by Amelia Jade
Still, he didn't seem to have any other choice...
***
"Garrett, can I speak to you outside for a moment?"
He looked up in surprise as the deep voice cut through the noise like a bandsaw, penetrating the fog that surrounded his head with ease.
"Of course," he said to Ajax. One didn't refuse a request from an Alpha, especially not one of his standing.
Garrett stood up and followed the other man outside, trying to come up with a good way to help Evan escape what was coming. Why else would Ajax seek him out, other than to let him know he'd found out about the fake report?
The door swung closed behind him as he stepped out onto the porch that ran along the entire length of the front of the bar. Ajax was standing off to one side, and Garrett walked up to him. The two shifters were almost the same size; though Ajax may have topped Garrett slightly, it wasn't noticeable.
"What can I do for you?" he asked, opening the conversation.
"Actually, Garrett, I owe you an apology."
Garrett coughed in disbelief.
"For what?" he managed to get out.
"It would appear that one of my crew impersonated me to the Consortium Liaison Office, in an attempt to get you in trouble."
He froze as the other Alpha spoke.
"I understand that you have a new liaison officer now, instead of Miss Labelle, because of this. That is unfortunate, and thus I apologize for the added hardship."
Garrett nodded slowly. "How did you find out about all this?" he asked cautiously.
"Emma came and told me." The other shifter laughed mildly. "Actually, she came and accused me of being out to get you. Then when the truth came out—and after I dealt with the situation on my end—she asked if I would come and lend my help to your cause. It seemed ideal for me to apologize while I was here as well. Two birds, one stone, such as it is."
"That was very nice of her," Garrett responded. "How did you deal with it?"
"I ended the shifter who was at fault," Ajax said with remorse.
Garrett swallowed hard, knowing what was coming next. Ajax would demand punishment be exacted for Evan. Garrett would refuse, so then Ajax would come after him instead. Garrett maintained no illusions about how a fight with Ajax would go down. The other shifter was older and more experienced than he was. While it would not be a sure thing, he would really prefer not to find out.
"Although he didn't mention it beforehand, now that I've had some time to think, I realize he was probably coerced by someone from your crew."
Shit. Here it comes.
"But so that you are aware, it does not matter. This shifter, "Ajax refused to use the names of the dead, "had already worn out his welcome. This was but the final straw. Whether he was coerced or not, he was the one that chose his actions. I do not hold you nor your crew responsible."
Garrett let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, and spoke for the first time in awhile. "Thank you. I only just found out about it, and with everything else going on, I would never survive that sort of thing becoming public knowledge, nor having one of my crew ended."
Ajax nodded. "You would not have let me exact punishment either, would you?" he questioned.
"No," Garrett replied firmly, meeting the other Alpha's eyes steadily.
"Good."
"Good?" Garrett said.
"One of the things Emma asked me to do was to see if I could help you get the Consortium off your ass. I made a phone call to that effect, but it was contingent on me getting a better feel for you as an Alpha. We have not interacted much, which I now feel is a shame. You'll do just fine Garrett. I don't think you need my help."
"Well, thank you," he said. "I must admit to being caught off guard. Emma asked you to do all this, you say?"
"Your mate is a special one, Garrett," Ajax said with a smile, moving back toward the door.
"My mate?"
Ajax paused and turned back.
"You have not claimed her as such yet?"
"Well, no," he mumbled, feeling embarrassed under the reproving gaze of the older shifter.
"You should probably fix that, don't you think?"
"I do. Any ideas where I can find her?" Garrett said with a lopsided grin.
"Try your residence."
"Thank you," he said, already moving to his truck.
"I'll keep my crew in line tonight. Everything will be fine," Ajax promised.
Now it was Garrett's turn to have a little fun. "Oh, I think you'll find that unnecessary tonight," he said cryptically, before pulling the door shut after him, enjoying the confused look on Ajax's face.
He needed to get to the Lodge.
Now.
***
Chapter Twelve
Emma
The duffel bag slammed onto the bed, some of her frustration taken out on the inanimate object. Although she knew that the bag didn't deserve her wrath, she couldn't deny the pleasure it gave her to do so. The zipper opened with much the same gusto, and she began roughly shoving her clothing inside, not caring if it became crumpled or not.
She would be back "home" soon enough that it didn't matter, she snorted, rolling her eyes at the thought. Home, for Emma, would be a tiny apartment paid for by LMC, and leased to her. One of the reasons she hadn't made any fuss about the living conditions at the Ridgeback Lodge was that they were still a step up from what she had been living in for the past year.
The Mining Consortium, to her at least, seemed to operate under the assumption that their employees should hate the places they called home. By working to ensure that that was the case, they obviously assumed that those same employees would want to spend more time in the office for their loved employer.
That wasn't entirely fair, she thought to herself. The Consortium Liaison Office was a different breed entirely, an offshoot from the main body of the company. She wondered if the Kedyn brothers were truly aware of just how corrupt the office had become. It seemed unlikely, given the way the Kedyns tried to operate everything. Her office was supposed to work to help the human population by protecting them from the shifters. Instead, they worked to instill fear in the shifters. It was an abomination in her eyes, but she had no idea how to go about changing it.
Emma looked up as a loud screech like that of tires sounded in the parking lot. Her suspicion was confirmed when she heard the dull thud of a car door being closed. After the way Evan had taken her hostage the other night, Emma had kept a tranquilizer gun on her at all times, signing it out from the office without the shifters' knowledge. She hadn't even told Garrett about it.
Ajax had told her that they had arrived at the Tongue and Flame, so none of them should have been back at the Lodge. She grabbed the gun from her nightstand and crept toward the window. Before she got there, someone began to pound on the door.
"Go away!" she shouted. "I have a gun. I'm fully trained to use it, and I will shoot your ass if you don't leave me alone," she threatened, astounded at how level her voice sounded.
"Emma?" came the muffled words from outside.
"Garrett?!" she yelled, her shoulders sagging in relief as she recognized the voice. She sat down on the edge of the bed, her knees trembling.
"So, can we talk? Maybe, you know, face-to-face instead of through the door?" he asked a moment later.
"Coming!" she yelled in embarrassment and practically flung herself at the door, undoing the dual locks before swinging it open for the Alpha of the Ridgebacks.
"Hi," she said unsteadily as he loomed above her. She loved the way his coal-black stubble complimented the shock of pitch-black hair on his head. It looked so much better when he didn't shave for a day or two, like now. Without thinking, her hand instinctively reached up to caress it.
"Hello," he said into her hand, his head tilting into her touch as he stood rooted to the spot. "Can I come in?"
"Of course," she said, reluctantly dropping her hand from his jaw.
She turned with a flourish, the ponytail of red hair swish
ing around until it lightly slapped Garrett in the arm. He chuckled at her exaggerated motion and followed her outstretched arm to the bed, where he sat down, eyeing the clothing she had been in the middle of packing.
"I take it they called you as well?" he said, gesturing at her luggage.
"Yes, the assholes," she swore, her face heating up with anger, and, if she was honest, some embarrassment. "You need to watch yourself around Nash. He's nasty, and he won't hesitate to write a poor report about you."
"It's okay," he said with a smile. "Ajax already handled that."
"He did?" she said in surprise.
"He did. Thanks to you, apparently. So I think I owe you one."
"Oh," she said, pursing her lips as she tried to figure out why Ajax would have done that. She had asked him to help out Garrett, but that seemed to go way beyond what she had meant. "He didn't, you know...?"
"Kill him?" Garrett laughed, "No, though I don't think any of us would have been overly upset. He made a phone call, and shortly thereafter Nash received one, stating that he was being removed from the Ridgebacks. You should have seen the look on his face!"
The two of them laughed for a moment, some of the tension easing.
"I'm still recalled," she said sourly.
"I thought you were transferred back to the office?" Garrett questioned.
"I am. They recalled me from field duty," she said glumly. Despite the possible outcomes of field duty, it was what she longed to do. Studying reports in a cubicle was not her idea of a fun time.
"So why are you leaving?"
"Because they pulled me from the Ridgebacks..." she said slowly, trying to understand what Garrett was getting at, or if he was just being dumb.
"I understand that. Does that mean you can't still live here?" he pushed.
She stared at him in surprise. The idea that the Ridgebacks might want her to stick around had never even crossed her mind. Why would any mining crew want a liaison living in their midst if they could avoid it? That made little to no sense on her end. They hated her office, not that she could completely blame them with what it had become, but still...
"Why?" she asked finally.
"Because I want you to," he said firmly.
It was nice to hear; Emma couldn't deny that. Everyone liked to be wanted, and she was no different in that respect. Still, she needed more than that if she was to stay with the Jade Crew.
"I want to stay too, Garrett," she said softly, looking up into his eyes, the green orbs making a mockery of even the prettiest of stones his crew might find. "But I need to know why," she finished, her eyes never wavering.
He hesitated. It was slight, so brief in fact that most people might have missed it, but she didn't. Emma could see the nerves in his jaw and in his eyes, though they never once translated to his voice as he spoke.
"I want you to stay because I love you, Emma Labelle. Because you're my mate, dammit, and I should have told you that a long time ago," he replied, passion infusing his voice as he spoke. There was no mistaking the truth in his voice, and she smiled as sheer happiness overtook her.
"I love you too, Garrett. I love you too," she said, throwing her hands around his neck in a big hug.
"Why didn't you say anything then?" he protested, muscles flexing as he gathered her up into his arms and lying back on the bed.
"Because, you idiot, I'm a lady," she said with a false air of arrogance, before descending into a fit of giggles as he snuck a finger into her armpit, tickling her for good measure.
"Stop that!" she said, slapping his arm, for all the good it did. "Oooh, look at you, you're so strong," she mocked, flexing her own arm as if to prove the difference. "Taking advantage of your strength are you? Over a helpless little human woman?" she teased.
"Well," he said, kicking her luggage off the bed before he rolled her onto her back, his arms gently pinning hers above her head. "I hadn't meant to, I swear. It just happened," he all but purred, slowly lowering his face toward hers.
"Mmm, well, I hope you told her you were sorry and made it up to her," she said, her eyes twinkling with laughter.
"I haven't yet, but I promise I have every intention of it."
"Good," she replied in the instant before his lips met hers, passion overtaking the moment.
Her hands squirmed, trying to break free from his grip, but he never moved. His kisses matched hers, their intensity increasing as they moved from a slow and passionate burn to a quick and aroused frenzy. He bit down gently on her neck, causing her back to arch as she moaned loudly, enjoying the slight dominance of her love, of her mate. It was intoxicating, and she felt her body respond, blood swelling her breasts and warmth flooding between her legs as her body readied to take him.
"You need to take my clothes off," she commanded, her voice turning to a hiss as he trailed a line of kisses along her collarbone, igniting a fire within her. "Now."
His eyes flicked up to her at that last statement, reading the urgency in her tone. Without further hesitation he removed his grip, his hands tearing her shirt up and over her head instead.
"Don't rip them!" she told him as he fumbled with her pants, trying to get the tight button undone. Pushing his hands aside, she did it for him, giving him a sly wink as he proceeded to finish stripping her naked. He rolled his eyes in response before giving her a quick kiss as he tossed her pants aside.
Any sense of power that she felt was stripped from her as he slid down the bed, positioning himself between her legs. Although he was still fully clothed, Emma for once did not feel any semblance of reluctance at baring her naked body for him. She had never been entirely comfortable being naked around a member of the opposite sex, but Garrett was so relaxed and happy that she couldn't help but be the same.
Until his tongue flicked out and made contact with her inner thigh. She flinched, and then forced herself to relax as he continued to explore between her legs. The urgency of a few moments ago was forgotten as he slowly circled around her clit, taking his time as he worked her closer to the edge.
"I don't know," she said between gasps and moans, "how you got so damn good at that, but holy hell, Garrett. That feels so fucking good."
He made an unintelligible noise from between her legs, and then all of a sudden he slipped a finger inside of her. Emma writhed slowly under his touch as Garrett began to increase the speed of his touch, his finger matching the rhythm of his tongue perfectly. Her eyes closed involuntarily as she lay back on the bed, trying to keep her hips still so that he didn't lose his pace, though she felt her body betraying her.
"Faster," she urged, feeling the explosion coming. Obediently he did as he was told, following her commands completely as she began to shudder.
"Oh fuck!" she cried out, moments before her body tightened and then exploded into action as she came for him. The punishing spasms racked her body as he continued with his actions, never losing the rhythm.
"Wait, stop. Stop!" she begged. "Oh!" Garrett slid a second finger inside of her, and all of a sudden everything was forgotten as he eased up with his tongue slightly, letting her focus on the digits sliding in and out of her, curling up ever so slightly as he buried them completely.
After a moment, he resumed his onslaught with his tongue, but she had had a moment to recover now, and the second orgasm came quickly after the first, in another blinding explosion of light and pleasure that shot through her body from head to toe. This time she pushed herself back from Garrett, muscles flexing without her control as she recovered.
When she finally opened her eyes, she realized with astonishment that Garrett was already naked. Not letting her surprise get the better of her, she reached out with one hand and wrapped it around his cock, feeling the steel-like rigidity as she pulled it between her legs.
"Don't stop," she commanded as he tried to slow down. She wanted all of him inside of her right then.
Like before, he did as he was told, pushing his hips slowly forward until they were grinding against hers. Emma let out a
tiny little whimper as she adjusted to his size, her walls gripping him tightly.
But despite the pain, there was pleasure. Oh, so much pleasure, she thought to herself. More than enough to outweigh any brief amount of pain, which was already fading.
"Fuck me," she told him. "Fuck me like I'm yours," she said, wrapping her hands around his head and pulling his face to her. She tasted herself upon his lips, but as his cock slid in and out of her, she found she didn't care. The pleasure was overwhelming, and Emma realized she liked it.
Garrett wrapped his arms under her back and hoisted her up as he sat back on his knees. He was still inside of her, and she took advantage of the position to grind her hips into his, enjoying the way his eyes rolled back into their sockets each time she slid back onto him.
The pace became more frenetic, and with a growl her mate picked her up and turned her around, mounting her from behind. An extremely strong arm reached forward and pressed her head down onto the bed as his other hand grasped her waist, pulling it back into him.
"Oh!" was the only sound she could make as he buried himself inside her from a new direction, one that happened to hit her inner walls just perfectly. "Like that," she begged, though the sound was muffled through the sheets. "Fuck me just like that!"
Garrett must have heard, because he began to move like a piston, his rock-hard cock pumping in and out of her at breakneck speed. She felt his body tighten, and his hand disappeared off her head to grab the other side of her waist as he went into overdrive.
"Fucckkk!" Garrett grunted as she felt him cum inside of her, warmth rushing out of him into her as he shot jet after jet. Although she didn't climax this time, she was able to turn her head just enough to watch his face, which turned her on even more, knowing that she had done that to him, and that the pleasure etched in his facial expression was a direct result of her talents. That was enough for her.
Until he was ready to go again at least, she thought with a smile.
Chapter Thirteen
Garrett
The trucks pulled up into the parking lot of the Ridgeback Lodge, and huge, muscled men piled out of them.
