by Jenika Snow
The garage was packed with not only the kids of The Grizzlies, but also their friends from school, and even more were gradually trickling in. It looked like this party wasn’t dying down anytime soon. But the majority of the people that kept coming in this late were friends of Nico, Lucas, and Odin. Dakota and a few of the guys that could actually drink legally were off to the side looking at one of the bikes, and she could see the admiration in Dakota’s face as he told his friends the breakdown of each part.
“Here.” Tarren shoved a beer at her, and some of the amber liquid splashed over the rim.
“I think I am good on the alcohol department.”
“Are you drunk?” Tarren asked and then took a big sip from the red plastic cup she held. The keg that one of the legal drinking age guys had brought was being put to good use.
“No, but I got a good buzz going on.”
Tarren shook her head, and her dark bobbed hair moved around her face. “This is our graduation party. If you’re not drunk then you’re not having a good time.”
“I don’t want to get so wasted that when I crash for the night my parents can smell the booze on me and see the vomit in my hair.”
Tarren didn’t respond right away, just drank several more swallows from her cup. “Girl, if my dad knew how drunk I really was he’d take away my car and make sure I never left the house again.”
“Tarren, Dallas is like a puppy compared to what my dad would do if he knew about all the alcohol I’m drinking.”
“Alexis, do you honestly think our folks don’t know we have beer out here?”
No, of course she knew they had to know. Nothing got by The Grizzlies, but that didn’t mean they were okay with a little social drinking, and not some blow-out frat party that resulted in puking, stumbling around, and passing out in the lawn. All of which she knew might be a very good possibility tonight. “I’m sure they do, but—”
Tarren held her hand up, stopping her. “They are watching, making sure we are okay and don’t go anywhere, and would put a stop to it if it got out of hand.”
Alexis nodded and took a sip from her cup.
“How about we not talk about our parents and just enjoy the fact we are free from high school?” Tarren grinned and finished off her beer. “How are you and Nico doing?” Tarren arched a perfectly plucked dark brow. “You do the deed yet?”
Alexis nearly choked on her beer. She wiped her mouth, felt her eyes water as alcohol went into her lungs, and started coughing.
“I guess that’s a no?”
She shook her head. “No.”
“You’ve been together like two years. How much dry humping can you possibly do with him?”
Leave it to Tarren to not mince her words. She was one of the most outgoing and open-minded girls from The Grizzly kids.
“You need to get drunk and stop being the most sober one here.” Tarren grinned. “Not only did we just graduate, but you turned eighteen not too long ago.”
“Yeah, you’re right.” Alexis looked around and took a sip of her beer, but right when she was about to move the cup away from her Tarren pushed it to her mouth and forced her to drink all of it. She sputtered, some of the beer trailed down her chin again, and she lightly smacked Tarren on the shoulder. “What the hell?” Alexis started laughing, but felt her cheeks heat with embarrassment. How many people saw her dribble like some kind of infant? She scanned the crowd again, saw Nico and Lucas over by Odin and a few of the other guys, and couldn’t stop herself from smiling. She loved him, loved him so much sometimes it hurt. Yeah, they had been dating for two years, but that didn’t mean they had to jump right into sex.
“So, spill it, girl,” Tarren said.
Alexis didn’t need to ask what Tarren meant by that question. “We got close a couple of times, but when my dad almost caught us more than once, and it just didn’t feel right the other times, we just decided to wait.”
Tarren was staring at her like she was speaking a foreign language. She glanced over at Lucas, and this goofy smile covered Tarren’s face.
“Oh my God,” Alexis said on a breath. “You had sex with Lucas?” Tarren had just looked at him, but that didn’t mean the expression on her face had been as loud as if she screamed she had fucked him. But Tarren didn’t look embarrassed. In fact she seemed smug almost.
“Yeah, last night in fact. We were sitting in the back of his truck by the lake, and talking about what we planned on doing for college, and then…” She shrugged, but there was a smile that stretched across her face. “One thing led to another, and I think I am in love.”
Alexis snorted. “No, you’re not.”
Tarren grinned. “No, but definite lust for sure.” She glanced at Lucas again, and when Alexis looked over she saw that Nico’s twin was looking at her with this “Let’s go someplace dark and get dirty” expression.
“And his dick is like sooo big, Alexis.”
Alexis knew that most likely any guy that was a Grizzly offspring was probably packing some major length and girth between his legs.
“I bet Nico is just as impressive in that department. I mean they are identical.” Tarren wagged her brows.
Alexis shrugged, and damn her face for growing even hotter.
“Yeah, you don’t even have to say it because I know Nico is probably like the damn Hulk, too.” Alexis may not have had sex with Nico yet, but she had seen him naked, and had felt the hardness of his erection between her legs.
They didn’t say anything for a while, just watched the guys bullshit with each other, and before Alexis knew it she was on her third beer. The music was blaring loud, angry beats, and Alexis heard Tarren sigh beside her. “I know that sound.” She looked at her friend and smiled. “You’re going to do something you probably shouldn’t.”
“Girl, I am going to do something that I should.”
“Hey.”
Alexis looked at Dakota, who had stepped up beside her. “Hi.”
Dakota was older than she was, and although he was not a bear shifter, he was the son of Malice, The Brothers of Menace MC Sergeant at Arms. For a human Dakota was just as huge and muscular as any shifter male she had ever seen. With his dark hair and eyes he looked like some kind of fallen angel, and he was just as sweet, too.
“You having a good time?”
“I am, thank you. Are you?”
He glanced at where Nico and the rest of the guys were. “Yeah, for the most part.” He looked back at her and smiled. “So, what are your plans for the fall? You going to college?”
“I actually got a scholarship to Fenderman University. I’m going to get my associate’s in business and help my mom run the club books.”
Dakota nodded. “That’s a good plan. I still have another year before I get my bachelor’s, but I’m thinking of going to get my Master’s, too.”
“Wow, that’s great, Dakota.”
He didn’t say anything after that, but the way he watched her had Alexis shifting on her feet. “What?” She had known him her whole life, and turning her back on that kind of friendship because she knew Nico got jealous over other guys looking at her, talking to her, or just being around her, seemed stupid. Nico was certainly a bear shifter, and that was cemented by the fact he was possessive, territorial, and had this “don’t fuck with me” attitude. Dakota wasn’t drunk, but she could smell the alcohol on him and knew by the glossy look in his eyes that he wasn’t far from there.
He shook his head and grinned. “Nothing aside from the fact Nico keeps watching us like he thinks I’m going to pounce on you.”
She chuckled and glanced at Nico. Yup, her guy was glaring daggers at Dakota. “Don’t take it personally. He has a jealous streak with everyone.”
Dakota grinned. “I’m gonna get another beer. You want one?” Dakota asked.
She held up her still full cup. “I’m good, but thank you.”
He nodded, and then turned and headed toward the keg. She exhaled and turned to look at Tarren. She could have used her right
then, because although people surrounded her she felt kind of lonely right now. Alexis finished off what was left in her cup, and set it on the small table beside her. This was her graduation party, so why the hell shouldn’t she enjoy herself?
“Here.” Dakota was back and handed her a beer. “I know you said you didn’t want one, but I saw that you finished yours and thought you could use another.”
She took it out of politeness, but was already feeling the last three beers working their way through her, and as more time passed that alcohol would be really making her inhibitions running wild and loose. Before she knew what was happening Dakota reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. His palm was big and warm, and when he smoothed his fingers along the bare skin of her arm she took a step back. “Dakota, what are you doing?” Her bear didn’t sense anything of the sexual nature from him, but she knew that if anyone had seen the small, even innocent thing Dakota had just done, rumors would start.
“I’m sorry, it’s just…” He turned from her and cursed low under his breath. “Totally inappropriate for me to touch you, but I’m drunk and—”
The sound of something low and deep, and frighteningly animal-like came from right behind her, and then she saw Nico pulling her back behind him.
“You just couldn’t fucking back off, could you?” Nico said in a very Jagger-like menacing voice. He was perilously close to shifting, and the scent of his bear was close to the surface.
“Nico, please. Dakota didn’t do anything.” She placed her hand on the center of Nico’s back. “Ever since you have been able to shift you’ve been acting insane.” She hardened her voice, hoping to defuse the situation. She glanced at Dakota. “Maybe you should go.”
Tarren had moved up behind her. “Girl, this is going to end really, really badly if he doesn’t leave and the parents have to come out here.”
Yeah, and that was so not what Alexis wanted. Her heart raced, and shit was about to hit the fan if Nico couldn’t control himself and shifted. Dakota might be able to hold his own in a fight, but a human against a shifter was no match. Nico would tear him up, and because he was young he wouldn’t be able to hold himself back. Things could go from bad to a lot worse with Dakota seriously injured.
Nico took a step forward, and she saw the way his muscles grew, how his t-shirt stretched wide around his growing body. He kept clenching and unclenching his hands into fists at his sides. She scented his bear so close to the surface, saw the way he was growing bigger, stronger, right before her eyes. His grizzly bear was pushing forward, and the low, deadly growl that left Nico proved that point even more.
“I could fuck you up right now, just tear you apart before any of The Grizzlies came out here and stopped me,” Nico growled out. Lucas stepped up beside Nico.
“Brother, calm down before shit gets real and out of hand,” Lucas said.
“Nico, please. You’re acting ridiculous,” she said and applied pressure on his back with her hand.
Nico looked at her over his shoulder. “I’m not overreacting, Alexis. He touched you earlier today, and it was your dad stopping me from going over there and kicking his ass.” Nico took another step forward, but even with the threat of Nico shifting and delivering on that promise Dakota held his ground and didn’t look at all threatened by what Nico said.
“It was innocent, Nico. You’re acting like a damn child right now.” She felt her own animal rising with her anger.
“You think I’m afraid of some eighteen year old shifter?” Dakota chuckled humorlessly. “I grew up with The Brothers, asshole. You may be able to shift, but that doesn’t mean I couldn’t get I some serious damage to you before that happened.” Dakota took a step forward now. They were both acting childish. “You want to try and make this something it isn’t, fucking fine by me. You’ve been acting psycho any time any guy even talks to Alexis. You need to get your fucking head on straight, man, and realize that there are only two types of people in this world. Men and women.”
Shit, this was getting so bad that Alexis’s hands were starting to sweat. “Nico, just stop.” God, she was pissed now, angry that her boyfriend couldn’t even look at her, wouldn’t listen to her, and needed to put his dick back in his pants. It was like he was trying to prove something. “I love you, and if you’re going to let your jealousy take control and push you to get into a fight with a guy we grew up with, then I won’t stand here and watch.” She glared at Dakota. “And you’re adding fuel to the fire.” She turned away, angry with Nico for wanting to do this, and also with Dakota for not being smart enough to back the hell off. And then there was everyone else at the party that had formed a circle, probably waiting to watch the fight. They were drunk and immature, and she just wanted to be alone. If they wanted to beat each other’s asses, then she wasn’t about to be a cheerleader for them.
Chapter Three
Alexis shook her head at Tarren when she tried to stop her, and made her way out of the garage and around to the back of it. There she leaned against the wall and stared up at the sky. She wasn’t there for very long before she heard the garage door open and slam shut, and then heard a Harley start. She moved so she could look around the corner and saw Dakota getting onto his bike and putting his helmet on. Even from the distance she could see him clenching the handlebars tightly, saw his chest rise and fall with his heavy breathing, and knew he had taken the high road. He might want to fight, but he had walked away. And the fact Nico hadn’t gone after him told her that her boyfriend had also walked away. But she didn’t go back in. She wanted to breathe in the fresh air, get her bearings, and wait for all the testosterone to chill in the garage.
It was probably twenty minutes later when she heard someone leave the garage. She knew it was Nico even before he rounded the corner and stopped beside her. She had been able to smell his cologne and his bear, and she could tell his animal was now calmer. He was silent for a few minutes, and although he had used his head and hadn’t ruined the party by fighting, she was still annoyed with him. She wanted to blame it on the fact all shifter males were more territorial and possessive than humans, but she had gotten into this conversation with him before when he had let his jealousy override his common sense, and it hadn’t done much good.
“You’re pissed.” He didn’t phrase it like a question.
She turned and looked at him. “I’m annoyed, Nico. Why do you have to let your emotions get the better of you?” She tuned and leaned her side against the wall so she could look at him. “Why can’t you control yourself when you know picking a fight over something ridiculous won’t solve anything?” She didn’t wait for him to respond. “I love you. Isn’t that enough?” She reached out and cupped either side of his face. There was a light sprinkling of dark stubble along his cheeks. It was hard to stay angry with him. “Dakota is my friend, he’s your friend, and you acting like a jealous boyfriend doesn’t solve anything.”
“I can’t help it, baby.” He cupped her hand that was on his face. “I fucking love you, and the very idea of being with another guy, or even one talking to you, pisses me off and has my bear coming forward.”
It was useless to argue with him, because she had done it so many times already. The kind of guy he was wouldn’t be solved with her bitching. He was a bear shifter, and the son of Jagger, The Grizzly MC President. They were a breed all their own. But just because she couldn’t change who he was, and loved him, that didn’t mean he didn’t annoy her with the way he acted so jealous at times. She leaned in and kissed him. It hadn’t meant to be anything sexual, just one that was light and told him that she didn’t want to fight. But as soon as he had his lips on her, Alexis's entire body heated, her nipples hardened, and she became wet between her legs. And then he had her body pulled in closely to his, had his tongue speared between her lips, and took control of the kiss. Her reaction to him was instant, and she couldn’t help it, nor did she want to fight it.
“I’m sorry I upset you, but I just fucking love you so damn much. I can’t help m
yself when I get angry that another guy is around you,” he murmured against her lips, and the flavor of the beer he had been drinking bathed her tongue. His voice was clear and smooth and heated, just like how she felt.
“Probably as much as I want you.” Maybe it was the alcohol traveling though her veins that made her inhibitions less rigid, but she wanted Nico so badly.
He broke the kiss and started running his tongue and lips over her neck. She closed her eyes and let the feel of him touching her move through her body. This whiplash inside of her whenever she was with Nico wasn’t anything new. She could be annoyed with him one minute, and then when he would touch her she’d feel like she was this puddle of liquid under his hands and mouth. The sounds of the party still going strong in the garage could be heard in muffled noises, but they were alone. Her emotions were running high, and she wasn’t going to stop this. Maybe she should have cared, though, given the fact all the people around, how anyone could see them if they moved behind the garage, and the fact her dad was right in the clubhouse.
“Look at me, Alexis.” He said those four words softly, but they were deep and filled with a kind of command. Alexis opened her eyes and looked into his face. The shadows partially concealed his features, but the heat that came from him, the scent of his bear, and the cologne he wore, filled her with arousal and remembrance. Neither said anything for several long moments, and then he leaned in another inch once more. She held her breath.