Claimed (The Lair of the Wolven #1) by J.R. Ward

Coming even closer, she tried to balance as she lifted one leg and attempted to get it over the full saddlebags.

“Use me.” He put out his arm. “I’ll keep you right.”

Putting her hand on his bicep, she got herself on the bike, the sloping seat bringing her tight to his backside. As the scent of him flooded her nose, she closed her eyes briefly—

On the back of her lids, all she saw was the profile of him spotlit against the mysterious, brilliant illumination.

As she cursed and popped open her eyes, she rubbed her face.

“You okay back there?” he said. “I don’t wear helmets anywhere, by the way. But I’m a licensed driver and you can hold on to me.”

When he hit the gas, she jerked back, and instinctively her hands went to his waist. But after that, he was careful with the speed, finding the bumpy way over to the dirt road she’d told him to use, the one that, ironically, took them to McBridge’s property—and from there, out to a side lane that intersected with the county main drag.

Once on the asphalt, he gunned the bike, and for a moment, she was able to forget where they were going and what they were going to do. It was just the man, the bike, and the bracing morning air, so clean, so cold, so clear. As they zoomed along, the trees whipped by on either side of the road, and the scents of the forest and the earth entered her blood.

Racing, everything racing. Her heart. Her mind.

Her body.

Turning her head to the side, she rested her cheek on his back. As unsettling as the light show had been, this … this felt normal. This felt right.

You know, except for the fact that they were going to trespass on a hotel’s property.

But no worries there. It wasn’t like they hadn’t done some breaking and entering before.

“Shit,” she said into the roar of the wind.



Daniel was not a morning person. Never had been. But it was interesting how Lydia had turned him into a crack-of-asser. And as for this little road trip? With her holding on to him and leaning into his back? He was tempted to just keep going.

To like, fucking California.

Too soon, she was straightening and tapping on his shoulder. “The trailhead’s up here,” she shouted into his ear.

He cut the gas and glided them into a parking area that had a rustic bathroom, a carved sign announcing the trail’s name, and not a whole helluva lot more.

Heading around behind the loo, he tucked the motorcycle by the cistern tank. It wasn’t a total snow job, more of a less-obvious than truly-hidden. But whatever. Better than leaving the Harley out in the open.

As he cut the engine, Lydia dismounted, and wasn’t that a loss of colossal proportions. Forced to follow suit, when all he really wanted to do was have her up against him for so much longer, he got off and pulled his jeans up.

“Lead on,” he said as he snagged his key.

With a nod, Lydia took off for the trail, striding fast, throwing out those long legs of hers. He picked up his pace and stayed right with her. After going a good distance, she tugged at his sleeve and drew him into the forest proper. That was when the incline started, the ground underfoot rising, becoming more rocky.

The light from the east gathered in intensity and that shit was bad news.

Actually, this whole thing was a bad idea, but she was the type who would do it without him.

So she was going to do it with him.

Just as Daniel was wondering how they’d know where the hotel property was, a twenty-foot-tall chain-link fence with “No Trespassing” signs presented itself.

“Let me guess,” he said as he tossed some ground cover on the links to make sure it wasn’t electrified. “We’ve reached the up-and-over part of our adventure.”

She glanced at him. “This fence goes on for five miles. And the only entrance has a guard station.”

“Are you going to be okay climbing—” Daniel shook his head. “Or … you could just go right ahead there.”

Lydia was like a cat, clawing up the fence like she’d been a gymnast in an earlier life. And he started to follow her—when he froze.

“Wait,” he said.

When she ignored him, he threw up a hand and snagged her ankle. “Stop.”

She looked down at him. “What’s wrong.”

His head slowly shook of its own volition. And to make it seem like he’d picked up something definitive in the environment, he made a show of looking around.

But it was an internal thing telling him no, they shouldn’t go up there.

“Lydia, we can’t do this.”

“What are you—” She shook his hold free and focused on the top of the fence. “I’m going without you then—”

“No! You can’t—”

At that moment, a vehicle’s headlights pierced through the dimness of the early morning.

“Get down,” he ordered. “Right now.”

Lydia let go and he caught her in midair, taking her down to the ground and covering her with his body. As he stopped breathing, and so did she, they both looked to the road on the far side of the fence. The truck that passed by them was white with some kind of logo on the side.

And it wasn’t the only one.

The construction vehicles came next, trailers busing in bucket loaders, cranes, diggers. They were like a marching band of earth-moving equipment, and he had to wonder why it was all being brought in this early.