Protection: A Bad Boy Stepbrother Romance

by Wood, Vivian

  Tessa and Camilla broke off with Jesse and Jace, finding and clearing endless rows of offices and dormitory-style living quarters. Not a thing was out of place, everything as white as it was downstairs. Combined with the silence, it was chilling. Camilla reached out and grabbed Tessa’s hand as they trailed the boys from one room to another.

  “Over here!” came Shaw’s shout. Tessa turned to follow Jace as they raced toward Shaw’s voice.

  They stopped short in front of a set of white doors. Tessa’s heart began to pound. She recognized those doors. They were just like the ones on the cell she’d been kept in before. She gripped Camilla’s hand as Shaw came into view.

  “They’re both occupied,” Jace said as he checked the small viewing windows of each room. “Looks like a male in one and a female in the other. Female looks to be unconscious.”

  “Alright. Female first,” Jesse said. Before the words had even left his mouth, Shaw already had the door open. The man waited for a heartbeat before rushing over to the bed where a thin figure lay. Tessa saw a long tumble of blonde locks and a flash of pale skin before Shaw leaned down to scoop the woman up. The girl must have put up some bit of struggle, because Tessa could hear Shaw shushing her and saying comforting things.

  Satisfied in that, the group turned to the other door.

  Jesse looked over to Jace for a minute, then shrugged and performed the same door-kicking-down routine as before. Half a second later, a huge shadowed form appeared in the doorway. Tessa could make out a huge form, crouched as if ready to defend himself. He was an enormous, deeply tanned male with dark hair and eyes. He wore a white cotton tee shirt and white scrub pants, just as Tessa had when she’d been kept here.

  The men drew their weapons, and Jesse took a step toward the doorway. The male growled, the resonance so low and loud that Tessa could feel it in the air. The rest of the men stiffened, Jace and Jesse raising their guns to aim at him.

  “They’ve done something to him,” Jace said, his tone sad. “Whatever has happened, he’s not salvageable. There’s nothing we can do for him.”

  “What are you suggesting?” Tessa asked, alarmed.

  “If it attacks, we’ll have no choice but to put it down,” Shaw said. The bitter tone of his voice did nothing to blunt the cruelty of his words.

  “He’s a person,” Camilla said, her voice a sharp retort.

  “It makes no difference. If he attacks—”

  “I would attack us too if I were standing in his spot,” Camilla said, her voice rising with anger.

  “Cam—” Tessa started, putting a hand on her sister’s arm. Camilla shook her off, shaking her head.

  “Back up, all of you. You too, Tess.”

  “What are you, a lion tamer?” Jace barked. “I won’t let you step into the line of fire, Camilla.”

  “Reality check, Jace. You might be mated to my sister, but that doesn’t make you my boss. And since you don’t know what it’s like inside there,” she motioned to the cell door, “that means I’m in charge now. So back off.”

  Jace’s jaw clenched but he remained silent, lowering his weapon. Jesse followed suit, and the others took his lead.

  “Go on then, Cami,” Tessa said, looking at her sister. Tessa wasn’t sure why, but she was inclined to follow Camilla’s instincts.

  Camilla cleared her throat, and then held her hands up to show that she meant no harm. She took a step toward the doorway, taking it slow. Jesse shifted as if to move and the male growled again, his deep bass ringing through the hallway. Camilla jumped a little and shot a glare at Jesse, waving him off.

  Turning back to the stranger, she took another half step toward him. He remained impassive, eyes darting around to observe all the other males.

  “Hey,” Camilla said, catching his eye. “Will you let me in? Just me?”

  The male looked at her for a long beat, and then took a step back.

  Tessa sucked in a breath, surprised. The Shifter couldn’t be completely deranged, she realized. He understood Camilla just fine.

  Camilla took a couple more steps until she was right in front of him, then paused.

  “The bad men have left. It’s just us now,” she said, scanning the male’s face. His expression betrayed little.

  “I’m Camilla. They used to keep me here too. They hurt me,” she said, pushing up her sleeve to show a set of terrible bruises that Tessa hadn’t even seen.

  The Shifter growled again as he rose from his crouch, his hands reaching out to touch her skin as he examined the marks. He looked into Camilla’s face for a moment, then out at the group. She could just make out his face, chiseled and handsome. He towered over Camilla, all lean muscle. It must be a Shifter thing, Tessa decided.

  “Will you come with me?” Camilla asked. “I’ve found a new home, somewhere safe. Would you come with me?”

  The male looked around at the group again, then back at Camilla. She held out a hand to him, waiting. After another long moment, he reached out and took her hand. Camilla let out a little gasp as he pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her and burying his face in her neck.

  Tessa heard several safeties click as pistols were readied, but Camilla let out a muffled, “I’m okay!” before anyone could react. The male turned, putting his back to the guns.

  “He’s protecting her,” Tessa said.

  After a long second, the guns lowered again.

  At that moment, there was a tremendous BOOM that shook the building. Everyone ducked, trying to get their footing. Jace cursed, looking around for the source.

  “Something is going on outside. We’ve got to get back to the Den,” he said. “Shaw, have you got the female?”

  Shaw emerged from the cell, the woman tossed over his shoulder. She wasn’t moving, but judging by the scratch marks across Shaw’s face, that was a recent development.

  “Mmphmm,” Shaw grumbled, readjusting the female’s slight weight over his brawny shoulder.

  Jace slipped a protective arm around Tessa’s waist, guiding her down the darkened hallway. The others followed them down the stairs and out to the main exit. Jesse and Jace swung the doors open, and they sprinted outside and around the building the way they’d approached.

  Every single member of their team halted and stared, unable to comprehend the scene of complete chaos before them. Trees and bits of mesh fencing were scattered everywhere. Right in the middle of the Legion’s front driveway was a giant, smoldering circle of blackened ground; the burn pattern extended at least ten feet in circumference.

  Members of both packs were tending to their wounded, and moving them toward the portal to the Den. Tessa scanned the entire area but didn’t see any obvious casualties, so perhaps they had been lucky on that front. At least the fighting wasn’t going on anymore.

  Jace led Tessa down toward the portal, seeking out Maddie. They found her crouched next to Jasper, who was lying on a scratchy utility blanket. He had quite a nasty burn on his chest and left leg, causing Tessa to wince in sympathy.

  “Magic burn,” Maddie was saying to Jasper. “Gee, I bet that hurts like a bitch. You know, I heard that it takes like twice as long to heal as a regular burn.”

  Her voice was pure acid, and she was halfway shouting at her wounded mate.

  “Maddie, I’m not sure that’s helping,” Tessa said, trying to pull her away. Maddie pushed Tessa away, her voice rising in anger as she shouted at her new mate.

  “I told you not to be a hero. I told you not to, you idiot!” she shrieked, sounding as if she were about to lose control altogether.

  “I saved your life,” Jasper said, his voice scratchy and rough.

  “No one asked you to do that!” Maddie said, her expression furious.

  “Oookay,” Jace cut in, stepping over and scooping Maddie up off the ground. Jace walked several feet away, but didn’t put his sister down. She thrashed, shrieking for several minutes until she wore herself out. At last her limbs slowed. Her voice broke, and she dissolved into quiet sobs.
>
  Tessa could hear him soothing Maddie, telling her that Jasper was going to be fine. Her stomach did a funny flip, and her heart swelled in her chest until tears threatened to break loose. Fortunately Shaw came over at that moment, whistling and drawing everyone into a circle.

  “One of the witches was struck down, and the other has fled. The Legion was long gone before we got here. We’ve also gained some new pack members, it seems. Let’s move our wounded back to the Den.”

  “What’s that?” shouted Rhett from the back of the crowd.

  “I said let’s go home!” Shaw roared, raising his arms.

  A cheer rose up, and everyone moved to do just that.

  Chapter Forty-Five

  “I’m really not sure we should be leaving them alone,” Tessa fretted, biting her lip as she followed Jace out of the infirmary. Maddie had been sedated to keep her from finishing Jasper off in her rage, but that wouldn’t last long. Knowing the Shifter metabolism, she’d be up within the hour and probably twice as vicious.

  “Maddie and Jasper or Camilla and the new guy?” Jace tossed over his shoulder as he walked.

  “Well,” said Tessa, flustered. “Both, but I was referring to Maddie and Jasper. Camilla and the new guy are staying with Shaw and the new girl, Cassandra. Judging from the man’s reaction, the new isn’t about to let anything happen to my sister.”

  Jace turned to give his mate a soft smile, holding out his hand to her. When Tessa slid her small hand into his large one, Jace had the overwhelming urge to pull her into his arms and rub his scent all over her body.

  He stifled it, contenting himself with the knowledge that his mate, his female, had eyes for no man but him. Even now she pulled close and twined her arm with his, seeking his touch. So yes, the marking of territory wasn’t necessary. It could at least wait until they got back to his house, Jace thought with a smirk.

  “You’re not listening to a word I’m saying, are you?” Tessa asked, cutting in on his thoughts. He looked down at her and saw that she was amused rather than irritated, and decided to play it out.

  “I was busy thinking about what to do first when we get back to the house,” he said, a teasing grin on his face. Tessa eyed him with suspicion, her cheeks heating at his tone.

  “Why does that sound dirty coming from you?” she asked.

  “It must be my manly baritone. That or the fact that I’ve spent the last two hours of boring meetings thinking about all the ways I’ll have to have you in my house,” he said, his grin broadening.

  “Jace!” Tessa said, her voice rising in a poor imitation of shock. She swatted his arm without any real force behind the blow. He took that as a sign that he should continue.

  “Well, first of course there’s… what did you call it? My ‘orgy-sized’ shower? And then I was thinking about the couch, where we almost hooked up the first time…”

  “Jace!” Tessa said again, but this time she wasn’t even trying to hide the desire darkening her eyes and flushing her skin. Her voice had deepened to a sexy purr, which only spurred him on.

  “Then I thought about the kitchen island. I think that counter might be the perfect height to hit your G spot,” he mused aloud, playing at absentmindedness.

  Tessa bit her lip and looked away, but not soon enough. Her scent, that wonderful Ascendant scent of apples and honey, washed over him and suredded his restraint. He needed to slow things down, or they wouldn’t make it the next two hundred yards to the house.

  “Anyway,” he continued. “You were saying something about Maddie and Jasper?”

  Tessa pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes, but followed his change of topic anyway.

  “I was trying to say that you ought to be a little more concerned about your sister. She’s mated herself to some crazy Shifter she barely knows. Someone who is, according to you, incredibly dangerous. And yet you insisted on leaving them to work things out alone,” Tessa said, miffed.

  “Would you accept someone else meddling in things between us?” Jace asked, glancing over at Tessa. She was frowning, but the flush and darkened eyes remained. God, his female was sexy.

  “Well, no, but—” Tessa started.

  “Exactly. Because it’s between mates. It would be like jumping in to break up a fight between two vicious dogs. Only a crazy person would do that,” Jace said.

  “I can’t believe you let her exchange bites with him in the first place,” Tessa said, stubborn.

  “My only problem with this whole thing is that he had a gun pointed at you. If it’s between you getting shot and Maddie getting saddled with a mate who’s as stubborn and dramatic as she is, I’m gonna let Maddie take one for the team. Especially if it’s something she clearly wanted anyway.”

  “I didn’t see her jumping up and down to be mated. Like you said, he had a gun.”

  Jace stopped, pulling Tessa to face him. He braced his hands on her hips, looking down into her face.

  “Madeline Copeland has never once done anything she hasn’t wanted to do. There were a number of ways she could have handled that situation, but she chose this path. She must have her reasons, and I for one am choosing to respect that unless I see evidence of a real problem between them,” Jace explained, his eyes serious.

  “She had to be tied to her infirmary bed to keep from hurting him. Does that not count as a problem?” Tessa asked, frowning.

  “Jasper can defend himself against Maddie. To tell you the truth, I’m pretty sure it’s their way of flirting. The pattern goes all the way back to childhood, trust me.”

  Tessa’s face softened, and she nodded.

  “Okay. If you say to leave them alone, I will.”

  With that she shimmied out of his embrace, catching his hand and pulling him toward the house. Jace was overwhelmed for a moment; he’d fought so long for her trust, and here she simply gave it freely. Looking at Tessa, seeing the changes they’d wrought in each other, was the biggest reason that he could let Maddie work through her situation without his help.

  “What do you think about the new female, Cassandra?” Tessa asked as she crossed the front yard to the porch. Jace followed, a rumble building deep in his chest.

  “You’re the only female I’m thinking about right now, and I can prove it,” he said, corralling her until her back was up against the front door.

  “How would you do that?“ Tessa asked, her brow furrowing as she tried to keep up.

  “Back at my office, I really did leave to get something I’d forgotten,” Jace said, producing a blue velveteen ring box from his pocket and showing it to Tessa.

  Tessa’s jaw dropped. For a girl who was never without a quick response, she was acclimating well to speechlessness. Jace chuckled at her expression, turning the box in his hand.

  “I had this whole plan, you see. You’ve accepted Shifter culture so well, you’ve been a great sport. I wanted to do something the human way for once,” he explained, watching Tessa’s face.

  Tessa shook her head, tears forming at the corners of her eyes. She looked to be in complete disbelief, as if she didn’t understand the depth of his emotions at all.

  “Don’t worry, I looked up how to propose to a human online. You’ll just have to tell me if I’m doing it wrong,” he said, only half-joking.

  With that, Jace sunk to one knee. Tessa let out a flustered squawk, pressing the back of her hand to her mouth. Jace opened the box to reveal the most striking ring Tessa had ever seen, and silent tears began to run down her face.

  “I just—” Tessa mumbled.

  “Wait, wait. I think this is my part. Give me your hand,” Jace said, trying to cover his emotion-roughened voice with humor.

  “What are you doing?!” Tessa asked, panic rising in her voice.

  “Do you trust me?” Jace asked, looking up into her face.

  “Yes—” Tessa started.

  “Then let me do this the right way. Give me damned your hand, Tess.”

  Tessa gave it to him, her face turning a sexy shade of pink. Jace
cleared his throat, attempting to cover his nervousness.

  “Tessa Anderson, would you do me the honor of being my mate?” he asked, looking up at her.

  “I, uh. Yes?” Tessa replied.

  “Did I do it right? Are you happy?” he asked, his voice betraying his nerves. He rose to his feet and reached out to his mate.

  The next second Tessa flung herself at him, sniffling and laughing. Putting her arms around his neck, she buried her face against his chest and made nonsensical soggy noises of happiness.

  Jace grinned, pulling her closer into his arms. A feeling of rightness flooded his senses, and in a flash he scooped Tessa up in his arms. Tessa’s hands and mouth were everywhere all the sudden, and he could barely focus. It took all his willpower to get her through the door and into the bedroom, where he placed her on the bed with gentle hands.

  Jace stilled, pulling back a little.

  “Tessa,” he said as she dropped greedy kisses on his neck.

  “Mm?” was her response.

  “Just hold off for a second,” Jace said, his voice tormented.

  Tessa growled and tugged his shirt up, trying to expose more skin. She paid him no mind, and her need only made his desire stronger.

  Jace’s big hands caught hers, stopping their explorations. Tessa pulled back from him, indignant.

  “I swear, Jace Copeland. If you turn me down again, I won’t be responsible for my actions,” she warned.

  “I’m not, Tessa. We just forgot something important,” he teased. He waved the ring box in front of her eyes, then popped it open and grasped her hand. Slipping it onto her finger, he grinned.

  Tessa rolled her eyes but beamed right back at him. The ring was a hair too big, but Tessa barely even noticed it. Her eyes were only for her mate.

  “Have I mentioned yet that I love you very much?” she asked, her eyes luminous with adoration.

  “Actually, now that you mention it, no,” Jace laughed.

  “I guess I didn’t think it needed saying,” she said, a rueful smile playing over her lips.

  She pressed closer to Jace, murmuring her approval. Already her breaths were coming faster, making her incredible breasts rise and fall, tempting him. Digging in his pocket, he produced a quarter and held it out to her in his open palm.