by L. P. Maxa
“Call me and ask me to kick your ass. At least until that baby girl is born.” Molly stood along with Coop, both of them towering over Linc.
“Oh, yeah. That’s another thing.” Coop smacked him again. “I don’t want my daughter’s Uncle Linc hitting on her fucking friends eighteen years from now. She needs positive male role models.”
Linc held his hands up. “Okay. Okay! God damn. I surrender. For the love of everything holy, please stop yelling at me. I’ll tell Jasper to stop whoring around. I’ll try and make better choices, be more careful. But I won’t promise to drink less beer. You two aren’t that scary. I don’t know why I’m getting in so much trouble though. Keller got Riley set up at a freaking bar. He’s slept with every waitress there.”
Riley glared at Linc. “What the hell man? Don’t bring us into this to try and save your own ass. Not cool.”
Coop turned to Riley after glaring at Keller. “As a matter of fact, he’s right. No more bar for you.”
“Corey, come on, I—”
“Nope. Don’t want to hear it. No more bars, no more older women. Case closed.”
Molly pointed her finger at him. “And you really should be ashamed of yourself. Like Corey said to Linc, you are role models. Be a better one.” Molly glanced at Corey, smiled, and then added, “Male whores stop at this generation.”
Both Coop and Molly sat down. The whole table was silent; you could have heard a pin drop. Baze was the only one grinning. “I mean really, the girls are right. You guys are all a disgrace.”
Linc rolled his eyes. “Oh, come off your high horse. We live together; I know your game. You aren’t nearly as sneaky as you think you are. Just because Corey and Molly didn’t yell at you this morning doesn’t mean you aren’t guilty as sin.”
Baze flicked Linc’s ear then quickly got up to answer the front door when he heard a knock. “Ah, Jasper. My poor, poor boy.” He gestured to the dining room, sending Jasper toward the firing squad.
Jasper walked in and handed Coop a pastry box, most likely filled with chocolate croissants, just as Keller had suggested. “I’m really sorry, Ms. Cooper. I never meant for anyone to get hurt because of my mistakes. I feel awful. I went and saw those guys this morning too. I apologized, and I—I really do feel bad. It wasn’t even worth it. That girl—”
Linc stood up and put his hand on Jasper’s shoulder. “Let me stop you right there, buddy. No matter how you were going to finish that sentence, you would have regretted it. Look, if it’s okay with everyone, I’m going to take Jasper to lunch and we are going to have a little chat.”
Coop smiled in approval. “I think that’s a great idea. Jasper, thank you for”—she opened the box and smiled—“the croissants. We all love you very much. We just want to see you make better choices. Now go with Linc. And then, when you get back here you and Riley will both help Keller and Linc move all of Molly’s stuff into Keller’s house.”
Jasper nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”
After Linc and Jasper left, Dom turned to his mate. “You effectively punished everyone at once.”
“Yeah?”
“You are going to be an amazing mother.”
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Linc
Linc was a baseball coach, not a damn guidance counselor. This was total bullshit. How the hell was he even supposed to start this little life-lessons talk? He looked over at Jasper sitting in the passenger seat. His thumbs were flying a mile a minute on his phone. “So, talking to that chick from last night?”
Jasper chuckled. “Nah, like I said earlier, she ended up not being worth the trouble.”
Linc sighed. That sounded like something he would have said himself. Hell, he was almost positive he had said those exact words at some point. What was he supposed to do with that? Corey should have just written out a monologue for him to perform. “You left a bunch of shit for your teammates to clean up last night. Thank fuck those Haxton boys were wasted. Charges could have been pressed, lawsuits filed. It could have been the end of St. Leasing baseball.”
Jasper leaned his head back against the seat, setting his phone in his lap. “I know, Coach. And I really am sorry. I promise to be more careful.”
Linc rolled his eyes as he pulled up to the one and only pizza place in Haxton. “And how do you plan on doing that? What changes are you going to make to ensure this never happens again?” That sounded grown up. Linc had to grip the steering wheel to keep from pumping his fist in the air.
Jasper’s jaw dropped open and he started to stammer, no doubt not expecting to have to elaborate on his plan. “I…uh…I’ll…make sure that…I wait until all my friends have left the party before I leave to hook up?”
Linc just stared at the kid and gave him his most Baze-like look of withering disappointment. He was stalling. He had no idea what to say to that. He had spouted the same thing to Corey and Molly not an hour ago.
Jasper took his silence for punishment and tried again. “Or I could try and have more respect for the people around me? Maybe try and stay away from the girls with boyfriends? Is that the right answer?”
Linc narrowed his eyes. “There is no right answer here, Jasper. I want to know how you feel. How does all this make you feel?” Okay, that wasn’t so smooth. He was basically repeating lines he’d heard therapists say on TV and movies.
“How I feel? The truth?”
Linc nodded solemnly, like he pictured a therapist would.
Jasper turned his body more toward his coach. “I feel like a fucking rock star. Girls literally flock to me. Even after I’ve used them, they still adore me. I have girls offering to do my homework and sneak over to the dorms at all hours of the night. On top of all the girls? I have badass friends, my brother is doing better, I play baseball at St. Leasing. My life is a dream.”
Linc scrubbed his hands down his face. “Jasper. Wake the hell up. Your actions have repercussions. They always have repercussions. You like your friends? Act like it. Bros before hoes, dude. Just because you have this supernatural ability with girls doesn’t mean you get to disregard people’s feelings. Be. A. Better. Person.” Would that do? Would Corey want him to yell some more?
Jasper managed to look chastised as he let out a deep breath. “I hear what you are saying. I promise to never put my teammates in that sort of situation again. No more chicks with boyfriends.”
Huh. This adult thing wasn’t so hard. Linc felt compelled to continue since things were going so well. “You better not be letting those girls do your homework. And if you get caught with girls in your room after hours you’ll be suspended at least one game if not more. You know, these kids, they look up to you. You are a role model. Be a better one.”
Jasper jerked his head back. “Be a better role model? Did Ms. Cooper put you up to this?”
“Uh. No. I, uh, volunteered. You know Jasper, you and I are a lot alike. I know exactly how it feels to be such a hit with the ladies.”
Jasper was laughing now. This was going south. “A hit with the ladies? Who talks like that? You should have stopped after ‘bros before hoes dude.’”
Linc reached out and popped Jasper on the back of the head. “Look, you little jackass, all I’m saying is that I know how it feels to be able to pull any girl you want. But just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Besides, I’d be careful if I were you. They don’t make condoms like they used to.”
Jasper stopped chuckling and turned white. “What? What do you mean?”
Linc shrugged. “Rumor around the shifter circles is that the number of unplanned pregnancies is on a huge rise. They think it has something to do with the material that condoms are made out of now—they don’t, um, contain the shifter sperm as well as they should.”
Linc had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. He had just pulled all of that out of his ass but Jasper looked like he was about to shit himself. Good. Linc figured he might as well back up his life lessons talk with some good old-fashioned fear.
“All
right, well, I don’t know about you but I am starving. Let’s eat.”
Chapter Forty
Molly
Eventually Dom and Baze came to help the rest of the guys with the moving process. Molly and Corey kept their happy asses on the couch. They had an indulgent rom-com movie marathon and ate bags of fast food. Molly stretched her arms over her head and yawned. “This was the most relaxing Saturday I have had in a long time.”
Corey smiled and turned the television off. “Me too. I’m starting to feel a little guilty about not helping the guys though.”
Molly laughed. “What? You’re the one who thought up that punishment, and you’re the one who sent Riley for our lunch.”
“Yeah, but we could order some pizza and go over there and unpack with them. Besides, you don’t want those five trying to figure out where you want everything, do you? I’d hate to see how Linc decorates your new house.”
“Very. True.” They both got up and put their shoes on. After ordering pizza to be delivered to her new place, Molly grabbed all the beer out of Corey’s fridge and headed home. When she walked in the front door, she was amazed by the progress the guys had made. All the furniture had been rearranged to accommodate her stuff, her books were on Keller’s large bookcase, and her yoga mat was leaning by the door. Her heart warmed. This was her home. The home she would share with the man she loved, her mate.
Keller came out of the bedroom and his face lit up. “Hey, darlin’. I’m glad you’re home.” He crossed the room and kissed her deeply before unloading all the beer from her arms. “I missed you.”
Linc coughed out. “Pussy.”
Molly giggled. “I am so impressed, you guys. You have done a whole weekend of work in a matter of hours. We ordered pizza—it should be here soon.” She grabbed a beer from the case on the kitchen counter and popped it open, taking a long swallow.
Corey groaned at the sight of Molly drinking an ice-cold beer. “The one thing I crave more than chocolate? A cold beer. Really, what’s better than a cold beer when the sun is shining?”
Dom walked in and put his arms around his mate, resting his hands on her growing belly. “Being pregnant with our daughter?”
“Stop it. You know what I mean. I love beer, and wine, it’s hard.” Corey turned to face her fiancé. “In fact, I think you should stop drinking until the baby is born.”
Dom took a reflexive step back while Molly hid her smile behind her hand. “Come again?”
Keller started to chuckle. “You know, I agree, Coop. It’s only fair.”
“You bite your tongue, Byrne. You’re mated. How long before Molly gets pregnant?” His gaze followed Keller while he quickly grabbed a beer and Molly’s hand, walking out of the line of fire. “Baby. Baby, please don’t make me do this.”
Baze breezed into the kitchen and pulled a beer out of the fridge. “What’s she making you do now? Does she want you to just chop off your balls and hand them to her? You should—you don’t use them anyway.”
Dom picked up a roll of paper towels from the counter and chucked it at Baze’s head. “No, asshole. She wants me to stop drinking until the baby is born, because you know, she can’t.”
Baze easily caught the paper towels and set them back on the counter, shrugging. “You should. Solidarity and all that shit.”
“Maybe we all should stop drinking? A pack that abstains together stays together.” Dom smiled over Corey’s head when Baze shot him the finger, but he kept on talking. “Baby, you were just getting onto Linc about how much he drinks. Maybe this could be good for all of us.”
Corey tapped her finger against her lips like she was contemplating his suggestion. “Nah, I won’t do that to everyone.” She kissed Dom squarely on the mouth. “Just you.”
Dom dropped to his knees, hands clasped, begging like a damn fool. “Baby, no. I’ll do anything.”
Corey let a cruel smile spread over her face. “Anything?”
“Anything.”
She tilted her head from one side to the other, clearly trying to think of the perfect request. “When I wake up in the middle of the night to feed our daughter, you have to sit up with me. Every single time. If I’m up, you’re up.”
“Deal.” Dom got off his feet and kissed his mate. He glanced over his shoulder when he heard Keller erupt with laughter. He looked over at Baze and saw him chuckling too. Poor man didn’t realize what he’d agreed to.
Molly left Keller’s side when the doorbell rang. She paid then grabbed the pizzas from the deliveryman. She returned to the kitchen and placed the six boxes on the bar, quickly stepping out of the way before the wolves descended. All the guys grabbed plates and piled them high. Keller walked up and handed her a paper plate with a couple slices of veggie pizza and kissed her neck.
Suddenly she realized something was missing. “Hey, love? Where’s Tibby?”
“Tibby?” Keller looked confused, like he didn’t remember she had a cat.
“Here’s your cat, Miss Molly. I wanted to wait until everything was moved before I brought her over here. I didn’t want to accidentally step on her or anything.” Riley smiled smugly at Keller over Molly’s head.
“Riley, you are just the sweetest. Come here.” Molly grabbed Riley and hugged him tight before taking the crate and letting Tibby out.
“Yes, Riley. You are wonderful.” Keller rolled his eyes skyward.
Tibby immediately flung herself onto his leg. “Molly? About this cat…”
Molly reached down and pried Tibby’s claws out of Keller gently. “Man, she really doesn’t like you. Oh well, I’ll just give her back to Aunt Maggie.”
Keller studied his leg for signs of bleeding before looking up. “Wait. She’s Aunt Maggie’s cat?”
“Yeah, I was kind of lonely living alone so she let me borrow her. Tibby is old. I’ve known her most of my life. I swear you and dogs are—oh wait. Oh wow, that’s hilarious. She hates you because you’re a dog.”
Keller puffed out his chest. “Wolf.”
Molly was laughing so hard she could hardly get her sentence out. “Same…difference to…her.”
After everyone had a good laugh at Keller’s expense and polished off all six boxes of pizza, they all piled into the living room and collapsed. Jasper had headed back to the dorms, punishment over, so it was just the pack gathered in her house.
Molly looked around at all of them and smiled. So much love in one room, so much family. She hadn’t just gotten a mate; she’d gotten brothers, a sister, and a niece on the way. Life was perfect. Molly was just about to express her feelings of gratitude when there was a knock at the door. They all just kind of looked around the room at each other, counting in their heads.
Linc spoke first. “Uh, we’re all here.”
Molly climbed off Keller’s lap and went to the door before he could get all protective and caveman-like. When she looked through the peephole her stomach dropped. Agent Brooks. It was her own fault really, tempting the universe with her happy contentment. “It’s Brooks.”
Keller and Dom both rose to their feet.
Molly held up a hand, “Please. Just let me see what he wants. There is no reason to cause a scene on campus.” She met Keller’s gaze, silently begging him. When he gave a curt nod she opened the door. “Agent Brooks. What can I do for you?”
Brooks kept his hands in his pockets. “I’m sorry to drop by like this but after last night…you weren’t in class this morning. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.” Keller walked up behind her and put his hand possessively on her hip. She smiled at Brooks. “I’m perfectly fine. Today was moving day. I had my aunt cover my class so we could get started early.”
Brooks gave a tight smile. “Oh, well, congrats then, I guess.” He looked past Molly and saw that the house was full of the rest of the St. Leasing coaches. He met Keller’s glare. “Do you mind if I come in for a minute? Since you are all here, there is some stuff I need to tell the group.”
Chapter Forty-One
Kelle
r
Keller’s whole body tensed. Was this guy stupid? He grabbed the door and swung it wide, making sure the jackass came into the wolves’ den. The room remained silent. But Keller could feel his brothers’ tension. They were waiting for something to go down and were ready to pounce if they needed to.
Brooks spoke up so everyone could hear him. “Grimes and I are heading out first thing in the morning. The shifter investigation is closed.” He caught Corey’s eye and gave her another small smile, which Keller longed to wipe off his face. “We’re looking further into Mr. Franklin and his possible involvement in everything that has happened here. I promise you, all of you, that you as well as the kids will be kept out of this. We found a few of Franklin’s employees who are rather chatty.”
Baze nodded. “That’s great. Thank you for coming to let us know.”
“Please keep us informed if anything changes, especially if it looks like Franklin suspects the kids.” Coop had stood to address Brooks, but she sat back down when Dom pulled at her arm.
“We will keep a close eye on Mr. Franklin, Ms. Cooper. We will let you know immediately if there are any changes.”
Keller pushed Molly behind him, not wanting Brooks to think he could hug her goodbye. “All right. Well. Bye.”
Brooks turned to face Keller fully. “There is more one thing.” And then he sucker punched him.
Keller’s head snapped back, and he saw red. Suddenly the room erupted in wolf testosterone. Linc and Dom got on either side of Keller while Riley and Baze grabbed Brooks and held him back. Keller was surprised at how quickly Brooks had executed that punch, and hadn’t seen it coming—none of them had. And the crazy son of a bitch was trying to come at Keller again.
“Are you fucking mental?” Holy hell, if Keller wasn’t so pissed, he’d be impressed by the size of Brooks’s balls. “Look shithead, I don’t know what I did to make you hate me, but I am seconds away from tearing your fucking head off. So you better start talking.” Keller saw Brook’s eyes dart to Molly. Before Keller could think too hard about it he punched Brooks in the gut. “Don’t you dare fucking look at her. You look at me. Answer me.”