Beauty and Her Beast (Iron Hills Pack, #2) Read online

  Zach: thanks

  He put his phone away as the waitress brought their food to the truck. She looked at Maggie, and when her gaze clashed with Zach’s, there was compassion and understanding lurking there. He wondered if she’d been around when Abril had needed help five years ago. It seemed he and his brother were destined to help women in need. Not that he was mate claiming Maggie.

  He accepted the food and set it on the backseat before driving home. He wondered what Maggie would think of his house. His home wasn’t opulent, but it was in one of the best neighborhoods in Iron Hills. It was probably a far cry from what Maggie was used to, but for all he knew, she’d grown up in a mansion. Since she hadn’t shared her story, he didn’t know anything about her, other than she needed help now. If she wanted to tell him her story, then he would listen, but he wouldn’t press her for it.

  Zach pulled into his driveway and tried to see the house through a stranger’s eyes. It was all one story made of white brick with copper and rustic wood accents. He’d had it custom built after he’d received his first big royalty check. The porch lanterns were on, framing his front door. The landscaping was professionally done, and he couldn’t have named any of the plants surrounding his home. He just knew they looked nice and he’d had an automatic sprinkler system installed so he wouldn’t kill them.

  Maggie got out of the truck and walked by his side to the front door. When he opened it, he shut off the alarm. She looked around his home in wide-eyed wonder, and he couldn’t help but think it had been a while since she’d been inside a house. It made him even more curious about her, which only served to irritate him. He had no business wondering anything about the strange woman in his home. He should let her get cleaned up, feed her, and then send her on her way. Something told him it wasn’t going to happen quite like that though. His wolf had been oddly quiet on the ride home, but he knew the beast was lurking...just watching and waiting for the right moment to strike. The wolf wanted Maggie, even if Zach didn’t understand why.

  “You can sit wherever you want,” he said.

  She shook her head. “I should get c-cleaned up first. I don’t w-want to sit on your nice f-furniture wearing this.”

  “I tell you what...why don’t you take a hot shower and then when you feel better, you can soak in my huge tub. Don’t tell anyone, but I have some eucalyptus and mint oil for the bath. It’s supposed to help reduce stress, but it smells really nice.” Now he was offering her part of his private stash? What the hell was wrong with him? If he didn’t watch it, he’d be setting up house with her.

  She smiled a little.

  “Come on. I’ll show you where the bathroom is and get a towel for you.”

  He took her hand and led her through his house to the master bedroom. An awareness settled deep in his bones at that slight touch, and he nearly released her. His wolf brushed against his mind, more than content with the contact. Whatever was going on with Maggie and his beast, he wasn’t sure he liked it.

  Maggie balked at the doorway so he released her. After flicking on the lights, he went into the bathroom and hoped she’d follow when she heard the sound of water running. Zach laid a towel out on the counter before starting the shower for her. He couldn’t stand the strong smell of a lot of men’s soaps and shampoos, so he had generic soap and tea tree shampoo and conditioner. He knew women liked flowery scents, but hopefully, she wouldn’t mind what he had to offer.

  Zach saw Maggie reflected in the mirror and turned to smile at her, careful to keep his fangs hidden. She hesitantly moved further into the bathroom and looked around the large space. Zach set the bath oil on the edge of the tub, in case she decided to use it; then he left her alone. He set the food on the kitchen counter and hoped it would stay hot for her, but if it didn’t, he’d just put it on a plate and warm it in the microwave.

  The doorbell rang about twenty minutes later and Maggie was still in the bathroom. He opened the door and found two sacks of clothes on his doorstep along with a sack of shoes and a sack of bathroom items. The taillights of Weston’s SUV could be seen turning the corner down the street. Abril must have literally dropped the stuff on his doorstep and before running off. She might not be wrong about Maggie being overwhelmed, though. She didn’t even really trust him, much less his entire family.

  Zach carried the sacks to his bedroom and set them on the king size bed. Then he knocked on the bathroom door.

  “Maggie, some clothes and shoes arrived for you. I’ve placed the sacks on the bed, and I’m going to close the bedroom door when I walk out. I’ll be in the living room, but you can stay in the tub as long as you like.”

  “Th-thank you,” she called through the door. “I’m j-just getting out of the sh-shower.”

  Zach tried not to think about the fact there was a naked woman in his bathroom for the first time. Hell, aside from Abril, females weren’t welcome in his home. But for some reason, it felt right to have Maggie here. His wolf seemed overjoyed with the turn of events. The thought scared him a little, but he wouldn’t turn his back on her. She needed help, and he was determined to see that she got it...even if the thought of a woman invading his space did make him feel unsettled.

  Chapter Two

  Maggie finished drying off and stared at her reflection in the large mirror. It had been a while since she’d seen herself clearly. The mirrors in the gas station bathrooms, where she usually cleaned up, only allowed her to see herself from the neck up. Her hair was nearly white blonde and shone under the bright lights. Even wet, she looked a hundred times better than she had before. There was a hairdryer on the counter, and she wondered if her good Samaritan would mind if she borrowed it. There was a brush on the counter too, a temptation she wasn’t sure she could pass up.

  Once she’d blown her hair dry and straight, and had wrapped a towel securely around her body, she cracked the bathroom door open and peered into the bedroom. She saw the door to the hall was still closed, and she ventured further into the room. There were three sacks on the bed, and she wondered if it was all for her, and where was she going to put it when she went back to her box? Assuming her box was even still there when she returned to the alley.

  There weren’t any bras in the sacks, but there was a package of cotton panties in various colors and prints. She pulled out a pair and put them on before rummaging in the sacks again. There was a pair of dark wash jegging capris that she put on and paired with a purple V-neck shirt. Maggie found three pairs of shoes in the second sack but decided to enjoy the ability to go barefoot for a little while. The third sack held deodorant, body spray, a brush, and so many other wonderful things that she wanted to cry. Maggie was loathe to go back into the bathroom and pick up her old clothes, but she didn’t want them stinking up Zach’s house either.

  She dumped them in the bathroom trashcan, then tied off the bag and carried it with her to search for Zach. He was in the living room, where he’d said he’d be, and she quietly walked up to the sofa. He was scrolling through movies, and she wondered if he’d let her stay long enough to watch one. It had been so long since she’d had such a luxury.

  “Wh-where should I th-throw out my old c-clothes?” she asked, hating her stutter. It only happened when she was nervous, which was just about all the time. It had gotten better for a while, when she’d thought her life was turning around, then everything had turned to crap again, and the stutter had returned, worse than ever before.

  “Why don’t you give them to me? I’ll toss them in the trashcan outside. If you go to the kitchen, we can sit at the table in there and eat.”

  She was a little disappointed she wouldn’t get to watch a movie, but she nodded and handed the sack to him. She followed Zach through the house and stopped in the kitchen as he went outside. The food smelled incredible, and her stomach cramped. It had been two days since she’d last eaten, and even then it had only been half a sandwich she’d found in a dumpster behind the deli. When she’d first found herself on the street and having to scrounge for food, s
he’d been deeply embarrassed. She’d felt a tinge of that embarrassment when Zach had asked if she lived in the box, but normally, being homeless didn’t bother her anymore.

  His home was nice, far nicer than anything she’d ever seen before. Before she’d left home, she’d lived in a rusted trailer on the edge of town. She’d dropped out of high school at the age of fifteen and had taken up odd jobs to help out her family. Until her sixteenth birthday, when her parents had moved and left her behind. She’d stayed in the empty trailer until the landlord had kicked her out a week later. With no other recourse, she’d taken to the streets and slept in alleys and parks. The thought of going into the system had terrified her, and she’d done her best to avoid Social Services. Eventually, her stutter had gotten so bad, she’d been asked to not return to any of her jobs. It was far from safe being on the street, and she’d been cornered by men many times, but she always managed to escape. After a while, she’d learned that the dirtier she looked, the less likely anyone would mess with her. Even creeps had standards, apparently.

  Zach returned to the kitchen and washed his hands at the sink before handling their food. Steam still rose from the containers despite how long she’d been in the bathroom. Her mouth watered as the aromas teased her nose. She didn’t know which one was hers, and she didn’t much care. They both looked delicious and were far better than anything she’d eaten in years. Sometimes, if she was really lucky, someone would take pity on her and give her a burger from a fast food place, but that happened seldom. It was more common for her to go a few days without a meal.

  “I bought the meatloaf with mashed potatoes and carrots for you,” Zach said. “I thought it might hit your stomach better than a greasy burger, but if you prefer the cheeseburger, you can have it.”

  “The meatloaf s-sounds great.”

  She’d never actually had meatloaf, but it looked good. There had never been money to eat out when she was growing up, and her mother’s version of cooking was hamburger helper or sloppy joes. Her Thanksgiving dinners had consisted of a chunk of pre-cooked turkey and Stovetop Stuffing, when she was lucky. Not that there was anything wrong with any of those meals, but she’d always wondered what an actual home cooked meal tasted like. The kids at school had always come back from break talking about their moms cooking a turkey or ham all day and helping chop onions and celery for the dressing. Maggie was pretty sure her mother had never bought a real vegetable in her entire life. The only time Maggie had even had fruit was at school, when apples were on the menu. Ramen noodles, pasta with cheap sauce, and pot pies from the dollar store were usually on her mom’s menu at home.

  Zach plated their meals and set out silverware and glasses of ice. He set the plates on the table and motioned for her to sit. She heard the fridge open behind her and wondered what they were going to drink.

  “Sweet tea okay?” he asked, holding a glass pitcher in his hand.

  “That w-would be r-really nice.”

  He filled their glasses, returned the pitcher to the fridge, then took the seat across from her. Maggie reached for her fork and her hand shook. Everything looked so wonderful that she nearly cried. In all her twenty-one years, she’d never had someone be this nice to her before. She was almost afraid to blink in case everything disappeared. The first bite exploded on her tongue, and she couldn’t stop the tears that gathered in her eyes. She’d never tasted anything so wonderful before, but she blinked them back and focused on eating slowly. Maggie knew from experience that eating fast would only make her sick.

  Zach watched her between bites but didn’t ask the questions she saw lurking in his eyes. He finished his food before her but didn’t move from the table. Maggie was only partway through her meal when her stomach gurgled, and she knew if she ate one more bite, she’d get sick. She set her fork aside and pushed the plate away.

  “Done already?” he asked while eyeing her plate, still half-filled with food.

  “I c-can’t handle any m-more right now.”

  “I’ll wrap it up and set it in the fridge. If you decide you want more, we can reheat it. Why don’t you go get comfortable in the living room and I’ll clean up in here?”

  He wanted her to stay long enough to eat more of her meal? She’d thought he would ask her to leave once she’d showered and had a bite to eat. Exactly how long did he want her to stay? Not that she was anxious to return to her alley and box, but Maggie knew this was too good to be true and would end all too soon.

  She sat on the sofa and looked around the living room. The furniture was large, much like the man who owned it, and was a rich chocolate color. The fabric was soft against her fingertips. Wood floors gleamed in the lamplight, and a large TV was mounted above a fireplace that she would bet was amazing in the winter. She had a little more time before the weather turned, but it was always a concern that she wouldn’t be able to find a winter coat. By the time she’d worn one every day all day, it was threadbare and torn when the weather warmed, and she had no choice but to discard it and hope for a better one the next winter.

  Zach returned and sank onto the sofa beside her. He reached for the remote and Maggie wondered if maybe she’d get a chance to watch a movie after all. A thrill went through her. They’d had one TV when she was growing up and only local channels, but it had been better than nothing. She’d especially enjoyed the holidays with all the specials the few weeks building up to Halloween and Christmas.

  “Do you have a preference?” Zach asked. “We can watch whatever you want.”

  “Anything is f-fine. It’s been a f-few years since I w-watched a movie.” Her cheeks flushed with her admission.

  He bit his bottom lip and seemed to be thinking. “I know it’s none of my business, and you don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to, but how long have you been living on the streets?”

  “Since I was s-sixteen. I turned twenty-one l-last month, so it’s b-been a while.” She nibbled her lip again. “There was a sh-short amount of time, m-maybe six months, where I h-had a place to live. B-but it didn’t last.”

  “Have you been unable to find work?” he asked.

  “At school, my c-counselor told me that I h-had ADHD and dyslexia. She told m-me it would be hard for me to f-find work, so I never r-really tried.” She bit her lip. “I had a f-few odd jobs here and there, but w-when my stutter got really bad, I was asked n-not to come back.”

  He scowled. “There’s no reason you wouldn’t have been able to find a job. It might have been harder for you to focus and read, but I’m sure you would have managed. You’ve been very calm since I found you. Maybe you outgrew the ADHD. I’ve heard that can happen. And your stutter shouldn’t be a problem, unless you’re answering phones. I don’t know who you were working for, but they were obviously assholes.”

  “Maybe.” She chewed on her lip. “Do you r-really think someone w-would give me a j-job?”

  Zach drummed his fingers on his thigh. “Are you picky about the kind of work you’d do?”

  Her heart raced. “I’m not a whore if th-that’s what you m-mean.”

  His eyes widened. “No, I ... Jesus, no, I didn’t mean that. I just meant, would you be opposed to cleaning? Maybe doing some laundry, dusting, vacuuming. That kind of thing. If that’s not to your liking, we’ll figure something else out.”

  “You really think s-someone would hire me to c-clean their house? I live in a b-box. Wouldn’t they b-be worried I’d steal from th-them, or get their things d-dirty? I’m not g-going to stay this c-clean for very long.”

  Zach grew quiet for a moment, and she could see his inner struggle. Whatever he was about to suggest, it must be something monumental. Maggie wasn’t sure what was going through his mind, but if he was going to offer her a way to better her life, she was going to listen.

  “I’m going to put on a movie, but I want you to think about something. I have plenty of room here, and there’s a spare bed if you’re interested. You could clean my house in exchange for a place to sleep and food to eat, an
d I’d help you find other homes in the neighborhood to clean to earn some money. It’s not a glamorous job, and I know I’m a complete stranger to you, but I’d like to help, if you’ll let me.” He blew out a breath. “And if you don’t want to clean homes, then we’ll figure something else out. But I don’t want you to go back to that box.”

  Maggie stared at him in shock. Did he want to give her a place to stay? And a job? People seldom ever offered her food, and Zach was offering her the entire world. Part of her wondered if he had an ulterior motive. Most men she’d dealt with wanted sex in exchange for favors. Maggie hadn’t remained a virgin all this time to give it up now, just to have a place to sleep. She respected herself more than that, even if she did live in an alley.

  She could barely focus on the movie that played on the large screen and kept stealing glances at Zach. He caught her looking a few times and smiled before returning his gaze to the TV. The movie ended and her heart pounded in her chest. He’d want an answer, and she wasn’t sure what to say. Being with him had been wonderful. He’d given her all those nice things, fed her a wonderful meal, then watched a movie with her as if they’d been on a date or something. And if she said yes, this could be her life every day. But what if she agreed and he decided he wanted more from her than a clean house and clean clothes? What if it was all an act, and he was just as bad as all those other men had been?

  “If you need more time, Maggie, I’m a patient man. Don’t feel like you have to say yes. If you want to go back to your box, I’ll take you there right now. Or I can show you the guest room and you can put your things away. It’s entirely up to you.”

  “All you w-want is for me to c-clean your house and d-do your laundry?” she asked.

  “That’s all I want. After you’ve had a week to adjust, I’ll ask some of my neighbors if they might need some help around their homes. Or if you decide you want to do something different, then we’ll come up with some ideas.”