Forbidden Secrets (Lee County Wolves Series) Book #5 Read online

  After his mother had died, Taz and his sister left while their father was passed out in his chair. With only the clothes on their backs and what he stole from his father’s wallet, they were on their own. His sister was two years older than him, but he took the role of caregiver, decision-maker, and did a damn good job of it. They found a pack who accepted them. The alpha fell in love with his sister in spite of their seven-year age difference, and Taz approved after months of seeing Dawn would be well taken care of. And now he was doing what he promised his mother—trying to make it in a world that was against his kind just to make her proud. He would not fail in life, and he would die before he failed Leda.

  A sick feeling hit him. He had let his pride prevent him from immediately going out to find Leda, but if he’d known she was walking toward trouble, he would not have let her out of his sight.

  Downing the rest of his coffee, he tossed a twenty down on the table, knowing it would pay his bill and leave a good tip, and then made to stand. He’d waited long enough.

  “Guess you’re really in a bind if you called me for help.” Steve’s voice made him pause.

  Taz looked toward the door as Steve made his way to the table and sat down across from him.

  “So, Mr. Tracker Extraordinaire, what can I help you with?” Steve leaned back in his chair as if he had all day, his arms crossed over his chest.

  Okay, so most thought he hated Steve, and actually, he kind of did. No, he really did. But Taz also knew Leda and Steve had a history, one he wanted to kill the vampire over, but wouldn’t… yet.

  “Has she contacted you?” Taz tried not to snarl the question, but it couldn’t be helped. Knowing Leda held feelings for the asshole made his wolf rage and the man seethe with anger.

  “Maybe,” Steve countered, still looking composed. He then leaned toward the table. “That question could have easily been answered over text. So why meet, Tax?”

  His instinct was to tear the bastard’s throat out, but he refrained and instead leaned toward him, his eyes dark with rage. “Listen and listen good, vamp. I don’t like you. You don’t like me.”

  Steve snorted in agreement, but other than that didn’t comment.

  “Me not coming across this table to tear your fucking throat out is not an act of kindness, so don’t mistake it for such.” Taz’s voice lowered dangerously. “The only matter in this moment is Leda.”

  “Couldn’t agree more.” Steve hadn’t backed away one inch during Taz’s snarled speech. “Do you have a plan, or are we just going to sit here and see who has the bigger balls, because honestly, I’d win that fucking war. You drew first blood the day I met you, fucker. But for Leda, I will put my hatred for you behind me. So truce until Leda is found and safe, agreed?”

  Taz looked at Steve’s outstretched hand, then back at Steve as he grasped the vampire’s hand in a handshake that lasted longer than it should have, each man squeezing to the point of pain on each side.

  “Ah, boys.” The waitress cleared her throat as she stared at their clasped hands. “How about breaking that up and I’ll get you some more coffee?”

  Taz let go as soon as he felt Steve’s grip loosen. This union was going to try every ounce of patience he possessed, but he knew that if Leda contacted someone, it would be this asshole, and he wanted to be sure he was there when that happened if they didn’t find her first.

  “What’s the plan?” Steve asked as he dumped half of the sugar from the glass container in his cup. Taz made a disgusted face as he watched. He liked his coffee black and strong, not black and syrupy.

  “You seriously going to drink that?” Taz watched as Steve lifted it to his mouth and took a long gulp.

  “Yep.” Steve sat it down, then added more sugar as if to spite Taz.

  Jesus, this was going to be harder than he thought. Taz glanced around to make sure no one was close enough to hear them. “I told Garrett and them to hang back.”

  “Oh, and how did that go over?” Steve smirked, taking another drink of coffee. This time he made a disgusted face, making Taz grin.

  “Not well, but after I explained my plan, they agreed,” Taz replied, glancing at his watch again.

  “Did it take you this long to tell them the plan?” Steve asked in his normal smartass manner. “Because Jesus, man, let’s get to it already.”

  Taz ignored his remarks. “Garrett knew Leda’s father from a long time ago.”

  “Yeah, Sloan said Hunter told him Leda was thought to be going looking for her dad, but Sam let it out that their uncle had killed both their mom and dad.” Steve’s eyes darkened with anger. “Bastard.”

  “Yeah, and the last place he knew the pack to reside is Pendleton County,” Taz added, finally leaning back, trying to relax, but the more time wasted talking about it meant Leda could be suffering. “She’s going to fight for her pack against her uncle.”

  Steve’s eyes narrowed as he slammed his hand on the table. “Okay, that’s new fucking information.”

  “Garrett said this is your territory,” Taz continued, ignoring Steve’s small outburst. “If the pack still resides in this area and we go in there as a pack, then shit will hit the fan. But if I go in with you, it won’t seem as if it’s much of a threat. Just a shifter and a vampire passing through.”

  Steve thought for a minute, then nodded. “Ah, and you don’t think people will notice that?”

  Taz shrugged as he looked away from Steve to the patrons inside the small diner. “I’m willing to take that chance.” He glanced back at Steve. “Are you?”

  Steve stood, draining the last bit of coffee and tossing another twenty on the table. “Ready when you are, Tax.”

  Yeah, it was going to be really hard not to kill the son of a bitch, but right now, he needed the asshole.

  Shaking his head, Taz followed Steve outside and headed for his bike. If worse came to worse, he’d offer Steve up as a trade.

  Another rare smile lit his face but didn’t quite reach his eyes.

  Chapter 3

  Leda stopped on the old dirt road, glanced at the address Jamie gave her and frowned. Where in the hell was she sending her? She slowly crept down the road, if you could even call it that, her eyes on the house straight ahead. She knew this old road, actually knew the house now that she was here. What she didn’t know was who lived there. Surely Jamie wouldn’t send her to her own house, since her friend about had a heart attack when that asshole showed up at the restaurant. He must be part of her uncle’s men for Jamie to panic as she had.

  Pulling into the driveway, which was in bad shape, holes and dips bottomed out her car as she pulled up. She cursed. Leda definitely could not afford for anything to happen to her car. Stopping, she just sat staring, not really sure what to do. There were no cars around. No one was inside that she could tell. Shutting the car off, she took the keys and tucked them into her pocket.

  Opening the door, she stepped out but left the door open just in case she needed to make a fast getaway. Glancing at the driveway, Leda knew that would be next to impossible for any kind of speed on the uneven surface.

  With measured steps and her senses alert, she moved toward the porch that had seen better days. One fold-up chair sat against the house with a small table and a beer can on top. Cigarette butts littered the overgrown yard, and she stopped when she noticed one still smoldering in the glass at the edge of the porch. Someone was here.

  Her eyes flew to the porch as the door opened.

  “Who the fuck are you and what do you want?” a man snarled, and as he stepped farther out onto the porch, her heart soared.

  “Malcolm,” she whispered as she took in his gaunt appearance. Jamie’s older brother had always been her idol. Leda absolutely adored him, but seeing him like this broke her heart. His eyes looked haunted, and there was a silent rage burning deep inside them.

  “I asked you a question!” He grabbed a rifle from inside the door but didn’t aim it—yet.

  Leda had no idea who to trust, but if Jamie had
n’t turned her over at the restaurant and instead sent her here, then maybe she should trust him. Yet uncertainty had her second-guessing. Seeing him like this, she wasn’t sure. “Jamie sent me.”

  “Why the hell would she do that?” Malcolm swiped his long black hair from his eyes. “She lives with that piece of shit, not here. So go on, get.” He waved his hand at her as if shooing a fly.

  Not knowing what to do, she turned to leave but stopped. Turning her head, Leda really looked past his crude dismissal of her to see the friend she once knew. Had her parents’ death and her disappearance done this to him? Needing to know the truth before she disappeared, she put it all on the line.

  “Make me,” she said, loud enough for him to hear. When his head tilted slightly in recognition, she added, “Mally.”

  “Jesus.” His whisper reached her ears. “Leda?”

  She nodded slowly, turning back around. “Yeah, it’s me.” She stayed where she was. “Are you friend or foe, Malcolm?”

  He was off the porch and in front of her before she could blink. He wrapped her in his arms and squeezed the breath out of her. “I thought they’d killed you. We all did.” He held her even tighter, then pulled back. “Sam?”

  “Safe.” Tears burned the back of her eyes.

  He nodded, then hugged her again before pulling her toward the house. “Come on.” He rushed her up the steps and inside, closing the door behind him.

  Reaching up, she pulled off her wig and took off her sunglasses. Scratching her head with one hand and tossing the wig on an old kitchen table, she glanced up at Malcolm, who was staring at her as if he were watching a ghost. “I’m real, Malcolm.”

  He shook the dazed look off his face. “I can’t believe it.” He sat down heavily at the table, still staring at her. “How in the hell did you get away? And why in the fuck did you come back to this hell, Leda? Are you crazy?”

  Malcolm had no clue how many times she’d asked herself on the way there. “Yeah, maybe.” She shrugged. “The tunnels in the old house. Mom sent us through just before….” She couldn’t finish. Didn’t have to. Everyone knew exactly what happened to her parents, but in their world, no authorities were called. The only justice to be served would be by her hand.

  “I’m so damn sorry.” Malcolm pushed his hair from his face as his head dropped. “I should have fought that son of a bitch before he could…. Fuck!” Malcolm stood, grabbed an empty beer bottle and threw it against the wall.

  “No one saw this coming,” Leda said after a few seconds of silence. “There was no way you could have known, and if you had fought, you would have been killed, leaving Jamie alone.”

  His bitter laugh rang throughout the small house. “Oh, I did her a real solid,” he spat in disgust. “She’s a whore to that bastard, Minor, and knocked up with his kid.”

  “I’m sorry.” Leda didn’t know what else to say. Maybe she had waited too long. Maybe she shouldn’t have run. If she had been a boy at her age, then it would have been expected of her to stay and right the wrong her uncle did to their family.

  Malcolm shook his head as he looked at her. “You have to get out of here.” He was frantic in his statement as he glanced at the door. “By now they know a stranger is here. If Allen even thinks you’re Leda Kingsman, you’ll be dead before the sun goes down.”

  “I’m not leaving, Malcolm.” Leda stood her ground. “I will leave this house so you’re not involved, but I’m here and I’m not going anywhere.”

  “Why?” His eyes were wide with disbelief. “Why in the hell would you want to be anywhere near this place?”

  “He took not only the lives of my parents, but he also took what rightfully belongs to me and my brother.” Leda’s voice was strong and sure, but deep inside, fear rode her hard. Despite being terrified, determination kept her steady. “And I’m here to get it back.”

  The room was silent, almost to the point that her ears rang as Malcolm just stared at her. She needed numbers on her side. Leda felt she could count Jamie as one since she didn’t turn her over and sent Leda to her brother. She hoped she could count Malcolm as two.

  “Shit!” he finally said, then walked to the refrigerator, grabbing a beer. He offered her one, but she refused. He slammed the door shut, twisted the cap off and drank more than half before removing it from his lips. “So where in the hell have you been?”

  Taking that as a good sign, she sat at the table with a sigh of relief. “Everywhere.” Leda looked around the house. There were a lot of empty beer bottles and cans scattered around the place. Her heart tightened with sadness thinking Malcolm had somehow lost hope. And maybe he had, but she was here to change that, even if it meant giving her life. She owed her father and mother that sacrifice, as well as Sam.

  “They looked for you everywhere, but then we heard nothing.” Malcolm’s eyes turned haunted. “We figured you were dead. Only Allen’s men were allowed to search for you because the bastard knew any one of us would help you and Sam. But Allen failed, didn’t he? He didn’t find you?”

  “Came close a few times, but we were able to get away.” Leda frowned at the memories. She would love to forget them, but she couldn’t. She refused to let them go because it was her driving force to take back the Kingsman pack. “We had a rough road for a while, but then we met up with a woman who was searching for her father. Sam and I both took to her, and then we ended up being part of the Lee County wolves pack.”

  “Lee fucking County wolves?” Malcolm’s eyes lit up.

  “Ah, yeah,” Leda replied, then grinned. “Why?”

  “Where in the hell are they?” Malcolm sat up straighter. “They could come in here and wipe Allen and his bitches out! We saw that Hunter guy working with the VC Warriors on television. Saw him shift and shit. Are you kidding me? Seriously, where in the hell are they?”

  “This is my fight,” Leda replied, realizing Malcolm was not going to understand. She was right. He slapped his hand hard across his forehead and glared at her as if she’d lost her mind. “I will not bring anyone innocent into this fight, Malcolm. They have families and—”

  “I don’t give a rat’s ass if they’ve got a dozen rug rats and a granny rocking on the front fucking porch.” Malcolm finished his beer, then went to get another one. “The Lee fucking County wolves.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Yes, the Lee fucking County wolves,” she mocked.

  “What, didn’t they like you or something?” Malcolm looked at her thoughtfully, as if not believing she didn’t involve them in this.

  “They liked me just fine.” Leda frowned with narrowed eyes. “What’s not to like?”

  “You were always a pain in the ass.” Malcolm saluted her with his beer. “So I thought maybe, just maybe, you weren’t the dumbass I was thinking you are by not involving them and that they just didn’t like you enough to help you.”

  Leda snorted. “Everybody likes me.”

  The room became silent again as they both thought the same thing. “Not everyone,” Malcolm voiced what they both knew. “As long as you and Sam are alive, Allen is not the rightful alpha to this pack. The Kingsman was set up differently than other packs to protect it for Sam.”

  “Or me,” Leda added, knowing the reaction she was going to receive. Though his laughter was not really the one she thought she’d get.

  “A woman can’t be alpha of a pack, Leda,” he replied after his laughter died down. When she didn’t respond, he became serious. “A woman cannot be alpha.”

  “Who says?” Leda shot back, then crossed her arms over her chest as she leaned back.

  Okay, that stumped him since he looked a little confused. “How the hell should I know? But I know they can’t, and that’s that.”

  “No, that’s not that’s that,” she replied with a huff. “If I beat Allen Kingsman fair and square, the pack is mine.”

  Malcolm let out a long breath as he stared at her. “You really believe you can beat your uncle for the pack?”

  “Yes, in time, I do
.” Leda didn’t even blink or look away as she answered that question. What she wasn’t saying was that even though she would most probably be killed, her uncle would die right next to her by her hand, and vengeance would be hers and Sam’s. If she had to die, then so be it. The day she ran through the tunnels holding her brother in her arms, she’d made a vow knowing that even succeeding in revenge would mean her death. She had made peace with that.

  A sudden image of Taz floated at the edge of her mind, but she pushed it away. Nothing and no one would stand in her way of the vow she’d made the night her world was shattered.

  Chapter 4

  Before Taz and Steve could leave the parking lot of the restaurant, they were already arguing. “Dude, if you go blowing in there on that bike, you’re going to draw attention that we don’t need.”

  “I’m not leaving my bike,” Taz replied without looking Steve’s way. “And I’m not riding in that fucking minivan.”

  “What’s wrong with my minivan?” Steve frowned, looking at it. “It’s multifunctional. Family car by day, Warrior van by night. I can carry weapons and Warriors comfortably. No one expects a van full of badass Warriors to roll up and pile out. I call that a win.”

  “Call it what you want. I’m still not riding in it.” Taz straddled his bike and glanced at the damn van with disgust.

  “Yeah, well, once you start having little pups running around, you’ll change your mind.” Steve snorted knowingly.

  “Do you ever shut the hell up?” Taz growled, rubbing his tired eyes.

  “Ah….” Steve seemed to think about it. “No.”

  “How far are we?” Taz asked through teeth clenched so hard he swore he heard one crack.