Chapter Six

“Kamau. Ruger. Enough! He’s a friend.” Aida’s voice filled the air.

Dane watched her come up near the scarred one. Silence reigned but neither dog let down their guard.

“I don’t think your dogs like me,” he commented offhandedly while his beast paced and chuffed in fury.

“They don’t know you,” she responded in a bland tone.

Why aren’t they running from me? “What kind of dogs are they?”

A smile filled her features lighting up her entire face and his heart skipped more than just a few beats. “Rhodesian Ridgebacks. That one is Kamau. And this scarred baby is Ruger.”

The one she called Kamau moved closer to her and she crouched down. Dane watched her rub their heads with obvious affection. He relaxed his guard a bit, not to much though.

“What happened to Ruger?” He could feel her tense as much as see it, and the dogs immediately became rigid and much more on guard.

“The man who believed he had the right to own him beat him.” She stood up and sent him a terse smile. “So I kept Ruger and the man went on his way.”

Arching a brow, Dane stared at her. I’m sure there is way more to it than that. “I see. And Kamau?”

“I got him from a breeder. The week after I brought him home, I got Ruger, so they grew up together.”

“They are very steady. It’s been a while since a dog has looked at me like it wanted to tear my head off.”

“My babies don’t get scared.” She yawned. “I’m going to go lay down for about an hour. Feel free to eat, sleep, whatever.” Aida turned around. “Come on boys, let’s go to bed.”

Lucky damn dogs! What I wouldn’t give to curl up with her. Dane watched her and the two canine guardians walk back to a side door of her home and disappear inside. With a few deep breaths to calm his raging libido and his beast, Dane wandered off toward the shed in the back. The scent of cut wood reached him as he entered. It didn’t take long for his eyes to adjust to the darkness and he scanned the interior looking for more insight on Aida Roberts. Like the house, it was neat and orderly.

He maneuvered through the bright sun to where the patio set-up. It was easily fifteen to twenty degrees cooler in the shade and it wasn’t all that late in the morning. Tucked away in a corner under some heavy foliage he spotted a hammock. With a smile, Dane strode toward it and settled himself in. Using his foot he gave a gentle push and closed his eyes as it began to swing in a hypnotic easy motion.

Dane had no idea how long he’d been asleep when something woke him. Immediately awake, he lay there and ascertained if there was any danger. When that was a negative, he opened his eyes and listened again for what interrupted his sleep. Aida. Her voice flowed to him from the front of her house. The smile her timbre brought to him faded the second he picked up on the tension it had.

With a powerful action, Dane left the hammock and headed around the house. He could hear the low almost nonexistent growls of Ruger and Kamau. Whomever it was the dogs didn’t approve. Scenting the air, he identified a male and a low rumble of disapproval left his throat. Composing his expression, Dane walked around unsure of what he’d find.

Aida stood toe to toe with a tall man, his skin was pale despite the intensity of the sun which shone down. He wore all white and had a cane gripped by his left hand. A bead of sweat rolled down his temple and crept toward the collar of his shirt. Aida on the other hand wore no shoes, had a colorful skirt on, knotted up mid-thigh on the right side and a white tank-top which highlighting her dark complexion. The blood rushed to his cock and it jerked with a swell of desire.

Her arms were crossed and she had one foot tapping a cadence on the hard packed dirt. Dane glanced down again and fought a smile; he could see her big toenail had a painted flower on it with a fake purple gem in the center. Dragging his gaze back up, he skimmed over her lovely profile and the way her hair was still gathered haphazardly on top of her head.

I want to lower it, sink my hands into it and…go from there.

His sharp eyes picked up on her guardians lying near, one to each side of the man they didn’t like. And that made him focus on the intruder as opposed to what he’d love to do to Aida.

“You need a man around, Aida,” the one in white said.

“She has one around,” Dane inserted arrogantly, pleased the other male jumped in surprise.

“Who…who are you?”

“This is Dane Sidorov,” Aida said. “He’s here to help me load the rest of the things up to take to the villages.”

She looked at Dane and scanned him with her gaze before turning her dark eyes back to the one in white. Dane didn’t like the way she dismissed him. He stepped from his position at the side of the house and moved toward the man stopping when he got to Aida’s side.

“And you are?” he asked the man in white.

“Just leaving,” Aida interrupted.

The venom in her voice was barely disguised and Dane shoved down the immediate urge to punch the man in his face. Just on principle. He looked down at the woman beside him. Her arms were still crossed and he could easily pick up on her attempt to control her emotions.

“Come now, Aida,” the man said in a placating voice.

“Don’t you come now me, go. Now.”

Dane watched the blue eyes swing up to him and he arched his brow in return. Get lost, man. It wasn’t hard to tell the man was trying to decide if it was worth it to argue. He waited patiently well aware of the outcome. That man would be leaving, willingly or with help.

With a sharp breath, the man tightened his hand around the top of his cane and nodded at them. “This will be continued later, Aida. I’ll see you when you get back.”

“There is nothing to discuss,” she insisted as he walked off and got into the back of his white older model Mercedes with tinted windows and drove away. “Low down, rotten…”

“Who was he?” Dane asked keeping an eye on the retreating vehicle as she muttered.

“That was the illustrious Lord Devon Smythe.”

The name alone brought a bad taste to his mouth. “Illustrious huh?” Dane focused on her and watched her hair move while she shook her head.

“That’s his way of thinking. He lives a bit away from here on one of the largest properties.”

“And he wants?”

“Him? He wants this place and a spot in my bed.”

Hell no! He barely stopped the beast within him from escaping. Running his tongue over his teeth, Dane asked as calmly as he could manage. “And you think?” Her eyes cut up toward him and he could see the comment in them she didn’t voice. He nodded with understanding. “So it’s like that is it?”

“It’s like that. I don’t need a man; I’m surviving just fine by myself. I have the perfect life.” Aida turned away and walked to the door, a miniscule hand gesture bringing the dogs to her side instantly.

“I’m of the mind that you do, Aida,” Dane murmured watching her stride away. But need one or not, you have one now.

When the door closed behind her, Dane looked around and took a deep breath. It took him a moment to figure out what it was that was different. But then it hit him. There was more than just contentment. I’m at peace. The inner turmoil that had boiled within him for centuries had quieted. It wasn’t gone, he could feel the darkness lurking but it seemed more controllable. Less of a strain to keep it at bay.

Good news is such a double sided sword. Yet he smiled again. Something he’d been doing a lot more of ever since meeting Aida Roberts.

“You coming in, Dane? Or were you planning on staying out there?” Aida’s voice reached him.

“On my way,” he called out and headed for the door. Stepping through, he saw her placing some plates on a table.

“Chow’s on,” she said without looking up.

His smile caught when he noticed the way the dogs watched him. “Great. And after if you want I can fix the rest of the roof. I noticed you have everything needed.”

“Hey,” she commented glancing up and smiling. “If you want to fix that, I’ll not argue with you.”

“I love working with my hands,” he said holding her gaze.