The Mane Event

by Shelly Laurenston

  Bobby Ray retrieved another stack of business papers from the desk staff. He and Mace had already hired a lawyer and apparently Sissy Mae had started working with realtors for a big-enough space to house their office. Clearly Mace and Bobby Ray weren’t men to waste time on “what if”s and analyzing. They just went for it. Ronnie liked that.

  “Are you sure you don’t want to go?”

  Glancing down at the pile of legal papers Bobby Ray had shoved into her arms and the ripped, seen-better-days cutoff shorts, scuffed and decades-old cowboy boots, and the worn Lynyrd Skynyrd T-shirt that once belonged to her daddy, Ronnie shrugged. “I know this is the perfect outfit for the thirty-degree weather we have outside, but I think I’ll stay in.”

  “You don’t have to be a smart-ass. I was just askin’, Ronnie Lee.”

  Feeling bad for sniping at him, she pushed her shoulder against Bobby Ray’s. “Sorry. But I blame your sister for my cranky attitude.”

  “Told you not to go drinking with her anymore.”

  “I know. I know. But she’s so persuasive.” Ronnie Lee juggled the papers in her hands and reached out and yanked Sissy Mae’s hair.

  “Ow! What was that for?”

  “For leading me down the path of sin and drunkenness.”

  “Looked to me like you were gettin’ there fine all on your own.”

  Bobby Ray slammed another four thick envelopes filled with papers from his lawyer on top of the pile she already carried. “Just drop these off in my room when you go back up.”

  “Sure.”

  “If you need us, we all have our cells.” Bobby Ray frowned. “And why did management call me about your ripping the phone out of the wall?”

  “It wouldn’t stop ringing.”

  Shaking his head, Bobby Ray turned to one of the other males, and Ronnie focused on Sissy Mae. “How do you do it?”

  “Do what?”

  “Remain so perky and fun loving after a drinking bout like the one we had last night?”

  “Easy. I take a couple of aspirin before I go to sleep.”

  “That’s it?”

  “That’s it.”

  “So my momma’s right. You are Satan.”

  “Can’t prove it.”

  Ronnie started to laugh until the scent hit her. That big delicious cat scent that three days ago she would have sworn she’d never like, much less lust over.

  Swallowing her slight case of panic, Ronnie Lee reminded herself she was a Reed and she wouldn’t go running because of some cat. Besides, he’d forgotten all about her. Right? No use making a fool over herself for a male who wouldn’t even remember her.

  Determined to stand her ground, Ronnie watched Shaw stride into the hotel lobby, looking amazing in a thick cable-knit forest-green sweater, faded blue jeans, and scuffed work boots. As soon as he appeared staffers came from everywhere, demanding his attention and asking him to sign things. He dismissed all but one with a wave of his hand. She had a feeling the much smaller man, a full-human, walking with him to the front desk was Shaw’s personal assistant. Lord in heaven, the man has a personal assistant.

  She held her ground until he stood no more than forty feet from the Pack, then she panicked. Ducking her head, Ronnie took a step back. Sissy Mae glanced over and abruptly moved in front of Ronnie, blocking her from Shaw’s sight. That was the one thing Ronnie did love about Sissy. She’d give her shit later about being a wimp, but she’d protect Ronnie now, no questions asked.

  Lord, but did she need that.

  To her growing horror, Shaw stopped beside the Pack and glanced up from the paperwork his assistant had shoved into his hands. He looked at Bobby Ray and she started to step away, run really, but Sissy grabbed her shirt and held her in place. Smart woman. As a predator, Shaw would immediately notice a female sprinting out of the room.

  Knowing something was going down, both Marty and Gemma stood beside Sissy Mae, further blocking Ronnie from Shaw’s sight.

  “Your Mace’s friend, right?” Shaw asked. “From the tunnels the other night.”

  “Yup,” Bobby Ray answered back…eventually. Bobby Ray didn’t believe in rushing much of anything. Especially words.

  “Thanks for that.”

  “Welcome.”

  She silently sighed. Males.

  Shaw turned to say something to his assistant, and Sissy gave Ronnie a shove to move her from the room. Perfect timing.

  Ronnie sprinted to the elevator and repeatedly mashed the call button. “Come on,” she begged. “Come on.”

  Finally, after what seemed like forever, the elevator doors slid open and Ronnie rushed inside. She juggled the big manila folders and papers in her hands so she could push the button for her floor. Once it lit up, she leaned back against the wall and let out a sigh of relief when the doors began to close.

  But when that big hand reached in and slapped itself against one of the big metal doors to stop it from closing, she barely stopped herself from letting out a yelp of surprise. Ronnie pushed herself up against the wall and held her breath as Brendon Shaw walked onto the elevator with his assistant.

  “Comp them for their rooms.”

  “Sir?”

  “Did I stutter?”

  “Not usually, sir.”

  “And make sure they have everything they need while they’re here.”

  “Yes, sir. And your sister called.”

  “What did she want?”

  Ronnie glanced up at the numbers and willed the floors to go by faster.

  “Um…” The assistant glanced at her. “It can wait, sir.”

  “Timothy, spit it out.”

  He shrugged. “She just said, ‘Tell him bite me.’”

  Instead of being angry, Shaw let out a deep laugh. He had a nice laugh. Low and real. She liked it.

  “She’s pissed at me. I left her alone with Missy Llewellyn.”

  “I’d be mad at you, too, sir,” Timothy joked, laughing right along with his boss until the elevator stopped on the twenty-fourth floor. “I’ll be here late, sir, if you need me for anything.”

  “No. Don’t be here late. Go home and see your…uh…”

  Smirking, Timothy asked, “My boyfriend, sir?”

  “Yeah. Whatever. Can’t we just call him Frank?”

  Now grinning, Timothy stepped off the elevator. “If you say so, Mr. Shaw.”

  “I do. Go home. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Night, sir.”

  The elevator doors closed and Shaw let out a breath. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see him glance at her. He stared at her bare legs for a bit, then looked away.

  She knew then he didn’t remember her. Like she guessed, once the fever wore off, he’d gone back to being a big arrogant cat with no use for “dogs.”

  What annoyed her was how irritated she felt by it. She’d nursed the man through his fever and then had one helluva orgasm with him. You’d think he’d remember something.

  She should have known better and felt damn grateful she hadn’t fucked him. The humiliation if she had…

  The elevator stopped on the thirty-eighth floor—a shifter-only floor—and she stepped out without looking at him. She went down the long hallway until she stood in front of Bobby Ray’s room, digging into her back pocket for his keycard while trying not to drop her pile of papers.

  She’d just swiped the card, unlocking the door, when he bellowed “You were going to pretend you didn’t know me, weren’t you?” had Bobby Ray’s precious papers and envelopes flying everywhere.

  Brendon couldn’t believe how angry she’d made him. Did she really think he wouldn’t notice her? That he hadn’t smelled her as soon as he walked into the lobby? He’d kept his mouth shut to see if she’d say or do anything to acknowledge who she was, but when he saw her duck down to hide from him, his heart sank.

  He could have let her walk away. He almost did as he watched her scurry from the lobby like a frightened mouse. But he’d been simply too angry to let her get away with it. It didn’t
help, either, how damn good she looked in those shorts and boots.

  “Weren’t you?” he yelled again.

  She turned and faced him, her hand over her heart. She slumped against the wall. “Lord in heaven, you scared the shit out of me!”

  “Good!”

  “Well you don’t need to keep yellin’. I hear you just fine.” She glanced down at the papers and folders all over the floor. “Dammit. Now I gotta get these back in order.”

  Papers? She was worried about papers? Who gave a flying shit?

  He watched her crouch down and pull everything together. “Is that all you have to say to me?”

  “Your fever gone?”

  “Yeah.”

  With all the papers in one hand, she stood and slapped her free hand across his forehead.

  “You still feel kind of warm to me. You should probably be laying down and getting some rest before you start working again. Anyway, that’s my opinion. You can do what you like.”

  She turned and again swiped the keycard, unlocking the door. Before she could escape inside and shut him out, he grabbed the papers out of her hands, ignoring her plaintive “Hey!”, and tossed them into the room. He could smell this wasn’t her room. It belonged to a male and he didn’t want her in there. Brendon slammed the door shut.

  “What the hell do you think you’re do—”

  Brendon shut off her tirade by kissing her. He couldn’t help himself. He’d never seen a female look finer in a pair of cutoff shorts, cowboy boots, and a T-shirt that had been in the washer so many times and seen so many years, he could easily see the aqua blue lace bra she wore under it. One good tear would have it off her in seconds.

  To stop himself from doing exactly that in the middle of the hallway, he dug his hands into her hair and plunged his tongue between her lips. Her hands slammed hard against his shoulders, and he thought for sure she’d push him away. Maybe even claw his chest open. She-wolves could be mean when provoked.

  But her fingers gripped his flesh hard and she yanked him closer, rising on her toes to meet his mouth, her tongue sparring with his.

  Brendon didn’t want to give her a chance to have any doubts, to worry what her Pack would say, so he slipped his hands under her perfect ass and lifted her. He maneuvered her legs around his waist and headed toward the back elevator down the hall. The elevator that would take him directly to his apartment on the top floor.

  He made it about ten feet when one of her hands released his shoulder and slapped against the wall.

  She pulled out of their kiss. “Wait. Just wait.”

  He growled.

  “And don’t growl at me.” At least she was panting. Panting was good. “Where the hell are we going?”

  “My apartment.”

  She shook her head, confusion and lust all over her beautiful face. “We can’t…we shouldn’t do—”

  Again he kissed her to shut her up and because she tasted so goddamn wonderful.

  He set off again, her claws scraping a line down the wall as he hustled her toward the secluded elevator.

  She pulled her lips away again. “Wait!”

  He stopped and stared at her.

  “I’m relatively positive we’re not supposed to be doing this.”

  “Who says?”

  “The laws of nature and God.”

  “Laws are made to be broken and God just wants us to be happy.” Fucking this woman would make him so damn happy. “Come on. Let’s go break some laws.”

  “No, no, no! Let’s think about this a minute. Just give me a second.”

  He didn’t release her. And since her breasts were right there…

  She gasped, her hands grabbing his head and pulling him in tighter as he suckled her nipple through her T-shirt and bra.

  “You are so not giving me a minute to think.”

  “I know,” he said around her nipple. “I don’t want you to think. Thinking is what had you running out on me.”

  “I didn’t…I couldn’t…” She panted harder. “Stop sucking it like that.”

  “Okay. How about this?” He drew her in deeper and she cried out.

  Her hand slammed hard against the wall, claws once again out. “Your room,” she demanded. “Your room now.”

  Brendon didn’t argue, he just moved.

  The ding of the private elevator nearly snapped Ronnie out of her idiocy—but not quite. Not with a man who could kiss like this. If the way he used his tongue remotely mimicked his skills with his cock, she was in for a time.

  Thought you were an adult now and you weren’t going to do this sort of thing anymore? Remember? New year…new life.

  There it went again. That damn voice in her head. The one that sounded suspiciously like her momma. The one she never listened to even when she should. She probably should listen to it now, but the man’s kisses were drugging. Ronnie couldn’t think past his lips touching hers. His tongue gliding along the inside of her mouth, caressing and tasting. She couldn’t think past what he’d do once he got inside her, the very thought making her shudder and her pussy clench tight.

  The elevator didn’t directly open to his room, but to a hallway and a door right across. Shaw pushed her up against the wall while he fished keys out of his back pocket and unlocked the door. He carried her inside and shoved her up against another wall as he slammed the door shut and threw the four bolt locks.

  Not until he had her right where he wanted her did he release her legs, his hips rocking into her body. She moaned, slipping her hands under his sweater and into the back of his jeans. She squeezed his ass and laughed when he groaned against her mouth.

  Shaw’s lips trailed down her jaw to her neck, his teeth scraping along the throbbing pulse point in her throat. He continued on, bringing his mouth back to her breast and pushing her shirt up while pulling the lace bra cup down. His warm mouth enveloped her nipple, hungrily tugging on it.

  She dug her hands into his hair to hold him in place, wondering if he could bring her over the edge by sucking on her breast. She’d heard some men had the skill, but she had yet to meet one.

  Ronnie’s body tightened in anticipation, every muscle tensing, preparing for the release it knew was coming.

  She opened her eyes to watch the man playing her body so effortlessly, and that’s when she saw him walk out of Shaw’s kitchen.

  He froze at the sight of her, juice from the green apple he’d just bitten into dripping down his chin. He wasn’t like the ones at the hospital. He wasn’t human. Not fully anyway.

  Growling, fangs bared, Ronnie slammed her fist into the side of Shaw’s head.

  “Ow!” He pulled away, his hand rubbing the cheek she’d wounded. “What the fuck was that for?”

  Pulling her bra up and her shirt down, she snarled, “If you think I’m that kind of wolf, you’ve got another thing coming!”

  “What?” Shaw looked genuinely confused and a little hurt.

  She pointed toward his kitchen.

  Frowning, Shaw stood straight and turned. The two males stared at each other for several long seconds. Then Shaw was on him, grabbing the male around the throat and slamming him up against the wall.

  “Where the hell have you been?”

  Roaring, the male shoved Shaw back and turned so he could slam Shaw against the wall.

  “None of your goddamn business!”

  Ronnie rolled her eyes. Brothers.

  They had to be. Only family could ever get a body this pissed off.

  Shaw pushed his forearm against the other’s throat, turned, and slammed his brother against that poor abused wall.

  “I almost got killed looking for you!”

  “Who told you to look for me? I told you to mind your own goddamn business!”

  They both roared at each other, literally, and Ronnie decided it was a good time to leave. She quietly unlocked and opened the door, but before she could sneak out into the hallway, Shaw’s gold eyes lasered over to her, nailing her to the spot with one look.

&n
bsp; “Don’t even think about leaving.”

  Ronnie would have argued with him. Told him it was best he and his brother talk alone. Or that he was being an ass and he could go find another fuck somewhere else. But before she could say a word, Shaw’s brother shoved the bigger man to the floor and the two went at it like…well…like two big cats.

  It wasn’t pretty.

  Although the canine part of her sure did enjoy the show.

  Chapter Six

  They hadn’t shifted yet, but it had crossed Brendon’s mind. Especially when the little shit sank his fangs into the side of Brendon’s neck. Without his protective mane that shit really hurt!

  This wasn’t how he’d planned to talk to Mitch when he finally caught up to him. Brendon had it all worked out. In nice, easy tones, he was going to ask his brother what was going on and whether he was okay.

  Unfortunately, he’d been so wound up from making out with the She-wolf and sexually frustrated because of all the things he wanted to do to her but hadn’t been able to yet, he’d unleashed his full fury right on his baby brother’s head. As usual, Mitch dived right into that fight.

  Honestly, the boy had no sense at all sometimes. Although he did have a mean right cross, and sometimes it felt like his fangs were extra sharp.

  Brendon grabbed his brother around the throat, letting his claws dig into the skin enough to make Mitch nervous. But before he had time to gloat about his brother’s sudden stillness, water, cold and imported directly from Denmark, ploughed into his face.

  Both brothers snarled and separated, looking up into the smug face of one gorgeous She-wolf.

  “Didn’t have time to bother with the tap.” She held the empty water bottle in her hand. Water that cost him five bucks a pop. “Although why a body would go all the way to Denmark to get water, I’ll never know. Ain’t American water good enough for ya?”

  She put the empty plastic bottle on top of a side table. “Anyway, sorry about that, but I figured there had to be a better way for you two to work out whatever it is you’ve gotta work out. And, to be quite honest, you won’t let me go and I haven’t got all night to sit around here waiting for you two to get bored. So”—she held her hands out to both of them—“why don’t you two try talking this out rather than ripping each other’s throats out. I’d hate to have to explain all that blood to those poor maids.”