Bad Habit (Wolf Investigations and Securities Inc. Book 2)

by Dawn, Crystal

  “We’ll see how he does. I know we can’t expect to hire fully trained people, but a few to start off with would be nice under the circumstances. Maybe he’ll pick it up quick.”

  “Hey, look. It’s Ray and Rita.” The door opened and the bell rang.

  “How did you two do yesterday?” Trail asked.

  “Between the day before and yesterday, we got three systems in place.” Ray admitted.

  “I’ll be glad when we get the back log caught up, I’m just afraid that’ll take a while. We have a new guy starting today and another in two days. We’ll have our first lady setting up systems full time in two weeks.” Twila informed.

  “Sounds like things are getting off to a good start.” Ray said.

  The bell rang again and Don came in. “Good morning. I’m the new guy, Don Drucker.”

  After he shook hands with everyone and they all told him their names, it was time to get down to business. “You’ll be going out into the field with me and once I’m sure you got it all down, you’ll work on your own.” Trail told him.

  ‘Sounds good, Boss.”

  “Don and I are headed out. Send us our list of jobs and we’ll get on it.” Trail observed.

  “I’ll do that right now and get Ray his list too.”

  “While you’re on that, I’ll catch the phone and organize the supplies.” Rita suggested.

  It was another day and it would be a hard one. Trail just hoped Don was quick on the uptake. They went out and loaded the supplies into the truck they were taking. He checked his radio and saw the jobs they had. It would be an hour drive but then the jobs would be nearby. They headed out and got to the first address in a little over an hour.

  Don turned out to have a good idea of what they were doing and he learned fast. He was a big help and it speeded them on their way to the second job which was done in time for them to have a late lunch. Trail called Twila, because he worried about her all the time.

  “I’m fine.” She laughed. “It’s pretty boring here right now.”

  “I’ll pray it stays that way. Don and I are about to get to the third job. He’s pretty good.”

  “I’m glad. Maybe things are going to get better now.”

  “We can hope.” Trail said but he didn’t believe it. He was a realist and there was no reason for things to get better yet. That didn’t mean they might not have a break before more bad shit happened. It just meant more bad shit would eventually happen. “I’ll see you in a few hours.”

  He and Don got on the third job of the day and breezed through it. If nothing else, at least work was going better. Jackson called him and he moved away from Don to take the call.

  “What did they find out?”

  “The family was human. The dad had ties to the racist group messing with us. That’s all we know so far.”

  “I guess there’s a dangerous predator on the loose. The dad I could care less about but the others should have been left alone.”

  “I agree completely. This probably won’t be a one-time thing.”

  “No, it never is.” It was just another problem on a long list of problems. It was a good thing he was a problem solver.

  Chapter 7

  Tonight is the Night

  Twila found herself once more carried away in her fantasies. Her feelings toward Trail were growing stronger and they hadn’t even completed the mating. Yes, the mating needed to be finished and she found that she was ready. She wanted that strong connection, the protective and loving feelings he had for her would stay with her all the time. No longer did she want to resist him of the ties that would bind them together forever.

  Her fantasies? They were all about him and a little house filled with pups and love. Yes, she was a sap. So what? It was better than being a loner. Now that she’d gotten to know him better she could see he’d spoken the truth about his life before her and how he was completely different since he’d found her. Twila would admit that she wanted him to confide in her about his past.

  It wasn’t like he didn’t know all about her past, even the really bad shit. Now she wanted to know his so she could fully understand her complicated male. From what he’d told her, she understood he’d had a rough childhood. He’d feel better once he shared that with her. Shaking her head, she knew she needed to get her mind on work. There was plenty to do but it didn’t appeal to her the way he did.

  The bell rang out front so she went out to check on it. A new customer came in and she took his information and told him they had a list and it could be a month, maybe longer. “I live out a ways so I was glad when I heard you people moved here.” He said and spit on the floor. Twila pretended not to notice as she mentally marked the spot so she could clean it up when he left.

  “We’re happy to be here and we’ll get to you as soon as possible.”

  “I’ll be waiting on you.” The big mountain of a man said as he left the store. She got out her wet mop vacuum and cleaned up the spot. That was just nasty but people who lived by themselves sometimes picked up bad habits.

  Twila saw it was lunch time and she was feeling a bit hungry. She went in search of Rita who was working on the scheduling. “Want to go grab a bite of lunch?” Twila asked.

  “Sounds great.” She said as she shut the computer down. “I need to get away from this before I start seeing double.”

  The two of them made their way to Mad’s. It was the closest and if they went to the Polar Bear they would go over the allotted lunch time. As soon as they were seated, Mad slipped up on them. “You’re a new face.” She said looking at Rita.

  “This is Rita. She works in our office and she’s married to Ray.” Twila introduced.

  “Ray? The good looking new guy?” Mad asked.

  “Yes, the guy you met the other day.”

  “What’ll you two have?”

  “I’ll have a cola and the special.”

  “Me too.” Rita said. Twila noticed neither of them said they were glad to meet the other.

  The drinks came, brought by a different waitress and that same waitress brought them their food. It seemed Mad had merely been curious about Rita. Maybe she wanted to be assured she wasn’t a rival for single males. That made sense since Mad liked to play.

  “This is good. What is it?” Rita asked.

  “It looks and tastes like elk. It could be a combination of several meats though. The potatoes are scalloped and the dessert looks like German chocolate cake.”

  “What’s that?” Rita said pointing at the vegetables.

  “Lima beans in butter sauce.” Rita made a face and Twila couldn’t help but laugh. “You ever try them?”

  Rita shook her head and cautiously bit into one. “Okay, that’s not bad.”

  They ate until they were full and packed up the leftovers to go with them. “I’ll get it.” Twila said and she approached the counter.

  The waitress waved her off. “We put it on Trail’s bill.”

  Twila thought about saying something but they were about to be mated so why bother. She went back to the table and got Rita. They walked back to the office and she checked the door out quickly. Everything looked fine so she unlocked the door and they went in. The phone was already ringing and it was just the start. Maybe Tyne had run an ad because they got twenty more customers that day. So much for trying to catch the list up.

  It was beginning to look like they would never get on top of things. Twila checked out their applicants and they had a whole new list. She let Rita cover the front and the phone while she sorted through the applicants. Was this how Tyne’s first office had gone when it was set up? She was discovering new respect for her brother.

  She also thought it was a good thing he hadn’t made guards and personal security generally available at this point. They simply wouldn’t have been able to handle it. By the time Trail and Ray came back at the end of the day to check their equipment and supplies in, Twila and Rita were worn out. She had intended to put some food on in the crockpot but she simply hadn’t gott
en around to it. Rita and she grabbed their leftovers from the office fridge, turned everything off, and they locked the office up.

  “Want to watch a movie tonight?” Trail asked as the other couple drove away. “I have a few movies you don’t know about. Action and adventure is my main love.”

  “What do you have? The manly stuff?”

  “Of course. I wouldn’t want to lose my membership in the alpha club.”

  “Is there such a thing?”

  “It’s more of a loose type of membership. We all recognize each other.”

  “In other words not really.”

  Trail chuckled. “You got me. No, it’s not a real club. But I wouldn’t want my buddies to turn on me. They would torment me if they thought I watched Romcoms.”

  “Okay. I’ll take your manly pride into consideration. Lead me to the movies I can choose from.” Trail led her to his apartment and she looked around. There was only the basic necessities, no luxuries or personal items in view. He dug a box out from the closet and it was full of DVDs.

  He’d described the variety of movies exactly. There was action, adventure, and most were a mix of both. She found a movie she’d heard about and wanted to see. It had romance in it too. “This one.”

  “Good choice, there are more in the series and a new one is coming out next year.”

  “Do you have the other movies if I like this one?”

  “I have two of them.”

  “Let’s go to my place and see if we can pull a meal together.”

  “I could just nibble on you.” Trail said and she felt herself heat up at the thought.

  “I might let you.”

  Trail growled. “Don’t tease me, Sweetheart. I’ve thought of nothing else all day.”

  “I’ve thought about you too. I don’t know much about you, but you know everything about me.”

  “Is that a problem?”

  “Wouldn’t you want to know more about someone you are about to mate?”

  “Are you considering it?”

  “What?”

  “Mating me.” Trail stopped on the landing and turned to look at her. His deep blue eyes looked at her intently.

  “Yes. I’ve been thinking about it. The bond is strengthening and I realized I know nothing about your past.”

  “Is that all that’s holding you back?”

  “Honestly?” She looked at him and he nodded. “Yes, I’ve come to feel so much for you. My belief in you has started to grow. The only thing I miss is really knowing you. I don’t know about your family, where you were born, how old you are. Do you have siblings or other family? Why did you choose the job you have?”

  “Damn female. Slow down a little. Let’s go to your place and we can talk.” Trail’s eyes search the darkness as if he expected enemies to jump out at them. He took her arm and tugged so she would follow him.

  Once they were inside they walked to the kitchen. Trail sat at the table as she began to search around to find something to make a meal of. “Will you tell me?”

  “What do you want to know?” Trail asked.

  “Let’s start with something easy. Why do you do what you do?”

  “I was raised in the woods. We lived in wolf form as often as human. My parents had a shack with no water or power. My dad was a bum, he didn’t work but he spent a lot of time away from home anyway. He messed around with females. Mom wasn’t his fated so it didn’t bother him to do it.”

  “I’m sorry things were so bad.”

  “That’s why I knew I could never mate with anyone but my fated one. It’s why I waited for you, Twila.”

  She blushed. “I never believed in fate, at least not for me, before I met you.”

  “I always knew I would find you. My parents had a terrible relationship and Mom took care of him and he just used her. I hated him for the way he treated her. That was why I was always open and honest to the females I knew. They knew I wanted my special one and no one else would be good enough for me. Some got mad when they couldn’t change my mind. But some thanked me when they found their fated one.”

  “Isn’t that rare for a wolf?” Twila asked.

  “It used to be, but it seems that the goddess is smiling on our kind once more. My father found his fated one and he left my mother and the little pups, a male and a female, to mate with his fated one. He left her alone with no food, no money, and no help. They say she starved to death because she fed the twins and had nothing for herself. I was in the army. I stayed in a few years after Tyne and the others left.

  “What happened to the babies?”

  “My grandmother is raising them. I send her money every month and she sends me pictures once in a while. I hope you’ll agree to let them live with us someday.”

  “I do love kids. Won’t you’re grandmother be upset?”

  “She doesn’t like kids and she only agreed to take them because I offered her money. She’s my father’s mother and no one on his side is caring.”

  “That’s awful. Where are they?”

  “They live near Drake’s pack. Drake check’s on them once every three months because I don’t trust her. Drake, Blake, and your brother Tyne have known me since we were pups.”

  “I knew you’d known my brother for a long time, but why don’t I remember you from when we were pups?”

  “Tyne hung around with Blake and Drake. They went with their mother to help the less fortunate.”

  “I remember that. I wasn’t allowed to go because they said it was no place for a young lady.”

  “That’s where they met me. My family was one of those less fortunate ones the pack gave assistance to. My father would run off with my mother’s check from work and we’d have no money for the basic necessities of life. My mother would cry and cry, but he never changed. Now she’s dead and he’s found a happy home.”

  Twila went to him and wrapped him in her arms. “I’m so sorry, but we’ll have a better life than that. You’re siblings will come live with us and we’ll be a happy family. Never doubt I love you.”

  Trail’s eyes glowed, she’d swear they did. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I’m never letting you go.”

  Twila didn’t want him to ever let her go. It was hard to wrap her head around the horrible childhood that Trail had survived. He’d lost the only parent that had cared about him in a devastating way. Twila’s heart ached when she thought about how his mother had sacrificed her life to keep her youngest two children alive. That sacrifice would be honored when the pups came to live with her and Trail. They would give them the life his mother had wanted for them.

  The four of them would be a family. All it would take was for them to complete their mating and then the first step in the right direction would be done. She might not know everything she wanted to know about his history, but she knew enough now to join her life to his. Anyone who took care of their young siblings as he had, was a good person and worthy of love.

  Twila went back to finish their meal. She fixed open roast sandwiches with a thick gravy and a salad. Dessert was pudding with cherries on top. They dug into their food with the hunger of someone who worked hard and was planning to play just as hard.

  Once they were through they cleaned up together. “Let’s watch your movie now.” Trail said.

  “You’ll behave until the movie is done, right? I haven’t seen it before.”

  “Baby, you know me.”

  “That’s why I’m asking.”

  “I’ll try to behave.”

  “That’s all I can ask for.” Trail put the disc in and the previews of other movies started. He fast forward to the place the movie began.

  “Here we go.” Trail said as the actual movie finally began.

  Twila sat on the edge of her seat from the start. She laughed, she cried, she swooned, and she fell in love with the characters. Slapping Trail’s hand away, she watched the story unravel magically. “Stop. I’m watching. Don’t make me push pause.”

  “Come on, Sweetheart. I
’ll give you the real thing.” Trail promised.

  “Not until the movie is over.”

  Eventually it was and she sighed. “I loved it. You said there are more?”

  “Yes, but I don’t have all of them and another one comes out next year.”

  “I want them.”

  “And you shall have them, my lady. But right now, I want you.” Trail scooped her up and threw her over his shoulder like a pirate.

  Twila giggled. “You are my hero.”

  “I know, and I will protect and care for you. Right now I plan to make all your dreams come true.”

  Trail dropped her in the middle of the bed and jumped on top if her. The poor bed couldn’t take it and something broke sending a loud bang through the room. The mattress fell to the floor with a boom, but the headboard stayed in place held up by the mattress. “Oops. I never saw that coming. Now I’ll need a new bed.”

  “We’ll just move mine in here and put yours in the spare bedroom.” Trail decided. “We’ll do that later, right now I just want to love you.”

  They both began to wiggle out of their clothing, something that would have been easier to do while standing. Once they were both naked, Trail got right back on top of her. “I like this position. I can do anything I want to you.” He lowered his head and kissed her until her lips opened. Then he slid his tongue inside her mouth and explored thoroughly. “Mm, you taste like dessert.”

  “I am your dessert Baby. Eat me up.”

  “I like that idea.” Trail said and he began to lick and nibble his way down her neck.

  When he got to her breasts, he cupped one with his hand as his mouth devoured the other one. He sucked on it tugging while she writhed beneath him. When it popped out of his mouth, it was red and the nipple hard and long. Now he moved to the other breast and gobbled it down. Twila watched as he handled her breast making them as sensitive as possible. When he moved lower, she nearly came out of her skin. Anticipation was driving her crazy.