Mine to Claim Read online

  MINE TO CLAIM

  MINK

  Mine to Claim

  MINK © 2022

  All rights reserved. This copy is intended for the original purchaser of this e-book only. No part of this e-book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without prior written permission from MINK.

  This e-book is a work of fiction. While reference may be made to actual historical events or existing locations, the names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  CONTENTS

  Mine to Claim

  Chapter 1

  Sully

  Chapter 2

  Orchid

  Chapter 3

  Sully

  Chapter 4

  Orchid

  Chapter 5

  Sully

  Chapter 6

  Orchid

  Chapter 7

  Sully

  Chapter 8

  Orchid

  Chapter 9

  Sully

  Chapter 10

  Orchid

  Chapter 11

  Sully

  Chapter 12

  Orchid

  Chapter 13

  Sully

  Chapter 14

  Orchid

  Chapter 15

  Sully

  Chapter 16

  Orchid

  Chapter 17

  Sully

  Chapter 18

  Orchid

  Chapter 19

  Sully

  Chapter 20

  Orchid

  Chapter 21

  Sully

  Chapter 22

  Orchid

  Chapter 23

  Sully

  Chapter 24

  Orchid

  Epilogue

  Also by MINK

  About the Author

  MINE TO CLAIM

  MINK

  When Orchid moved in next door, I could tell she was running from something or someone. I vowed then and there to keep her safe from everyone, even me. I’m not a good man with a knight in shining armor sort of reputation. Anything but, in fact. For Orchid, though, I want her to see the side of me I hide beneath my big beard and rough exterior.

  When her past comes calling, I steal her away to my mountain hideout. And when the cult that raised her tries to take her from me, I’ll burn down everyone who ever hurt her. Like I said, I’m not a good man. But for Orchid, I’ll be an avenging angel.

  1

  SULLY

  Orchid is in her garden again. I can tell because Paulo, her back neighbor, is suddenly very interested in making sure his lawn is top-notch. I can also tell because I knew the second her back door opened.

  I’ve been expecting her. Keeping my head down, I continue sanding the piece of burled wood on my lathe.

  “Oh, hey Orchid! I didn’t see you there,” Paulo lies easily.

  “Hey. I was just checking on my tomatoes. They aren’t looking so good, I’m afraid.”

  “I can come over and–”

  “You should work in some Epsom salt around the base of them, then water it in. It’ll help them get established before the heat sets in.” I stop my lathe and stand.

  There she is, her hair tied up in a messy knot, a sundress hanging loosely off one shoulder as she fusses with a stringy-looking tomato plant.

  “Salt won’t kill them?”

  “No. Not if you use a little on each. Don’t go crazy. Just a teaspoon or so.” I glance over at my own tomatoes that are full and green, the fruits already beginning to swell. “You’re using my seed, so I know that’s not the issue.”

  “Right, Epsom salt.” Paulo leans on the fence, his eyes on Orchid. “I could help you with that.”

  “I already did, Paulo.” I stare him down.

  He looks away quickly. I don’t blame him. I’m a big guy with a beard and a ‘take no shit’ attitude. I’m also the only thing standing between him and Orchid. He’s been gawking at her ever since she moved in. Most of the time, I just want to beat the shit out of him. But today, with the way he’s looking at her, I might start planning where I’ll bury him up on my mountain property.

  “Let me know if you need anything else,” I call to Orchid, her big eyes on me. She looks like a spring treat, her skin warmed by the sun, her feet bare. She takes my breath away. Always has.

  Paulo hesitates at the fence, clearly still trying to make time with Orchid. Not on my watch. She’s too good for a man like him, too good for anyone around here, and definitely too good for me. But that doesn’t mean I won’t look out for her. I will. Always. I’ll keep the assholes like Paulo at bay and be thankful for every second I get to spend near her.

  “Have a good one, Paulo.” I make my dismissal of him clear.

  He grumbles under his breath but turns and goes into his house, slamming the screen door behind him. Pansy.

  Returning to my lathe, I get back to sanding, glad in the knowledge that Orchid isn’t being bothered by her pervy neighbor any longer.

  I’m making good progress on the vase, sanding out all the rougher bits of the burl, the twisted wood creating a beautiful pattern of swirls and dips. I create plenty of woodwork pieces, but this one… I think this one might be nice enough to give to Orchid. I’ve started several pieces with her in mind, but none of them have been good enough. For her, it has to be perfect.

  I keep sanding until a scent catches my attention. Honeysuckle, the sweetest kind that doesn’t bloom until the end of summer. Orchid.

  Looking up, I find her watching me from across my deck.

  “Hey.” She smiles brightly. “I looked for Epsom salt but didn’t have any. Can I borrow some of yours?”

  “Of course.” There’s nothing I wouldn’t give her to make her happy. Hell, I’ve even considered sneaking into her yard at night and fertilizing her tomatoes, but I don’t want to take her garden away from her. She really enjoys working on it, and even though it’s not in the best shape, it’s all hers. Something she can be proud of, and I’m plenty proud of her even if her cucumbers all wilted, her squash never flowered, and her carrots got carried away by rabbits.

  “Wow, that’s beautiful.” She moves closer, her eyes on the vase. “How do you do that?”

  “Lots of time and practice.”

  “Could you show me?” She tangles her fingers together, color painting her cheeks. “Not today, I mean. Of course not today. I know you’re busy, and I’ve got a shift at the diner this afternoon, but–”

  “Sure.” I walk over to my storage closet and pull out a bag of Epsom salts. “Here you go.”

  She smiles, lighting up my entire world the way she has done for the past three months. I moved to this tiny house in this small town to get a taste of living around people. My land out on the mountain is my real home, but I thought it was time to learn more about life, and that meant getting out of my comfort zone.

  It’s how I met my neighbor Orchid. And it was the best decision I ever made.

  “Will I see you at the diner later?”

  “Yes.” I can’t stay away. Maybe she knows that.

  “Thanks, Sully.” She holds the bag against her side and turns to leave, her sweet dress flaring out from her as she hops down my back stairs. “I’ll bring it back tomorrow.”

  “See you later.” I get my lathe spinning again, but I keep my eye on Orchid. After all, she’s in danger.

  2

  ORCHID

  I let out a small moan as the first bite of Dixie’s strawberry cake melts in my mouth. She says I’m a terrible taste tester because I love everything. Growing up, there wasn't a lot of variety when it came to food. We only had the same
few things on repeat. I don’t think anyone even used salt or pepper. It’s been three months since I escaped that life, and still I’m finding foods I’ve never tried.

  “Let me guess. You like it.” Dixie gives me a teasing smile as she sets the cover back over the cake.

  “Her uniform doesn’t,” Roxie mutters as she passes behind me to drop something into the sink.

  I glance down at my uniform, unsure of what she means. I think the uniform is kind of cute. It has that old diner feel to it. Plus, like all the other dresses I get to wear these days, it doesn’t go to my ankles. In fact, my uniform looks to have gotten a few inches shorter than it was when I first started wearing it. The hem of the skirt used to sit right above my knee, and now it rides higher up my thighs.

  “Go be a bitch somewhere else,” Dixie snaps at her.

  I let out a small gasp at her outburst, followed by a laugh. Cursing might not be totally new to me, but hearing those words come from an older woman that could be my grandmother makes me laugh every time. I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to it. But I’ve thought that about a lot of things since I came here.

  “Whatever.” Roxie rolls her eyes before pushing back through the swinging door to the front of the diner.

  “Don’t listen to her. I think your uniform is looking better than ever. Your cheeks too. When you smile now, those dimples really shine.” I reach up and touch my cheeks. “But if it’s bothering you, we can get you a bigger size.”

  “Oh!” It hits me what they mean. My weight. “It doesn’t bother me,” I admit.

  My cheeks warm. I’ve noticed the weight too, but it hasn’t bothered me. In fact, when I look in the mirror when I step out of the shower, I look more womanly. Back home, they’d call my body sinful. Maybe that’s why they make the food so terrible—so no one gets hips and boobs. I like them. For the first time in my life, my body feels as though it belongs to me. Not that I haven't thought about it belonging to someone else. Someone I choose.

  “I think Roxie is the only one it bothers.” She cackles. “Maybe Sully too.”

  “Sully?” Hearing his name alone can make my heart flutter. I mean, how could it not with how handsome he is? I have to admit that the man rules most of my thoughts. Even giving me ones I’d never had before. He’s inspired them inside me. So much so I’ve been starting to write them all down.

  “Roxie just wants the attention on her is all.”

  I start to ask Dixie about Sully, but Roxie bursts back through the swinging door. “You’re up,” she says, letting me know someone either sat in my section or requested me.

  “Thanks.” I check to make sure I have my notepad before I head toward the front of the diner. My eyes flick to the clock. The same giddy feeling hits me when I see the time. It’s Sully. He comes every night at this time to eat an early dinner and always sits in my section.

  He’d actually been my first table ever. That’s both a good and bad memory all wrapped into one. I ended up spilling half his food all over the table and partly into his lap. I could never forget that day. It’s branded into my mind. I was sure I was going to get fired.

  The whole diner had grown eerily quiet except for the sound of Roxie’s smothered laughter. Everyone was waiting for the beast of a sexy man that had somehow managed to fit himself into one of the booths to explode. And he hadn’t disappointed them in the least. However, it hadn’t been directed at me. Well, not fully at least.

  He was snapping about them letting me carry too much. That I didn’t need to rush to get the food to him. That he was in no hurry when he came to the diner. He said I needed to slow down and take my time.

  One of his hands had snagged my upper arm, and before I knew what was happening, he was wiping some of the steak soup off my arm, muttering about me burning my soft, petal-like skin.

  I don’t know what it was about those words, but they stuck with me. He thinks I feel like rose petals. I loved how his touch was rough against my skin. I could tell he uses his hands every day. He has the hands of a real man.

  The men I was used to didn’t have that roughness to them like Sully does, even though they were supposed to be our protectors. Theirs were probably softer than even mine, honestly. Not a single one of them knew the meaning of hard work. I hate their hands. Especially Jeremiah’s—he was to be my husband. Anytime one of his would even graze my hand or arm, my whole body would freeze inside. It didn’t matter if it was over a hundred degrees out, everything inside of me went ice cold. It scared me down to my very core.

  Where I grew up, the higher-ups were the men who stood at the front of the room and spouted all kinds of things from the books in their hands. The same books they made us all read too. It only confused me more because I never thought we were reading the same ones. The passages inside of them meant something totally different to me than the way they portrayed them.

  I only brought that up one time, though. I learned a hard lesson real quick. I'm reminded of it when I glimpse my bare back in a mirror and see the two thin faded white lines across it. It’s crazy how I knew when they struck me it was wrong, but still when I catch sight of those scars, shame fills me in the worst of ways. I might have escaped them, but they still hold on to parts of me. They haunt me in ways I fear I’ll never escape no matter how far I run.

  My dark thoughts lift when I see Sully sitting in his normal corner booth all the way at the end. His back is to the wall so he can see everyone that enters and exits. I smile at him as I grab the pot of coffee from the burner. When he returns it, my insides melt the same way they do every time this man is near.

  At this moment, I’m not the lost, homely girl with no real purpose. I’m the girl that got Sully to smile. A rare treat that’s better than any cake Dixie could ever make.

  3

  SULLY

  “Did you have a good day?” she asks as she pours my coffee.

  “I did. How about you? Did you get the Epsom salts worked into the soil?”

  “Yes.” She beams. “I hope it can work some magic. My poor tomatoes are hanging on by a thread.”

  “They’ll perk up.” I reconsider sneaking into her garden and doing a little upkeep. I don’t want to take anything away from her, but maybe a few late-night waterings and fertilizing might not be so bad. Besides, what’s a little assistance between neighbors?

  “Do you want your usual?” She leans her thigh against the table, her creamy skin in sharp relief against the chrome of the table.

  It would be so easy for me to just reach out and slide my finger down her thigh. Just a little touch. The urge to do it rides me something fierce, but I put my hands in my lap. Orchid doesn’t need an asshole like me touching her. Even though I’d give anything to make her moan.

  “Sully, you okay?” She leans down. “Your cheeks went sort of red for a second there.”

  “I’m fine.” I’m glad I’m sitting down with the table hiding everything going on in parts south. Orchid always does that to me. Makes me warm, makes me hard, makes me want things I can’t have. “The usual sounds good.”

  “Great. I’ll put the order in. Oh, and Dixie’s made a new cake tonight. Strawberry.” She leans closer, conspiratorially, and I get that sweet honeysuckle scent. “I went ahead and quality tested it. It’s delicious. You should get a slice.”

  I turn my head, my mouth close to hers, our eyes locked. Her pupils flare, and I can almost feel when her pulse begins to race.

  “If it’s as sweet as you, I’ll have to try it.” My voice is gravelly and gruff.

  She swallows hard then licks her lips. Jeez, does she have any idea what she’s doing to me? I have the briefest mental flash of bending her over this table and giving her every inch of me, the diners be damned.

  “Hey, Sully. You busy later?” Roxie’s voice cuts through the music from the jukebox.

  Orchid seems to snap out of her trance and stands up straight. “I was just getting his order.”

  “Did I ask you?” Roxie pops her gum, then turns to me
. “I get off at ten.”

  “I couldn’t care less.” I’m not known for sugarcoating anything.

  I hear Dixie snort a laugh from farther down the counter, and Orchid covers her mouth with her order pad to hide her smile.

  “Still playing hard to get?” Roxie gives me a sharp look. “Don’t worry. I can be patient, big guy.”

  “Like I said, I couldn’t care less. Now run along so Orchid and I can finish our conversation.”

  Roxie gives me a fake pout, then turns and stalks off.

  “Oh my God. Thank you.” Orchid lowers her note pad, though she’s still trying to school her features and subdue her smile.

  “For what?”

  “For that. I mean, I don’t think Roxie is a bad person or anything, but she can be sort of …”

  “Cruel? Pushy? A dick?” I offer.

  She laughs, the sound just as beautiful as her. “No. I was going to say ‘bold.’”

  “If you say so.” I sip my coffee. Black and bitter, just the way I like it. It’s not quite the same as what I make up at my lodge, but it’s close enough. More than that, sitting here and drinking coffee gets me more time with Orchid. I’d happily drink battery acid if it meant I got to be near her.

  “I’ll get this in. Be back in a bit to top you up.” She turns, her dress riding higher on her thighs.

  There goes my cock again, acting up and demanding I do something about how badly I want Orchid. But I won’t. I’m no good for her. Hell, I barely have enough social skills to make it through my days of just going to the hardware and fucking around at my house. Orchid is a friend to everyone she meets, a beacon of warmth–no wonder I’m drawn to her. She’s everything I’m not, and I’ve worshiped her from day one.