by Lauren Dane
“Sometimes people tend to forget Nadine is a firecracker. It’s good to remind them. The way she went off on Dwayne at the end? It was a struggle not to cup my balls in sympathy.”
Her laugh was tired, but genuine. It was nice that he got what she needed in that way too. “I hope Dwayne can get Darrell to pay attention. He seemed pretty scared a time or two.” Katie Faith allowed herself a snicker. “This is going to be all over town by morning. I hate that this drama might make Daddy upset.”
Jace squeezed her hand as they turned up the long lane where her parents’ house sat.
“You knew it would come up at some point. Darrell is too big an ass to leave it alone.” Jace knew this wasn’t the last from the Pembrys. “Dwayne already came into the Counter to warn you off. Darrell just saw that as an invitation to poke around too.”
He keyed the engine off and Katie Faith spoke. “Darrell told me that just because he was taken there were other Pembrys who’d consider me. No need to stoop to a Dooley. What a moron he is.”
Jace growled and the hair on her arms stood up.
“You know where my interests lie, Jace Dooley, so stop that.”
He made an effort to pull his wolf back. “You need to understand the challenge to my control right now.”
She took his cheeks in her hands and kissed him. “I do. It means so much. Thank you for doing it for me.” His begrudging smile drew downward into a frown when she opened her own door but she ignored it. “Come on inside. Every last light is on, he’s up and chances are, my momma is racing back here with a story to tell.”
He got out. “Next time, let me get the door for you.”
She looked him over and snorted. “I can open a door.”
He caught up to her on the front walk. “I know you can. But let’s just pretend so I can feel manly and stuff. Unless you want me to go over to Darrell’s and beat the stuffing from him. I’d prefer the latter, just in case you’re curious.”
He looked so hopeful she had to laugh. Without thinking, she hugged him and after a moment’s hesitation, he wrapped his arms around her.
“You really okay?” he whispered against her hair.
“Are you okay? Hard to take, a wolf getting all up in your space that way.” She wasn’t going to pretend she couldn’t see the way he’d stepped in and taken up a place at her side. Or that she hadn’t allowed it, knowing what it meant.
“I hate domestic violence calls the most. They’re pretty rare in Diablo Lake, but they’re here, like with humans. We were raised up to take care of our own. To make sure they’re safe and to not use our strength to hurt those weaker than we are. I wanted to kill him for touching you. I’m working on that now. I’m down to hitting him with my truck. Hopefully by morning I’ll just be at using my fists.”
She hugged him tighter for a moment. “I’m as okay as I can be. Physically I’m fine.” She stayed there against him for another long moment before finally letting go. “I’ll live.”
She’d only gotten a few steps away before she caught his snarl. Katie Faith turned back to him, surprised.
“Don’t talk like that, okay? It’s not a joke to imagine you not living.” He rolled his shoulders and it touched and amused her. He was a big ol’ badass who also happened to be a freaking werewolf.
He did it for her. Was gentle when everything else called him to be vicious and hard. Made her laugh when she needed it or end up crying. He knew her in ways no one else did because he looked. He paid attention.
Holy moley. She needed to make something extra clear to him. Because he nearly shook with the need to harm Darrell.
She smiled and then dropped her eyes. That’s when it all went sideways.
His wolf surged, bringing him to her side in just a breath. Her actions, the way she dropped her gaze meant she gave over to his dominance in the situation. He may not be a wild wolf, but he was still a wolf.
Need crawled over him, especially when she held very still, those big eyes of hers staring up into his after she’d dropped them first. Her heart beat wildly. He tasted it on the breeze, not fear but excitement, desire. She accepted him with her actions and that was a powerful thing. So powerful he nearly went to his knees with it.
All the other times they’d been intimate, kissing and touching, had been hot, but this, well this was her accepting what he was. Stepping fully into what it meant to be in a relationship with a werewolf.
He wanted to touch her, but didn’t trust himself not to take her right there in her daddy’s front yard.
“Katie Faith? That you, baby?” Her father’s silhouette darkened the front doorway as he peered outside.
Jace forced himself to step back, but not before he tucked a curl behind her right ear.
She cleared her throat and stepped forward. “It’s me. Jace brought me by.”
“Come on in. Your momma’s on her way back just now. Said there was a bit of a tussle. I’ll let you cut me a piece of pie so I can relax just so when you fill me in.” Her father held the screen door open and she went inside, Jace trailing behind, breathing her scent in deep.
The house was cheery, bright. Filled with shiny bits he knew witches seemed to love. God knew Katie Faith had enough of them in her apartment already. He’d been in the house once or twice over the years, but this felt different, more official-like.
Darrell Pembry was such a loser. He gave this up? Jace watched Katie Faith move, watched the light dance off the highlights in her hair, the curve of her very fine behind, and wondered what on earth got into Darrell to toss her aside for Sharon of all people.
The magic trailing in her wake slid over his skin as he followed. It felt so good he wanted to roll around in it. His wolf heartily approved of that idea so the man had to push that thought way far back. For the time being anyway.
Avery grabbed a pitcher and glasses, pouring out tea for everyone. “I just finished that tea so it’s fresh.”
“As if you’d serve anything else.” Katie Faith paused, arching a brow at her father. She pointed the knife at the pretty peach pie on the table. “Am I going to get in trouble for cutting this?”
Avery laughed and hugged her before he sat with a happy sigh. “It’s good to have you back home, baby. Your momma is being nice to me. Too nice to get pissy about pie. I gotta take what I can get just now. Won’t be recovering from a stroke forever. Aww, now, don’t be stingy.” He motioned at the slice Katie Faith had begun to cut for him.
“You are so bad.” She shook her head at her father but gave him a huge slice of pie. “I assume you’d like a slice too?” Katie Faith asked Jace.
He nodded enthusiastically. Nadine had a way with peach pie.
She grinned at Jace, slid a slice his way. “Be back in a sec, gotta get the ice cream.”
“Katie Faith Grady, there’s no need for ice cream.” Nadine stepped into the room and glared at her husband, then caught sight of Jace. Jace didn’t miss the calculation on her features for a brief moment. “Well now, hey there, Jace.” Her smile dimmed as she turned back to her husband. “He can have ice cream. You, on the other hand, nearly died. No ice cream for you.”
Avery shoveled pie in his face at an alarming rate and Nadine groaned. “Avery! Slow it down. I’m not going to snatch it from you, for goodness sake.” She turned to her daughter, kissed a cheek and sent thanks when Katie Faith slid a slice of pie to her too. “Crissakes, Avery, a body’d think you were an eight-year-old boy at his birthday the way you’re jamming that pie in your face. Gonna choke and I’ll have to take you back to the hospital. Again.”
Avery rolled his eyes but slowed down on the pie. “Now that I have the best pie ever made,” he sent a waggled brow at Nadine who ignored him, “and your momma just spanked me, what happened?” Avery asked before forking up another mouthful.
“Tempest in a teapot, that’s w
hat.” Katie Faith filled her father in, light on the worst of the details.
Avery laughed at the end. “I wish I could have seen that dingus’s face when you sent him flying. Oh boy.” He sobered quickly though. “You know this is going be a problem. Those wolves are going to fight over you.”
Katie Faith winced and Jace stretched his pinky out to slide it against the side of her hand.
“Had enough of that the first time around. I made it clear they all need to leave me be. We can all live here and not get into kerfuffles out on Diablo Lake Avenue. It’s a whole bunch of hooey anyway. He doesn’t even want me. I don’t know what his problem is.” Her anger seemed to push her hurt away. Jace could deal with anger, hurt just made him want to rip heads off.
“His problem is that you’re a powerful witch who can bring any family you marry into some position in this town. Dwayne nearly beat the life out of the boy the first time he let you go. Even if he doesn’t want you, he wants you anyway.” Nadine harrumphed. “Pembrys always reaching above themselves. Darrell messed up big time and now you’re back to remind him of that every day. To remind the town of that every day. That she’s now living across the hall from this one,” she indicated Jace, “means there’ll be a turf war over it.”
No sense denying it. “Avery, Katie Faith lives on Dooley land. You have to know how Dooley wolves are going to view that.” Jace tried to be lighthearted about it, but it was going to be an issue.
It really just meant he needed to get moving and make a claim. He was feared and respected enough that once they figured out Katie Faith was his, no Dooley would make a move on her. Since that night two weeks before when she’d moved in and they’d kissed and talked and laughed for hours, they’d both been circling round the other. Teasing. He’d found her in the hall—because he’d sought her out when he knew she was leaving—and they’d ended up kissing one another breathless on more than one occasion. And then the hike and those stolen moments on the blanket under the sky.
It would happen. They were on the way. She knew it and that was enough to keep his wolf calm. For the moment anyway. If his brothers messed with him and interrupted again right when they were just about to finally get naked and busy, he might have to hurt someone.
And the way she’d dropped her gaze earlier? Yeah, that was like dating a year in werewolf time. She’d done it, knowing what it was. Which was exactly what he’d been waiting for.
Katie Faith was his. Not the Dooleys’, but his. As long as she knew it, that was what mattered most.
As for how Pembrys would react? Jace hoped Darrell gave him guff so he could pop him one right in that stupid face.
Katie Faith’s voice grabbed his attention. “Good lord, I’m a human chew toy between two gangs of dogs.” She rolled her eyes and Jace laughed because she needed him to. Then Katie Faith sobered. “You know I was ten kinds a fool with Darrell. It never even occurred to me that he’d be after my power. I just...I thought he loved me. But it wasn’t that at all. It was about adding me to the game as a power piece on their side. I hate that I didn’t know. I feel more stupid about that than being stood up on my wedding day.” Tears threatened and every cell within his body readied to go to war to save her from hurt.
Nadine took a deep breath, looking quickly to Jace. He didn’t quite know whether he was supposed to take it up then or if he should wait for her to.
“Of course you’re more than that.” Jace finally spoke, taking a chance. “So much more. But you know this town. You know our history. Like long legs or pretty eyes would be an attractor outside, power is here.” Not that he didn’t love her legs and those eyes of hers too.
Nadine nodded at him—apparently he’d passed a test—and looked back to Katie Faith.
“I don’t want to talk about it anymore. I need to go home. I have work tomorrow. First day with the new espresso service.” Katie Faith stood and her father did too.
“Honey, come here.” Avery opened his arms and Katie Faith stepped into his embrace. “You know, it’s not a bad thing that you’re powerful. Not just that it makes you a great catch, you already are that, but it keeps you safer. You come from a long line. If I can make you stronger, if the combo of your momma’s and my genetics makes you into a woman to be reckoned with, it’s better than a woman to be pushed around.”
Katie Faith really looked adorable when her face scrunched up that way.
“Fine, go on and be reasonable then. See if I care,” she mumbled. But it was clear her mood had brightened a little.
“That’s my job, baby. It’s what good daddies do. Go on home. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Avery kissed her forehead.
Nadine followed up with a hug and a kiss. “Oh hey, I’ve got some of your books, ones you left in the attic. There’s a box in the front room. Oh and your coat. It’s in the hall closet. Don’t forget. It’s getting chilly at night now.”
Jace started to respond that he’d get them but Nadine’s fingers dug into his arm so he shut his mouth.
When she disappeared around the corner, Nadine turned to Jace. “This is going to be a problem. Dooley wolves have my daughter on their land and Pembry wolves aren’t going to like that. I expect a call, you hear me? If any of those dumbasses show up, I want to know about it.”
“Jace, I’m standing here at the front door pretending you aren’t talking about me with my momma. It’s time to go,” Katie Faith called out.
He wanted to tell them he had it all in hand, but that was Katie Faith’s story to tell her parents. Instead he went with, “Your girl is a handful. Darrell will know that.” Jace kissed Nadine’s cheek and shook Avery’s hand.
“And that won’t sit right with him,” Avery said.
Jace hated it, but he knew Avery was right.
“No. But it doesn’t have to. His opinion doesn’t matter to me, or her. If he does anything other than have an opinion, he and I will come to an understanding. Any lesson he needs to learn, I’m happy to help with.” Jace showed enough teeth to make it clear where he stood on the issue.
Nadine gave him a long look until she patted Avery’s arm. “You were right.”
“I’m also right that ice cream goes great with peach pie,” Avery muttered.
“Before the pie wars begin anew, I’m going to get Katie Faith home. You take care.” Jace double-timed it out of there before he got embroiled in that argument.
Chapter Nine
Katie Faith wanted to kick something, but instead she fumed while watching the town go by. Which took less than two minutes.
“My condo in Chattanooga was so pretty. I lived within walking distance from five different restaurants that were open past nine at night. Another few blocks there were two movie theaters. Clothing stores. A cupcake shop. God, I miss cupcakes.”
Jace made a sound, torn between confusion and annoyance. She couldn’t help but smile.
“You can make cupcakes. Hell, Katie Faith you can hop on down to a bake sale in a few weeks and buy dozens of them. There’s a movie theater here. Plus, if you want to see movies, I have that big screen TV.”
He pulled up behind the mercantile and parked. Feeling nice for the time being, she let him come around and open her door.
“Never seen Mabel Peterson make pineapple upside down cupcakes,” she said as he helped her out.
“They make those?” He carried the box of her books up to her door so naturally she invited him in.
“They do. You can’t even imagine how many flavors of cupcakes there are.” She paused. “Come on inside and close the door. I’m going to have a beer so unless you want everyone in town to know it, close your mouth and the door.”
She sashayed from the room, hanging her coat up in the hall closet. “Make yourself at home. I’ll be right back.”
In her room she pressed a hand to her belly and struggled for breath. The entire day,
heck, the entire time she’d been back home everything had been catawampus. Her father’s health, running the Counter, all this crazy stuff with the Pembrys.
Without a doubt, the man in her living room was a huge part of what sent her reeling. A month before he was the guy she knew and crushed on.
Then he’d been her neighbor and her friend and now...well now he was more and though she’d tried not to look at it too closely, the fact was, she was well on her way to being ass over teakettle for him.
She wanted to be near him. So much she’d deliberately taken on the choice of living on Dooley land. Knowing it would be a pain in her butt. Understanding what Jace was.
But she hadn’t really understood. Not until he’d kissed her that first time in the starshine and moonlight. He made every part of her vibrate. Like a tuning fork only like sex and attraction.
There was no halfway for them.
When she’d been outside her parents’ house and lowered her gaze she’d done it on purpose. Done it understanding the step she was taking.
He wasn’t just some hot dude she was going to be dating. It never could be that simple between them. He seemed to unlock her magic in unique ways and if she wasn’t wrong, it was the same for him. Their connection was intense on several levels. Alpha to alpha. Witch to wolf like a key in a lock.
Without a doubt, given all the politics and history between the parties involved there’d be trouble over their involvement. Beef between the wolves, between wolves and witches, between individuals jockeying for power—all of that would toss obstacles at them.
And still, she also had no doubt the trouble he brought was the good kind. So good she’d felt confident enough to take this leap with him.
Maybe. Maybe it was more like she’d been driven to take that leap. Scared, yes. Because her judgment was suspect. Hell, she’d planned to marry Darrell! But at the same time, she knew in her gut—and her heart—that things were totally different this time.
He was the one. The. One.