let you go and never bother you or your family again. You are lucky to have the pack you do, and I will leave you to it. You have my word.”

  Lucas walked to the door and looked back at Harriet. He shook his head and his shoulders fell. He locked the door behind him, keeping her in.

  Chapter 17

  Harriet was fuming, literally. She was so mad she couldn’t think straight. Later, she thought it had probably been a good thing her hands had been tied or she would have ripped her own hair out. She stood up and paced the room. Fucking Lucas. He kidnapped me! And now I’m supposed to feel bad for him!? He kidnapped me!

  Because it was her vacation week, no one would even be looking for her. Harriet felt a chill on her skin at the realization. Was Lucas a danger to me? An actual danger? Would he hurt me?

  She knew, right away, the answer to these questions. No. Lucas would not hurt her. She believed him implicitly, which was part of the problem. If she heard someone else describe this scenario, she would scorn them for being so naïve. But she still had to go with her gut. Even if it was infuriating.

  The problem was that she did feel bad for him. He was completely trapped by his old pack. His kids were missing as punishment? The whole thing was insane. Part of her fury was that she could see his problem. But why couldn’t he have just asked her to help him? Why did he have to steal her away?

  And what about Nanny? And she could find lost things? Did that really explain why she could always find Max again, even if it took ages. Maybe that’s why it took so long this last time, no poppet?

  She sat down at the edge of the bed and began to work at untying her own hands. She used the corner of the bureau at the toughest spots and was able to loosen them and get them off. She’d spent a lot of time training with the Lawsons and getting out of tight bonds was part of it. She’d never really thought she’d use any of that training. Lucas hadn’t tied them tightly in the first place, so it wasn’t as hard as it was in training.

  Now, she had to think. Was she going to help him? Or get the hell out of here? She didn’t even know where the hell she was, and there were clearly not many people around to help. She just needed some time to think.

  She wanted to take a bath but the thought of being naked when Lucas got back was far too confusing. She absolutely could not believe herself when she realized it was a bit of a turn on to think of him seeing her all wet and soapy. She loved the idea of toying with him, seeing how turned on she could get him while he was feeling so guilty. She shook her head in frustration. What is wrong with me? He kidnapped me and I’m plotting a seduction? Oh my god. But her body was moving on, and she could feel her pussy warming at the idea of comforting Lucas in the only bed in the room.

  Forget this. I’m taking a bath. Harriet walked into the bathroom and locked the door behind her. She needed to sort out everything she was feeling. A hot bath, even if it was in a motel without the soaps and salts of home, would help her calm herself. Lucas would just have to wait.

  The bath was excellent. The time of relaxation had helped her focus. She was going to help Lucas get his kids if she was able. She didn’t know how exactly, as she had never tried to use this skillset on purpose. She hadn’t heard Lucas come back, so she toweled off and got back into most of her clothes. She wasn’t going to put on a bra if she was freaking kidnapped. This was supposed to be her vacation! She was calm, even while her pussy still hummed for Lucas’ cock. There was just no fighting what her body wanted, but she didn’t have to wait for Lucas naked on the bed, right?

  Harriet just wanted to be in control for a little bit. Being kidnapped had shaken her certainty in some things, and she just wanted to be set back right.

  She walked out, toweling her wet hair, to find Lucas sitting on the bed holding the rope that had been around her wrists. He looked dejected. She went to stand in front of him, pulling his face up to look at her.

  “I will help you, Lucas. But no more ropes, and no more lies. I’m not your prisoner anymore, okay? Just tell me what I need to do to find your kids.”

  Lucas gasped and grabbed her around the waist, burying his face in her chest.

  She held on to him as he took several deep breaths and began to talk.

  “I’m so sorry, Harriet. I made this whole plan before I even knew you. I just had to have you here, and I couldn’t imagine that anyone would help me willingly, knowing my own pack had done this to me. It never even occurred to me. I just needed you so damn bad. I’m so sorry.” He had his hands wrapped around her body.

  Harriet sighed deeply. “I believe you, Luc. I really do. Against all my rational thought, I really do trust you, in my bones, okay?” She held him close. “Just don’t tie me up again, okay? Unless I ask you to...” Harriet smiled as she felt him smile. Humor always made things better.

  His arms tightened around her waist as he hugged her whole body. He looked up at her from between her breasts.

  “You are the most incredible woman I have ever met, Harriet. I don’t know why I got so lucky, but I’m just so damn grateful for you. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to thank you enough for this, it just is beyond understanding.”

  Harriet looked down at him. He was so beautiful. Lucas. She was getting that same feeling she had when she saw him framed in the doorway that day, the flutters and the shivers. She blinked to clear the feeling, but it wouldn’t go away. She lifted his face as she leaned down to kiss him. It was just a sweet, light kiss at first, but Lucas leaped at it, and she realized how badly she wanted him to.

  Lucas picked her up off the floor and wrapped her legs around him so that she was sitting in his lap, draped around him.

  Harriet had her arms around his shoulders, hands at his neck, massaging his head. The kiss was deep; Harriet could feel it in her toes and her pussy was on fire as it was lodged right up against the very large bulge in his pants.

  Lucas broke off the kiss, pulling her hair lightly back to look into her face.

  “Harriet, can we? Are you sure about this? I can’t, I don’t want to…”

  Harriet leaned in close to him, nodded and tugged on his lip with her teeth. “I’m in, Lucas. I’m all in. Please fuck the hell out of me.”

  Lucas didn’t waste a second. He scooped her up, spun around and laid her on the bed on her back. His body was between her legs, his bulging cock resting at her wildly beating pussy. He looked at her so seriously, Harriet felt self-conscious and turned her head aside. Lucas reached out and turned her back to take his gaze. He said nothing. It seemed to go on for hours, but the stare was just so layered in complexity.

  Harriet was moved, something deep in her shifted as they gazed at each other.

  I feel settled, that’s what it is, she realized. Some part of her had just exhaled and she hadn’t known she’d been holding her breath.

  Lucas leaned in to smell her neck.

  His small nips and licks drew her focus immediately. She ran her hands over his shoulders and down his back, feeling all the warmth and muscle under his shirt. Luc’s kisses moved down to her collarbone and her hands rested on his shoulders, rubbing them. She brought her legs up to wrap around his waist, feeling dissatisfied with all the clothing they were both still wearing.

  Lucas must have realized the same, as he stood up and was naked in all of ten seconds.

  His cock was bobbing at attention, and Harriet smiled at the sight of it. It really was so damn impressive. She was still lying on her back.

  Lucas leaned in to unbutton her pants and slid them and her panties off in one smooth move. He leaned back in to push her blouse over her head, going slow as Harriet’s arms became pinned by the material. He held her arms up as he began kissing her breasts, loose and softly warm still from the bath.

  Harriet could feel the tension in her nipples as they peaked from the cool air and the teasing he was doing with his tongue. Her hot pussy was flooded with her arousal. Of its own accord, her body began to move, to squirm, to try to angle itself to Lucas’ cock. Lucas smiled as he nipped her nipple, pulling it slightly, causing her an audible gasp of pleasure. She could feel his smile deepening. She opened her eyes to look at him, and he was looking at her from her belly with a Cheshire grin on his face. She started to say something fresh when he moved lower and caught her clit gently with his teeth. Harriet arched in surprise and pleasure as he moved to begin sucking on her clit, rolling it and massaging it with his tongue. He held her thighs with his arms until he moved one arm around to slide his fingers into her pussy while he sucked.

  Harriet could feel the build-up of pressure. She knew she was going to come soon. She grabbed the back of his head and pushed on his ears. In response, he slid his finger into her ass. Harriet bucked. This was the way she came strongest, and she jerked in orgasm, covering Lucas’ mouth in her juices as he lapped at her pussy, moving with her through her spasms.

  Harriet was astonished at the strength of her orgasm. Her brain was hardly focusing yet and she felt de-boned. She smiled lazily as she appreciated all her sensations, slowly returning. She felt Lucas moving at her thighs, wiping his face on the sheets as he grabbed her thighs and pulled her to the edge of the bed.

  “Mmm,” she hummed. She felt like a rag doll and was just blissed out as Lucas smiled down at her. His cock was rigid and hot against her pussy, and she smiled in anticipation. She exhaled and rolled her body closer to the edge of the bed, holding her breasts tight for him to look at. His eyes were tracing patterns all over her body and she loved watching him standing there, staring at her holding her own breasts.

  He held himself at the edge of her pussy.

  “Do you want me inside you, Harriet? I want to hear you say it.”

  “Oh God, Lucas. I want you inside me. Please!” Harriet was squirming with need. Lucas slid the tip of his cock between her pussy lips. “More, Lucas. I need it all. Please, Lucas. Please.”

  In one long push, Lucas pressed himself all the way in. Harriet arched to take him as deeply as he could go. She could feel the length of him all the way through. He moved slowly at first, Harriet lifting her ass off the bed to angle him in. Then, he moved faster, sliding in and out, and Harriet could feel him in her toes. She moved her legs up to rest on his chest, allowing him to hold her thighs as he began to move like an animal, thrusting harder and harder against her. Harriet watched with heavily lidded eyes as Lucas fucked her. He was sweating, his eyes closed and head back as he rutted against her. His muscles were tight with the exertion, and she knew he was close. She rotated her body to change up his positioning and clenched him with her pussy as he moved. He gave a high-pitched whine and orgasmed into her in three giant waves of spasm. His hands clutched at her legs as he came, and he fell forward between them as he finished, breathing heavily on top of her.

  She chuckled to herself at how happy she was with him, just like this, spent and sweaty on her naked body. This was her guy, this was right. And she didn’t even let herself entertain the little doubts that shouted at her, she was just going with the flow right now.

  Lucas looked up at her blearily. “Something funny, beautiful?”

  Harriet smiled at him. “Always, Lucas. There is always something funny. You’re beautiful too, you know. Very.”

  She sighed and closed her eyes, running her fingers over his short hair, fiddling with the curls at the edges.

  Chapter 18

  Lucas was in the shower. He’d left the bathroom door open because he was still on guard for Harriet leaving. Even after the beautiful sex, he still couldn’t believe that she was going to help him, willingly. After he’d allowed her to be charmed and then kidnapped her? What kind of woman had he bumped into? He chuckled.

  He hadn’t exactly bumped into her. He’d made a beeline for her the second he’d heard about her. The fact that she was going to be with Max made everything impossibly clear. He needed her, needed her magic, and here she was, willing. It was too good to be true, and he was no babe in the woods. He’d been burned enough times in his past, with women and people that he trusted, to know better.

  He heard her come to the door and call out to him, “Lucas, I’m going to hunt down some coffee, okay? Be right back.”

  Before she had turned to leave, he was shouting “No!” and out of the shower. He ran and grabbed her at the door, with the keys in her hand, ready to go. Harriet looked startled and afraid. Lucas needed to smooth it over.

  “I want to go with you, Harriet. I just want to go with you, all right?”

  Harriet gave him a steely-eyed glare. “You better put some clothes on, flyboy. The locals don’t serve naked strangers.” She turned and sat back down on the bed. “Here, take the keys if you’re so worried I’m going to run off. Put some clothes on, Lucas, I want some coffee for real.”

  Lucas started getting dressed. He threw on his jeans and a t-shirt and brushed his hand through his hair. “Ready.” He grabbed the keys and went to the door.