“Reyes, you know I don’t date co-workers, or anyone else for that matter. Hell, the longest relationship I’ve ever had was three weeks, and it was a colossal mistake. A night here and there is the most you could’ve hoped for.”
He tipped his chin up at a stubborn angle. “I could’ve changed your mind. Things might have been different between us.”
Starke growled. “Enough. She’s my mate, and nothing is going to change that.”
Devlin snorted. “If you think I’m suddenly going to play Suzy Homemaker, you have another think coming. There’s no way in hell I’m setting up house with you, or any other man.”
“We’ll discuss it later.”
Reyes pulled a set of cuffs from his back pocket. “The first thing we’re going to do is put you in a holding cell, Starke.”
“Like hell,” her wolf snarled.
Wait, her wolf? Devlin shook her head. That’s twice she’d thought of him that way. No way was she going to think of the hunky Were as hers. Biting him had been a burst of temper, and look how that had ended up. Now she was mated to the blasted man. Regardless of what he said, there had to be a way to undo it. She knew Weres and shapeshifters mated for life, but there had to be some ceremony, hocus pocus, or potion that could change it.
“He’s right,” she told Starke. “Now that this room is destroyed, you’ll have to go into a holding cell until we have the results of the trace on your phone. If we’re lucky, TechStarr will have something back to us this afternoon.”
“And if we aren’t lucky?” he asked.
“It could be sometime tomorrow.”
The wolf growled.
She held her hand out. “We can forgo cuffs if you’ll come with me and not put up a fight.”
“Why can’t I just stay with you?” he grumbled.
“Because I have work to do.”
Reyes looked at his watch. “Actually, you have lunch to eat.”
Starke growled. “You’re not taking my mate to lunch.”
“That’s what…”
Whatever Reyes was going to say was cut off by someone calling Devlin’s name. She looked across the room and stifled a groan. Just what she needed, another scrumptious shifter. What the hell was Alejandro doing here?
Her co-worker, Rachel, shoved him down into a chair, and Devlin realized he was in cuffs. What had the cat gone and done now?
Devlin sighed and made her way across the room, feeling Reyes and her mate at her back.
“What did you do, Alejandro?”
“Drunk and disorderly,” Rachel answered as she sat down at her desk.
Devlin arched a brow. “Before lunch? That’s ambitious even for you.”
He grinned unrepentantly. “Maybe I was hoping they’d send you after me.”
Her shirt slipped off her shoulder, and she knew the moment he saw her mating mark. His eyes narrowed, and he growled, his canines lengthening.
“Who marked you?”
She felt heat at her back and a hand on her hip. Fighting the urge to shrug off his hand, she tried not to stiffen under Starke’s touch.
“I did,” her wolf answered.
“You hate Weres. Why would you tie yourself to one?” Alejandro asked.
“Who said I gave her a choice?”
She couldn’t see Starke’s face but could tell by his tone that he was smiling. She also knew it was the wrong thing to say, especially to Alejandro. The cat knew more about her than most of her bedmates. Devlin wasn’t sure why she’d opened up with him, but she’d told him a little of her past during their time together. It seemed she’d told him just enough to make him protective of her. Just what she needed, to be in the middle of a three-way pissing contest. O’Leary’s words came back to haunt her. It appeared he’d been right when he said there were shifters who wanted more from her than a quick fuck. How lucky was she that they were all in the same room together? At least one of them was restrained.
Needles came barreling out of his office, a thunderous look on his face. She knew how much he liked order in his domain, and having three men fighting over her was definitely not orderly. She had a feeling she was going to be the loser of this round. No doubt Needles would find a way for the whole thing to be her fault. As if she weren’t in enough trouble with the wizard already.
“Reyes,” he barked. “Cuff that Were and escort him to a comfy cell. Rachel, muzzle that damn feline.”
Needles turned cold eyes toward her. “And, you, in my office. Now!”
Devlin gave an inward sigh and followed her boss into his office, shutting the door behind her. Was this it? Was this the time he took her badge from her, took away her reason for living? She knew she would have a lot of explaining to do. Not that she had any idea how to explain why three men were interested in her, three men who were currently in the P.I.T.S. office. She wasn’t sure if she believed in God or not, but if he existed, he must be laughing at her expense right now.
Needles lowered himself into his chair and leaned back. Resting his elbows on the arms of his chair, he gave the impression that he was relaxed, but she knew better. She could feel the tension in the air. No, he wasn’t relaxed. He was merely figuring out what he wanted to say to her.
“Do you know why you still have this job?” he asked after several minutes of silence.
“Because I’m a damn good operative.”
He gave a bark of laughter. “There are plenty of men and women out there who would make good operatives, ones who don’t cause as much trouble as you. No, you have this job because of your good friend Judge Mayhew. I’ve come close to firing your ass a few times in the past, but he’s always intervened. Well, guess what… he isn’t here to intervene today.”
She stiffened. This was it. The beginning of the end.
“Would you care to explain that three ring circus to me?”
“Alejandro and I have slept together off and on for the past year, and I found out today that Reyes likes me as something other than a friend. It was just a bit of male posturing.”
“And the Were?”
She shrugged her shoulder, and her shirt slid down again, exposing her bite once more. Needles’ eyes zeroed in on the mark Jameson Starke had left, and she inwardly cursed. This was so not what she needed right now. Something told her she was now in even more trouble than before.
“I thought you didn’t do serious relationships. Who marked you, that feline in cuffs? Is that why he was being territorial?”
“No, it wasn’t Alejandro.”
Needles drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair. “Well, do I have to drag it out of you, or are you going to tell me who your mate is?”
“Jameson Starke,” she mumbled.
Needles’ eyebrows lifted. “I don’t think I heard you correctly.”
“I said it was Jameson Starke.”
She watched as her boss turned a rather nasty shade of purple. He gripped the arms of his chair so hard that he ripped them right off. Throwing one, he cracked one of the windows in his office, and Devlin flinched.
“I send you after a murder suspect, and you decide to mate with him? What the hell, Devlin? I know you like your men a little on the dangerous side, but did you have to fuck him?”
“I didn’t!” she protested. “I went to bring him in for questioning, and he bit me.”
“Oh, so he just happened to get close enough to take a bite?” Needles snorted. “I know you better than that. You’d have handed him his ass if he got anywhere near you, unless you wanted him close to you.”
“We fought, and he got the upper hand. When he pinned me to the wall, I got pissed and bit his ear. Before I knew what he was up to, he’d bitten me back. I didn’t become his mate intentionally. You know how I feel about Weres.”
“I should have your badge for this. No one would blame me for kicking you off the squad after this stunt, not even your precious Judge Mayhew.”
Devlin lifted her head higher. “Is that what you’re doing?”
“You
have forty-eight hours to clear your wolf’s name and find the real killer, assuming he’s innocent. But if he isn’t, he’s going straight to the top of the execution list. Lethal injection should solve your mating problem.”
An uneasy feeling crept over Devlin. Forty-eight hours wasn’t a long time to track down a murderer. It wasn’t as though she had Remington’s or Reyes’ noses. She couldn’t sniff out the killer. She had to use old-fashioned detective work, and let’s face it, the murderer wasn’t exactly leaving any clues behind. What if she couldn’t clear Starke in time? She might not like the thought of being tied down, but she didn’t want the man to die for crimes he hadn’t committed either.
“I asked for a trace on Starke’s phone. We should have results today or tomorrow, depending on how backed up TechStarr is. He might be cleared by morning.”
“Whether he’s cleared or not, I want this case closed, St. Claire. We can’t have a murderer running loose in the city. If any more dead bodies turn up, I’m holding you responsible.”
Ouch! That was a little harsh. She was doing the best she could with what little she’d been given. Perhaps if she asked for a partner…
“Maybe if I had some help I could solve the crimes faster.”
Needles shook his head. “No. I don’t have anyone to spare right now. Everyone has their own investigation.”
She nodded her understanding and left without another word. What else could she say? Forty-eight hours. She felt the noose tightening around her neck, and she wasn’t even the one up on murder charges. Yes, she could lose her job, but she wasn’t going to lose her life over it. If she didn’t pull through, Starke would be the loser. Of course, she was assuming he was innocent.
A commotion in the holding area drew her attention as three operatives went running in that direction. She hung back, figuring it was just hot-headed shifters getting into it again. It wouldn’t be the first time. When they dragged out a bloody Alejandro, she began to worry, but it was the roar of fury and the sound of chains that sent her running to the back.
What she saw stopped her in her tracks. Her wolf had a few claw marks on him and a busted lip, but otherwise appeared unharmed. It was the look of bloodlust and fury in his eyes that stopped her cold. It took all three operatives, none of them small men, to chain Starke to the wall. She winced as they snapped the manacles in place. They didn’t use them often but had them for just such an occasion.
As the men backed out of the room, Devlin moved forward. She glanced over her shoulder at the retreating figures of her co-workers before pulling the door shut. She noticed her wolf’s canines had lengthened and claws had sprouted from his fingers. Honestly, Devlin was a little surprised he hadn’t shifted all the way, considering how angry he seemed to be at the moment. The manacles around his wrists were spelled, so he wouldn’t be doing a full shift anytime soon.
“Want to tell me what happened?” she asked.
A menacing growled rumbled from his throat. “You fucked him.”
Well, that was being blunt, but she couldn’t deny his claim. Yes, she’d fucked Alejandro, many times, and she was guessing the panther hadn’t hesitated to tell her wolf that very thing. Starke was easily six or seven inches taller than Alejandro, so the cat must’ve had a death wish to provoke the Were in such a way. Everyone knew better than to come between a wolf and his mate.
“Not recently.”
“But you did fuck him.”
She nodded. “I’ve been with Alejandro off and on for the past year. Pretty much when I needed an itch scratched and no one else was handy. It isn’t like we had a relationship or anything.”
“So, basically, you whored yourself out to him.”
She bristled. No one called her a whore. “Why, because I took what I needed when I needed it? You wouldn’t call a man a whore for doing the same thing.”
“I don’t give a shit what anyone else does. You’re my mate.”
“Well, if you expected me to be pure, you’re going to be sorely disappointed. Besides, I haven’t decided whether or not I’m keeping you.”
He jerked at the chains. “Come here, Devlin.”
“I don’t think so. Just because you’re chained doesn’t mean you can’t do some damage with those claws if I get too close.”
He looked highly offended by her comment, and she wondered if perhaps she’d gone a tad too far. After all, he’d never struck her, not even when she’d done her level best to knock him on his ass. He’d merely deflected her moves and captured her, all without leaving so much as a bruise.
“Did they feed you?” she asked, changing the subject.
“No.”
“I’ll bring you something.”
Her gaze caressed his body one more time before she turned and walked out. Even chained, the man was still a force to be reckoned with. When she reached her desk, she grabbed her keys. She may not want to be mated to him, but she wasn’t going to let him starve either. After the way he’d acted with the guys, she knew there was no way someone would venture in there to feed him. And, with him being chained the way he was, he wouldn’t be able to feed himself.
Deciding it was a pretty day, she briskly walked the two blocks to the sandwich shop. After ordering two clubs on white and two sodas, she hurried back to the station. First, she dropped her food and drink off at her desk, and then she took Starke’s back to the room where he was being held.
He met her gaze head-on when she entered the room, and she noted that some of the fire had died down. She could tell he was still upset, but he was no longer seething. It would probably be safe to unchain him, but she was in enough trouble already. One more mishap could cost her the one thing she loved above all else – her job. Nothing was worth that.
Approaching him, she set his drink down and unwrapped his sandwich. Offering it to him, she watched as he took a bite and then another. He stared at her as he ate, his eyes never leaving hers. She wanted to snap at him to stop it, but figured that would just make it worse. If she knew anything about Weres, she knew they didn’t do well with commands, which is why you seldom found them in law enforcement or any branch of the government. They did, however, make excellent bodyguards and bouncers.
It made her wonder about her wolf. She knew he was a bouncer at the Blue Moon, but for how long? What had he done before that? Had he lived in Paradise Falls his whole life or had he moved here recently? There were many questions buzzing in her brain, things she wanted to ask but didn’t dare. She didn’t want him to think she was actually interested in him, even if she was, maybe a little. She tried to tell herself it was part of her job to know more about him, but she knew that to be a lie. The truth was that no one had ever bested her in a fight, not since she’d grown up anyway, and his ability to beat her in a fair fight was enough to spark her curiosity.
“How long have you worked for the Paranormal Investigations & Tactics Squad?” he asked between bites.
“Since I turned eighteen.”
“Which is how long?”
“Seven years.”
He studied her a moment. “What made you choose this profession? Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure you’re great at your job, but why would you want to do it?”
How much should she tell him? Would it hurt to tell him the truth, the whole truth? Maybe it would make him understand why she didn’t want to be mated to him, or anyone. Not that it seemed she had a choice in the matter, not at the moment anyway. Until this case was resolved, there wouldn’t be time to look into methods of dissolving the bond. Something told her Starke wouldn’t take it well.
“When I was a kid, my parents were killed by a pack of Weres. I’d been staying at a friend’s house that night, or I’d be dead too. When I got home, there was blood everywhere. The wolves hadn’t just shredded them. They’d ripped my dad apart. But…”
“But what?” he asked softly.
“When I was old enough to read the police report, I found out they’d had a little fun with my mother before tearing her to
pieces. The police managed to round up the guys who did it, but back then P.I.T.S. didn’t exist, and no one knew what to do with them. It took a while, but eventually they were executed.”
“Come here, sweetheart.”
She looked up at him, her eyes burning with unshed tears. Her parents’ deaths were the only thing that could make her bawl like a baby. She hated showing any kind of weakness, especially in front of this particular man, but it was too late to take it all back.
She hesitantly moved closer, not sure what he wanted, not that he could really do anything, chained the way he was. When she stood in front of him, close enough that she felt the heat of his body, he lowered his head, sliding his cheek along hers. His lips brushed against her ear.
“I’m sorry for everything you’ve lost,” he whispered. “But I’m very glad that it brought you to me. If you hadn’t lost your parents, hadn’t joined the squad, we may have never met.”
She pulled back and looked up at him. The look in his eyes told her he was serious, and she felt a warmth spread through her chest. Stiffening her spine, she stepped away. She couldn’t allow herself to go soft now, couldn’t allow herself to feel anything for this man, or any other. The only boyfriend she’d ever had had shown her that men couldn’t be trusted. Truthfully, she couldn’t really call him a boyfriend. They’d gone on one date, and he’d bragged the next day to all of their friends that he’d slept with her, going into explicit detail as to what she’d done for him. Still a virgin at the time, Devlin had been mortified and deeply hurt. Then she’d become angry, so very angry, and had decided then and there that no man would ever get close to her again, would never have her trust.
Gathering the trash, Devlin practically marched out of the room, slamming the door behind her. She tossed the trash and went to her desk to eat, knowing she’d need the fuel if she was going to solve this case by her deadline. As she ate, she checked her email, hoping that TechStarr would’ve already run the trace and sent her a report, but there was nothing there. She dug through the box of things the operatives had taken off Starke at some point and picked up his phone.
Not My Shifter/ Sinfully Cursed (Shifter Paradise) (Volume 1) Page 6