by Moxie North
“Got someone more important you want to talk to besides us? I’m hurt,” Will said over the phone.
“I haven’t talked to Stryker. I’ve been avoiding it a little. Not sure why. I feel like I’m abandoning him or something. Is that weird?”
The men were quiet for a minute, then Russell said, “You are unique, Everett. You and your brother shared a connection while your cougars were being chosen for you. Your link is split more than the rest of us. Your soul, your twin’s soul, along with your cougars, now have a mate who has to share in that bond. It’s manageable; you just have to be honest about your feelings. Stryker just needs to know that he’s still included. That you aren’t replacing him.”
“Wow, that sounds awful girly.” This was from Will again.
“You just wait until you find your mate, son. Your whole world will flip upside down. Everett and Stryker shared a soul in the womb. Then they split, then they got their cougars, split again. Now with a mate, it’s not a literal split, but it’s a joining that can’t be denied,” Russell explained.
“Hell, that actually makes me understand it better. Thanks, Russell,” Everett said as he stood.
Everett walked through the house towards the back patio. He could hear the girls still talking and laughing in another room. He was glad Layla was able to do this with her sisters.
Chapter 24
Making it to the area around the pool, he picked a shady spot and sat down. Staring at his phone a beat, he dialed Stryker. Usually his brother wouldn’t pick up, but somehow he knew he would this time.
It rang three times, then it clicked over.
“Brother,” Stryker growled.
“Hey man, how are you doing?”
“The usual. Hanging out with a local club here. Working on their bikes, just spending time. It’s quiet here, I like it.”
“Sounds nice,” Everett said, clearing his throat.
“Something’s up, I can feel it. You gonna tell me?” Stryker was always the first to know when Everett was hurt or sad. He was the first to run to his brother’s aid.
“I found her, Stryker,” he said quietly
There was silence, it dragged on as he waited for his brother to say something. He knew Stryker needed time. You could never rush him. The more anyone pushed, the further Stryker would pull away. Something his family could never understand with him. He was his own man, he had his own mind, and he would give you what you wanted in his own time.
Everett gave him that time and waited.
A minute passed then Stryker finally spoke.
“I have two new sisters,” he said quietly.
That was just like him. His pack was expanding, that was his focus. Two new lives he needed to protect.
“Yeah man, I haven’t met Effie but I’ve talked to her. She sounds sweet. I can’t wait until you meet my Layla. She’s amazing, Stryker. You are going to love her.”
“Of course I am, she’s yours.” As simple as that, Stryker hadn’t even met her but she was part of his pack.
“Do you want me to come out?” he asked.
“Only if you want. We are planning a formal ceremony in a few months. I really want to meet Effie. Maybe we can get together in Vegas soon. Kind of a bachelor party thing since Dax didn’t get one either.”
“Tell me when and where.”
“Will do brother, hey thanks for picking up!” Everett laughed. He was actually serious. You never knew with Stryker.
“I knew you needed to talk to me. I’m happy for you, Everett. You deserve a great mate.”
“Your time is coming. She’s out there, don’t worry,” Everett tried to assure him. It was going to take a hard woman to wrangle his brother. Someone with infinite patience and the ability to put up with his grumpy bullshit.
“If you say so, later man,” he said, then hung up.
“Bye,” Everett said into the dead air. Stryker got on most people’s nerves when they met him. Apparently sharing a womb with the big lug had started his tolerance early. He was sure Stryker was a kicker.
Staring down at his phone, Everett felt the deep ache of missing his brother. His cougar gave him a mental shove. No, he was never alone really. And now he had Layla. He should feel content and he did. But he wanted his brother there to share in his happiness. He didn’t doubt that Stryker would lay down his life for his mate. But he really just wanted him to like her. It was important.
Sighing, he stood up and went back into the house. He hadn’t seen his mate in a few hours and it was making him ansty. Sure he could hear her and smell her, but it wasn’t enough.
Walking into the room where the ladies were looking over fabric samples, he stopped short.
“How the fuck did you get fabric samples so fast?” he said, taken aback.
“Everett Hayes, watch that potty mouth or I’ll take you over my knee,” Grace snapped at him.
Realizing what he’d done, he had the smarts to play chagrined and mumbled, “Sorry Mrs. Klein.” The whole while giving Layla a smirking grin and wink.
“Oh, puh-leez,” Layla dragged out.
“Mind if I borrow my mate?” he said, coming out of his apologetic pose.
“Fine, but we aren’t done. You are just going to have to cut her leash until this event is planned,” Grace warned.
“Yes Ma’am,” he said, walking over to where Layla was sitting. He leaned over gave her a quick kiss on the mouth, then scooped her up, tossing her over his shoulder in a fireman carry.
“Put me down you big lug!” Layla yelled, or tried to yell since the air rushed out of her when her stomach hit his shoulder.
“Hush, don’t make a scene,” Everett reprimanded, giving her ass a sharp slap.
“Ohh you’re in for it now, honey,” Margo called out.
“You did not just slap my ass! I’m going to scratch your eyes out Everett Hayes,” Layla said, her world getting dizzy upside down.
She also wasn’t going to admit that the slap on her ass felt kinda good. Her cougar was horny, hell she was horny, and her bedroom was just upstairs.
“Ladies,” Everett called out to Layla’s mom and sisters as he carried her out of the room and up the stairs. Layla made a big show of it, kicking her legs, and slapping his ass as they went up the stairs. She was pretty sure she heard her dad and/or brother laughing somewhere in the house.
That’s fine, she’d didn’t give a flying fig. She was in her man’s arms, he was carrying her to a room that was guaranteed to have a bed. Her world was looking just peachy right now.
They made it to her room and Everett went in, kicking the door closed behind him. He walked straight to the bed and tossed her down on it.
Looking up and her husband and mate, Layla bent her one leg and let it swing open just the barest amount, flashing her cute lilac panties at him. “Miss me?”
“How the fuck long does it take to pick some colors, some food, and a preacher?”
“Hours and hours and hours, my love,” she told him honestly.
“Who am I?” he asked in a growly voice.
Oh, they were playing, goody.
“My love,” she said back huskily.
“Spread for me, Duchess,” he ordered.
She did and she watched as Everett’s fingernails elongated stretching into short but razor sharp claws. With a flick of his finger, he managed to cut through her delicate lace panties with barely a whisper against her skin.
“Hmm, talented,” she murmured.
“Oh baby, you have no idea,” he said lying down between her legs. He breathed her in, letting his cougar bask in the sweet essence of their mate. Smiling up at her, he saw how dark and hungry her eyes had gotten.
Dragging the back of his finger over her slick pussy lips, he watched her twitch and buck. His finger was barely touching, her but there were shocks of electricity arcing between them.
“What do you want?” he asked, continuing his torment.
“You, baby, please,” she mewled.
“How
do you want me? Slow and soft or hard and fast?”
“Those are my only options?” she said with a gasp.
Everett dipped his finger into her wet pussy and pulled it out, slipping it into his mouth to taste her. Layla whimpered again at the sight.
“How about, I fuck you slow, but talk to you hard. Then I’ll fuck you fast and talk to you sweet.”
“Oh, yes please,” she begged.
“Hold on, Duchess,” he said, then proceeded to bring her to a screaming orgasm she was sure the whole house heard.
Chapter 25
Layla looked out the window as they drove to Lake Havasu. Everett had let her know that they needed some time together, away from everyone else to really talk. She thought that idea was sweet and she knew that the houseboat could be made secluded enough they could have some seriously fun times.
Her desire for her mate had not waned in the least. She wanted him all the time. She wanted to taste and feel and smell him, twenty-four seven. Layla knew she was addicted and she didn’t ever want to sober up.
She was pretty sure that Everett felt the same way. He was always reaching for her, even if it was just the tip of his finger, brushing along her arm, adjusting her hair behind her ear. Usually it was him picking her up and carrying her wherever he wanted her to go. All the little things that showed his desire for her.
Layla loved it. Really truly down to her little pinkie toe she was so in love with her mate, that she couldn’t even put it into words. The great thing was she didn’t need to. The man next to her totally got it. He would just look at her and her soul flared in response. He got it.
They had been driving for a while, holding hands, listening to music. Although that had been their second ever argument, if you could call it that. She was a top forty kinda gal and he was more of a techno guy. She reminded him that house and techno was all she heard every night and that if he loved it so much he’d have to visit her club. She wanted to hear what else was popular that didn’t leave your stomach rolling from the bass.
He gave in and she was enjoying her trip singing along to sugary sweet teeny-bopper music. Looking out the window and enjoying the view, she felt the air inside the car shift. It got tense and heavy.
Turning to Everett she saw him switching between the rear view mirror and his side mirror.
“Problem?”
“No, just there has been a van behind us for a good long while. Could be we are going the same direction or could be not. Now they seem to be speeding up and slowing down, they’ve gotten pretty close a few times. Car’s set on cruise control, so I shouldn’t be pissing him off. He can go around anytime, but hasn’t. Just makes my cougar a little grouchy.”
Turning in her seat, Layla looked back at the van. It was white, with a tinted front window. Not totally abnormal in Vegas, although it was illegal at the level this guy’s glass was blacked out.
“Maybe he’s just jealous, he’s driving a stupid van and my car is pretty,” she sniffed, righting herself in her seat.
“Hey, when I’m driving your car, it’s sexy and fast. When you are driving it can be pretty. Give me a little bit here, Duchess,” Everett laughed. Although the sound was forced. His eyes still switching between the mirrors and the road in front of them.
Reaching over she grabbed his hand and squeezed. He was just being over protective and she loved that about him.
They drove for another ten minutes, quiet in their separate contemplations. Layla’s eyes were drifting closed, not from the length of the trip just that she was warm and happy and didn’t have to pay attention to the road.
The first bump jolted her awake. The car lurched forward and her seatbelt tightened over her chest.
“Fucking hell,” Everett roared. He sped the car up as he watched the van manage to smash into their bumper again. From the corner of his eye, Everett could see Layla’s head snap forward at the impact. That really pissed him off.
Layla was trying to turn around in her seat when Everett’s hand shot out and pushed her hard into the seat. Layla turned back around, her heart was pounding. Her cougar was furious. Someone hit her car! On purpose it seemed. Rude!
“Look forward, in case he hits again. I don’t want your head twisting sideways.”
Everett put his foot to the floor and sped away from the van. It was no match for her little car, but they were on a winding road and there was a fine line from speeding away and maintaining control of the car. A few times, Everett got the wheels in the gravel on the side of the road and the car fishtailed. He easily got it back under control, but he could see Layla clutching the handle on the door.
The van was in the distance now and they were coming into a more populated area. Pulling off at the first spot he could, Everett released his seatbelt and jumped out of the car before it had barely rolled to a stop.
“Stay inside,” he ordered.
“Yeah, right,” she snorted and got out her side, staying inside the open door of the car.
Everett saw the van coming their way, he was walking towards the road, like he was what, going to confront a vehicle? Layla was trying to decipher what his plan was when the van sped up and screeched past them. Swerving as it went, the driver clearly not used to driving at those speeds in a bulky van.
“We should go after them,” Everett growled, turning back to Layla.
“No, we should call the police and the insurance company, then go to the lake and have a nice few days together. I get you’re pissed, but we are okay. They might have just been an asshole. Road rage is pretty common these days, you know?” She was trying to soothe the beast. His eyes were flashing yellow and his fingers were already clawed out.
“I’ll call the cops, you put those away,” she gestured towards his hands.
Everett looked down and saw what she saw. Taking a deep breath, he told his cougar that they were all okay. But he knew it would have just taken the wrong push and they could have spun off the road, injuring his mate. That was unacceptable.
Layla might think this was random, but Everett and his cougar didn’t like the coincidence. Vincent maybe wasn’t going to give up so easily. This incident might have been him. Or maybe one of his family’s lackeys. Either way it didn’t feel random.
They waited as the police showed up. Luckily, they were dispatched from the town they had stopped in. The car had only minor damage and was still drivable. Layla’s attitude changed a bit when she was on the phone with the insurance company and had actually walked around the back of the car to catch a glimpse of the damage for the first time.
“Fucking hell, goddamn motherfuckers wrecked my baby!” She yelled this while she was on the phone with the insurance adjuster. She quickly apologized but was still irate.
Hanging up the phone, she squatted down to the bumper and rubbed her hand over the chipped and dented bumper.
“We could have been run off the road, injured, dead, and you’re upset about a paint job? Priorities, Duchess,” Everett chided.
“What would you do if someone hit your car?” she challenged. He’d told her about his car. His Chevelle that no one else got to drive.
“That’s different, mine’s a classic. Not as easily repaired as yours. And I’d be pissed either way that someone hit us intentionally with my mate in the goddamn car!”
Coming up to him and sliding a hand along his chest, she felt his heart racing. He was pissed sure, but he was also scared. She could see that.
“I get it, I’m sorry. Can we just head to the boat? I could really use a drink and a swim. Huh?”
Wrapping his arms around her, he kissed the top of her head. “Anything you want, Duchess. Let’s go get you liquored up so I can take advantage of you.”
“Oh, like you need the liquor,” she quipped. This got her a quick slap on the ass and an escort back to her side of the car. Once he had her buckled in and the door closed, he walked back to his side. Hand on the door handle he took a deep breath, his mate was fine. But he was still calling her father and
his brothers in on this. No one messed with his mate.
Chapter 26
“Harder, baby, harder.”
Everett shifted his hips and pushed Layla farther over the edge of the couch arm. They’d made it to the boat but hadn’t made it outside yet. Her stripping down to slip on her bikini coupled with the anger and rage burning through him, had him jumping her the second they were out of sight. Not that there was anyone to see them now that the pilot boat had dropped them off.
Eying the couch, he’d tossed her over it, dropped to his knees and licked her pussy just to the edge of coming. When she was begging for it, he stripped out of his clothes and slid into her in one long stroke.
The minute he was inside her the tension drained out of him. A new need more important than anger took over. His mate’s sweet hot pussy was wrapped around him. That was the only fucking thing he needed to think about.
Clearly the run-in with the van had her ramped up too. She was purring and scratching at the couch, needing more of him.
“I got you, hold on,” he growled. His need to be closer to her was overwhelming. He wanted her marked from the inside. He wanted his cum to be soaked into her skin so that every shifter, at least, would know who she belonged to.
Reaching around the front of her, Everett found her clit and pinched it between his fingers before rolling it. He heard the high pitched moan as her pussy started to clutch around him.
“Come for me, Duchess,” he ordered.
Layla let out a loud yowl as her body convulsed under him. It was so good. It was hard and sweaty and just rough enough that her fucking cougar was loving it. If only she could get her teeth wrapped around some portion of him, his blood would send her over the moon.
Everett felt her pussy tighten like a vice around his cock and then the first hard jet of cum shot out of him. Spurt after spurt coated her, marking her, and hopefully finding a home in her to make their first cub.
Draping his body over hers, Everett tried to catch his breath. Now that his head was clearing from one of the best orgasms of his life, he was angry again. He’d called his brothers when he got to the boat. Just to give them a heads up. More importantly he’d call Will and got the low down on the Domolo family.