Animalistic Galley Fin

by Lizzie Lynn Lee

  The two laughed together. During the past three months, she and Vanessa had become close friends. As humans in a shifter family, they stuck together. And it turned out that they had a lot in common since Vanessa wasn’t getting along that well with her own sisters. I love them, Vanessa had once said, but I don’t like them. If we were running away from a horde of zombies, I’d have no qualms about tripping them.

  “You’re terrible,” said Arielle, still chuckling.

  “I know, right? I can’t wait to help you plan your wedding. It’s next spring, right?”

  Arielle smiled. She unconsciously rubbed the engagement ring that Trent had given her last weekend. He had asked her to marry him and she had said yes. The ring was an Alexander family heirloom and had once belonged to Trent’s grandmother. It was a three carat blue diamond with a ruby set on either side. She didn’t want to think about how much it was actually worth. The rock was insured by Lloyds of London for a pretty penny. Because of that, she only wore it to formal functions. She wished that her mom could see it. Her parents would adore Trent. “We haven’t set the date yet, but we want a small, intimate ceremony. We even think about Vegas sometimes.”

  Vanessa widened her eyes. “Don’t you dare go elope to Vegas. If I had to suffer through this, then you should too, as a fellow daughter-in-law in the Alexander house.”

  “You call this wedding torture?”

  Vanessa managed to look sheepish. “If it were up to me, I would get married in jeans and eat pizza and beer afterward. But I think my mom and Savannah had a great time, don’t you? This party is more for them than it is for me.”

  Arielle nodded in agreement. “The things we do for love.”

  It was time for the bride to toss her bouquet. Stacy, Vanessa’s middle sister, was a bit wild to get the bouquet. She lurched toward it like a quarterback bulldozing his opponents for a glorious touchdown. Actually, it was kind of embarrassing to witness. Stacy caught the bouquet and danced like a maniac before she finally sobered. Arielle guessed that Stacy really wanted to get hitched soon.

  At the banquet, Trent gave a speech and roasted Quinn in the toast. Then there was the feast, the cutting of the cake, and the bride and groom’s first dance. There was no DJ playing obnoxiously loud music. A string quartet played dozens of songs throughout the evening. Savannah wanted to keep it classy and it worked. The wedding of Quinn and Vanessa was one of the most memorable events in Arielle’s life.

  Once the party was over and the guests had left, they retired to the house, and Vanessa’s family drove back to their hotel. Quinn and Vanessa would leave tomorrow morning for Paris; they were going to go for a two week honeymoon across Europe.

  The Alexander men lounged in front of the fireplace where Uncle Victor, Savannah’s older brother, opened a very expensive bottle of cognac. Savannah joined them for the conversation. It was rare for them to have all the family together because of their busy schedules. Even then, Arielle could tell that they were a close-knit bunch. She was fortunate to have them as her new family.

  She knew in her heart that she would never be lonely again.

  She was on the second floor helping Vanessa undress when Trent called to them to come down. Apparently, Trent had an announcement to make.

  “We were going to tell you guys after Quinn and Vanessa got back from their honeymoon. But what the hell, I’ll just do it now.” Trent pulled Arielle to his side, beaming like an overexcited kid. “We’re pregnant.”

  The room was silent for a second and the next, it exploded with cheers. Savannah jumped from her seat and lurched to Arielle to give her a bone-crushing hug. The matriarch of the family might be slim, but she packed a lot of firepower. Everybody congratulated them.

  “How far along? Have you gone to the doctor? When is your due date?” Savannah bombarded her with questions. “I can’t believe I’m finally going to be a grandmother!”

  Vanessa grinned next to her. “Way to go sis, the pressure is off of me.”

  “What are you talking about? We’re definitely going to try harder,” Quinn said to his new wife. “I’m not going to lose to Trent.”

  “Don’t make this a contest. You’re being ridiculous.”

  “I am not.”

  “You are.”

  “Damn it, woman, you’re so going to get it.” Quinn pulled his wife into his arms and kissed her amorously.

  “Children, play nice,” John chimed in. “I’m pretty sure, soon this house will be filled with little Quinn’s and Trent’s. Just imagine if one Quinn or Trent is a handful, a dozen of their little clones would turn this house upside down. Mother is going to be very busy.”

  “John, I’m not a baby factory,” Vanessa smacked John’s shoulder.

  “Speaking of that,” Uncle Victor addressed John. “When are you going to get married? Don’t you have a special lady? You’re not getting any younger, you know? How old are you? Thirty-five?”

  “I’m almost thirty. I’m in the prime of my life. Don’t make me sound like an old guy.”

  Savannah also chimed in, “Yeah, John. Your brothers are getting married, but you’re still sowing your wild oats left and right. It would be nice if you found a nice girl and settled down. Your father would want to see you happy, with a family of your own.”

  John visibly shuddered. “No. No way. I’ll never settle down. I’ll never fall in love or get married.”

  “That’s what I thought before I met Arielle,” said Trent, looking at her with his kitten-in-love gaze. “She proved me wrong.”

  “That’s not going to happen. I like being single and I’m going to be single until the day I die. Just you watch. Children and married life aren’t for me.”

  “Yeah, yeah. Big talk.” Trent waved him off.

  “I mean it.” John was adamant. “I’d never get married.”

  Trent rolled his eyes. “We’ll see about that, brother o’ mine.”

  The End…

  ~~EXTRA MATERIALS~~

  Arielle’s clipping from The Daily Post…

  BILLIONAIRE’S FIANCEE SPOTTED RIDING TIGER IN MANHATTAN STREET

  Earlier this morning, Vanessa Lyle (25) the fiancée of billionaire Quinn Alexander, CEO of Animatrica, was spotted riding a 700 pound Bengal tiger in The Bowery. Vanessa, known by close friends and family for her eccentricity, appeared to be walking her exotic pet on a dog leash. When the animal didn’t cooperate, she hopped on the tiger’s back and rode it as if it were a Shetland pony. Miraculously, the tiger didn’t seem to mind and allowed her on its back for several city blocks. Bengal tiger, panthera tigris tigris, the most abundant tiger subspecies and also crowned as the national animal of India and Bangladesh, was classified as endangered in 2011 by the IUCN. The city of New York also bans private ownership of exotic species defined as “dangerous wild animals.”

  Her action prompted negative reactions from the animal welfare community. Janet Willakowsky, the president of the Miami Big Cat Sanctuary in Florida voiced her outrage in her blog post: Bengal Tigers Aren’t Toys For Wealty [sic] Folks. Meanwhile, the hashtag #GetOffMyTiger has since trending on Twitter.

  Vanessa Lyle, who became the most Googled woman earlier this year when she became engaged to New York’s most eligible bachelor, Quinn Alexander, is the child Princeton mathematics professor J.M. Lyle and former Broadway actress, Ava Greenway. At the age of three, Vanessa scored 141 in the Stanford-Binet IQ test and became the second youngest American to join Mensa, the largest and oldest high IQ society in the world. Vanessa, who completed her degree in mathematics at Princeton and earned her a PhD at the age of nineteen, is known as the brainchild of last year’s mega blockbuster video game, “The Northmen Saga.”

  The Daily Post is trying to reach Ms. Lyle for comment but has so far been unsuccessful.

  A follow up from the previous article from The Daily Post…

  BILLIONAIRE’S FIANCEE RIDING TIGER IS A HOAX

  Vanessa Lyle (25), the fiancée of billio
naire Quinn Alexander, who had made headlines yesterday with a picture of her riding a pet Bengal tiger through Manhattan early Thursday morning has issued a statement through her representative. “The picture is clearly doctored. I don’t own a pet cat, let alone, a tiger. Don’t you people know tigers are dangerous animals? I’m adventurous, but I’m not suicidal, thank you very much.”

  Millicent Andrews, the head of Manhattan Animal Care and Control, confirmed that she and her team visited the Lyle’s and the Alexanders’ residences and didn’t find any trace of exotic animals. In fact, Andrews elaborated that the couple didn’t seem own any kind of pet, nor could any kind of registered ownership of exotic animals be traced back to them.

  Vanessa Lyle and Quinn Alexander, who are scheduled to tie a knot on Halloween Eve in Aspen, Colorado this year, told the New York Post that they learned a female fan of Quinn Alexander had posted the photoshopped picture online as a joke. The fan didn’t think it would go viral and for that, she apologized.

  Dear Reader,

  If you enjoyed this book, I’d be humbly ever so grateful if you would spare a little time to leave a review even if it’s only a line or two. And if you like to be notified for upcoming books, please consider joining my new release notification list.

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  Smuttily Yours,

  Lizzie

  About the Author:

  Lizzie Lynn Lee is a gutter-minded hopeless romantic who doesn’t live in this world most of the time. In her perfect utopia, her heroes never take their women for granted, love at first sight exists and soul mates always find a way to be together. She invites you to visit her world, where she spins her tales because the men are sizzling hot, master the art of sex and they are really into their ladies—be that a slim girl, or curvy, interracial, interspecies, sassy or shy—their adventures redefine erotica. Are you ready to be thrilled?

  www.ilizzie.com

  Lizzie Lynn Lee Bibliography

  Shunga Chronicles: Lady of the Snow

  Love in the Elevator

  Shunga Chronicles: Prince and the Assassin

  Payback

  Shunga Chronicles: Flight of the Heron

  Wicked Game

  Eve Aizawa: Eve of Seduction

  Busted

  Eve Aizawa: Deus Eve Machina

  Sexopalooza

  Switched

  Cyber Lover

  Jumping Bones

  The Wolf She Married

  Savannah’s Menage

  Charly’s Chocolate Factory with Celia Kyle

  Original Sin

  Lycan Wars 1: Instinct

  Claimed

  Hot-Blooded

  Fierce Heat with Celia Kyle

  Orient Fevre

  Gilded Cage

  Corporate Plaything

  Spirit World: Maison Plaisir

  To Bed A Goddess

  The Last Siren

  The Donor

  The Alien King and I

  Dangerous Curves: Wet

  Lions of the Serengeti: Jennifer’s Lion

  Lions of the Serengeti: Sarah’s Lion

  Bound to Me: Fever Lust

  Private Sessions

  Lions of the Serengeti: Caly’s Lion

  Faerykin

  Werebeasties

  Dragon Hunts

  Night of the Lions

  Chain of Lust

  Taken By a Nymph

  Maiden and the Lion

  Dominate Me with Noelle Ashford

  To Blackmail a Billionaire with Noelle Ashford

  Her Dragon Billionaire

  Kidnapped and Claimed

  Her Tiger Billionaire

  Raven’s Bride

  Her Lion Billionaire

  Bad Dick

  Naughty Librarian

  Lions of the Serengeti: Yazmina’s Lion

  Naughty Boys

  Scorched

  Tamed

  The Man with the Dragon Wings

  Tiger In Her Bed

  Hot Like Fire, Cold As Ice

  Special Preview: Tiger in Her Bed

  Available Now!

  It was a simple dare. Walk to her brooding, hot boss, Quinn Alexander, in the middle of the New Year’s office party and kiss the arrogant smirk off the bastard. Fueled by too much alcohol, Vanessa Lyle impetuously takes up the challenge.

  The next morning after the hangover fades, she’s mortified. To think she’d been drunkenly brazen enough to steal a kiss from her boss. Quinn will fire her for sure.

  To her surprise, she gets to keep her job because Quinn demands she fix the problem she’s caused. Someone had taken a video of that scandalous kiss and posted it on social media. The video went viral. Quinn’s mom happens see the video and demands to meet his “girlfriend.” Quinn orders Vanessa to pretend to be his woman just to keep his mom off his back.

  During a weekend at his parents’ house, Quinn takes pretending to a whole different level. He can’t keep his hands off her, in and out of his bed. But then she discovers his furry secret. Hot guy + big cat = trouble, and curvaceous Vanessa learns it the hard way…

  Chapter One

  Not once had Vanessa Lyle considered she’d have to endure the dreadful walk of shame when she got to the office this morning. All eyes were glued on her as she shuffled past the lobby, into her cubicle. The partition in the workspace was so low—the company insisted the open space plan promoted workers’ productivity—that Vanessa couldn’t hide her face, even if she wanted to. So she dove under her desk, pretending to fix a computer cable, until it was safe for her to emerge.

  Someone cleared their throat. Vanessa instinctively looked up.

  Her coworker, Ivy Bishop, loomed from behind. “What are you doing?” she asked in her whinnying voice.

  Vanessa winced inwardly. God, how she disliked this pugnacious person. It was Ivy’s fault she was in this situation. If Ivy hadn’t goaded her. If she hadn’t consumed so much alcohol.

  If only.

  If only.

  That was the game she played over and over in her head.

  Gah!

  She needed a re-do button. She’d like to take everything back from that New Year’s Eve party.

  “Do you need something?” Vanessa ignored Ivy’s query. She forced her face into a blank mask and climbed into her office chair. She powered up her dual monitors and the desktop and began her morning ritual: tidy up her workspace, arrange her notes and writing implements, then check her work journal. Mise en place. Preparation before work led to maximum productivity. It was going to be a busy day: two project meetings with the animation department and writing a patch program for the render farm.

  Assuming she still had her job.

  Vanessa wouldn’t put it past Quinn. She’d seen him fire people for lesser offenses. What she did to him at the office party put her in the cardinal sin category.

  “I can’t believe you really kissed Quinn,” Ivy blurted.

  Before Vanessa could open her mouth, others swooped in like hungry vultures.

  “They said you walked up to Quinn and kissed him. Is it true?” asked the girl from accounting.

  “Yowza. So how was it?” asked the girl’s friend.

  Vanessa waved them off. “It was nothing. I was drunk. I didn’t know what I was doing,” she answered diplomatically. Like she was going to spill her guts to these people. Never! They were Quinn’s hardcore fangirls.

  “You? Drunk?” The accounting girl rolled her eyes.

  “What did Quinn do after you kissed him?” the other girl pressed.

  “Uh-oh.” Vanessa pinched the bridge of her nose. The incident was rather hazy. Quinn looked surprised when she snuck up on him and tapped his shoulder. She then tip
-toed and planted a light kiss on his lips. She remembered giggling afterward and did a thumbs up in Stephen and Ivy’s direction.

  Then what happened after that?

  Oh yeah. She recalled that Quinn had herded her toward the restroom, suggesting she was drunk. Duh, Captain Obvious. She remembered her boss helped her into a taxi, but not before pinning her against the wall, and kissing the life out of her.

  Did that really happen or was it just a figment of her imagination?

  There was no way Quinn would kiss her back. The man was an Ice King. Mr. All Work and No Play. His Majesty Lord Demon.

  Now that she thought about it, did Quinn also get into the taxi and escort her to her rented home? Vanessa lived with two housemates, but at that time, Nina and Silvia had also been out partying. She couldn’t verify if Quinn had indeed taken her home.

  And the next morning, Vanessa had the worst hangover ever. From that day on, she swore off alcohol for life.

  “Well?” Quinn’s fangirls pressed.

  “He knew I was wasted and put me into a cab and sent me home,” Vanessa said, omitting the rest.

  “Did he say anything to you?” Ivy pestered.

  Vanessa shrugged. “Honestly, I don’t remember.”

  “Come on. This is Quinn we’re talking about. You must remember something.”

  “I don’t know! Geez. After the fifth whiskey sour you guys forced me to drink, everything was kinda blurry.”

  Ivy and the two girls looked disappointed.

  “You’re the first one who dared to do that and get away with it. I wish I had the courage.” The girl from accounting sighed theatrically. “Quinn is so yummy.”

  The others chorused their agreements.

  Vanessa rolled her eyes. Give me a break.