by K. S. Martin
~3~
She’s mine. She’s mine and I’ll have her tonight. The wolf pushes. He isn’t concerned about her sadness. I’m on the fence. Sandy shouldn’t have done this. It’s tearing my girl apart. Janie’s been sniffling since we got here. I’ve given her three tissues so far. I brought a pocketful because once she starts it’s always a long time before she stops. I know this from experience. It was the one time that I made her cry. She’s a strong girl and it takes a lot to get her to that point. Once she gets there though, she has a hard time stopping. It’s like the world crashes around her.
I was an asshole that day, a total asshole. I knew it at the time but I was so frustrated that I couldn’t stop. It won’t happen again. I will never make her cry again. I will never be the reason for her pain or her tears. Not on purpose anyway.
My team is at the house packing up her room and bathroom. They will move it to my place and put it away before she arrives. She doesn’t know. She doesn’t need to know, she only needs to survive this one last sad emotional day. Six of Dad’s friends are lifting the casket to carry it out now and put it in the back of the hearse. It’s a nice casket. Janie chose it. It’s wood, oak I think and it’s covered in pink rose blooms. Sandy liked pink roses. I watch it go then follow Dad and Janie out.
We get into a limo that I ordered yesterday. I wasn’t putting Janie in the clunky pick up between me and Dad. I get in and the driver closes the door. Janie leans into me and I wrap my arm around her. Dad is against the other door staring outside, he looks over at me. “Her choice?” Dad asks. I nod. “Okay. You have my blessing.”
“Thanks.” He goes back to staring out at the others getting into their cars. Ours starts to roll forward. I give Jane another tissue. She blows her nose and dabs her eyes then stuffs it in her purse. It’s all I can see inside the small clutch, a sea of used tissues. I give her another and I see her lips lift. The ride to the cemetery is short. We get out when the car stops and Jane takes my elbow when we start across the uneven ground. I’m half afraid she’ll break an ankle in the heels she has on. She said they were the only black heels she had when I objected to them, so I’d conceded and let her have her way. They’re so high though they should only be worn in my bed. Them and nothing else. My wolf pushes, I push him back. She’ll have fifteen pairs of shorter black heels before the end of the week.
We sit down at the graveside on the metal folding chairs they’ve put out for family. They’re putting Sandy’s casket on the straps that will lower her into the ground. Janie starts battling a new round of tears. Her makeup was gone a long time ago. I’m glad. I didn’t like it anyway. I like her to look like Janie. She has perfect pale skin, a natural blush to her cheeks and dark lashes. Janie doesn’t need that crap. Her hair is pinned up in a knot at the base of her neck. I want that gone too. I want to see the long hair that hangs to the middle of her back and I want to fist my hand in it. I want to do a lot of things but now is not the time.
The reverend is speaking, we pray, then he says more. He’s not a wolf but it doesn’t matter. Church is church. The pack rev is in Florida visiting family and won’t be back for another week. I offered to fly him in but Dad said to let him have his vacation. He didn’t conduct funerals very often, usually it was a mating or Sunday service.
Janie is fisting the tissue and needs a replacement. I reach in my pocket, there’s only one left after this one. I wonder if Dad brought any. I give him a look as I hand it to her and he shakes his head. He didn’t. My mate, my job. That’s okay. If I have to, I’ll let her use my sleeve. I have more shirts.
Janie stands and I stand beside her. She tosses the flower that she had a death grip on a few minutes ago into the grave where they’ve lowered the casket. I hear her sigh and I take her hand to lead her away. I let her go when Jackie Peterson comes over and hugs her tight. They surround her then, the old she-wolves of the pack and they’re offering support. I stand aside and wait patiently.
There will be a reception at the Alpha’s house. We have to go there next. I don’t want to but I don’t have a choice. If I announce that we’re mating, they’ll all be happy for us but there will still be a reception. They will also expect it to be public and Jane isn’t ready for that. We’ll stick to the plan. I take her hand again and lead her to the limo. We wait for Dad. He needed a moment alone at the grave. I see him rub his face with both hands as he turns toward us where we wait in the car. He really loved her. The second woman that he loved has died. I hope that the next one will outlive him. It’s not fair that he always has to be the one left behind.
Candice approaches him and hugs him. I consider it. She’s around his age and she’s alone, seems nice, she makes a mean apple pie. She’ll do, I decide. He likes apple pie, I give it six months, eight at the latest before he’s mated again. I smile to myself but I don’t let Jane see. She wouldn’t be pleased. She’ll expect him to mourn her mother and he should but wolves are never happy alone. I’m proof of that. My wolf aches for family, for pack and for a mate. He’s finally going to get it.
I hear Jane shudder as she inhales and I wrap an arm around her then kiss the top of her head. I hope the tears end soon. I’m having a hard time with her pain. It’s difficult to bear and my wolf is getting antsy about it now. I kiss her temple and I see her cheeks flush. “I can’t wait to get you home so I can make you forget all this sadness for a while.” I tip her head up with my finger and kiss her softly. God, she tastes good. I kiss her again and I hear the soft growl. I’ll make her do more than that later. I’ll make her howl.
The Alpha’s mate hugs all of us when we get there. She shows us to some nice armchairs that are grouped together with a couch. Jane takes a chair, me and Dad flank her. The Alpha sits on the couch. He’s old. I could have his job if I wanted it. He gives me a look and lifts his chin. I’m not sure if it’s a challenge or if he’s showing throat. I don’t want his job so I lower my eyes and submit. We both know though that if I wanted it, it would be mine. I don’t lose often in any challenge whether it be mental, physical or financial. He’s speaking to Dad and I ignore them. I don’t care about his sentiments, I just want to get Jane out of here.
Some of the ladies bring us plates and cups of coffee. It’s bitter. It’s not the good stuff that I stock in my kitchen or in my office. Jane makes a face when she tastes it. “I’ll get you a soda.” I whisper against her ear.
“Thanks.” She says softly. I bring it back and someone is in my seat chatting up my girl. I lean past him and hand her the soda. I recognize him from the funeral home. His name is Aiden, he’s her age and a decent looking kid. I flash him a look and he apologizes, offers his condolences once more then gets out of my seat. I give him a quiet aggressive growl and send him prancing away. Pup.
I sit next to Janie and give her a reassuring hug. Luckily there is a new box of tissues on the coffee table beside my chair. I hand her two new ones to destroy. The tears are coming fast now. Her eyes are swollen and red. I want to hold her all the way home and I won’t be able to if I’m driving.
I pull out my phone and text my team. One of them will drive the sports car back the other the SUV they came in. I text the limo driver next and secure the car for the night. He will drive us into the city. I’ll tip him good and he knows it. People are very compliant when dealing with billionaires. Janie picks at the plate they’ve given her. I don’t know if it’s because she doesn’t like it or if she’s just not hungry. I text my house keeper to leave dinner, something light.
Jocelyn texts right back with my choices. I think the fruit, cheese and bread will suit Jane best and tell her to leave that. She’ll take care of it. Jocelyn runs my house like a top. She’s not married since her husband passed away a year ago. He was hit by a taxi while crossing the street. He may have survived if he’d been wolf but he was a weak human. He was my valet. I’ve been taking care of my own needs since then.
I have a team of security guys, thirty of them. They control and watch everything from another apart
ment on the floor below, Jocelyn lives in her own apartment next door to the security team headquarters. I keep them close but not too close. I like my privacy. Some of them are humans, some are shifters. I have cats, bears and wolves.
I own the building so no big deal. My offices are below the staff quarters. Then the rest of the building. The second and third floors house my lawyers. Four though seven belong to my finance department. I spend most of my time on the software floors and the rest in my office. There are thirty-two all together and five floors of underground parking. Part of the first floor is sectioned off and holds my personal cars. It will be overwhelming for her at first. She’ll adapt.
I hear Jane sigh. I can see Dad is getting restless too. I get up and find the Alpha’s mate. I let her know that it’s been a long day and we need to go home. She understands. We’ve been here ninety-seven minutes. Long enough. I make my way back through the house to Jane and Dad.
That pup Aiden is persistent, he’s back in my chair. I’m shaking hands as I cross the living room but my eyes are on the pup. For a little, I would take him out back and teach him a big lesson. I lean over right in his ear when I get there and growl Mine in his ear. I wouldn’t be surprised if he wet his pants from the tone of his whimper. He leaps from my seat and goes straight out the front door. Pup. I shake my head. He wasn’t even willing to fight for her. I would be more than willing. I would kill for Jane.
I take her elbow and lift her from the seat. “Let’s go. I’ve made our excuses and said our goodbyes. Dad.” I give him a pointed look and he almost jumps up. He hates this kind of thing and he’s more than ready to get out of here and back to his recliner. Jane leans against me and lets me lead her outside. We pile into the limo and ride the short distance to Dad’s house.
When we pull up in the driveway the limo driver gets out and opens Dad’s door. “Dad, we’re going to the city. We aren’t coming in.” He nods.
“What about my stuff?” Jane says.
“All taken care of beautiful, my team has packed it and moved it to the condo.
“Where’s your car?” She asks spinning her head around.
“They took that too. We’re riding back in this. Okay?” She nods and settles.
“Bye Daddy.” She calls to him.
“Bye Sweetie. Call me if you need anything.” The door closes and we’re alone. I raise the privacy glass and text the driver the address and ask that he not disturb us. I get an ‘of course’ back a second later. The car is moving again.
“I wanted to hold you on the way. You seem like you need that today.” She sniffles. I grabbed a handful of the Alpha’s tissues before we left and give her one.
“Thanks. You always know what I need.” I kiss the top of her head and she cuddles closer to me. “It’s so weird. Half of the time I think of you as my brother and the other half I want to…” I hug her tight.
“How about for this ride, I’m just Jake. Not your brother, not your mate to be, just Jake. The guy that is offering you comfort and tissues.” She laughs softly. I like that sound.
Jane is quiet for most of the ride. I think she’s fallen asleep and I sneak a look. Her eyes are closed and her mouth is moving in the sexy little way she has. She’s out. I blow out a breath. Her eyelids are puffy and her nose is red. She’s still beautiful.
I check my email on my phone. There are hundreds of them. I have eight reminders from my calendar, I’ve already addressed all of them ahead of time. I scroll through emails one by one giving answers when required. I look at the one Scott sent, the project with the problem. It’s too big to look at on the phone. I’ll have to look at it later. I move on. I can’t wait until I’ve made Jane my assistant so she can take care of some of this. Jane is methodical and brilliant. She’s a good catch whether she knows it or not. I’ve needed help for a while but never got around to hiring. My assistant would normally do that. I quirk a grin.
I’ve been borrowing Lee’s assistant for pressing issues and she seems eager. I think she has a thing for me. They all do. It’s the wolf that draws them in, he makes me more attractive. He oozes charm and pheromones that will drop even a prude’s panties.
Lee’s assistant has been under his desk more than once though and he can have her. She’s an odd duck. One of her eyes is brown and the other green. The wolf doesn’t like it, it’s an imperfect trait and not one he wants for his pups. He doesn’t mind me fucking them but he’s rather standoffish when it comes to her. Jane on the other hand makes him crazy. He wants to take her right now even while she’s upset and puffy faced.
I look down at her again. The red blotches are clearing up on her cheeks and her nose is not as red either. Her eyes are still puffy though and her mouth is still working. It’s a shame to wake her and I wonder if I can get her from the car and up the private elevator without waking her. I text security. I tell them I am ten minutes out and to have the elevator waiting in the garage. Chris is standing by, the return text says. Good. She stirs but doesn’t wake. I text the driver that she is asleep and that quiet is imperative. I get nothing back until the next stop light. It’s another ‘of course’. I lean my head against hers. My sweet girl is going to be okay. I’ll make sure of it.
~4~
I wake up in a soft bed with a quilt pulled over me. My shoes are gone, so is my dress. How does he do that? How can you undress an adult without them waking? When I go to sleep, does my brain die then come back when I wake? Weird. I am exhausted, I have been since Mom…No. I will not cry again. My stomach growls. I’ve only really eaten a small bowl of cereal. I picked at the Alpha’s house because I was still too distraught.
He’s sitting across the room in a chair typing furiously on a laptop. He doesn’t notice that I’m awake yet. This room is nice. I’m guessing that it’s Jake’s bedroom. It smells like him. There are floor to ceiling windows covering an entire wall. I hope the sun doesn’t come up in them. That’s going to wake me and I like to sleep in. I watch him. I think that I can type fast but he makes me look pathetic. What is he doing? His eyes narrow then close for a second. They open again and I see his jaw tighten. He’s not happy with whatever he’s looking at on the screen. He types more furiously then stops suddenly and looks up at me. He gives me the sexy lopsided grin that sends heat to my core. Jake has a knack for that, melting my panties. I’ll never tell him that. That’s top secret.
“Hungry?” He asks. I nod. He closes the computer and sets it aside. He gets up and comes to the bed with a robe. I think it’s his because I don’t own one, and it smells like him. Yummy. I put my arms in and let him wrap it around me. All I had on was my bra and panties. “I’m glad that you slept Jane. You look much better.
“How long was I out?” He looks at the expensive watch on his wrist.
“Four hours including the time in the car. I asked Jocelyn to leave us dinner and I cleared out the house. We’re alone except the cameras.” I look up at the very small black bubbles as we move. We’ve gone down one hallway and started down another. “Don’t worry they’re only at the doors, this hall and my office. You’re free to run around naked everywhere else.” I look around. We’re passing a lot of doors and I’m already lost. I won’t be running around naked anywhere until I know for sure where everything is and where the humans are. He has staff and even though it is perfectly acceptable to run around naked at home, I’ve never been one to do it. I’ve been on pack hunts and I’ve shifted in front of others but it’s not something that I’ve ever been comfortable with. After spending four years away at school and living with mostly humans I’m even less apt to do it now.
“This is the main hall that leads to my office.” He points to the right through the open door. There’s a big glass desk with a big leather chair. He has three huge monitors and a treadmill. I make a face. “I can’t always get out to run.” He winks at me.
“But you said there are cameras.” He nods. “So you’ve shown yourself?” He scoffs.
“No, I run on that, walk rather. He runs in th
e workout room if he has to.” I scrunch my eyebrows.
“Do you ever shift?” I finish the word on a whisper.
“All the time.” He whispers back. “There is a state park nearby and I own twenty acres just outside of town that backs to it. Sometimes when business is in the heat of battle though, I just can’t make time so, treadmill. In my office I walk when I need to think. It helps if I’m trying to figure out code.”
“Okay.” Not my idea of meditation but to each his own.
“What do you do when you need to think? Do you still sit upside down on couches?” I smirk and shake my head. He looks disappointed but moves on. “This is the living room.” It’s all various shades of beige and brown, the walls, the floor and the furniture. The tables are low and wood and there are a lot of plants. I could like this room except I would’ve made it all green so it felt like forest. No, maybe not, then it wouldn’t have any contrast. I’m not a decorator. That was Mom’s forte. I’m sad again, thinking of her. “Come.” He drags me along. I think he senses the shitty emotions that keep gripping me. “Theater room.” He pushes the door open.
There are theater seats facing a huge TV. Wow. The walls are dark and the carpet is lush. It looks cozy. I know that I want to spend time in this room. “Next, the library.” He pushes open that door, it’s across from the theatre. Overstuffed couches and three walls of bookshelves covered in books. More beige, but the couches are dark with patterns. There’s a desk built into one bookshelf for studying but it’s the oversized chair in the corner that draws my attention. It’s beige with big blue flowers, not really his style. It seems familiar but not. I step inside and go to it. I run my hand along the big rolled arm of it. It’s soft. “It was my mother’s.” He says from right behind me. “You may use it any time you like, right side up or upside down.” He kisses my neck. “Let’s go, you’re hungry. I know that he doesn’t spend time in here because the air is stale but that could be the books.
