by Avery Gale
“Beautiful, I had a wise father, a mother who didn’t mind telling her sons exactly how they should treat women, and five sisters. Trust me when I tell you, they made certain the Adler brothers had a solid understanding of what it meant to be a mate.” His amused tone made her smile, and she relaxed against him as they walked to the master suite.
Within a few minutes, he’d filled the massive bathtub with steaming water and poured in enough fragrant oil to make certain she lost herself in the scent of lavender and sage. Before she could sink into the water, Israel pinned her braid up. She smiled her thanks and let him help her into the water. Surprising her, he took a seat behind her, pulling her back between his splayed legs. Bristol gasped when his cock hardened against her lower back, astonished he seemed ready for round two so quickly.
“Baby, I’d have no trouble fucking you again this quickly, but your body needs rest.”
He was right. She was exhausted—both physically and emotionally. Resting against Israel’s chest, his legs bracketing her sides as his arms wrapped around her felt strange but perfect. Bristol couldn’t remember a time when she’d been on such uneven ground emotionally.
“Is there a book?”
“Book? A book about shifters and mating?” Israel’s chest vibrated against her back, and she wondered if he’d always be able to interpret her abbreviated questions.
Chapter Eighteen
“Written tomes do exist, but they aren’t readily available.” The truth was more complicated, but there wasn’t any reason to rile up his little academic this close to bedtime. Hell, who was he kidding, a reasonable time to hit the sack passed hours ago.
“Isn’t there some sort of shifter library, beginners’ class, or something? How do youngsters learn everything? You keep mentioning things you learned as a child, but whoever raised me didn’t bother to share any of these bits of wisdom. To be perfectly honest, I don’t like being the odd one out when it comes to being informed. It’s unfamiliar territory, and I… well, I hate it.”
Lifting her, so he could turn her to sit on his lap, they weren’t face to face, but it was better than talking to the back of her head.
“The books are kept in the Magic Council’s library. They are heavily guarded and written in an ancient language only visible to a select few. Austin has been in the library. His stories are fascinating, and I’m sure he’d love to tell you about his experience.”
“It’s not some sort of secret, is it? I wouldn’t want him to get in trouble for divulging classified information. Is there a Magic Bureau of Investigation? A Central Intelligence or MI6 group that polices this sort of thing? Holy crap balls, I was probably safer being completely ignorant. I don’t do well with partial information. My mind won’t let it go. Information is meant to be gathered. Facts analyzed. Ideas synthesized. Approaches amended.” He was starting to worry about her passing out by the time she finally stopped to take a breath.
“The books are heavily guarded to keep them safe from nonmagicals. Those wishing to study in the library have to be sponsored by their Alpha. Many packs have complicated power structures. The two packs you’ll deal with, do not. The Monroes share the Alpha position for their pack. I think you met my sister, London, at the wedding. She’s married to both men. Aside from the Alpha title, their pack is run much like ours. The Alpha functions as a CEO and the pack is run much as any large corporation.”
“Austin runs Adler Oil and the pack? How on earth did he find time to make a baby?”
“You’ll find my brother is an excellent time manager. I’ll admit, he was better when Charlotte was his executive assistant, but he’s still phenomenal. He’s also a ruthless delegator, so consider yourself forewarned.” His comment brought a smile to her lips.
“Until I hired another physician, I rarely had any time off. Truthfully, I don’t remember the last time I had a vacation. There wasn’t really any reason to take one. Traveling alone never held any appeal for me, so I didn’t bother scheduling time off.”
Israel understood. He was accustomed to traveling alone for business, and it was damned lonely, and he’d never gone on vacation alone. When you grow up with nine siblings, you rarely go anywhere alone.
Lifting her in his arms, Israel stepped out of the tub and set his newly claimed mate on her feet. Wrapping a warm bath sheet around her, he was glad he’d pinned her hair up. She’d be in bed fast asleep in minutes. Patting her tender skin dry, Israel smeared a specially formulated moisturizer over her back and ass. The deep penetrating moisturizing cream was laced with an analgesic to neutralize any residual sting and help her sleep. Tucking her into his oversized bed, Israel shook his head at how young she looked.
He finished cleaning up the bathroom after a fast shower and was crawling in bed behind her within fifteen minutes. She was so sound asleep, her mind was completely silent. Maybe she’d learned to fall asleep quickly when the opportunity presented itself. He knew soldiers who swore combat taught them to sleep deeply when they could because the chances were often spaced far apart.
Wrapping his arms around Bristol and pulling her back against his chest, Israel smiled at her mumbled complaint about being moved. Smiling to himself, Israel breathed in her scent, noting the subtle differences since their mating. Another shifter would know immediately, she’d mated, and most would be able to identify who’d claimed her, but nonmagicals wouldn’t be any wiser.
Before drifting off to sleep, Israel wondered if Bronx had any luck finding out who’d been breaking into his dealerships. Once Catalina found out there was an issue at the club and the women were meeting at Adler Oil, she’d come back to provide another layer of security, leaving Bronx on his own. Without conscious effort, Israel’s mind briefly connected with his brother. Bronx was standing, hands on hips, speaking with a woman standing with her back to Israel. Petite and dressed in head-to-toe black, there was something vaguely familiar about her, but he cut the connection before he could be pulled into the scene. Israel would call Bronx tomorrow and find out how things went. He wasn’t surrendering this moment with his mate. He’d waited too long for her to come into his life.
Mine!
“Tell me you did not just bypass my security system and waltz into my dealership.”
“Do you always have a stick up your ass?” Bronx ran his hand through his hair in frustration. Damn, this woman was a pain in the ass. “It’s not my fault you haven’t upgraded your system since Ronald Reagan was President.”
“I was in fucking junior high.” Good grief, what was her problem? She’d been spoiling for a fight since she pranced into his office ten minutes ago. “I admit the system needs to be upgraded, but it hasn’t been a problem until recently.”
“You’re kidding yourself if you think this has been working. Hell, why don’t you just pile empty tin cans under the windows every night? You could get one of those bells that hang over doors in charming little small-town diners… it would be as good as what you’re using.”
Damn, she was slick and had a smart mouth on her. It wasn’t enough, this was the third facility she’d breached in as many hours? Now she was trash-talking him, too?
“Why is someone breaking in? Not one security camera gets a picture of the person’s face. Instinct tells me it’s a woman, based on the fluidity of the perp’s movements, but that’s a guess. Nothing is ever stolen. Whoever it is, accesses the system at this location with a small laptop, turns off the cameras for approximately twenty-eight minutes, then resets them. Just under the half-hour mark before alarms sound.”
“Why half an hour?” He could practically hear the wheels of her quick mind spinning wildly as she tried to fit together all the pieces of the puzzle. Good luck with that. This train wreck had been making his life hell for months.
“Power outages for storms are usually less than half an hour. It was the lowest increment of time this system allows.”
“Does this location have anything the others don’t?” She snapped her fingers, and he saw her eyes ligh
t up. “Hot water showers?” Bronx felt things start falling into place. Hell, could it be that simple? She might be a smart mouth pain in his ass, but Brooklyn Adler was also one of the smartest women he knew. B, as the family called her, had spent years working for insurance companies, retrieving stolen artifacts and treasures from thieves. When Catalina bowed out of helping him tonight, he’d appreciated Brooklyn’s offer to pinch-hit.
“Yes, and this facility is being accessed the most—actually three to four times a week.”
“I’ll have Luke send you some equipment that will work outside your existing system. No one should know about this but family.” Bronx understood the underlying message, agreeing there was no reason to expose the burglar to more prying eyes than strictly necessary.
“I appreciate your help tonight, even if it doesn’t seem like it. Something about this whole thing is off. It’s just out of my grasp and driving me insane, trying to sort it out.”
“You’re welcome, and for what it’s worth, I agree. You have to follow your gut. If this was a simple break-in, you’d have called the police the first time it happened. I think you’re dealing with a woman; the residual energy is female.” When he raised a brow in question, she shrugged. “I can feel her. She was here tonight. I think she left less than an hour before we got here.”
“Why didn’t I scent her? I’ve never been able to scent anyone other than staff when I’ve returned after hours.”
“I don’t know. She’s probably masking it somehow. All I can tell you is the energy feels feminine, and…” It was unlike any of his sisters to hesitate in stating their opinion, making him wonder what was on Brooklyn’s mind. She finally sighed, letting out a long breath. “There is a thread of hopelessness in the energy signature. I can’t explain it, but it’s there.”
“She’s right.” They both gasped and turned to find Brooklyn’s husband, Luke, standing a few feet away. “I left Crystal with Austin and Charlotte’s nanny, so I could tag along, but I’ve been one step behind you all night. The two of you are a menace on the road.”
“I can’t believe you left our daughter with an unsuspecting nanny… that was just mean. She’ll take over the place, rearrange furniture, change out the artwork. Damn, if Lindy quits, Charlotte is never going to forgive us, and I’m totally throwing you under the bus on this one.”
Luke stepped forward, his posture changing from loose-limbed casual to predator in a few steps. Bronx had never seen the sexual Dominant side of his brother-in-law—though he didn’t doubt it existed—but it was on full display now.
“Our sweet little force of nature was fast asleep in Austin’s arms when I left. She’d charmed him into sharing a huge bowl of ice cream covered in salted caramel. They’ll both be in a sugar coma for hours—which is a good thing since my plans for the early morning have just changed.” Brooklyn’s cheeks were tinged with pink, the flare of heat in her eyes undeniable.
Cripes, get a damned room.
Turning to Bronx, Luke grinned. “I’ll overnight the cameras and transmitters to you as soon as we get back to New Mexico. The pieces I want you to use won’t be available locally.”
Israel couldn’t help but laugh. There was no doubt in his mind, the technology was military-grade. The products probably weren’t commercially available anywhere yet.
Nope, nobody has these babies yet. They are hot off the press. Ian and I have been working on these for a while, and they are kick-ass.
Bronx laughed out loud.
“Damn, it’s a good thing I’m used to dealing with Israel. That mind-reading crap might be a bit intimidating otherwise.” As a shifter, Bronx was able to communicate telepathically when he was in his wolf, but as a human, it was much more challenging. Bronx could easily read people’s emotions, gauge their desires, anticipate their reactions, but his most useful magical skill was being able to move through time. He was careful not to affect changes because the ripple effect was all too real. Whoever wrote the movie, It’s a Wonderful Life, had known what they were talking about—even the smallest change could make an enormous difference that might be seen for generations.
Shaking his head in frustration, Bronx let his eyes move around the cavernous space. He’d worked many years to build up a business that, at this point, basically ran itself. The site managers at his dealerships were more than capable of functioning without him. Bronx hired competent people, trained them well, and treated them even better. His dad hadn’t been the most successful businessman around, but he had known how to treat people—and taught his children to do the same.
Heaving an exhausted sigh, Bronx wondered if he should take the extended vacation he’d been considering. Spending a few months traveling sounded great, but something was holding him back. His photography hobby was fast becoming a booming business, but he wasn’t entirely certain that was the direction he wanted to take it. When things started making money, were they still considered a hobby? He had plenty of money—what he needed was a creative outlet and someone to share his passion for photography.
What he needed was to solve the damn mystery of the break-ins. The hair stood up on the back of his neck as they walked to the door. Whoever she was, she was close—he could feel her, and it was damned spooky.
“Let it go. We’ll figure it out.” Luke’s words were spoken quietly, the warning clear. Don’t search for her. Act normal. Without missing a beat, Brooklyn chimed in, louder than her husband, her tone upbeat and non-threatening.
“It looks like a great car, but I’m not sold on the color. It’s late, and I’m tired. I’m usually in bed long before now. Let’s head back to the apartment. We have a long drive ahead of us tomorrow.”
Bronx appreciated Brooklyn adding an air of informality when he’d felt every cell in his body go on alert. He’d never felt so tuned in to a person, he couldn’t see and had never met. Was his mate lurking in the shadows? Why would she hide? And why break into his businesses? Nothing about the situation made sense.
Bronx couldn’t wait to get the equipment Luke was going to send. If a woman was breaking in to use the shower, he wasn’t thrilled about the Peeping Tom vibe, but it was only a matter of time before his staff starting noticing things were amiss. The site managers were sticklers for security and would call the authorities before Bronx would have a chance to intervene. Undermining their authority was off the table, so he needed to find out what was going on before things were out of his hands.
An hour later, Bronx gave up on sleeping and headed to the building’s gym. He’d been living in one of the Adler Oil apartments after selling his home in Houston. Until he found something he liked in Austin, the two-bedroom suite was perfect. Stepping onto a treadmill, he smiled as Catalina joined him.
“Damn, Cat, you look as tough as I feel. What’s up?” The slow jog he started with was embarrassing compared to the pace his sister set.
“Men. They’re all a pain in the ass.”
Okaaay, this conversation was off to a bangin’ start.
“Since I’m sure you aren’t talking about me, I’ll take the bait. Problem in your love life, little sister?” When she glared at him, Bronx flashed her an unrepentant grin. “Won’t work, baby girl. I’m immune to that look.” Watching her in the mirror, Bronx didn’t miss the flash of sadness in her expression. “Talk to me, sweetheart. I’m a good listener.”
Bronx didn’t know much about his sister’s kidnapping, but he’d heard enough to know, she needed to work through the anger, or it was going to eat her up inside. He didn’t push her—not that it would have done any good. Hell, none of his sisters could be pushed—they were the most stubborn women on the planet. They were also among the most loving and generous.
Catalina ramped up her speed to the point, he half expected the damned machine to start smoking or blow a fuse. Emotion was rolling off her in hot waves—anger, frustration, helplessness, fear—all powerful, but he knew his sister and knew it was the fear pissing her off. Since he hadn’t seen Cooper Hicks at the weddi
ng or since… Bronx assumed he was the man she was referring to, the question was—why and where was Hicks?
It was obvious Cat wasn’t ready to talk, and he wasn’t one to fill the silence with a bunch of idle chit chat. He slowly sped up his run, increasing the incline as well as he admired her speed and endurance. The woman was a fucking running machine. Drop-dead gorgeous, creative beyond measure, too smart for her own good and running on empty—not a good combination.
Chapter Nineteen
“You can’t be serious.” Bristol was incredulous. What had she been thinking, mating with this Neanderthal? Where did he get off, telling her she couldn’t go back to work until they managed to round up Nurse Nutsy? What kind of high-handed, pig-headed, piss-off your ugly sister shit is this?
“What did I say to make you think I was kidding?”
Israel could insert that faux calm directly up his perfect ass. His raised brow told her he’d heard her thoughts, but she didn’t care. He’d just flipped her bitch switch. It was ordinarily well-guarded, but after the past few days, it had been right out there in plain sight.
“Perhaps you’d like to take a deep breath and calm down before we continue this discussion.”
“Oh, brother, I cannot believe you just said that. I feel like a failure as a big sister. Hang on because you’re about to get your ass handed to you.”
Under different circumstances, Bristol would have found Asia’s comments amusing, but she wasn’t seeing the humor in anything at the moment. She was tired of being locked up like a damned prisoner when the crazy woman who’d bought a condo across from Israel’s had been busy snapping pictures from across the street.
