Page 9 of Frank's Felon
“She’s got you figured out, Takara,” Frank said, taking a chance that Takara wasn’t too mad at him.
“It’s the white wolf in her, no doubt,” Takara said as she put a platter on the table. She was no longer glaring, not exactly, but her tone remained offended. He’d crossed a line apparently. Message received. No more negative talk about white wolves around Frankie.
“Fortunately, I know who I’m up against,” Takara added as she removed the cover, revealing a pile of steaming brussels sprouts. “Frankie, if Uncle Frank leaves early, you’re going to have to eat all of his brussels sprouts in addition to your own.”
Damn, Takara was tough. She always had been, but really, that was just cruel.
Eyes wide and shaking her head, Frankie turned to him. Hell, Frankreallyhated brussels sprouts, but he’d suffer through them for the kid. And Takara. Frank scooped a large helping onto his plate.
A wide smile filled Frankie’s face. “Uncle Frank’s going to eat my portion, Mama!” She was missing one of her front teeth.
“Lost another tooth, I see,” Frank said.
“Got another broken nose, I see,” she replied, as she reached up and poked the bruising around his nose, sending a flurry of pain through him, but he smiled. It was hard not to with her. He loved this child, as much as if she were his own.
“Who broke it?” she asked.
“Your daddy.”
“Frank. . .” Mason said with a definite note of displeasure.
“Payback,” Frank said, grinning. Then he looked back at Frankie and saw the worry in her face. He suddenly pictured Delilah’s sad eyes. The woman was alone in the world, and it tore at him that she didn’t have family or friends like he did to return to at night. He definitely didn’t want little Francesca to ever feel anything but safe and loved.
“I’m just teasing you, Squirt. You know your dad and I have to train, right?”
“To protect the pack?”
“Yes. Sometimes we end up with a broken nose or split lip.”
“Your wolf will heal you tomorrow.” She held up a finger with a band-aid. “My wolf’s still sleeping.”
He kissed her injured finger. “That’s because she’s a pup right now. She’ll come out when you’re older. I was thirteen when my wolf came out. He was a stubborn jack––a stubborn wolf.”
“You were going to say another bad word.”
Frank leaned in really close. “If you get me kicked out of here, you’re gonna have to eat all the brussels sprouts on my plate.”
Frankie took another look at his plate. “We’re good, Mama. No bad words. Uncle Frank wants to eat all his brussels sprouts. And mine.”
Frank leaned over and whispered, “Coward.”
Frankie giggled. Music to his ears.
* * *
DELILAH
After Delilah washed away the blood and grime of the day, she leaned against the shower tile and took a deep breath. She couldn’t get that guard, Frank, out of her mind. All of her training hadn’t been enough to escape him. But he hadn’t terrified her. He’d intrigued, maybe infuriated her a bit, but he didn’t scare her. Not like those white wolves. Nonetheless, she’d been vulnerable twice in one day.
The five white wolves had had trouble taking her down, but Frank had been alone, and he had taken her down rather easily. Was she losing her touch or was she simply in over her head with him? Not that it mattered. She’d avoid that section of the border tomorrow. God, she hoped she was getting close. This search, this town, this whole damn state was wearing on her. She had had enough of the cold and the trees. No, not the trees. They reminded her of when she was little and how she had to sneak away to watch the pack runs. Later when she went through puberty and her wolf finally emerged, she joined those runs and had loved everything about them. That’s when her family had been alive and with her. Too much had changed since then. All her loved ones were dead; she was a lone wolf now.
Frank’s image invaded her mind again. Hard corded muscles covered every inch of him, and his scent, cedar and fresh river water, clean and natural, had distracted her but in a pleasant way.
Even thinking of him now, her entire body tingled. Raw power locked away, controlled, waiting to be unleashed. . . that’s what she had seen in him. He could have taken her, but he hadn’t even tried, unlike those five white demons. She shuddered again, thinking of the white wolves, about the possibility of running into them again. Frank had been right to lick her. Males often respected another male’s scent and backed away, but not always. The five white wolves wouldn’t have cared. The one with the hazel eyes certainly wouldn’t have. He had taken too much pleasure in raking his claws through her.
Delilah dried off the last of the water running down her face and neck. Frank’s scent was gone, a realization that saddened her. Losing his scent felt wrong, as if she’d never see him again. A part of her wanted to return, to run into him again and see what would happen between them, if he’d make good on his threat—hispromise.
She missed having someone to count on, to care about. Letting her focus wander to some shifter she didn’t really know was crazy, especially given how he only wanted to fuck her, and nothing more. She meant nothing to him beyond him using her to slake his physical needs. She had a mission to complete. Then again, a little slaking never hurt anyone, especially with a shifter as well-built as Frank.
