by Jodi Vaughn
“The room with the missing door? I can’t sleep in there. That’s Haley’s room. If I sleep there, where will she sleep?”
“She can sleep in my bed,” Jayden spat out.
“Absolutely not. Not while I’m in the house. You two are not mated.” Granny crossed her arms.
Haley slowly moved her hand off Jayden’s erection. He groaned.
“I’m an adult, Granny,” Jayden warned.
“And you’re not mated.”
“Granny…” Jayden’s voice held a warning.
Haley righted her clothes and spoke. She didn’t want them to get into an argument over her.
“It’s okay,” she whispered before stepping around him. She knew he couldn’t turn around. Well, not yet.
Haley smiled at Granny. “I’ll sleep in my room Granny. Don’t worry.”
“That’s a good girl.” Granny patted her arm and smiled. “Come on inside and let me show you what I brought for you.
“You brought me something?” Haley frowned and stepped through the door.
“It’s what you ordered from the party.” Granny led her through the room to the third bedroom where her small suitcase sat on the bed.
“My order?” Haley frowned and then her expression changed. “Oh. My. Order.” She hurried to the door and closed it. She felt her face heat with embarrassment.
Holy shit.
She was such an idiot.
“Let’s chat.” Granny sat and patted the bed, motioning her to sit.
Haley smiled and eased onto the bed. She hoped Granny wasn’t about to give her the sex talk. She really didn’t put it past the old lady.
“I see that you and my Jayden have gotten close.” Granny’s eyes twinkled.
“Well, he was assigned to protect me.” Her throat felt like sandpaper as she tried to swallow.
Granny patted her arm. “Haven’t told him you love him, have you?”
Haley jerked her gaze up to Granny’s old eyes. Her face heated as she shifted her weight on the bed.
“Jayden has been through a lot, ever since that night in Louisiana when he was beaten so badly.” Granny’s eyes grew sad. “I had never seen him so broken, physically and mentally. But he wouldn’t let me worry over him. Not my Jayden. Even with his body broken like it was, he put on a brave face.”
Haley’s heart broke for both Granny and Jayden. She wanted to kill the red Weres responsible for his injuries.
“But since he’s been here with you, he’s different. He’s better. You have healed him in a way that no one else ever could.” Granny cocked her head.
“But I’ve heard that Jayden is not the one-woman type of guy.” She wasn’t the type to share. It was all or nothing.
“I wouldn’t listen to all the rumors, Haley. Jayden might have sewn his share of wild oats, but I think he’s ready to settle down. Well, enough of that. Let’s get down to business.” Granny smiled and pulled out a black bag and handed it to her. “Go on. Have a look. I need to see if you’re going to like it.”
She reached inside the bag and pulled out the four-inch vibrator with a curved head. It was neon green.
Granny frowned. “Is it the right color? I could have sworn you ordered electric blue.”
Haley bit her cheek and tried not to laugh. The whole situation was hysterical.
“Turn it on and make sure it works.”
“Right now?” She was not having this conversation.
“Yeah. That way if it’s broken I can return it immediately.” Granny sighed and sat on the bed. “You would be surprised how many women try to return some of the products they’ve already used.” Granny shook her gray head. “People have no manners anymore.”
A giggle slipped past her lips.
Granny’s gaze was trained on the green vibrator in her hand, waiting for her to turn it on.
Haley closed her eyes and hit the button. The vibrator started trembling.
“Granny, I’m not a kid anymore.” Jayden burst through the door and froze. His gaze was trained on Haley’s hand. His eyes widened in terror.
Without another word he turned and hurried out of the room, pulling the door closed behind him.
Haley looked at Granny. Her lips twitched as she fought a laugh.
It didn’t work.
They both burst out laughing.
#
Jayden ran right into Barrett as he darted down the hallway. The image of Granny, Haley, and a vibrator was forever etched in his brain. That right there was true torture.
“Sorry.”
Barrett eyed him and then grabbed his arm as he tried to walk away.
“I need to tell you something.”
“What?” Jayden narrowed his eyes on his leader, his instincts going wild.
“I got results back from the pig in Haley’s purse.”
“And?”
“It had been dissected and a note was placed inside the pig.”
“What?” How the hell did I miss that?”
Barrett shook his head. “With all the blood and mess it was hard to see. In fact they were internal sutures. So if you had not been looking for it you wouldn’t have seen it.”
Jayden sighed. He’d failed Haley by overlooking that vital piece of information.
“What did it say?” He had to know. From the somber look on Barrett’s face Jayden knew he wasn’t going to like it.
“It said, I’m going to fuck you and then gut you.”
“Motherfucker,” Jayden snarled. His body trembled as he fought back the urge to shift.
“You keep it tight, Jayden.” Barrett growled out a warning, his gaze lethal.
“I want to kill him.”
“I know. And you’ll get your chance if he’s Were.”
Jayden trembled. “I don’t care if the fucker’s a Were or human. Either way I’m going to kill him. “
A tumultuous growled rolled out of Barrett’s throat that seemed to come from his soul. The window shivered at the noise like a sonic boom from a jet.
“You will not disobey me. You are under my command and you better remember that! Are we clear?” Barrett glared and his eyes seemed to shift from green to yellow in blood lust before returning to their natural emerald color.
Everyone came running out into the hallway, the males with their forty-fives in hand and the females with fear in their eyes.
“I got it.” Jayden glared at Barrett and nodded sharply.
Barrett continued his glare refusing to look away until Jayden finally took his gaze to the ground.
He watched the back of Barrett’s boots until they turned the corner to the living room. Jayden looked up at the group that had formed.
“It’s late. Everyone needs to go to bed. We’ve got a long day in the morning.”
#
Haley sat up in bed and looked at the clock.
1:00 a.m.
She had tossed and turned for the last two hours. She threw off the covers and tiptoed into the living room.
She froze when she saw Braxton sprawled out on the couch, his feet sticking over the edge. No TV for her tonight.
She sighed and headed back down the hallway toward her room. Maybe she could read a book until she drifted off to sleep. She stopped and glanced at Jayden’s room. Before she had gone to bed, everyone had picked their places to sleep. Jayden in the master, she in the guest and Granny in the other guest bedroom. Ava and Damon were sleeping in the bedroom in the massive RV while Braxton slept on the couch. Barrett never said where he was sleeping.
Her mind drifted back to Jayden’s room. This was the first night since they’d been together that they had not slept in the same bed.
She reached for the doorknob. Uncertainty crawled up her chest as she pushed it opened.
“Come here,” Jayden’s voice whispered roughly in the night air.
Her heart warmed at the sound and she closed and locked the door behind her.
“Can’t sleep?” she whispered as she crawled under the covers.
“Not without you.” He pulled her into his chest, his mouth marking hers and taking her to lust on a whole other level.
She heard a moan and realized it came from her. But she didn’t care.
“We need to be quiet.” Jayden put his hand over her lips. She stuck her tongue out, licking his fingers.
“Easy.” He grazed her cheekbone with the backs of his fingers. “I want to go slow with you.”
She didn’t need slow. She just needed the feel of Jayden on her, around her, and in her.
“I need you slow tonight. I need to savor you.” His voice held a need that made her ache.
She pulled back enough for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. His blue eyes held the same need she felt.
She pressed her lips to his and settled into his warmth. Her nipples peeked through her thin cotton shirt as she pressed against him. His hand came up her back, fingertips skidding up to rest at her nape of her neck. He palmed her neck and held her against his mouth as he tortured her with his wicked tongue.
She slung her leg across his thigh, needing him closer. She ran her fingers across his muscled shoulders and clung to him. He grabbed her thigh and turned her in one graceful flip until she was tucked underneath him.
His body pressed the length of hers, his erection pressing into her stomach. He was completely nude and she regretted that she had her pajama bottoms on.
His hands slid down her ribcage to her flat stomach. His fingers grabbed the hem of her shirt and tugged up and over her head. It was dark, too dark for a human to see, but they weren’t human. They were werewolves.
His gaze stayed on her breasts as his breathing increased. His erection twitched against her stomach. She wiggled underneath him.
“So fucking beautiful.” His hands palmed her breasts, rolling her nipples between his fingers.
She arched against him, her body on fire with licks of pleasure as he tweaked her nipples with his fingertips.
“Feel good?”
Her eyes widened as she arched her pelvis against his erection. Her body cried out for release.
“Shush,” he whispered and bent his mouth over a nipple. He licked and then sucked the tight bud into his mouth.
“Oh, God.” Haley moaned, the sensation too much to hold in.
“I want to see you come. Right now.” He moved his mouth to her nipple and sucked.
Haley bucked, her hands digging into his taut ass. He growled.
“Jayden.” She arched, grinding herself against him as he pinched her nipples.
She opened her heavy eyes and looked up at him. His predatory grin was locked on her.
“I love hearing you say my name.”
She ran her hands up his bare back, her nails skidding across his skin. “I need you inside me, Jayden. Now.”
“You’ll have me. But first I want to make you come with my mouth.” He pressed his palm between her wet thighs. “Here.”
She moaned.
“Then I want to make you come when I’m buried deep inside that tight body.” He moved his mouth to her jaw and kissed as he continued the journey lower.
“And when I’m done. I’m going to start all over again.”
She shivered as his mouth covered her clit and sucked.
That night Jayden was as good as his word. And then some.
#
The next day, Jayden spent most of his time with Barrett and Damon in the Behemoth, trying to track whoever had hacked Haley’s Facebook account. Whoever had done it was smart and had set up hundreds of accounts that led to false accounts. It was like a freaking family tree. Just when they thought they found an end it turned out to be related to a different person.
And they had only made it halfway through the possible people.
On top of that, CODIS still hadn’t found a match for the semen that was left on Haley’s note. Barrett said it could take up to a week.
Jayden knew they didn’t have a week. He leaned back in the chair and ran his hand over his eyes. Visions of Haley naked and under him popped in his head.
He didn’t let her get much sleep last night and he’d lost count of how many times they made love. Somewhere in the early morning hours, exhausted and sated they finally slipped into a peaceful slumber.
“How do you know he hasn’t followed us here?” Damon scowled as he looked over Barrett’s shoulder at the state of the art monitor.
“Because Jayden never has come the direct way home. He made sure to change his route every time they returned to the house. Also, I have cameras set up on the streetlights on either end of the street. Anytime a car that doesn’t live on this street drives, by it is automatically registered and recorded and checked out.” Barrett turned in his chair and eyed Damon. “What’s going on with you?”
“What do you mean?” Despite the Oakley’s everyone knew Damon was scowling at them.
“You seem different.”
“No, I don’t.” Damon crossed his arms.
“I think he’s put on weight.” Jayden arched his brow.
“That’s not it.” Braxton shook his head. “I think he’s had some work done, Botox maybe.”
“I haven’t had any fucking Botox. That shit is for girls.” Damon clenched his jaw.
“You look…more relaxed.” Barrett narrowed his assessing gaze on him.
“Hell yeah, he’s more relaxed. It’s all that sex Ava’s giving him. He should be so relaxed he should be floating.” Jayden snorted.
“Fuck off,” Damon growled.
“Sounds like you got that territory all locked up.” Jayden grinned.
“Be careful, Damon, Ava just might domesticate the badass right out of you. Then what am I going to do with you?” Barrett slapped him on the back and exited the RV.
#
Haley rounded the hallway corner and ran right into a brick wall of muscle named Damon.
“I’m sorry.” She quickly stepped back and placed her hand over her heart before walking around him.
He grabbed her by her arm.
She looked up into the reflection of his sunglasses.
“Can I ask you something?” He let go of her arm and kept his voice low. He glanced around as if making sure no one else was near.
“Sure. Ask away.” What kind of question would Damon want to ask her? The only time they’d talked was when she went to see Barrett at the Guardian’s compound.
“Do I scare you?”
Her eyes widened and she laughed a little. His expression didn’t change. He was totally serious.
“Oh, well, I guess if I didn’t know you I might be a little intimidated.” She shrugged.
“What are y’all talking about?” Ava walked into the kitchen and headed straight for the refrigerator. She examined the contents before taking out some cheese. For someone so slender, Ava sure ate a lot.
“Nothing.” Damon straightened and kissed his mate before striding out into the living room.
Ava arched her brow at Haley. “He’s acting weird. What did he say to you?”
Haley hesitated.
“Come on. I’m his mate. That means you have to tell.” Ava crossed her arms.“Fine. He asked me if he scared me. I hope I haven’t given him that impression. I mean Damon was the one who got me into see Barrett when I started getting these notes.”
“No, it’s not you.” Ava’s expression relaxed. “I heard the other guys ragging him about how he didn’t look so badass since we mated.” She popped the slice of cheese into her mouth and chewed. “I think they are confusing badass with being happy.” She shrugged. “I don’t think Damon wants anyone to think he’s a pussy.”
“That’s the last thing I would think.” Haley lowered her voice. “When he asked me that I thought he was talking about his scar.”
Ava nodded. “I think he’s more secure in it now. I told him I like it. Makes him look like a hot pirate.” She cocked her head to the side and looked at the empty doorway that Damon had disappeared through. “I wonder if they make a pirate costume in hi
s size.”
“I’m not sure.” Haley snorted. “Possibly. Since male strippers are built like him. Surely there’s a place that makes stuff. It’s not like their Granny’s are making it for them.”
“What are Grannys doing, dear?” Granny rolled into the kitchen wearing a muumuu splashed with yellow daffodils.
“Granny. Does your sex toy line carry outfits for guys?” Ava turned her attention to the old lady.
“Of course. What do you need?” Granny plucked a grape out of the bowl on the island and popped it in her mouth.
“You got a pirate outfit? In Damon’s size?”
Granny tapped her finger to her lips. “Mmmm. I know we got a cop outfit. Oh wait, we have a Blackbeard outfit. Will that work?”
Ava’s eyes glazed over and she slowly nodded. “Yeah, I think that will work just fine.”
#
“Come eat while it’s hot,” Granny called out from the kitchen.
Everyone stood up from the living room and piled into a line to dining room. Jayden waited until he and Haley were alone before he pulled her into the laundry room.
“What are you…?” Her words were cut off when his mouth came down across hers.
He’d needed this all day, needed to taste her and touch her without everyone watching. He’d spent the entire day with Barrett looking at possible suspects and deleting ways into her Facebook account. Still they had to wait on the CODIS results.
He pulled back and looked down in to her sleepy eyes. “I missed you.”
“I was here all day,” she murmured.
“I missed being alone with you. I didn’t realize how much freedom we had until everyone showed up.”
“We can still spend time together.” She ran her hands down his chest.
“Yeah, but I can’t strip you naked in the hallway.”Her eyes widened with shock and then arousal. “But I can always sneak into your bedroom.” She nipped his lower lip with her teeth.
Jayden growled.
“And I bet I can sneak into the shower early enough and lock the door so no one will bother us.” He went hard.
He glanced down at his watch actually contemplating if he had enough time to take her up against the wall before someone came looking for them.
“I don’t think there’s enough time.” She winked, reading his mind.
