JARVIS

by Becca Fanning

  Jarvis sighed. “Philadelphia, Mississippi, Boston... where the hell hasn’t that woman been?”

  Mars cocked a brow at Jarvis’s gruff tone. “You two always did get along like two wild cats shoved in a bag.”

  Jarvis cocked his head to the side. “Ultimate of ironies for you then, chief, but she’s my mate.”

  Kiko’s eyes widened as Mars’s jaw dropped. “You can’t be serious.”

  “Sadly, I am.”

  For a second, both men just sat there. Frozen. Then, it started. Jarvis flipped them both off as they both roared with laughter.

  “Dear Goddess,” he complained when Mars started to turn purple. “It’s not that funny.”

  “Oh Goddess, it is, it really is,” Kiko hooted, holding his belly as laughter poured from him like pancake batter from the bowl. “You? And Cinda? Goddess, this I have to see. Where is she? I need to see the two of you together?”

  Mars’s laughter died down to snickering. As he carried on hiccoughing with laughter, he asked, “You’ve Claimed her?”

  “No. She came into the shelter this morning.”

  Kiko’s laughter died. “She came to you?”

  “Yeah.” Jarvis frowned. “That mean something to you?”

  “No, I just realized it’s weird as hell that you guys didn’t figure out you were mates a long time ago.”

  Jarvis pursed his lips. “You know what happened with Pip and Major?”

  “What? The human hormonal meds?” Mars asked.

  “Yeah. Cinda realized I was her mate before I did. She took evasive action.”

  Mars’s eyes widened, then as he processed that he whistled. “Goddesses.”

  “Yeah. I’m still coming to terms with it,” he admitted gruffly. “Might never get to understand why she did what she did, but I have no choice but to accept it, do I? Either that or let it eat away at me and the mate bond.”

  Kiko shook his head. “That’s the last thing you want or need.”

  “I know. Tell me about it.” Jarvis firmed his jaw as he sank back against the seat and let the rocking motion soothe his internal rumblings. “It’ll be hard, but it’s not like I’ve got much choice, is it?”

  Mars blinked. “I guess that means her coming to you was her admitting she was ready for the mate bond to settle in?”

  Jarvis nodded. “She stopped taking meds a while back in preparation for today.”

  “That girl’s ass always did need spanking,” Kiko said softly. “But never as badly as it does now.”

  He grimaced. “I don’t want to start the mate bond off by punishing her, dammit.”

  Mars frowned. “What does your Bear want?”

  “He doesn’t really understand. How could he? He just wants to Claim her.”

  Kiko chuckled a little. “Sometimes the Bear is so simple, isn’t he? To him that’s all that matters.”

  “Yeah, but this situation matters more to the man.” Mars scrubbed a hand through his hair. “What you gonna do?”

  “Nothing. Just Claim her. Be grateful she finally decided to come back to me, I guess.” He shrugged. “Not much else I can do, is there? Not without making her regret the fact she came back to me, or proving she was right to avoid me for as long as she did.”

  Mars let out a long whistle. “I don’t envy you, bud.”

  Jarvis pulled a face. “At the same time, I’m happy as hell that my mate’s here.”

  “But what she did, spoiled it. That makes sense, man. You’re not an angel. She hurt you. She’ll have to live with that probably longer than you will,” Mars told him softly.

  “I guess you’re right.”

  “You didn’t need to come down to tell me about the amnesty box being recalled, Jarvis. Though I appreciate it, you need to be with your mate.” Mars studied him, no small amount of concern lining his features. “I’ll redistribute your workload onto Major and Graver. They can best deal with the brewery anyway and that will give you some time together. That’s what you need. A little space from the MC and some time to get to know one another. From the beginning, I guess.”

  Mars looked a little wild-eyed at that and Jarvis well understood. The Cinda he’d known all these years, he hadn’t known at all. It wasn’t just a matter of learning everything about her, it was figuring out what was real and what wasn’t.

  Still, she was his mate. The Goddess had decided they were compatible, and that was all that counted. When shit got tough, he just had to fall back on that realization.

  “I appreciate that, Mars,” Jarvis said gruffly. “But I had to come. I didn’t want to talk about the amnesty box over the phone. Plus I wanted permission to discuss what’s been happening with Martinez with Cinda.”

  Mars nodded. “Of course. Permission granted. Just make sure she doesn’t print it in one of her articles.”

  Jarvis grimaced. “That’s what I was thinking. But, I need her to know because she has to be aware there’s anger out there. She has to watch her back.”

  “Naturally. I can’t imagine she’ll want to live in the clubhouse either,” Mars commented.

  “Hell, we don’t want her to,” Kiko retorted. “The last time Mundo and Cinda were together for longer than an hour they nearly brought the roof down.”

  “Dear Goddess, I remember that,” Mars said, clicking his fingers. “Superbowl weekend, eighty-eight. They started fighting in the yard, remember?”

  Jarvis grunted. “Fuck, I do. We were half watching the game and them because we had to make sure Mundo didn’t shift.”

  Mars snickered. “You’ve got a firecracker there, Jarvis. Ironic considering you’re the most chilled dude I know.”

  “I doubt that will be for long,” Kiko murmured. “She always was the only one who could rile him up.”

  “I probably should have known from that alone she was my mate.” He grunted as he got to his feet. “And you’re right. We’ll stay at her place.”

  Mars nodded. “Might be wise. Do you want to look on the estate? See if there’s somewhere you want to build?”

  The MC owned a large patch of land thanks to a wise investment on Justas’s behalf. There they’d built a gated community where a lot of the Bears with families lived. It was a huge plot, still only half-full.

  “I’ll ask Cinda.” Jarvis shrugged. “You know me. I don’t care where I sleep. But women do.”

  Kiko snorted. “Boy, do they. I might be joining you on the estate though if you do decide to build. Mischa’s getting sick of the clubhouse.

  Mars cocked a brow. “She is?”

  “Yeah. Too many new kids around. They’re driving her batshit.”

  “How come?”

  Kiko scrubbed his jaw. “I don’t know. It’s not like her.”

  “How old’s Max now?” Jarvis asked.

  Max was Kiko and Mischa’s youngest.

  “Thirteen.”

  “Could be she’s getting broody.”

  Kiko snorted. “Yeah. I’ll raise that suggestion to her and get no sex for a month. It’s easier to build her another house.”

  Mars and Jarvis hooted at that.

  “You think I’m kidding,” Kiko retorted, rolling his eyes. “Anyway, it’s probably about time the older Bears moved out and left the clubhouse to the younger ones.”

  “What? And let chaos reign?” Jarvis demanded, slack-jawed at the stupidity of that idea.

  Kiko shook his head. “Naw, I think Mars, as Prez, will have to make the ultimate sacrifice and stay here while the rest of the Council fucks off and finds peace and quiet at the estate.”

  Mars grunted. “You’re so kind with my sacrifices.”

  Jarvis grinned, then, growing a little more serious, commented, “Although, it might be wise. The Clan has got a lot younger of late.”

  “They need to be watched,” Mars argued.

  “Yeah, but we’re getting older and have less patience. Maybe we should juggle shit around. Figure out a way we can live off site at the estate, but make sure the clubhouse doesn’t fall
down about our heads at the same time.”

  Mars pondered that a second, then sat back, ignoring the squeaking his desk chair made. “True. I know Annette would be happy to get out of here. She’s been chomping at the bit ever since she saw Toni’s house at the estate, and that has to be, what? Ten years ago when that build was completed?”

  Jarvis nodded. “But look, Chris and Ava would probably be happy to stay here. Jessie and Spyder, too. They’re young. That’s the clubhouse’s atmosphere. They can stay and monitor shit.”

  Mars blinked. “If we got some of the more middle-aged Shifters to safeguard the clubhouse too, gave them a higher ranking? Topped up their salaries, maybe, we could all move out.”

  Jarvis chuckled. “Goddess, are we really that old where being around kids just fucks us off?”

  Kiko grimaced. “I guess so.”

  When Mars nodded, agreeing with that, all three of them pulled faces at one another.

  “Fuck. We’re fuddy duddies,” Mars claimed, then reached for his beer and took a deep sip. “I’m turning into my old man.”

  Jarvis just grinned. “It comes to us all.”

  Chapter 6

  When Jessie saw her, she let out a squeal so loud even Cinda’s She Bear flinched at the sound. And the beast was shielded by so many protective layers, nothing should have penetrated them. Well nothing save her niece’s voice.

  Dear Goddess, that girl had some lungs on her.

  “Aunt Cinda!” she bellowed as she hustled towards her and wrapped Cinda in her thin arms. “It’s so great to see you. What are you doing here?”

  Jessie, for such an itty bitty thing, was surprisingly strong. Her arms were like a vise and Cinda coughed a little as Jessie tightened her hold around her waist.

  “Can’t. Breathe,” she gasped out, but she was teasing, and Jessie rolled her eyes at her when she pulled back. Cinda shot her a wink and declared, “I’m back for good.”

  Jessie gawked at her. “Back for good? In Houston? Or at the clubhouse?”

  “Sure as hell not the clubhouse.” She was willing to do a lot to earn Jarvis’s forgiveness, but living in this dump wasn’t one of the concessions. Hell no.

  “But Houston?”

  She nodded, unable to stop the grin that formed at her niece’s high pitched squeal of joy. “Goddess, I didn’t know you liked me so much.”

  Jessie whacked her on the arm as simultaneously dragged her into the bedroom. “Of course I do. You’re the only sane female among the lot of them.”

  “Them being your parents?”

  Jessie waved a hand. “Them, as well as the rest of the Council member’s mates. Well, apart from Ava. She’s on a whole different playing field anyway.”

  “Still not getting on well with her?” Cinda asked, somewhat sympathetically.

  Jessie scrunched her nose. “She’s better now she’s mated. All the sex must be making her more human. She’s far less robotic than she used to be.”

  Cinda’s lips twitched. “She was always a strange child. But then,” she teased. “So were you. What with all your tantrums”

  Jessie narrowed her eyes. “I can dislike you as soon as like you.”

  Cinda grinned, she knew the ‘T’ word was one of her niece’s least favorite. “Don’t worry about it.”

  “Easy for you to say.”

  “Is it?” Cinda cocked a brow. “You’re the tantrum queen and I’m the one with the temper. Jessie, haven’t you realized yet? If you don’t conform, then you get ostracized for a particular trait. That’s what I hate about the Clan.” She shuddered. “I’d hate to live here. It would drive me insane.”

  “You always were independent according to Daddy,” Jessie pointed out softly as she plunked down on the sofa opposite her bed. She patted the seat beside her and Cinda fell back into the soft cushions, then settled herself so she could look at her niece without having to turn her head.

  “Independent is another one. They’ll classify you with all these pleasant adjectives, when really all you want is to be your own woman and to lead your own life. That’s all I ever wanted, anyway.”

  Jessie grimaced. “You know I feel the same way.”

  Cinda nodded. She knew her niece wanted to be a teacher. “How’s that coming along?”

  “Spyder said he’ll fight my father if he tries to stop me going to community college.”

  “At least you have a mate who’s on your side. Not that you should need his approval. It’s not like it’s the Fifties, after all.”

  Jessie rolled her eyes. “Might as well be when it comes to shit like this. If you have no desire to work within the clubhouse, they think you’re nuts.”

  Cinda grunted. “I know. I faced the same issues as you.” Which was another reason why she’d hid from her mate bond. Jessie thought she had it bad? Back in the Seventies and Eighties, things had been a hell of a lot tougher.

  Forging her own path and creating her own life had been a lot harder back then. She’d done it, but now as she grew older and had attained most of the goals she’d set for herself as a young adult, Cinda found herself wondering if she’d made a mistake. If she’d made one too many sacrifices.

  Of course, she could do that with hindsight on her side. Now she’d achieved all she’d ever really wanted to. She’d gone above and beyond, if truth were told.

  Cinda had never imagined a Pulitzer prize in her future; never mind two. She’d never imagined writing a book and being contracted for several more with a huge publishing house. She’d done so much with her years, but she’d been alone.

  Life had a funny habit of always making you question your decisions.

  If she’d stayed with Jarvis, allowed the mate bond to flourish, would she be seated here today bemoaning the fact she’d achieved none of her goals?

  Very likely.

  That either made her perverse or it meant life really was a bitch.

  “Aunt Cinda, you think I’m doing the right thing, don’t you?”

  The hesitance in Jessie’s voice had her smiling. “Do you want to be a teacher?”

  “Of course I do. I wouldn’t be trying to go back to college if that wasn’t the case.”

  “Then you have your answer, don’t you?” When Jessie huffed, Cinda’s smile broadened. “Look, sweetheart, you don’t need me or Spyder or your parents to tell you what you want out of life. The clue is right there—it’s your life. You can do with it what you will. If you want to be a fucking astronaut, that’s down to you. You just have to have the gumption to aim for that particular career.

  “You’re in a ridiculous position because you’re surrounded by males who want to protect you. But, at the same time, look at it from their point of view—that helps sometimes. There’s always two sides to every story after all.

  “Female Bears are rare. It’s only natural that the elders want to look after them, to protect them. As a culture, we’re hyper protective of our young anyway. That doubles in strength with girls. They just want to keep you safe.”

  Jessie pondered that. “So, if I did something to reassure them that I would be safe when I was at college…”

  “Exactly.” Cinda’s tone was laced with satisfaction. “Try to help them help you. That’s all they want. I know your father is about as understanding as concrete, though, so I know he’ll have just said yay or nay to your request to go to college. It pisses me off that you’d have to make a similar request to Spyder, but just you make sure that he knows you’d do it regardless. You’re only asking for his help, not his permission.” She nodded stoutly. “It never does men any good to think they’re in charge.”

  Jessie snorted. “I’ve missed you, Aunt Cinda.”

  She winked. “I’ve missed you too, Buttercup.”

  A knock sounded at the door and, pulling a face, Jessie called out, “Come in.”

  Christie, Jessie’s mom, popped her head around the door. When she saw Cinda, she grinned. “I didn’t want to believe it until I caught sight of you.”

  Jess
ie frowned. “Mom?”

  Christie wafted a dismissive hand at her daughter. “Is it true?”

  Cinda grimaced. “It’s true.”

  “Is what true?” Jessie demanded with a huff.

  “I’m mated.” She shot Jessie a sheepish glance. “That’s why I’m back.”

  Jessie grinned. “But that’s awesome. That means you’ll be sticking around long term rather than just for a short while.”

  Touched that her presence here meant so much to Jessie, Cinda reached forward, grabbed her niece’s hand and squeezed. “I’ll be sticking around, that’s for sure.”

  “Who’s your mate?”

  “Jarvis,” Christie replied, answering Jessie’s question.

  “Jarvis?” Jessie’s mouth dropped open. “Oh my Goddess! No fucking way!”

  Christie sighed. “I know you swear, Jessie, but do you have to do it in front of me?”

  “Jeez, Mom. Grow a pair.”

  Cinda snorted. “Are you two going to start arguing over cursing again? Why is it every time I come here this is the first argument on the cards?”

  Christie blinked, then pointed at her daughter. “Blame her. She knows I hate it.”

  “And she knows I love swearing.”

  “How can you love swearing?” Christie demanded. “It’s not like chocolate or donuts.”

  Cinda huffed. “We’re arguing again.”

  Jessie grinned. “It’s great to have you back, Aunt Cinda.”

  Christie chuckled. “Yeah, it will be good to have you around again. You can help me keep your brother in check.”

  Cinda pshawed at that. “Since when? He’s your problem now, kid. I’ve got trouble of my own.” Satisfaction filled her at that. Most of it was from her She Bear, but a big chunk came from the woman too.

  The She Bear had been waiting a long time for today. “I can’t believe you’re mated to Jarvis.”

  Cinda cocked a brow at her niece. “Why not?”

  “Because you’ve been around here so often and you’ve never, not once, intimated that he was your mate. That’s freaky as hell. I thought the mate bonds appeared as soon as two mates clapped eyes on one another? That’s certainly what happened with Spyder and me,” she finished with a sense of glee at that revelation.