by C. D. Gorri
He nodded at the tall, sleek looking woman who accompanied Margot. She was strikingly beautiful. Pale and thin, perfect features. She looked like a model.
Willowy and graceful, the polar opposite of his so-called date. He appreciated her beauty but was surprisingly unmoved by it. Once again, an image of Dimples crossed his mind.
His Bear hummed in appreciation. WTH? Where do these thoughts keep coming from? He shook his head and pretended to listen to whatever Margot was chatting about. But he really had zero interest. Something was humming around his head, distracting him. He looked around expectantly.
“I said this is my cousin, Lacey. She’s the model, remember I told you? I saved us a table over by the bar,” Taylor nodded at Margot’s cousin and tried not to be annoyed at the way she pulled him along behind her like some errant child.
“Look, Margot, my brothers and Marcus’ fiancée are meeting us here, so give me a chance to find them-”
A huge hand on his shoulder had him whirling, but he calmed down when it turned out to be one of said brothers. Daniel and Marcus were both there, to his surprise. He greeted them and leaned in to listen over the din of noise in the crowded bar.
“Where are the girls?” Marcus’ voice was a deep growl.
Taylor suspected the crowd was getting to him as he searched for his mate. Never come between a Shifter and his mate. It was like Shifter Etiquette 101. He stood aside and scanned the crowds for the woman, hoping to soothe his agitated Alpha.
Taylor shrugged not seeing them. Then he looked ahead, towards the bar and exhaled. He pointed to a table where Leya was currently sitting, alone.
She seemed okay, looking at her phone and munching on a nacho. Where the hell was Krissy? Surely, she didn’t leave the soon-to-be Alpha female of their Clan by herself?
The fivesome started moving towards Leya’s table. He smiled at his new sister and looked away appropriately when she and Marcus embraced. It seemed wrong to watch somehow. Like voyeurism.
The two of them just melted into one another. Two halves that were suddenly whole in the tender hello they shared. So obviously suited, the irrefutable fact they were fated mates was evident in spades.
Taylor felt himself overcome by a twinge of jealousy. He wanted what they had, he realized. And with surprising preeminence. His Bear roared inside his head. Taylor acknowledged the animal was searching, looking for his mate too.
Poor thing. Taylor shook it off. He turned to look at Daniel. He was stiff and uncomfortable, and it showed. It surprised the shit out of Taylor that his taciturn bother was at the bar to begin with.
Socializing was something the grumpy Bear avoided ever since the event-which-shall-not-be-discussed happened. He’d become a sort of recluse in the time since his near-wedding.
Taylor was secretly happy the woman had walked away from his brother. Daniel was a deep soul. A good brother. A great Clan Enforcer. He was solid and dependable.
His ex-fiancée had been a money-grubbing world class bitch and a half. And Taylor did not say that lightly. In fact, he despised anyone who maligned women in name or action. However, that one deserved the title.
The first hint of her true character had shown when she’d demanded a bigger ring than the one Daniel had proposed with. Shit just declined from there. Melinda had flirted with everyone within a ten-foot radius of her when Daniel wasn’t looking.
The woman had even propositioned him. Taylor. He was so disgusted, he’d tried to tell his older brother, but Daniel had been blind to it. A broken jaw had convinced Taylor to drop it at the time.
Afterwards Daniel had apologized, but Taylor didn’t mind. His brother had suffered humiliation after humiliation with that woman. So, yeah, now he was entitled to a little privacy. But he hated to think he was wasting his life on regrets.
So, yeah, Daniel joining them was a huge big deal. A cause for celebration. Taylor was extremely happy to see him, but he couldn’t figure out why Daniel was snarling at Margot’s cousin. Lacey sure was beautiful. Tall and thin, not really his style, but she was fairy-like and elegant.
She didn’t look anything like her petite and bossy cousin, Margot. She didn’t act like her either. That was kind of a plus in her favor though as far as Taylor thought. Damn. What was he doing agreeing to go out with this woman?
It was too late now to get out of it. Besides, he was more interested in his brother’s strange behavior. Lacey looked almost hunted. Interesting.
Taylor ran a hand through his thick blonde hair. He’d always been a good-looking guy and he’d used his looks to pick up women for years. He should have come alone tonight. Not with some chick he dated back in his high-school. His palms were sweaty, his head ached, and his heart thundered in his chest. Where the hell was Dimples?
Margot was talking about her day and how things went wrong at her nail appointment. Apparently, the stylist did a poor job trimming her cuticles. Not that Taylor cared. Like at all. But he smiled charmingly and pretended to listen as he tipped back his beer. His mind wandered to his absentee manager once again. Dimples. Where are you?
“Anyone need anything?” Marcus asked as he got up from his seat and kissed his bride-to-be before heading over to get more drinks from the bar.
Taylor shook his head, not caring what Margot wanted at the moment. The place was crowded, and the waitresses were nowhere to be seen. He took the opportunity to ask Leya a question.
“Hey, when did Krissy leave?”
“Leave? What do you mean?”
“Well, where is she? I assumed she left?”
“No! She’s at the bar, right there.”
Taylor turned around and scanned the bar. He saw a bunch of guys and a few women. There were some Wolves he knew from the local Pack, a couple of Bears from his Clan, a few normals, and some lucky guy kissing the neck of a seriously stacked brunette. Dayum! She was fine as hell!
He especially liked those blonde tips at the end of her wavy hair, and her sumptuous peach of an ass outlined in a pair of impossibly tight jeans. That lucky son-of-a-bitch had his thumbs hooked right into those jeans on either side of her ample hips. He sat open-legged and had her pressed up against his front so tight Taylor wondered if she could breathe! Hot damn!
He could imagine the silky soft skin that lucky SOB was brushing with his fingertips. Taylor’s chest tightened as he continued to look at the gorgeous creature.
Her waist dipped in to show a perfect hourglass of a figure. Breasts heaving as she giggled, practically spilling out of the low-cut blouse she wore with pretty little thingies all over it. Flowers? He didn’t know or care. It looked fucking hot.
Now, Taylor didn’t generally poach on another man’s territory, but he couldn’t look away. She was so gorgeous. And familiar. Somehow, the way she was standing seemed to tickle something in the back of his mind. Damn!
He couldn’t see her face from this angle. The beefy dude she was draped over was whispering into her neck and he was blocking Taylor’s view. Marcus came back, hands full of drinks, and momentarily blocked his view. Fucker.
Taylor moved around him as the couple swayed against the crowd. The man’s hands tightened on her waist, moving her dangerously close. His hands smoothed over her hips, flirting outrageously with the beautiful creature.
Taylor knew the signs. Obviously, the man was some new player in town. Not really strange for the Jersey Shore hot spot. But he couldn’t stop his eyes from going back to the woman. Who the hell was she?
There was something about her that he swore he recognized. Impossible. Taylor knew every pretty woman in the area. Hell, he’d fucked most of them too.
A fact which suddenly pissed off his Bear. He wasn’t a total dick or anything. The women he slept with knew the deal. He didn’t promise happy-ever-after. True, he rarely called for a repeat performance, but they knew that beforehand.
Anything he did with a woman was by mutual design. But he forgot every single one of his old conquests as he stared at the long-legged brunette with t
he blonde tips standing in the arms of another man at the bar.
He’d definitely remember that one. If by nothing else, then by that ass alone. His Bear growled deep in his mind’s eye. WTF? Taylor stiffened.
He felt Leya’s eyes on him. Marcus pushed something at him, and he absently accepted the cold bottle from his brother. He put his empty one down, his eyes never leaving the good-looking couple.
Completely ignoring his date and everyone else around him, Taylor frowned. Inching forward, he tried to place where he knew that woman from. Then, suddenly, she turned her face towards them.
“What the fucking fuck?!” Glass and beer flew everywhere as Taylor shattered the bottle in his hand.
“Jeez! Taylor, you got me all wet!” Margot stood up gasping.
“Um, I better go with her. I’ll tell a waitress to come clean this up,” Lacey stood up and followed her furious cousin.
“Bro?” Daniel ignored the two women and focused on why Taylor had lost his shit. Following Taylor’s gaze, Daniel sat up straighter.
“Easy there,” Marcus held onto Taylor with a firm grip, his Alpha voice controlling his brother’s Bear when all he wanted to do was rip that fucking guy off his Dimples. Roarrrr!
“Let me go, Marcus!”
He barely recognized his voice as he growled the demand. He felt something hot and wild surging in his chest. Jealousy? Yeah. Rage. Fuck yeah. And, was that, lust? Gulp. Yes. For Dimples. Oh shit.
“Calm the fuck down, Taylor! What’s wrong with you?” Marcus’ question grated on his nerves, but not more so than Daniel’s comments.
“Holy shit! About time Krissy goes out and gets some!”
“Shut the fuck up, Daniel!” Taylor growled.
“Is she doing anything you haven’t done a million times? What’s wrong with her having a good time? Why you so mad, bro?” Daniel’s argument was compelling, but Taylor still didn’t like it.
“Who the fuck is that guy?”
“Does it matter?” Marcus asked.
“No. Fuck. I don’t know. Besides, what the hell is she wearing? And what happened to her hair?”
His Bear was pacing in his mind’s eye. Taylor had never felt this way before. The room felt too close, the air too thick. His Bear hung his head in shame.
Was that his best come back? What is she wearing? The truth was there was nothing wrong with Dimples’ clothes or hair. She looked good. Like seriously good, as in hottest most fuckable woman in the place!
High fucking praise, if he did say so himself. Taylor just didn’t want anyone else to see her like that. Dick-move on his part? Abso-fucking-lutely.
His Bear agreed with him on that point at least. No one should see her like that. Mine. And that fucking guy? The one whose arms were about to be broken? Yeah, him. He needed to go. Like yesterday. Grrr.
“What’s the matter with what she’s wearing? We went shopping, got our hair done and everything! Doesn’t she look great?” Leya, his sweet little soon-to-be sister smiled up at him innocently, and Taylor wanted to roar again.
Not that he did. He knew better than to mess with his Alpha brother’s woman.
She was right though. His Dimples looked ravishing. Dressed up like that, she was sexy as fuck. But he frowned as he took in her appearance from the newly frosted hair to the bottoms of her stiletto heeled sandals, she doesn’t look like Dimples!
Where the fuck was his Dimples? His reliable, sweet, innocent, Dimples? With the flannels and the pig tails? The one who wouldn’t be at a bar letting some strange fucking guy grope her! GRRR.
“Dude! Get a fucking grip. Krissy is a big girl now. And, dayum, can I just say I am shocked as shit, bro! I never knew she looked like that,” Daniel let out a low wolf whistle.
Marcus held on to Taylor’s elbow a little tighter. That didn’t stop him from whipping a fork across the table and catching Daniel in the shoulder.
“Ow! Fuck, that’s twice, Taylor!”
For the first time ever, Taylor wanted to lay into both his brothers. His fingers itched with the urge to release his claws and his skin tingled all over. The Bear wanted out.
“She sure fills out those jeans, doesn’t she bro?” Daniel persisted in being a dick.
“Shut the fuck up, you asshole!” Taylor growled, ignoring Marcus’ increasingly tight grip on his arm.
Taylor wrestled internally with his Bear. The animal half of him was freaking the fuck out. All it wanted to do was rip into the bastard who was rubbing his paws all over Dimples like he had every fucking right. Who the fuck is that guy?
“I don’t know, his name’s Nate. He bought us a round earlier, but I wanted to save this table, so I came over here and Krissy stayed to chat with him. That’s okay, right Marcus? I mean, she’s a Bear, it’s not like someone is gonna mess with her, right?” Leya asked.
“Of course, it’s okay. Krissy is an adult. Right Taylor?” Marcus’ command was not lost on Taylor, but he was having a hell of a time calming his Bear in spite of it.
“Well, they’ve been hanging out over there for like an hour or so, while I waited for you, baby,” Leya bit her lower lip and looked at her mate. Marcus gazed adoringly back at her and Taylor wanted to scream again.
Fuck. What was happening to him? His protective instincts were going into overdrive. Not to mention the sudden possessive feelings he was having towards one curvy as sin employee.
And, oh yeah, he was hard as fuck! Hell of a time to get a boner. His jeans were growing increasingly tighter every time he glanced at her assets. His entire world was upside down and it was all because of her! Dimples was driving him mad.
He closed his eyes and exhaled searching for his usual calm. Taylor was the easy going one of the three brothers. Jealousy and mind-numbing desire had never been part of his repertoire. Never like this.
“Uh oh,” Daniel’s murmur had Taylor’s head turning around to the cozy couple. And his head damn near exploded.
“MOTHERFUCKER!”
He tore out of his brother’s grasp just as that son-of-a-bitch slid his tongue past Krissy’s delectable lips. The fact that she was a willing participant didn’t even enter his mind.
Taylor was on the guy in two seconds flat. He sniffed as he grabbed the stranger’s huge, meaty shoulder and shoved. Bear! Oh good. He was a Shifter too. Taylor grinned, ignoring Dimples’ startled gasp. At least he didn’t have to pull his punches.
This close he was briefly distracted by the light jasmine vanilla scent that was all her. A distraction that cost him a punch to the side of his head. Goddammit, she smelled and looked way too fucking good.
He’d have to spend some time with her to see if she smelled that good everywhere. Yeah. Good plan. His Bear agreed. First, he needed to kill this fucker.
Her lips were soft and plump with that just-kissed look. This fucking prick! He turned back to the fight he’d started and threw a solid left-hook. One good thing about having brothers, Taylor knew how to take and throw a punch.
Screams and chaos erupted around him, but he ignored it all focusing on hitting the grinning fucker right in the jaw. The stranger grunted and took the hit well, barely sliding off the stool.
He was bigger than Taylor originally thought. Stronger too. He didn’t fall down, but his steps faltered as he swung and missed. Mine! Protect!
Taylor’s animal roared with pleasure at the thought of being able to battle another Shifter for her. Fighting over Dimples? Fuck yeah. Now it was his turn to falter. What the holy fuck was he doing?
“Taylor!”
“Duck bro!”
Krissy and his brothers were yelling as the bar’s two huge Werewolf bouncers came bounding over to hustle the battling Bears outside. Taylor was still stunned at the insistent cries of his Bear as he breathed the fresh air before taking another hit in the stomach. Mate! Mine! Protect!
He didn’t have time to sort out his animal. Taylor had just taken the last punch he was going to take. The not-too-distant sounds of sirens reached his ears. He neede
d to hurry up and get his shots in before his fun ended all too soon.
He stood up and growled his fury at the strange Bear. The man’s beast shone in his brown eyes and he smiled tauntingly at Taylor. Then all hell broke loose.
Chapter 7
“No Sheriff, I have no idea who that man is, I simply saw him accosting my employee, and I reacted regrettably. I am happy to pay for any damage to the establishment that our disagreement caused,” Taylor spoke through gritted teeth. His jaw was bruised, and his head pounded.
It took six guys, big fucking Shifters, to pull him and that asshole apart. After they’d been all but shoved outside the two men had unleashed hell on each other. Taylor still smelled the coppery scent of blood from his own split lip and other various cuts and bruises.
He was happy to note most of the blood on his clothing was not his. True, he was the prettiest Devlin, but he fought like a goddamn bull, or er, bear, when the occasion called for it.
Marcus was settling their tab and apologizing to Mike, the owner of The Thirsty Dog. He was a Werewolf and, though the place catered to Shifters, normals did frequent it as well. So, of course, they called the fucking cops.
The Maccon County Sheriff’s Department policed all of Maccon City. They even made their way to Barvale on occasion. Taylor was acquainted with the Deputy on call, a young Werewolf named Tony D’Amato.
He was a good man, if a little green. He grinned as he took Taylor’s statement. Fucker.
“Okay. I think that does it. Now, you wait here, Mr. Devlin,” he nodded and walked away jotting down some more notes.
Taylor couldn’t believe this shit. Dimples was glaring daggers at him from where she stood off to the side being questioned by another officer. All he did was protect her!
Grrr. His Bear bristled at him for upsetting her. Well, what was she mad at? She should be thanking him!
“Bro, you ready?” Daniel asked after talking to the officer.
He’d learned that the guy he hit, Nate Cordoza, was visiting the Garden State from Texas. He was looking to relocate and happened upon The Thirsty Dog “looking to make some friends”. Yeah. Right.