Protector: Doms of Mountain Bend Book 1 by BJ Wane (good books to read for 12 year olds .txt) 📕

He understood why she was chafing at his restrictions, why she’d gotten ticked last night when he announced they weren’t going out to the club. Having her life upended again by a stranger hell-bent on terrorizing her for some unknown reason was upsetting; he got that. But unlike her annoyance, she failed to hide the fear her stalker’s return caused, and those unguarded looks shored up his resolve to ensure nothing happened to her.

Her little retaliation of announcing she wasn’t in the mood had both amused  him and pissed him off, and his initial reaction was to give her a harder, longer punishment spanking. Remembering the plans he harbored for that ass, not to mention the desire to take her out for another ride, he’d nixed that idea. The orgasm denial he’d put her through was working just as well, from the frustrated consternation flashing in her eyes. At least it took her mind off her fear for a while.

As Dakota steered the conversation toward Lisa’s troubles, Shawn took the last bite of his burger, wishing he could have kept her smiling and relaxed a little longer.

“Shawn says you can’t come up with anyone who has reason to want you dead,” Dakota stated with his usual bluntness.

“Jesus, Dakota, can’t you at least try subtlety once in a while?” Clayton admonished when Lisa paled.

“Why?”

Clayton rolled his eyes at the blunt, obtuse reply and looked to Shawn to take over. Before he could say anything, Lisa shook her head, color seeping back into her cheeks.

“No, and I’ve tried, racked my brain now for weeks, and can’t come up with a single person, or even an incident that warrants checking into. I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault,” Shawn assured her. “He wants you to think it is, wants you upset and not thinking straight to make it easier for him to not only act but get away with his crime.”

“How about your mother, Lisa? Can you recall anything she said about your father? I know she left his name off your birth certificate, but did she ever mention him at all, even in passing?” Clayton asked.

“Not that I remember, but I was only nine when she died. I can vaguely recollect her saying once we didn’t need his money to get by, that she could take care of me without his help, or maybe it was Mrs. Wilcox she said that to, the elderly woman in the apartment next to ours who stayed with me at night while Mom worked. If she said that, I don’t know if it was in reference to him not paying child support or to having money, but either way, that wouldn’t make any difference. If he didn’t care enough about either of us back then, he wouldn’t now.”

Lisa’s calm voice matched her expressionless face as she nibbled on chips, her blasé attitude indicating she didn’t care about the man one way or another. Shawn understood that well; he’d never given much thought to his absentee mother and couldn’t miss what he’d never had.

Dakota nailed Shawn with a black-eyed glare. “You find the fucker and give me five minutes with him. You’ll have your answers. I’ve got work to do. You two clean up.”

He stalked away, heading to the stables without another word, and Shawn grinned at Lisa’s puzzled expression as she said, “I thought he didn’t want to get involved.”

“Dakota’s all about getting revenge. He usually saves his energy for finding whoever murdered his mother, but once in a while, he’ll remind us he’s not as cold as he comes across,” Shawn replied.

“You wouldn’t seriously let him…”

Clayton laughed and shucked her under the chin. “No, darlin’, we wouldn’t, but that look on your face would tempt a saint into coming to your defense.” He gave her hair a playful tug, asking, “Are you sure you don’t have a sister since Shawn has already laid claim to you?”

“What?” Her startled gaze flew to Shawn.

Shawn liked the idea of claiming her way too much to dispute Clayton, so instead, he changed the subject, noting the time. “Lisa, use the restroom before we go riding.” When her eyes turned frosty, he realized his mistake in making that sound like an order instead of a reminder about removing the plug.

Standing, she snatched her hat off the table and plopped it on her head. “I think I’ll go hang out with Angel while you two take care of the table.”

With that rebuff of his remark, she spun about and trounced across the yard, both men’s eyes drawn to her butt twitching in the short skirt. As they stood, Shawn responded with a primitive urge to stake that claim Clayton mentioned.

“Excuse me, but I have a more pressing matter to see to right now.”

Donning his own hat, he stomped after her as Clayton said in reminder, “Dakota’s in that stable.”

“What’s your point?” he returned without slowing or looking back.

“Perv,” Clayton called out with a snicker.

Maybe I am, he admitted but thought it was more that he wanted what he wanted, and he wanted Lisa. With his blood pumping hot and fast through his veins, Shawn entered the stable and looked toward Dakota, who stood grooming Phantom’s coal-black mane and tail. The darker coloring stood out against the Morgan’s dark-gray coat, the huge stallion a stunning horse that always drew eyes. With a jerk of his thumb toward the rear, Dakota indicated Lisa’s whereabouts.

Shawn lifted his hand and traveled the wide brick aisle between stalls with ground-eating strides, his cock already full and aching to sink into her tight, wet pussy. He remembered the plug, and damn near spewed his seed imagining the extra snugness it would create. Her little snit was working in his favor.

Rounding the corner, he spotted her bending over next to the apple barrel, reaching for a dropped apple. Without pause, he strode forward,