To Yank a Tiger by the Tail

by Bobbi Romans

  To Yank a Tiger by the Tail

  by

  Bobbi Romans

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews. This is a work of fiction. All references to real places, people, or events are coincidental, and if not coincidental, are used fictitiously. All trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks, and registered service marks are the property of their respective owners and are used herein for identification purposes only. eBooks are NOT transferable. Re-selling, sharing or giving eBooks is a copyright infringement.

  © 2014 Bobbi Romans

  Editor: Katriena Knights

  Cover Art: Marteeka Karland

  Books are NOT transferable. Re-selling, sharing or giving eBooks is a copyright infringement.

  When tiger shifter Dax's brother Fin, decides to welcome his brothers mate with streaking across the meadow, he created a hailstorm of fury, not laughter. Adding to the fated melee, Dax's ex fiancé, Sparrow, bursts upon the scene with hopes of a reconciliation.

  Things turn from bad to worse when Dax’s mate, Zhara, bolts from the heartache and runs straight into Sparrows, biker brother Starl.

  Zhara’s dreams of making a good impression on her boyfriend’s family not only go up in flames, but an inferno of misunderstandings. When she catches Dax in the arms of his ex, she follows her instincts.

  Sadly they send her straight into Starls arms. A smoking hot biker shifter who turns things even more topsy-turvy.

  Will yanking the tiger’s tail destroy the couple for good, or will Dax unsheathe his claws for the fight of life and mate?

  Contents

  To Yank a Tiger by the Tail 1

  Chapter One. 5

  Chapter Two. 13

  Chapter Three. 18

  Chapter Four. 25

  Chapter Five. 30

  Chapter Six. 34

  Chapter Seven. 40

  Chapter Eight 45

  Chapter Nine. 51

  Chapter Ten. 55

  Chapter One

  Nervous, Dax Markson rolled his sweat-soaked, up, thankful for the February chill cutting the air. Bringing Zhara, his potential new mate, home to meet his family, or streak as his one brother loved to call them, had him edgy. His younger brother Fin wasn’t known for being subtle. Hell, his brother doubtfully even knew what the word meant.

  Dax wanted Zhara to feel as at home here, as she did in their New York City apartment, and he’d begged his mother to have a talk with Fin. Make sure he stayed on the down low. His mother promised he’d be on best behaviour.

  Yeah...right after shedding his clothes and streaking across the meadow his family’s lodge sat on. So, not what he wanted Zhara’s first impression to be before she became acquainted with his unique crew.

  Tiger shifters, when single, tended to be solitary as they sought their mates. The last thing anyone wanted was two large, testosterone-driven males running into one available, fertile female. Yeah, claws would be out as the fur flew. Zhara might be his, but they hadn’t mated yet. His city-slicker mate would no doubt be a duck out of water at his parents’ farm.

  They’d met over Christmas in New York. He’d sensed his mate close by. Found her and used the trick his great grandmother had taught him—met her in a dream, similar to astral projection. He broke the news about his shifter genes in a safe, controlled state of being. If she’d freaked, then he sadly would have walked away, leaving her assuming she’d experienced some wild, erotic dream.

  For all the strangeness, she hadn’t. Zhara accepted him just as he was.

  “Well, we’re here.” Dax caught the front doors opening to his family home and winced when the massive, wrestler-sized men barreled out, knocking each other over to get a glimpse of the woman their baby brother had drug home to meet the parents. He clenched his fists and fought the possessive snarl that caught in his throat and burned to get free.

  “Wow, I had no clue your clan was this large. I mean, you did say you were from a big family, but dayum.”

  Dax swallowed hard when a bead of perspiration, no doubt from her nerves being kicked up a notch as well, rolled between her breasts. The slow, clear, liquid slid, disappearing between the twins he wanted nothing more than to bury his face in and never return from. Zhara’s scent, silken mocha skin, and voice combined tortured him daily. Each day she’d merely awaken and he had to fight the instinct to grab her, toss her down, and take her from behind. At the very least, bend her over the sofa, kick her feet apart, and keep her at his mercy until he collapsed.

  He would never have enough of Zhara. Never. On this weekend Valentine’s trip. he planned to prove that.

  Zhara rubbed her lids, probably trying to awaken further from the nap she’d taken on the last stretch of the ride home. He wished his parents could have kept a lid on the news he was bringing a possible mate home on this trip, but no. While the entire clan hadn’t sprung through the door, he caught sight of his horny-assed brothers’ faces and a few others. Yep, a partial announcement had been made somewhere in the clan.

  “They’ll love you. Don’t be so nervous.” Truth was, he worried some might like her too much. He’d done all right holding his tiger in check back in the city, a place where males had no clue what actually being one meant They didn’t cherish or protect their mates. Hell, they didn’t value how rich finding one’s mate made them.

  Right now, here with these other men who did understand the power behind his precious find, Dax grew antsy and fought the wildness within which begged for release. He caught site of her toying with the hem of her skirt. Zhara wasn’t a girly-girl who, on a typical day, wore frilly skirts and blouses. She’d chosen such a get-up today. To meet his family. Worst time for her to do so, as the last thing he wanted was a throwdown with any of his brothers or cousins if they stared past the pastel yellow skirt or near-sheer top for too long. His getting so uptight wasn’t going to help calm her nerves.

  “They just appear fierce. I swear, the whole lot is nothing but a bunch of old, hen-pecked sissies.” Dax spoke the words as he opened Zhara’s door knowing full well his brothers and cousins overheard his statement.

  “Sissy, huh?” And just like that, at his craziest brother Fin’s comment, Dax’s hopes of a calm reunion of sorts shot out the window.

  Before he managed to yell no, Fin stripped off his clothes, to the hoots and howls of the others, and went streaking across the meadow before shifting and disappearing into the woods.

  “Wow, your family—-or at least a few—seems, uh…colorful,” Zhara commented as Fin roared in the distance.

  ***

  Zhara hadn’t wanted to admit to being terrified of meeting Dax’s family, but now her trembling had given her away. When Dax suggested a week-long trip home to Maine to meet them, she’d been excited. Knew it meant something for him to ask this. Later the anxiety of what they might think of her kicked in.

  She caught Dax doing a quick nod at his family, who retreated into the massive log cabin. More like a log mansion, but whatever. Zhara lowered her head guiltily at the thought she’d caused any awkwardness. Hell, she wasn’t the one who’d stripped down. She’d thought Dax had a body like no other. His brother wasn’t as chiseled but he wasn’t anything to sneeze at either.

  The other man was the polar opposite in coloring, though. Where Dax was fair-haired and fair-skinned, Fin was dark-haired and darker skinned. More than golden, but lighter than her own mocha shade. Dax was a good foot taller, but Fin was broad. A German Shepherd to a Pit Bull. Both powerful, but one bulkier than the other. She’d tried to
avert her gaze, but when a man you don’t know bares all, you can’t help but...well, peep at the pecker.

  “Look, we can stay back the lodge in town if you’d be more comfortable. Honestly, with Valentines’ Day coming up, maybe it would be best anyway.” Dax wagged his brows suggestively at her.

  Zhara glanced at Dax’s face and read the disappointment. He’d go back with her, though. She didn’t doubt that. He wouldn’t complain or hold it against her, but he would be let down.

  “No. I’m fine. Caught a little off guard, but I’m fine. So you’ve got a big and—”

  “Goofy. Best word to describe the lot of them,” Dax jumped and finished for her. “You sure about staying here? Its not too late to turn back, but all bets are off once you’re inside and Mom gets hold of you.”

  “Nah. I’m not a weenie. I’m a Bronx chic. I can take on anyone.” Well, she hoped so.” Let’s get our stuff out of the back. I think they’re staring at us from the windows.”

  “Oh, you can bet they are.”

  She and Dax grabbed their bags, and she took a deep breath and entered the home of giant-sized tiger shifters. For a brief moment, she remembered the saying about a lamb to the slaughter.

  “We’re so happy to have you here so we can become acquainted,” Dax’s mom, Willow, stated before taking the suitcase from her hand as if the thing weighed no more than a feather. “Let me show you to your room. We can chat on the way.”

  Zhara shot Dax a nervous glance, but when Dax started toward them, his mother took his bag from his hand and shooed him into the den with the other men.

  “For heaven’s sake, Dax, you’re acting like I’m going to bust out with every embarrassing childhood story.” She winked at Zhara. “I’ll do that later after dinner.”

  And just like that...Zhara loved Dax’s mother.

  Zhara followed Willow down a long, wide hall to a gorgeous wooden staircase, which took them up three flights of stairs to an enormous upper level.

  “Don’t you pay any attention to those testosterone-overloaded males downstairs. Not a one has a mean bone in their body. A bit gruff at times, but all fine gentlemen.”

  Zhara didn’t plan on bringing up the one who’d stripped and streaked off, but as if Willow read her mind she added, “Well, for the most part they are.”

  Zhara laughed alongside the older woman.

  Willow might be mom to the behemoths downstairs, but to describe her as gorgeous would have been an extreme understatement. Willow, taller than the average woman, must have come in somewhere around six feet and all of about a hundred and fifty pounds of curves and boobs. Long, pale blonde hair the color of Dax’s showcased a pair of hazel eyes.

  “Here we are. Dax’s old room.” Willow opened the large door. After hearing whose room it had been, Zhara expected an outdated, messy teen boy’s room. Instead the door opened to large room housing a monster king size bed with log trim, creating a man approved four-poster. The curtains and quilted spread both held a rustic log-cabin appeal which fit both the room and the home overall.

  “I renovated it when he left for the city on a hunt for his mate.”

  Zhara got the sense Willow wanted her to open up, but though Zhara liked the other woman, she herself wasn’t quite sure where she and Dax stood. She kept hearing the term “mate,” like lifetime something and yeah, she and Dax were exclusive, but there had been no real talk about anything beyond the here and now.

  “Well, I’ll let you get settled while I go down and start supper.” Willow turned to leave the room.

  “Would you like any help in the kitchen?” Zhara hadn’t been raised rude. She knew when one woman began cooking for a crew like Willow had, she could use all the help available to her, no matter how used to cooking for a lot like this she might be.

  “I’d love some. You’re the first of any of the women brought home to have offered.” Willow shot her a bright smile.

  Thoughts of Dax bringing another woman to meet his family rankled her. Bad. Like nails on a chalkboard. Made her want to find the bitch and claw her eyes out.

  What the hell? They weren’t even...what? A couple? Yes, they were. Exclusive? Though not talked about Dax damn well better not have been with anyone else. She’d never had a jealous bone in her body.

  Until now, apparently.

  Oh, she was so helping Willow in the kitchen now. Maybe the other woman would slip up and say more. Or she could be ushered into the direction of exes or something.

  “I’d love to help you. I happen to be a decent cook.” A lie, but she was a quick study.

  “Well, let’s go. We’ve got half a cow to grill up and thirty pounds of potatoes to peel and mash.”

  How many pounds had she stated? Half a cow? Oh, boy, what the hell had she gotten herself into?

  An hour later, Zhara learned Dax had been engaged once. Obviously things went sour, but he’d been serious enough with someone else he’d proposed. She supposed he hadn’t technically done wrong by not telling her but for some reason his lack of full disclosure felt like a betrayal.

  “I shouldn’t have said anything. I’d assumed he’d told you already since she lives in town and drops by sometimes to visit,” Willow continued.

  Oh, hell no. The bitch visited?

  “So she pops in often?” Zhara fought to keep her voice level. Sane and in check, when deep down she was far from.

  “I wouldn’t say often, but honey, honestly. He and Sparrow ended on—how should I describe their breakup? Um, well the day was quite ugly.”

  His ex’s name was fucking Sparrow? For real?

  “What happened?” Willow had already offered this much–Zhara hoped the older woman wouldn’t get second thoughts now about divulging Dax’s past.

  “In hindsight I’ve said far too much. However, not finishing the story would fall under cruel and unusual punishment, I fear.” Willow shot her a questioning look and Zhara nodded. She agreed with the “cruel and unusual” mentality.

  “Well, Fin, who you met earlier, and Sparrow hooked up. In Fin’s defense, Dax had discussed his concerns over the engagement. Fin, on a drunken stupid evening, ran into Sparrow, who’d thought Dax intended to break up with her. According to both, one thing led to another and they awoke the next morning lying naked out in the field. Dax stumbled upon them and it took all his brothers to pull him off. It’s a horrible day for a mother when her sons fight over a woman. Sad. My heart broke a little that day because I knew Dax and Fin’s relationship would never be the same.”

  Zhara finished peeling the potatoes and switched over to cutting them into quarters as Willow instructed. On the red-and-white checkered tablecloth before her sat two large pots for the potatoes. Her heart weighed heavy as Zhara picked up Willow’s sadness that her children had been so deeply affected by the incident of infidelity.

  “And yet Sparrow still comes and visits. How does that all work out?” Zhara couldn’t imagine having woman who’d come between them popping in would be a welcome occurrence.

  “She’s from a long lineage of shifters. You see, Dax didn’t exactly propose of his own will. They’d been dating on their own, but Sparrow’s family made an offer of unity between our Streaks. One which would set a pact of peace.”

  “Streaks?”

  “Well, Tigers in general are solitary creatures, but we are not fully animal. We are human too, so we have families. Quite normal families. But when speaking of Tigers in plural, one could call them a Streak. Which is why Fin stripped and took off like he did. Sort of a Tiger joke to take off streaking in front of company, which I apologize for.”

  A Streak. Huh. Who knew?

  “Kind of explains his actions a bit,” Zhara stated, laughing at the inside joke. “So the engagement was pushed on them?” Zhara felt better immediately.

  “Yes. Also why Fin hadn’t realized how his brother felt about her. Anyway. Both families agreed to no harm no foul so long as the peace contract stayed intact. Since all was forgiven, we couldn’t very well boot Sparr
ow out of the picture, but she continues to come sniffing around for a mate.”

  “What is she? Butt ugly or something?”

  “Who’s butt ugly?” a petite, feminine voice asked from behind her.

  “Hello, Sparrow. When did you get back in town?”

  Chapter Two

  Dax snatched the beer from Brom’s hand. Fin’s whole streaking episode, coupled with his mother taking Zhara into the kitchen for this long, didn’t bode well for the upcoming week’s visit.

  “Lighten up, little brother. Look at it like this—she’s already seen Fin streaking and probably been told all about your embarrassing kid stuff by now. How much worse can it get?” Brom asked, while their dad shook his head in a manner that seemed to say, “You just jinxed yourself, dumb ass.”

  “Whose Beamer’s in the driveway?” Rocky, their cousin, asked, rounding the corner into the den with fresh brews in his hands.

  “That’s Sparrow’s new vehicle her parents bought her for. A payoff of some sort, I’m sure,” Mr. Markson stated, flipping a page of the newspaper he was reading.

  Fuck! Sparrow was the last person he wanted anywhere near Zhara.

  In his haste to get to the kitchen, where he didn’t doubt Sparrow had already arrived, Dax tripped over the side table and knocked the lamp and empty beer bottles clear off.

  “Well, hell, son, slow down. Ain’t no fire anywhere, and your girl in there is going to have to be able to fend for herself among the females. If word got out you defended her, they’d be on her like shit on a stick.”

  “Dad’s right,” Brom agreed. “You aren’t doing her any favors jetting in like that.”