Motor City Wolf

by Cindy Spencer Pape

  While the others discussed investigation plans, Fianna listened without really participating. She didn’t know this world well enough to feel confident suggesting ways of interrogating drug dealers.

  Were she and Greg betrothed? For real or was it a ruse? She assumed the latter, but he hadn’t said so as soon as his grandfather left. Surely, he didn’t plan to keep his brother and friends in the dark.

  “Wait a minute, guys.” Greg held up one hand. “Go without me. I don’t want to leave Fee alone, not after two attacks on the building.”

  Lana shrugged. “I’m not going anywhere, not now that my date has probably forgotten all about me. I’ll stick with Fee. I can brief her on what to expect tomorrow at the family dinner.”

  Fianna glared at Greg. “I keep telling you, I do not need minding. If you have to go, go. Though someone might want to call the police first and report the break-in in the kitchen. Or has everyone forgotten about that?”

  Judging by the guilty looks all around the table, they had. Greg shook his head. “Okay, that does it. Des and Ric, the cops will want to talk to you, since you were the ones who let us out of the basement. Will your informant still be around in a couple hours?”

  Des nodded. “We can wait. Luther isn’t going anywhere.”

  Lana stood. “Meanwhile, let’s clean up this mess, so the cops don’t think we were having a party.” She stuck out her tongue and shrugged. “Well, maybe this time one of the cops will be cute, since I blew my chance with the firefighter.”

  Fianna could have sworn Des turned purple. How odd. Still, nothing was stranger than what had happened with Greg and his grandfather. An ache throbbed behind her eyeballs when she started to think about it, so she busied herself with the dishes while Greg called the police.

  It was pushing ten by the time the officers left and the bar was locked up. Ric and Desmond had already left after giving their statements.

  “Well, we’re off,” George said. “There’s a Celtic punk band out of Corktown called the Kreellers. We want to check them out, maybe sign them to play once in a while.”

  “I’ve heard their stuff. They’d be a good fit,” Jase added.

  “Go,” Greg told them. It wasn’t up to him, anyway. George managed the kitchen and booked the bands while Greg was in charge of the bar and the books. It was still early enough to catch a set pretty much anywhere. “We could use some new sounds.”

  Both men took the time to hug Fee good-night and renew their congratulations. Greg tried not to snarl. Odd, how even having his mated and gay brother touch her raised Greg’s hackles.

  “I’m going upstairs to change and take a bubble bath,” Lana decreed as they left. She, too, kissed Fee’s cheek. “I really couldn’t be happier, cuz. We’ll talk in the morning, okay? Ten-ish? Mani-pedis and hair appointments are definitely in order before the big night.”

  Fee nodded as if in a daze and stared after Lana’s retreating back. Greg moved up behind her and laid his hands on her shoulders, which were taut with strain. “I think we need to talk.” He automatically began to knead her tense muscles.

  “Yes.” She sagged against his hands. “What do—?”

  “Upstairs.” The short walk might give him time to figure out what to say. “And don’t worry about the mess. I’m calling a cleaning service in the morning to finish the work.”

  “And the guard service Des mentioned?” She turned her face up to look at him, and the lines of fatigue around her eyes about broke his heart.

  “Already done. There are cars in the front and back, watching on a twenty-four-hour basis. Tomorrow morning, they’ll upgrade our alarm system and locks. When we reopen, they’ll have a guard stationed inside.”

  “Good.” When he headed toward the stairs, she followed, shutting doors and turning off lights as they went. He liked that she obviously felt so at home here. When she paused outside her apartment door, though, he tugged on her hand. “Let’s go up to my place. I have better beer in my fridge than you keep in yours.” And he had condoms. She probably didn’t. Come to think of it, maybe that made it safer to talk in her place. As much as he wanted her, he should probably wait.

  “But I have a bottle of elven wine that Elise sent me.” Her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’ve been saving it for a special occasion, or a really rough night.”

  “And this probably qualifies as both,” he added. “Fine.” He stood back and let her unlock her door, but preceded her inside, just in case.

  He’d been in Fee’s apartment before, of course, but tonight he looked at it with fresh eyes. It was pretty bare. He’d provided some basic furnishings, but she’d been allowed to bring almost nothing with her from her previous life to personalize the place, and her salary as a waitress didn’t lend itself to extensive interior decorating. Still, she’d managed to make the big, mostly empty flat look something like a home. A landscape of Faerie held the place of honor on the living room wall opposite the windows. A gift, he assumed, from Meagan, since no way could Fee afford one of her paintings.

  “From Aidan and Elise,” she murmured. “As a thank you.”

  He didn’t have to ask for what. Seeing Fee almost bleed out on Aidan’s floor was imprinted in his brain. Since Elise owned the gallery that sold Meagan’s paintings, the gift made sense. A few of Jase’s pottery pieces also dotted the room. A soft aqua-tinted vase in one corner held ivory silk lilies and a cream-colored bowl on the cheap wooden dining table was filled with green apples and pears. Pillows in pale greens and blues decorated the plain cream faux-suede sofa, and a couple larger ones made for additional seating on the floor. It was plain, but it suited her sleek, elegant style without being cold or uncomfortable.

  Most of all, it smelled like Fee. Sweet vanilla and peach overtones filled the apartment, and Greg squirmed to keep his jeans from cutting anything off.

  “Have a seat.” She gestured to the sofa and crossed to the kitchen area, returning a few minutes later with two glasses filled with sparkling golden wine. Greg had tasted elven wine once before and knew it tasted like ambrosia but packed a wallop, so he took a small sip before placing it down on the cedar chest that served as a coffee table.

  “Now, about my grandfather. You have to have questions.” He angled himself at one end of the couch so he could face her and maintain some distance.

  “Many.” She took a slightly bigger swallow, but stopped there as well and faced him, sitting cross-legged on her end of the sofa—a pose she’d only adopted since she’d been hanging out with Lana. “Where would you like me to start?”

  “You understand the concept of alphas and Primes within werewolf society?” That was probably the most basic and impersonal information she needed to have.

  “I think so. According to Lana, two alpha males can’t live closely together, which is why most young werewolves break off from their parent packs and form their own small groups. But to keep some order within the population, there is a regional Prime alpha who controls which other wolves may live in his territory. I did not realize the Prime was your grandfather.”

  Greg grimaced. “It’s something I’d rather forget. We don’t exactly get along.”

  “And yet you are his heir?”

  “Only because he’s too proud to let the title and authority pass out of the Novak family. Believe me, I’d be happy to let someone else have the headaches.”

  “You have cousins, right? Other than Lana? Aren’t any of them alphas?”

  Greg nodded. “Derek is a second cousin, and he’s on the edge—not a full-out alpha, but he could step up if he had to.” Derek and his wife Katarina had been to visit maybe once since Fee had been living in the building, but he didn’t think they’d met. “He’s an okay guy, a lawyer, actually, but he doesn’t want to be Prime any more than I do. Besides, his wife Katy hates politics, so she’d be miserable if Derek had to deal with all that territory shit. All they want is their own house, just them and their kids.”

  “George told me they have four.”
She bit her lower lip and her lashes fluttered down, shading her eyes. He tried to ignore the wistful tone to her words. “That must be wonderful.”

  “Fee, you should know better than anyone that family isn’t always a blessing.” Her uncle and cousin had both abused her emotionally if not physically, and he suspected they’d dabbled in the latter, as well.

  “Yet your brother is your closest friend and your cousin lives under your protection.” She shook her head. “You can’t fool me, Gregory Novak. Family is the most important thing in your world.”

  “Yes, but notice you didn’t include my grandparents in that list. Some people should never be allowed to have children, or more importantly, raise somebody else’s. My grandfather is one of them.” He shuddered at the memories of being beaten and berated by the old man, who’d had very specific notions about how a future alpha male should be raised. “At least George had it a little easier. Grandfather used up most of his meanness on me.”

  “How horrible. No wonder you want nothing to do with him.” After a thoughtful moment of worrying her hair with her fingertips she inhaled deeply. “And no wonder you were so careful this afternoon. I’m sorry if I tempted you to go against your principles. I know I’m one of those people you couldn’t trust.”

  “That isn’t true.” The couch wasn’t very long, so with a short scoot, he was close enough to cup her chin in his hand. “If I didn’t think I could trust you, I sure as hell wouldn’t have told the old bastard we were engaged.”

  “What will happen when we don’t get married?” She went back to twisting the end of her ponytail.

  Greg shrugged. “I’ll probably have to leave Michigan for good. Or at least until there’s a new Prime in the area who might rescind the exile order.”

  “Where will you go?” Her eyes were wide and full of worry. For him? How could anyone have ever believed this woman had no feelings? She was full of emotions but had never learned how to express them. He was powerfully glad her cousin and uncle were already dead. Saved him the time and trouble of hunting them down.

  He took her hands in his to keep her from tying her hair into knots. “If we can get rid of Beowulf in the next month, removing the danger my grandfather sees, maybe he’ll change his mind and let me stay. Probably not, though. Most likely scenario is that I sell my half of the club to George and go buy one somewhere else. I’ve still got friends in L.A. and San Francisco.”

  Fee gave him a soft smile and shook her head. “George would go with you. So would Lana and Vince. They follow you, not your grandfather.” She held onto his hands, lacing her fingers through his in a gesture so natural, he didn’t think she was even aware of doing it.

  “And what about you, Fee?” He stared straight into her eyes, refusing to let her look away. “Would you come with us or stay in Detroit? You know Aidan would make sure you had another job and another place to stay.” No matter what others believed of her, he knew she was bright and courageous and loyal. She’d simply been loyal to the wrong people who had taken advantage of her naïveté. In the last few months, she’d finally grown into the person she was meant to be.

  Her whispered response was so soft he barely heard it. “If I have a choice, I will go.”

  Kissing her again would be a phenomenal mistake. He had to remember that. “I promise you, Fee, whatever happens with this business, one way or another, we won’t abandon you. Your queen owes me a few favors, too, and I’ll call them in if I have to.”

  “Thank you.” Her breathing had gone rapid and shallow. Then she flicked out her tongue to lick her lips and he was sunk.

  He didn’t think he was in love with her, not the way Ric or Aidan or George loved their mates. Not that he’d know what that felt like, but surely he’d know, wouldn’t he? Apparently that sort of grand romance wasn’t in the cards for him. He liked Fee a lot, he cared about her, and God knew he wanted her. Most of all, he’d simply run out of the will to fight.

  Between the full moon, his grandfather, the vandalism, her pheromones and everything else that was messing with his mind and body today, he was finished. He wanted Fee. He wanted her in the most elemental and visceral way possible, and he wanted her now. His canines began to lengthen and he felt, rather than heard, the rumble of a near-growl reverberate through his chest.

  “Don’t move a muscle. I’ll be right back.”

  “Where are you going?” She blinked at him in confusion.

  “On second thought, grab the wine and come with me.” He held out his hand, pleased when she took it without question and stood. “We’re going up to my place.”

  “Very well.” She picked up the half-empty bottle and followed him out the door and up the stairs.

  Once inside his apartment, Greg flicked on the living room light. Though his unit had the same basic layout as hers, it was a lot less soothing and nowhere near as neat.

  “Do you have glasses?” She held up the wine.

  “Yeah, but I don’t think we’re going to need them until later.”

  “What?” She blinked at him and licked her lips again.

  “Nothing, princess. Just this.” It took the lightest tug to pull her against him so he could claim her mouth with his.

  Fee didn’t fight him, or even hesitate a moment. With a happy little hum, she wound her arms around his neck and kissed him back. The wine bottle thunked against his spine.

  He knew there would be no going back from this and Fee was smart enough to be aware of that, too. His scent had soaked into her skin, along with her own musk, and that combination caused all his possessive instincts to stand up and roar.

  “Mine,” he rumbled in a voice so deep it was barely audible, even to his better-than-human hearing. “You know where this is going?” He buried his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling the beauty of her scent mingled with his.

  “I believe so.” Rather than push away, she arched her neck to give him better access. “Into your bedroom?”

  “Good idea.” That’s where the condoms were. He took the wine bottle from her and set it on the counter.

  His entire being pulsed with the need to take her, to claim her. He’d never had this powerful a reaction to any woman he’d had sex with, not even one who was ovulating. In fact, even with condoms, he’d avoided that situation. He’d always been able to say no and walk away. Maybe his hormones were telling him something his brain hadn’t figured out yet. Right now he didn’t care.

  When Greg lifted her into his arms, she squeaked with surprise. “What?”

  He chuckled. “I want a real bed this time, princess. It’s gonna be a long, long night.”

  Fianna held on to Greg’s strong shoulders as he carried her into his bedroom, barely believing this was happening. She’d wished for it since she’d met him, so it was almost too good to be true.

  Well, of course it was. She was probably terrible at this, and she would likely disappoint him. Her only previous lover had told her she was awful. She’d had more enjoyment in the cellar this afternoon than ever before in her life.

  Still, she couldn’t waste this opportunity. She nuzzled the base of Greg’s neck and inhaled the scent of his skin. Her past, her lack of magic and Greg’s situation with his grandfather were all forgotten. All she could focus on was here and now—this powerful male who was about to claim her as his own. He stopped beside the unmade bed and slowly lowered her to the floor, allowing her body to glide along his in the process. His obvious arousal only heightened her own.

  “This time I want to see all of you.” He worked her shirt and bra up over her head.

  He’d told her earlier that he liked her breasts, but she still had to fight the urge to cover their smallness with her arms.

  “Don’t hide from me, princess. I intend to not only see every inch of you, but touch and taste every bit as well.” As if to prove it, he leaned down and nipped the upper slope of her modest curves. The mild sting startled her into looking up into his eyes, which had gone almost black with passion. “Remember wha
t I said earlier. You’re perfect for you. That makes you perfect to me.”

  It was the sweetest thing anyone had ever said to her and Fianna felt a tear prick the corner of her eyelid. Greg must have seen it, because he pressed his lips to the crease, wiping it away. He kissed a line over to her ear and lightly nibbled all around the edge of it while his fingers found the snap of her jeans.

  “No tears tonight, Fee.” He pushed her jeans and panties down to her ankles.

  “I wish I could promise that.” She kissed his chin as she kicked off her shoes and stepped out of the last of her clothing. “But you make me feel so much—things I don’t understand. And I don’t know how to control my responses. Being human is confusing at best.”

  “But feeling is good, princess. And remember, I made you hot when you were still an elf.” He tickled her ribs, making her giggle.

  “You did. And I still don’t know why,” she gasped after she stopped laughing. Greg tugged his shirt over his head, so she went to work on the fastening of his jeans.

  “Don’t try to analyze it, just enjoy it.” He sat on the edge of the bed to remove his shoes and socks and pants.

  Fianna stifled a moan at the beauty of Greg with no clothes on. He was so well endowed she wasn’t sure coupling would be physically possible. Based on the wetness slicking the tops of her thighs, though, her body was willing to try. They stared at each other for one passion-clouded moment before he pulled her to stand between his spread legs. The crisp hairs on the inside of his thighs prickled against the outsides of hers and she stepped closer, until her breasts grazed the hair on his chest and his thick erection pressed into her stomach.

  “I’d like to make this last, but I’m not sure how much control I’m going to have once we get started.” He nibbled on the tendons of her throat. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “You won’t.” That much, she knew for certain. “I’m not as fragile as I look, you know.” Though her body had changed, she was still young, limber and healthy as a human. And Greg’s protective instincts were too powerful to allow him to play too roughly.