Growl's Queen: The Full-Length Novel (Woodland Pack Book 1)

by V Vee

  When no one spoke, merely continued looking at her—even her niece and nephews watching her silently—Joi knew for a fact that Kim had let the cat out of the bag in regards to Joi and Angelo kissing out in public. Sometimes I hate having a sister, she thought to herself.

  “Umm… the first reason was about the contract between his company and mine. Originally, as you all know, I had a bit of an issue with the verbiage used regarding what was to be done with my company, my employees, and myself.” She looked over at Elisabeth, Lizzie, and Talia who watched her cautiously as if afraid she would be telling them that she took the money and left them without jobs.

  “When I first met with Angelo—Mr. Marconi,” she corrected herself, glancing away for a moment as her face flushed hotly at her slip-up. Joi inhaled deeply and forged on. “When we first met, it seemed as though we couldn’t come to any sort of agreement. He wanted to buy out the company and lay off the staff. He even offered me one billion dollars to do it.”

  Joi’s family gasped and began muttering amongst themselves and Joi allowed herself a short opportunity to glance over at Angelo. The gorgeous man who stood just inside the kitchen doorway, his hands shoved into the pockets of his pants, his black hair gleaming beneath the sharp, harsh lighting of the kitchen lights. His lips turned up into a small smile as he returned her gaze, his own unwavering in its intensity, and Joi jerked her head back around to her family when her nipples pebbled behind the material of her bra.

  “Hey! Hey, I’m not done,” Joi finally interrupted her family’s chatter and regained their attention. “I… um… I turned down his offer.”

  “What?” Kim exclaimed.

  “Why would you do that?” Talia squealed.

  “What the fuck is wrong with you?” Elisabeth screeched. She looked over at Joi’s parents and cringed. “Sorry for the profanity Mama and Papa Young.”

  Jackie waved her hand, brushing away Elisabeth’s words. “Oh chile, you ain’t offending nobody here with that. Besides, I pretty much said the same thing.” Jackie shook her head. “For both of my daughters to be so smart in so many other ways, they can both be dumb as a box of rocks when it comes to certain situations.” She pointed at Kim. “This one keeps falling in love and dating dickless wonders, and this one,” she pointed at Joi, “don’t know when to say yes to a good offer and realize she is not a one trick pony when it comes to creating stuff.” Jackie shook her head. “I don’t know where y’all get all this insecurity and foolishness. Not from me or your Daddy. I’m confident as fuck and your Daddy spoiled both of you rotten.”

  Joi held up her hands to stop her mother’s ranting. If she didn’t do it now, then Jackie would carry on about how loved her daughters were, how smart, how beautiful, but how stupid they were and she didn’t know where she went wrong. It would be profanity filled, and would eventually end up with Joi and Kim having to apologize to both of their parents, and Joi never being able to finish what she needed to say.

  “I’m guessing things changed?” Lizzie spoke up. Her voice calm, though her eyes were sharp and speculative as she looked between Angelo and Joi. “You know, seeing as how Angelo Marconi is here, in your parents’ home?”

  Joi nodded and shot her friend a grateful look.

  “Yes. I was already going to call Mr. Marconi to see if we could perhaps negotiate things where we both came out winners and losers at the same time, when he knocked on the door. We talked outside and decided that WPI would absorb my company and my staff at the same time. No one is losing their job, and the company—my company—would simply operate beneath the umbrella of WPI,” Joi explained.

  Joi’s father crossed his arms in front of his chest. He stared at Angelo, his lips pressed into a thin line. “What I don’t understand is, why wasn’t this the original offer to my little girl? Are you in the habit of buying up companies from black people, companies intended for people of color, and firing off the entire staff, Mr. Marconi?” his voice was firm and unyielding and for some reason she didn’t quite understand, Joi felt a flash of nervousness and anxiety, for her father, zing through her. She spun around to stare at Angelo, afraid that he would see her father’s words as a challenge to his… what? His authority? His position? His identity?

  It made no sense, but before she could question herself, Joi found herself stepping towards Angelo, her hand held out as if she were trying to calm a wild animal. She stopped when Angelo looked at her, his eyes flashing… gold? No. That couldn’t be. Joi blinked and stared at Angelo. He merely offered her a small smile, his eyes once again their original color. He inclined his head in Kevin’s direction and released a deep, slow breath.

  “Mr. Young, I am sure you are merely looking out for the best interests of your youngest daughter. I can assure you, that I am as well. The first contract that Joi—Miss Young—received was a standard contract offered from WPI to any company I and my partners have an interest in. Companies that we can see maybe have the potential to be greater, amazing, and extremely profitable businesses, but ones that have hit the proverbial wall as far as how far their founders and creators can take them. We step in, absorb the company, the resources, the data, the intel, and everything else that allowed the company to function, we offer a substantial buyout—as you were told—and yes, oftentimes, the entire staff is laid off. This is only due to the fact that the members of the staff have been used to operating on a much smaller scale than they would be at WPI. They think smaller. They function smaller. They are not prepared for the rigorous demand of working for an international corporation such as WPI when their own company may be on that operated only statewide, or nationally, or merely online.” Angelo sighed and ran his fingers through his hair and Joi felt her heart stutter in her chest at the sheepish expression on his face.

  “I must admit that when I was first approached about your daughter’s company, I was only seeing the bottom line. Looking at the profit margin. It’s how I have always operated. It is why I am so successful. I am never seen by anyone outside of those who work directly in my building, and my pa-family,” Angelo said, tripping over his words and Joi smiled softly at him, realizing that her father was making “The Growling Wolf” stammer in nervousness.

  That is so cute, she thought to herself.

  “Your daughter’s tenacity. Her determination. It all intrigued me. I offered her much more than I normally would, and still she rejected my offer. She was more concerned about her staff, about her product, her brand, than she was the money. The money didn’t matter to her. Apparently,” Angelo gestured to himself with a sardonic smile. “I came here, not only in an attempt to convince her to reconsider, but also because I found her extremely attractive.” He chuckled. “To the point that it was a distraction, and I am not a man who can abide loose ends and distractions. So I showed up to handle both matters. To come to some sort of agreement with Joi regarding her business, and to ask your wife and you if I could have your blessing to take your daughter out on a date.”

  Joi’s breath caught in her chest at Angelo’s words. While they were extremely romantic, the feminist inside of her balked at the very idea that Angelo had asked her father’s permission to take her out on a date. What year were they in? 1722?

  Before she could open her mouth and give Angelo a piece of her mind, her father beat her to the punch. A laugh rumbled out of his mouth and Kevin walked up to Angelo, shaking his hand.

  “Good man, good man! You have my blessing. On all of it.”

  “Dad!” Joi and Kim yelled at the same time.

  Jackie merely nodded. “Good. He doesn’t seem like smeared shit to me at all. This is probably the best thing that could have happened for you, Joi. Now, Mr. Money Man, let’s talk about my daughter’s company.”

  Chapter 7

  Angelo glanced over at Joi surreptitiously. He could not only scent the anger that held her body tense, but he could see it holding her entire frame rigid in the seat next to him. Ever since he’d asked her parents for their permission to court—date—he
r, and they’d readily agreed, Joi had taken to not speaking to any of them. Angelo had to admire her fortitude. She went out of her way to speak to everyone but him and her parents. However, while his human half respected her stubbornness and determination to hold onto her principles regarding… whatever, the Alpha inside him, his wolf half, found it unbelievably frustrating, and infuriating…

  And a major turn-on.

  And that bit was the most confusing to him, because how could he admire her, be angry with her, and be turned on by her, all at the same time?

  Angelo shook his head at himself mentally.

  It had to be something to do with the mate connection. That was the only explanation.

  “So, Mr. Marconi,” Joi’s mother, Jackie’s, voice pulled him from his internal musings and he turned to her with a smile on his face. “Now, that the meal is served and you have gotten the permission of me and my husband to take our Joi out on a date, why don’t we talk about this contract?”

  Angelo grinned at Joi when she groaned next to him. He had to clench his fist to stop himself from lowering his hand to her thigh in comfort. Soon, he promised his wolf who clawed at his insides, causing him to wince as he struggled to prevent himself from partially shifting and placing his mark on Joi’s throat with his canines. Soon Joi would be theirs and they would be able to touch her, kiss her, undress her, and do all manner of naughty things to her, whenever they wanted to. Yanking his mind away from Filthy Avenue, where it apparently wanted to set up a massive mansion and reside for the rest of eternity when it came to Joi, Angelo reminded his wolf that they were surrounded by humans who did not understand about mates or soulmates or bonds or spiritual connections. His wolf settled within him, his howling dulling down to a quiet whimper.

  “I would be happy to discuss the contract, Mrs. Young,” he said, he saw her smile and nod, before he turned his head to look at Joi, “But I will discuss things with Joi. If she wishes to discuss them with the rest of you, then that will be her decision, but I have already been extremely old-fashioned by asking for your permission to court, um… date her, I will not insult her further by insinuating that she cannot make competent, rational decisions regarding her business without her parents’ permission.” He looked back over at Joi’s parents who were watching him with wide eyes. “With all due respect,” he said, inclining his head.

  “Damn, Sis,” Joi’s sister, Kim, whisper-yelled from the other side of Joi. “Your future boo is smooth AF.”

  “Kim!” Joi whispered back. “Shut. UP!”

  Angelo chuckled when Kim merely stuck out her tongue at her younger sister and turned back to her plate. He reached out and lightly touched Joi’s hand where it rested on the table next to his own. When she turned her gaze to meet his own, Angelo gasped softly, his heart thudding in his chest. He could feel his teeth elongating while his cock simultaneously thickened behind his zipper. Lust and need cascaded and collided within his blood, each clamoring for dominance, for relief. His wolf howled, demanding release, wanting, needing, yearning for its mate. Angelo was sure his eyes were flashing and changing colors as he sniffed deeply, smelling Joi’s arousal answering his own.

  He leaned over, closer to her ear, ignoring the rest of the table which he was sure watched them closely. Placing his lips next to her ear, Angelo spoke.

  “I can smell how much you want me, Joi. Make your excuses and come let me give you what you need.”

  * * *

  “I can smell how much you want me, Joi. Make your excuses and come let me give you what you need.”

  Joi swallowed thickly and lifted her eyes to Angelo’s. They looked… silver? How was that even possible? Not gray, but silver, bright silver. Almost white. She shivered, but not from fear, from intrigue, desire, anticipation. She had an insane urge to plaster her body to his. To feel the hard planes of his body pressed hotly to hers, with nothing separating them. Not clothing, not bedsheets. Nothing but skin-on-skin. His lips pressed to her neck, his hands wrapped around her. His hands gripping the fullness of her ass. His cock, his bare cock, pressed thickly, snugly inside of her. Filling her up. Pressed so deeply that she could practically feel him in her belly. His breath harsh in her ear, her voice hoarse from having screamed out his name repeatedly. Sweat glistening on both their bodies. Her breasts pressed against his pecs, his hairy legs rubbing against her smooth ones as he thrust harder, deeper inside of her. Groaning. Moaning.

  Claiming.

  Demanding.

  You. Are. Mine.

  Joi’s eyes widened, and she gasped, standing abruptly from her chair. Her palms were sweaty, her heart galloping like a horse in her chest.

  Her panties drenched.

  “Um… excuse me… us! Excuse Angelo and I, we’re just going to… um… going to go and talk outside about everything,” she stammered, not looking at anyone, her eyes fixed on the tabletop.

  “You can speak in the living room, you know that, Baby Girl,” her father reminded her, but Joi was already shaking her head.

  “No. No. N-no we c-can’t, Daddy. Angelo—Mr. Marconi—Angelo and I need to talk about certain matters in private and we can’t do that if you all are eavesdropping,” Joi stuttered.

  “Soooo you’re going to go outside and talk… in public… because you need privacy?” her best friend, Elisabeth asked incredulously.

  Joi nodded. “Y-yes. That’s absolutely right.”

  “Mama Jackie, what did you put in Joi’s food? She’s acting like she’s high. I want some,” Lizzie teased, her eyes focused intently on Joi.

  Joi gave her friend a tight smile but didn’t respond.

  “I ain’t gave that girl nothing. She acting like that because she trying to come up with an excuse to be alone with this fine man right here,” Jackie stated matter-of-factly, lifting her spoon to her mouth and blowing on the stew.

  “Mama!” Joi gasped, looking at her mother, before quickly glancing away. She could be affronted all she wanted to be, but the truth of the matter was, her mother was right, and she could never lie to the older woman. It was why she didn’t really have a rebellious phase like the rest of her friends. Her face gave her away each and every time.

  “Don’t you Mama me,” Jackie said. “You want some alone time with Mr. Marconi, gone ahead, but you would get more privacy if you took him in your daddy’s study, rather than outside where nosey Mrs. Anderson can hear and see everything.”

  Joi nibbled her bottom lip, before she tapped Angelo on his shoulder. She waited until he looked up at her and swallowing back the groan that wanted to spill forth from her lips, she gestured towards her father’s study.

  “Come on, we’re going to go to my daddy’s study.” She looked around at her family and friends, not letting her eyes rest on anyone’s face too long, and ignoring the smirk on her aunt Cammy’s face, the all-knowing grin on her mother’s, and the looks of amusement and confusion on Elisabeth, Lizzie, and Talia’s. She couldn’t decipher her father’s expression, but rather than stay and try to figure it out, Joi merely turned and walked out of the room.

  Acutely aware of Angelo’s body behind her, heating up her every nerve ending and setting them on fire.

  Chapter 8

  As soon as the study door closed behind him, Angelo turned to Joi, tugged her to him, and lowered his lips to hers. He took her mouth in a fierce, deeply passionate, darkly possessive kiss. He wrapped his arms around her waist, planting his hands on her ample ass and lifted her until her wet center rested over his arousal, her legs wrapped around his waist. He walked to the wall and pressed her against it, never releasing her lips, his tongue dueling with hers, her taste enflaming his senses, intoxicating him, making him want more… need more.

  Angelo pressed his erection up against Joi’s center, delighting in the sound of her moaning, answering it with a deep growl of his own. He pulled away from the kiss, tugging on her bottom lip with his teeth, before he lowered his head and licked a stripe across the base of her throat. He bit the skin that covered her pu
lse, hissing when his canines lowered in preparation for the mating bite.

  Not yet, he told his wolf, even as he slid one hand up under the hem of Joi’s dress, gripping her thigh, never stopping his kisses or his tiny nips along her neck, collarbone, the tops of her shoulder, down to the tops of her exposed cleavage. Joi’s fingers in his hair, tugging, rubbing, smoothing, clenching, caused his erection to release out a spurt of pre-cum. He needed to be inside of her before he came in his pants like a randy youth.

  Dragging the tips of his fingers over Joi’s hip, and down into her underwear, Angelo’s groan of pleasure echoed hers once his fingers made contact with her tight wetness. He stroked the first two fingers of his hand up and down the lips of her pussy, coating his fingers in her juices, before he moved them up to her clit, where he rubbed the swollen nub.

  Angelo allowed Joi to take his lips with her own in a harsh, punishing kiss when she tugged his head back and planted her mouth on his. He groaned and traded his fingers for his thumb on her clit, sliding the two fingers of his right hand deep inside of her slit. Joi’s gasp and whimper sent a thrilling zing of pleasure, pride, and excitement streaking up his spine. Angelo bit her lower lip again, before thrusting his tongue back into her mouth, imitating the same motion his fingers were making inside her tight heat.

  “Fuck baby, you feel so good,” he growled, releasing her mouth for a moment.

  “Y-you d-do t-too,” Joi panted and Angelo groaned when the lips of her pussy tightened around his fingers, as if Joi wanted to keep them inside of her forever.

  “Hold on, love,” Angelo warned her, pressing her even more firmly against the wall, holding onto her firmly, as he began fucking her harder, deeper, faster with his fingers. He pressed in three fingers and growled at how tight his mate was around them. She was no virgin, but it had been a while for her, or she’d been doing those Keigels exercises because Angelo’s head was spinning with how tight she was. How snug her folds were.