by Tigris Eden
His inner wolf clawed at his insides, wanting out. She was standing in front of his men, eyes wide in shock. The doubt and fear assaulted his nose. He knew his team could be overwhelming to a human. Yet, she stood toe-to-toe with his captain, upset and scared. All he wanted to do was hold her. Damn, he shouldn’t even go there, it was a complication. Not a benefit.
He took a step forward into the room and she took a step back. She doesn’t want anything to do with you moron. He was not about to ruin this with her twice. He took another step. Melissa. Girlfriend. Fellow Werewolf. Fuck! That got his attention, still he kept moving. He was backing her into a wall and hadn’t realized it. He needed to stand down.
The captain cleared his throat. “Jesminda, this is Agent Draven Stone. He is going to be the one to take care of you and your daughter.”
She took a step toward him and gained her footing rather quickly as she spoke her next words. “I will not,” she pointed a finger directly at him, “be working with Agent Stone. Stick me with Gabe or the other guy.” She looked towards his best friend Royce and pointed. “Give me the dude that can read minds, anyone but him.” The fire in her eyes would have turned him to ash if it were possible.
Anyone but him? Not one fucker in this building was taking this case. Did she honestly think he’d let someone take care of her and her offspring? He was outraged. Not fucking happening. Incredulity burned him. As if! She caught you with Chloe, numb nuts. Draven gathered his breath, ready to tell her exactly how things were going to be. Him and her, and no one else. Wait… what? If anything, he knew her; they had history. One-night stands don’t count as having history. It was more than any of the other team members had. He wanted to apologize. She wasn’t going to be assigned to the other men on his team. She was scared, he could tell. Her breathing was heightened and her back was ramrod straight. She would bolt if anyone so much as sneezed the wrong way. Just how damaged was she?
He was her best chance for survival. He was the only one going to do the job. He’d do it right. After the job had been done and they’d nailed Marcus to a stake, he’d apologize for the way he left her five years ago. Then they could go their separate ways in peace and he’d finally stop dreaming about her. Yeah, okay. Keep telling yourself that. He would, and that was that.
“Before you go caveman on her, Draven, maybe I should be the one to take the assignment. Your head’s not in the game.”
Draven almost punched Royce in the face but couldn’t because the object of his desires was a sickly shade of green. He hadn’t tried to scare her, but she looked like she was about to pass out. Dravaggio was there to steady her fall as she collapsed into his arms. He moved to help when Gabe came up to restrain him. Why was everyone acting as if he was going to hurt her? Her face was ashen and her skin was pale. He could smell her anger as it clawed at his senses. It seemed she was comfortable with the others in the room but not him. Why?
“Hey man, let her have some breathing room. Christ, I see why you went after her all those years ago. She’s quite the looker. But dude, she’s someone’s mother now. Do you want to go there right now, man?”
“Full of insights, Gabe. I would have never pegged you as the relationship counselor.” This came from Royce. Dravaggio was bent over a pale Jesminda when Draven walked past Gabe and over to her. He offered his hand to pull her up. She refused him the first time, but he held his ground. He didn’t want to scare her, but wasn’t backing down either. There would be some closure.
“I’ve got her,” Dravaggio said.
She stiffened further as the men crowded closer. Damn, she was like a scared cat. One minute she was well, and the next, she wasn’t in any condition to be near any of them.
“Give her time,” Royce quietly said. He began to back out of the conference room, motioning with his hands for everyone else to follow. His teammates were heading toward the door when her hand shot out and grabbed his wrist. She’d initiated contact, and he calmly stood there as she gathered herself and got to her feet. The connection of skin-to-skin uprooted his gravity, sent his body hurtling over the edge. He took a measured step back. Did she feel it? Did her center become unhinged? His sure as shit did.
“Jesminda.” Saying her name was a soothing balm to his lips. “I am more than capable of handling the assignment. Before you speak against the captain’s decision, know I am the best man for the job.”
She eyed him warily as she adjusted herself and sat in a chair. Gabe was there with a cup of water in hand. He gently grabbed the back of her neck. She didn’t flinch when Gabe touched her, she calmed instantly. Gabe had a way with all walks of life, it didn’t matter if you were human or not. But when he began to massage her neck, a feral growl crept up Draven’s throat at the intimate contact. He should be the one soothing her, not Gabe.
She eyed him sideways, even as Gabe eyed him intently, daring him to voice his concerns. Royce entered the room and took the seat on her other side, forcing him farther down the table. That was not where he wanted to be. He wanted to sit next to her. He wanted to be the one soothing her. She’d reached for him, not the others. She wasn’t the strong woman she used to be. Someone had caged her and tried to break her. There was fire there, but barely, and Draven was going to see to it that the fire burned once again; even if it wasn’t for him. The captain looked at his men and gave Draven a disappointed look. He knew that look. It meant the captain was changing things up. Normally, it would be an admirable thing. But not if it meant he wasn’t the one protecting Jesminda. If that was the case, then the captain was going to have an up close and personal meeting with his fist.
“Draven, I’m going to have you partner with Royce on this. I know you are used to working alone, but, in this case, I think a team effort is in order. The three of you will need to head out this evening. Ms. Zealand needs to pick her daughter up from her friend. Then it’s your job to bring her back here so we can make plans to secure them a safe place to stay and find Marcus.”
Dravaggio stood and walked out of the conference room. Jesminda grabbed her purse off the table and walked on unsteady legs over to Gabe, who’d retreated to the back of the room. She thanked him for the water. Draven didn’t like her around any of the men. His inner beast didn’t understand he was with someone else, didn’t want to agree with him on anything. Draven untied the rubber band that held his hair in place. The moment it was free, he pulled both hands through the waves and grunted. Shit just kept rolling downhill from here. Melissa had said she was coming into the office, and her office was right down the street from his. She always stopped by; she’d reason they could ride home together.
When she arrived, things would go from shit to fucked. She was a possessive wolf.
# # #
The water was soothing to her throat. She needed something stronger than water, but it accomplished her main goal. She needed to relax; these men were not going to hurt her. Regardless of what Marcus had put her through, she was stronger than this. Agent Draven Stone took his hair down, and she had to turn away from its silkiness. It was more beautiful than she remembered, a bit longer. She watched from the corner of her eye as he raked his fingers through it, turning his head this way and that as if there were some internal struggle. Her daughter had that same mane of hair. Faith’s green and gold eyes sparkled with mirth and mischief. The thought made her heart ache. Draven Stone was going to meet his daughter. Finally.
He wore black BDU pants with a gray shirt that stretched across his muscled chest. He looked older, more settled. The seriousness she remembered was still there, more defined by time. His muscled arms led to veined hands and she almost sighed aloud. She found manly hands sexy. She watched as he grabbed a cell phone from his pocket and dialed. Gabe took that moment to distract her by asking her a question that she had to ask him to repeat.
“I asked if you were hungry.” The smile he gave her was flirty but passive. He was charming and handsome. The laugh lines around his face were welcomed. He wouldn’t try to manhandle her. Sh
e was about to answer Gabe, but Royce walked over and interrupted the conversation.
“So, I understand Jesminda may be hungry.”
“I never got the chance to answer his question, Royce.” He didn’t care, just waited for her to continue. “Yes, Gabe, I am hungry, is there a place where I can get something to eat?”
“Yeah, there’s a cafeteria downstairs. They make and sell just about anything a human—or non-human—could want. Would you like to come with? I don’t have to man the computers for another hour or so.”
Gabe gestured with his hands as he began to walk toward the door to the conference room. She was hungry, starved was more like it. The trip here hadn’t been pleasant in the least. Now that her eyes were open and she’d taken back her freedom, she hadn’t realized how scared she was. At every sound, she’d almost jump out of her skin. It messed with her constantly, not knowing what to expect. Belinda’s father had been reluctant to put her on the plane when he’d dropped her off at the airport. He’d insisted someone go with her. She knew she was stubborn, but coming here alone was the first step in securing her freedom.
Jes followed Gabe towards the elevators. There was no use in trying to stay in the conference room looking at the man who’d seduced her and then ignored her the next day while he had another woman wrapped around him. A vampire. She knew she’d get over him, eventually. How, she wasn’t exactly sure, he’d been her first heartbreak. But two months later, her doctor had looked at her with a bright smile. Finding out you were pregnant should be a joyous occasion. Women usually didn’t break down in their doctor’s office bawling like a mad woman. It wasn’t the doctor’s fault she’d gotten pregnant. Maybe not even Draven’s. Fuck, yes it is! He’d lied to her, told her he was sterile, and like an idiot she’d believed him. That wasn’t happening again. She was through with men, of all species. Didn’t matter if they were human or not. Men were off the menu, period. She smiled. She’d fight him at every turn.
“I know why you’re smiling, and I have to say I’m pleased to watch the two of you flounder around in complete darkness, it will be fun. I have a flashlight, but I’m not sharing.” Royce looked satisfied. Jesminda grunted. She didn’t care that he could read minds, and didn’t want to know what was happening in Draven’s head anyway. She would not flounder, not in the least.
“I have to ask,” Royce cleared his throat and leaned on the side of the wall, crossing his arms at his chest. “The small precious cargo you call yours. How do you think our friend is going to react, doll?” Fucking mind reader. He was going to be a pain in her ass. Didn’t he have an off switch?
“I aim to please,” he winked and gave her a devilish grin. Royce leaned over and whispered. His lips barely caressed her skin as the words danced in her ear. “And no, I don’t have an off switch.”
Gabe grunted at his statement.
“Stop trying to bait me.” She stepped away from him to the other side of the elevator.
Gabe had a wide smile on his face as well and stood with his hands behind his back teetering on the soles of his boots. The elevator dinged and the three of them stepped inside facing the front. As the doors began to close, an intensely angry Draven was peering at them through the glass of the conference room and he didn’t look happy at all.
“You know, if you tell him,” Jesminda said under her breath. “I will see to it personally that you and your man parts meet with a dear friend of mine.” Let him read that from her mind and see if he still wanted to open his mouth. She looked him straight in the eyes, amber darkened to a burnt orange.
“Careful, you might find I enjoy a dose of pain with my pleasure. You handling my junk brings nothing but salacious thoughts to my brain and its receptive pleasure neurons.”
What was with these guys and their subtle—and not so subtle—come-ons? Gross. You would think they’d never been in the presence of a female before. She knew that wasn’t it. Royce tilted the corners of his mouth. The bastard was way too full of himself. Bastard.
“I had an up close and personal relationship with my father, so the term bastard does not actually apply.”
Jesminda grinned. He was funny, and he didn’t make her feel threatened. Much. It was Draven that gave her cause for alarm. The door to the elevator swung open and a myriad of food smells assaulted her on contact. She couldn’t tell if she was going to throw up or if she had died and gone to heaven. The scents mixed with each other so much it was like you could see threads of flavor dancing over your head. Gabe led her over to a buffet-style serving area. On the opposite side of the room was a similar one. But instead of roast, chicken, salad, and other delicious smelling food, that table was lined with a fountain spouting something so red it could only be blood… and raw meat. Further down that same table was a small chicken pen with live chickens. She assumed they were food, but couldn’t wrap her brain around why they were still alive, unless….
“Oh, dear God, you mean there are those of you who would rather eat the chicken alive and raw than dead?”
The contents of her stomach had already decided they wanted a front row seat on the floor. She wasn’t a vegetarian or anything, she loved meat just as much as the next person, but she didn’t want to witness firsthand the death of a chicken.
“Don’t worry, we have the common courtesy to not eat our food in front of everyone else,” Royce whispered in her ear. “If you look to the door on your left, you will see it is marked private, and I know for a fact the walls are soundproof.”
“Really? Soundproof, that’s a relief.”
“You’re telling me, I was so relieved I almost didn’t come out.”
Gabe gave Royce a high five and they both said at the same time,
“Cassandra.” All dreamy-eyed and tongues hanging out.
“Yeah,” Gabe answered.
“She has that system of hers down to perfection.”
System? What the hell was she missing out on? Jesminda ignored them both and walked down the buffet table picking up slices of meat and cheese, a Caesar salad, and a coke. Gabe and Royce followed behind her, and each took a chair on either side of her.
“Babysitting duty doesn’t start ‘til later, right?”
“Wrong,” Royce answered. “The captain said we leave tonight. If I know Stone, he’s trying to figure out the best way to tell Melissa that he can’t make dinner tonight and that he’s leaving on assignment with his ex-one-night stand from five years ago.” Royce laughed, swiped a small piece of cheese off her plate, and popped it in his mouth. Jes smacked his hand out of the way and crowded her plate. On the other side of her, Gabe nudged her playfully.
“It should be interesting, wanna go watch?”
She didn’t want to know about Draven’s current girlfriend or any other woman before or after her. They weren’t even a couple back then and never would be now. The only thing they had in common was Faith, and he didn’t even know that large detail. She was through with men, through with drama. She just wanted a no-nonsense life and to live in peace with her daughter. She didn’t even know if she wanted to share Faith with him or his floozy of a girlfriend. Oh, calm down! Who says she’s even a floozy? She wanted her inner voice to stop being the voice of reason and be the voice of a jealous ex. Dammit! She didn’t want that either. What she wanted was to be rid of the entire situation. The less drama, the better. So what if he had a girlfriend. Not. Her. Problem. Ever!
Royce nudged her shoulder to get her attention and then motioned with his head towards the elevator. Great, Conan the Wolfbarian had just showed up.
8
Draven walked across the cafeteria, receiving the unfriendly look his new assignment gave him. It wasn’t a ‘you should fall off the face of the planet’ kind of look. It was a look of betrayal and hurt. She was in a tough spot, and he didn’t want to be the cause of any issues, should any arise. His wolf didn’t agree. Instead, a muffled growl became lodged in his throat. He pulled the chair back slowly, keeping eye contact with her the entire time. He could
n’t look away. Not even if he wanted to. His wolf was on the defensive, it didn’t matter that she was female, or even that she was human. She challenged him and he challenged right back. As he sat, she finally broke eye contact and picked at her food.
“Ms. Zealand.” He used his calm voice when he spoke. He didn’t want to set her off again. “I would like to get on the road within the hour—” Before he could finish, his damn cell phone rang. It was Melissa, again. She hadn’t taken the news of his assignment well. She’d argued that someone else could do it. He still hadn’t explained his connection to Jesminda. There were only so many hours in the day, and they needed to get on the road. He’d have to explain to Melissa when he got back. Closure is key. You need to handle that now, not later.
“Stone.”
Royce took the opportunity to smirk in his direction and elbowed Jesminda, Royce and his big mouth. He wanted to have a conversation with Melissa, but not here, and not like this. If he got up, he knew it would look bad. How so? All four of them, including his soon to be injured ear, would be able to hear Melissa scream into the phone.
“You didn’t even say good-bye, Draven. Nothing.” Melissa was using the pouting voice again. In the beginning, it had been cute, sexy even. Now it was a real problem. Especially in front of this unwanted crowd. He started to stand so he could take the call in private. Jesminda arched her brow in challenge and continued picking at her food.`
“You should eat instead of being concerned with my phone call.” He eyed his friends in challenge when Jesminda’s posture straightened and she pushed her tray away. He pushed it back towards her.
