Taken (Sinful Series - book 1)

Landon

“Karim is in bed with Pack Order.” Landon confirmed her suspicion.

“Congratulations, you won the shittiest Fated.” Wayne told her, only for Violet to ignore him and to look at Landon for answers.

“Pack Order is issuing a warrant for your arrest for solicitation. They raided Velvet, found our tape and linked the paper trail. I paid for the Champagne room with my credit card. You were still on my dime when we came home. My guess is they want to use the charge as leverage to get to your contacts.” Landon admitted his mistake.

“That Smellfungus,” Violet sneered only for Landon to laugh at the pet name for her Fated. The only way it could be better fitting was if Landon had thought of it first. “He saw us leave Velvet together, so he called in a favor. He couldn’t stomach my happiness. Oh, I simply can’t wait to shove my high heels up his arse. If he wants to have a pissing contest, so be it. I have friends, too.”

Landon did not care one bit that he was so visibly turned on by Violet’s promised vengeance against Karim, that his tented boxers sported certain wetness. If only they were alone, he wouldn’t be just looking at the feisty female. He would have her. Again.

Wayne uncomfortably shifted his weight from one foot to the other, directing his eyes at Violet, who remained oblivious of Landon’s condition. She was currently busy going through a select choice of words as to where Karim and his family were concerned.

“Pack Order are a sneaky bunch. There is a lot of politics and interests in play at any time, which may change on moment’s notice. If you get someone else involved in the matter, chances are good that Pack Order will go after them. Intimidation by proximity works much better when you have something to hide,” Landon cautioned her, bringing her attention on his person. A small smile played on her lips, as her eyes slid down his face to his open button up shirt and landing on his boxers. A small gasp escaped her lips the moment she finally caught on his state.

Wayne cleared his throat, reminding them they were not alone. Violet blushed, wetted her lips as her eyes remained on Landon for a tad bit longer than proper, then reluctantly directed her attention to her lawyer.

“I only need to put you two in a room together for anyone with eyes to see what you guys have can’t be bought with money,” Wayne tried to reassure her, only for Violet’s cheeks to color a shade deeper.

“Karim has always wanted a pissing contest with me,” Landon finished his initial thought. “His best bet is to get rid of me, and in doing so to impress you. He wouldn’t want to get you in real trouble per se, unless he suffers from some hero-complex I don’t know about. My guess is once Pack Order was informed, they made the decision who to charge. They put more value on your contacts than my connections. That’s something to be proud about. I am not so easily outshined.”

“See why we should have just stayed in bed,” Violet groaned, making Wayne chuckle at her statement. Landon was just going to add something when she mumbled. “Serves me right for allowing you to parade yourself naked.”

“You answered the door naked? For Karim?” Wayne questioned, slapping his palms against his thighs.

“I wasn’t naked. I had my boxers on,” Landon clarified for argument’s sake.

“And reeked of sex with his Fated. I almost feel sorry for the bastard.” Wayne continued laughing, having a little bit too much fun. “I guess he got what he asked for. Was he alone?”

“Two males were with him. I assumed he bought friends as back-up if he accidentally ran into my fist or something. I should have known better.” Landon told them.

“They were here as his witnesses,” Wayne quickly caught on.

The testimony of a scorned Fated could be undermined with proper line of questioning. Three witnesses made denying their intimacy impossible.

“Worse, one of them seemed familiar, but I was so focused on Karim, I dismissed him at the time. Now that we know they were here to confirm his testimony, I finally managed to place him. He was there in the parking lot the first night we met.”

“Pack Order drugged me?”

“Not necessarily. But they had a team watching you, which means they badly want you,” Landon concluded.

“Goodie for me,” Violet sarcastically exclaimed.

“Yes and no. Pack Order is taking interest in you, which confirms they are after your contacts. They will try to make some sort of a deal with you, so this doesn’t become a public record,” Wayne continued calmly explaining the outcomes. “They will either want your client list or use Landon to leverage you. Imbedding Pack Order agents in packs will be smoother if some of the locals grey entrepreneurs make the introduction.”

“Or if Jack provides the cover IDs. Have you heard anything about his ‘accident’?” Landon questioned.

“Devaro is keeping his incident private as expected.” Wayne continued. Jack would rather die than invite a serpent like Pack Order into his house. “Lazulli asked to stay in the pack house with Jacob.”

“Of course he did.” Landon glared. He had probably gone there straight from Violet’s place, in an attempt to prevent Jacob from warning Violet. “He has to have another angle at this. I doubt he hadn’t thought over how this will alienate Violet further from him.”

“I don’t understand, why is he here now? He has a mate,” Violet asked.

“Seriously?” Wayne asked before Landon had the time to answer. “You are smart, sexy as hell and just the right amount of feisty. Who wouldn’t want to be with you?”

Landon growled at the obvious admiration for Violet. She might hold Landon’s scent, but he knew she was still unmated female in the presence of two rejected shifters.

“He chose another,” Violet rebutted fully focused on Wayne, and completely missing the confession in his words. There was no surprise the werebear saw Violet to be a viable mate. It pissed off Landon to no end. There was one more contender for Violet’s heart.

“I don’t think he chose her as much as circumstances dictated it,” Wayne continued.

“Whose side are you on?” Violet snapped, glaring at Wayne. “He didn’t even have the decency to speak with me first before he rolled into her bed.”

“I am not defending him,” Wayne raised his hands up in surrender, looking at Landon for help.

“V,” Landon brought her attention on him. “Nothing excuses his poor judgement. I’m the only lucky bastard in this equation. I am with you, and soon he’d know I am not going anywhere.”

“I like the sound of that,” Violet smiled at him then quickly clarified, “The ‘you not going anywhere’ part. I don’t care about him just as long he doesn’t try to poison our happiness.”

“I know,” Landon told her, only for Wayne to look between them his eyes watery.

“You are just too much,” Wayne cleared his throat. “But if Pack Order separates you, I am going to stick with Violet.”

“As you should,” Landon replied and then added, “Hopefully we won’t get to see how good you are.”

“What about you?” Violet immediately asked looking at Landon. It warmed his heart that when faced with an arrest warrant, she would think of him. “Do you have someone good?”

“Don’t worry about me,” Landon smiled in encouragement. “I can watch my back. But if they are going to book you in, I want you to go take a shower and use the Lysol. While there are a lot of people who fear or owe me, there are also those who do not look kindly at me. I don’t want them coming after you. So go shower.”

“Landon,”

“Please, V.”

Violet’s eyes narrowed in slits, searching his face for something. Landon relaxed his stand, silently telling her everything would be all right. When she reluctantly went inside the bathroom, Landon sighed.

As they heard the water running, Wayne told him, “You seem close.”

Landon shrugged it off.

“Have you considered playing the rejected card?” Wayne asked focusing Landon’s attention on him. “Hypothetically if you were to mark each other, then Pack Order would lose grounds on their case. Winning the grace of a chosen is not illegal.”

“Taken,” Landon rephrased. “You choose a Taken.”

“Semantics,” Wayne replied.

“One mate already disappointed her. I want her mark to be special, and to mean more than means to resolving legal problems,” Landon replied. “Besides, she may still need to be arraigned. A claiming just as my scent on her could put her in harm’s way.”

“But it could also protect her,” Wayne argued.

“Well, I am not worried about that,” Landon snapped.

“Then ask her to claim you,” Wayne suggested.

Landon thought about it for a moment then shook his head, “I am sure Karim thought of such an outcome. He would use a rushed claiming against us in some way.”

“You think he’d run to the Elders. But he rejected her. Xander’s marking is irrelevant,” Wayne concluded.

“It is to sane minds. Who is to know if the Elders marbles aren’t mummified by now?” Landon shrugged. “I don’t want to reopen old scars, make them bleeding wounds because I couldn’t wait.”

Violet

A shower later, Violet entered her kitchen, finding the two males quietly talking over breakfast. Landon uncovered her plate, seating her next to himself. Violet almost laughed at his failed attempt to stay away from her. His scent would still intermix with hers. She didn’t mind it. He could say whatever he wanted; she liked his scent, and didn’t think it would be so detrimental to her well being. She secretly wondered if he had made her shower just so he could talk to Wayne alone.

“You cooked,” Violet exclaimed.

“Yes,” Landon replied, eyeing her suspiciously. “Don’t be so suprirsed, I like good food.”

“Oh, I know you love food. My kitchen was littered with take outs the first time you came over.”

“Well, you didn’t have anything in the fridge,” Landon shrugged. “Besides I don’t just cook for anyone.”

“Oh, thank you,” Wayne battered his eyelids interrupting their moment.

Violet held Landon’s eyes for a tense moment, wondering what they would be doing if Wayne wasn’t with them. The tension was there and Violet itched to kiss Landon.

“I’m glad I am special. You’re special to me, too. I am not rushing you, but it is worth mentioning Pack Order will have a useless tape if we are a mated couple.”

“Now it is not the right time,” Landon cut her off.

“Would there ever be a right time?” Violet questioned him.

“This Bonnie-and-Clyde-rendition of our story is not the romantic one you will be telling our kids and grandkids,” Landon replied making her smile.

It felt good that he was not against the idea of a mating. His words brought comfort where there was none. He had thought about kids and grandkids.

“Wesley, you’re getting ahead of yourself,” Violet scolded him playfully.

Only for Landon to nudge her shoulder with his.

“Only with you, Ms Wesley,” Landon whispered.

Wayne cleared his throat, calling their attention on his person, while Violet’s cheeks heated. Landon’s eyes spoke of a commitment beyond the words he had spoken. Violet wanted to leap into his arms right there and then.

“Since you both are being ridiculously stubborn about claiming each other now instead of a later, let me tell you how this is going down,” Wayne started. “You are not going to talk to the police without a lawyer. You are not going to resist, to threaten or to negotiate with the authorities. We don’t want aggravated assault or other made-up co-charges. Violet, I am talking to you.”

“I am going to be a good girl,” Violet winked at him. “How long till they come for me?”

“Not long,” Wayne replied and continued explaining her arraignment. Violet stole side glances at Landon, who smiled covering her hand with his. The gesture gave her strength not to cry and to beg him to claim her. She still wasn’t convinced the Bonnie-and-Clyde version of their claiming would be as unromantic as he claimed.

It wasn’t until the early afternoon when the knots in her stomach were a tangled mess that even Landon’s touch couldn’t soothe. It was one thing to make peace with experiencing the justice system, and to accept her relationship with Landon would be viewed under a magnifying lens. It was a whole other issue to sit around and wait for said justice. Patience was never her strong suit. The minutes seemed longer than hours, while the hours felt like days.

“I am done,” Violet announced patting Landon’s thigh with her hand. He had long forgotten his intention on not getting her scent over hers, allowing her to rest against his side. Violet had taken advantage of the position and scooted up into his side. She tried to stand up but as expected Landon’s arm kept her in place.

“Where are you going?”

“We,” Violet corrected him. “I tried it your way, now it is my way – the highway.”