by E A Price
Jaguar On My Mind
E A Price
Copyright ©2017 by Elizabeth Ann Price
All rights reserved. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author.
Disclaimer
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, species, and incidents are either the products of my imagination or used in a fictitious manner. I do not condone the practice of jaguar bridenapping in any way, shape or form.
Contents
Prologue
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
Seventeen
Eighteen
Nineteen
Twenty
Twenty-One
Twenty-Two
Twenty-Three
Twenty-Four
Twenty-Five
Twenty-Six
Twenty-Seven
Twenty-Eight
Prologue
Mary blushed as she passed one of the girls who lived down the hall. Like Mary, she was from a super strict family, and the two of them had bonded over their similar backgrounds. But unlike Mary, she wasn’t just back from her date and doing the walk of shame.
Eve sniffed and walked on by while Mary sped up a little, clutching her heels. She had allowed her roommate Elise to dress her up and do her makeup for her date with Brad. They were celebrating one month of dating, and she had wanted to look special. Elise had done a good job. She made Mary – who considered herself plain, mousy and a bit of a short-ass – look radiant, exotic and tall thanks to the heels. Though, they were darn painful which was why she was now carrying them.
She hadn’t intended to spend the night with Brad, but it had felt right. He was nice and hadn’t pushed, and she had decided it was just right for their first time together. It was good. Mary’s experience with sex was limited to a quick fumble in the back of the tool shed with the neighbor boy. She went to an all-girls school and wasn’t allowed to socialize, so Martin was literally the only boy in the world to her. It had been awkward – what with the lawnmower and everything – but it had been nice, right up until her father found them and started screaming that she was a Jezebel and a harlot and threatening to castrate Martin. He never spoke to her again after that and Mary didn’t blame him.
But Brad was different. She cared about him, and she enjoyed their time together. Plus, her parents were hundreds of miles away. Thanks to a healthy scholarship from the church of Our Lady of Perpetual Heartache, she had been able to choose the college she wanted.
“Hey, Mary!”
Mary cringed as her RA – Neal – gave her a hearty hail.
“Uh, hi, Neal,” she stammered.
She was always shy around all men, even one as personable as Neal. Brad said he loved that about her – the way she blushed and fluttered her eyelashes.
Neal looked her up and down and obviously knew what she had been up to.
“I’m no prude, Mary, but staying out all night isn’t very smart. Think about what that police officer told you.”
He gave her a censorious look, and her face nearly lit on fire. Yeah, she had attended the lecture given by the Los Lobos police officer – warning all the females on campus about safety, not going anywhere alone, going to parties in pairs and pretty much how all men were bastards.
Mary murmured her agreement. “See you later, Neal,” she blurted and hurried to her room.
She passed one of the guys she was currently tutoring – Alden. She said hi, and he scowled – which was business as usual, so she didn’t pay him any mind.
Mary finally made it to her door and gratefully made her way through.
“You dirty stop out!” called a gleeful voice.
She sighed and turned to find Elise, her roommate, grinning.
“You slut!” she cried with relish.
Mary giggled silently. Strangely, if those words had come out of her father’s mouth, she’d almost be in tears. But then, her father would have meant them.
“Good morning, Elise,” she said.
“I was worried sick,” said Elise with mock disapproval.
“You were out all night with your boyfriend and probably only just made it back yourself.”
Elise gave her a pouty smile. “True, but for the five minutes I’ve been home, I’ve been worried. Wait no, what’s the other word? Proud.”
Mary clapped her hand over her mouth to stop herself from bellowing with laughter. She was a little taken aback when she met Elise on her first day here. They could not have been more different. Elise was friendly and outgoing, while Mary… wasn’t. But the two had become inseparable and insisted on sharing a room for the next year of college too.
“How was it? Was he kinky?”
Mary started stripping out of her clothes. She had a quick wash before she left Brad’s, but wouldn’t have time for a shower before class. Part of her liked the idea of smelling like Brad all day. She found him very reassuring.
Elise stared at her expectantly, and Mary sighed.
“It was lovely,” she admitted coyly.
Elise huffed. “You know I give you all the details of my shenanigans, even when you beg me not to – the least you could do is reciprocate.”
“What’s this?” asked Mary plucking an envelope from her bed.
“Sure, change the subject. It was slipped under our door when I got back.”
Mary shrugged and opened it, gasping as she read the words.
You whore. You will pay for your whorish ways if it’s the last thing I do.
One
Ten years later
Elise gave her the worried frowny-face. Mary rolled her eyes. It was the usual look she got from Elise – her best friend worried about her non-stop, and while Mary liked that Elise cared about her, she also felt guilty. She often wondered if Elise felt that Mary was holding her back. Elise should have an outgoing, sunny friend – someone like herself. Rather than a miserable near-shut-in who jumped at shadows. Seriously, the other day she nearly screamed the whole building down when the shadow of a tree through the window moved. The Galloways on the floor above were not thrilled when she woke their two-month-old baby.
Elise was leaving for a month-long honeymoon. Not before time either. She and her husband had been putting off the honeymoon for two months. Despite Mary’s constant encouragement that she should go, Elise didn’t want to leave Mary on her own. It was Mary’s fault of course. Ever since she lost her job at the library, she had practically withdrawn from life altogether.
“I’m worried about you,” murmured Elise.
“Don’t be, I’m fine,” said Mary with forced cheer.
Though that wasn’t true. She barely ever left the house – she was currently getting paid to try and sway people into buying new insulation for their garages. All she needed was a phone and an ability not to take it personally when people told her where to stick her insulation.
“You need a new job – a good job, I would be happy to…”
“I don’t think I’m well suited to working in a modeling agency,” said Mary quickly. “I mean, look at me.”
Elise was co-owner
of the agency, and she looked every bit as lovely and sleek as the men and women she employed. Mary walked around with her hair in her eyes, and a big brown cardigan that gave her the appearance of Cousin It’s twin sister.
“I am looking, honey bun, and you’re hot, but you hide your hotness behind long stringy hair and bad clothes.”
Mary grumbled and shook away the compliment – though the stringy hair comment stuck. It had been a couple of days since she showered.
“I appreciate the offer, but I’m hoping for another library job.”
Elise nodded. She wasn’t happy, but she wouldn’t push Mary into doing something she didn’t want.
“I don’t really want to leave you.”
“I’m not a baby,” murmured Mary while kind of believing that not to be true. “I’ll be fine.”
“I also worry about what will happen when I come back. I’ll be moving in with Brick and leaving you alone…” Elise bit her lip. It was why she and Brick had been married for two months without going on a honeymoon or actually moving in together. It drove Brick nuts and he resented Mary for it, who in turn lost even more self-worth.
“Like I said – I’ll be fine.”
“I know, but… There’s an empty apartment in Brick’s building. Perhaps you could…”
“I couldn’t afford it – besides, you and Brick are newlyweds, you’ll want your space. Brick’s important.” Plus she couldn’t imagine Brick’s reaction to that. Mary was not going to be the reason Elise’s marriage fell apart before it even got started.
“You’re my bestie – since the first day of college. You’re important.”
“Besides, it’s been months…”
Mary’s stomach churned. Months since the last letter. Months since the last dead animal or equally gruesome gift. It appeared her stalker had given up. Though it had been two years since she tried dating, and he always seemed to be at his most vitriolic when she was trying to date someone.
Elise brightened. “Exactly, it’s been months; you need to get out and enjoy yourself. You need to try your birthday present.”
Mary cringed. “No.”
“Yes.”
“Speed dating?”
Elise bought her a gift certificate for a speed dating event last year – she still hadn’t used it and was hoping Elise had forgotten about it. She hadn’t.
“It’s just what you need.”
Mary looked at her doubtfully.
“And the certificate runs out soon,” plundered on Elise, getting more excited by the moment, “and if you don’t use it, I’ll know – my friend Cara runs these things and she will tell me if you don’t do it.”
Mary hemmed and hawed, trying to think up an excuse. “I don’t know.”
“Please.” Elise gave her the huge-eyed puppy dog look that she used to use on her professors for a better grade. It didn’t always work, but sometimes it did – most people were powerless to resist Elise. She was just too bouncy and lovely.
“At least it will get you out of here while I’m away,” she continued.
Yes, home delivery for all things – groceries, take out - had really made it easy to become a shut-in.
“I tell you what – wait and see what Detective Hot Stuff says.”
“Detective Hotsler,” corrected Mary.
The detective who worked in threat management, and who she had been dealing with for the last ten years.
“Hot Stuff.” Elise grinned saucily.
Mary shook her head. “He’s married with kids.”
“I’m married, too, but that doesn’t mean we’re dead – looking isn’t cheating.”
Mary chuckled under her breath. Brick probably wouldn’t see it quite that way.
“Just promise me you’ll at least talk to him and ask his opinion on it?”
The puppy dog look came back, and Mary nodded. She was only human after all.
“Fine, okay.”
Elise punched the air in victory and Mary allowed her a few moments of glee. Hopefully, the detective would put the kybosh on any speed dating, because Mary definitely did not want to go.
*
“Hey, watch the elbows!”
“Ow, don’t pinch!”
“Touch my corn, and you’re dead!”
“I want the last piece of chicken.”
Tomas groaned and rolled his eyes to the ceiling, though not before whacking his brother Carlos on the hand with a spoon. The cub growled, but at least he stopped trying to steal Tomas’ roll.
This was a typical meal for his family. It was loud, grabby and awful. His six brothers were interminably irritating and boisterous. His inner jaguar prowled around unhappily. Tomas liked the quiet. His beast liked the quiet. Something that was in short supply around there.
Their father strode into the kitchen. Ever the conquering hero thought Tomas sourly. Yes, it was Tomas who helped his mother cook and clean while his father lounged on the sofa watching sports.
His mother looked up adoringly at her mate, and Tomas stifled a groan. His mother was the sweetest woman alive, yet she took too much on, never complaining, never asking his lazy father for help. Tomas helped without asking – for fear if he didn’t, his mother would collapse under the weight of taking care of so many jaguars. Plus he kind of liked cooking, and perversely loved sitting on the washing machine while doing laundry.
His father kissed his mate – to a chorus of ‘ugh’s from his offspring. He then slapped his stomach and fell into a chair with a heavy thump.
“Food looks good, boys,” he rumbled. He never remembered their names – he always just called them boys. “You should thank your mother.”
Why? You never do thought Tomas in annoyance. The boys continued eating but looked up with full faces and smiled at her. She beamed as if this were high praise.
“But not as good as my mate,” growled his father, pulling their very pregnant mother down onto his lap. He nuzzled her neck while she giggled like a schoolgirl.
“Being full with my cub suits you,” he purred at her.
“Eeuw, mom,” grumbled Tomas.
“Oh hush,” murmured their mom in her soft voice. “It’ll be the same when you meet your mate.”
There was a rare moment of silence as everyone looked at him, he swallowed, and his younger brothers started making kissy noises.
“Stop you from spending so long in the shower,” sneered Carlos.
“Or your bed,” laughed another brother.
“Or the laundry room!”
There was raucous laughter as Tomas’ beast snarled and he crushed a fork. His father fleetingly looked worried before roaring at his brothers to shut up. They did, kind of, though they still murmured and laughed quietly.
His jaguar stirred uneasily, and Tomas pushed away from the table.
“Shut up,” he growled, grabbed a handful of dinner rolls and stomped away.
Dear lord, he couldn’t wait to get out of this house!
Two
Count to ten Mary told herself.
Elise had been gone for a few days, and she needed food. Her first instinct was to call and order the food, or even order it online, get it delivered to the doorman and have him bring it up to her. But this had to stop. She could not hide forever – she needed fresh air, and opening a window was not the same, and as nervous as interacting with people made her, she couldn’t completely avoid it for the rest of her life.
Mary was considering breakfast cereals when she had a horrible feeling of being watched. Not the usual feeling she always carried with her – this was slightly different. Rather than her general panicky self, she really felt like eyes were on her. She felt so open, so exposed… Her chest tightened. Heck, what on earth was she thinking, coming out on her own like this?
She had to get out of there. Had to find an exit. She dropped her basket, ready to run when someone tapped her on the shoulder. Mary let out a near deafening scream and jumped into a stand of fruity cereal.
The man froze for a moment b
efore rushing to help her. He grasped her hand, pulling her to her feet while irritated shop assistants started surveying the damage.
“Mary, is that you?” asked the man.
Oh no. Another scream died in her throat at his next words.
“It’s Neal – from college.”
“Neal?” she croaked, looking him up and down.
“Yeah, how are you?” he asked smiling at her. “Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you there.”
“Neal?”
Yeah, he was a few pounds heavier, his face a little more lined and he now wore glasses, but he was the same genial guy she used to know. Her scared mind just took a little while to get there.
“It is good to see you,” she said slowly, cautiously. She was no longer used to actually talking to people other than Elise, Detective Hotsler and the two guys who worked as doorman of her building – though the both of the latter rarely moved beyond one-word answers and nods.
“How are you?” she tried. She wasn’t really interested, but she knew just pushing Neal away and running was not the appropriate thing to do, even if she wanted to do it with every fiber of her being.
Neal grasped her question and dove in, feet first. He told her how he was a computer programmer, how he spent most of his time traveling and had moved to Playa Lunar after college, but now he was back following a promotion and was currently renting an apartment though he was in the market to buy. He barely even paused for a breath. Meanwhile, Mary nodded politely while considering escape routes.
Finally, he stopped, grinned and asked, “How are you?”
“Not bad,” she lied.
“Not dating anyone?”
“Ah, no.” Whenever she tried, her stalker went into overdrive with his crazy antics. The decapitated mice in her bed had been particularly horrifying.
He seemed to be waiting for something, so she added, “What about you?
Neal tilted his head to one side. “Just broke up with my fiancée.”
“Gosh, I’m so sorry to hear that,” she murmured.
“Eh, I was never really that into her.”
Mary chewed on her lip. She had been polite enough, right? She could safely say goodbye and leave, right? It wasn’t that she didn’t like Neal – he was a perfectly… okay guy, but talking to anyone made her nervous.