“Can you be a pretend woof, like your name?” Tanner asked. Since he was still standing on my thigh, we were almost eye to eye.
I picked up both children as I stood, went into the center of the room and spun around in a careful circle. They giggled. Then I dropped to the ground to lay on my stomach and let them climb all over me.
I would enjoy the play of the children until Olivia returned. Then I would give them back to Lucy so that I could court my mate and hopefully get her up against a wall once more. My beast liked the idea.
“Woof!” Emma said and climbed onto my back.
7
Olivia
The bar’s entrance wasn’t on the street but down a dark, nasty alley that reeked of garbage, piss and cigarette smoke. It was like every other shithole Jimmy Steel had made me walk into. I knew he sold drugs at better establishments than this. Upscale restaurants downtown. Salons. Spas. Anywhere people with money were used to getting what they wanted. That was the way the world worked. How it had always worked.
I had figured, after my second “job” for Jimmy the Asshole, that he sent me to places like this because he enjoyed getting me dirty. I looked so sweet and innocent on the outside. It was true, appearances were deceiving. I did everything I could to live a simple, uncomplicated life because the alternative—this—was never going to happen.
Then there was my brother and the rest of my fucked-up family.
There was a reason Lucy was with the kids and not one of the dozen cousins I had in this city. My family, or what was left of them, was toxic. Top to bottom. Drugs, mostly. Alcohol. Affairs. Drama. Always some kind of drama. Infighting. Fistfighting. Someone was always in jail or recently getting out.
I’d had enough. And Greg’s kids, my babies, Tanner and Emma? They weren’t getting near any of this. I’d break the cycle of misery and destruction so they wouldn’t be tainted. Ever. So I’d cut my family off, every single one of them, after Greg died. No contact. New cell phone. New house. I cut out the cancer that had killed my brother, and I’d been happy. Until Jimmy came knocking and pulled me right back into the mess.
The door I had to knock on was covered in rust and cracked gray paint. The light on the corner, at the end of the alley, was out. Of course. I’d bet anything there were no working security cameras back here either. I pulled the diaper bag higher on my shoulder as if it would protect me.
Using the side of my fist, I banged on the door, hard, and hoped I wouldn’t need a tetanus shot. The music coming from inside the dive bar was so loud I was afraid no one would hear me pounding.
I was wrong. The door opened slowly, and a large, tattooed bouncer looked me over from head to toe with something in his eyes I did not like. He was big but flabby. Greasy hair hung down over his forehead, and he needed to shave his jowls. He looked like an ugly, deflated version of Wulf. While I hadn’t been scared of Wulf, I was definitely afraid of this guy. He had zero honor.
“I have a package for you,” I said, not wanting to stand around and chitchat. The sooner I did this, the sooner I could be out of here.
“Yeah, sweetheart? I’ve got a package for you.” He cupped his crotch and thrust his hips in my direction. His laugh made my stomach churn, but I stared him down even though I was a foot shorter. It was best not to show an ounce of reaction to these guys. If they saw me cower, they’d pounce on it. I’d learned that when I was six or seven.
Without a word I walked past him and into the back room of the bar. I’d been here before and went directly to the small office behind a series of iron bars. I didn’t know who was back there, and I didn’t want to know. The only thing I wanted to do was drop off Jimmy’s drugs and get the hell home. Debt paid. Time served. This was the last one. With this drop I’d paid back my brother’s debt to Jimmy Steel in full.
I reached into Emma’s diaper bag and, from the inside pocket, pulled a package wrapped in thick brown paper and duct tape. I’d weighed every one Jimmy gave me. This one was the largest. Eight pounds of what? I had no clue. Didn’t want to know. I was done.
D.O.N.E. Done.
Placing the package on the small shelf, I slid it under the bars until a pair of hands appeared to pull it out of my grasp, but I held on. Tight. I’d learned this lesson the hard way as well. “I want a receipt,” I said.
The voice that answered sounded like half a pack of cigarettes and zero patience. “I’ll let him know you delivered.”
I shook my head. “Not good enough. I want a receipt.”
The sigh was followed by a large belch, as if that would dissuade me. Try again. “No one double-crosses Jimmy. He’s got connections, yeah? You cross Jimmy, you die, and no one goin’ looking for the body, yeah? Don’t you know who he is?”
“I know who he is.” He was a drug dealer, a ruthless bastard who had made my life a living hell. That’s who he was. I was done. “I still want a receipt.”
“You don’t know shit.” A few moments later he slid me a business card with the bar’s name on the front, a date, time and initials on the back. “Good enough?”
My answer was to take the card, let go of the package and walk out the back door like my hair was on fire. Tattoo Guy didn’t bother speaking to me this time. I wasn’t interested, and he had a job to do, which wasn’t me.
I practically ran back to my car and drove home by rote memory, not remembering how I got there once I pulled into the driveway. I rested my head on the steering wheel and tried to catch my breath. Just breathe. It was over. I had done it. Paid Jimmy back, not been caught by the police, kept the kids safe. We could have a real life now. Quiet. Peaceful. No drama. No criminals. I was free. I smiled to myself, and for once it was real. Whole.
I needed a shower to wash it all away. God, every time I did this, I felt filthy, as if I hadn’t bathed in days despite the shower I’d hurried through before I left. I hated using the diaper bag, but Jimmy had insisted. Now? I was going to throw it out, get a new one. I didn’t want to touch that bag ever again, as if I were tainting my little niece by connection alone. Fear was exhausting. The closer I got to the different drop spots, the more I would sweat. A cold panic coated my skin. I only felt relief when I was back in my car and driving home.
It had been thirty minutes since I left the latest shipment, and the adrenaline was fading, leaving me restless and nauseated. The last drop, Jimmy Steel’s guy had been forty minutes late, not giving a shit that I had two kids who’d wake me up at the crack of dawn for breakfast. All he cared about was me doing what I was told.
Greg had been gone a year. Besides having to adjust to an instant family, I’d had to deal with an instant blackmailer because I’d inherited his drug debt. Sure, I’d had nothing to do with it, but Jimmy Steel had come calling one night. Personally. I had to pay off twenty thousand dollars, allowing me to give him a mixture of my hard-earned income and delivering drugs for him.
All because of Greg. My brother had been in the military and deployed to Afghanistan twice. His wife, Sally, had raised the kids alone while he was gone. He came home whole in body but not in mind. Because our family was so screwed up, he’d gone the way of many others, followed their example and gotten into drugs to dull his mind. With it brought the debt.
I looked more like a soccer mom than mule, and I had a feeling that was why Jimmy’d used me. I was able to get away with it. For the past year. God, my nerves were shot. Thankfully Lucy watched the kids for me. There was no way in hell I was taking two toddlers to a seedy bar to deliver cocaine or ecstasy tabs or whatever was in those packages. So I’d lied and I was still lying to my best friend.
More like she was allowing me to lie to her. Which I very much appreciated. The less she knew, the better.
I hated Greg for this. Then I hated myself for hating him. He’d died and I felt so guilty for it. But why did he have to get in bed with a guy like Jimmy Steel? He could have come to me. To the doctors for help. Drugs, but good ones. Legal ones. But no. I was paying for his crimes.
Because
of that, I felt tainted, like right now as I sat in the driveway. I was used to being good. I felt physically ill knowing I was helping put drugs into the hands of people who ruined lives. People probably died because of these pills. Or did stupid things that ruined their lives. I had to wonder how many were in debt to Jimmy like Greg had been.
I didn’t think he’d ever done drugs… or at least I liked to think not. He’d come home messed up and made bad choices. Choices I paid the price for.
Not anymore. I was finished. When I’d left, Tanner was chattering away to Lucy from his bed. While both he and Emma should be asleep now, it was possible they were up again. I knew Lucy would let them stay up late, eat ice cream and generally run around like wild animals. They loved their nights with her, and I couldn't deny any of them the happy memories, even if it messed with their sleep schedule and they’d be cranky the next day. Lord knew those kids needed more of them.
So I glanced in the rearview mirror, fixed my hair. For being so young, Emma and Tanner were really observant. They picked up on when I was happy or sad, if I’d had a bad day. I’d fake it till I made it with them. I fake smiled at myself, then rolled my eyes and climbed from the car. Grabbing the diaper bag out of the back seat, I checked to make sure it was empty, opened the lid of the small trash can by the garage and threw it inside with the rest of the garbage.
I opened the door, half expecting sugar-induced whoops and hollers and being almost knocked down by leg hugs. Instead the house was super quiet as I stepped inside. I set my purse and keys down on the table beside the door, then turned and froze.
My heart leaped into my throat at the sight. There on my old, worn couch was Warlord Wulf, asleep. On top of him, like two cute leeches, were Emma and Tanner, also asleep. Emma was spread eagle on his chest, Tanner tucked under one arm, his head resting on his ribs.
“Oh my God,” I whispered when I felt my ovaries explode. This wasn’t in any of the show’s clips. I had no doubt if it were, there would be a line out the door for bride volunteers.
Asleep, Wulf’s body was relaxed. No tense muscles. No stern looks. No clenched fists. Just… softness, although I’d never tell a seven-foot warlord he was soft.
What was he doing here, and why was he covered in kids?
Clearly he’d been here for a bit. There were toys on the floor, as usual. The coffee table was turned sideways, although I could see it was so his long legs could stretch out. If he’d put them on the table, I wondered if it would have broken.
Lucy came out of the kitchen and held a finger over her lips.
Yeah, no duh. I didn’t want to wake them.
I tiptoed past, down the hall and into my bedroom. Lucy followed and shut the door behind her.
“I hate you so much,” she whispered.
My heart was pounding so hard I figured she could see it. Warlord Wulf was here for me. Here! For me!
“What is he doing here?” I whispered right back even though I’d told myself the reason.
“He’s here to do you.”
I rolled my eyes.
“How did he even know where I lived?” I set a shaky hand on my chest. “Or who I am?”
She huffed out a laugh. “Are you serious? They tranqed him to keep him from following you. You think he’d stay away? Finding an address was not going to be an issue for him.”
“What did you tell him? Where did you say I was?” I asked in a rush. What if he found out where I’d been? What I’d been doing?
Her eyes narrowed. “That you had something to do.”
I was going to get struck by lightning. Smote. Something bad because yeah, I’d lied to my BFF to deliver drugs.
“That’s it?” I practically squeaked. “He didn’t ask any questions?”
“Oh, he asked questions. Would it have done him any good?”
No. That was the answer. Bless Lucy. She’d let me do what I needed to do. And now? I was free of Jimmy—and I had a hot alien sleeping on my couch who… was… here… for… me.
“Well, just so you know, that was the last time I had to volunteer.”
She narrowed her eyes farther. “Right.”
“What do I do about Wulf?” I kept my voice down so none of them woke up. I needed a minute. Okay, two. I wrung my hands. Bit my lip.
I had an alien on my couch. An alien I’d had sex with a few hours ago. An alien who said I was his mate.
“Have sex with him, you dummy. Oh, wait, you already did that.” She grinned and I blushed.
“I have two little kids. How is that even possible? God, how do parents make a third child? Do they hide in the closet or something?”
Shrugging, she opened the bedroom door behind her. “You’ll find a way. I know I would.”
She slipped out, and I followed her to the front door. When I closed it as quietly as possible behind her and turned around, Wulf was staring at me.
He was awake.
I stared. He stared. He stared some more. Slowly and with a care I never expected someone of his size to have, he lifted Emma off his chest and set her gently on the couch beside him. Then he moved his arm out from under Tanner and also laid him down. I winced, since Tanner would surely wake up. But he didn’t. I had to hope he was just plain exhausted from staying up late and having an Atlan to play with.
I swallowed hard as he stood to his full non-beast height. Here, in my little house, I realized how large he was. The bride program center was huge and had made him appear big, but not like this. He must have ducked through the front doorway when he came in.
He didn’t say anything, only looked me in the eye as he took me by the hand and led me down the hall, just like Lucy had.
This was Wulf, not Lucy. My heart wasn’t in my throat now, but I was tingly all over. Just our fingers touching gave me a zing. I was panicked but calm. Excited but… at ease.
I knew this guy. Well, I knew him when he’d been in a rage before, when he’d been a beast. He was chill now, as if his beast didn’t need to come out. He knew who I was. Knew he was where he wanted to be.
I didn’t understand it, personally, but the concept made sense now, especially since Lucy had updated me to what had happened on the show after I’d left.
He ducked through the bedroom doorway, and I closed the door behind me.
“Are you… are you all right?” I asked him. Just like earlier, I tipped my voice low. “I heard they tranquilized you.”
“You left me,” he replied.
I felt like shit now. This huge alien was also a softy, and it seemed I had hurt him. I had no idea how that was possible, but it felt that way.
“I’m sorry. That was pretty crazy with everyone barging in and the cameras. I mean, it was on TV.”
“It was not optimal, but I do not care where we are as long as we are together.”
My mouth fell open. Had he just said that? He’d known me for, what? Fifteen minutes? Most of that time had been spent… yeah. Not going to go there right now, although my body wanted to desperately. It was as if my body’d had some Atlan cock and was addicted.
“Be mine, Olivia Mercier. Go to New York with me. Accept my mating cuffs.”
“Are you asking me to… to mate you?”
He nodded. “I have made it very clear how I feel for you. How my beast knows you anywhere. You belong to us. I can’t live without you.”
I’d dreamed of a man saying that to me. I can’t live without you. But men on Earth don’t mean that literally. Wulf did. If he didn’t claim a mate, he would die from mating fever.
I stared up into Wulf’s face. “That’s crazy. I’m not… I can’t be your mate.”
He frowned. “Why not?” he asked with a little snap to his voice. I was ruining his calmness.
I frowned back. “Why me? I mean… you had twenty-four gorgeous, friendly women to be your mate.”
He shook his head adamantly. “My beast didn’t desire any of them.”
“It desires me?” I asked, tossing up my hands, completely confused.
>
“I think that was made obvious. Do you need a second demonstration? I will be more than happy to provide one for you.”
Oh yes, I did. I so did. But that wasn’t the point.
“Wulf, look at me.” I lifted my hands and waved them in front of my body. “All of me.”
He did. His dark gaze raked from my booted feet to the top of my head. I hadn’t dressed up to go on the little errand for Jimmy Steel, but I didn’t look like a slob either. Boots. Jeans. A dark T-shirt. This was my don’t-be-seen-by-anyone-and-blend-in outfit and one that covered more skin than was required in Florida.
“I am.”
“I’m… I’m not a small woman. Surely you want someone taller? Not so big? I can’t compete with Genevieve and Willow. You should want them. They look like models and… you’re… gorgeous.” There, I said it, and his dark eyes turned to pools of near black as if I’d pleased him. “You could literally get any woman on this planet to fall at your feet. You should be with a model or an actress or something. Someone beautiful.”
“I do not desire those females,” he countered, then frowned. “You are very beautiful. You disagree? Are you saying I’m supposed to want human females who are angles and bones, like Woocy… I mean Lucy?”
I had to bite back a laugh at the name. Score one for Tanner. But this was serious. Men like him did not go for women like me. I was not even close to the feminine ideal. I’d been fat shamed since middle school. This could not be happening to me, not when he’d had two dozen of the most beautiful women I’d ever seen all over him for the last three weeks.
“I think you made a mistake,” I repeated.
He shook his head slowly as his heated gaze continued to rove over me. “You are soft. Everywhere.”
I nodded. Now he was catching on. No amount of cardio was going to fix what I had going on. Not that anyone could tempt me onto a treadmill. I’d rather eat nails than volunteer for that kind of torture. I liked to breathe real air and not be in pain. If I wanted to eat a cookie, I was going to eat the damn cookie.
Bachelor Beast (Interstellar Brides® Program: The Beasts Book 1) Page 8