Operation Wolf: Gunner ~ Sedona Venez

by Venez, Sedona

  “Huh?”

  “You need a woman in your life . . . to mellow your ass right out. But she has to be a wild one . . . free-spirited. The yin to your yang. Opposites attract . . .” Jimmy raised an eyebrow at my look of surprise. “Don’t act so shocked, bro. I know you better than you know yourself sometimes. You’re a good friend, Gunner, but you couldn’t be more conservative if you had a stick up your ass, and this is one of the most eclectic places in America.” He clapped me on the shoulder and laughed. “Personally, I think the change of scenery will be good for you. You need to loosen the fuck up.”

  With those words, Jimmy climbed the last few steps, and then he fished for his keys and opened the door. “Emily, I’m home!” he called as he led me into a cozy living room that looked absolutely nothing like any living room I had been in before.

  Sure, there were couches, chairs, and a television set, but hanging on the walls were dream catchers with little pentagrams, as well as circular wooden decorations that appeared to be showcasing some kind of tree with branches and roots that curled and spread out in the same directions. Little handmade dolls depicting pagan goddesses were scattered across the mantel, as well as candles in holders carved into the shapes of moons or suns, and incense scented the air.

  “I told her she could decorate the living room whichever way she wanted,” Jimmy muttered to me out of the corner of his mouth. “Not every room in the house looks like this.”

  Before I could respond, a woman dressed in a flowing white dress swept into the room. A colorful scarf was tied around her pale blond hair, and pentagram-shaped earrings dangled from her lobes, a perfect match to the pendant that hung from her neck. Rings and bracelets sparkled on her hands and wrists, though not as brightly as her amethyst eyes sparkled when they landed on Jimmy.

  “Jim!” The woman I knew had to be Emily planted a kiss on her husband’s mouth. “I see you’ve managed to bring your friend back here safely. Why don’t you introduce me to—”

  She turned to face me, and the sparkle in her eyes died instantly when she set them on me. Shock flared in those amethyst depths before they hardened, and the hairs on my neck rose at the animosity I smelled rolling off her in waves.

  “I’m Gunner,” I tried to say warmly, doing my best to hide my anxiety.

  I shook hands with Emily and sized her up, just as she was doing to me.

  Could she know what I am? My stomach twisted with dread at the very thought.

  “Jimmy’s told me a lot about you.”

  “All good things, I hope.” She smiled, but it was forced, and none of the warmth returned to her eyes.

  “Of course, love.” Jimmy hooked an arm around his wife’s trim waist and pulled her against him, seeming to sense the tension in the room. “How could I have anything else to say when I’ve got nothing bad to report?”

  Her face softened, and she leaned up to press a soft kiss to Jimmy’s nose. The tender gesture sent a pang of longing through me, and I suddenly looked away, feeling as though I were intruding on a private moment.

  “You’re too sweet,” she murmured. “Why don’t you show Gunner up to his room? And I’ll set breakfast out on the table. You two must be famished.”

  “You’re the best, honey.” Jimmy gave her a peck on the cheek. Then he hefted one of my bags and made for the stairs. “C’mon, bro. Let’s get you settled in.”

  I followed him up the stairs, feeling Emily’s hostile stare boring a hole between my shoulder blades the entire way.

  CHAPTER 3

  Gunner

  I WAS SITTING ON the bed in my room, a security guard training manual open on my lap, when I heard a soft knock at the door. My heart sank a little as I caught the delicate floral scent of Jimmy’s wife, and my shoulders tensed involuntarily. It had only been an hour since Jimmy left me, having only taken the morning off from work to pick me up. I’d thought I’d be able to hide from Emily for at least a little while longer.

  Apparently, it was no use. Jimmy’s wife wanted to talk, and I couldn’t very well deny her since I was living in her home.

  “Come in,” I called, turning the page of my manual.

  The door opened, and I looked up as Emily stepped inside. Her shoulders were squared, but I could sense her unease by her momentary hesitation to enter the room as well as the shadowed look in her eyes.

  “I see you’re studying for your exam,” she remarked quietly, closing the door behind her.

  I glanced down at the book in my lap and then back up at her as I smiled uncertainly. “Yes, ma’am. I need to be prepared. Jimmy is going to take me to meet his boss tomorrow, and he says I’m expected to take the examination next week.”

  She nodded. “Good. The sooner you pass the exam and get started on your job, the sooner you can get your own place.”

  Her blunt confirmation of her intentions toward me wounded me more than I liked to admit, but I simply raised an eyebrow.

  “I definitely don’t intend to impose, but Jimmy didn’t give me the impression he was trying to rush me out of here,” I answered, not willing to be intimidated.

  “He wouldn’t since he doesn’t know what you are, but I do.” Emily’s eyes locked on me like magnets as she drew closer, and after a moment’s thought, she perched herself on the edge of the bed that was the farthest away from me.

  Cautious. She’s definitely being cautious.

  Well, that was all well and good. If she knew what I was, then she had every reason to be afraid of me.

  “Tell me, Mrs. McKinnley,” I inquired, crossing my arms, “what exactly is it that you think you know about me?”

  “I know you’re a shifter of some kind,” she remarked, raising her chin, her eyes hard once more. “And while I don’t generally bear ill will to any of Mother Earth’s creations, it has been my experience that your kind brings nothing but trouble, and I am not interested in upsetting the balance in our home.”

  My eyes narrowed. “Judge, jury, and executioner all in one, huh?” I barked a laugh and passed a hand over my face. “I guess I should have expected this though, after my fiancée’s reaction when I told her the truth about myself.”

  I thought I saw a flicker of pity in her eyes, but her expression remained stony.

  “You should have told her right off the bat,” she quipped dispassionately. “Or simply not told her at all. It would have saved you a lot of heartache.”

  “There was no right off the bat,” I spat, furious at her presumption. My inner beast rumbled in my chest, excited by the rage swirling in my heart, and I knew my eyes had changed to gold by the flicker of fear now in Emily’s eyes. “I was a normal man when I asked Julia to marry me. I didn’t become a shifter until I was ambushed by a pack of wolves in Bolivia while being chased through the jungle.” My voice thickened as my fangs slid out involuntarily, puncturing my bottom lip.

  She jumped off the bed as I bared them at her out of sheer frustration.

  “Do you think I asked for this?” I barked, shaking with anger.

  She was backed into a corner now, her eyes wide. “You’re out of control,” she accused, her voice shaking a little, though her back and shoulders remained ramrod stiff.

  I leaned back against the pillows, taking in a deep breath, and as I exhaled, my fangs retreated. I also knew that, by now, my eye color had to be fading back to its normal silver-gray hue. “I am not,” I assured calmly. “A display of emotion doesn’t have to equal a loss of control. I’m not about to hurt you—or Jimmy, for that matter. He’s my oldest friend, and I never would have come here if I’d thought I would be putting him in any damn danger.” I lifted an eyebrow. “I have far more history with him than you, even if you are his wife.”

  Her eyes snapped with fire at that. “Don’t presume to tell me that you have a closer relationship with my husband than I do,” she spat. The ire faded from her eyes, replaced by weariness. “But since I do know him so well, I know you’ve saved his life twice, and he is incredibly loyal to you, not without reas
on.” She sighed. “I won’t mention any of this to him—not just because he wouldn’t believe me anyway, but also because I don’t want to put him in a position where he’s forced to choose sides. But please, I would appreciate it if you made yourself scarce as soon as possible. I don’t have any problem with you continuing your friendship with Jimmy, but your presence in our household is a danger I simply can’t afford.”

  I nodded, unable to find fault with her logic, though I didn’t know if I agreed with her fears. “I promise I won’t stay any longer than I have to,” I told her. “Really, you have nothing to fear from me. I’m not going to lose control and attack you or your husband.”

  “It’s not you I’m worried about,” she confessed, turning to the door. “It’s the kind of trouble you’re undoubtedly going to bring.” She glanced at me over her shoulder. “You’re not the only shifter in this city, and I wouldn’t count on being left alone. Before long, you’re going to stumble onto someone else’s territory, and goddess only knows what you’ll get mixed up in then.”

  The door closed behind her with a slam, and I stared at it for a long moment, her warning echoing loudly in my ears. I finally wrenched my gaze back to the manual in my lap and started to study again.

  CHAPTER 4

  Gunner

  “HEY!” THE DOOR TO my room banged against the wall as it swung open, and Jimmy came marching in, a broad grin on his face. “Get up, you miserable excuse for a soldier. It’s time you and I went out for some real fun.”

  I groaned, setting the book I’d been reading on the nightstand so I could give him my full attention. “I’m a little afraid to know what your idea of real fun is,” I replied, eyeing Jimmy up and down. Gone was the conservative security uniform he wore for work, replaced by a leather jacket, black T-shirt, and dark jeans over motorcycle boots. “If not for your hair and lack of tattoos or piercings, I’d think you were ready to go out to a rock concert.”

  “Not a concert but we are going to a club,” Jimmy declared, “to celebrate you finishing your security training and also passing your exam.”

  I’d aced the exam nearly two weeks ago, and Jimmy had been so busy that he hadn’t brought up celebrating at the time—to my relief. I should have known it would catch up to me sooner or later.

  “Get dressed, bro. The night’s in full swing now, so we have to get a jump on things if we don’t want to miss any of the action.”

  “Yeah, no kidding,” I drawled, checking my watch, which read ten o’clock. The last thing I’d expected at this hour was for Jimmy to spring a guys’ night out on me. “For Christ’s sake, man, I’m in bed.”

  “Yes, which is something we need to remedy if we’re to have any hope of getting you fucked tonight.” Impatient, Jimmy threw open my closet and rummaged through the clothing hanging in there. “Shit. Don’t you have anything decent to wear?”

  Chuckling, I crossed the room and pushed Jimmy away from my garments. “What is this about, getting me fucked? Is that why we’re going out tonight? And what does your wife think about this?” Frankly, the last thing on my mind was getting involved with another woman, not so soon after leaving Julia.

  “All my wife knows is that I’m taking you out to celebrate, and she is happy I’m getting you out of the house.” Jimmy clapped me on the back.

  I didn’t think for a second that Emily was happy I was getting out of the house as much as she was happy that I wouldn’t be around to attract trouble, as she’d suggested.

  “Aside from your job training, you never do anything except sit in your room and read or work out, and I’m sick of watching you mope around in here. You need to get out and experience life again. Now, hurry up and get dressed.”

  I glared at the door as it shut behind him. Then I sighed and looked at my closet again. Maybe Jimmy was right. I had been a bit of a recluse ever since arriving, but that didn’t mean I was doing anything wrong. I just wanted to get my life in order first, which meant proving myself at my new job and getting my own place. And I still hadn’t decided whether or not I wanted to try to let a woman into my life.

  What normal woman would want to be with someone like me?

  As soon as she found out I was part monster, she would run for the hills, and I would just suffer damn heartbreak all over again.

  “You’re not the only shifter in this city.” Emily’s voice echoed in my head.

  What if I actually found a woman who wasn’t human?

  Getting involved with a shifter was exactly the kind of thing that would invite trouble. Invite it right to Jimmy and Emily’s doorstep. That’s what she didn’t want and was part of the reason I had been keeping to myself. I was determined not to cause any trouble while under Jimmy’s roof.

  Maybe I shouldn’t go out tonight. Why not just come up with an excuse? Tell Jimmy I’m not feeling well. Better not to risk the chance of running into trouble, especially when I’m out with him.

  I sighed. I knew Jimmy wouldn’t take no for an answer, and I also knew there was no point in my trying to tell him the truth. If Jimmy didn’t believe in the supernatural after being married to a Wiccan for three years, he certainly wasn’t going to start now. Unless I showed him the truth, but I couldn’t stand the idea that Jimmy would turn away from me too.

  Resigning myself to a very long night, I picked out some clothes and hurriedly dressed before Jimmy really did come back and decide to drag my ass to the club in my boxers.

  CHAPTER 5

  Celine

  “CELINE, IF YOUR DAD could see you here now, he’d have a hissy fit,” Tamara commented.

  I swiveled my body on the barstool so that I was facing my friend instead of the bar counter. Tamara sat on the stool next to me with a half-full martini glass dangling from one hand. She wore a tight black miniskirt, artfully ripped to show glimpses of her creamy thighs, a cropped white top that bared her toned midriff, and black heeled booties. Her lips were glistening with red lip gloss, her black ringlets a wild and tangled mess, her smoky eyes lined with kohl, and the way she bobbed her head in time to the salsa music pumping through the speakers made me think she ought to be up on stage with the band playing in the background behind her.

  Rolling my eyes, I picked up my own glass, which contained gin and tonic, and swirled it before taking a sip. “My dad would never even consider looking for me here, which is why I decided to come here in the first damn place.” I pushed my black hair over my shoulder. I’d teased it into a tousled mess of corkscrew curls, not dissimilar to Tamara’s, though her black hair only brushed her jawline, while mine cascaded down to mid-back.

  Tamara looked at me dubiously. “Well, if your idea was to be a rebel, you could have at least dressed the damn part,” she pointed out, studying my outfit.

  I shrugged uncomfortably, knowing I was dressed more conservatively than my friend, between the blood-red blouse I wore beneath my leather jacket and the skintight black jeans and stiletto boots. The only skin I was baring was on my face, throat, and hands. I knew Dad wouldn’t see it that way. The skintight ensemble left very little to the imagination and would be anything but conservative in his eyes.

  “If I’d known you were just going to criticize my outfit, I wouldn’t have asked you to come out here with me tonight,” I snapped.

  She was ruining a perfectly good night at my favorite spot. Even though I hadn’t been here in a long time, I loved this club because it edged a little closer toward bar-with-a-dance-floor territory. The whole scene felt fairly Miami-inspired with mojitos and drinks that came in real coconuts. The crowd was culturally diverse. The club had DJ nights or live bands that rolled out sets chock-full of rock, salsa, merengue, samba, rumba, reggaeton, calypso, and a smattering of old-school hip-hop.

  It was Tamara’s turn to roll her eyes. “Oh, don’t be such a sourpuss,” she replied and then drained her glass. “I’m just teasing you. I’m glad you’re finally out of Carter’s slimy little clutches, even if it is just for a little while.” She signaled the bartender t
o refill our drinks. “So glad, in fact, that this one’s on me.” She winked.

  I sighed and took my refilled drink. “Good, because I’m definitely going to need it.”

  Tamara eyed me as she knocked back the second drink a lot more quickly than the first. “What’s the deal with your Prince Charming anyway?” she asked. “Have you guys decided whether or not you’re going to seal the deal? And, more importantly . . . finally have sex?”

  I shuddered. “I’ve been stalling on both counts at every possible opportunity.”

  As the daughter of Damon Cooper, the owner of Cooper Enterprises, I was heir to a vast number of holdings, as well as one of the largest shipping companies in the United States. As such, Dad fully expected me to marry and produce an heir before he died, and since Carter was a wealthy banker, an investor in Cooper Enterprises, and more importantly, a wolf-shifter just like me, Dad considered him to be the only truly acceptable match for me. So, in an official ceremony in front of our pack, I had given my word to marry Carter and be his lifelong mate, despite the fact that he made my skin crawl.

  But what no one else knew was that Carter had, on more than one occasion, let me know if I didn’t go through with it, he would destroy Dad’s company. And, as the primary shareholder, it was a viable threat.

  “Aw, c’mon.” Tamara rubbed my back. “Carter might be an asshole, but at least he’s total hotness wrapped up in a thousand-dollar suit. Isn’t that what every woman wants?”

  I sneered. “Maybe if she’s a gold digger, which I’m certainly not.” Sighing, I glanced toward the dance floor.

  Patrons were swaying and grinding on each other to the rhythmic sound of a catchy salsa song the band onstage was throwing down.

  A movement out of the corner of my eye caught my attention, and I turned my head to see two large, gorgeous men enter the club. The first was attractive with an open face and easygoing smile, and while he didn’t really look like the club type, he had definitely decided to play the part with his leather jacket and dark jeans. Behind him, looking very much as though he’d been dragged inside against his will, was a stockier man with dark hair. While he’d obviously made an effort to fit in by wearing a black leather jacket, red T-shirt, and jeans, it was clear that he was the furthest thing from a club patron and that this was the last place he’d have picked to go and enjoy a Friday night.