HURRICANE (Beasts of Prey Book 2)

by LC Lehesaho

  I squint my eyes, thinking about how the fuck Havoc knows already. Probably he saw or heard something on the mission to get me out of Crusador's hotel, so I let it slide. I give her a smug smirk.

  "I know, right? He is everything you can imagine, and a lot more, I can tell you that." I brush my palms together. "Do your magic, Elena, I'm ready to be me again."

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  "You look more like yourself again, Angel," Dad states while turning the steaks on the grill. The sweet and smoky smell of barbeque lingers in the air, making me drool. My stomach growls an opinion, and I take a sip of my Coke to calm it down, crossing my legs in front of me as I sit on the deck chair.

  "Right? I felt nothing like myself as a blonde," I retort, glancing at Tiger, who's throwing darts with the others.

  Clearly, it's been Bear who's been in charge of the music because “Who's Gonna Stop Me” by Tommee Profitt is playing from the stereo on the back porch. Still, over the music, I can hear them chattering and joking, placing bets on who's gonna win the game. I think Wolf took the first round, Falcon owned the second, and after that, I lost count. I decided to stay out of it because just looking at them makes me incredibly happy.

  "How do you feel now?"

  I force myself to turn my eyes from Tiger to Dad, smiling at him. My feelings have been going from one end to another in a blink of an eye, even some words have been enough to trigger some memory, but so far, I've been able to push those fucked up images and voices quickly away.

  "I'm okay. I mean…" I look at my brothers, Falcon and Tiger, all of them downing shots and beer, save for Wolf, and having fun. This is us—my family. It fills my heart with joy, and I'm relieved that… I got back. "Feels good to be home."

  Dad takes a swig of his whiskey, a satisfied smile on his face. He's seemed happier than I've seen him for a long time. "You're a tough girl, Cobra." He lets his eyes roam over the porch, looking at the others. "I've never compared any of you, and I never will. I don't want you to feel pressured about me or what we do." I feel like I'm crawling in my skin when he turns to look at me. The slight, warm smile is still there, but it's painted with sharp lines of seriousness.

  "You might not compare us, but we do." I take a deep breath, keeping my feelings in control. I feel I could shed a tear or two, for no fucking reason. "At least, I do."

  Dad steps beside me, squatting down, and places his hand over mine. "Everything I've done has been only to give you tools to be ready for whatever may come so you can survive it. I've never been disappointed in you, and I'm sorry if it ever felt like that. Look at me, Angel," he says as I stare at my soda bottle. I hoped I would've been able to dodge these serious conversations tonight, but clearly, it was just wishful thinking. From the corner of my eye, I see Tiger's eyes on us, and the affection radiating out of him gives me confidence enough to look at Dad. Only when our eyes meet, he continues to talk. "I love you more than you can imagine. Even though you can take care of yourself, I am still scared for your safety every time you're out there. You're my kid, Cobra. I'm always worried about every one of you."

  "Fuck, Dad." I squeeze my eyes shut, biting my lip. "Don't make me cry in front of Bear, or he won't let me live it down. Ever."

  He pets my hand, humor dripping from his voice. "You can always remind him how hard he cried when you kicked his family jewels a couple of years ago."

  A snort of laughter escapes from me. "My Gawd, yes." I open my eyes, meeting his, which glows in the natural light as honey. "Thanks. I know those things, but hearing them... it means a lot to me."

  "I realize I'm not the easiest person to talk to, but we should try to communicate more about matters like this," he huffs and then looks in Tiger's direction, who instantly turns his gaze back to the game, pretending he wasn't eavesdropping. "Have you two been talking yet?"

  Oh, fuck. I clear my throat, knowing precisely what he means. "No."

  "I trust him with you." Dad cocks his head to the side, giving me a meaningful look. "You should too."

  "I do trust him," I snap, gritting my teeth to the subject.

  "You know, Angel," he gets up but bends to me, talking straight into my ear, so the words won't slip to ears they don't belong, "you're not the only one who should get the weight off their shoulders, especially now you two are together. There are things you should know, so help him by letting him help you. It's the only way he would ever open up about it to you, and trust me, you're the only one whose words mean something to him. I saw him with Corey. Speak with him before someone gets really hurt."

  Cold shivers run through my spine, and I feel the hairs on my neck jumping up. I keep my emotions to myself, cracking him a fake smile worth of an Oscar as he straightens. "Sure, Dad, I will." I jump up, focusing on the steaks on the grill. "Are those ready? I'm starving."

  Dad's heavy palm lands on my shoulder. "Yes, but a little reminder, kid. You can't fool me." His voice is soft, but there's the familiar I'm not kidding pressure in it.

  "Hi everyone!" a high-pitched cheer draws everyone's attention to Rose, who walks around the corner, accompanied by Pietro. As soon as he gets Rose into our sight, he turns around and leaves to go back to his position at the front gate.

  Everyone greets her, some friendlier than others. I haven't seen her in a while, but she looks the same as always. She's wearing a really short beige checkered skirt with a tight burgundy turtleneck, and the outfit really brings out her body, which could belong to the catwalk in Milan. With her high heels, she's almost as tall as Bear, who wraps his arm around her waist. She places a kiss on his cheek with her filled lips, clinging her hands around him. Bear's eyes flash with annoyance, only for a split second, but he keeps his posture relaxed and an airy smile on his lips.

  This is not the first time she's attended our dinner, but those times weren't planned; she just happened to be visiting Bear at the right time. But now… I think he is really trying.

  Rose waves her long cinnamon brown hair over her shoulder and says something to Falcon, who laughs like she told a joke. Which I highly doubt. Probably, Rose tried to flatter her hair or something else, which Falcon doesn’t care the fuck about.

  "Here." Dad hands me a plate filled with steaks, chicken skewers, onion rings, fresh salad, and grilled corn. There's food enough for ten people, and it weighs a ton when I take it from him, dazed.

  "Uh, thanks. I know I lost a few pounds but seriously?"

  He sticks two forks into the pile of food, nodding towards Tiger, who's aiming a dart to the board with Puma on his side, trying to distract him. "You can learn how to share with him starting with this."

  "Oh, my god." I roll my eyes before leaving with the gigantic plate in one hand and soda in one. He starts to fill plates for others, which is one of his favorite things to do, but we usually have these family dinners only a couple of times a month because he is so busy.

  I make my way through the porch to Tiger and Puma, who instantly steals an onion ring from the plate.

  "Hey, baby girl." Tiger throws the last dart before turning to me, and the look on his face makes my heart flutter in my chest. I think about Dad's words, but I don't want to break our bubble. Tiger is happier than I've ever seen him, and I want to enjoy this because we've gone through Hell.

  I don't want to land from this cloud.

  And I won't.

  "Hey, kitty." I rise up to my toes to kiss him, ignoring that probably the entire family is staring at us. I've been waiting for this for so long. We can be normal. I feel Tiger's smile against my lips, and it's worth a million dollars when we separate. I lift the plate, "Share this with me?"

  With a wicked grin, he brushes his lips to my cheek, whispering to my ear. "That's not the only thing I'm going to share with you today."

  "Ugh, do you must?" Puma's voice comes beside us, and we both spin our heads in his direction.

  "What the fuck you still doing here?" Tiger snaps at him, as stunned from his presence as I am. I really thought he left to get food alread
y like everyone else.

  Puma lifts a chicken skewer up, wiping the barbeque sauce from the side of his mouth. "I'm eating." At that, he snatches one ear of corn from our plate.

  "Get your own food, goddammit!" I retort, glaring at him.

  "Rude," he sighs, looking at us with a puppy face. "You two are leaving me out. We used to share everything."

  My heart breaks for my brother, even though he said it partly in a joking manner, but I know Puma actually means it. He doesn't get along with others very well. Tiger and I share a look, and after a moment, he puffs his cheeks before letting out a low growl. "Fine, you can eat with us."

  Tiger sits down at the long bench against the wall and pulls me to his lap, Puma taking a place beside us. I turn sideways, lifting my legs into Puma's lap so we can keep the plate on my thighs. The music is playing quietly in the background, and everyone is taking their spots on the porch. Wolf is leaning against the railing, eating ribs, and talking with Dad, who's sitting on a deck chair sipping whiskey. This is one of the rare moments when Wolf doesn't have a gun on him, at least on sight. Bear throws a comment in their conversation every now and then, but mostly he keeps his mouth busy with his drinks and steaks. Rose chews a piece of salad by his side, blinking her long eyelash extensions to Falcon, while they're talking about some upcoming party not so quietly.

  Tiger's hand comes around my waist, keeping me against his chest, and he nuzzles my neck, planting a kiss there. It all feels so easy I can't believe this is not a dream.

  If it is, I don't ever wanna wake up.

  "I'm not high enough for seeing that, man." Puma pokes Tiger's shoulder, making him laugh against my neck. I feel his tongue sliding up to my ear, my heart rate rising with it, and I try to keep myself from blushing when I see Dad giving a glance in our direction.

  To my surprise, he gives me an amused smile, shaking his head before turning back to Wolf and Bear.

  "That's your problem, not mine," Tiger replies to Puma, nipping my earlobe, before leaning back and taking a skewer from the food pile. He was growing nervous when we got home before dinner, but clearly, all the booze he and my brothers have been pouring down is starting to have an impact. Tiger doesn't usually drink very much because it makes him even more flammable, and he knows it.

  But we're home, not in some club where someone can get on his nerves, so it's safe for him to ease up.

  "When was the last time you've had company? You seem a little tense," I ask Puma, and his eyes widen as he stares at me like I said something obscene. "What? It's a valid question. Don't be shy, brother."

  Tiger chuckles under me, chewing his mouth empty, and takes a swig from his beer before speaking. "Let me guess. Two months?"

  Puma frowns at him. "We're not gonna talk about my sex life, you dorks. Just ‘cause you two are doing whatever kinks you do; doesn't mean I have to be drilling around."

  "I didn't say you have to, just asking." I cock my head with a smile. "So? Less than two months?"

  "Shut up."

  "More? Three?"

  "Sis, I'm warning you. Your kitten can't save you if you don't drop this subject," he warns me, but I know my brother. He's all talk, no bite, but because I don't want to make him mad and ruin the night, I smirk at him and pinch his cheek.

  "Whatever, snowflake, keep your secrets."

  "By the way, bro, if you ever call me a kitten again, tsk tsk." Tiger shakes his head slowly, giving Puma a warning look. "Even worm is slithering on thin ice when she says that shit, so you better watch out."

  "Yeah, Puma, beware before this kitty steals your milk," I snort, changing my target for the teasing, but a spike of pain on my side makes me shriek when Tiger pinches my skin between his fingers—hard enough to leave a mark.

  His hot lips brush my earlobe, making me shiver. "Baby girl, watch your mouth, or this kitty won't be licking your cream until you beg me on your knees."

  "Holy shit, man!" Puma slaps his hands to his ears, a horrified expression on his face. "Don't ever say shit like that when I'm around, Jesus Christ!"

  My face is redder than a fire truck, and I see everyone's eyes on us, but luckily, they couldn't hear Tiger's words from a distance. I feel the hot waves flashing over me for multiple reasons.

  Embarrassed—yes. Turned on—yes. What a fucking dinner.

  "Okay, I give up. Let's change the subject," I murmur, stuffing my mouth full of steak. My blood runs hot, and Tiger's hand on my side, now caressing the spot he pinched, is making my core pulse. Which is fucked up because I'm partly sitting on my real brother's lap too. Thank God it's Puma and not Bear because he would make this even more disturbed.

  "Yeah, I agree. So, guys, what do you think about that?" Puma whispers, leaning to us but nods towards Bear and Rose.

  "You mean the baby?" Tiger says quietly, so no one else won't hear.

  Puma nods, squinting his eyes. "I don't like it. He is far from father-material."

  I poke his thigh with my heel. "Don't be so judgmental. I'm sure Bear will be an amazing father."

  "Hell will freeze before it happens," Puma huffs, adjusting his cap. "I feel bad for Rose. She's done nothing to deserve that kind of bullshit."

  "No one forced her to keep the baby," Tiger states, no emotion in his voice. "She could call it off and move on."

  I spin my eyes to him, shocked. "So, you think abortion is an option? It's a living thing, Tiger."

  He shrugs. "Of course it's an option. Bear didn't want the baby in the first place. I'm not saying it's okay, but you know, why bring someone into this world who's not even wanted?"

  "Oh, my god. This subject wasn't any better." I grit my teeth. "I need a drink."

  "Me too." Puma lifts my legs and slides off the bench. "I'll bring yours too. You want something, bro?"

  "No, I'm good," Tiger says, and when Puma is strolling towards others where the mini-fridge is, he turns his dark eyes on me. "Ease up, baby. I know how you feel about kids but think about it. How's that ever gonna work? Things can go pretty fucking bad, ‘cause accidents rarely lead to anything good."

  I glare at him. "I don't know, Tiger. But there are consequences for every action, and it's not the child's fault how he or she was initiated. You think the baby should be killed just ‘cause the guy didn't know how to use a fucking rubber?"

  Tiger closes his eyes, throwing his head back. "Oh, fuck me," he sighs, scrubbing a hand over his face before looking at me again. "Can we just agree to disagree? I don't want to argue with you, baby. Not tonight."

  I open my mouth to snap back at him, but cold shivers run down my spine as the song changes, and I hear Puma's voice filling the silent moment between the songs.

  "Congrats, Rose. Are you excited to have a baby with my brother?"

  Instantly a sound of a breaking bottle cuts the air, and we spin our heads in the direction of it, just in time to see Bear throwing the table around and launching towards Puma, tackling him off the porch with a bang.

  "Oh, hell, no!" I toss the plate to the bench, jumping up. Takes less than a second that Tiger has jumped over the railing, rushing towards the fighting pair. I run to Dad, throwing my hands in the air. "Stop them!"

  A quick glance towards the backyard shows me exactly what I expected. It's not Puma and Bear fighting anymore—it's Tiger and Bear, and Puma is now trying to separate them, getting hits in the crossfire. The same thing has happened countless times before. Puma says something to piss off Bear and gets in a fight, but he refuses to actually fight, and then it's Tiger who handles his dirty work.

  And like usual, no one interferes. Wolf stands on Dad's side, watching them with a deep frown on his face, just waiting for Dad's command to get them off each other. Falcon is still sitting on the railing, eating her corn, and looks like she's watching an exciting movie.

  Dad turns to look at Rose, arms folded across his chest, and the vein is popping on his forehead. "Is it true? You're expecting Bear's child?"

  "Dad!" I try, but yet again, he ignores me.


  Rose's hand goes to her lower belly, and her eyes, wide with horror, swifts from the mayhem on the lawn to Dad. "Y-yes, but Bear said I can't tell anybody, and oh my god." Her other hand flies to her mouth when Tiger takes Bear down with force.

  "Dad!" I yell from the top of my lungs, waving my hands in frustration. "Separate them, please!"

  My heart is flying out of my chest, and it takes every inch of self-control to not run there and try to separate them myself, but I know better. When those titans clash, it's like trying to get two fighting dogs off each other—you'll get bitten in the process if you're not careful. And I have no fucking intention to get my nose broken when it's finally straight and healed.

  "Wolf, go help Puma," Dad growls, rubbing his temples with both hands. "Rose, take a seat, and calm down."

  Rose's lips tremble as she obeys and sits on the deck chair, blinking like she's gonna cry. It's a miracle she's not used to seeing shit like this, considering she's been hanging out with Bear for over a year.

  I try to steady my heart rate by taking long breaths while watching Wolf and Puma disentangle the growling beasts. It's already twilight, but the lights from the porch illuminate their faces enough for me to see the blood pouring down from them. Letting out a long sigh, I grab a bunch of napkins and walk towards them, when things seem to be cooled down, sort of.

  "Bear, in my office, now," Dad declares, and the vicious glint in Bear's eyes tells that things with him and Puma got so much worse by this. They didn't get along earlier, but now… fuck. Like we didn't have enough shit to handle before this show. Bear should've just told Dad in the first place.

  I gather my courage to look at Tiger, my stomach turning to knots from worry about his wellbeing. He's glaring at Bear, looking like he is still ready to rip his head off. Puma has his hands around Tiger's body, holding him not to jump on it again, but I know he wouldn't stand a chance if Tiger would tell him to fuck off. His rage can be otherworldly. Bear walks to the porch, Wolf by his side, and neither looks my way as they pass me.