by Kit Tunstall
“He spent almost a month making my life miserable, and then one night, he abducted me after work. He knocked out the security guard who had been walking me to and from my car as a safety measure, hit me over the head with something, and stuffed me in his trunk. I was dazed, but not as out of it as he thought I was. When he stopped in the middle of nowhere, I was ready for him. He opened the trunk, and I pummeled him with a tire iron until he was unconscious. Then I stole his car and drove back to the city, leaving him there.”
Jensen almost purred with satisfaction. “Good job, honey.”
She felt a flush of pride, though the violent moment certainly hadn’t been the proudest of her life. She had done what she had to in order to survive, and that was reason enough to be proud of herself. “Thank you. The cops found him, and he was convicted of abduction and attempted murder. He’s supposed to be serving fifteen years in Monroe Correctional Complex, but I’m not sure if he still is. One of his attacks on me before was vandalizing my car in a similar fashion and writing the word cunt on it. I say write, but I mean he etched it with acid into the paint. It was so deep the body shop had to order an entire new panel, because it couldn’t be salvaged.”
Before he could respond, a white sedan pulled up, and though it was unmarked, it still screamed police. A handsome man in his mid-thirties got out and approached them, nodding to Jensen before crouching down by the car. He didn’t seem to find it odd that she was sitting on his lap, and he didn’t request she stand up. Instead, he flipped open his notebook and started asking questions that were pertinent, but gently worded.
Detective Strand soon won over her trust, and she repeated the story for him that she had shared for Jensen just moments before. After she had explained everything, the detective stood up and walked a few feet away, pulling out his radio.
While she waited for him to finish what he was doing, she curled back into Jensen’s arms. “I could get used to this. Not the vandalism, but the cuddling.”
He chuckled. “I’ll happily cuddle you anytime you want, and you don’t even have to have sex with me first. It’s just a perk if you do.”
It was her turn to laugh, and she realized she was feeling much calmer now that she had confided in Jensen, and his clearly competent friend was in charge of the investigation. “I consider that a perk for both of us.”
The detective returned the radio to his pocket and and walked over to them with an enigmatic expression. Once more, he crouched beside the car, his gaze never wavering from hers. “The correctional department confirms Gary Towers is still in prison, so he’s not the person who vandalized her car.”
“Blake Michaels,” said Jensen.
Detective Strand stiffened. “Is he still bothering you?”
Jensen nodded abruptly. “Last night, he escalated by involving Olivia. He was trying to use her as leverage to get answers, so I suggest investigating him. It’s the only person who makes sense, unless Olivia has someone else she can think of who might do this to her.”
She immediately shook her head. “Most people like me, and Gary is the only one I know of who’s ever tried to hurt me. If it’s not him, I have no other ideas.” It was disconcerting to know someone else had vandalized her car, but she couldn’t deny a surge of relief to know Gary was still in prison.
That had been a welcome reprieve from the fears that had crowded her mind as soon as she’d seen the car. The last thing she wanted to do was deal with Gary and his campaign of terror again. Still, she wasn’t entirely certain Blake Michaels was the perpetrator either. He hadn’t seemed like the type, but what did she know? She’d met him one time, and Jensen had been dealing with him for months, so she deferred to his judgment.
After wrapping it up, the detective parted from them, giving her his card before he drove off. She called her insurance company and arranged for their preferred body shop to pick up her car, and then Jensen drove her back to her apartment. On the walk up to the lobby, she threaded her fingers through his. “Would you mind if we took a rain check on going out for breakfast? I can whip us up something here, but I’m still feeling a little shaken, and I’m not sure I want to be surrounded by a crowd right now.”
He gave her a sympathetic look as he shook his head. “I don’t mind at all. I’d rather have breakfast with you alone anyway. Perhaps on you even.”
“That idea might have merit, depending on what you’re planning to serve. If you want over-easy eggs, the deal is off.”
He laughed. “I’m sure we can find something satisfying for both of us.”
***
Later that evening, Jensen held Olivia as she slept in his arms. They had been watching something on Netflix, though he hadn’t paid much attention to it. He thought it had women in orange, perhaps in a prison setting, but he’d been too busy staring at his mate to really pay much attention to the TV show.
At some point, she had dozed off, and now he held her with a sense of satisfaction and overwhelming tenderness as he stared down at her. Occasionally, he stroked a hand through her hair, keeping his touch light so as to avoid waking her. She looked so peaceful in the moment, and he knew she was still rattled by what had happened earlier in the day, despite her attempts to appear otherwise. He could smell the lingering bitter odor of remnants of fear when he inhaled deeply, and to have his mate reeking of anxiety put him in a restless state. It was old-fashioned and chauvinistic, but his bear wanted to protect her. He considered it his job, and Jensen agreed.
He and his bear were in perfect accord on that point. They often were, having grown used to each other and sharing similar points-of-view as the years progressed. They deviated on one point at the moment though. His bear wanted to track down Gary Towers and tear him apart. Jensen desired that as well on an instinctive level, but his logical side put quietus to the idea. The other man was in prison where he belonged, and he hadn’t harmed their mate today.
A surge of anger filled him as he thought of Blake Michaels, and when his bear suggested they tear that man apart, he found himself agreeing. It was barbaric, but he wanted to destroy the other man for even looking at his mate, let alone terrifying her with the vandalism to her car.
If Michaels thought he would get answers from Jensen with that kind of behavior, he had another think coming. The next time he saw the other man, he was going to have to get rough with him. He’d been sympathetic to Michaels and his situation before, putting up with more crap than he should have, but now that the other man had dared drag Olivia into this, it was time to shut down Michaels once and for all.
He didn’t intend to kill the other man, but he was going to put a healthy dose of fear into him. If it meant going after him in his bear form, he’d risk the exposure to protect Olivia from Michaels’ machinations.
He ran his hand through her hair again, smiling when she smiled in her sleep and curved her body closer to his. Holding her was definitely the best part of the day, though last night had been spectacular. He’d never experienced anything like their lovemaking before.
He’d had sex before, but he’d never made love. There had been a connection between them, and though she was human and without his deeper bear instincts, he was certain she had felt it too. She likely wasn’t ready to hear she was his mate, and he wanted to be with her for life, but she wasn’t pushing him away either, and she didn’t seem to be dismissing what they had shared as simply a one-night stand, or scratching a mutual itch.
His bear was grumpy at the idea of waiting to reveal the truth, insisting they should claim her now, giving her the mating bite the next time he made love to her, but he tried to hold the instinct in check. As much as he wanted to claim her, he had to have her full consent first, and she had to understand just exactly what he was.
Not only did she have to understand it, she had to accept it too, and he knew that was the part that could be delicate and end the entire relationship. The idea of losing her weighed heavily on him, and his sadness got his bear’s attention, finally quieting the beast inside with the realizati
on that rushing her could cost them their mate.
When she was deeply asleep, and he was certain she wouldn’t rouse again, he stood up from the couch and carried her to her room, laying her carefully on the bed before crawling in beside her. She hadn’t asked him to leave for the entire day, so he decided to take advantage of that and spend the night as well. If he had his way, there wouldn’t be any further nights without her in his arms, whether it was in her apartment or at his brother’s yacht.
Holding his mate was perfect, and it felt amazing. It completed him in a way he’d never expected, though he’d heard the stories of other shifters finding their mates, and he’d expected it to be like a lightning strike, hitting him forcefully and rendering him incapable of fighting the connection. It had been exactly like that, but it hadn’t rendered him incapable of fighting. It had made him not want to fight how he felt. It was an indescribable sensation, and he wished his human mate could experience the same thing, to avoid the prolonged courtship and careful revelation of the truth.
He and his bear were in agreement on that. They wanted their mate as their mate now, to protect her, claim her, and keep her forever.
Chapter Five
Jensen spent the weekend with her, and it felt completely natural to have him there. He soothed away any remaining fear, but it wasn’t simply a security measure to have him present. She liked having him nearby, his arms never more than a few feet away from her if she needed a hug or just wanted to cuddle on the couch to watch television. It was a comfortable, relaxed weekend, other than the hours they spend in bed. There was nothing relaxing about that, but it was invigorating and amazing.
By the time Monday rolled around, she was sad to see him go, but she didn’t suggest he return to the apartment after work. It was what she wanted, but it felt too soon. Last time she’d rushed into something like that, it ended badly. She didn’t expect Jensen to reveal himself to be a controlling psychopathic stalker, but common sense and experience had taught her to proceed more slowly. That didn’t keep her from accepting his invitation to dinner that night, and if he happened to come back to her place, or she went to his, she wouldn’t worry too much about it.
When she arrived at the office, driving a rental car Jensen had surprised her with that morning, she let herself in and found Bethany and the intern Lindsay going over some paperwork. She caught Bethany’s eye, and her friend nodded, seeming to read that she needed to talk. With a brisk word of parting, she sent Lindsay on her way to the copy machine, and Olivia went on through to her office.
By the time Bethany joined her a few minutes later, with two mugs of coffee straight from the Keurig, she was seated behind her desk, purse stowed away in her drawer, and ready for the day—except for the continuous mental distraction from thoughts of Jensen.
Bethany placed a cup of coffee in front of her before sitting in the chair across her desk. “What’s up? You look…actually, I’m not sure how you look. You look somewhere between exhausted and exhilarated…and perhaps a little fearful?”
“You’re always so astute, Bethany.” As she waited for her coffee to reach room temperature, she recounted the events of the weekend for her friend, leaving nothing out, though she didn’t go into explicit detail about the sex with Jensen, because that would be a bit too personal to share. Plus, she was certain Bethany would tease her mercilessly about ending her dry spell, or at least she would have if her friend hadn’t been concerned about the vandalism incident and Blake Michaels’ behavior.
“I’m glad Jensen was there to protect you.”
She should probably find offense at those words and remind her friend she didn’t need anyone to protect her, but instead she just nodded. She could take care of herself, and she had with Gary, but it had been nice to have someone else to lean on for a little while and to let Jensen handle the hard parts. She wouldn’t want to lean on him permanently, but it was nice to know he was available for the occasional moments when she needed his strength to bolster her own. “He’s pretty amazing.”
Bethany’s eyes sparkled. “Olivia Thornton, are you falling for him?”
Her friend was teasing, but she couldn’t help a serious response when she nodded slowly. “I think I am. It’s happening so fast. Too fast probably.”
Bethany frowned. “It’s not too fast if it feels right.”
Olivia shook her head. “We both know that isn’t true. I thought it was right with Gary, and look how that turned out.”
Running a hand through her dark curls, Bethany let out a long sigh. “That’s not even the same thing. Gary was deliberately presenting a different side of himself, trying to lull you into a sense of complacency so he could control you. You’re not getting any of that from Jensen, are you?”
She shook her head. “No, I don’t think so, but it’s difficult to trust myself after Gary. I clearly have terrible taste in men and poor judgment.”
“One man,” said Bethany as she sipped her coffee. “You dated some losers before that, but the relationships were over with quickly, because as soon as they tripped your bullshit detector, you jettisoned them. You have good instincts, and it’s not your fault Towers manage to fool you. He fooled all of us. We thought he was a sweet, humble guy, who was crazy about you. None of us realized until it was too late that he was just plain crazy.”
She laughed in spite of herself. “Bethany, you have a way with words.”
Her friend smiled before her expression turned serious again. “Don’t discount what you’re feeling or distrust your instincts when it comes to Jensen Meade. I don’t know him, but I’m certain he sounds like a different kind of man entirely from Gary Towers. I don’t think you could fake the kind of tenderness and caretaking he gave you over the weekend.”
She hesitated before nodding. “You’re right. I mean, it feels right, but that’s what scares me. I’m not sure I can trust my feelings.”
With another sigh, Bethany stood up, holding her empty coffee cup. “Then trust the orgasms, girl. For now, focus on that and give him a chance to prove he’s trustworthy. If he’s not, you’ll know soon enough. But if he is, you don’t want to ruin the opportunity to find your soulmate.”
She eyed her friend skeptically. “Since when do you believe in soulmates?”
Bethany looked sad for a moment. “I’ve always believed in soulmates, Olivia. I just don’t believe there’s one for me.” With those melancholy words, she waved a hand at her friend and left the office. Olivia stared at the closed door as her mind worked ceaselessly at figuring out how she should proceed with Jensen.
Eventually, she conceded Bethany was right, and she’d just have to follow her instincts. Hopefully, they proved more trustworthy this time, because she couldn’t take another betrayal. If Jensen was hiding his true self from her, it would really destroy her to go through that again.
***
They shared a casual dinner on the pier before returning to his boat by unspoken agreement. There, Jensen seem to make it his mission to torture her and prolong her pleasure by bringing her to the edge of release multiple times before backing down, taking her almost over, but not letting her fall. She was a sobbing, frustrated mess by the time he finally surged inside her.
She locked her thighs around his hips and thrust against him in desperate pursuit of the release he’d been promising all evening. They moved in sync, instinctively matching each other’s pace, and she wasn’t at all surprised when they reached climaxed together.
Afterward, she lay against him as her heart raced in her ears, and she struggled to regain control of her breathing. He was caressing strands of her hair, wrapping them around his fist before slowly unwinding the locks as he moved his arm slowly, clearly savoring the feel of her hair between his fingers.
“You can be a real ass,” she said, but in a teasing tone. “I almost came like a dozen times, and you wouldn’t let me except for the last time.”
He chuckled. “Some things are worth the wait, don’t you think?”
No
w that she’d been satisfied, she found it difficult to argue with that point, even though she had been a tense ball of frustration less than thirty minutes ago, ready to either kill him or pounce on him. She was too exhausted to even contemplate doing it all again at the moment, so she simply laid against him and built up her energy for the next round, which would probably come later that night if it was like the previous evenings she had spent with him.
“Bethany and I talked about you today.”
He stiffened for a moment. “Did you tell her I was an ass?”
She laughed. “I didn’t know you were an ass then. I told her I was a little afraid about how fast things were going.”
He put his arm around her, rubbing her back in a gentle fashion. “You don’t have to be afraid of me, and we can slow down if that’s what you need.”
She angled her head to meet his gaze, her chin resting on his pec muscle. “It’s not really a time thing. It’s more of my own instincts and lack of trusting them. The problem’s with me, not you. My brain knows you’re not going to suddenly reveal a hidden side of yourself and betray the trust I have, but experience is a harsh taskmaster, and it’s difficult to unlearn hard lessons.”
He stiffened, his expression growing tense rather than relaxing as she had expected. She had thought admitting her fears and attempts to work through them would reassure him rather than make him anxious. “Are you all right?”
He let out a harsh sigh. “No, not really. The truth is, I have been hiding something from you.”
She jerked away from him as though he had burned her. Olivia clutched the blanket to her chest, hiding her nudity, though it did nothing to shield her vulnerability as she stared at him with hurt eyes. “I don’t understand. What have you been hiding?”
He ran a hand through his blond hair, looking frustrated. “It’s difficult to share with anyone who’s not like me, and I didn’t want to frighten you away. I was trying to give you time to get to know me, so you’d know you had nothing to fear.”