Authors: J. Hali Steele
She nibbled a nail nervously. “He’ll tell the cops what he
saw.”
“People see crazy shit every day.” She’d forgotten Hatch was
in the room. “These guys are used to it. I’ll make sure his rental car is
returned tomorrow.”
“God, Castle, they won’t do anything to him, will they?”
“They’ll escort him away from here and make sure he gets on
the highway.” His eyes narrowed to slits. “I’m not Jeff Hardison, Harlow.
Anything I give you is because I want you to have it. Christ, I’d never use it
as leverage.”
Harlow’s fingers covered his mouth. “Your instincts warned
you not to tell me.”
“I didn’t understand at the time, but yes, I sensed you’d be
put off by my money, and meeting Jeff explains that.”
“I take it you have a house close by?” She picked her purse
up and turned to Cass, “Tell me how you knew his name was Jeff.” She opened the
door and stepped outside. “And that my divorce would be final in two weeks.”
“Shit.”
Hatch laughed at Castle’s expletive before he left and began
jogging across the parking lot. Harlow watched fascinated as, in mid stride,
the beta became a large, brown-coated wolf that trotted around the corner.
“You drive.” He walked to his car and waited at the passenger
door. She pushed the button to unlock the door, which rose up, and the car
started automatically. “A little extra feature.”
“Hmm.” Harlow eyed him. “For those quick getaways?”
“I don’t need a car for that.”
“How far is your home from here?”
“Just past Agoura Hills.”
“West Lake?” What
was
Brigadier worth? “How many
others?”
“The apartments in LA, Philadelphia, Paris and Hong Kong are
owned by the company, as are the hotels. Big Bear, West Lake and The Moat are
mine.”
“Castle.” She glanced sideways at him. “What’s the
difference?”
“Corporate bullshit, I guess. We’ll talk on the way.”
The time had come to follow her mother’s advice and let the
world know Castle Briggs belonged to her. “Yes, we will and you can tell me who
you’d be getting away from.” Time to find out what Sikes Barnes had alluded to
at The Haven about the women.
Why did so many surround Castle Briggs?
“So that’s what you saw, nothing more.” Castle had explained
how a wolf shifter connected himself to a human woman through blood and why,
under some circumstances, Cass was the one who took their blood after taking
the life of the offending animal.
“You kill them?”
“I’m an apex hunter—don’t ever forget that, Harlow. Power
can be fleeting and I can’t afford to let mine slip with my pack continually
surrounded by humans. I will not allow any wolf to run amok as they see fit.”
He closed his eyes and laid his head against the headrest. “Things run smoothly
in California because my control is absolute and unquestionable.”
“I guess I understand.” He could feel her observe him. “You
are a little like a vampire.”
“Christ almighty, you and the fucking vampire thing.” He
massaged his temples. “God gave us a way to forestall those that could speed us
to extinction. It happens to be through blood. I’m an animal and will do
whatever is necessary to survive including stopping those who attempt to harm
us.”
“Meaning humans?”
“It is what it is.”
“I know how cruel mankind can be, Castle, no need to
apologize.”
“An oxymoron if ever there was one. Man
kind
.” He was
quiet, gathering his thoughts. “I’m not apologizing. We’ve been adversaries for
a long time and it will never end.” He had yet to reveal something else about
his blood. “See the small white light ahead?” She downshifted. “Make a right
into the lane.”
After making the turn, Harlow whistled. “A private gate
with
a guard.”
“Can’t ever be too careful in the woods.” Cass knew every
inch of his patch of forest but he took no chances.
The guard peered in, and then walked around to the passenger
side of the car. “Mr. Briggs, you have guests. They umm, they didn’t drive in
so there wasn’t anything I could do.”
Damn, he’d been careless, forgetting to survey his
surroundings. Castle sat up straight in the seat. “Let Mr. Grisom know the
moment he arrives.” Had he known Esau would return tonight, he would have used
a wolf instead of a familiar to guard his estate. Nothing the cop could do
short of shooting him.
“Sure thing, sir.”
“Somebody you know?”
“Hell yes. I’ve been waiting for him.”
“Will there be trouble?”
“Stay behind me.” Castle didn’t want to do this with Harlow
in his company. Yet the problem required handling with swift, decisive action
and as few repercussions as possible. Hatch would want that. God, he wished
this could be done another time. “Did you hear me?”
“Yes.”
“Keep going, the garage will open automatically.” When the
door lifted and Harli pulled in, he jumped out before she even cut the engine.
“Get your ass out.”
“Hey, don’t talk…”
“Darlin’, do me a favor and pretend for the next half hour
or so that you are butt ass naked and in my bed following my every command.
Nothing else will do.”
“Okay already.”
He took her arm and pulled her in his wake down a hallway in
the huge finished garage holding a few more cars that were as expensive as the
one he had given Harlow tonight.
She slowed her steps. “Jeez, you weren’t kidding.”
“Harlow!” Forgoing the use of his elevator, he tugged her up
a winding flight of steps. When he opened the door, he did it with a bang,
hoping to catch the shifter he smelled on the other side off guard. “Goddamn
you, Esau Knight, how dare you enter my home before I arrived. You’re damn
lucky I didn’t leave a wolf on guard.” The dark-haired man with shoulders as
broad as Cass’s sat on a chair at the kitchen table, rocking back on two legs.
He had a beer in front of him. “And you went in my fridge, fucker?”
“Castle, who’s behind you?” The man’s nostrils flared as he
snuffled the air. “She’s yours?”
“All mine. Where’s Sawyer? I don’t want that piece of shit
in my home.”
“Easy, what’s up? I smell anger rolling from you and we know
each other better than that.”
“Do you know what he did, how many of my women he soiled?”
“Hell, I should have known he avoided your place for a
reason.”
“Hatch let you stay here instead of The Moat while I was
gone?”
“Come on, Cass, we always stay at your house.”
“When I’m here, Esau.”
The alpha leaned the chair forward and stood. About an inch
shorter than Castle, Esau stepped back. “I had business in Los Angeles. I’m
sorry about the women, but I thought Hatch was capable enough to handle any
situation. Saw didn’t say anything when I returned nor on our journey south.”
“Where’s Fia?”
“We ran all night. I assumed you wouldn’t mind if she used a
guest room.” Cass watched him run a hand through his long hair. “Saw’s likely
carousing in the Valley.”
“Can’t you control that bastard?”
“He’s my second, Cass. He’ll be alpha when I’m done unless
Fi…” He shrugged. “It means he gets more leeway. You know how it works.”
“I give Hatch much more space than usual, but he has
manners, and respects another wolf’s turf.”
“You’re right and I’ll handle it. Christ, between you and
Fia on my ass about Sawyer, I’m ready to rethink my position on his being next
in line.”
“Maybe you should.” Cass turned to Harlow. “Babe, it’s
okay.” He kissed her on the neck, and said, “Down the hall to the left is the
stairway. My room’s at the top…”
“Castle Briggs, knew I smelled your furry ass.” Fia waltzed
into the kitchen without a care in the world.
She’s not mated!
Cass grinned. “You should since
you’re in my house.”
The dark-haired, shapely women walked over and hugged him
around the waist. “I missed you when we went south.” She leaned around Cass,
peering toward the stairs. “Where’s Hatch?”
“He’ll be here shortly. You okay?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“One word—Sawyer.”
“To hell with him. He knows better to lay a paw on me. I’d
bite his tongue out.”
Castle laughed. “Good girl. Harlow Hardison, meet Fia
Knight.” He faced the male wolf. “Esau is her father.”
“Nice to meet you.” Esau moved to the top of the stairs.
“Think I’ll go see if I can keep Saw out of trouble.”
“Do that,” Cass said, observing the she-wolf sniff his
woman.
“You mated a human, Castle?”
“Don’t let the thin skin fool you, Fi, she’s got claws.”
“Ooh, she is hot. Look at that body.” She circled Harlow who
stared at her. “Graciella is not going to be happy.”
Graciella was the shifter who had kept him away, leaving
Hatch to handle the pack. “Go ahead up, babe. My room’s first door on the
right. I’ll be there in a bit.”
Shit.
He’d come to know Harlow’s
entrenched look and she wasn’t about to budge unless he was more forceful.
“I’m good right here.” The air grew rife with the scent of
anger and jealousy.
“Darlin’, don’t go all tough on me.” He leaned and licked
her lips. “I
can
make you regret it.”
The blush covering her cheeks made him hotter than hell and
his cock danced in his pants before pressing hard against his zipper. “Go, I’ll
be right behind you.” He smacked her ass, sending her on the way. When Fia
turned to follow, he grabbed her arm. “Not you.”
“Why?”
“Grace expected nothing more than a good fuck.” He strode
across the burnished ceramic tile floor and opened his fridge. “Want a beer?”
“No. You’re more than aware Grace had her sights set on
being your mate.”
“She knew better. Don’t start any bullshit, Fi.”
She leaned her hip on the table. “I don’t know what you
mean.”
“Yes you do. I’ll tell Harlow what’s necessary.”
“Goodness. She doesn’t understand how deep her hooks are
embedded, does she?”
“She’s not a wolf, she’s human. Harli doesn’t fathom a lot
of what’s happening.”
“Ahh, she still thinks there could be someone.”
“Fi, I mean it, don’t play with fire.”
“She’s good at that.” Hatch’s voice was gruff.
They both pivoted to see him standing at the top of the
stairs, arms folded across his broad chest, sniffing the air. Cass knew he
searched for signs of Sawyer having been in the house. “He’s not here.”
His second’s eyes brightened. “I know. Passed Esau heading
into the Valley.” He walked around Fia to the refrigerator, opened it, and
snagged a beer. Twisting the top off, he took a long pull of the golden liquid.
Fia asked, “Aren’t you going to offer me one?”
“Honey, you’re five feet from the fridge.” He grinned. “Get
it yourself.”
Hatch walked out of the kitchen and Cass knew he’d head up
to the spare room he considered his. It meant Fia would share the other larger
room with her father or curl her ass up on the sofa tonight. “You can’t fuck
him around anymore.”
“Go to hell, Cass.”
“Night, night, Fi.” Cass headed down the hall.
“Ooh, damn you both!”
His second had sniffed the air thoroughly to discover if Fia
had mated. Castle chuckled as he mounted the stairs and heard her open the
refrigerator.
This should be interesting
. When he entered his bedroom, a
book sailed within inches of his face. He closed the door and studied Harlow.
“You should know by now there’s no one in the world for me but you. Pull the
claws in.”
“Was Graciella the one you did the fetish room in Big Bear
for?”
“It doesn’t matter ’cause you’re the only one who will ever
use it.” He took his jacket off and hung it on the back of a chair. “Undress.”
“I will not.”
He opened the door and motioned with one hand to the
hallway. “This is my bedroom last time I looked. Act as if you belong to me or
walk out now because I won’t tolerate disobedience in here.”
“As if you would anywhere else.”
She hadn’t headed toward the hallway so he quietly closed
it. “Harlow, understand this—anywhere, anytime I want you—you’re mine.” He
nudged a finger beneath her chin and forced her to look into his eyes. “You’d
have a better chance disobeying me somewhere else, but never in a bedroom that
belongs to me.” He pulled his shirt off and tossed it on the chair. “Come
here.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Everything.”
“Damn you.”
“Harlow, come here.”
Harlow walked toward Castle, and already her panties grew
wet. She had begun to understand some of the differences between him and a
human man. Still, she wondered if he meant it when he said she owned him.
Could anyone
own
Castle Briggs?
When she stood before him, he caressed her cheek. “Remember
how furious I was in Big Bear, how I doubted you?”
“Yes.”
“It will never happen again.”
“What are you saying?”
“Come with me.” He tugged her behind him to the bathroom.
Harli followed but in no way did she pretend to feel docile
or submissive. “What are you going to do?”
“Stand still.” He slowly unbuttoned her shirt and removed
it. Reaching behind her, Cass proceeded to undo the catch at the back of her
skirt. Pulling down the zipper, he let it fall in a puddle around her feet,
followed by the tiny pair of underwear he slipped over her hips and down her
thighs. “Sit up here.” He helped her jump onto the counter. Lifting one leg, he
removed her high heel and he did the same with the other foot. Kicking her
shoes and clothes aside, he stepped between her legs. “Harlow, I won’t let you
submit to me when you feel this way.” He softly touched her taut buds. Bending
his head, he kissed one and then the other. “So beautiful,” he murmured.
Castle carried her into the shower where he stood her facing
the wall before turning on the water. He adjusted the knob so it would be cool
and refreshing. Pulling her into his arms, he reached for a bottle of liquid
soap from the rack to her right and flipped the cap to drizzle liquid over
Harlow’s shoulders and breasts. Returning the bottle, Cass massaged until
lather formed on her body.
She closed her eyes and breathed the delicious scent of
lavender. “Nice.”
“You like what I’m doing?”
“Yes.”
Spinning Harli around, he retrieved a sponge and washed her
makeup away before gently cleaning her breasts and belly. Sliding his hand back
and forth between her legs, Cass bathed every part of Harlow and she kept her
eyes closed, feeling the spray grow warmer as he rinsed her off. Her body
relaxed as he picked her up, stepped from the shower and grabbed a towel to
take with them into the bedroom. Castle deposited her in the center of the
mattress. After drying her front, he commanded, “Turn over.” Drying her back,
between her thighs, and down her legs coerced Harlow into a vivid state of
awareness. Every spot he touched tingled and felt so damn alive. When he was
done, he tossed the towel on the floor and scooted behind her before pulling
the covers up. “Sleep.”
Harlow, dealing with residual anger, was torn between
surprise and feeling hurt he didn’t take her. “Castle?”
“I want to hold you. Nothing else.”