Force of Nature Series Boxed Set (Books 1 - 4) (23 page)

“You’ve no idea,” Alexis said softly. “I’m very sorry for snapping at you like that. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be on my way.” She tried to push her cart around her, only just realizing that her last name was the same as the officer’s.

“You’re new around here, aren’t you?” the woman said as she moved her cart next to Alexis’s. “My husband and I just moved into the house on Blueberry Lane. Well, the entire pa…family has moved.”

Every time she moved her cart to go around the woman, she’d block her again. After several attempts, Alexis realized she was doing it on purpose.

Alexis stared at her. “You’re very pushy, aren’t you? Has it occurred to you that I’m trying to be polite and get away from you? I have things to do, and doing social hour with you isn’t really high on my list of ‘gotta do today.’”

CJ threw back her head and laughed. Alexis couldn’t help it, she laughed too. She’d had a shitty morning, a crappy day, and this woman wasn’t going to let her get by with it. She had no idea why she immediately liked her, but took a chance and hoped she wasn’t related to the cop from earlier.

“Would you like to start over? I’m CJ Force, and I’m reasonably sure you’re new to this area. Would you like to get some dinner?”

“Alexis Dark, and yes to both. I’ll just have to call….” Alexis remembered the cop and decided that having a cop as a friend of a friend might be too much. “I need to ask you something first. And I’m sorry if you think this is rude, but you’re not by any chance related to an Officer Force, are you?”
Please say no
, her mind screamed at her.

“Yes, unfortunately, he’s my brother-in-law. Did he hit on you? Which one was it? I have two in the department. Well, one will be quitting soon, but for now two. I’m betting it was Gordon. For some reason he thinks all women love him and he’s…are you all right?”

No, she wasn’t. A cop. She nodded then shook her head. Alexis looked at the stuff in her cart and the few things she’d put on the belt to be paid for. Should she just leave it, or pay and make her escape? She couldn’t have the police around…Paddy would know. She started tossing things on the conveyor belt and then pulled out her credit card.

“I’m fine. I have to go. I just remembered that I couldn’t….” Alexis took a deep breath. “I have to go, Mrs. Force. I’m sorry, but….” Handing the girl her credit card to pay, she snatched up her two bags and flew out the door.

She was nearly home before she realized that she’d left her card. Giving in to the tears that she never let fall, she pulled to the side of the road and let herself have a really good sob. It took her an extra hour to get home and, once there, she simply handed the groceries to her aunt and shook her head when she started to ask. She made her way to her rooms before she could see anyone else.

She didn’t want to move again.

Chapter 2

“Your new girlfriend is Alexis Dark. She’s the owner of Dark Treasures in town. Mom and Holly used to buy things from her over the Internet, and now they can just go into town.” Gordon nodded at his brother’s information. “She and two other women, a Gladys Dark and a Justine Andrews, live out on Saddle Brook Lane. Alexis moved here about ten months ago and bought the house and about ten acres. She paid cash.”

That information made the cop in him pay attention. He also decided not to tell his brother that she wasn’t his anything. “How much cash, and did anyone inquire as to where the money had come from?”

“Not that I’m aware of. But I did do a little digging and found out she had a sister that died a year ago. There was a big stink over her death. Alexis claimed her brother-in-law, Patrick Booth, killed her and the authorities claimed it was a mountain lion.” Dallas paused just a bit and Gordon knew he wasn’t going to like the rest. “Others claim it was a wolf.”

“And you know this how? Or do I want to find out?” Dallas tossed a file across the table at him and he opened it. The thing was full of pictures. Before he could ask about them, they heard a car pull into the drive.

Gordon looked up when the back door to the kitchen opened and CJ walked in. He and Dallas jumped up to take the bags and set them on the counter for her. Dallas went to the car to get the rest while Gordon started going through the bags to find himself a snack.

“I met someone who knows you today,” CJ started. He grinned at her from behind. She wasn’t very good at hiding her scents yet and he knew she was upset about something. “She asked me if I was related to you, then took off like I’d tried to run her down with my rig. Want to explain that one to me?”

He took the pitcher of tea from her and drew down two glasses. He took his time and tried to remember if he’d pissed anyone off lately that would talk to CJ. No one came to mind so he just shrugged.

“Nope. Must have been Connor this time. I’m innocent until you can prove otherwise.” He handed her the tea. “And you owe me two hundred and ninety-four dollars and ten cents for that crap I….” He stared at her, thinking that maybe it was too small a world if Alexis had run into CJ. Either that or she was looking for him through her. He set his glass down and leaned against the counter as Dallas brought in the rest of the bags.

“What is it? Are there so many women in your harem that you have trouble keeping them all straight? Damn it, Gordon, I liked this girl. She was rude and tried to avoid me.”

He frowned at CJ. “And of course you would think that is the basis for a long and lasting friendship? What the hell did she do, run right out and find you to pay me back or something?” Gordon flushed. CJ had that look about her that said he’d gone too far. He knew he shouldn’t piss her off, but there were times when it was easier to go a round or two with her than one of his brothers. Sometimes anyway. He suddenly didn’t think this was going to be one of those times.

“What did you do to her? I’m not kidding, Gordon Force. You’ll tell me what you did to piss this girl off or so help me, I’ll…I’ll do something you’ll regret.” She was his alpha person and he knew better than to argue with her. But he was just as pissed as she seemed to be.

“What the hell do you think I am, huh? A monster? I went to her shop like
you
asked me to and, while there, I was going to clear up a few of the rumors I’d heard around town.” He heard Dallas tell him to back off, but was too far gone to heed his advice. “How the fuck was I to know she was going to be all pissy about me talking to the kids? I didn’t do a damn thing to them other than to fucking say hi.”

“That’s enough,” the voice thundered behind him. Gordon didn’t even have to turn to know that his brother and alpha was standing right behind him. He closed his eyes and then opened them as he turned.

“Don’t, Austin,” CJ told him. “He and I were just talking. And I started it. I was wrong and I shouldn’t have jumped on him like that.” She hugged him before going to her mate. “He didn’t do anything to upset me, and I flew off the handle before I thought about it.”

“He should know better than to snap at you. He and I will talk about this later.” Gordon snorted at Austin. “You think this is a joke? She’s whelping, you shit head, and I’ll have you take a care.”

The low growl had them both step back. Even though CJ hadn’t been a wolf long, she was still an alpha. Gordon took another step back from her when she snarled at Austin.

“Honey, you—”

“You say one word, you overgrown dog, and I will rip your nuts off your body and serve them up at the next pack meeting. How do you expect me to be the alpha person if you are always stepping in and taking over? Back the fuck up right fucking now.” Austin glared at Dallas when he laughed. “Don’t think that because I’m pissed at him right now that you’re off the hook either, smart boy.”

Gordon watched as she turned on Dallas. Since he was grinning when she turned to him, she caught him as well. “CJ, I’m sorry. Why don’t you tell me who you met and I’ll try to tell you how I pissed her off.”

Being the brother-in-law to an alpha person had its advantages. Mostly, it was having her around to calm his brother, but there were times when he simply liked to tease her. And he had to laugh every time she glared at him. To himself, though.

Gordon knew who it was that she was talking about, but it didn’t hurt to have a little confirmation just to be sure. When CJ started digging through her purse, he thought maybe it was someone else until she turned and looked at him with a smile. When she handed him a credit card with Alexis D. Dark on it, he simply sat down.

Dallas looked at the card and then sat down beside him. “This the same girl, I take it? The one you had me looking for this morning?”

Gordon nodded. “Yeah. She left her shop and ran into CJ, I guess. I’m guessing that it was a chance meeting and nothing prearranged.”

CJ nodded at him. “She was in a bad mood when I first saw her. She was talking to somebody on the phone. And since I have the hearing of a bat now I heard the man threaten her about some children, and she told him that she’d make him pay if he touched them again. I don’t think I’d want to piss her off if I could avoid it. She looks like she’d be vicious.”

Gordon took the file again and looked at the pictures inside. He pulled out the ones of the kids. They were smiling in the picture in his hand, much different than the look they’d had in the store. There they’d looked haunted rather than happy like they seemed with the woman beside them.

“I met these kids today. Though they are not the same now as they were then…they’ve been hurt and hurt badly. This one, Timothy.” He pointed at the oldest boy. “He was ready to take me on to save his family. He thought I was there to take him away. And he didn’t want anything to do with his father.”

“So something happened to them? And you’re thinking their father is involved?” CJ sat down and picked up the file as she spoke. She was about halfway through it when she set it down again. “I can’t look at those anymore. They’re…you have to make sure they’re all safe, Gordon. You can’t let that man, whoever he is, harm them.”

He knew that, but didn’t know what he was up against. The scent on the kids had made him think that there was another wolf around. He looked at the pictures and then thought about the scent. Male was all he’d really gotten and that somehow he’d been around the children recently. He’d bet his last dollar that the woman, Alexis, didn’t know it either.

He held the credit card in his hand and looked over at Austin. “There was a wolf around the kids recently. I’m not sure who, but it wasn’t anyone familiar to me, not pack anyway. At first I thought that it was one of the adults, but I don’t think any of them are were. Do you suppose that this man really did kill the other girl and he’s a wolf too?”

“He’d be in violation of pack law if he’s in the area without informing me. If this Dark woman is harboring him, which I highly doubt, then she could be in just as much trouble as him.” Austin took the file from in front of CJ. He studied it for several minutes before he, too, closed the file and set it back down. “These are wolf marks, but not all of them. Some are from a knife, very sharp, and steel. Anyone who knows a wolf would be able to tell that.”

Gordon only nodded. The woman had been murdered, there was no doubt about that, but by a wolf he wasn’t so sure. The attack had been violent and brutal. The marks on the woman’s throat and belly were extensive and were more than likely what had killed her. She’d been torn apart and eviscerated as well, her intestines torn from her and spilled onto the ground. Whoever had done this to her had been there to do just what they’d done…kill, and kill for the sport of it.

Gordon stood up and kissed CJ on the cheek just to hear his brother growl. Smiling, he turned to his brother Dallas and held out the file. He wanted some answers, and he figured he’d get them best at the house rather than the shop.

“I’m going to go and see our Miss Dark. I think it’s time we had a little chat about customer service and politeness to others.” He grinned when he looked up at CJ. “Want to come with me?”

“No, I do not. But I will give you advice, a woman thing.” She grinned at him when he frowned at her. He so didn’t need advice about women. “Don’t do like you normally do with woman.”

He pretended to frown at her harder. “You mean don’t be my usual charming self? CJ, you wound me. Women love me. I have them eating out of my hands all the time.”

“This one doesn’t strike me as the ‘Gordon notch in the bedpost’ sort of woman, and I’m pretty sure she can take you.” Then she punched him slightly in the shoulder. “And if you play your cards right I might get a discount at the shop, and that’ll go a long way in making me love you more.”

Gordon was still laughing at her when he went out the door. Women loved him and he was sure he could get this one to love him too…or at least like him a bit. She’d been having a bad day, that was all, and he’d simply woo her to his way of thinking while he got a little information.

~~~

The knock at her door made her groan. She didn’t move from the soapy bath, but closed her eyes against the noise. She tried to concentrate on the sounds her headphones were pumping into her ears, but the pounding was getting on her last nerve. Alexis stepped out of the tub, grabbed a towel, and went to give the person on the other side a piece of her mind and the feel of her fist. She jerked back when she saw who was standing there.

“Your aunt said I could come down. She thought maybe you were asleep and told me to…. Do you have anything on under that towel?”

“Of course I do. Don’t you take a bath fully clothed?” Alexis wanted to turn and find more to put on, but was sure it was too late for that. “What the hell do you want, Officer Force? I’m on my own time here and you’re interrupting my down time.”

“I can see that.” She would bet he was seeing a great deal. “I wanted to talk to you about something. Something important. Something…. Don’t you want to get something less…more on? I mean, I’m sure you have to have a robe or something back there.” He looked over her shoulder like one was suddenly going to appear for her.

“I do, and to put it on would waste more of my time since I’m going to strip down and get back into my bath as soon as you leave.” She glanced back to the clock at the side of her bed. “In about five seconds.”

She shouldn’t have looked away. Looking away gave him enough time to move and, when he had, he’d taken full advantage of the open door. Suddenly, he was standing right in front of her, and he smelled so good. She was nearly ready to lean into him and smell his neck when he touched her.

“Do you have any idea how lovely you are?” He skimmed his finger along the swell of her breasts that the towel was pressing over. “And your skin is very warm, almost hot. I’m betting you smell very good too. Can I have a sniff of you, Miss Dark? A taste maybe?”

She closed her eyes to the almost purr of his voice. It was hypnotic and the most soothing thing she’d ever heard in her life. When she found herself pressed against him, she looked up into his eyes, suddenly very afraid and very needy.

“Don’t,” she said as he lowered his head to hers. “Please, don’t.”

“Too late.” He brushed his mouth over hers once then pulled back to look at her again. “Christ, it’s you.” This time when he took her mouth it was to devour her.

His hand at her breast made her breath catch even as his tongue invaded her mouth. And when she felt him moan her pussy tightened then moistened. She shifted on her feet as she lifted her hand to his hair and laced her fingers in its softness. Moaning again when his mouth moved down her neck to her shoulder, she could almost hear the pounding of her heart, it was so loud. When his mouth took her nipple, she nearly came apart. This time when she begged him it was for an entirely different reason.

“I want you. Right now. I want to taste your sweetness and then come inside of you,” Gordon whispered in her ear as he made his way up her throat again. “Tell me you want me as well, Alexis. Tell me that you need me too.”

Yes,
her mind screamed at her.
Tell him yes.
But before she could form the words he was nipping at her neck, and the sudden pain that flared through her was gone before she could protest.

“Please, you’re going too fast,” she tried. “I need to—”