by Multiple
Corrine shifted. Ambling off into the woods after her friend a few seconds later. The human side of her completely shut down. She intended to forget everything that happened the last couple of weeks.
Chapter Twelve
Sam tossed and turned on the too short couch. Something was preventing him from going right back to sleep. And not just the inadequate furniture in the upstairs living room.
Rubbing his eyes, he sniffed the air. He smelled cookies and… smoke? His brow furrowed in confusion.
Rolling to his elbows, he propped up enough to look towards the kitchen. Maybe Corrine was back and taking out her frustration in there. He heard MJ and Corrine rattling around earlier talking about a run. For a second he thought he would join them, but he’d acted like an ass and wouldn’t be welcome. Not until he made up with his sister.
He knew Jett cared for Corrine. Hell, if he had to admit it, he could actually see it coming. While Corrine was up in her room crying, he recalled all of the times he talked about her to Jett. Remembering the look in the man’s eyes whenever Sam brought his sister up. The poor guy was in love with her before he’d even met her in person.
Sighing, he sniffed the air. The smells weren’t coming from the house kitchen.
Sitting up, he stared out the front window. There was only one other place the smell of cookies could come from. A puff of smoke floated by and panic set in.
Heart racing, he jumped from the couch, throwing the front door open.
He was down the path leading to the bakery in less than a minute. As he breached the trees, he could see the bakery slowly being engulfed in flames. Smoke billowed from the top as the fire ate its way through more and more of the building.
Reaching into his back pocket, he pulled out his cell phone, dialing the fire department. It would take them a while to get there. He feared there wouldn’t be anything left of his sister’s livelihood by the time they showed up.
Running to the pump house, he busted the doors open, hooking up the hose he switched the electric pump on. Dragging it as far as he could, he sprayed what he could in a hope to keep the flames at bay.
Seconds later, Corrine and MJ burst out of the woods, coming to a stop next to him.
“Shift and get dressed,” he yelled, the crackle of fire and hissing water drowning most of what he said. “I called the fire department already. Should be here soon.”
Both big cats tore off around the main house.
Damn, he hoped it wouldn’t take long for help to get here.
Back in human form and dressed, Corrine and MJ sprinted toward him, buckets of water from the house in their hands.
As Corrine approached, Sam caught her eyes. The utter devastation in them tore at his heart. Her business and dreams were going up in flames. Just like her relationship with Jett did that morning. This had to be the worst day of her life.
Jett drove on autopilot back to Corrine’s place. His mind too filled with thoughts of his mate. He needed her back. He heard her call out to him as he left her place. He just needed to leave and get away from Sam before he hurt him further.
That was the only thing on his mind as he walked away.
It was a mistake to leave the house like he did. He should have stayed and talked it out with her brother like he planned. When Sam made that comment about thinking the first shifter he’d been with was his mate, something in him snapped, he’d punched the man then wondered if he was right.
Once he made it back to his condo, it hadn’t taken long to figure out he was being an ass again. Allowing Sam to make him feel unworthy, doubting he was good enough. He wasn’t the same young, fast-talking, skirt chasing, no-strings attached man he was when they were younger.
He was at the top of his field making great money. Owned his own place, along with a boring ass grown up car. Hell, he was a member of one the oldest shifter bloodlines of their species.
If he wasn’t good enough for Corrine, no one was.
He couldn’t forget the most important thing. She was his mate. The one meant to be with him forever, that called to his human and Tiger side. She held his fragile beating heart in her hand.
So caught up in thought, the horn blaring behind him took him off guard. Glancing into the rearview mirror, the flashing lights of a fire truck nearly blinded him. He pulled off to the side, waiting until they passed.
Minutes later he was pulling into the driveway, noticing the large red fire truck. Panic struck through his heart. Firemen slowly packed up their gear, none the worse for wear. The bakery sat smoldering behind them. Forgotten by everyone except the lone woman standing a few yards in front of it.
Jumping out of the car he made his way to Corrine. Taking a moment to notice MJ standing off to the side, Sam’s arm wrapped around her shoulders as she openly sobbed. A whisper of relief echoed through him knowing both were safe.
Snapping his attention back to the dejected form of his mate, the ache in his chest grew with each step closer. Stopping behind her, he wrapped his arms around her. She stiffened momentarily then relaxed. Allowing her body to mold to him. Allowing him to comfort her.
“It’s gone,” she whispered.
“I’m sorry, baby. What happened? You weren’t inside when it started were you?” He placed a kiss on top of her head trying to keep the panic at bay. Tightening his arms around her to reassure him she was okay. The thought of her being in the bakery when it caught fire stopped the air in his throat.
“No. We weren’t inside.” Her head turned toward Sam and MJ. “We were out running. Sam was doing whatever. I don’t really know. He said he smelled smoke and came out to find the bakery burning. By the time MJ and I got here half of it was engulfed and Sam was trying to douse the flames. It didn’t work.”
“Do you know how it started?”
She shuddered against him. Something was wrong. He could tell by the way she held her body.
“The fire chief said it was set deliberately. Arson. I don’t know who would do this to me,” she sobbed.
Jett turned her in his arms. Pressing her head against his chest. Soaking up her tears with his shirt. Not caring if anyone was watching them.
The fire crew finished packing up, the chief stopped by to let them know an investigator would be coming out later to start going through things. He asked Corrine to make a list of the items lost for their insurance, and to think about who might have done this.
The truck pulled away leaving them all standing, staring at the destruction.
Sam walked over, pulling Corrine from his arms. He engulfed her in a hug. “I’m so sorry, Cor. I know you loved this place. Why don’t you come inside? I’ll make you something hot to drink.”
She pulled away, taking a step back. “I’ll be there in a minute or two. Take MJ in. She looks like she’s about to fall down.”
Sam looked back at MJ, then over to Jett, eyes narrowing. “You okay with him here?”
Corrine didn’t even look his way. “Yeah, I’m good. There’s nothing left in me to break at this point.”
Sam walked off, collecting MJ before going inside.
Corrine stood stock still, a defeated look in her eyes as she looked around the destroyed area.
“Corrine?” Jett moved closer to her.
“You can go, Jett. This isn’t your problem. Thanks for stopping by.”
Pain squeezed his heart at her words. He wanted it to be his problem. He needed to be in her life and be the one to make her happy.
Refusing to let her brush him off, he walked up next to her and took her hands, ensuring she looked at him. “If it involves you, it is my problem. I fucked up Corrine. I shouldn’t have left. I shouldn’t have treated you like I didn’t want people to know. You deserve everything I can give. Everything that’s rightfully yours—my heart and soul. I’m letting you know now that I’m fighting for you. I’ll do whatever it takes to convince you that I’m the right man for you. That you’re my mate and no other man will lo
ve you as much or as well as me.”
“I don’t have time for this, Jett. I don’t have it in me to start caring for you then have you walk off without telling me what’s wrong. I’m left in the dark about what I did wrong and I don’t like it. ”
She pulled her hands free from his loose grip. Flinging an arm out toward the bakery remains. “Have you seen this mess? Your personal issues have nothing on this. My business, my life, was just burned down by someone and I don’t know why,” she said in a raised voice.
Corrine walked off heading to the building. Jett was hot on her heels. There was no way he could walk away again or let her walk away from him.
Unease skittered down his spine as his Tiger picked up on an old, familiar scent. Jett scanned the area but didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.
Scanning the area for clues, he ran through the lay of the land he’d committed to memory his first time out here. Woods surrounded both the house and bakery with rolling hills behind them. Anyone could hike through the woods or over the hilly area, though they would be more noticeable coming over the hill. So they couldn’t have come from that direction.
Jett walked to the side of the bakery where the majority of the damage was. The arsonist had to have come up on this side. They wouldn’t be seen from the house, especially if they came from the main road through the woods.
He released the tight hold on his inner beast. Allowing it to come to the front, though not close enough to shift. Sniffing the air he followed his nose, the hair on the back of his neck rising as the scent got stronger.
Finding himself at the edge of the tree line that led to the lake, he turned to Corrine. “Go back to the house Corrine and lock the doors.”
Instead of doing what he said, she marched over next to him. “You don’t get to tell me what to do Jett Montgomery-Murphy! This is my property.” She abruptly stopped her tirade sniffing the air. Her head reared back when she caught what he smelled. “It’s that stench again?”
Jett grabbed Corrine’s shoulder. “What do you mean again?”
She tried to break free of his hold but he wasn’t allowing it. Something was telling him this was important. “Jett. Let go.”
“No. What do you mean again? Tell me Corrine.”
She huffed out a breath. “From that day in the bakery. The one when you found the door wide open. I told you I had to air the place out. It smelled like…roses.”
Jett squeezed his eyes shut before breathing deeply. Forcing his brain to process what the smell was. After a moment, realization hit him with force. Macy.
It was her expensive, created just for her perfume. He had forgotten how heavy and cloying the floral perfume was. Even when she was in Tiger form he could still smell it on her. It was odd though since she wasn’t wearing it when he ran into her.
He should have known she wasn’t the sweet and kind woman she attempted to appear to be. She was a Tiger who couldn’t change her stripes. He knew she would never let him go. This needed to end, and in order for that to happen he had to track her down.
Digging his new cell phone from his pocket, cause he never could find the old one, he dialed his father. He would need his help when they caught Macy. There was no way he would let her roam freely. She was a risk to him and the pride.
He took a few steps away from Corrine, though never letting her out of his sight. He spoke in low tones into the phone. Once he was finished he moved back to her.
Jett swept his arm around Corrine’s waist. The minute he made contact, the inner beast in him settled down. She was right where she belonged, and he refused to let his crazy ex-girlfriend do anything to take her away.
Pulling her flush against his body, he took advantage of her startled gasp, fusing his lips to hers in a searing kiss. Breaking away he said, “Baby, please head back to the house. I want you inside by the time I shift.” He stroked down her back, taking comfort in the feel of her while gathering the strength to confront a deeply disturbed woman.
“But… but Jett,” she stuttered clearly flustered. She cleared her throat. “What’s going on? Do you know who did this? Why they did this?”
“I can’t explain now, but I will. I promise. I just need to put the past to rest. Once I get it settled we can spend as much time as you want talking.” He dropped a quick kiss on her lips.
“The past? What does that have to do with me? This isn’t that woman from college is it?” Her eyes narrowed, pining him in place.
He nodded. “Yeah. It’s Macy. I’m sure she set the fire. Her scent is all over the place. She has to know I love you Corrine. She was probably hoping you would be inside when it burnt down.”
Corrine looked about as shocked as he felt.
He lowered his face to hers. Nuzzled her nose then slowly took her mouth. Pouring all of his emotions and love into the kiss. Not just to convince her to listen to him, but to also show her what he felt.
Corrine was the one to break the kiss. She was breathing heavily, a glazed look in her eyes.
“Now please, one last time. Go inside and let me take care of this for us.”
“Okay,” she said.
He reluctantly let her go, swooping in for one more kiss before pulling his shirt over his head. Once it was off, he couldn’t believe his eyes. Corrine stood, completely naked in front of him.
Instantly swamped with a need to take her to the ground and claim her, he had to force the desire aside. “I thought you said okay.”
“I did, but it was an ‘okay, let’s take care of this for us’. You want to be a couple then we do this together. You’ve been driving me nuts Jett Montgomery-Murphy and if she’s the reason I’ve been going through hell, then I’m giving her a piece of my mind. And if you don’t watch it, I might let her have you.”
“You wouldn’t dare,” he growled.
“Ha! Try me. Leave me one more time without a damn good reason, and that threat will happen. I’m done letting you call the shots in this relationship.”
Quick as lightening he had her lush, naked body pressed firmly against his. His cock stirred on contact. She sucked in a breath, pressing her breasts harder against his chest. His skin tingled in the wake of her hard nipples as she wiggled to break free.
Snaking a hand down her body, he grabbed her ass while keeping the other in the middle of her back. He looked down into her flushed face. “Now listen closely so there isn’t a misunderstanding. I’m not leaving you ever again. I’m here to stay no matter how tired you get of me. How annoying you find me at times. Or how ticked you get that I wasn’t listening, or when I forget something important. From now on you’re mine—body and soul. Once we get through sorting this mess out, I’m going to love you long and hard. No one will doubt that you belong to me. And that I belong to you.”
Because he didn’t think he would be able to pull away again if he tasted her lips, he pressed a kiss to her forehead and stepped back.
“I’m going to allow you to go with me cause I don’t think I can stop you from following, you damn well better stay behind me though. I don’t want you confronting her. She’s unstable and I would die if something were to happen to you. Are we clear?”
She studied him for a moment and he prayed she would listen. He should have known she would go with him and not back to her house like he said. She was too independent and certainly not used to being told what to do. It was amazing she let him hold the reins at all the last couple of weeks. With a quick nod of her head, she agreed to his demand.
He grinned and peeled off the rest of his clothes. Seconds later they both shifted. He bumped his shoulder into her before rubbing his face along hers.
The rightness of being next to her in Tiger form settled his nerves. She provided a comfort he didn’t know he needed.
They took off into the woods following the scent markings left by Macy’s expensive perfume.
Entering the clearing next to the lake ahead of Corrine, he came to a halt. Leaving Corri
ne hidden in the trees with no way around him, they finally found Macy. She sat naked on one of the large rocks Corrine had lounged on their first night together. Macy’s legs were crossed all prim and proper with a Cheshire grin plastered across her face.
“It’s about time you got here, Jett,” she purred. “I wasn’t sure how much longer I could wait around. God, I forgot how handsome you are as a Tiger.”
Slowly she stood, making her way toward him, a blatant sexual swing in her hips. The overt gesture turned his stomach. He couldn’t believe he used to be turned on by such a display.
“You know your girlfriend is a heifer and such a cry baby. You should have seen the way she bawled over that revolting bakery. I swear she must eat half of what she makes.”
The closer Macy got to him the more he noticed about her. He no longer saw the beautiful, sophisticated girl he’d dated in college. The girl every guy wanted, but only he got to have. Now he saw her for what she really was. An unstable, disturbed stalker who just wouldn’t go away.
Her eyes had a crazed, paranoid gleam. Her hair looked dirty and wild. Every once in a while she took quick frantic glances from side to side like she expected someone to be next to her. Her fingers would twitch beside her legs before he saw her pinch her skin. She didn’t seem to notice his study of her as she continued to talk.
“Are you sure your girlfriend and that other woman aren’t lesbians? Is that why you’re with her? To see some girl-on-girl action? If I had known you liked that, I would have shown you a good time long ago. I know plenty of women who would love to be with me.” She ran her hand over her hair before trailing it down her body. Jett had no desire to follow her hand’s path, yet was unable to look away. Her hand bounced over her ribs, which were sticking out. She didn’t look like she had eaten anything in weeks.
It was a good thing Corrine was blocked in. He didn’t need her hearing Macy’s crazy rambling. He didn’t doubt Corrine would rip Macy’s throat out if given the chance.
He just needed to stall long enough for Guild members to get there and take Macy away. With her being from a founding family it was imperative she go home unharmed. Her family’s sway in some communities would be hard to battle if push came to shove and she showed up injured in some way. They would also need to deal with the fire and police departments. The Guild felt it was best to look after their own. Keeping as much as they could in house.