Reluctant Heat

by Jaden Sinclair

  “Just having some fun,” Ben purred.

  “Abusing people isn’t mine or Lindsey’s idea of fun,” Jewels said. “You should look into it.”

  “You know, smart mouth bitches—”

  He didn’t finish his words because she brought up a nice looking hand gun and pointed it right in his face. “Yes, you were saying?” she smiled.

  “You really think that’s going to do you any good?” he snarled.

  “As much as you’d like to think I’m stupid, I’m not. It’s filled with copper.” His smile dropped. “Now, it’s after hours, Ben. What’d you want?”

  Ben held up both hands. “Just wanted to pay the bill, but since you’re hospitality is about as good at the bitch on the floor, maybe my money isn’t wanted here.”

  “I’ll mail you the bill,” Jewels said.

  Ben snarled again. “I don’t think you’ve got the balls to use that.”

  “Really?” Jewels cocked her head to the side and the gun when off. Lindsey jumped and moved back, as did Ben. “Oops, I missed,” she said sweetly.

  Just then Darian, Dominic, and Fox rushed into the club. Lindsey locked eyes with Fox right before he growled and rushed toward Ben.

  “Oh, please,” Dominic said, putting his hand on Fox’s chest, halting him. “Let me.”

  Dominic sauntered up to Ben, grabbed him by the back of his shirt with one hand and the other went to his throat. With determination, he dragged Ben to the club’s door, then tossed him outside.

  “Are you okay?” Darian rushed over to Lindsey, going to the floor, taking hold of her arm. The second she touched it Lindsey winced.

  “When the hell did you get a gun?” Fox demanded of Jewels.

  “Day I opened up,” she answered. “And keep in mind, it has copper, so don’t fuck with me or it’ll be in your ass.”

  “I like her,” Dominic said, moving past Fox towards Lindsey and Darian.

  “Jewels, we need some ice,” Darian called out.

  “I’m fine,” Lindsey said, taking the hand that Dominic offered to get back up.

  “I swear, one of these days I’m going to really kick his ass,” Fox said, joining Dominic and stopped beside Lindsey. He seemed to ignore everyone else around him as he took hold of her arm. “Okay, now I’m really going to kick his ass.”

  On her arm were five finger bruises and one large hand imprint. The grip that Ben had on her was so strong that she had the marks to show for it.

  “Okay, now I’m sorry I didn’t shoot him.” Jewels came with some ice. She placed it on Lindsey’s arm and Lindsey winced once more.

  “Don’t worry about him,” Dominic said. “His day is about to get even worse.”

  “Why?” Jewels asked.

  “The boat and jets are being taking off the water and put up until his bill is paid in full,” Dominic answered. “We were heading over there now when Darian called about Ben showing up.”

  “I’m going to kill him,” Fox growled low.

  Dominic surprised them all by slapping Fox in the back of the head. “Snap out of it. There are other ways to get even.”

  “And the painters show up now,” Jewels sighed when more men walked inside.

  “Come on,” Darian said to Lindsey. “You’re coming to the house. I’m sure Mom’s got something for the swelling.”

  Lindsey opened her mouth to protest but Fox cut her off, warning her, “Don’t even start.”

  She glared at Fox, who only seemed to glare right back at her. “Fine, but I need the work that Jewels has given me.”

  “Oh, honey, you can do that another time.”

  “No!” Lindsey snapped, not taking her eyes off of Fox. “It’s my job, and I’m going to do it.”

  “I’ll get the books,” Dominic said.

  “Come on then,” Darian sighed to Lindsey.

  Lindsey went with Darian back to the truck. By the time she got in, Dominic had the books she needed to. A quick kiss from him to Darian and they were off to the house.

  * * * *

  “So I’ve got to ask,” Dominic said.

  “Ask what?” Fox asked.

  “What’s the hold up on the claim?”

  Fox almost lost control of the car. He slowed down and tossed a quick glance at Dominic.

  “Come on, man, I’m not that blind here,” Dominic went on. “I can see it, and if I can then the rest of your family surely can.”

  “It’s a bit more complicated than you think.”

  “Says who?”

  Fox took another glance at Dominic. “She’s human.”

  “Yes, I know.”

  “I always thought I’d mate a shifter,” Fox mumbled. Unlucky for him Dominic heard.

  “Things don’t always go as one might plan.”

  “Don’t I know it.”

  “Look, I’m not going to tell you what to do. I’d like to keep staying on your father’s good side here. Pissing him off again isn’t in my plan book, but I am going to give you some advice, because in a strange way you remind me of my little brother. The more you fight what is there, the harder things are going to get, and I don’t mean just a claim. My brother has been hungering after this female since high school, one who happens to be human. She won’t have anything to do with him. So he made everything worse by making damn sure anyone that knew her, or him, also knew that she belonged to him. He doesn’t have a claim, just tells everyone that she is his. It’s kind of backfiring if you ask me, because now she hates his guts.”

  “And how does this fit in with my problem?”

  “It’s not going away, Fox, no matter how much you wish, dream, or plead with yourself for it to happen. If Lindsey is your mate, and the animal has picked up on it, then nothing and no one is going to prevent the claim.”

  “Did you tell that to your brother?”

  “No, I tried to tell it to the girl back in school. She wouldn’t listen.”

  “And?”

  Dominic shrugged, “And it’s going to be hell in the house when their day comes.”

  “Not helping here, Nick.”

  Dominic snickered. “You ever thought about taking her out on a date? She is human after all.”

  “Now why didn’t I think of that?” Fox didn’t hide the sarcasm in his voice and the smile on Dominic’s face didn’t go unnoticed either.

  “The rules of us shifters don’t apply to a human,” Dominic added. “So you need to play the game by rules they understand. Our claiming and just taking won’t work.” Dominic sat straighter up in his seat. “Oh this isn’t going to be good.”

  Fox directed his attention to the marina and the scene before him. Thomas Fallon and his son stood outside, yelling at each other, Fallon with paper in his hand. Clearly the old man got the bill his son racked up and wasn’t too happy about it.

  “No it isn’t,” Fox agreed then his own attention went to Ben who stood by his father shaking his head.

  “Stay cool,” Dominic said, opening the door.

  “I’m always cool.”

  Together they walked towards the shop where the group stood arguing, and the smirk on Ben’s face took all his control right out of him. Fox took four long strides up to him and punched Ben right in the face.

  “You ever fucking touch her again you piece of shit and I’ll rip your fucking throat out!” Fox yelled.

  Dominic quickly grabbed hold of Fox, pulling him off of Ben. “This is your idea of staying cool?”

  “This is not how to handle business, Laswell!” Thomas Fallen sneered.

  “I’ll take fifty off the bill for the blood,” Adrian sneered back.

  “This bill is bullshit and you know it!” Thomas yelled.

  “Your son and his friends have been racking that bill up,” Adrian snarled, pointing at the paper. “The boat stays locked up along with the jets until it’s paid. You want to settle this is court, fine, and when it’s over you can find another place to store your shit. In fact, I’m done with your bullshit, Fallon. Pay the bill an
d just collect your crap. I’m done with you!”

  “You’ll hear from my lawyer!” Thomas hissed.

  “Oh goody!” Dominic rubbed his hands together and smiled. “I love lawyers. Can’t wait.”

  Thomas Fallen gave Dominic a dirty look, fisted the bill up, and tossed it to the ground. He turned and started for his car.

  “You bruise her again, Fallen, I’ll kill you,” Fox warned Ben.

  Ben glared at Fox then followed his father to the car.

  “You know, I can’t decide if you’re crazy or bored,” Adrian said to Dominic. “And you,” he pointed his finger at Fox. “What the hell is that all about?”

  “He grabbed Lindsey and bruised the hell out of her arm,” Fox answered. “Darian took her up to the house so Mom can have a look at it.”

  “It is bad,” Dominic said. “Don’t think he was holding back on his strength with her.”

  “I got a feeling that Ben is tormenting Lindsey to get to you, so get your head out of your ass!” Adrian said. “Now you two get to work docking the other boats. I want to get this shit done with fast. Man, it’s going to be a long day.”

  Chapter Six

  Ben Fallen sat at the dining room table, between his stepmother and father. The clanking of the silverware seemed to echo off the walls, just like the ticking of the grandfather clock. The noise irritated him, made him want to pick up his plate and smash it up against the wall, just to break the norm that seemed to fill the household. Only it wasn’t the norm. No, he knew his father was pissed at him and he couldn’t think of one thing that might help get him out of the trouble he knew he was in.’

  “So how long is the silent treatment going to last?” Ben finally asked his father.

  Thomas Fallen stopped moving with his fork inches from his mouth. He put it down, wiped his mouth, and turned cold eyes upon Ben. “Let me ask you this. What should I do about your behavior?”

  Ben snorted. “Kind of late to spank me.”

  Thomas slammed his hand down hard on the table, rattling everything, knocking the crystal salt and pepper shakers over. Ben jumped and so did his stepmother.

  “Leave us, dear,” Thomas said to his mate.

  Trish, something or another, his father’s third mate, pushed away from the table, stood and with a nod to his father turned and walked away.

  Ben never knew his mother. She died giving birth to him. When he was five, his father mated again, only it didn’t last. The female got caught with another male and, with the permission of the Cabinet, he dealt with it the old fashioned shifter way. He killed her. Now on his third mate, Trish, it seemed that this young blond, dumb as a box of rocks girl, pleased his father. At least for now. She hadn’t given him a child yet, but Ben wasn’t too sure if his father really wanted another or not. For the most part he seemed happy to just have a young female to show off. Sort of like, look everyone what I get to fuck at night and you don’t.

  Over the years, Ben learned fast that his father was all about appearances. He had money, liked to make sure others knew it, just as he wanted all shifters around to know he had the Cabinet’s ear, if needed. Ben also knew that his father had a nasty little past with the Laswells, only he refused to share it. That hatred spread on to Ben.

  Once Thomas came of age, his father handed over inheritance money from his mother, and his father moved to this little town. Before Ben was born, Thomas bought out the plant in town and turned what his mother left him into an even larger sum.

  They lived good and proud. Ben never really wanted for anything, or even had to go far for the comforts of the flesh. The town looked at him as a rich boy, and in a way they were wealthy. The one piece of property Thomas Fallen wanted happened to also be the one he couldn’t get his hands on. The Laswell Marina. And each time he was reminded of it, it infuriated him to the max. Thomas might be one of the richest men in town, but that didn’t mean he had everything he wanted. He still wanted that property.

  Thomas rose from his chair, tossed the napkin on the table, and walked very calmly over to Ben, without a word. Nothing. Only a very hard hand swept down and cracked against Ben’s face, knocking him out of the seat.

  “Right,” Thomas said, wiping his hand on Ben’s napkin. “Spanking is pointless. This is more manly.” He bent over, grabbed Ben by the arm, and jerked him back to his seat. “Now, you have caused me a great deal of money with your little games at the marina. I’m sure you weren’t so stupid that you didn’t think one day they would discover it.” Thomas started strolling around the table, hands behind his back. “The question you should be asking is with what money is the bill to be paid.”

  Ben kept his eyes on his father. His lip throbbed from the slap, and he could taste a small amount of blood even. “I’ll tell you how—from your trust fund.” He stopped across the table and met Ben’s eyes. “Any objections?” Ben kept his mouth shut. “Didn’t think so.”

  “And what about his son?” Ben snarled.

  “What about him?” One eyebrow went up. “What are you going to do about him?”

  “Make him suffer.”

  “How?” Ben couldn’t answer that question, and Thomas rolled his eyes with an impatient sigh. “Must I do all your thinking? The girl!”

  “What about the girl?”

  Thomas seemed to straighten up more. “I know you’ve been scaring her with the notes. You forget that I do know your every move, even the stupid ones. You want to crush your enemies, then you use everything you can. Apparently Fox Laswell has a hard-on for this human. You want to hurt him, hurt her.”

  His father turned and also walked out of the room, leaving Ben alone.

  * * * *

  Fox entered the house by the back door with Dominic right behind. Both were so tired it amazed him that they could even walk. After storing four boats, eight jets, and dealing with at least two very pissed off customers, they’d called it a day. Ash had stayed behind to close up the store. Since he hired the guy that ripped them off, he had to run the place things were straightened out.

  “I was wondering when you two were going to come home.” Darian met them in the kitchen and they sat down at the table. “Hungry?”

  “What do you think?” Dominic asked.

  She smiled and took two plates out from the oven. Dominic dug right in but not Fox. He looked around. “Where’s Lindsey?”

  “She just went home,” Darian answered. “Wouldn’t stay over again, or let us take her. She walked and, before you start bitching at me, I did try to convince her to stay.”

  “She shouldn’t be alone in that house. Someone is stalking her,” Fox said.

  “I know, and give me time. I’ll break her down.” Darian sat down and looked at Fox, who hadn’t touched his food. “What’s wrong now?”

  “That scent.” Fox wrinkled his nose. “It’s not one of ours. I’ve smelled it before.”

  “Oh, that’s Ben’s scent you smell,” Darian said. “It was all over Lindsey when she came here.”

  The world seemed to stop just then. “Son of a bitch!” he growled, standing up so fast he knocked over the chair.

  “What?” Darian and Dominic both said.

  “The scent that I’ve smelled at her house, in her fucking bed, was Ben’s. That mother fucker has been stalking her.”

  Fox was out the door in a flash and Dominic followed him.

  “Darian, call your parents,” Dominic yelled. As he followed Fox, he snarled, “You’re not going without me. You kill him and you’re going to need a witness as to why.” Dominic was right on his heels and in the truck even before Fox.

  “I am going to kill him if he hurts her again.”

  * * * *

  Lindsey unlocked the front door of her house and went inside, tossing her things to the side where they landed on the floor, before reaching for the lamp. She turned the knob but it wouldn’t turn on. Lightbulb must have burned out.

  “Hello, sweet thing.”

  Lindsey turned slowly and made out the shadowy fo
rm of Ben standing in her front room. How the hell he’d gotten into her house she didn’t know, and why was another question bouncing around in her head.

  “What are you doing here?” she demanded trying to show that she wasn’t scared.

  “Waiting for you.” He grinned, his eyes moving up and down her body, licking his lips.

  There was just something about the manner in which he looked at her that put her on edge. A warning screamed in her head to run and run as fast as she could.

  “You run and I’ll beat you down,” he said, reading her mind.

  Lindsey took a small step backward, the fear in her gut threatening to make her sick.

  His eyes narrowed on her. “You need to leave, Ben.”

  Ben shook his head, “I don’t think so. Not this time. No, I think I’m going to stay and play. Stay and show you just what happens to little sluts like you.”

  Lindsey gave in to her fear, whirled around, and ran down the hall toward her bedroom. She could feel Ben chasing her. She just made it to her room, slammed the door closed on his face and turned the lock, but the door didn’t hold. Ben smashed into it, sending Lindsey flying backwards onto the floor. Pieces of the door hit her face, cutting her. Breathing hard, Ben finished tearing down the door, walked into her room, red eyes narrowed upon her.

  “Oh, I’m glad you did that,” he huffed. “Makes everything so much sweeter for the taking.”

  She scooted back hitting at his hands reaching for her. Ben backhanded her hard, stunning her. Her senses returned once she felt her bed against her backside. She lost her breath when he dropped his body down on hers. Lindsey fought as hard as she could. She hit at his hands, tried kicking him off her and in the end Ben smacked her across the face again. He hit her so hard that she tasted blood on her lips and felt more trickle from her nose.

  “Keep fighting me, bitch,” he snarled as he ripped her shirt open and squeezed one breast. Lindsey cried out in pain and fought him, clutching at his hand to remove it. “I love it,” he bit out, then landed another slap to her face.

  Stars exploded behind her eyes, knocking her senseless. Yet, she felt her face throbbing in pain. She became powerless to stop him, withdrawing into herself as Ben touched her at his will.