Page 5 of Hers to Love
Chapter Four
“Come on, comeon.”
Ataahua listened to the phone she held ringing in her hand as she hurried around her motel room collecting her belongings. Despite the fact that she hadn’t made the kill she had come here to do, Ata knew she had to leave. She’d lost the element of surprise with Taika, and that wasn’t something she could get back easily, especially if the whole mate thing turned out to be true, and Zac would send more men for her. Or worse, he’d come himself.
“Kaea!” she growled into the phone. “Would you pick up your damn phone? It’s the black rectangle that is probably sitting in the bottom of your damn bag on silent!”
Snarling in frustration, and cursing her brother for not having a message service, she disconnected the unanswered call and rammed her phone back into the pocket of her jeans. She cried out as the move jolted her sore arm, and winced when she looked down and saw blood beginning to seep through the bandages she’d used to close the wound. If she had more time, she’d take care of her wound properly, and possibly wrap her ribs, but she wasn’t going to take the time now. Maybe when she got somewhere she felt safe enough to stop.
At that thought Ata sat heavily on the bed tucked into the corner of the small room. Was there such a place? The way she felt right now she didn’t think there was, or at least a time when she would feel safe. With a groan, she lowered her head into hands she noticed were shaking. Three months ago, everything in her life had been perfect. Her grandmother was alive and well; she was in love with a man that showered her with attention, and her brother was in his final year of medical school and set to return to Nantahala by the end of the year.
Her grandmother’s death was not her fault. No, that lay with the deluded ape who believed she was his mate. The fact she was being chased by the father of the man she had mistakenly thought in love with her was all Ata’s own doing. Not wanting to dwell on that too much longer, she lifted her head, took a deep breath, and stood up. Wallowing in her own stupidity and giving in to her current situation would not get her anywhere.
She reached for her backpack, and was about to pull it on when a loud knock on the door had her stiffening. She shot a quick glance to the clock beside the bed. It was just after one in the morning, so she didn’t think it was housecleaning at the door.
“Open. The door.” Ata gasped, cursing her body as it softened, and her heart rate increased just at the sound of Taika’s voice. “I can hear you breathing, sweetness, so I know you’re in there, and if you think I’m just going to go away, you’re fucking dreaming. Either open this door and let me in, or I will rip the damn thing off its hinges, and you’ll lose whatever safety deposit you paid for this room.”
Ata sighed. “Maybe the thought of being in the same room as you is so stomach-churning, losing the hundred dollar deposit is the better option.” She heard him snarl and grumble something to himself, but couldn’t make out the words. “What’s that, ape-man? You wanna have a conversation with me you’re gonna have to speak up. Or are you one of those crazy apes that speak to the voices in his head?”
The door was suddenly ripped open, and Taika strode into the room. He turned to jam the door back into position, which gave Ataahua time to close her mouth. Her jaw had dropped at the obvious display of strength he’d just shown, and had nothing to do with how damn well the man filled out a pair of black jeans and a tight black t-shirt.
Sure, Ata, you keep telling yourself that.
Stupid little voice.
“We need to talk.”
Taika practically growled then turned back to face her, his eyes almost completely black, and she knew his beast was close to the surface. Oh, the man was still hot and a walking wet dream for anyone who looked at him, but she could tell his gorilla was just below the surface. It wouldn’t be smart to continue poking at the two of them. She’d seen him in his gorilla form, and if he shifted in this room, she’d be paying damages back to the hotel for the rest of her life. The smart thing would be to agree and let the man get everything off his impressive muscular chest she wanted to lic—focus, Ataahua—then wait until she could make her escape. That was the plan. Lull him into a false sense of security then get the hell out of dodge as soon as she could.
“You will not run from me again.”
“Don’t tell me what to do,” Ata snapped back. Apparently, she wasn’t up to doing the smart thing, and she was going to need a new plan. “You have no rights where I am concerned,Ape.”
Taika’s eyes narrowed at the distaste she’d forced into the word.
“You’re my mate. I have every right.” Taika took a step closer to her, and seemed a little taken aback when Ata matched it with one of her own.
“What? You think just because I can’t turn into a gorilla, thump my chest and roar like a banshee like you can, that I’m defenseless and should cower in fear before you?” Ata crossed her arms and glowered at him. “Puh-lease. I am not afraid of you, and I am certainly not defenseless. You want the right to have a say in anything I do, then you gotta earn it.”
Where in the hell did that come from?
Taika’s face morphed from frustrated anger to a sexy as sin smile. “Oh, sweetness, that sounded like a challenge to me. And one I intend to take up, and win. But first, tell me who it is you think I killed, because I have to tell you, sweetness, I’m no innocent in that respect, but I sure as fuck have never killed an old woman.”
“You did!” Ata yelled back. “She told me to come north and find the man I was looking for, the one who changed our futures. That happened the moment my grandmother was killed for herwairua.”
Taika shook his head, lifting his hands into the air. “Sweetness, I don’t even know what that is! I haven’t taken a woman’s life, period, have only ever killed to protect my family, and I have never stolen anything but kisses from any woman I have ever met. I. Did not. Kill. Your grandmother.”
He sounded so sincere. Could that be true? The scent of lavender and vanilla filled the room, and Ata suddenly had the feeling that not only could it be true, but that her Nanny-ma was here to make sure she believed it.
“Who else is here?” Taika asked with a frown, looking around the small room as if he might see someone else.
He could sense her Nanny-ma’s presence? She had to think about that some more, but not right now.
Ata remained where she was and stared at him in silence for a moment, hoping he couldn’t tell how his words had excitement churning within her. “What are you doing here, Taika?”
Taika’s frown disappeared behind a wide smile. “You know that’s the first time you’ve used my name, and I have to tell you, I love the way it sounds coming from your full lips. Tell me yours.”
Ataahua glared at him. “Why would I want to do that?”
