Primal Possession (11 page)

Parker was thinking about Brandon, their dead brother. A balloon of guilt rose, then popped inside her, every time she thought about their younger brother. How her stupidity and naïveté had gotten him killed. If she’d never made friends with Allison, a shifter who had attended her high school, her friend’s drugged-out feral brother would never have latched on to December’s scent and followed her home. And her brother wouldn’t have died trying to protect her. She pressed a hand to her stomach to quell the nausea. She wanted to snap at Parker and tell him he was being stupid, unreasonable. But it was her fault Brandon was dead, and Parker had looked out for her their whole lives. He was her only family. “I understand, Parker.” Without another glance at him she hurried up the stairs.

Once inside her room she didn’t bother with washing off her makeup. She took off her boots and climbed into bed wearing her clothes. It was stupid but she could smell Liam on her and didn’t want to lose that scent. That knowledge scared her. Her brother would never accept him. Something she’d known deep down inside her, but now she had no doubt in her mind.

When it came down to it, family was family. After everything her brother had sacrificed for her, she owed him. Fighting back tears, she closed her eyes and pulled her comforter over her head. Getting tangled up with Liam would break her heart in too many ways to count. Staying away from him seemed to hurt just as bad. She didn’t want to have to choose between her only brother and the man she was falling for.

Liam hated the sense of loss he experienced at having to leave December’s house. But he’d seen that look in her eyes. The one that said, “Don’t make me choose between you and my brother.” Yeah, he’d have lost that one. That much was clear. And she hadn’t wanted to cause Liam pain. He wasn’t sure if that made him feel better or worse.

Thankfully Ryan and one of his other packmates had dropped his truck off at December’s earlier. Otherwise he’d have been walking because he sure as hell wasn’t asking her brother to take him home. The drive wasn’t long but it seemed to stretch on forever. All he could think about was that kiss.

What it had felt like to have December plastered to him as he tasted her. He’d been so close to sinking his fingers inside her heat. She hadn’t made a move to stop him either. She’d been urging him on with those hot little moans and the way her body had moved against him. If
her brother hadn’t shown up, he had no doubt that tonight he’d have sunk more than his fingers inside her.

He slammed his fist against the steering wheel as he reached the gate to the ranch. After unlocking it and steering inside, he quickly relocked the gate before parking in the building next to the main barn. He could scent a few of his packmates out patrolling the land, but other than the normal ranch smells, everyone else was in for the night.

Instead of heading to the cabin he shared with four other male warriors, he walked toward the main house. Connor lived there with his mate, Ana; her sister Noel; Erin; and Vivian, a jaguar cub they’d adopted. Liam frowned as he realized that Jayce might be coming to the ranch because of Vivian’s presence in addition to everything else. Lupine shifters’ adopting feline shifters was unheard of. Apart from the species’ differences, lupine, coyote, and ursine shifters lived in North America and most feline shifter packs were located in South America. There were always exceptions to the rule, but it didn’t happen often. As enforcer, it would make sense for Jayce to check on the new feline shifter living on lupine land. But if he or the Council had a problem with her, Liam knew his entire pack would go to war for the adorable little cub.

After stomping the snow off his boots and without bothering to knock, he opened the front door. Voices trailed from the kitchen. According to his nose, it was Ana and Connor.

Liam found Connor sitting at the table and Ana was in his lap, nuzzling his neck. The sight was nauseating. He didn’t like the spike of jealousy that ran through his chest. It made him feel small and petty because he truly was happy for his brother. Connor had walked away
from Ana fifty years ago as pure self-sacrifice. If anyone deserved love, it was his brother.

Ana glanced up and smiled. “Hey, Liam.”

He grunted.

“Uh-oh. Lady problems? Didn’t you take my advice and chill on the possessive crap?” she asked.

Next to her, Connor tightened his grasp and pulled Ana even closer to his side. “What’s wrong with a little possessiveness?” Connor murmured against Ana’s neck.

She playfully elbowed him and the pain inside Liam intensified as he watched their interaction. His brother had pined over Ana for so long. To see them finally together as bondmates made Liam happy, but at the same time it was like a dagger embedded in his chest. He wanted that same thing with December so much he ached for it. And he wouldn’t ever settle for just mates. He wanted to be bonded with her. If she let him make love to her under the full moon and sink his canines into her neck, bonding them for life, it would link them telepathically and give her the same longevity as him.

“That’s not it.” He grabbed a beer from the fridge and downed half of it, wishing it would take the edge off but knowing it wouldn’t. Nothing could do that except maybe a fifth of whiskey.

While he was guzzling his beer, he heard Ana murmur something about waiting for Connor upstairs.

Once Ana was gone, he slammed the bottle down on the counter and turned to face his brother.

Connor raised his dark eyebrows. “What’s going on?”

He didn’t feel like explaining to his brother how close he’d been to making love to December before they’d been interrupted. “Just frustrated, that’s all. Did you tell everyone that Jayce will be here tomorrow?” He’d texted Connor earlier to let him know about Jayce. After the
poisonings at the ranch, their neighboring Alpha’s recent death from Connor, and the possible issues with the APL, they’d been expecting his visit, just not so soon. The Council liked to take their sweet time unless problems directly involved shifter relations with humans. With the APL’s recent attacks on them maybe that’s exactly why Jayce was there early. Then again, maybe not.

“Yeah. Did he say why he’s in Fontana early?”

“No, but I think it has more to do with Kat Saburova than us.”

Connor’s eyebrows hiked even higher. “Probably should have seen that coming.”

Liam and Connor had saved Kat from two asshole kidnappers/would-be rapists a few weeks ago. Since then, they’d kept in touch and looked out for her when they could. Even though Jayce was her ex, male shifters were very territorial about their females. They had a burning need to protect females. It made sense that he was here now a week earlier than he’d told their pack he’d be arriving.

Liam cleared his throat and broached a subject he wasn’t looking forward to. “You think he knows Ana jumped into the middle of the
nex pugna
?”

During the sanctioned death fight between his brother and their old neighboring Alpha, Ana had tried to attack the other wolf. While it was stupid and she’d done no harm to the dead wolf, she’d simply acted on instinct. She’d thought her mate was injured and the animal inside her had reacted. Still, interfering in a
nex pugna
was punishable by the Council.

“No.” Connor shook his head, but a frown carved deep into his face.

Liam didn’t envy his brother being Alpha. Connor had all the responsibility of taking care of not only his
newly blended pack but also the welfare and happiness of his new bondmate. Finding a balance between everything had to be hard. Hell, Liam could barely balance his own responsibilities. He wanted to be here for his brother, but lately he’d been consumed with the need to protect December, and he’d been shirking his duties. He’d been a virtual ghost at the ranch, but so far no one had a problem covering for him. Probably because most males understood what he was going through.

December was almost like an addiction. Finding a mate was bad news for a male in that sense. The need to protect a mate was overwhelming. For him, it felt even worse because of her resistance to what he was and the type of relationship they could have. If she’d been a shifter, she’d have felt the pull like he did. He knew she was attracted to him, but he didn’t know what the effect was for humans. Not to mention she was female. No matter the species, they were so damn different and confusing. He shook his head. He had more important things to worry about. “December’s brother stopped by her place earlier. They lifted some prints from the BMW.”

Connor’s expression darkened. “Did they find that asshole who tried to hurt her?”

He shook his head. “No, but I got a name. Mike Taylor. It’s common enough but he did some time in prison and he’s got ties to the APL.”

“I’ll see what Ryan can dig up,” Connor said.

Ryan, their oldest packmate, could hack almost any system. The rough-looking cowboy didn’t seem like the type, but computers were his thing.

“The sheriff made it clear we’re to stay away from him.”

Connor’s lips curved into a hard smile. “Right. Just like we’ll steer clear of the APL.”

Good, at least his brother wanted the same thing he did. Not that he’d been worried about his response. The human who’d tried to hurt December was going to pay. “I’m gonna get some shut-eye, but I’ll be here for the meeting in the morning.” At Connor’s nod, he let himself out and headed back to the cabin even though it was one of the last places he wanted to be.

Right now all he wanted was to be wrapped up in December’s arms.

E
dward was careful to stick to the speed limit as he drove into town. The sun was peeking over one of the mountains, but it was still mostly gray outside. Since it was Sunday, the roads were quiet.

He glanced in the rearview mirror. Brianna was right behind him, driving his truck because he was driving Tony’s. As he passed the sheriff’s station, he automatically slowed so that he was a mile under the limit. With a dead body in the back he couldn’t afford to get stopped now. It was covered with a tarp, but if a cop got suspicious enough, it was easily discoverable. And killing a cop brought too much heat.

Edward steered into one of the main gas stations in town but was careful to avoid the video camera pointed at the front door. Instead he parked on the side of the building and Brianna did the same.

As he got out, he glanced around, but the streets were empty. He glanced at Brianna through the windshield and motioned for her to stay put. Then he quickly removed the tarp and shoved it into the nearby Dumpster,
but left the body right where it was in the back of the truck. Since it was cold out, he likely wouldn’t begin to smell too soon and Edward needed him visible sooner than later.

He looked at the body one last time and smiled. The son of a bitch had been ripped to shreds by his dogs. His face was gone but he’d be easily identifiable by his dental records and prints. Dumb fucker had a record. For sexual assault or some shit. After he’d recruited those other two morons who couldn’t keep it in their pants, he’d made a point not to recruit any sexual deviants with records. Unfortunately Tony’s father had wanted him down here working with Adler. And Adler wanted to keep his boss happy for now.

“That’s it?” Brianna asked as he slid into the passenger seat. Clutching the steering wheel, her knuckles were stark white.

She must be worried. “It’ll never be traced back to us.”

“What about Tony’s father?” she persisted.

“Once the cops run his dental records or fingerprints, they’ll notify the family. I’ll probably get a call from his father. Or they might even send someone down to speak to us. We just have to act surprised and stick to the story. He left after the meeting and that’s the last time we saw him.” Lying was easy for him but he worried Brianna might break under the pressure.

Surprisingly his words seemed to have a calming effect. Her shoulders loosened as they continued driving. “Do you think his father will come see you himself?”

Edward hoped not, but he shrugged. “Maybe.”

She bit her bottom lip but kept her eyes on the road. He stared hard at her for a moment. She was edgy, nervous. He didn’t like it, but she wasn’t used to getting her hands dirty. Not this way. It explained her behavior.

When she glanced at him, he quickly looked away. No sense in getting her more upset by his scrutiny. Not when things were finally starting to fall into place.

Kat opened her eyes and groaned in misery. It tasted like something had died in her mouth. She’d had beer, vodka, and shots of…something sweet last night. What had she been thinking?

Struggling to sit upright, she tried to clear her mind. She hadn’t been thinking and that was the problem. She’d been pissed at seeing Jayce in the flesh. Well, hurt more than anything. She glanced down and realized she wore a pair of Jayce’s old jogging pants. She’d snagged them when she left Miami. His smell wasn’t on them anymore, but she still liked to wear them. Pathetic.

Once she made it to her bathroom, she brushed her teeth and washed her face. The cool water splashing against her skin did little to make her feel better, but at least she’d gotten rid of the foul taste in her mouth.

When she opened her bedroom door, she paused. The scent of rich coffee lingered in the air. She knew she hadn’t preset the pot the night before. Maybe December had done it before she’d left.

Kat froze in the entrance of the kitchen. With his back to her, Jayce stood by the stove. A jug of orange juice, two cups, and two plates sat on the center island.

“About time you woke up,” he said without turning around.

She glared at his back as she strode into the room. “What are you doing here? And how did you even get in? I know I set the alarm.”

“You have the same code you did in Miami.” He shook his head and finally turned to face her. When he did, she could see the scrambled eggs in the pan.

Her place was warm enough, but with Jayce in the same room, her nipples instantly hardened. God, she felt like Pavlov’s dog or something. The man just brought out a certain response in her no matter how much she wanted to deny it. Her body simply came alive when he was near. She crossed her arms over her chest. “That still doesn’t explain what you’re doing here.”