Act of Passion

by Mandy M. Roth

  “Me too, but I think things will be different now. These people have sort of closed ranks around us, like we’re family to them or something. I swear to you at least fifty different men from PSI have shown up here to check on you, and to let Malik know they were there for anything he needed while his mate healed.”

  “I still have a hard time understanding the entire mating thing,” confessed Brooke.

  Edee leaned and hugged her. “Go take a shower. I’ll grab you some clothes.”

  “How long have I been here?” asked Brooke.

  Edee stood. “It’s been five days since everything happened.”

  Brooke turned and put her feet on the floor. “Ohmygod, my poor baby! She has to be freaking out. I need her. Where is she?”

  Edee laughed softly. “She’s currently hosting a tea party. Go shower. She’s fine. I promise. Let her have this time with him.”

  “Him?” asked Brooke.

  “Her father,” confessed Edee as she walked in the direction of a different door. “He dotes on her. And she’s already got him and all the other alphas here wrapped around her little finger. They’re kind of hopeless. The kid works them all with ease. Now clean up, you’re starting to smell.”

  “I need to see Gram,” said Brooke.

  Edee sighed. “Honey, James and Auberi both told me he’s going to be fine. He just needs some time. And there isn’t anything you can do right now. They’re keeping him knocked out. Armand is there a lot. Did you know he’s technically a doctor? He’s been keeping me updated. We’re trying to notify Cody but he’s gone radio silent. Might be an Outcast thing.”

  Their time with Cody in the facility had taught them a lot about what went on the supernatural world. They learned that some supernaturals were natural born, some were man-made, and many were hunted. Such was the case with Cody and the other Outcasts—considered failed experiments in the eyes of the government.

  Brooke nodded and went in the direction of what she hoped was a bathroom. It wasn’t. It was a closet that was bigger than her first apartment. She came out of that room and entered another, only to find it was another closet; this one with rows and rows of women’s clothing and shoes. Edee walked out from around a corner in the huge closet.

  “You’re supposed to be in the shower.”

  Brooke stared around. “I can’t find it. His house is like a palace. He lives with a woman?”

  Edee lifted a brow. “No. Why do you ask?”

  Brooke motioned around the room at all the clothing. “I doubt he cross-dresses.”

  “No,” snorted Edee before pausing. “I did meet a cross-dressing chimpanzee though since hanging out with these guys. Came over with Boomer and his mate Haven. Bethany and the chimp watched a movie together and were inseparable. They both wore princess crowns and matching pink tutus for it all.”

  Brooke tipped her head. “I’m sorry but what?”

  Edee laughed. “You’ll see whenever Boomer brings Lil’ Duke back over. And the bathroom is this way. Can I just say your man’s house has more bedrooms than I can count? One guy should not live in a place this size alone.”

  Brooke looked around the closet. “He apparently doesn’t.”

  “Oh, honey, he had all of this brought in for you. He asked me to pick things you might like, and he bought some things I think he wants to see you in. Those pieces are in the back…and really bring to light how naughty he is.”

  Brooke stepped back. “He got all this for me? Why?”

  “Because you’re his mate—his woman—and before you freak out on me, know that it’s a good thing, Brooke. He loves you so much.”

  “He doesn’t really know me…” she said, her voice trailing off as she looked at the endless amount of clothing he’d gotten for her. “This is all too much.”

  “Honey, you ain’t seen nothing yet. He had a wardrobe brought in for me too and has set me up in another wing of the house. Yes, you heard that right, his house has wings. No joke, I had to have him draw me a map for the first few days. I kept getting lost. And you haven’t even seen Bethany’s room or playroom yet. Good Lord, he’s treating her like a princess. I think she might have a different outfit for every day of the year. And her playroom could double as a toy store. I told him he was going overboard, but he ignored me. Paid people obscene amounts of money to make it all happen in less than two days.”

  Brooke simply stared at her friend. “I don’t know what to say.”

  “Say you’ll shower. You smell. Come on, it’s this way.”

  Brooke followed her friend into a bathroom that made the closet look small. She showered and then stepped out to find Edee there with a dress and shoes for her.

  When she was done, Edee took her hand and they walked out into a huge hallway. She stared around wildly. “Wow. He is the Prince of Persia.”

  Edee laughed, letting go of her hand. “You haven’t seen anything yet.”

  Brooke followed behind Edee, who stopped outside a set of double doors. Edee pressed a finger to her lips and then pointed into the room. Brooke peeked in the room to find that it was as Edee had described, a toy room for a princess. In the center of the room was a white circular table with chairs all around it. In each chair was a large male, each wearing a variety of items, from clip-on earrings to a feather boa.

  Striker had an obscene amount of blush on his cheeks and lipstick that was smeared. He also wore a pair of dangly earrings. Not one of the men looked comfortable on the small chairs, but each had smiles pressed on their faces as Bethany poured them cups of tea from a tea set that looked expensive.

  She poured Malik’s tea last and then climbed onto his lap, adjusting Malik’s tiara that matched her own. “Daddy, want to eat one of the cookies Uncle Striker helped me make?”

  Malik’s face scrunched a second before he blinked. “I would love to, princess.”

  Striker coughed as he sipped his tea. “I wouldnae if I was you.”

  Brooke was torn between laughing and crying at the sight of the men all spending time with her daughter.

  Corbin’s hair had a braid in it with a pink bow and he held his pinkie finger up as he sipped the tea.

  Duke grunted, wearing a feather hat and a feather boa. “Nice pinkie finger, Captain. Want a crumpet to go with your fading manhood?”

  Corbin looked over at Duke and grinned. “Interesting, considering you’re wearing a feather boa.”

  Malik slid Striker a sideways glance. “I cannot believe you bought my four-year-old daughter a boa.”

  Striker bit his lower lip. “I dinnae buy it so much as the last female I had over at my house left it behind.”

  Bethany beamed. “You mean you have tea parties at your house too?”

  Duke snorted.

  Corbin lowered his head, trying not to laugh.

  Boomer, who looked entirely too comfortable having a tea party, flashed a wide smile. “Explain this one, Striker.”

  Rubbing the back of his neck, Striker looked nervous. “Um, well, erm, aye. I have tea parties at my house too.”

  Bethany clapped. “Fun!”

  Edee rolled her eyes as she glanced at Brooke.

  Boomer grabbed a cookie and took a bite. In an instant, he was trying to avoid spitting it out. He failed and grabbed a napkin, spitting the cookie into it.

  “Told ya so,” said Striker partially under his breath.

  “Uncle Striker, want more lipstick on?” asked Bethany.

  Striker’s eyes widened. “No. I’m, uh, guid. Thank you.”

  She eyed Duke.

  He growled. “No.”

  She jutted out her lower lip in a pout.

  Duke sighed. “Fine, but give me a less red color than you gave him. He looks like he charges by the hour.”

  Malik nudged Duke hard.

  “What does that mean?” asked Bethany.

  All the men shook their heads and answered at the same time, “Nothing.”

  Bethany paid no mind to them as she grabbed a lipstick off the table a
nd hurried off Malik’s lap and climbed onto Duke’s. She then proceeded to put lipstick on him poorly.

  Boomer laughed. “That is why I did my own.”

  Edee held up a phone and snapped a picture of the men. She smiled. “This is priceless. I’ve met their mates. The women are going to love this picture.”

  “I think you all look beautiful,” said Brooke, entering the room with Edee.

  Malik stood quickly and pulled the tiara off his head. “Brooke, you’re up? I didn’t hear. I’m sorry. I wanted to be there.”

  Bethany jumped off Duke’s lap and ran for Brooke. “Mommy!”

  Brooke grabbed her and lifted her.

  Malik was to them quickly, supporting Bethany’s weight as if she was too heavy for Brooke. His dark gaze lingered on her. “How are you feeling?”

  “Like I slept for a week,” she said with a wink before kissing Bethany’s cheek and neck, making the child giggle.

  Bethany smiled. “Look, Mommy. Daddy made this room for me to play. And he made me my own bedroom. Want to see? Come on, I’ll show you.”

  She wiggled, squirming down and then tugging on Brooke’s hand.

  “Does this mean I can stop drinking this tea crap?” asked Duke.

  Bethany whipped around and pointed at him. “You said a bad word!”

  Corbin laughed. “Shall I put him in a corner, poppet?”

  “No. But he shouldn’t say that word. Right, Mommy?”

  Brooke ran her hand through her daughter’s curly hair. “He’s a grown-up, sweetie.”

  “That is totally debatable,” said Boomer.

  “No comments from the guy who put on his own makeup,” snapped Duke.

  Brooke teared up as she stared at the men. “Thank you all so much.”

  They each stood and nodded to her.

  Boomer grinned. “Malik is like family to us. That makes you family, Brooke.”

  “That’s very kind to say, but please don’t think I’m expecting anything from Malik,” she said. “This was all very generous but we can’t accept it. We need to go soon.”

  The men shared a look and then came in her direction.

  Corbin looked to Bethany. “I have not seen your bedroom yet. Can I come along?”

  She beamed. “You all can!”

  She put her hand in Corbin’s. “Come on, Brit. Is it true you’re a Bloody English Bastard who stole Uncle Striker’s country?”

  The men all looked at Striker. He in turn shrugged. “It’s never too early to teach the lass the fundamentals.”

  Brooke failed to keep from laughing. She teared up.

  Malik wrapped his arms around her and kissed her temple. “I’m really sorry about letting Striker around our daughter.”

  Brooke leaned in to his embrace as they walked. “Hon, she’s had Edee around her all her life. I think you know she’s worse than Striker.”

  Edee laughed.

  Striker glanced at them as Bethany continued to lead them to her bedroom. “’Tis true. The she-devil is worse than me.”

  Bethany came to a stop at a large door. She opened it and dragged Corbin in first.

  When Brooke got to it, she stopped in an instant, looking around the room. It was enormous. There was a huge bed that had a castle-style headboard that looked as if it was also a playhouse of sorts. The carpeting looked like it was grass with walking paths on it, a small pond, and rocks. When she realized the entire room was princess themed, she grabbed Malik’s hand.

  Bethany ran to her. “Mommy! Look at what Daddy did for me.”

  “I see it, sweetie,” she said, bending and drawing her daughter in to her, holding her tight. She kissed Bethany’s head. “Do you love it?”

  “Yes.”

  “What do you love most about it?” asked Brooke, running her hands through her daughter’s hair.

  Bethany smiled at her. “I love that we’re with Daddy now. That I get to see him every day and I get to see him watching you sleep. He was worried about you. Me too. He told me you’d be fine but needed lots of sleep.”

  Brooke choked up. “Your favorite thing is your father?”

  She nodded profusely. “This is what I always wanted. I wanted a family. I have you, Daddy, Uncle Gram, Aunt Edee, Uncle Striker, Uncle Duke, Uncle Boomer—who has been helping me learn how to put on makeup—Uncle Corbin, Uncle Auberi, Uncle Armand, Uncle Garth, Uncle James, and even Uncle Russia…wait, Uncle Rurik. And most of them gots wives. So I got all of them as aunts too. I’m going to get the rest of them married off soon. They need all the help they can get. Especially Uncle Striker.”

  Brooke couldn’t stop the tears that came. She touched her daughter’s cheek. “It sounds like we have a very big family now.”

  She smiled. “Did you know that I’m going to get cousins too? Some of them are having babies. And they told me the babies would all be my cousins. Neat, huh?”

  Brooke lost it, crying hard and bear hugging her daughter. “Really neat.”

  “Mommy, we’re gonna stay, right? You’re not going to make me leave Daddy and my new big family, are you?”

  “Sweetie, Daddy and I need to talk about it.”

  Her face crinkled. “What’s to talk about? You love him and he loves you. Seems pretty simple to me. Why do grown-ups have to make everything so hard?”

  Edee laughed softly.

  Corbin bent near Bethany. “Your father tells me you like to bake. What do you say we all go down to the kitchen and make something together?”

  Striker groaned. “Again?”

  “Okay,” said Bethany, a sad note to her voice as she twisted to look up at Brooke. “How come we gotta go, Mommy? Daddy said we were going to live here with him for good. That we’re a family now.”

  Brooke glanced at Malik. “He did, did he?”

  Edee came in for the assist. “Let’s go bake a pie.”

  Striker opened his mouth and Edee pointed at him. “Before anything lewd falls out about pies, remember there are little ears here.”

  “That just rendered him mute for life,” said Boomer.

  Corbin put his hand out to Bethany. “I think your parents need to talk about some things.”

  Bethany eyed him. “Well why didn’t you just say that to start with? I don’t want to eat Uncle Striker’s baking either. He better hope the wife I find him can cook.”

  “Och, it’s nae that bad,” said Striker. “Never mind. It’s that bad. How about we go downstairs and I order pizza for everyone?”

  Bethany sighed loudly, sounding relieved. “Good plan. I didn’t know how to tell you that your cookies are terrible.”

  Corbin laughed as he led Bethany down the hall in the direction of a large staircase. The men all followed after him. Edee stayed behind a second, standing near Malik.

  “Brooke,” Edee said. “Hear him out. She’s his daughter too, and he didn’t know about her. I’ve been with them all week and I can safely say he loves her so much. Keep that in mind when you have your talk with him. And ask him to explain how the mating process works fully. From what Boomer told me, you and Malik have some things to finish up on that end.”

  She walked off, leaving Brooke alone with Malik.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  “Thank you for the dress. Okay, for everything, but I can’t accept all of that,” Brooke said.

  He took her hand in his and walked back in the direction of the bedroom she’d woken in. He said nothing as he entered, taking her with him and then shutting the door.

  “Malik?”

  He faced her, still holding her hand. “I love you. And I want to hold you right now so bad it’s killing me.”

  Brooke closed the gap between them and put her arms around his neck.

  He lifted her off the ground and spun her in a circle. “I love you so fucking much. I get your trust in me is shaken. I deserve that. I chased you away and then you went through something horrible.”

  Brooke tried to speak but he kept going.

  “I will beg you to stay with
me. I can’t lose you and Bethany,” he said, his hand skimming her cheek tenderly.

  She put her hand over his. “Malik.”

  He stopped talking.

  “I did go through something horrible. But I came out the other side with a beautiful baby girl. I would never change her or wish her away. She was worth every second of everything I went through.”

  “She’s perfect. You’ve done such an amazing job with her,” said Malik, lowering his head. “I should have been a part of that. I can’t change the past but I can beg for the future. Let me be part of your lives. Let me love you.”

  She pressed her mouth to his, surprising herself.

  He growled and lifted her again, walking her towards the wall, as he’d done five years ago.

  She tugged at his shirt, wanting it off him.

  He pressed her to the wall and then put his palms to it, grinding his hips against her.

  She broke the kiss and Brooke laughed as she wiggled to get down.

  He set her on her feet and she put her back to him. “Help me out of the dress.”

  “Brooke?”

  “How long will your friends keep Bethany occupied for?” she asked.

  “For as long as we need,” he confessed. “They’re all mated—except for Striker. But they all know how important this is for us.”

  “Then take your clothes off, Tut,” she said with a wink. “I need to feed the side of me that requires sexual energy and I want you to be the man with me when I do it.”

  Wasting no time, he tore his shirt off. He then slid his pants off, kicking them aside. He stroked his cock, watching her a moment before unzipping her dress and kissing the shoulder he’d bitten years ago. He put his lips to her ear. “I didn’t understand that I’d claimed you fully.”

  She let the dress fall to a puddle at her feet, keeping her back to him still. “What does that mean, exactly? How did you make me your wife?”

  “When I bit you during sex and told you that you were mine,” he said, bending and easing her panties off her. He kissed her bare ass cheek as he did.

  She remembered it well. “Yes?”

  “That is how a shifter male claims his woman. How he marks her and binds himself to her for all eternity,” he said, pressing his front to her back. “I knew what I’d done was a claiming, but I thought you were human. I couldn’t understand my loss of control with you. I blamed it on suppression drugs I was testing for work. I’m so sorry, my sweet.”