Private Release (5 page)

“Is there something particularly wrong with where I live?” Adele asked, cocking one of her eyebrows.

Jared groaned inwardly, he could’ve phrased that a better way. There was nothing wrong with living in the southern end of the city, it’s just that he wanted her closer. He had this weird urge to protect her and keep her safe.

Like a bonded mate would, which was preposterous as she wasn’t
Mukswa
.
Yet those invisible ties that bound mates together seemed to be ensnaring him, especially with the taste of her still on his lips. She was so beautiful, with her dark hair slung over her copper-colored shoulder and the way she had responded to his touch, the feel of her pussy wrapped so tight around his cock made the blood surge to his loins again. His dick becoming rock-hard again and he was ready for more.

“Well? Is there something wrong with where I live?”

Jared brushed her silky hair from her shoulder. “Nothing is wrong with it per se, except that it’s too far away.”

Adele chuckled. “Too far?”

“Yes,” Jared said.

“What about your other employees? Do they live here?” Adele was teasing him and he knew it.

“As a matter of fact, they do.”

Her eyes widened. “How big is this apartment?”

“Everyone who
works
for Beare Enterprises lives in this building.”

“You’re shitting me.”

Jared laughed. Her colorful euphemisms were delightful and damn sexy. The woman the elders chose as his mate probably hadn’t cussed once in her life. His chosen mate was a prim-and-proper member of a high clan family. She was an aristocrat through and through and boring as fuck in comparison to this enchanting creature lounging naked in his bed.

He wanted her again. A growl erupted past his lips and Adele’s cheeks tinged with pink. Jared inched closer, but she placed her hand on his chest and pushed him back, holding him at bay.

“I don’t think so.”

“Why not?” Jared asked, wanting to brush her hand away and push her down against the mattress and sink into her silky, wet heat. But he resisted because he didn’t want to terrify her with the ferocity of lust he felt for her right now, in this moment.

“You didn’t answer my question, not really.”

“I did. My employees live and work here. Beare Enterprises maintains confidentiality at all times.”

“And what if an employee quits?”

Jared grinned and wound a tendril of her hair on his finger. “No one quits.”

“I find that hard to believe.”

“You can check my financial records.”

“And what about the fellow who embezzled you? Obviously he left.”

Jared’s spine stiffened as Levi and all the damage that black-hearted bastard had done crossed his mind. He rolled away from Adele. “Look. I want you living here. My sister’s room is empty and you can stay there during the course of your investigation. All your expenses will be paid for.”

“Do you think it’s wise?”

“I want you living here.” It came out as a snarl and her eyes widened. “I’m sorry, but I’d feel better about my company and its secrets if you lived here.”

“To keep tabs on me?” she asked.

“Essentially.”

Adele didn’t say anything else. She just sat there, stunned, like a deer trapped in headlights.

He stood up and grabbed his jeans from the heap on the floor. He couldn’t look at her. He didn’t want to have to explain Levi, not right now. All he cared about was recovering the clan’s money. Once the money was found, perhaps the clan could start to heal. Jared headed into the bathroom and shut the door between them. He washed up and pulled on new clothes, but the scent of her still lingered on his skin.

Strong as any mating bond.

He’d have a shower later to wash it away. He couldn’t let any of the elders smell her on his skin and he didn’t want to share that with them either.

“What’ve you done?”

Jared spun around to see Étienne standing in the doorway of the bathroom. The one Adele had stumbled through earlier. Étienne was scowling, his arms crossed across his chest.

“Why does everyone feel the need to barge in on me while I’m in the bathroom tonight?” Jared glared back at his best friend. “What do you want?”

“I came up here to see when Ms. Banks would require her car as the valet’s shift is over.” Étienne’s gaze traveled over his body, his nose wrinkled, his brows furrowed. Jared knew that look well, his eyes dark rife with disapproval.

“Ms. Banks is
not
going home. She’s going to move in.”

Étienne’s eyes widened in genuine surprise. “Bro, are you insane?”

“No. I’m perfectly sane in fact.”

Jared turned back to the sink and splashed some more cold water on his face, ending the discussion, or so he thought.

“You’ve mounted her, haven’t you?” Étienne’s eyes flashed.

A growl erupted from Jared. “Don’t even speak about her to me.”

Étienne shook his head. “She’ll find out our secret.”

“No she won’t.”

“If she lives here with you she will and what will the elders and your future mate think about her living here?”

“They’ll think nothing of it. She’s working for us.”

“Usually contracted employees don’t move in with the chief.”

Jared stared at Étienne in the mirror and he saw the reflection of his own eyes flashing with red, the beast inside him preparing to release, but it was nothing more than a threat. Jared couldn’t feel any other change in his body. Étienne saw the look and lowered his head in deference.

“I didn’t mean any offense,” he murmured. “It’s just…she’s an outsider.”

“Gordon recommended her.” Jared took a deep breath and calmed the anger brewing up inside him. “She needs access to our records. She needs to stay with me. If the elders or my intended don’t understand that then that’s their problem.” Jared shut off the tap and spun around. “Do you understand me?”

Étienne nodded. “Perfectly.” Without so much as a backward glance he left the bathroom and Jared let out the breath he didn’t realize he was holding. He raked his fingers through his hair and glanced back at the mirror. At the wreck of man he’d become.

What are you doing?

Étienne was right. He was nuts for inviting an outsider in. It was going to be hard to keep the secret of their society from her, but the thought of her being across town and away from him hurt him physically. Like someone digging a knife into his chest.

Jared rolled his shoulder and a twinge from his bullet wound assailed him. His incisors punched down through his gums. He stared at his hands and saw his claws were threatening to erupt. Sweat rolled down the sides of his face. God, he was going to shift. He waited eagerly for it to happen, but it didn’t and he growled, slamming his fist against the wall, only not as hard as before, his hand was still healing.

“Jared?” Adele was calling him and he realized her crutches weren’t where she could get them, they were in the other room, where he’d picked her up.

He took a calming breath, splashed some more water on his face and headed out into the living room. He retrieved her crutches and brought them to her. When he walked into the room she was already dressed and sitting on the edge of the bed. He obviously didn’t toss her clothes far enough. He’d remember that the next time.

No. There wouldn’t and couldn’t be a next time.

“I brought these for you.” He handed them to her.

A blush bloomed in her cheeks. “Thanks, unfortunately I do need them.”

Jared watched her pull herself up and he couldn’t help but wonder what happened to her in the line of duty to cause such an impairment. Not that it mattered to him. He’d seen the scar from an obvious gunshot wound. He was all too familiar with that. Hers was worse than the one he bore, but like hers, his had done damage.

“Look, about your offer…I can’t.”

Make her stay,
his mind screamed.

“I understand. It crosses some boundaries.”

A smile dimpled her cheek. “Oh, I think we crossed those tonight.”

Jared chuckled. “I’ll call for your car.” Only he couldn’t move, he was frozen to the spot, drinking in the sight of her.

“I should get going.” Adele walked toward the door. “Do you think my coat is dry?”

“The cleaners took it, but I’m not sure. I’ll check.”

“Well, if it’s not what will I wear in the meantime? I know spring is almost here, but it’s still cold.”

“Hold on.” Jared jogged into Sheridan’s old room and grabbed an old parka from her closet. He took it to Adele. “Here, bring it back tomorrow and your coat will be ready.”

She cocked an eyebrow. “Do you have a hidden stash of women’s anoraks hidden somewhere?”

“It was my sister’s.”

“Right.” Adele blushed again.

Jared helped her on with the coat. The royal-blue color really suited her. It made her eyes appear so bright—eyes that moments ago had been glazed over in lust. His cock stiffened in response. He cleared his throat and punched in Étienne’s call number on the intercom system.

“Yes, chief?”

“Bring around Ms. Banks’ car, she’s leaving.”

“Right away.”

Jared heard the eager tone in Étienne’s voice and he wanted to reach down his friend’s throat and claw out his vocal chords for being so smug about getting his way. If his father were still alive, he could be with Adele.

But not permanently.

And that was the point. Adele wasn’t
Mukswa.

The doors to the elevator slid open and Étienne was inside. Jared stepped out of the way as Adele walked onto the elevator.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Mr. Stevens,” she said, not even giving him a glance.

“Good night, Ms. Banks.”

The doors slid shut and Jared heard the whir as the elevator descended. He had to hold himself back from following her home. His chest tightened, twisting his heart painfully just from her absence. The apartment was too empty for his liking.

Hours ago, before he met her, it’d been just fine.

Now he couldn’t stay the silent hum ringing in his ears.

What the hell is wrong with me?
Jared raked his fingers through his hair and slumped against the wall. If he didn’t know any better he’d swear he’d just bonded with Adele Banks, like a mate would.

Who was he kidding?

Of course he had.

He just had to figure out a way to break that bond or ignore it before he married the woman the council had chosen for him.

Jared was under her and she was in total control of him. She straddled him, but she didn’t want his cock.

Not just yet.

She wanted those sweet lips on her pussy again, but he had other plans as he lifted her up and thrust his cock into her. Filling her. She rode him hard, as his thumb worked her clit.

“Come for me, baby,” he whispered. “I want to taste you.”

Adele moved off his cock and moved up, so she was holding onto the headboard, her pussy just inches from his face. His large, rough hands held her hips as he brought her down to his mouth, his tongue flicking up, tasting her before his mouth covered her pussy and he sucked. It was heaven. His tongue darting in and out of her sheath as she ground her hips in time with mouth.

“Fuck you taste so good,” he moaned. “So fucking good.”

Then pain burst from her side. She glanced down and her wound was fresh, her body went limp and she collapsed on the bed.

Jared was standing over her. Naked. His eyes dark as he glanced down at her. Behind him a large polar bear, snarling, loomed out of the fog in her dream. Its red eyes were focused on her.

“Jared, watch out!” she screamed as she tried to staunch the flow of blood from her wound, but Jared wouldn’t turn around. Instead his eyes flashed red, like the bear’s and he let out a snarl.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Adele gasped and then rubbed her eyes, trying to will her body to wake. Her head pounded as though she’d been hit by a truck, run over and ground repeatedly into the asphalt. The last time she’d a headache of this magnitude was after the bender she’d been on when they all graduated RCMP training. Gordon got her home and stayed with her.

Funny, that night she’d dreamt about bears too. She recalled that dream clearly because it’d been so odd. This dream hadn’t been odd per se, it’d been going along quite nicely, until the bear and her wound reopening. Up until that point it had been one of the best damn erotic dreams she’d ever had, one that had been interrupted by her phone ringing off the hook.

The phone stopped and Adele groaned, glancing at the clock. It was noon.

Shit.

She should’ve been at Beare Enterprises by now. The last thing she wanted to do was show up late for work. That scary dude working for Jared would be all smirky and condescending.