"american."

that didn't faze cearnach in the least. "human?"

ian hesitated too long to say. he knew his brothers would have words over the wolf.

cearnach smiled broadly. "a wolf?" he didn't say it as a question to ian, but more to himself. he looked delighted with the prospect.

"she's duncan's."

cearnach's brows arched. "he's taken her as his mate? mother will have a conniption that she wasn't consulted."

"nay, he hasn't mated her."

"ah, but it's in the making. hmm, maybe i need to show him the error of his ways."

ian straightened. he didn't need the additional aggravation. "you will do no such thing. leave her alone. i don't need the two of you coming to blows over the woman."

"he's serious, then. duncan. i can't imagine. she must be a warrior maiden to be able to handle him."

"i believe she's more of a maiden in peril, the way duncan tells it."

"well, it will be interesting to meet her and find out all about her. i just can't see duncan falling all over himself for an american wolf." cearnach folded his arms across his broad chest. "what about sal silverman and our money?"

"he's now after shelley. duncan hasn't made any headway about the money."

cearnach's mouth dropped open. "bloody bastard."

"aye. i'm thinking we might all need to take a vacation on grand cayman island. for now, i'm sending you to scout out the situation. duncan's getting in way over his head with this."

cearnach chuckled darkly. "because of a lass." he shook his head, stood, and added, "i take it no one knows of this latest development concerning duncan and the lass?"

"nay."

"why not, ian? if he's as serious as you think he is-"

"it's his decision to let the clan know what he plans to do about her. i'm not sure he's come to any decision of his own. until then-"

"i have a sporting chance."

"do you want me to send guthrie in your stead?" ian asked harshly. he would not be disobeyed in this. if cearnach even considered making a move for the wolf duncan was interested in-

cearnach grinned and waved his hand as if dismissing the notion. "nay, i will keep my hands and my thoughts to myself."

"aye, and watch your tongue. that is the worst of it."

cearnach laughed, turned, and left ian's office. ian was wondering again if he should send guthrie instead.

when duncan reached the reserve, he stormed down the path, trying to keep his blood pressure from going through the roof and hating that kenneth, the mealy little bastard, was alone with shelley. if he so much as touched an inch of her skin, kenneth was a dead man.

one of silverman's goons followed duncan, trying to keep up with his long strides to make sure duncan didn't kill kenneth if he was doing something he shouldn't to shelley. as angrily as shelley had looked at kenneth at the villa, duncan was fairly sure that she was ready to shift and take care of the creep herself.

she'd gone much farther into the forest than he'd thought she might. when he finally reached her, she was standing before some kind of tropical tree, photographing its leaves and huge gourds hanging in clusters. kenneth was watching until he heard duncan stalking up the path, and then he turned to see the rampaging wolf in human form headed for them.

even though kenneth was a couple of feet from shelley, he instantly stepped back a few more. for the first time, duncan thought the man might have half a brain. shelley looked over to see duncan approaching and smiled brightly at him. her smile was like a brilliant shaft of sunshine piercing the thick leafy canopy, striking him, and instantly heating him to the core. she didn't look stressed or concerned, just happy to be in her element, as if she absorbed pleasure from the plants themselves, the oxygen they gave off giving her peace of mind.

she reached for him as if to kiss him in greeting. he had been so anxious to see she was safe that he gathered her into his arms, hugged her like a grizzly, and kissed her smiling mouth. it wasn't enough. he had to taste her, claim her, let these men know that she was his and that sal could drop dead. as soon as he released the money he'd stolen, duncan would take care of him.

duncan's mouth sealed with shelley's, his tongue ravishing hers, unable to get enough of her. wanting to get inside her, to claim her, to connect. his hands roamed down her back, sliding her shirt over her warm skin while she wound her arms tightly around his neck. her breasts were pressed hard against his chest. he felt her arousal, her nipples beaded and enticing, as he knew she felt his erection stirring, growing, craving her as if it had a will of its own.

her tongue slid over his, her eyes closed as she squirmed a little, not to get free or because she was uncomfortable, but to rub against his straining cock, to show how much she wanted him back.

vaguely aware they had an audience-he had wanted sal's men to understand in no uncertain terms that he wasn't giving shelley up for anyone or anything-he cursed under his breath.

"wow," shelley said, coming up for air, licking his lips, and smiling at him. "you missed me."

he gave a disgruntled sound, wrapped his arm securely around her shoulders, and began to escort her away from silverman's men. he didn't bother to ask if she was finished there because as long as the men hung around, she was done with this spot of the forest. she had to realize just how concerned he'd been about her welfare, even though he'd done his damnedest to appear unaffected when he'd spoken with sal.

duncan could just imagine what sal's goons were thinking as they'd watched his and shelley's heated exchange. forget giving the woman to sal; they wanted a piece of the hot little wolf themselves.

"well? what are we supposed to do?" kenneth asked the other man, his tone annoyed and breaking the silence that filled the air.

not that the birds and bugs didn't make a lot of racket, and the breeze sifting through the trees rustled the leaves in its path. but the men's silence had garnered duncan's attention. no one spoke for a moment. duncan was certain the men were having a time getting their own lustful thoughts under control.

"we did what we were supposed to do," one man growled. "drop him off and leave. come on. let's go."

sal's minions headed out of the reserve, tromping through the forest, one stumbling over a tree root in the path, which made him curse and kick it at the same time. duncan shook his head and continued to walk shelley in the opposite direction while sal's goons returned to the trailhead.

shelley talked about the various plants she'd photographed and showed duncan a picture of a rabbit-sized rodent on her camera. the creature had long, thin legs and hoof-like claws, and she called it an agouti. duncan recognized it as the shy little beast he had seen the first night he had run with shelley as a wolf.

she was talking nonstop. he wondered if she was nervous about the men still being nearby and gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. she smiled up at him as if to say she wasn't concerned in the least.

a heron took flight nearby. they both watched it soar over the trees.

"well?" she finally said when they figured they were alone, "what did sal have to say to you?"

"he wanted to pay me to stay away from you."

a leaf had caught her eye, and she leaned down to photograph it. "oh."

"he wouldn't meet my price."

shelley looked from the leaves she was taking pictures of to duncan. "what was the price you were willing to hand me over for?"

"two hundred and fifty million pounds."

shelley had been relieved that duncan had returned to her unharmed and surprised at the way he had so amorously greeted her. but she was even more astounded by this bit of news and she gawked at him. "that can't be how much he stole from you," she said softly.

"it is."

she didn't know why she hadn't realized how much the crook might have absconded with. but then again, she couldn't imagine having that much money. then to lose it all. she supported only one person, she reminded herself. the money sal had stolen supported a whole wolf pack. at that point, she was even more resolved to help duncan.

"you have to get the money back."

"aye, i do, lass."

she took a deep breath and tried to lighten the somber mood. "i'm glad to know you thought i was worth so much."

he gave her a dark smile. "if only you knew just how much."

oh yeah, she knew how much, just from the way he'd kissed her into the ground with sal's thugs looking on. she didn't mind, knowing they would tell their boss that duncan didn't look like he had any intention of giving her up. but she knew duncan was playing for keeps.

"are you done here? we need to talk. privately." his voice was gruff, but she thought that had more to do with his arousal than anything else.

"yeah, let's head back to the villa."

on the drive back to her place, shelley wondered if duncan was going about this all wrong as far as silverman was concerned. what if dealing with his mate might have better consequences? "duncan, i was wondering-what if we get sal's mate involved?"

chapter 12

looking astonished that shelley would suggest involving sal silverman's mate, duncan frowned at her as they drove back to her villa. "why would we do that?"

"i don't believe she'd go along with him having another mate, do you? you said that you thought he'd try to keep her and me from knowing about each other, but i don't think that would work. for one, we're both wolves. so if i'm with him, surely she'd realize he'd been with another wolf by smelling me on him or something. and if i were interested in being his mate and he'd been with her, i'm certain i would know that he'd been unfaithful."