Shifted Perceptions (Alpha Division)

by C. E. Black

  Standing up, I crossed my arms and scowled. “Why would I listen to the likes of you? I don’t need, nor want any kind of help you of all people would be dishing out.”

  Paul’s face lost all signs of anger. Instead, his expression flattened, showing nothing. Completely empty. It was creepy as hell, and a little sad. Maybe I was too harsh. “Listen, Paul...” I began, shifting my feet as I tried to find the acidic words of an apology.

  His head jerked once to the side, telling me silently to shut the hell up. At least his eyes still showed that much. Then he turned and walked away toward the door that adjoined the next room over. I watched, my brows drawn as he pulled it open, then the other, opening it up to the room next door. What the hell?

  “You jerk! Why didn’t you stay in there last night?” My fists squeezed together at my sides, itching to punch that arrogant smirk he sent my way. But he was gone before I could move, slamming the door behind him.

  Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Damn, that man was going to be the death of me.

  Chapter 7

  Waiting sucks! But I knew Stone would come. He had to, now. His henchmen were wounded, because of little old me. Stone would come, if only to cuss me out, but I had a feeling it would be more of a pat on the back. Men like him didn’t care about people, only power and if a strong fox shifter gave him power, then woman be damned, he would be intrigued.

  I actually spent my time doing girly things. I took another shower, seeing how the one the night before was so short. I blow-dried my hair and brushed it until it shined, then pulled it up into a pony tail. I hadn’t had it this long in a while and the color wasn’t half bad either. Of course, the red was closer to my natural color and because of the way I got teased for it, I usually dyed it blonde and wore it short and out of the way. The only reason it had gotten shoulder length was because I hadn’t had time to get it cut. The red was for the mission, but as I looked at myself in the mirror, it was starting to grow on me. Maybe I’ll keep it, I shrugged.

  Sitting on the bed, I pulled my knees up and leaned over to paint my toenails. I chose a dark purple and was meticulous, as I went over each nail. I heard the connecting door open, but I continued on, ignoring him.

  When the silence stretched, I couldn’t help but look up at him through my eyelashes. He was watching me, of course. He never stopped, it seemed.

  “What do you want?” I asked.

  A low, tortured groan coming from his side of the room had my head lifting up in surprise. His eyes were dark, as they looked at me and I glanced down, rolling my eyes with a sigh. I forgot I was half naked, wearing only my panties. I didn’t care, but I wished he’d stop looking at me like that. Like it was the hottest day of the summer and I was the only popsicle in town.

  “That is not an appropriate question in this situation,” he said and I couldn’t hold back my snort. Finishing the last toenail, I capped the nail polish bottle and swung my legs over to stand.

  “Pink lace?” he asked incredulously. “I took you for a black cotton type of girl.”

  Throwing my hands on my hips, I glared at him, though it did no good. “And no bra?” He raised an eyebrow. “I thought you girls wore those everywhere and all the time. Even to bed. ”

  “I’m a woman, not a girl.”

  “You’re absolutely right about that.”

  Ignoring his smirk, I continued, “And not all of us wear a bra.” I cupped my breasts in my hands. They were barely big enough to fill my palms. “And there’s no point when you’re this small,” I said, slightly chagrined. I shook my head. Small was better for the job, I reminded myself.

  “They’re perfect,” Paul’s soft voice caused my head to snap up. What was his game?

  “Stop looking at me like that?” I growled.

  “Like what?”

  “You know...” I huffed and snatched my jeans off the dresser and began pulling them on.

  “For a shifter, you sure are stuffy about the whole naked thing.”

  “No, I’m not,” I gasped. “I just don’t appreciate the disrespect. You shouldn’t be staring at me like that.”

  “Like what?” he repeated.

  “Grrrr! You know what! We’re not a couple. We’re not lovers. So you should be pretending I’m not naked, not ogling me like some lusty teenager. You’re a pain in my ass,” I grumbled, as I grabbed my T-shirt and threw it over my head.

  I stiffened, as Paul was suddenly at my back, pressing against me. His face was bent to my neck, not touching, but I could feel the heat of his breath against my skin, as I fought not to shudder.

  “I would love nothing more than to be a pain in your ass,” he whispered in my ear. I sucked in a sharp breath, as I felt the soft caress of his finger against my ass cheek. A tingle shot up my spine and part of me wished I hadn’t put on those jeans. “Right after I beat it red and hear that cutting voice of yours crying out for me to stop... or continue. You’d want more, wouldn’t you? You’d beg for it.”

  I spun around, my breaths coming in pants, as I narrowed my eyes, glaring daggers as he smirked down at me. “What...”

  “Your smart words and stinging tongue are going to get you spanked, sweetheart, so I’d watch that mouth.”

  “Excuse me?” I snapped. “Don’t talk to me like that, you ass–”

  “Don’t.” That one word had my mouth snapping shut. “Do not finish that sentence, Terry, or I will bend you over that bed right now. I’ve had enough of the way you talk to me and I loathe being called an asshole.” His eyes darkened, as he glared down at me and I knew he meant it.

  We stared at each other, his body stiff, waiting to see what I’d say, what I’d do, while I did my best to catch my breath. My chest was heaving, my breast rising and falling fast, bringing his attention to my hard nipples poking through the thin T-shirt and calling out for him to grab me.

  He was trying to scare me and he was. He was scaring me right out of my panties.

  When the knock sounded, neither of us moved, just continued to glare at each other. My body begged me to move toward him, to snatch his hand and bring it between my legs, make him finish me off after all the teasing he’d done, but my brain screamed at me to think first. Sleeping with Paul would complicate everything, not only the mission, but my life.

  My brain won and I stepped back, turning my head to break eye contact, as another knock sounded at the door.

  It was Stone. I could smell his seductive scent, hints of cedar and sandalwood. I didn’t think my panties could get any more soaked. I was wrong.

  I looked back at Paul to tell him... I wasn’t sure what I was going to say and I guess it didn’t matter anyway, because he was gone and the door to his room was shut.

  Things were getting too heated with Paul. That was not good, meaning I needed to do something about it. If my nagging is what brought on the sexual tension, then maybe I just ought to keep my mouth shut. Harder said than done, but I had to.

  Sighing, I opened the door for Stone and smiled. “To what do I owe the pleasure?” I asked sweetly, looking up his lean form. He wore casual clothes today, dark jeans and a cobalt blue button down shirt. The sleeves were rolled up, showing off the sharp muscles in his forearms. I licked my lips, before making eye contact. He looked good like that. Casual, yet put together.

  Though I didn’t have any complaints about his attire the night before, he was looking more comfortable today. Did he have a meeting last night? Was that why he was dressed in business attire? Maybe with his boss?

  “Someone informed me that I wasn’t much of a gentleman, and I came to make amends.”

  I raised an eyebrow playfully, though inside I was thinking, What the hell? No yelling, threatening to kill me if I messed with his men, no chastising at all? And on top of that, an apology? I mentally shook my head and decided to roll with it.

  “They were right. So what do you plan to do to apologize?”

  Stone smiled, it was only slight, but enough to know he was pleased
with my reaction. “I was wondering if you’d like to get a drink with me tonight?”

  “Hmm, I don’t know. I’m a busy woman,” I said, as I leaned against the door jam and crossed my arms. “What’s in it for me?”

  “Free drinks, for one, and maybe dancing, if you play your cards right.”

  “I see. Well, in that case, I happen to be free tonight. Where and what time?”

  “I can come pick you up.”

  “You mean you’ll send a couple of more pieces of beef jerky to get me? That might not be a good idea, considering.”

  I grinned, as he threw back his head and laughed. The jovial sound echoed off the concrete walls, causing the deep laughter to surround me. It took all I could not to close my eyes and just feel it. Feel it enter my bones with a shudder, until I was rolling in the baritone waves.

  “You are really something, you know that?”

  I blinked a couple of times, bringing me back to reality. “We’re back to that, are we?”

  “What? Oh, yes, guess we are. So, will we be something together, Foxy?” His voice had dropped, the husky timbre making my heart throb painfully in my chest.

  Trying to keep my cool, I licked my lips and grinned, “For tonight, at least.”

  “I will pick you up at eight then.” Dark gray eyes smoldered down at me, making me think of a whole lot of naughty bad things.

  When he left, I leaned against the closed door and blew out a breath I hadn’t known I was holding. That man was trouble with a capital T. I was going to have to be careful around that one. The chemistry was off the roof and I knew for a fact we would be testing that chemistry out soon—in bed—or on a table—or the floor... Hell, I didn’t care where, as long as that’s where it stayed.

  Chapter 8

  All I brought with me was my backpack. Not many clothes could fit in the thing and I hadn’t planned on needing to dress up. Of course, a night at the bar wasn’t a reason to dress up, so jeans and a nice shirt would do. Luckily, I had brought my favorite pair of jeans, and I had done a little shopping the day before, picking out the perfect top for such an occasion.

  The Jeans were so tight, they dug into my skin, but it was totally worth it. My ass looked spectacular. And the candy red halter I wore was cut low enough to show off the little amount of cleavage I had. Most redheads refuse to wear bright red, but I didn’t think it clashed at all. In fact, it brought out the deeper browns in my hair, making it look more auburn than red.

  I left my hair loose, for once, allowing it to lay naturally against my shoulders, and as far as make up, I hadn’t brought any, so I ran down to the drug store in town and picked up the basics. I went light, with a smoldering eye. Once that was done, I threw on my boots and turned to Paul, who had been watching me the whole time, of course, with a scowl on his face.

  “That’s what you’re wearing? Why don’t you just go naked?” he growled.

  “What? I’m clothed.”

  “Hardly,” he scoffed.

  “Seriously, Paul? You’re not my daddy.”

  He snorted and shook his head. “Thank God for small miracles.”

  Rolling my eyes, I walked past him to leave, but didn’t make it, as a large warm hand gripped my wrist. I tugged a few times, then stopped when he wouldn’t let go. Oh, I could have gotten away, but that would have been a fight and I promised myself I wouldn’t fight with Paul anymore, or at least I’d try. All it did was flame the tension between us.

  So instead of struggling, I waited patiently for him to say whatever he needed to say, though I didn’t look at him. I couldn’t.

  A finger lightly touched my chin, and with gentle pressure, pulled my face towards him. His lips hovered over mine and my breath caught in my chest. I had no idea he was so close.

  I breathed through my nose, filling my lungs with his essence. My lips parted as the warm hair flowed over my face. Breathing in his breaths felt so... intimate.

  “Be careful, Foxy, alright?” he said softly, his breath teasing my lips, before he released my wrist and slowly stepped back.

  I stood there for a second, unsure. That was it?

  “Yeah,” was all I could get out, before my feet finally carried me out the door and into the cool autumn night. The air felt good against my hot skin and I breathed deeply, doing my best to get my mind back on the mission at hand. I was surprised at how badly my body wanted to say screw Stone and run right back into that hotel room.

  Shaking my head, I opted to wait for Stone in the parking lot. Better than hanging out with Paul and trying to suck in that thick air the hotel room supposedly called oxygen. It was suffocating at times and as I cooled down, I began to look forward to my night out, work or not.

  Stone was right on time, of course and driving a 1970 Ford Mustang Fastback as red as my top. It glimmered in the moonlight from a fresh wax, making it obvious that it was taken good care of. I waited as the purring engine cut off and he stepped out of the car, wearing a black pinstriped two piece suit, complete with a burgundy tie. Another meeting? I frowned, as he made his way around the car and stood in front of me.

  He was smiling, until he saw my face, then he sported his own frown and raised an inquiring eyebrow. “Something wrong?”

  “Actually, two somethings. First, it seems I’m underdressed. I thought we were just going out for drinks?”

  He looked down at himself, then back at me, taking in my skin tight jeans and revealing top. He caught his lower lip between his teeth, as his eyes finally connected back with mine, and my belly flopped. “I think I’m the one that’s overdressed. You look absolutely amazing, though.”

  I raised my own eyebrow and nodded my thanks, before he turned and open the passenger side door. When I didn’t move to get in the car, he looked back at me, his eyebrows drawn. It only took a second before his expression cleared and a smirk graced his perfect lips.

  “And the second thing?” He asked.

  I licked my lips. “It’s your car.”

  His brows furrowed again, as he glanced at the car, then back at me. “What’s wrong with my car?”

  “I bet you’re thinking most women don’t complain about your car.”

  “You’re right. They don’t. They usually drool all over it and beg for a ride, so...”

  “So, I’m a Camaro girl. Mustangs have no place in my life.”

  “Well, that’s that then. I can’t see this,” he gestured between the two of us. “Going anywhere, if you can’t handle the Stang.”

  “No, I guess not,” I shrugged and turned to leave.

  “But, I might be able to live with it for a night, if you can,” he called out and I stopped. “Think you can lower your standards for the night and ride in this old rust bucket? I’ll make sure to park far out, so no one sees you getting out of it.”

  “Deal.” We smiled playfully at each other, as I climbed inside, sitting on the butter soft leather seats.

  The ride wasn’t in complete silence, but neither of us were exactly full of chatter either. He turned on the radio and I nodded my head as Kings Of Leon’s Sex On Fire came on. “This is a good one,” I commented, thinking how ironic. Being confined in such a tight spot with Stone, with his scent surrounding me, was making me feel like my sex was on fire.

  “I love this whole album,” Stone agreed. “So, Foxy, tell me, is that your real name?”

  “Is Stone yours?”

  “Touché. But, seriously, I don’t see Foxy being put down on a birth certificate.”

  “What’s with all the questions?”

  “It was only one. And I’m just trying to get to know you. Isn’t that what people do on a date?”

  “So, this is a date?”

  “Are you going to answer every question with a question?” he asked, glancing at me before turning back to watch the road.

  “Maybe, but if I told you my real name, I’d have to kill you.”

  “You’re funny, you know that?”

  “Hmm,” was all I said. If he only knew.


  “Then, tell me something, Stone. What do you do for a living?” I asked, watching his reaction. He turned the wheel at ease, not a hint of tension at being asked the question. Interesting.

  “I run a couple of businesses.”

  “What kind?”

  He shrugged. “A bar for one. That’s where we’re going now.”

  “Really? You don’t look like a guy who would run a bar. How did you get into that?”

  “Fell in my lap, actually,” he chuckled. “I came in for a drink one night and the owner was there. He was also the bartender and drunk off his ass. He was spouting nonsense about being tired of the place and asked if I wanted to buy. I thought, why the hell not? And that was that.”

  I narrowed my eyes at the obvious lie. He looked calm, no hint of deception in his features and posture, but I could smell it. “Sounds like there’s more to the story. What did the owner say when he sobered up?”

  He laughed, though I heard how off it was. It wasn’t the pure laugh I’d heard earlier that day at the hotel. “He was surprised, forgot all about it actually, but was happy he finally got up the nerve to do it. He was ready to retire.”

  “Wow. Seems you lucked out.” I smiled at him. “I had thought you to be mysterious, Stone, but now you’re starting to sound like a normal guy.”

  “Oh, I still have my secrets.”

  “I’m sure you do.”

  “Don’t we all?” he asked, his gaze cutting to mine.

  I smiled and nodded. “I guess so.” And I’ll find out yours soon enough, Stone.

  Chapter 9

  “What do you think?”

  About twenty-five pairs of eyes met mine and I stared them all down. Some shifted their gazes away more quickly than others, but all went back to what they were doing, eventually.

  I glanced around the bar, taking in the scenery. It was old, a bit run down, but looked clean enough and though it looked small from outside, there was plenty of space inside. Some groups sat at tables that were scattered about, while others played pool in the back corner. A few couples danced in the center of the room. And each group had a mixture of shifters and humans. It was the shifters that stared the longest, their expressions saying they knew what I was and would be keeping an eye on me.