Recovering the Siren

by Erin R Flynn

  “You really are a bitch,” she sneered. “He got that right at least.”

  “I didn’t call her a bitch,” he snapped. “I said…” He gave me a guilty look, then his eyes went wide with fear as he looked over my shoulder. “I’m sorry, Chief Havers, Chief Thomas. Really, I was—we were drinking, and I hadn’t known it was Chief Thomas at the time because I came on while she was gone. I thought you had a sugar momma that got you the Ferrari and we were saying we didn’t realize there were rich women into FBI agents.”

  I moved to block Brian from the kid’s path, making it clear I was handling the idiots, as they were shitting on my party. “He does a lot more than his job and gets shit on it, so my club lets him use the car we leased as thanks because he never stops working. I’m not his sugar momma or whatever.” I locked eyes with the girl. “But I am absolutely a bitch and hold grudges, so make sure you clean up your mess or I will make your life hell.”

  “Fine, whatever,” she muttered, crossing her arms over her chest.

  I looked back at the guy. “You finish cleaning up what you’re responsible for by bringing her around, and then leave, hopefully learning from this.” I waited until he nodded, seeming like he wanted to melt into the ground at the attention we now had. “And my office doesn’t have the budget for a cleaning crew. I think I just found my guy for this month. You will speak with Special Agent in Charge Shaw, and she will instruct you on how to clean our office.”

  “Yes, Chief Thomas,” he quickly accepted when it looked like she might say something. “I’m very sorry, and yes, I will talk with SAiC Shaw and do whatever. I worked hard to get to Chief Havers’s office and take it seriously. I won’t mess up like this again.”

  “Good. Glad you understand this is a mess up and aren’t blowing it off. We all trip up, but we have to accept the fact we did and right the path we’re on to move forward.”

  “Plus, she loves giving out the punishments,” Corbin comforted the guy.

  “Hey, Tommy just turned sixteen and will need driving lessons. You volunteering?” I shot right back.

  “Hell yeah I’ll help,” he answered with a bright smile. “There’s always a ton of food at your house, and Jared’s always testing out recipes he wants feedback on.”

  “You have a normal car, right? I can’t take learning on someone’s new vehicle or Brian joked I could drive his Ferrari,” Tommy worried. “It’s almost three million dollars. I don’t want to drive that!”

  “It’s nice you just announced how much it is after we said I bought it for him,” I drawled, feeling the shock and surprise around us. I glanced up at Brian. “Don’t let the boys drive your new toy.”

  “I was just kidding,” he muttered, leaning down and giving me a quick kiss. “Oh, and Perry? The cage needs to be cleaned out and inventory taken. See me Monday for details on that assignment as well.”

  “Yes, sir,” Perry replied, looking like he’d been kicked in the nuts. Mine was mean, Brian’s was downright evil, as no one took care of the weapons and equipment cage. Like ever. It was one of those things we all knew needed to be done and would find time for, but then something urgent would come up, as there was always something urgent, and there were only so many hours in the day.

  “Fine, I’ll let you have your birthday cake,” I told Brian, pursing my lips for another kiss.

  He gave it but then frowned. “What birthday cake?”

  11

  Several more rounds of eating and playing and the answer to Brian’s question finally came in the form of Jacqueline from my pack who I’d hired to make the cakes and enough for everyone. We went completely overboard, but she enjoyed doing that as much as I did, and honestly, who didn’t love getting to take home extra cake?

  I went to go find Brian so we could sing for his birthday, but instead I found him sauced.

  “There you are, babe,” he said with a goofy smile.

  “Are you drunk?” I asked, not hiding my shock. I figured everyone would get a bit buzzed given the summer BBQ vibe, but Brian never even did that at work parties.

  “No, no,” he answered, clearly drunk. “I had a few slushies. That wouldn’t get me drunk.” He snagged me around the waist and kissed me in a way that was not appropriate for the time and place. “It’s the full moon still, Sera. You promised me we’d do dirty things on the Ferrari. Let’s go do that.”

  “Bri, we can later.” I took his drink and sniffed it, not getting a scent to tip me off but more the alcohol smell a human wouldn’t pick up. “What else was in your slushie?” I groaned when Jimmy’s heart rate picked up. “Jimmy, you are such a little shit.”

  “We’re like the same age, Sera,” he drawled. “I just added some extra booze to his drink or whatever was over there. Mr. Perfect and Composed needed to let loose a bit.”

  “You idiot,” I seethed, wanting to smack him. “That’s a hundred and ninety proof Everclear the ancients were adding so they could actually get a buzz. And Brian doesn’t get drunk at work parties. You’re too old to pull this shit.”

  “Don’t argue with Jimmy,” Brian interjected. “He’s just cranky he can’t find someone like you.” He smiled happily at me. “Because you’re mine, right? You said so.” He leaned down and kissed me again, and my wolf wanted more. My siren wanted more. Hell, it was such a good kiss even I wanted more and wasn’t caring if we did it right there on the table.

  “Bri, let’s take this somewhere private.”

  He smirked at me. “Since when do you care about that? I don’t anymore. I just want you, babe. Forever.” He chuckled as he leaned in closer and held me against him. “I told you I want you to be my wife one day. I started looking at rings.”

  “You are so dead,” I told Jimmy, noting his shock that his brother just admitted that to everyone. Few people knew that drunk Brian had absolutely no fucking filter. It wasn’t just bad, it was nonexistent.

  “Sera, don’t be upset,” Brian muttered as he kissed along my neck. “It’s the full moon. Don’t you want me too? I’ve missed too many full moons with you.” Tears filled his eyes when I looked up at him. “I lost you. I thought you were gone forever and that was our last full moon in New York.”

  “I would have done whatever it took to come back,” I promised him, taking his hand and pulling him with me. “Jimmy, you’re an asshole.”

  “Yeah, yeah, Brian’s so perfect and always boss,” he grumbled, such a jealous little shit and immature like always.

  “Hey, don’t call my brother that,” Brian complained as he tried to stop us from walking.

  “Oh, you’re going to call him worse when you’re sober and know what he did.”

  “I only had a few slushies,” he argued, not sounding that convinced, and I got annoyed that we were getting more attention.

  I stood on my toes and pressed my lips to his ear. “Bri, let’s go have sex in the woods away from everyone so it’s just us.”

  “That’s what I was saying,” he growled as he snagged me around the waist and threw me over his shoulder. “I want hot, naughty, dirty sex with my hot, naughty, dirty, and sexy werewolf.”

  “You are so fucking dead,” I mouthed to Jimmy, flipping him off as people burst out laughing at hearing that from reserved and professional Brian.

  But we did have sex. We had really good, hot, sweaty sex against a tree that made my wolf howl and I had a hard time not screaming during.

  Twice. We had sex twice while Brian said some of the dirtiest everything he never said during sex and I egged him on, feeling how much he wanted it. I begged him to slap my ass and give him his fantasy.

  “I love you, Sera,” he murmured when we were done, sitting with me on his lap on a fallen tree.

  “Bri, you need to sober up or you’re going to have a major hangover,” I worried. “Please?”

  “Okay, whatever you want, babe.”

  Carter came over and gave me something to clean up with, promising to help Brian and get him some sports drinks and food. “Don’t kill th
e brother.”

  “No promises,” I grumbled, darting out of there before Brian called me back and I caved. I found Jimmy talking with some friends of Brian’s and dragged him off, ignoring his snapping at me and dropping his drink. When we were away from eyes, I pressed him up against a tree and melded my body to his. “Can you smell the sex, Jimmy?”

  He snorted. “No, but we all know you had it.”

  “Oh yeah, Brian fucked me good,” I purred, running my hands over his chest. “He fucks my mouth, fucks my pussy, fucks my ass, smacks my ass, chains me up, and all kinds of everything. I make out with women because he likes it. I agreed to let him fuck my friends. Do you know why?”

  “Because it’s your thing, I get it,” he growled, looking pissed I was throwing it in his face.

  I moved my lips to his, not kissing him but taking a small feed. “I give him that. Did you like that, Jimmy?”

  “Yes, fuck, Sera, shit, do it again.”

  “I do it with Brian. Do you know why?”

  “You’re awesome.”

  “No, he is,” I whispered, feeding again. “I do it because Brian’s a man who deserves it and more. I would do anything he wanted because he would do it for me. Do you get it? Your brother is so amazing that a woman would do anything for him.” I moved away and ran my hands down my body. “Your brother gets me who you’ve always wanted, right? From the first time we met, you thought I should be with someone like you.”

  “Shut up,” he snapped. “I know you see in our heads now.”

  I nodded. “Yeah, and you’re a loud broadcaster. I saw it from the first time we met what you wanted.” I moved back to him and held him against the tree with one hand on his chin. “But your brother didn’t want me on my knees for him or drilling me in front of his friends. He treated me like a queen, pleasing me over and over again, treasuring me. That’s why he got the girl. I’m sorry you’re not man enough to have women do that for you.”

  “I ended things with her,” he reminded me.

  I shrugged, not knowing her and not wanting to knock her. “You left because you thought there was better, not because you deserve better. Brian does. He’s amazing. He does so much you couldn’t ever wrap your brain around and helps so many. You’re just a brat and always have been. But he’s mine, Jimmy, and I’m his.” I leaned in and fed again. “You ever put shit in his drink or fuck with him in front of work people again, and I will fuck with you.”

  I let go and walked away, ignoring when he called me back and begged for more. Jerk. He was lucky my siren was still tired and wasn’t up for draping her influence on people or I would have gone too far.

  I found Brian sitting with our FBI buddies, noting that Gayle was sitting on Corbin’s lap and wondering if they’d gotten together instead of just hooking up that one time. I would be thrilled if they did. She was a wonderful woman, and Corbin deserved no less, and Corbin was a good guy, a bit geeky like I’d been, and Gayle would treat him right.

  I headed towards him but froze when I moved past Joan Martin. I grabbed her and leaned in closer, giving a squeal at what I heard. I hugged her and burst out laughing.

  “Wow, you have really good hearing because we just found out,” she whispered, smiling widely.

  “I don’t get it,” someone admitted.

  “We’re pregnant,” Nestor announced. “The doc confirmed Joan’s pregnant. Sera heard the extra heartbeat.”

  “It’s a tiny one but strong,” I said brightly, giving them each a kiss. “This is awesome. I have no idea how to throw a baby shower. Do I do that as Alpha?”

  “We’ll handle it, Sera,” Gayle promised, close friends with Joan. “It won’t be for a while.”

  “Congrats, really,” I whispered, getting a bit mushy. It was the first time a wolf was even pregnant since I was Alpha. No one had wanted to have kids after finding out Engle was such a monster, and the last ones were about twelve now. It was odd for a pack so big, but even since I’d taken over there had been so much turbulence that the Martins were the first ones to try. “I’m thrilled after you guys have been trying so long.”

  “We stopped trying while you were gone,” Joan admitted, her eyes going wide as she realized what she blurted out. “Sorry, but it’s true. We didn’t feel safe.”

  “I’m sorry,” I rasped, horrified I’d messed everyone up to that level.

  “Sera, none of it is your fault,” Joan chastised, hugging me this time. “You didn’t run away and join the circus. You were abducted. You didn’t do a damn thing wrong, and we’re just happy you’re home.”

  “She’s not the only one actually,” another deer shifter admitted shyly. “I was going to ask you about what they do in Greece to help women make it to term.”

  “Let me get your information and we’ll talk,” Joan promised, knowing it was a rough situation for me.

  I thanked her and went over to Brian, glad when I saw him eating and looking like he was sobering up. “Embarrassed yet?”

  “Yes, but confused,” he admitted.

  “Jimmy was spiking your slushies with fucking Everclear,” I grumbled, nodding when he gave me a shocked look. “I know you think he’s matured, but he’s still a doofus, Bri. He’s going to embarrass you professionally or worse.” I shook my head when he went to argue. “Please listen to me. You do a lot of good, and he doesn’t get it. He doesn’t get you’re the big boss, and he’s jealous of what you have, how people are with you.”

  “He’s my baby brother,” he muttered.

  “That doesn’t give him a pass to be a jerk,” I reminded him, sighing when I saw he was shutting down on the topic. “Fine, whatever.”

  “Hey, why are you mad?” he asked, reaching for me.

  “He embarrassed you in front of our FBI people, and I’m with you,” I answered, giving him an incredulous look. “You were loose lipped and said stuff in front of people, kissing me like we shouldn’t have in front of our teams. I say something, and you’re giving Jimmy a free pass like always. It always shocks me how you do that when you’d never let anyone else get away with that. You hold people accountable. Try it with your brother.”

  I walked off, pissed so much was getting messed up of my idea of fun. It also confused me. I didn’t have family like Brian did and didn’t get that bond. No, it was more than that. Hagan stood up for Reagan if there was a problem, but he could also admit when his twin was being stupid. Reagan too.

  Brian had a blind spot when it came to Jimmy, and I didn’t like how that made me feel. Brian should be upset with Jimmy, not upset with me that I reacted to it like he would be when Jimmy told him what I did.

  Dain found me eating too big of a piece of cake off to the side in the shade, watching the kids play. He sat down and didn’t say anything for a while. “Speaking as an older brother, one with an age gap close to Brian’s, you get an extra almost parental feel for them. I taught my sister a lot. It’s an extra bond and one that hurts extra badly if betrayed. Brian still sees the baby brother instead of the mid-twenties man who causes problems.”

  I swallowed my bite and sighed. “The first time I met Jimmy he joined us for drinks after a big bust. The whole time he was flirting with me, and it made me uncomfortable. Brian was my SAiC, and I didn’t want to start trouble, but I mostly just sat there dumbfounded. He wouldn’t let anyone act inappropriately with me, and here it was clear I wasn’t into it, but he didn’t do anything because it was his brother.”

  “Oh wow,” Dain whispered when he picked up on what I was feeling. “How much did you see?”

  I shrugged, not looking at him. “That his feelings for me weren’t as important as his brother’s because if Jimmy wanted me, he’d be fine with that because I would be good for his brother. Here I wouldn’t even have considered it because I liked Brian, respected him professionally, and he was fine with just passing me over like I was just any woman. I let someone fix me up the next week and went out a few times with that asshole.

  “We saw Brian on a date, and he was
so, so jealous. I didn’t get it. It hurt. He wanted me not with other guys, but his brother was okay? So no matter what our relationship, I was going to rank below his brother? It was another nail in the family coffin. Jason’s been hurt by his so bad, and still he was loyal to them, and here was Brian who would always put them first. I didn’t want any part of that. Any part of him.”

  “You misread what you got off of me,” Brian said firmly from behind us. “You looked uncomfortable, but it seemed from inexperience, not because it was Jimmy. I thought he might be a better fit given your ages and he might open you up where I seemed to get the door shut in my face when I tried. I liked you enough to do what I thought would be best for you even if it meant watching the woman I wanted with my brother.”

  I nodded. That was fair and I could see that adding up with what I got. “And now? I try to talk to you about family stuff, and you very clearly were closing the door in my face whereas I’m always turning to you about the boys and whatnot.”

  “Tell him,” Dain pushed.

  “Tell me what?” Brian asked, but I didn’t know how to answer.

  “Jimmy’s been rather pushy when Sera’s turned him down.”

  “Sera?”

  I sighed, tossing down my plate. “He made a comment while buzzed that first time that I shouldn’t be so difficult and not give him my number when you were my boss.” I glanced over my shoulder with wide eyes when I felt the instant anger coming off of Brian like a thick cologne. “You’re mad.”

  “Sera, I would have been mad then,” he promised. “Jimmy’s not without fault. Yes, I’m a bit too lenient and I don’t get pissed when I should when he messes with me, but I would never let him talk to someone I worked with like that. I came to tell you that you were right and it affects you too and I’ll talk to him.”

  “I started some trouble,” I admitted with a shrug. “It’s the full moon, and he pissed me off. You have no filter when drunk, and he knows that. I didn’t want to hear you were ring shopping like that.”

  “‘Shopping’ might have been a bit much,” he confessed. “More like started learning about the three C’s and all of that. We’re not there yet, and you get that look like you’re about to flee when I brought it up.”