by L. P. Maxa
“Shhh. Baby, I need you to trust me, okay?” He didn’t wait for her answer, and he slipped back inside her body. She closed her eyes as tight as she could. She wanted to trust him, but part of her was terrified. Was he bonding them? She wouldn’t stop him, because as much as she tried to deny it, the other half of her wanted it too badly. She felt tears start to gather in her eyes when he suddenly jerked out, fisting his dick and coming all over her back and ass. She let out a sigh of relief, unaware that she had been holding her breath.
Linc trailed his fingertips along her flesh, spreading his come out to cover more of her skin. “I just need you to smell like me, and no one else.”
She stood straight, turning around to face him, and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Do I really smell that terrible?” A small grin played on her lips, trying like hell to lighten the heavy mood.
“Yes. Unless you smell like me. Or a combination of you and me? You smell bad.” He took her mouth, backing her up under the spray of water. “Let me wash you off before this water goes completely cold.” He reached down and grabbed a dark gray bottle of shampoo. “My come, my soap, my sheets. You’ll smell like me and only me in no time.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Linc
“Madden? What are you doing? We still have another hour to sleep.” Linc threw his arm over his eyes. They hadn’t gotten in bed until almost three o’clock, and now, at six, Madden was pulling on her clothes from yesterday.
“I need to go home and change, and I want to go by Corey’s house.” She sat on the edge on the bed, putting her shoes on.
“The clothes I understand.” The walk of shame for a faculty member would probably give Dean McCormick a heart attack. “But why are you going by Corey’s?” He snaked an arm around her middle and dragged her sexy ass back in bed.
Madden spoke into his chest. “I want to tell Corey about Riley before she finds out on her own and gets all pregnancy pissy.”
He made a face, pulling away so he could look at her. “Why the hell would you volunteer for that suicide mission? Keller already said he’d do it.”
She got up and tugged the covers off of him, making him pout in response. “I’ve known Corey nearly all my life. I know how to deliver bad news to the chick way better than any of you.” She reached down and smacked his still naked butt. “Get up, let’s go.”
He groaned into the pillow. He was not looking forward to this little errand at all. Corey was testy when it came to Riley and she was even testier when she found out that they were keeping things from her. So them not telling her that Riley was jumped, and the twins’ dorm room was ransacked? Fucking bad combination.
Reluctantly, he got out of his warm, cozy bed and started to dress. “Can we get coffee first? I’m exhausted.” He didn’t know how she was flitting about like a cheerful little elf. They’d gotten less than three hours of sleep. “Please tell me you aren’t one of those perpetually happy morning people.” That would be an annoying way to spend the rest of his life. But he’d do it, if it meant that he got to wake up every day and be mated to Madden. In the matter of twenty-four hours, his every want and need out of life had changed.
“I fucking hate mornings.” She smiled, letting him know she was mostly kidding. “But for some reason, I’m full of energy right now. I feel like I could run a marathon.” She was bouncing on her feet. “So get dressed, let’s go. We can grab coffee on the way.”
He cocked his head to the side, watching her with his hands on his hips. “I don’t think you need any coffee baby.” She was acting like she’d mainlined a pot already. In the back of his mind he was silently praying that wasn’t another odd side effect of them not completing the bond.
After he was dressed they left the safety of his bedroom. He had a firm grip on Madden’s hand. He was on edge, waiting for Jace or Jasper to come at him, trying to get to her. All three boys were still asleep and Baze was sitting at the kitchen table, reading the news on his iPad. See? Most millennial adults read the paper that way. Keller was weird AF.
“Where are you guys headed?” Baze addressed them over the rim of his favorite coffee mug. It said Black like my Soul. Linc had given it to him two birthdays ago.
He gestured with his head to Madden. “Crazy over here wants to go to Corey’s and tell her what went down yesterday.”
“Why the fuck would anyone volunteer to do that?” Baze jerked back like he was equal parts shocked and appalled. As he should be.
“That’s what I said.” Linc looked over his shoulder at his girl. Well, he hoped she’d be his girl. One day.
“Y’all are all a bunch of pussies. It’s Corey. Not a fucking firing squad.” She stepped like she was headed toward the kitchen. “Is there more coffee?”
Linc held her hand tight in his own, stopping her from going any further. “Oh no you don’t. None for you this morning.” Madden was practically vibrating at his side. “I’ll see you at school, man.” He pulled her behind him, silently passing by his sleeping players, careful not to wake them. He wanted them out cold until he had Madden safely in his car.
Shit. Would all shifters react that way toward her? She was going to be on campus with dozens of them. He let out a sigh as he opened his car door for her. “Baby, I don’t think you’re going to be able to work today.”
“What? Why?”
When she reached down to buckle her seatbelt he shut her door, jogging over to his side before answering her. “Think of how hard it was for us to keep Jasper and Jace off of you last night. There are dozens of shifters that you could come into contact with on campus. It isn’t safe.”
She was silent for a few minutes. She was either processing or she was gearing up to bite his head off in an epic way. “Last night, my scent woke Jasper up from a dead sleep, right? And I was in the kitchen because I’d started to have some kind of horrific hot flash. Maybe the two are connected? Maybe the scent came from whatever was happening to my body at that moment? As long as I feel fine, I should be fine.” She shrugged like she’d just solved all the world’s problems.
“That seems like a precarious thing to hang your safety on.” Precarious. Oooo, look at him with the ten-dollar word.
“I’m not going to hide in my house all day, Linc. It’s the second week of school; how would that look? Plus, I love my job. And I won’t give it up because you tell me to. That’s not how this is going to—”
“Whoa, Madden, chill.” He glanced over at her. Mood swing much? “I would never tell or ask you to give up your job.” Although he had seriously thought about asking her to switch to working in a doctor’s office or a hospital. Anywhere without horny teenage boys. “Geez, I’m not some nineteen-fifties fedora-wearing hardass. But it’s not only your safety I’m thinking about here. Those young shifters will be confused. They won’t be able to control themselves. They could end up fighting each other. Who knows what could happen?” Not to mention that he’d kill them. He’d rip them limb from limb if he saw them on Madden.
“Sorry, I just…” Madden turned in her seat, facing him fully. “Look, I’m assuming the hot flash weird scent thing was because we hadn’t had sex in about twenty-four hours, right? It’s a response to make us finish the bonding?” He nodded to show her he was picking up what she was laying down. “So if that’s true, I should be fine until tonight.”
Her logic was semi-sound, and he really didn’t want to cause any more arguments. “If you start to feel weird at all you’ll go home?”
“Scout’s honor.”
He reached over and took her hand in his, running his thumb over her steady pulse. She may be acting like she had energy for days, but her heartbeat was normal. And he was feeling pretty calm himself, which was all probably because he’d been inside her mere hours ago.
Maybe they really could manage this thing after all. So they had to have sex all the time? Not like that was a punishment.
They could make not completing the bonding their bitch.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Madden
She’d changed clothes in record time—not bothering with makeup or fixing her hair helped. So did locking her bedroom door so Linc couldn’t come in and tackle her onto the bed. By the time they made it to Corey’s front porch, Keller was walking out of his house. His brow furrowed as he made his way over to them.
“What are the two of you doing here?”
Linc sighed. “This one,” he rested his hand on her shoulder, “wanted to tell Corey about Riley. Claims she can handle her better than we can.”
Keller snorted. “Well, anyone can handle her better than you can. But I feel like I’m pretty well versed in how to deliver bad news to Coop.”
Madden raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest. “Oh yeah? Watch and learn, cowboy.” She knocked twice and then strolled into the house. “Corey, where are you?”
“In the kitchen,” Corey called out around what sounded like a mouthful of food.
“Of course she is,” Linc deadpanned, then winced when Madden backhanded him in the gut.
The three of them walked into the small dining room, and Corey’s eyes went wide when she saw them. She dropped the chicken leg she was munching on. “Uh, what’s up guys?”
“Corey, I really hope you aren’t eating that leftover chicken for breakfast.” Dom came around the corner, stopping short when he realized he had a full house. “What’d I miss? What’s happening? Why are you here?” There was instant panic in his voice.
Keller and Linc both sat down, their hands folded neatly on the dining room table. They looked like they were about to watch a performance, and then judge it. Madden rolled her eyes as she stepped forward, closer to Corey. “Hey, so here’s the deal.” Madden spared a glance behind her as Dom joined the judges’ panel. “Some asshole that apparently works for that douche nugget Franklin jumped Riley yesterday afternoon. Beat the shit out of him. But we got him all patched up and he stayed the night at Linc and Baze’s place. He’s totally fine, by the way. The twins stayed the night, too. Same asshole ransacked their dorm. Everyone is safe. They’re with Baze.”
Corey swallowed the bite she’d been chewing, her eyes narrowing. “Why the hell didn’t anyone tell me?”
Madden ignored Linc when he snickered behind her. Oh ye of little faith. “Uh, because you’re pregnant as fuck and I told them not to.” She’d take the blame; she could handle Corey. “Your blood pressure sky rockets? The baby’s in danger. Simple as that.” Madden shrugged. “Once that little girl is born, you’re back on the front lines. But until then, you’re B team.” There, she took care of any future issues as well. “Now, if you feel like you can discuss all this without losing your shit…you guys should call a pack meeting or huddle or whatever the hell y’all do, for after school.”
Corey picked up the chicken and took another bite, chewing and swallowing before she spoke again. “Okay.” She came around the corner, carrying the box of fried food with her. “I’ve got to get dressed. Meet for lunch?”
Madden nodded. “You know it.”
After Corey walked off Dom got to his feet. “How the hell did you just do that?”
“My guess is that you guys coddle her. You go in already expecting the worst and then let her get away with being a brat.” She went into the kitchen, pouring herself a cup of coffee. “That Bull guy? Not the first man Corey has shot. She’s way tougher than she lets on. Be honest, be straightforward, and be unapologetic. Y’all are weak when it comes to her, and she knows it.”
Keller bowed his hands on the top of the table. “You are the master. Sorry I ever doubted you. From now on, you deal with Coop.”
Dom chuckled. “Yeah, you want to come over here the next time I need to…Wait. Who else did she shoot?”
Madden shook her head, miming locking her lips. “BFFs keep secrets ’til the grave.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Linc
Madden was on his mind. Always. Through every class he’d taught today, every lesson he’d given. All he could think about Madden. Was she safe? Was she feeling okay? He’d gotten back to his office when it was almost lunchtime. He pulled his phone out, needing to connect with her in some form before he went insane.
Linc: How’s it going? Feeling okay?
Madden: Everything is fine. I feel great. Meeting Corey for lunch now.
Linc: Please leave the second you start to feel bad. You need to be completely off campus before it hits full force.
He hoped they were right. He hoped that the scent was triggered by her hot flash episode and that they could control them going forward. In end, that would mean they could control their fate, at least for a little while.
Madden: I will, I promise. I don’t want to see anyone hurt either.
He put his phone down when Dom, Keller, and Baze filed into his office. “Hey guys, what’s up?”
Keller wiggled the cell phone in his hand. “We want to call Brooks, let him know what’s happening down here.”
“Thought it be easier if we did it on speaker phone, that way no one has to be filled in.” Baze crossed his arms as he perched on the edge of Linc’s desk while Kel and Dom sat down in the spare chairs against the wall. The ones usually reserved for students who needed a good talking to, aka the rare occasions when Linc had to adult because the other coaches were too busy.
Keller sat his cell on Linc’s desk; he and Dom both leaned forward when it started to ring. Linc glanced at Keller, trying to gauge his mood. They all knew that contacting Brooks, bringing him back into their lives, was the last thing Keller wanted to do today. Or any day.
“Brooks.”
“Brooks, it’s Keller Byrne from St. Leasing.” Keller closed his eyes briefly, like he was in pain.
“Oh, hey.” Brooks chuckled lightly. “I gotta be honest, man. I never really thought I’d ever be getting a phone call from you.”
Keller huffed. “Believe me, neither did I.” He sighed. “Listen, Riley Harris was attacked yesterday afternoon. Someone jumped him, kicked his ass, and told him that Franklin said hi.”
“Fuck. Is he okay?”
“Slight concussion, a little banged up, but he’s fine.” Keller cleared his throat. “That’s not all. The Franklin twins had their dorm room ransacked as well.”
From the other end of the line they heard Brooks let out a weary sigh. “Where are the kids now? Somewhere safe?”
“Yeah. They’re all safe. We reported the incident to the dean, and they’ve stepped up security on campus.” Linc’s eyebrows rose at Keller’s statement. He hadn’t known they’d gone to the dean already. That old man was so emotional, they tended to put him on the need to know only list. “We’re all a little confused over here. The last we spoke, you and Agent Grimes assured us that none of this would be traced back to the students who came forward.”
“The only people who know that Riley and Franklin’s boys brought him up during our investigation are you guys, Grimes, and me.” His voice was hard, like he was pissed at the silent accusations Keller was throwing his way. “Both Agent Grimes and I have been working ‘round the clock on this case. Neither of us would compromise this investigation. Hell, we left that part of the boys’ testimony out of our report all together. We could get fired for the doctoring we did to those tapes.”
Dom spoke up. “Brooks, it’s Dom. We have you on speakerphone.” He scrubbed his hands down his face before continuing. “Is there anyone else that could have known? Anyone at all? Corey’s pregnant, we have a campus full of kids. If Franklin wants to come here and start trouble, it could be catastrophic.”
Dom was right. They all had so much more to lose today than they did a year ago. Especially Dom; he had Corey and their baby to think about. Linc looked at his friend, really looked at him. He had bags under his eyes and his mouth was turned down in a frown.
“What I’m about to tell you is classified. It’s not public knowledge, only those involved in this investigation are privy.” The line went silent for a few seconds and
Linc was almost afraid the douche canoe had hung up. “We started going after a few of Franklin’s ex-employees. People who had wound up in jail were our first targets. Two of the five we talked to were willing to make a deal. The day before we went to get statements? They were found dead. Suicide.”
“Like Bull.” Baze shook his head and got to his feet. He started to pace the length of the office. “How the fuck did Franklin find out?”
“From what we can gather, the other three, the ones who refused to talk must have tipped him off.”
Keller was standing now too. Everyone was becoming increasingly agitated. “Didn’t you see that coming?”
“Of course we fucking saw that coming. We had everyone we spoke to placed in solitary. They weren’t allowed to talk to anybody. Franklin has to have guards on his payroll. Maybe a warden or two?” Brooks let out a loud, defeated sigh. “We’re starting to realize Franklin’s reach is a lot farther than we could have ever imagined.”
Linc scooted his chair forward, the wheels squeaking lightly. “What now? What’s our next move, Brooks?” That was what mattered, right? What they were supposed to do moving forward, how they were supposed to keep everyone safe?
“We need to talk to the twins. We are going to need to get every morsel of information out of them that we can. Everything they can recall about their father. And then we’re going to need to place them in protective custody.”
Linc’s head jerked up in surprise, his expression mirroring everyone else’s. Baze said out loud what they were all thinking. “If Franklin has so many officials on his payroll, how are you supposed to ensure their safety? If he can’t get to them, what’s not to say he’ll come after us? Or the boys’ mom? From the way you made it sound, no one is beyond his grasp.”
“Look. I’m going to get with Grimes and we’re going to head your way, tonight. We’ll figure it out when we get there. I’m not telling anyone in the agency where we’re going or why. I promise I will keep this as close to the chest as possible. The important thing is that we keep the kids safe.”