Unexpected Love (White Oak-Mafia #2) Read Free Page A

move, she honked her horn.
    “I don’t see anything.”
    “I do. Think I’m hallucinating?” she teased.
    “Or off your trolley,” he muttered.
    She stared at him. “I am not crazy! The bear is lying on the road, ten feet in front of my car!”
    He leaned forward and shook his head. “Move up a bit.”
    “Grumpy won’t like that.”
    “Well, we can’t just sit here.”
    She put the car in park and let go of the wheel. “Actually, we can. But don’t worry, Grams has probably called the rescue squad by now.”
    Five minutes later, a heavy thumping came from behind and hovered above them.
    “Bloody hell!” Castile yelled.

Chapter 2
     
    Memories of the carnage in Egypt flashed before Steel’s eyes, the enemy helicopter hovering above, firing at them. The need to dive from the car and take cover overwhelmed him.
    “Rescue’s here. Bear’s moving,” Tess yelled over the thumping.
    He focused on the road before them. The helicopter had a bright beam shining on a six-hundred-pound black bear. Between the noise and light, the snarling bruin left his warm bed and slowly waddled into the trees.
    For a bear he couldn’t even see before, the damn thing was huge!
    Once it was gone from sight, Tess slowly drove forward. The thumping helicopter didn’t leave. Instead, it provided additional light to the road so Tess was able to speed up to twenty miles per hour.
    Soon they pulled onto a tree-lined driveway. The helicopter continued to shine its light down from above and followed them all the way to a well-lit parking area.
    A thin, old woman wearing hiking pants and a loose shirt stood on the bright porch and waved at the helicopter.
    Tess parked the car and ran to the old lady. Steel escaped the car as well, but for a different reason. Although he knew he was perfectly safe, his heart pounded in fear, certain the car would blow up any second now. He ran behind a tree and hid until the helicopter’s bright light disappeared and the thumping faded away. Only then did his heart calm. With dignity, he walked to the trunk of the car and retrieved his luggage. Tess remained with the old woman on the porch, but he could hear their conversation.
    “You’re a life saver. Grumpy was sleeping on the road and refused to move.”
    “Is your car okay?” the old woman asked.
    “Yeah, I stayed ten feet back and honked my horn from there.”
    Steel recalled suggesting she do otherwise. Thank God, she had ignored him.
    “You need a better car to push about that bear,” the old woman scolded.
    “Well, now that I have a job, I’ll save up and buy something less pealable.”
    He rolled his suitcase to the porch and held out his hand to the woman. “You must be Tess’s grandmother. I’m Alastair Castile.”
    Grams held out her hand. “Call me Helen.”
    “My friends call me Steel.”
    He stared at the small cabin, then glanced at Tess. What the bloody hell was she thinking? There wasn’t room for him here.
    Helen patted his arm. “There’s room. Don’t you fret.” The old woman’s ability to read his thoughts shocked him. She led him into the ancient kitchen, then faced him, her dark eyes drilling into his. “What you’re about to see, you can never speak of. Do I have your word?”
    He nodded, wondering if the old girl was loopy.
    Helen opened the small kitchen closet, walked in, and exited through the back wall, which turned out to be a hidden door. “Well, come on then. Tess will make sure everything is locked up tight.”
    Tess gave Steel a gentle shove. “She’s fast. Don’t fall behind.”
    Recalling Tess’s speed at the airport, he rushed to catch up, knocking down the broom with his luggage as he passed through the narrow closet. “Sorry.”
    “Go on, I’ll put everything to right.”
    He was momentarily lost in darkness, having no idea where the old gal had gone, then a light came on from below, exposing a staircase down to another level.
    Helen smiled up at him. “Watch your step.”
    He lifted