by Lyn Brittan
Johanna smiled, added a stack of vases to her list and moved on to the next aisle, leaving her sister mumbling in the corner.
With Kate not hovering over her shoulder, she finished early, but didn’t want to go to the restaurant. Baron would be doing interviews for some time to go. Instead, she convinced a still sulking Kate to go for ice cream. It was the woman’s one weakness and had smoothed over many a fight. They sat on a bench under a sky almost as blue as Baron’s eyes.
Kate’s eyebrow shot up. “What?”
“We did it in the park.”
“This one?” Kate drew in her arms close to her chest, as if afraid of touching the air around them.
“No, no, the protected lands outside of town.”
“That’s a little out of character.”
“On the second day we met.”
“You’re full of it.”
“I know. It’s strange. He makes me…”
“Wolfy?”
She nodded and licked at her cone where the vanilla trailed off into sugary rivulets. “When I’m with him, I want him to take me. I love him on top of me and behind me. He lets me take control sometimes, but I love it when he grabs my hair and bites my neck. He’s very good at shifting too. Certain parts, if you know what I mean. I want…I can’t even think about him without…”
“Got it. Down, girl.”
“Sorry. Don’t laugh at me.”
“I’m not. I’m just not used to seeing my little baby grown up. I’m proud of you, Sis.”
“Sometimes he takes his fingers and—”
Kate threw her napkin on the table and straightened her pearl necklace. “That’s enough sharing for today.”
“Kate—”
“I said—”
“Thank you for listening.”
She wouldn’t quite call what Kate did a smile, but Lord it was beautiful to see. This was the type of relationship she’d longed to have with her sister. As equals. As friends.
Kate pulled out a moist wipe and dabbed around her mouth. “Whatever. All right, you little hot box. Let’s get moving.”
“I love you.”
“I’m aware.”
Kate didn’t swear half as much on the drive back and threw up her middle finger only once. She even used a non-screeching voice for most of the trip. Why hadn’t it always been this way between them?
The truth of it hit her as they blew through a red light. Kate had treated her like a child, because she’d lived as a child. Kate protected what needed protecting. The problem wasn’t Kate. It was her! She turned to her sister and gave Kate’s arm a squeeze. “You don’t have to take care of me anymore.”
“What? Because of Baron?”
“Because of myself.”
“Let go of my arm. And good answer.”
They made it to the restaurant by mid-afternoon. The line of hopeful employees stood twelve people deep, baking in the sun with sweat darkening their collars. Baron caught her eye over an interviewee’s head and put her right to work. “I’ve got water bottles in the back. Can you pass them out?”
“No problem.”
“Thanks.” Then he turned to her sister. “Hey, Maleficent, I need you too.”
“My name is Kate, you ungrateful—”
Johanna aborted her mission to stop whatever fight was about to start, but she caught Baron handing her sister a sheet of paper. “Kate, I need you to call in the next applicant.”
“I’m not your secretary. I’m only here because—”
“I’m not asking you to be. I am, however, begging you to weed through these applicants. Something tells me you’re good at crushing dreams.” He dodged a swing and kept on talking. “I’m opening up sooner than planned. I’m not asking for your advice, just a little help. For this first round of hires, I need staff who already know how to handle people and work the point of sales system.”
“Don’t look at me like I know what that is.”
“Please? Do you want me to beg?”
“It’ll help.”
Johanna started to step in again, but before she could, Baron dropped to one knee and Kate snatched the sheet from his hand.
Of course he wouldn’t let his pride get in the way of what needed to be done. Bless him.
Kate barked out a name. One small, mousy man stepped from the line. The poor guy’s smile wilted under her sister’s scrutiny. It was almost too painful to watch and she turned away.
As the sun began its descent hours later, they were all dragging on their feet. Work hadn’t stopped at hiring. The furniture company, eager to keep Kate happy, had half of the goods delivered by the end of the day with promises of the rest within the next three. Baron made good use of the new help, keeping two of the waiters behind to start early and assist with the setup. As a thank you and introduction, he cooked the group a feast so mouthwatering that he left no room for even Kate to complain.
Not that she didn’t try.
Chapter Nine
“Maybe if I don’t move, it won’t be Monday.”
Johanna kept her eyes cinched shut and her hand resting on top of the furry chest she’d fallen asleep on last night. This vacation had been too short. Even though she’d spent the last few days of it working on her apartment or his restaurant, she loved it. She couldn’t help but worry that with the end of it, so too would end the magic she and Baron had created here. “I’ll miss this.”
The chest beneath her rumbled with husky laughter. “You kicking me out? Use me up, then toss me away?”
“Baron—”
“Begging for crumbs of your attention.”
She flicked his nipple. “I love how normal and undramatic you are.”
In turn, he rubbed his chin against the top of her head and traced the outline of her shoulder. “You don’t have to go to the office. The job offer still stands.”
His voice vibrated, but not with its usual levity. She’d only heard him this serious when talking about his business. She propped on her elbow to see if his face matched his voice. Yep. A furrowed brow and clenched jaw from the man who’d filled her with such unexpected laughter, warmth and passion. For both their sakes, she had to reject his offer. “Now more than ever, I can’t. We’re too close.”
“At least you’re admitting it now.”
“Don’t be that way.”
“What way? Sexy? Caring? Delightful?”
And that Baron was back, the one who couldn’t seem to not joke around, but she smelled his arousal starting to pop up. If she didn’t get out of this bed now, she wouldn’t at all. More proof of what she’d just said.
She scooted from under the covers and shuffled to the shower, careful not to run or even walk too fast. The last time she did, it kicked off his tracking instinct and he’d jumped her in the hallway.
Not that she’d minded then, but she didn’t have the time now. Baron grunted out a pitiful, pleading mew, but she shook her head and kept walking.
The locked bathroom door would do piss all to physically keep him out, but the man respected her enough not to intrude once he heard the lock shift. She took her time, preparing herself for a day of clients, sly looks and Belinda. And a day without him.
When she got out of the shower, she padded down the hall with a towel wrapped around her.
Baron sat on the edge of the bed, cock in his hand and pumping. “Don’t move.”
She did. She walked straight to the top drawer of her dresser and pulled out a small pink box. “I have to show you something. My sister Michelle got this for me.”
Baron sucked in his breath as she pulled out the tiny, silver toy. His leg started tapping and he cleared his throat every few milliseconds.
“It comes in two parts connected by this wire. This part goes inside me and this is the controller.”
Muscled hands worked overtime. Through slotted eyes and clenched lips he grunted out, “Show me.”
“You’re jumping ahead of yourself. There’s a way to do this.” She put on her bra and shirt, b
oth from five pounds ago. They were tight and although the bra dug a little in the back, it pushed her girls to the sky. She found black boy shorts next, but didn’t slip her panties on just yet.
Items in hand, she walked over to bed. It, and the man on it, were enveloped in the scents of last night’s lovemaking and this morning’s lust. More fuel for the fire.
“Can I—”
“No, Baron. I told you. I have to go to work.”
“I really don’t want this to be your day in control.”
“Shhh…”
“I’ll make you pay for this tomorrow.”
She sure hoped so, but for now, she still held the reigns. “Lie down on the bed. No, not like that. Upside down, bring your head here, over the edge. I want to make sure you see me put my toy in.”
It was officially that fastest she’d ever seen him move, scrambling like an eager moth to a flame – a big, bad wolf rendered powerless by her. When his head hung right where it should be, she put one foot on the mattress beside him and ruffled his hair. “Can you see it?”
“Let me taste you.” It was less of a question and more of a growl. He was close to finishing. His chest rose and fell like little sparrow’s wings, but she assumed he’d wait, in hopes of being inside her when the time came. She wouldn’t let him.
“No.” Legs spread, she pushed the toy inside, taking a moment to enjoy the rush of something cool and metallic, so different from that throbbing, heated, perfect thing she’d grown accustomed to having inside her body since meeting Baron.
She didn’t dare turn the toy on, but that didn’t seem to matter to Baron. He grunted low in his chest and his eyes glowed feral. A heartbeat later, he emptied himself onto her bed. Breath ragged and heaving, he sat up, balanced on his knees. Strength she didn’t know she had kept her talking.
“I put my panties on next and tuck the controller here for quick access.” She said it in the exact tone she’d use if someone came up to her line to pay for a registration renewal. Then she slid on her red skirt and turned around. “Voilà. Can’t see a thing.”
“It’s cute how you think I’m going to let you get away with that. Real cute.”
“Baron?”
“Cute.”
He wasn’t grinning, but she couldn’t begin to hide the smile on her face. Cautious, she backed her way out the bedroom. “We’ll talk about this when I get home.”
“You think you’re funny. You’re not.”
Still smiling, she grabbed her purse, keys and laptop case and headed out the door. She didn’t breathe again until she was safe in her car and even then, she got out more of a wheezing giggle than any actual intake of air.
She was just about to pull out the parking spot when Baron ran from the building waving papers above his head. What the crap had she forgotten? That amazing man. Even after all that torture, he was still a sweetheart. “You’re the best.”
“Sure.”
She gave the papers a quick scan. “Actually, I don’t think these are mine. These are—”
“No?” Baron leaned into the car and in one moment had his hand down the waist of her skirt. She grabbed hold of his arm as he fished around for the controller of the tiny toy still inside her.
“Don’t you dare! I swear, I—”
And he found it. All she could do was hold on to the steering wheel for dear life.
Chapter Ten
She popped out her titillating device while parked on a side street a few blocks north of downtown. She’d been talking pure junk this morning. That toy had never left her apartment. Hell, she’d only used it one time.
She could still picture him grinning in the rearview mirror and tried to shake away the memory. This was her first day back in a week. She didn’t need any distractions.
Too late for that. She walked into work, late, tired and satisfied.
And ashamed.
The kind of ashamed where you hope you get to do the thing you’re ashamed of again real soon. Maybe that’s why she hadn’t scented the wall of fear until she slammed right into it.
With one foot inside the building, the weight of that panic pressed down near to the point of collapsing suffocation. She stepped back, but someone grabbed her from behind and forced her into the lobby.
A robbery? Here? Who robbed the county clerk’s office? The police department was just up the street.
Logic told her to relax. That same logic evaporated when a knee to her back sent her chin first into the floor. Where were the cops? Someone ought to have touched off the silent alarm by now.
She strained her ears, turning one to the ground. Sirens! But no one else heard them. Her relief was short lived as her ringing cell phone brought all attention back to her.
“You answer that phone and I’ll kill you.”
“I’ll turn it off.” She reached to do so and pain ripped through her body.
Pop! Pop, pop, pop-pop!
Five bullets ravaged her. She had time to count them all. Time, because she couldn’t pass out. Wolves almost never did. Every instant, pain burned as bullets tore new channels into her flesh. Some went straight through muscle. Others ricocheted off bone, sending splintering shards of it through helpless tissue.
Two of the robbers shouted for money. One, however, leveled his aim directly at her and fired once more, before running through the door.
The two left behind stuffed cash into their bags until the sirens drew nearer. In their scramble, they stepped on top of her as if she were nothing more than carpet beneath their feet. Tony rushed to her first and tried to hold her stomach together. He screamed of stitches and operations.
What she needed was to be alone. She could heal herself, if they’d all just go away. Shock started its slow evaporation and fear, true fear, took its place.
Tony shouted above her as doors opened and closed. “Officer, please! Over here!”
Beyond the tangy scent of the blood that turned her red skirt, brown, she caught a whiff of something neither human, nor wolf. The owner of that scent, one of the responding police officers, picked her up in muscled arms and carried her away. What was this creature?
“I’ll rush her to the trauma center,” the thing carrying her called back to the rest.
“No!” She fought and scratched, desperate for a way to escape. The one thing more terrifying than dying, was human knowledge of their kind. She refused to become someone’s experiment.
The creature, however, didn’t let go.
“Easy, love. Let me get you to the car. You can heal yourself there.” The officer looked down and puckered his lips at her gasp. His irises lengthened and stretched until they were as thin as a razor’s edge. “You must know that I’m too handsome to be human.”
She gave what she hoped passed for a smile, but the pain left her crying out. The plain-clothed officer dropped her in the backseat of his cruiser and took off, pealing through town.
Johanna gave in to the pain and screamed then. Healing wasn’t cute or quick. Each second lasted an eternity. Each second, a lifetime of agony.
The officer pushed through the crowded streets, until he reached the relative safety of the highway. Even then he didn’t slow. His eyes flickered back to her in the rearview mirror. “How you doing back there?”
“Home. I want to go home.” She called out the address and soon he carried her up the stairs to her apartment. She wanted to ask his name, but her stomach rolled and she threw up on him instead. There was too much pain to be horrified or embarrassed.
The cop shrugged out of his shirt and laid her down on the couch. He disappeared for a moment, but came back with a cup of water in one hand and the kitchen trashcan in the other. “So I came here to protect you and, well, our secret. The bonus was that I’d be your hero and you’d let me take you out sometime. Don’t look outraged. I can smell the dude here. It’s cool. Drink up and give me his number.”
The water spilled, her rattled hands unable to keep it steady. The officer reached for a tissue to dab it up, th
en took her hand and wiped it dry. “Relax.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Got a sister?”
“Worst cop ever.”
He leaned over the sofa and smirked. “Also known as Jack Wu. You’ll be fine. You’re tough. I can’t help but notice that you’ve stopped healing. Can’t do that, pretty girl. Push through the pain.”
“My phone? Dial Baron. I need him.”
“Only if you promise to keep going.”
The hurting took over, but Jack held her hand and whispered silken words into her ear. She bit her lips until they bled and yet she kept up the healing process. Stopping was not an option. Not with Jack’s knuckles raking up and down her arm, encouraging her to press on.
She had no idea how long he held her like that, but all of a sudden Jack jerked away and jumped off the couch. “I smell something big and crazy coming up. Here’s my card. You’ll be in pain for a while longer, but we need to get our stories straight. For now, I’ll say that I released you into the care of a certain doctor. One of ours.” He took another two steps away from her. “Incoming.”
She hadn’t known how scared and shaken she was until Baron’s voice called out to her through the door. So consumed with her healing, she hadn’t scented him, or Kate, fast on his heels.
She lost it. Wyatt’s red and swollen eyes proved her complete undoing. She cried because she was scared. She cried because it hurt. She cried because, well hell, he cried.
Baron cupped her face in his hands, holding her like fragile and priceless glass. “You’re never going back there. Do you understand me?”
“I could have killed them, but instead I get shot because I can’t let anyone know what I am. It isn’t right. I shouldn’t have to be scared.”
“Shhh, that won’t happen again.”
“You don’t know that, Baron.”
“I do. I know that I’ll never let anything hurt you. I know that I never believed in finding a Mate before. Up until you, I thought it was lust. Hell, maybe love. The idea of you not being with me…I don’t…”