The Mercenary

by Johanna Rae

  “Get on!” he ordered.

  Jodie didn’t need to be asked twice. Swinging a leg over his thighs, she rested her knee on the edge of the seat, bracing herself with a palm against the cool glass of the side window. Jodie placed his tip at her opening as he hooked an arm around her waist, reining her in. When her slick wet core swallowed him up, he moaned again.

  “Danny!” She cried.

  Jodie’s breathless gasps grew louder and she tried to catch herself by placing her free hand on his shoulder. Seeking greater depth, Danny arched his back, raising his hips. Jodie rolled her pelvis in response, riding him hard.

  Digging her fingernails into his flesh, she flattened her other palm against the window, soon in the throes of wild passion every bit as animalistic as the first time they’d had sex. Even though the initial frenzy could have implied that time was short, Danny’s stamina proved otherwise. In a tangle of limbs and steamy kisses, the moment went on and on.

  Finally Danny could not hold back his orgasm any longer. With an enraptured cry of fulfillment, he closed his eyes, clutching her tight. Jodie dissolved into his embrace, her whole body still burning with the sensations Danny had provided.

  They lay in each other’s arms for several minutes recovering and catching their breath before putting their clothes back on, and made their way back to the house. Danny’s fingers sought hers, both interlocking as they climbed the steps. Gazing up at him in fond adoration, her rosebud lips lilted at the corners.

  “I love you,” she told him, knowing that she’d never said the words aloud before.

  He grinned down at her, squeezing her hand as he keyed in the code and opened the door.

  As they walked into the kitchen they were met with a loud and enthusiastic round of applause. Jodie’s mouth dropped open as she stared at the guys seated around the table, all grinning at her. She knew that her face must be a bright shade of red; she could feel it on her cheeks. How could they have known what had happened?

  It didn’t take Danny long to figure it out, his gaze fell upon Doug in a fraction of a second. “Tell me that you didn’t watch,” he groaned.

  “We couldn’t see much with the windows fogged up so bad.” Jarvis laughed from beside him.

  Doug grinned and nodded.

  Jodie wanted to die, turning and burying her face in Danny’s shirt. He hugged her closer, hiding his smile behind a slow exhale.

  “Why didn’t you tell me you have a security camera in the garage?” She mumbled.

  “Nobody saw anything,” Eddie promised. “As soon as

  Doug realized what was happening, he turned off the camera.”

  “True story,” nodded Doug, smirking as he picked up a mint square and bit into it.

  “But not before we heard the melodious song of your love across the speaker system.” Jarvis teased.

  A chorus of laughter rang out around the table and Jodie didn’t know where to look. Adam drew an end to the jibing, dark eyes gleaming as he smiled at her.

  “We’re just glad you two have stopped avoiding each other.”

  Danny kissed Jodie’s forehead, guiding her over to the table where he sat her down between Rufus and Mark, before going over to the counter to pour some coffee. Mortification still had her within its grasp, but the worst had passed. She looked at the guys inhaling her mint slice and smiled.

  “Mint squares are a hit huh?”

  “Sure are.” Rufus said, reaching for another piece.

  “It’s good someone could offer Mark some competition. He gets a bit egotistical sometimes.” Eddie wiggled his eyebrows.

  “I do not! Some thanks I get for slaving over a hot stove day in and day out.” Mark complained.

  “I’ll give you the recipe.” Jodie gave a sweet smile as she took a piece for herself.

  Danny put a cup of coffee in front of her and pulled up a chair, the table now abuzz with conversation. Everything felt so normal, to say it came as a relief would have been an understatement.

  Chapter 29

  “So what you’re saying is, he threw money at you and you caved?”

  Jodie took a deep breath and tried a second time to explain to Laura why she hadn’t been ready to forgive Danny yesterday, yet today everything had returned to normal. On the third phone, Ainsley harrumphed. Jodie knew they were sitting in the same room together and she could just picture the look Ains gave their skeptical friend.

  “Laura you don’t have an ounce of romance in you at all,” Ains said after clicking her tongue.

  Jodie giggled. She didn’t have to be there with them to see the eye roll Laura would be giving, she knew her friends well.

  “I just think after everything that’s happened, it doesn’t give a great impression of your standards to throw yourself at him the moment he shells out a couple of hundred dollars on a pair of shoes.” Laura said.

  “It’s not about that!” Ainsley repeated, beginning to get tetchy. “He took away her honor Laur and by replacing the things he destroyed in that one moment, he’s recognizing that. It doesn’t mean what he did is okay but it proves that he knows why he’s sorry. Omigod Laura, don’t you know anything about symbolism?”

  Jodie burst out laughing. “I love you guys,” she said with a happy sigh.

  “Are you drunk?”

  “No Laura, I am not drunk.” Jodie promised and giggled again.

  “Sooo... it’s Friday night, are they letting you out? I mean you’re safe now right?” Ainsley asked.

  “Actually I have a date with Rufus.”

  As could be expected that drew a reaction from Laura, so Jodie launched into a detailed explanation. Ainsley of course thought the idea fantastic and the discussion grew from there. By the time Jodie got off the phone, she couldn’t wait to go out for the evening.

  Rufus seemed nervous, or perhaps he just felt uncomfortable. Jodie couldn’t quite figure it out. He’d been fine until they parked the car and started walking toward the club, but the closer they got, the less convinced she became that he even wanted to be there at all.

  The black shirt and jeans looked good on him and though better dressed than usual, he didn’t scream formality. Studying her appearance, Jodie tried to see it through Rufus’s eyes. Her slinky purple dress and black strappy heels were a tasteful combination but what if she’d overdressed? She hiked a shoestring strap back up onto her shoulder, praying her outfit wasn’t the problem as The Furnace loomed into view.

  Even though it didn’t count as a true date, Jodie wanted Rufus to have a great evening. He hardly ever took time for himself, she knew a night out would do him good. Stopping at the roadside he stared on ahead, choosing not to cross despite the lack of traffic. Jodie raised a brow, following his gaze to the club where Jarvis manned the door.

  “You know, we can go somewhere else.” She reminded him.

  “Here will do.”

  His gruff tone took Jodie by surprise but she let it go. Hooking her arm through his, Jodie crossed the road, heels echoing on the asphalt until she got close enough to feel the thrum of the music. The nearer they got, the more Rufus’s pace slowed. Jodie wondered what he was thinking and if coming out tonight had been a mistake.

  Jarvis greeted them with a smile, waving them in ahead of line at the door. The wall to wall crowd that had already packed the place meant that Jodie couldn’t see the bar from the entrance. She took a deep breath and began to psyche herself up for the groping that always came with crossing the dance floor, she needn’t have bothered. As soon as Rufus pointed himself in that direction, the crowd split up the middle like Moses parting the red sea. I guess that’s what happens when you have the body mass of a small country. Jodie mused with a smile as she followed in his shadow.

  Rufus strode toward the cluster of women at Danny’s end of the bar but Jodie caught his elbow, halting him in his tracks. “We didn’t come here so I could ogle Danny all night.” She grinned up at him.

  “Well where do you want to go then?” He asked, confused.


  “Hmm...” she gave Danny a wave as he looked up and spotted them, before steering Rufus toward the other end of the bar. “It’s much less crowded over here.”

  Jodie arched a brow when Rufus tensed up. What is with him tonight? She wondered as they took seats at the bar.

  “Hey big guy!” Jenna appeared in front of them with her American drawl and infectious grin, leaning a forearm on the bar. “It’s not often we see you on this side of the front entrance. What can I getcha?”

  Her eyes on Jodie, Jenna brushed her wild mane of strawberry blonde locks over her shoulder, and gave her the once over. Jodie felt as if she’d been judged for something and tried to put on a smile to hide it. Jenna smiled back leaving Jodie even more puzzled.

  Rufus ordered a beer, while Jodie asked for a strawberry daiquiri. Uncapping a bottle, Jenna slid it across the bar to Rufus, winking at Jodie.

  “Let me go give your order to Stud-muffin down the other end, he’ll do a much better job than I could.” Turning to walk away, Jenna ran straight into Summer, upending the tray of glasses she was carrying. The entire load hit the floor with a tinkling shatter. “Good Lord, I’m a hot mess tonight, I tell ya!” Jenna gave a hearty laugh and stooped down to help Summer clean up.

  “I’ll go get the dustpan,” said Summer after picking out the unbroken glasses and setting them aside.

  As Summer rose to her feet, her dark eyes fell on Rufus and she froze. It only lasted for a few seconds but Jodie knew that she hadn’t imagined it. Summer smiled shyly behind soft brown hair and carried on to the kitchen as though nothing had happened, but her reaction had been unmistakable. Jodie looked at Rufus who still seemed mesmerized by the kitchen door, swinging to and fro from Summer’s exit.

  The light-bulb moment hit and all of a sudden Jodie understood. The strange behavior hadn’t meant Rufus had been reluctant to come to the club. His concerns about people getting the wrong idea had nothing to do with Danny or Jodie and everything to do with a certain brunette bartender.

  She wondered how long Rufus had been living with this crush. How on earth did they even meet with him on the outside and her on the inside? One thing was for sure. Though Rufus may not have realized, Summer knew how he felt. Jodie had seen it in that three second moment she’d looked their way.

  At the other end of the bar, Jenna had given the cocktail order to Danny and tried to wade through some of Summer’s customers while she waited for her to return with the dustpan. Jodie watched her, curious about the way Jenna had looked at her when they’d first sat down.

  “You’ve gone real quiet. Are you ok?”

  Rufus’s voice jolted Jodie back to the present. Smiling, she nodded. “Sorry, just daydreaming. How’s that beer?”

  His eyes went to the untouched bottle in his hand, with a sheepish grin he lifted it to his lips, taking a long pull. “Fucking awesome,” he boomed and dumped it back down on the bar.

  “You should ask her out,” Jodie said with a cheeky grin. “Huh?”

  “Summer. You should ask her out.” Jodie propped herself up on one elbow, cupping her cheek in hand as she continued to smile at Rufus.

  “Nah, nah, you’ve got it all wrong.” He insisted as he looked over at the kitchen door for the fifteenth time.

  Stifling a giggle, Jodie pretended to be clearing her throat. “Oh come on Rufus, it’s not a bad thing. What’s the worst that could happen?”

  “I’m not exactly date material.” He said, taking a swig of his beer.

  “Yes you are.” Jodie’s tone softened as she felt the need to validate everything that he was. “Any girl would be lucky to have you.”

  Turning a little on his bar stool, Rufus gave Jodie a quizzical look. Anything he might have said got interrupted by Jenna’s return with a multi-colored concoction sporting two umbrellas, a plastic animal of some sort, whipped cream and a cherry. As the tattooed bartender approached, Jodie realized that it had been intended for her.

  “What is that?” She asked with wide eyed amusement. “Mother of crap, isn’t that what you ordered?”

  Rufus chuckled and went back to his beer, and slowly Jodie shook her head. “Nooo, I asked for a strawberry daiquiri.”

  “Of course you did!” Jenna groaned, smacking a palm to her forehead, “don’t worry baby girl, I got this!” And with that she hurried back down to Danny’s end of the bar.

  In the meantime, Summer had arrived with the dustpan and began sweeping up the remains of the broken glass. Jodie could tell that Rufus fought not to keep his gaze fixed in her direction, bringing a rush of sympathy for him. No wonder he’s been tense about coming here... and I made him sit right in front of her. Way to go Jodie.

  Rufus coughed and scratched the back of his spiky head. “Even if I did like her, it would be a waste of time.”

  Ok, now we’re getting somewhere. “Why do you say that?” Jodie questioned him, watching the two bartenders serving customers again and Danny putting on his usual show.

  “Well even if she said yes, the chances of her being a bear are real low.” Rufus pushed away his now empty bottle, his enormous hands splayed on the wooden countertop as he tore his gaze away from Summer and back to Jodie. “Do you know how rare it is to meet a bear in this country? I’m not the kinda guy who’s after a bit of fun Jodie and I couldn’t be with another Therian if they weren’t my animal, it just wouldn’t work.”

  “Oh.” Deflated, Jodie now had a wider picture of what it would be like to be one of the guys. “I’m sorry.”

  Shrugging it off with an air of nonchalance, Rufus made out that it wasn’t a big deal but Jodie could see that it was. The pleasant evening she’d had in mind threatened to gurgle down the drain. Spinning around, cogs turning in her brain, Jodie observed the dance floor. The lights show had started and Eddie’s rich deep voice filled the room, welcoming everyone and announcing which music he’d lined up in the next set.

  Waiting until the next song so that it sounded more plausible, Jodie latched on to Rufus’s arm and jumped down from her seat. “I love this song!” She gushed, tugging hard, trying to coax him toward the strobe lights.

  “Oh nah girl, I don’t dance,” he protested.

  “Yes you do!” Jodie insisted, pulling harder on his meaty forearm.

  “Jodie!” He moaned as he became torn between giving in to avoid a spectacle and standing his ground to avoid a bigger one.

  Just as she finally succeeded in dragging him toward the music, Jenna returned with Jodie’s strawberry daiquiri.

  “I’m gonna leave this right here for you, ‘kay?” She called and parked the cocktail glass on the shelf behind the bar.

  Jodie nodded with a grin, immersing herself and Rufus amongst the other dancers. Once she’d made sure that all anyone from the bar would see of Rufus was his face and tattooed neck, Jodie stopped and began to dance. Rufus just stood there at first, leaving her with the impression she’d have to spend the whole song dancing alone.

  After a quick glance around them, Rufus realized he’d drawn more attention to himself by standing still and started trying to pick up the beat. As the song progressed, he relaxed a little more and at last he smiled. Jodie beamed up at him in response. Eddie’s line-up had been so well orchestrated that they didn’t leave for another three songs.

  They had to queue briefly in order to reach the bar. None of the customers stayed, opting to pay for their drinks and move away. This left their earlier seats vacant so Jodie and Rufus sat back down. Since Jenna happened to be swamped with customers, Summer approached them.

  “Another beer?” Summer asked with a friendly smile, tucking her burnt sienna waves behind her ear. She’d been paying attention and already had his brand ready to uncap as she awaited his response.

  “Yeah, cool.”

  I know Rufus is not a conversationalist at the best of times but two words? Really now? Summer didn’t seem to be bothered by his lack of dialogue, leading Jodie to believe maybe she did know Rufus after all. She opened the bottle and passed it
to him, before addressing Jodie.

  “Did you want the same as last time?”

  “Um, I didn’t drink the first one yet. It’s over there.” Jodie pointed over Summer’s shoulder and smiled as she turned to look.

  Rufus played it casual as Summer retrieved the daiquiri and brought it over. Her gaze switched to him as she thrust the glass at Jodie and because she didn’t pay attention, her fingers brushed Jodie’s. No flash of blue light or visual symphony of any sort accompanied the invisible spark, Summer didn’t seem to have even notice anything happened at all but Rufus had.

  “What the fuck...” He threw at her, once Summer had stepped out of earshot.

  “You felt that too?” Jodie breathed in awe.

  Rubbing a hand over the back of his neck, he nodded. “Only because I’ve spent so much time watching you learn to control your beast. Your energy went all weird just then.”

  Jodie nodded; staring at her hand like it had just grown another finger. Her energy had gone weird but Rufus didn’t know the half of it. The shift in energy had nothing to do with Jodie’s leopard. Like when Tiniraumano had sat with her in the kitchen at the fortress, this was a whole different type of power and nothing at all to do with the change.

  Jodie knew that most clans had something special that set them aside from the others. Adam could smell the difference between truth and lie. The change in energy and body temperature might have been subtle but he could sense it, this was his clan ability.

  Danny had a higher tolerance to silver than most shifters and Jodie would have put money on Doug’s uncanny memory being his talent. Now tonight, Jodie had found hers.

  When Summer’s fingers brushed against Jodie’s, she’d experienced a moment of clarity akin to that of a clairvoyant with a vision. However Jodie hadn’t been hit with any sort of premonition. She’d found herself thrust into the core of Summer’s Therian energy, it’d been as though someone handed her a fact file on the poor girl.