JUDE (Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance) (A Wood Haven Novella Book 1) Read online

  Table of Contents

  COPYRIGHT

  SIGN UP

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  SIGN UP

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  JUDE

  A WOOD HAVEN NOVELLA

  HAILEY STORM

  JUDE

  Copyright © Hailey Storm 2016

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the above author of this book.

  This is a work of fiction. The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  Cover Created by E. W. Designs & Photography

  Edited by Red Road Editing

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  CHAPTER ONE

  SOPHIA

  A lump formed in my throat as I stared at my cell, watching it vibrate across the café table. Stephen’s name lit the screen.

  “How many times is that?” my best friend Liz asked.

  I brushed a few strands of dark hair away from my eyes and released a long breath. “Today or this weekend?”

  My brother had called me nonstop for the last three days. At first, I’d been pissed because I’d told him six weeks ago not to contact me again. That I was done. My foot was being put down and I wasn’t going to enable his lifestyle any longer. However, as the calls became more frequent, I found my resolve starting to wither away.

  Today not even a sliver of it remained.

  The pain in the back of my throat intensified as my cell grew still and dark. Another of his calls gone straight to voicemail. Nausea rolled through my stomach.

  “What do you think he’s gotten himself into this time?” Liz took a sip from her coffee, her eyes glued to me.

  Something big. With Stephen it always was.

  “Who knows? Probably something to do with money. I’m sure he needs me to bail him out of whatever trouble he’s found himself in this time.” I wouldn’t though. I’d promised myself last time I would never clean my brother’s messes up again. He wasn’t getting another dime from me. “I don’t care anymore. I’m done.” My hands shook as I lifted my coffee to my lips.

  My words were a lie. I did care. I always would. Stephen was my brother. I wished just once he would call me with some good news though. With him, it was always something bad. Last time he’d asked me for five grand. Said he needed it to pay off his debt with a coyote from the other side of town. I’d stupidly given it to him, believing him when he said he’d change his ways.

  I should have known he wouldn’t get his shit together.

  Stephen had a problem, with both gambling and drugs. He always needed money because of it. The problem was, I didn’t have it this time. He’d tapped me dry over the last couple of months.

  “You care, Sophia. I know you do, but I’m proud of you for finally putting your foot down. You’ve helped Stephen way too much over the years. I’m glad you finally realize all you’re doing is enabling his lifestyle.”

  Heat rose up my neck and inflamed my face. I hated being reminded of how much I’d done for my brother by someone else; looking at my life was reminder enough. I drove a crappy car because I gave my brother the money I’d saved to get it fixed. I still worked at the local grocery store because the money I had saved to open my own bakery went to my brother’s debt this last time around.

  “Thanks. It’s not easy.” Even after everything, I still wanted to pick up my phone and find out what he needed. The desire to ate at me.

  “I’m sure, but it’s time. You can’t keep letting him waltz into your life and screw everything up. You’re not a bad person for showing him a little tough love. Whatever it is he’s gotten himself into, he can work to get himself out of it.”

  I blew out a long breath and forced my eyes to look anywhere besides at Liz. She meant well, but she had been known to go on long-winded tirades about my brother’s situation and what she would do if she were me. I didn’t feel like hearing one today.

  My cell vibrated again, this time with an incoming text. I read it without thinking.

  Please talk to me, Fifi. I need you. Call me back.

  My cell was in my hand before I could blink. I swiped my thumb across the screen and stared at my childhood nickname. Stephen hadn’t called me Fifi in years. Something was wrong.

  “What are you doing?” Liz jerked my cell away. “Stick it out. It’s good for him. Trust me.”

  Hateful words burned on the tip of my tongue, but I held them back. She means well, I reminded myself.

  “Call me a bitch, call me whatever you want, I know you’re mad, but I’m only saying this because I care about you.” She set my phone on the table, its screen facing down. “Stephen needs to learn to take responsibility for his own actions. You can’t keep rushing in to fix his mistakes, Sophia. You don’t owe him anything. You never did.”

  I did though. It was my fault he was the way he was.

  I should have been the brave one out of the two of us. I shouldn’t have frozen when everyone needed me most. I was the oldest. Maybe it was only by six minutes, but that didn’t matter. I was older. In the world of twins, six minutes was a lifetime.

  “Stop,” Liz said. Her blond brows pulled together. “You’re beating yourself up.”

  “I’m not beating myself up.” I sighed.

  “Bullshit.”

  I snorted, rolled my eyes, and took another sip from my coffee. While I loved Liz, she definitely had her faults. Calling someone out was one of them.

  “I’m not,” I insisted.

  “You are. We’ve been friends for how many years now? I can read you like a book.”

  “Don’t pull any of that psychoanalysis crap on me today. I truthfully don’t think I can handle.” I rolled my eyes.

  “I’m not.” Liz leaned back in her chair. “I’m talking to you as your best friend. Stephen needs to hit rock bottom to realize he needs help. You always rushing to fix things for him isn’t allowing him to do that. I’ve told you this before.”

  My cell vibrated with another text or call coming through. It was Stephen. I could feel it.

  Liz’s bright-blue eyes begged me to ignore it, but I couldn’t. Not after reading his last text.

  “I’m sorry.” I snatched it off the table before she could get to it first. “It’s something serious. I can feel it.”

  My insides quivered with the knowledge that my brother was in deep shit as my stomach churned.

  “You’re going to regret helping him.” Liz narrowed her eyes. “He’s just going to ask you for more money.”

  “You’re probably right.” I tapped the circle button on my phone and glanced at the screen as it lit up, revealing my b
rother’s newest text. “But replying to his text or answering a phone call doesn’t mean I’m obligated to give him anything. He’s my brother, Liz. He’s called me probably fifty-two times in the last three days. I need to at least make sure he’s okay.”

  “I get that.” She nodded. “I do. Just don’t let him suck you in this time, okay?”

  “I won’t.” My eyes drifted to my cell.

  Please, Fifi…

  Two words. Nothing more. An ache built in the back of my throat as I stared at them. Stephen was in trouble. Big trouble.

  I scooted my chair out and stood. “I should go. I need to find out what’s going on with him.”

  Liz looked at her watch. “Yeah, I should probably get going too. I have a client coming in about twenty minutes.”

  I gathered my purse and car keys before scooping up my coffee. “Thanks for meeting me. It’s been way too long.”

  “It has. We should do this more often.” Liz pulled me into a hug.

  “Let’s meet up again next week. Same time, same place?”

  “Sounds good. Let me know what your brother wants. I’m just as curious as you.”

  “I will. Talk to you later.” My heart thumped wildly as I pushed against the cool metal bar of the double doors leading outside.

  By the time I made it to my car, I felt as though my coffee had soured in my stomach and was on its way back up. I needed to calm down before I reached out to my brother. My fingers trembled as I unlocked my car door.

  God, what had he gotten himself into?

  He knew I didn’t have any money. Not after the last time I’d helped him out. If he’d gotten himself into more debt with that crazy coyote group again I would kill him. I’d told him last time he needed to leave them alone. Shifters were nothing besides bad news. Considering what happened to our parents, you’d think Stephen would know this.

  He always had to learn crap the hard way though. Maybe that was what being the youngest was all about?

  I situated myself behind the steering wheel of my car and closed the door, sealing myself off from the noise of Main Street. Inhaling a deep breath, I tapped my brother’s name and replied to his message.

  What have you gotten yourself into this time?

  My heart kick-started inside my chest when he responded seconds later.

  Can you meet me? I need to talk to you. In person.

  Shit. He knew I wouldn’t be able to tell him no in person if he asked me for help. I’d never been able to before.

  I closed my eyes and exhaled a long breath. I could do this. Tough love. I’d already put my foot down by waiting three days to respond to him. I could totally tell him no in person. I was strong. I was brave. I could do this.

  If I kept telling myself that, maybe eventually I would believe it.

  Where do you want to meet?

  The water fountain in town square.

  My muscles relaxed. Meeting in a public place would make it easier to tell him no if he asked for money. He’d be less likely to beg or have an outburst if people were around to witness it.

  I’m leaving the coffee shop on Main Street. I can be there in seven minutes.

  Thank you, FiFi.

  “Don’t thank me yet,” I muttered as I set my cell in the cup holder and reached for my keys. “This meet and greet isn’t going to have the outcome you’re thinking it will.”

  I jammed my keys in the ignition and cranked the engine of my car. It made a God-awful noise before finally roaring to life. I had to get it in the shop soon. It had been on the fritz for too long. I couldn’t give my brother any more money. No matter what he said. No matter how much he begged. Giving him money was off the table. It was time he took responsibility for his own actions, as Liz would say.

  I backed out of my parking space and started down the one-way street toward town square, ready tell my brother just that.

  CHAPTER TWO

  SOPHIA

  My car made a grinding noise as I shifted into park. I frowned as I cut the engine. Jesus, I needed to find a cooking gig. Telling Stephen no if he asked for money was a must too. I exhaled a long breath. Turning Stephen down would be hard, but I could do it.

  I had to.

  I squared my shoulders, blew out a calming breath, and climbed out of my car. My heels clicked against the concrete steps of the parking lot as I jogged up them, heading for the alley that cut between a bookstore and kitchen store. The instant I stepped out of the alley, the water fountain came into view … and so did my brother.

  Stephen stood with his hands crammed into the front pockets of his denim cargo shorts. His dark hair was longer than I remembered and his face wasn’t nearly as baby smooth as the last time I’d seen him. An ache built in the back of my throat. He was thinner too. He’d obviously not given up on his bad habits yet. His gaze darted from person to person as he scanned the crowd, searching for me.

  He was a mess and I couldn’t help feeling like it was all my fault.

  I hoisted my purse higher on my shoulder and clutched it to my side as I continued toward him. The instant he spotted me, his shoulders visibly relaxed and the familiar lopsided grin that always seemed to hang loosely on his face when were we kids sprang free. I’d missed that smile.

  “You came,” he said when I was only a few feet away.

  “I told you I would.” My stomach churned as I took in the dark circles beneath his eyes. I couldn’t remember a time when he’d looked this bad.

  “I gotta admit, I doubted you this time.” His eyes softened as he shook his head and the lopsided grin I loved fell off his face. “I was beginning to think you’d never answer my calls or texts.”

  “I didn’t think I would either. I told you last time I was done giving you money.” My words were harsher than I’d intended. Stephen flinched, causing guilt to shoot through me.

  “I know. I said I would never ask you again.” His eyes grew distant, as though our last argument was flashing through his mind. I braced myself for harsh words to fly from his cracked lips—he always did have a temper—but nothing did. He remained quiet, still.

  “Then why are we here? What do you want?” I bit my bottom lip, hating myself for not taking the time to ask if he was okay. Instead, I jumped to conclusions, thinking he only wanted something from me. I was a horrible sister.

  “I didn’t call to ask for money. I called to ask for a favor. Please, Fifi, just hear me out. Listen to what I have to say before you tell me no, before you decide.”

  I could do that. “Okay.”

  “Promise you’ll hear me out?” His eyes hardened as though he didn’t believe me.

  “Promise.”

  He took a couple steps closer to me and the stench of stale cigarettes hit my nose. When had he started smoking again?

  “I said I wasn’t going to ask you for money, and I’m not. Money won’t help my situation. Not now. Nothing can, besides you.”

  A shiver slipped along my spine. I’d never been afraid of my brother, but he was freaking me out right now. “What do you mean?”

  He fished a pack of cigarettes and a lighter out of his front pocket and pulled one free. He placed it to his lips while keeping his gaze locked on me, almost as though he was waiting for me to ask when he’d started smoking. I didn’t. Stephen smoking cigarettes was the least of my worries.

  “My life is in your hands.” He flicked his zippo across the side of his shorts, igniting the flame, and tipped his head to the side as he lit his cigarette. Smoke billowed around his face and then curled into the air to disappear above him.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I know you think I’ve screwed up a million times, but this time I really did it. I pissed off someone big. The only thing that can fix what I’ve done is to do them a favor, and my favor involves you.”

  I shook my head. “No.” There was no way in hell I was getting involved with the people he dealt with. “I’m not getting sucked into this. Whatever it is you’ve done, you need to take responsibilit
y for it and handle it yourself.” My words wavered as they rushed past my lips, but I meant every single one.

  “Don’t you think I would if I could?” He scoffed. “I never wanted things to come to this. I never wanted you to be involved.”

  “I’m not involved, Stephen. I’m not.” I started to walk away, but paused to glance at him. “Maybe it’s time you get yourself professional help.”

  “Now wait a minute, Sophia,” an unfamiliar voice called out. It was gruff and raw. There was danger in it that had my heart pounding and the fine hairs along the back on my neck standing on end. “Didn’t you promise you’d hear your brother out before deciding whether to help him or not?”

  I fought against my flight response to the guy and turned to face him. He wore a pair of shiny shoes, pressed slacks, and a crisp button-up shirt. His hair, a salt-and-pepper combo, was slicked back away from his forehead, giving him a sleazy, used-car salesman vibe. And his eyes, they were the color of liquid honey.

  He was a shifter. A coyote.

  Trouble.

  “And you are?” I asked.

  The shifter sauntered toward me, bringing with him the stench of his cologne. It was spicy and woodsy. Too strong. He continued toward me until inches remained between us. His hands crammed into the front pockets of his slacks as he leaned forward until his lips brushed against my ear. “The man who’s going to kill your brother if you don’t agree to the offer I’m proposing.”

  My breath hitched in my throat. Was this real? My eyes shifted to Stephen. His face had paled as panic ate away at him.

  The coyote took a step back. “So, you gonna listen, doll face?”

  I nodded, but couldn’t bring myself to speak. What had my brother done to garner this type of wager? And how the heck had I been dragged into this?