by Jenny Brex
After his run, he shifted back to his human form so he could lift weights. King took care of his body; it was his temple. His size and strength had helped him out through the years, not to mention the ladies loved it. Nothing wrong with looking good.
He was single at the moment, though it was probably better that way. He wasn’t ready to be tied down, and his last relationship lasted longer than it should have. When she tossed an ultimatum his way for a bigger commitment, he shut it down. Breaking it off wasn’t easy, but it was the best choice for him at the time.
He was too young to settle down, and he certainly wasn’t interested in kids at this point. She had her mind set on a wedding and babies. He could see how her eyes danced when she talked about the future. It was like waving a flag. King knew it was time to jump.
She’d pressed the issue more than once. More than twice. In fact, he’d dodged it pretty well, he thought. Only, the third time came with too much pressure, and it was time to say good-bye. He decided to take a nice, long break. Damn shame, she was smart, snarky, sassy, and amazing in bed. At least he had his freedom.
King wrapped his morning routine and got in the shower. The hot water pelted over him in a steady stream. He turned it hotter, enjoying the steam as it fogged up the bathroom. King picked up a bar of soap and lathered his hard body. The scent of cinnamon, pine, citrus, and cedar came together in an aroma that spelled M-A-N. He went out of his way to get this particular soap. The smell was intoxicating. He’d never heard of it, but after getting it as a gift he was hooked. Nothing wrong with smelling damn fine.
When he lathered his massive cock, he gave it a few extra strokes for good measure. Oh yeah, best way to start the day.
Chapter 2
Lexi Laven begrudgingly sipped her piping-hot coffee. What she needed was a giant gulp. No, what she needed was a couple of shots of whisky, but coming to work drunk was frowned upon.
She hungrily eyed the name on the paper. Oh, yeah, payback is a bitch. She was more than ready to tangle with King Carson. That bear-bastard left her hanging high and dry. There they were in bed, her close to an amazing orgasm because let’s face it he knew how to rock her world… and that was the moment he decided they needed time apart.
A fucking break-up while his fat cock was inside of her with his finger on her clit. She was riding the wave, almost there – and then he stopped. What kind of asshole…? Yeah, she already had the answer. No need re-hashing it.
It wasn’t even about the orgasm; it was about their life together. She was about to move in, about to start a family with the big bear. Only suddenly, he had other plans, and those plans no longer included her.
Maybe she shouldn’t have tossed the ultimatum into the pit, but they’d been together for a while and he was taking his damn time moving forward. She brought the topic up casually at first, then with a little more pressure. When he refused to commit, she finally pressed too hard.
Lexi wanted to scream. Instead, she scooped up a handful of coffee beans and chewed them before spitting them into the sink. Rocks would have been better, grittier, but well, she kind of liked her teeth. What she didn’t like was that son-of-a-bitch bear that fucked her over.
Sure a mountain lion shifter and a bear weren’t usually perfect together, but they were. King made her swoon in ways that she’d never experienced before. It was love. Pure, simple love. At least for her. When he cut it off and broke up with her, he claimed he’d moved on emotionally and was only there for the sex. She knew it was a lie, but he denied it.
Fucking shifter-bear-asshole. And he smelled so damn good. She hated that she’d memorized his scent. Sniffing him was like an aphrodisiac. Lexi made a mental note to stay at a distance. The last thing she needed was to be lured in by the big-bear’s scent.
She blew on her coffee one more time, then took the big gulp she’d been craving. Today was the day she got to screw him up the wazoo with no lubrication and plenty of get-the-fuck-off-of-your-property.
Shame it didn’t work out with King.
Not that she held a grudge.
If she’d held a grudge, well, that would be downright shameful seeing as she was handling his court case. Maybe she volunteered a little too quickly when it came up, but the past was the past. Or was it?
He broke her heart.
For weeks on end she cried. He’d torn her to shreds. She was in love with the bear, and she thought it was mutual. When he dumped her, it was unexpected. Hell, she’d already started to pack her things to move in. She knew he’d be asking soon since they’d spent so much time together.
After they split, she was miserable. She tossed and turned, had bags under her eyes, and looked like shit. All her friends and co-workers made sure to point it out. The man that she’d told them all she was going to marry, left her looking like a fool.
When she saw him with another woman, her tears turned to anger. That son of a bitch had moved on way too quickly. She was still crying over the stupid man-bear and he was out frolicking with somebody else. Lexi seethed thinking back on the ill-timed event. Anger laced through her body like a suit of armor. Hard as steel, she’d seen the error of her ways. She’d spent too much time crying over that playboy. Anger was so much easier.
What a coincidence…she was about to run into him once again. Okay, so maybe she coordinated things that way, but all the better. Revenge is best served cold.
Lexi smirked, then slammed her mug down. It was time to resettle this bear to the other side of Alaska.
Chapter 3
King grumbled as he dressed. Stupid legal proceedings. He’d pushed back on the last offer, but now he was cutting it close. His only chance was to delay the case longer. Appeal, appeal, appeal. Pretty soon, they’d have no choose but to let the entire thing drop, rather than to drag it through the courts for years.
He yanked his belt off of the peg in the closet and looped it through his gray slacks. Dress pants were fine, but dress shoes were the devil. Those things killed his feet. Not like a lot of companies made shoes in his size -- extra-honking-large.
King buttoned his white dress shirt and then tucked in the tails. He stood before the mirror. Not too shabby, old boy. Not bad at all. Did he need a tie? Should he wear one? Shit, he hated when his shirt was buttoned all the way, it felt like it was choking him. He had a thick, meaty neck and always felt suffocated when his collar was tight. He’d skip the tie and open the top two buttons.
He preferred jeans to dress slacks, but these accented the ‘V’ that highlighted his broad chest to his narrower waist. Women seemed to appreciate this look when he was forced to wear it. T-shirts were more his style, though. His broad shoulders were hard to fit, so with dress clothes he had to rely on a tailor sometimes to get them just right. T-shirts were more forgiving.
His mother teased him as he grew up, saying that she’d given birth to a linebacker. He’d always been larger than his friends and schoolmates. He wasn’t the only one to notice. His buddies were always jealous when the girls would flock to him first.
He’d cherry pick the curvy girls for himself, leaving the others to his friends. King closed his eyes and pictured some of his favorite women. He liked them with round, plump bottoms, a soft padded belly, and hips to hold onto.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The knocking at the door pulled him from his daydream. He opened the door and looked around.
“Down here,” the squirrel shot out in a high-pitched squeak.
“Hey, Jimmy. Big bang for a little guy like yourself.”
Jimmy flexed his squirrel muscles. “I’ve been working out.”
King bent down and picked up his friend, placing him on his shoulder. “What’s going on?”
“There’s news that a hard-ass got a hold of your case. Heard she’s got a bone to pick with you.”
“Where did you hear this?” King asked, thanking his small informant.
“There’s talk down at the courthouse, and word chased down the wire from the neighboring town,” h
e said. “Some dame was out talking on her cell-phone and your name came up.”
King took in the news. “Thanks for the head’s up. I’ll brush up on my legal jargon and try to sound more official. What did you hear about the bird?”
“Sounds like she knows you or knows of you.”
“Well, that narrows it down to half of the state,” King answered with a wink. “With an anaconda snaked between my legs, I’ve got a bit of a reputation.”
“Take it down a notch, big-bear. You might be in trouble. If that happens, what happens to me and my family?”
“Jimmy, haven’t I always taken care of you?”
“Yeah, boss. Just a little jumpy.”
“Cut out the caffeine my friend. Time to settle your nerves. I’ve got your back. If I move, you move with me, easy as that. No bird of prey will grab you. I’ll keep you safe.”
“Thanks, King. Hey, good luck today.”
“I appreciate the head’s up.”
***
The courthouse wasn’t in town, or the next town over, but the one after that. Living in a remote part of Alaska, it was usually a haul to get about anywhere. That suited King fine most days. He liked his space.
He parked his truck in the municipal lot and made his way into the courthouse. He’d folded up the letter and shoved it in his pocket. Taking it out, he double checked the timing and signed in.
“Your time was bumped up.” The guard looked at his watch. “You’d better hurry, or you’ll be late.”
“Bumped up? Why wasn’t I told?”
The guard shrugged and pointed down the hallway. “That way, your case is being heard in room two.”
King grumbled. If he was late, he’d look bad. Who changes a hearing time without notifying anybody? He rambled down the hall, kicking it up a step to get there on time. As he made it to the second courtroom, everything made sense.
She was standing outside the courtroom doors, ready to bust through them. She looked like a man-eater ready to take him out.
“Shit,” he mumbled. Raising his voice, he greeted his ex. “Lexi.”
“King,” Lexi answered with a snide remark. “Oh, you made it. Look at that.”
“What are you doing here?” He wasn’t sure he wanted to know, but the pieces of the puzzle were coming together.
“Same thing as you,” she said with a shrug.
“Of all the…” King forced himself to hold his tone. “Why do you have my case?”
“Weird, right? I told them it wasn’t a good idea, that I knew you. They begged me to take it. Go figure.” She turned her back to him and smiled.
“Begged, huh?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Oh, it’s time,” she said, then strolled through the double doors that led into the court room.
King watched her ass sway back and forth as she walked. Her dark pencil skirt clung to every curve. He cricked his neck to the side, trying to chase away the image. They’d had some good times together, even if it didn’t end well. Damn, good times.
Flashing back, he remembered how well she’d taken the news that he was splitting up with her. She had a hell of an arm. When she got out of bed she threw her spiked heel at him, and then the other, a few books, a handful of apples and anything she could get her hands on.
Okay, so maybe he shouldn’t have broken up with her mid-sex. Bad timing on his part, but he knew if he didn’t say something, she’d wrangle him into a cozy family situation with kids and a wedding. She was itching to move-in, and he wasn’t ready. Things worked fine in the relationship as it was, but not according to her. She wanted…needed it all. She was ready to claim King as her own, forever and ever. Forever is a long time!
King rolled his head back, closed his eyes, and let out a huff. He was fucked. He walked into the court room knowing he wasn’t going to win. Not a shot. She was the best, and if she was working the case, he was screwed.
He desperately needed an appeal. The appeal would demand the state hold their offer before they could come back with a new lower offer. It would force them to have an impartial party evaluate the situation and come back with what they deemed fair market value. Not that he was going to take the offer, but it bought him time. He wasn’t moving. Not happening. That was his home.
He pushed through the doors and sat in one of the chairs against the back wall, waiting for his case to be called. It didn’t take long.
Chapter 4
Lexi had the itch. Damn. Seeing him, she thought she could handle it. Maybe it was the way he was bigger, stronger, and fiercer than the others, or how he towered over most men and his shoulders went on for miles.
This wasn’t good. She could still picture being sprawled across his chest and the feel of his solid arms wrapped around her. God, she’d loved him. She thought she was over him, err, she was over him, though it was hard to deny the physical reaction.
He wasn’t even a mountain lion, her usual type. Nope, he was a big, gruff grizzly bear. Her nipples hardened while thinking about him. As she walked to the desk at the front of the courtroom they rubbed against the material of her bra. Arousal was the last thing she needed right now. Fuck. The heat between her legs didn’t help.
The judge stood and stretched before beginning, and then banged her gavel. “Okay, let’s get started. Good morning, Ms. Laven. Are you ready?”
“Yes, your Honor.”
“Okay, Mr. Carson, you can have a seat at the other desk over there,” she said, gesturing to the table to the side of Lexi’s.
Lexi turned to watch as he walked over and settled at the table.
“You’re representing yourself?” the judge asked.
King nodded. “Yes, your Honor.”
***
“Eminent domain. When I researched the law to see what my legal rights were, one of the things it mentioned was that a fair offer shall be made. Fair offer. Fifty percent of my property’s value is not a fair offer, your Honor. I can’t make an honest evaluation when they low-ball me, thinking that I have no other option. This is my home,” he said.
“Ms. Laven?”
“We’re prepared to offer fifty percent. We tried to do this in a just manner, but as you can see from the docket he’s appealed before, pushing the courts back, hoping that it will finally be dropped. He’s essentially buying time. I know for a fact that he has no interest in any offer.”
“And how do you know this, Ms. Laven?”
“Objection. That was talked about…” King trailed off.
“Yes?” The judge waited.
“In bed, when we were in a relationship,” he admitted cautiously.
The judge groaned. “Lover’s quarrel going on here? Ms. Laven, did you have a relationship at the time this conversation took place? And are you using privileged information against him?”
“Your Honor, it-”
“Answer the question, Lexi.”
Lexi bowed her head. “Yes, your Honor.”
“This case will be reassigned, Mr. Carson. You’ll get your appeal this time. Dismissed.”
“But your Honor…”
The judge left the courtroom.
King smirked at Lexi. “Well, then, good day.”
Lexi scrunched her nose up and squeezed her eyes shut. “Argh!”
King waited for her outside of the court room. “Hey princess, how’s it going?”
“Go away, stupid bear.”
He playfully acted wounded. “Ouch. Stupid?”
“King, now is not the time,” she said stomping down the hallway, her heels clicking on the tile.
He chased after her. “Hey, for old time’s sake, why don’t you and I go have a drink? We’ll put the past behind us.”
She spun around and looked at the large man. “Mr. Carson, if you think I’d spend even a moment of time with you, you’re crazy.”
“Gee, and I thought you took this case to get closer to me.”
“Arrogant jerk,” she said. She moved into his face and poked his chest. �
��You stay away from me.”
He couldn’t help himself. It was in the air. He wrapped his arms around her back and pulled her close before planting a big, fat kiss on her lips.
Lexi reeled back and slapped him.
King rubbed his face. “Oh, that was nice. Why don’t you let me return that favor on your juicy, sweet ass? You always liked a little spanking in bed.”
Lexi seethed. “Go away.”
King decided to follow her instead. “Come on, kitten, you and me. We had some good times, didn’t we?”
“Why? Why are you doing this?” She stopped and stood beside him.
“There had to be a reason you took this case. You obviously wanted to see me again. So, let’s do this.”
“You’re impossible,” she hissed.
Chapter 5
Lexi groaned with pleasure as much as she wanted to deny him that affirmation. Stupid, stupid move on her part. She should have never…
King grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked her head back gently. “That’s it, baby, take it all.”
“I fucking hate you, King,” she shot out as he thrust into her. They were behind the courthouse, just off of the walkway.
“Fuck me, baby, that’s my girl,” he said, pumping harder into her. Lexi’s skirt was shimmied up over her waist and her panties were pulled down to her knees. “God, you feel so good.”
Lexi panted and told him to slap her ass.
“In a minute,” he growled. He reached up for a handful of her breast. “Say my name.”
“King, you’re a fucking beast, do it harder,” she begged.
“I’m going to fuck your little pussy and make you mine,” he said, slamming his cock into her. Her lips stretched around him. Inside she was velvety soft and warm. If he had more time, he’d slide his thick tongue up into her and inhale her juices. He reached down and slapped her ass.