Jace: The Pride of the Double Deuce (10 page)

“That’s right. The man on the ladder is a wolf. The man on the second floor is a shifter. He will, in a few moments, go down to the ground for more of the wire he’s using by changing into a bird.” She watched as he did just that. “And their animal is more aggressive than their human counterpart. Jace is huge as a cougar, much larger than a normal one. All of the boys are. And sometimes when our cats take us, it’s because they need to protect the human part of us and we have no control over it. Not often but sometimes.”

She’d seen that. On both things. His cougar would leap in where Jace would stand back and look the situation over.

Georgie’s phone went off and Holly got up to give her some privacy. Jace touched her mind when she was nearing the new barn.

We have kittens.
She asked him what he meant.
There is a little girl here in town that is giving away kittens. I told her we’d take them all. We need them for the barn, and if they start out as little guys with me, then they won’t be as afraid when the rest of us shift around the yard.

He’d told her about the cows they were going to have just yesterday. They’d be calves, not full grown cows when they got them. That way, like the cows on his aunt’s ranch, they’d not be afraid of them either. Cats, big cats, and cows did not usually cohabitate.

It’s very hard on you and your family, isn’t it? I mean, to be something that things are in awe and fear of. It’s no wonder that you keep it a secret as to what you are.
She leaned against the fence post that was being put in for the new corrals and talked seriously to him about something that had been on her mind.
Jace, are we doing the right thing here? I mean, I want to start a life with you, but…but about this farm. I know nothing of being a farmer’s wife.

You’re a rancher’s wife, honey, and we live on a ranch. And you’ll be great at it. Just get up at the crack of dawn to help me milk the cows. And then we’ll drive the milk into the dairy farmers—they are farmers, by the way—and have them turn it into cheese. For weeks on end, we’ll eat nothing but cheese, because that’ll be all we can afford.
She wondered for a moment if he was kidding her. Then he laughed.
You’re not going to have to do any of that. First of all, we’ll have help. Our ranch and Aunt Georgie’s will split the work. We have tankers that come for the milk daily, and as for cheese? We rarely eat it. I’m not sure why, but we don’t.

I want to help you. I just…I have no idea how.
He told her that he loved her and that was enough for him.
Don’t be obtuse. I said I want to help you and I will. Just show me how. Or I can have one of your brothers show me. I’m sure that Mason would love to show me how to milk a cow.

I’m sure he would, just before I kill him. I’ve explained to you about how possessive I am, right?
She laughed and told him she got it.
I promise you, I’ll show you, love. Or Aunt Georgie can. She’s much better at it than I am.
He told her that he’d be home for supper, did she want him to pick her up? She told him that she was with his aunt and that she would drive to her dad’s from there.

Oh, and you might want to swing by the new house. I think Dad might have made a few adjustments to our plans.
He asked her what sort and she told him.
I think this house will be bigger than his. By a lot. I think he wants us to fill the thing with children, about a dozen or so of them.
As he went off with a string of curse words, she smiled.

Looking over the ranch, she saw Jeff coming toward her with a bouquet of flowers and a box of chocolates. She decided not to tell Jace. He was already pissed enough as it was. Telling Jace that she’d talk to him later at the house, she moved toward Georgie instead of Jeff.

“Who is that man?” Holly told Georgie that he worked for her dad, but he was sort of sweet on her. “Don’t tell Jace. Christ, the man won’t live another…are those roses?”

“Yeah. I don’t think he’s gotten the hint that I’m not going to be going out with him. Not ever.” Georgie watched him approach, as did Holly. She looked at Georgie before Jeff got to them. “Don’t leave me with him.”

She said she wouldn’t but for her to sit down. “You’re making my cat nervous because you are. She wants to protect you. Just be calm and we’ll get rid of him together. Or my cat will have him for dinner. Either way works for me.”

Holly sat but was far from relaxed. Jeff hadn’t made her nervous before meeting Jace, and she wasn’t even sure that was what it was. But her entire body felt as if she were in big trouble. Jace touched her mind just as Jeff handed her the roses.

What is it?
She asked him what he meant.
I can feel your fear. And you’re nervous about something. Tell me or I’m going to send my brothers there.

Sheesh. Calm down. Yeah, I’m nervous that you’re going to do just what you said. Jeff is here. Jeff Hardgrave. And he’s got flowers and chocolate. Also your aunt is with me, as well as about ninety other men working on our house.
He asked her what he wanted.
I don’t know. Some jealous lover of mine is making it so I can’t hear a word he’s saying.

Well…I don’t like it.
She told him neither did she.
I want you to call to me if you need me. Or Mason. He’s there with Logan and Gerard. All right?

Yes, Daddy. Now can you leave me alone long enough to figure this out?
He wasn’t happy, but he made her promise again. Holly looked up at Jeff and wondered what he’d been saying while she’d been dealing with Jace. “I’m sorry, Jeff. I was sort of…did you see our house? We’re rebuilding rather than moving into the other one. We’re really excited.”

“I had no idea all this was going on today. I had hoped to talk to you for a few minutes.” He looked pointedly at Georgie, who didn’t budge. Holly wondered if Jace was talking to her and figured he was. Then she saw Logan coming toward her. Holly was going to kill Jace as soon as she hugged him for protecting her. “It’s not really that important, I guess. I can talk to you some other time. Would you like to go to dinner?”

“Jeff, I’m engaged. And this is my fiancé’s aunt, Georgina Douglas. I think I made it clear to you before that, while I’m glad you work for my dad, I’m not going to see you socially.” Holly thought she felt a surge of anger from him, but he was over it so quickly that she was sure she’d just imagined it. “I thank you for the flowers and candy, but I have someone in my life now and I won’t be dating anyone else.”

He nodded and looked away. It was the clenching of his fist, opening and closing, that made her reach for Georgie’s hand. She didn’t want the woman to shift and kill him, but she was really glad to have her so close. And when the men from the site started looking their way, she knew that they were going to shift and kill him too. Yeah, Jace was a dead man.

“I wondered if the paper had it right.” She nodded at him. “I guess I’ll have to think of something else then. Something more…my mom said I needed to be more creative.”

“About what?” He only shrugged, and she felt Jace sending her love through their link. It was comforting and she told him thank you. “What sort of thing are you needing to be more creative with, Jeff? If it’s about me, I feel I have a right to know. You and I aren’t going to be doing anything together. You need to realize that now.”

“I’ll figure it out.” He looked at her house. “It’s really going to be nice for you, isn’t it? I mean, your dad said he was going to retire as soon as he had a baby to bounce on his knee. Are you pregnant now?”

“No.” She wanted him gone. Like right now. Standing up, she moved toward the building and where Logan and Mason were coming toward her. Holly didn’t want Georgie hurt, so she figured she’d be safe if Holly moved away from her. But Georgie followed her, along with Jeff. It wasn’t that she was scared. She was, but she was also pissed. When Logan put his arm around her, she felt better. “These are my brothers-in-law. Mason and Logan, I’d like for you to meet Jeff Hardgrave. I think he was just leaving.”

“I am. I am.” Jeff looked at the house, then at her again. “You take care now, okay. And I’ll talk to you later.”

As soon as he was out of sight, her knees buckled. Had Logan not caught her, she was sure she would have hit the ground. Instead, he took her back to the chair and sat her in it. Mason handed her a cola.

“Just drink it. And so you know, Jace is pissed.” She asked Mason if he was mad at her. “No. At us. For not killing him.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. He gave you no cause to…would you have really killed him for Jace?” Mason shook his head and she could see that he wanted to hurt something. “Well, that’s good. I was worried there for—”

“I would have gladly killed him for you. Jace can take care of himself.” Holly just looked at Mason, and when he stretched his neck and she heard it pop, she knew that he wasn’t kidding her. “I’m not leaving you until Jace gets here. And he’s really upset, honey. Just let him be pissed and do whatever he needs to make sure you’re all right.”

“I’m okay.” But she really wasn’t. She had been afraid; not just for herself, but for the people with her. “What do you think he’s going to do now? You don’t think he’s going to try and hurt Jace, do you?”

“I hope he tries.” Holly shivered at Georgie’s comment. It wouldn’t be a very long fight, Holly figured, and the only outcome would be that Jeff would be dead. And right now, the way she was feeling, she wasn’t really going to be sorry about that.

Chapter 10

The truck was barely in the drive when he leapt from it. Jace was boiling mad, and he needed something to take it out on. He saw Mason standing next to Holly, his Holly, and he jumped at him, shifting at the same time.

Mason met him as his own cat. They circled around each other several times, snarling and snapping at each other until Jace went on the attack. He was pissed and usually that could work in his favor, but Mason was calm and calculating, and that was what usually got him hurt.

The water hitting him in the face had him turning away. When it seemed to follow him, he snarled at it. It wasn’t until he started for the person with the hose that he saw it was Holly. And Christ, she was as mad as he was. But she didn’t stop hosing him and Mason down.

What the hell are you doing?
She kept doing it and finally he had to move further back from her.
Stop that right now. What the hell are you doing? Pissing me off? I’m mad enough as it is without you doing this too.

“If you’re going to be an adult, then I will treat you like one. If you’re going to be a bully, then I’ll treat you like that, too.” She sprayed him once more. “When you want to talk about this, I’ll listen. But I’m not going to watch you beat the shit out of your brother because…I don’t even know why you’re attacking him.”

He was touching you.
She stared at him, and he felt the need to explain better.
We’re possessive. I’ve told you that over and over. And we don’t like it when our mate smells like another male.

“So if my dad touches me, you’re going to attack him too?” He didn’t answer her, sensing a trap. “Answer me, or so help me I’m going to hurt you myself.”

I want to, but I won’t hurt your dad.
That was the wrong answer. He could tell by the way her back stiffened and her face sort of pinched up. She was still beautiful, but he knew that he’d better just shut up for now or risk serious hurt.

The hose was dropped and he eyed it carefully before looking back at her. When he looked up, she was walking away from him. Before he could go after her and…he had no idea what he’d have done, because Logan stepped in front of him.

“You want to fix this or make it worse?” He told Logan he wanted it fixed. “Then here is what you do. You’re going to have to grovel. And I mean on your knees with sad eyes and full of remorse for your behavior. Grovel like you’ve been caught with your hand in the cookie jar and those cookies were meant for something else. Jace, she’s not going to be like other women. She’ll hurt you in ways that will be like child’s play for her. ”

How do you know?
Logan was a man who was never without female company, and sometimes more than one of them. His brother just shrugged at him.
Okay, I’ll do what you say, but fuck it, that guy was going to hurt her. And she was terrified.

“He would never have touched her.” Logan had been kidding him before, a jovial sound to his voice. But when he told him that Hardgrave would not have touched her, his voice was steel hard, his body stiff from it. “Never. He might have reached for her, but I swear to you, he would never have touched her.”

Jace nodded and moved to his truck. There were other things for him to pull on in it, and he let Logan take the bag out. As he made his way to the woods to shift and dress, he thought about what Holly had said to him.

He had been acting like a bully. And he’d taken his anger out on the one person he knew would fight back. Logan might have, but not for long. Gerard would have let him beat him up for a little bit, then would have torn into him painfully. Darin would have…Darin might have killed him had he attacked him without provocation. Zach? He would have laughed his ass off at him, then left him standing there. He was forever telling them he was a lover, not a fighter.

As soon as he came out of the woods, he looked at the house. Shit, she wasn’t kidding. It was huge. And since he’d been out here yesterday, they’d added the garage as well as…was that a pool?

“I’d start with this house.” He looked at Logan. “You have the means to make it yours. I would. Buy her something that will be just hers. Something…anything that would make her a special space in this house.”

He had no idea what that might be. They’d been living with her dad for a week now, and while he could see touches of her throughout the house, he really didn’t know what she’d want. Or where to start to find out. Jace decided to start with her personal assistant, Sharon.

Jace made his way home slowly. He was on the phone with the chief of police when he pulled into the drive. What he had to tell him wasn’t really encouraging, but the man did tell him that he’d keep an eye on Jeff.

“I’ve known the kid for a while now. He’s got a mother that would peel paint off the wall if you cross her. And even if you just said hi, she’d make you wish you were on the other side of the world just to avoid another encounter. And she rides that kid like a pony. She don’t care if she kills or not. Found out a few months ago that he’s sending her money. She called me when he was late on the check. She wanted to know if he’d been arrested or something for just being stupid.” Graver laughed. “Took an instant dislike of the bitch.”

“I can see why. But today he scared my family, coming out there the way he did. I’m not saying he would have hurt her, but had he tried, there wouldn’t have been enough of him to identify no matter how hard you looked for him.” Graver knew that they were cats. He was a shifter himself, a true shifter. “Mason and Logan said they could almost taste her fear.”

“I’ll have a little talk with him. See what I can figure out. Maybe he’s just being over friendly. And I’ll have a word with Snow. Maybe he’s having some issues at work and thought maybe Holly could fix it.” Jace didn’t believe that and told Graver that. “Yeah, me either, but I can see about it before you or one of them others tears his throat out.”

Jace sat in the driveway after he hung up the phone. He could see that Holly’s car was there, but not her dad’s. He was in the habit of driving himself to work instead of taking advantage of the limo that was on call should he need it. Jace was able to use it too.

He pulled out his phone and called Sharon. She must have heard about his stupidity because she was decidedly cold toward him. But when he told her what he was looking for and what he wanted, she warmed up considerably.

“Her favorite restaurant. I want to take her somewhere nice.” Sharon said she loved this little place in Paris, but there was too much of a time difference to get her there for dinner. But she said she’d take care of it for him in the future, just to give her some notice.

“There is this place in New York. Are you willing to fly?” He told her to make Holly happy, he’d do anything. “Good answer. Okay, give me ten minutes…no, just hang on a second.”

While he waited, he got out of the truck. He really liked his new ride and it had come in handy over the last week, more than he could have imagined. Mason and he had gone into town and gotten all new milkers just yesterday, grain for the chickens that Georgie was going to start raising for the eggs, and a few other things that the house had needed. Plus, they’d gotten a new refrigerator for Georgie. She’d been so upset with them when they’d taken it in the house, but had been going on about how nice it was since. She especially liked the ice machine.

“Okay, be at the airstrip in an hour. I’ve made you dinner reservations at the restaurant, and a limo will pick you up and take you there straight from the airport. I went ahead and booked you in the best hotel in the city, and snagged some tickets for the hard to get Broadway show in town. I hope you hate opera, because that’s where you’re taking her.” He almost told her that they loved opera, but thought this would go better if she thought he had to suffer. “I’ve made arrangements for you both to have clothing sent to the room, as well as a tux for you and a dress for Holly on the plane. Did I forget anything?”

Jace laughed. “I doubt it. Oh, can you call my family and let them know that I’m going to be out of town for a couple of days? And Mr. Snow?”

“I’ve cleared it with Palmer in case he was using the jet, and you’re fine with him. He’s at the house, by the way. And your family will be called.” He heard her take a deep breath, and he waited for her. “You fuck this up and I will never help you again.”

“I know. And I have fucked up. But if Hardgrave comes near her again….” Sharon told him she knew. “Thank you very much for your help. And I have one more favor. I want to do something in the house for her. I mean just for her. My brother suggested a room or something. But I have no idea what to do with it.”

“You have a very smart brother. Is he single?” Jace told her he was. “Just kidding. I have a mate. But what to do…I’ll give it some thought. But off the top of my head, I’d say green house. She loves to play in the dirt.”

A green house. He loved the idea. And as he was making his way into the house, he contacted Mason.
Are you still pissed?

I was never pissed. I might have to have some revenge on Holly. Just a little. She soaked me to the skin.
Mason laughed.
What do you need from your big brother?

I need you to go to the builders and see about getting a greenhouse put near or on the house. I’m not sure how that works, but Holly likes to play in the dirt. I want her to have one.
Mason said he’d talk to them now about it.
And I’m not even sure how big to make it, but tell him large but not huge.

Got it. He said he knew just what you needed. And he’s excited about it. Oh, and I told him it was a surprise.
Jace thanked his brother.
Jace? She was smart today. She stayed with us at all times, never left herself where he could hurt her or anything else. Logan was ready to go in and kill the man, but we waited to see what she’d do. She did great.

I know. I was stupid for thinking she couldn’t handle herself.
Mason said he’d more than likely be the same way if he ever found himself saddled with a human as a mate.
I’m hoping you do get a human. Christ, I’m so in love with mine that I find myself smiling all the time.

We are too, little brother. We are too.

~~~

Holly was finding it very difficult not to ask Jace where they were going again. He’d told her that it was a surprise. She wondered if she should point out again how much she hated surprises. Looking over at him, she wanted to get up and kiss him…or slap him. She wasn’t sure which right now. But when the pilot told them they were free to move about the cabin, she unbuckled and sat there.

“How long does this flight take?” She told him an hour was what the pilot had told her. “Good. I have something I need to do.”

Before she could ask him what, he took her to the back of the plane. She knew that there was a bed back there, but she had no idea he’d known. As soon as the door was closed and locked behind them, he turned her and pressed her body against the wall behind her.

He didn’t say anything as he pulled her buttons loose from their holes. Then when she reached for his, he told her not to touch him, he was in charge. Holly watched him as he slowly undressed her down to her panties and bra. He even took off her stockings by rolling them off her legs one at a time.

“I wanted to take my time with this, but an hour just isn’t long enough.” She nodded and put her hands above her head like he’d told her to. “I’m going to feast on you. Then I’m going to make love to you, bringing you to peak several times before I come.”

“Jace, please don’t tease me. I’ve been on edge since you shifted this afternoon.” As he lowered himself to the floor, Holly felt her pussy soak through her panties, and she knew that he could smell her. Instead of closing her legs like she normally would, she opened them for him, giving them both what they wanted. “Eat me, Jace. Let me come down your throat.”

His mouth moved up her knee to her thigh. He suckled her flesh into his mouth and nibbled on it for several seconds before he moved up to her inner thighs. Holly was hurting, she needed him so badly. He licked his tongue over her pantie line and then slipped his fingers under the elastic, and she nearly cried out when he entered her with his finger.

“You’ll have to be quiet, love. There are others on this plane that I’d rather not know what I’m going to do to you.” She nodded. “Good girl. Now come for me, baby.”

He fucked her slowly, his finger touching her spot over and over until she was riding him. She wanted his mouth there, begged him to take her, but he only watched her as he slowly drove her insane. When he jerked her panties off her, pulled her nether lips apart, and sucked her clit, she screamed at the top of her lungs and didn’t care if the world heard her. His command of her again had her coming so hard that she was weak in the knees with it, and he laid her on the floor.

“Christ, you come so beautifully.” She was shaking with her release but knew that he wasn’t nearly finished with her. When he stood up, towering over her, she nearly came again when he freed his cock and began to fist himself quickly. “I’d love to come on you like this. Have my cum all over your body, only to take you hard from behind. Soon, love, soon I’m going to fuck you like you deserve.”

As he stripped down she felt her mouth water. She’d never tasted him before and wanted to in the worst kind of way. When he was pulling his shirt off his head, she sat up and wrapped her mouth around his crown, and curled her tongue around him.