Prowl (Pride Riders Book 3) (7 page)

“I really don’t like you right now,” she muttered.

“What’s not to love?” He yanked his shirt off as he entered the bedroom. “Better get a move on before I decide to join you. Then we will have a bunch of angry yowling cats sitting on my porch until I decide to let them in.” He twisted around and winked.

Bane crossed the threshold and slid the door shut, to cut off the sight of his smirking.

Chapter Seven

Sitting at his computer, Ari glanced at his bedroom door. His mate rushed across the room behind him after her shower. Bane didn’t have clothes; he reminded himself they would have to go shopping. In the meantime, he left her some sweats on the bed.

He spun around and went over the information again on the computer screen. Shay’s virus had located about two-thirds of the funds stolen from the Pride, but he wanted the woman behind the theft.

His brothers didn’t talk about it, but he knew they took unnecessary risks for top dollar, all in an effort to line the clan’s coffers. Anger flashed through him; he decided he would hunt Zima and skin her alive for her disrespect of his family. He combed his fingers through his locks. Stomping beyond his door alerted him that at least one of his brothers had arrived. He rose from his seat as El pushed the door open.

His oldest brother gazed at him with his lips turned down in a slight frown. He strode up to Ari and snatched him up in a big bear hug. “I was worried about you.”

“I’m fine. Everything is all good.” Ari swallowed the lump in his throat. They were alpha predators, not simpering men.

“I know.” El released him and slapped him upside the head.

“Ow.” Ari rubbed the spot.

“Next time, call me, idiot. Trace and I thought you were lying in a ditch dismembered by my fucking twin.” El grumbled. “I raised you from a cub. You’re more like a son than a little brother.” He went to pop him again.

Ari ducked. “You’ll live, lion. Will you cut that shit out!”

Nae and Shay strolled in, laughing, with Trace stalking quietly behind them. They stopped just over the threshold and peered at Ari. “Whoo-boy, there is something different about you.”

Nae grinned. She ambled up to him, went up on her toes and threw her arms around him. “Next time you make El worry like that, I will gut you myself.” She patted his arm before plopping down on the loveseat.

“Somehow,
your
threat actually scares me.” Ari chuckled.

“As it should.” Nae nodded.

“Ari, Ari, Ari…” Shay murmured as she winked. She stepped to the side and Trace moved up next to her.

Trace entered Ari’s personal space and swung a fist. Ari reared back. Backdraft from the swing swept across his face. Someone hissed. Ari shuffled back. Trace moved suddenly and Bane was between them, claws drawn. He peered down at her. The shirt he’d left out for her hung off her shoulders while her hips filled out his sweat pants nicely.

Her fangs curved over her bottom lip and her hands were curled in a defensive position. She prowled forward, holding the tiger’s gaze. “No one puts their fucking hands on my mate.” The slurred words dropped like stones in the quiet room.

El stepped up next to them and roared.

Bane turned her head and blinked slowly. “Is that supposed to intimidate me? I took on bigger beasts in the Sudan, lion.” The last words rumbled from deep within her chest.

Trace and El faced her. Their eyes narrowed.

She lifted her arm and flexed two fingers inward. “It’s been a while since I had to kill a bitch.”

“Shit.” Ari wrapped his palm around her neck, covering their mate mark and pulled her against him. “Sugar, these are my brothers.”

She never took her gaze off them. “So?”

“Whoa—ain’t no death or dismemberment happening here.” Shay moved between the men. “Hi, I’m Shay.” She stuck her hand out and angled her head toward Trace. “The tiger’s mate.”

Bane wrinkled her nose. “You’re human.”

Trace growled and pushed forward. Shay thrust an elbow in his side. “Yeah, I get that a lot here.”

“I’m not threatening your mate, cat, so back the hell off before I tear out your throat.” Bane gazed at Shay. “Cool, nice to meet you.” Her teeth receded, but she kept close to Ari.

Gunter wandered through the doorway with La. “Why do I smell rat?”

“I think Ari is mated to one,” El commented dryly before turning away.

“El!” Nae shrieked.

“It’s true. The mouse doesn’t respect authority.” El shrugged and took the seat next to his mate.

“We talked about this.” Nae twisted in his way and raised her brows.

Ari tightened his grasp when Bane moved in his direction. “No, I simply don’t respect you. Where I come from, authority is earned, not given. But like most housecats, your ego is bigger than your body.”

“Ouch!” La giggled. “Ari, you got any popcorn in the kitchen? This shit is epic!”

“Bane,” Ari whispered in her ear.

“Well the kittens do have one redeeming quality. They appeared to mate smart women. You can’t hold that they are human against them,” Bane muttered.

“Bane,” Ari growled.

“It’s a compliment.” She swiveled out of his embrace and claimed the office chair, slowly rolling it backward.

Gunter narrowed his eyes. “Honey badger?”

“Ding ding, ding! Give that animal a prize.” She whirled her finger in a circle near her head.

“I see your kind is still obnoxious,” Gunter grunted. “My poor boy has no clue what he has gotten himself into.” He crossed his arms and raised a brow at Ari. “This is why you should talk to your elders before you mate.”

“Like it would have made a difference,” Nae snickered. “For what it’s worth, I like her.”

“You would,” El grunted.

“Sorry, I missed that.” Nae faced Ari and smiled.

“No, you didn’t.” El stared at her for a long moment before turning in the direction of Ari and Bane. “Anyway, Ari tells me you have the papers and I have the buyer, so I’m thinking eighty/twenty split.” He leaned back in his seat.

“Once again, you support my belief in your stupidity.” Bane pursed her lips.

A rumble escaped from deep in El’s chest. He glanced at Ari.

“Bane has her own mind.” Ari moved to stand behind her as he chuckled. He wrapped his palm across the back of the chair. If his brother attacked, he needed to act fast.

“Obviously, she does.” La shook her head, with a huge smile stretching her cheeks.

“Regardless of her genus, she is now Pride.” Gunter sighed. “Goddess help us all, first humans and now this.”

Nae eased to the edge of the couch. “What do you find reasonable, Bane?

“I was thinking more along the lines of sixty/forty since I did the work, and the only reason I lost my buyer is because…”

“I think fifty/fifty is fair,” Ari interrupted her.

Bane turned narrowed eyes on him.

“That works.” Gunter clapped his hands. “El?”

El opened his mouth, but Nae was the one who commented. “Wonderful. Glad that is settled. So Bane—I love your hair. Where’d you have it done?”

“All natural,” Bane said, as she shrugged.

“Where are you from?” Shay asked.

Trace dropped his head and nudged his mate.

“Africa, the Sudan.” Bane volleyed back answers to the rapid-fire questions.

Ari bent and kissed Bane on the crown of her head. She was accepted by the members of the Pride that counted. If the women hadn’t taken to her, he knew he would have real problems.

His anxiousness dissipated. He shook off the notion that there was still unspoken business to be discussed, and studied Nae. She smiled and laughed, but remained reserved. It would take some time for his family to warm up to Bane, but at least the ice was broken.

“Boys, I need to speak with you. Outside, please.” Gunter walked toward the open door.

“La brought over a large jar of honey earlier. It’s in the cabinet above the sink,” Ari spoke against her temple.

She squealed and his heart skipped a beat. He looked down at her face. Joy etched her features, making her eyes shine. She reached behind her and hugged him close. His family stared at them with varied looks on their face. His brother’s features showed confusion, his sister’s face was etched with wariness, while their mates beamed with delight.

He pulled reluctantly from her embrace and peered into her eyes. “I plan to paint a masterpiece on your body with it later.” He could just make out the tip of her tongue between her parted lips. The urge to rush his family away was sudden and intense.

“Son,” Gunter motioned toward him. “We need you.”

Ari looked up and his brothers peered at him from the doorway, while the women just laughed and high-fived each other.

He stood. “All right.”

****

Bane watched Ari walk hesitantly across the threshold before he was yanked out of sight by the man they called Gunter and the door was firmly shut behind him. A heavy silence filled the room. Gone was the earlier affability. The women stared at her, Shay and La rose, moving to flank her. Nae crossed her legs and settled her palms over her knee.

She knew she was being measured and their opinion appeared to matter to Aristotle, so she would quietly wait until they voiced their thoughts. This mating shit was a pain in the ass.

Bane wiped a palm down her face. It didn’t occur to her until right then, but somewhere over the last few days she’d accepted the connection she had to the shifter. She met the gaze of each woman straightforward and openly. Goddess help them if the wrong words came out of their mouths… Hurting them would make relations strained, but she would defend herself from anyone human or shifter in anyway necessary.

Bane pursed her lips and waited.

The turned-down corners of La’s lips pulled the skin tightly across her slightly hooked nose and high cheekbones, making her hawkish features more prominent. She scowled. “My brother has a good heart, and if you hurt him, I will rip your ass off this earth.” Her words were solemnly spoken.

Bane hadn’t expected the bird to lead the charge. She leaned forward, forearms on her knees, and hope she appeared interested. The least she could do was hear them out before she told them to stay the fuck out of her business.

Nae tapped her fingers on her leg. “I realize you’re in the throes of a mating. Really, I get that. However, if you ever disrespect my man publicly, understand I will put a bullet in the center of your forehead.” She leaned back and carefully lifted her blouse to reveal the butt of a gun. “Last I checked, claws and fur can’t stop a bullet. You need to know this now; I am
always
packing. I hope we have an understanding.”

Bane turned her head to peer at Shay.

“I’m not that kind of mate.” Shay shrugged. “You cross Trace for any reason, he’ll just catch your ass off guard, kill you, and hide the body. That tiger has a mean streak a couple miles wide, you know what I mean? Consider yourself warned.”

“Are you three done?” Bane rubbed her hands together. Goddess, what she wouldn’t give to get rid of them and eat her honey in peace. Screw it—she was going to enjoy the liquid gold substance whether they were there or not. She rose and they tensed.

Bane turned her back to keep them from seeing her grin and headed toward the kitchen.

“I think we have made our positions clear,” Nae tossed out flippantly.

Bane went through the cabinets, leaving the doors open. “Ahh haa.” She pulled the jar down and opened it. The faint aroma of wildflowers wafted to her nostrils and the scent made her giddy. She stuck her fingers in the sticky sweetness and stuffed them in her mouth. Shivers of ecstasy ran down her spine. She spun around with the jar secured in a fist and faced the shocked expressions of her three guests.

She ran her tongue over her teeth, licking away the sugary goo. “This shit is my crack.” Bane pointed at the jar. “Where were we? Oh yeah. I can honestly say I respect what you had to say.” She dipped into the jar again and groaned as the sweetness flowed over her taste buds. She swallowed. “How I feel about you is irrelevant. Aristotle loves you. That is evident, and because, for some unfathomable reason I am still trying to figure out, I care about him.” Bane lifted the container to her nose, closed her eyes and let the smell envelope her. She was home, under a tree, listening to the buzz of bees in the hive attached to a branch high above her.

“Do you want us to leave you and the honey alone to make love?” Shay raised her voice.

“You’re still here?” Bane lifted her lids and exhaled. “Look, you’re not going anywhere, and Aristotle has made it clear he won’t let me go. Believe me, I tried. So can we simply call a truce, agree to disagree on most things, and carry on?”

The three women faced each other, speaking quietly amongst themselves.

Bane plopped down into the chair she’d vacated, and swirled her finger through the thick substance. Wherever Aristotle’s sister got this stuff, she really needed to find out who the supplier was. It was primo.

Bane’s thoughts drifted back to her earlier deal with the lion and hung her head.
Aww, hell.
She really needed to go back and get those documents. A deal was a deal and she was a beast of her word.

Inspiration struck and she snapped her head up. “Listen, ladies, I have an errand to run and honestly, I could use a little break from Aristotle. Do you happen to know if he has a second exit out of here?”

“He has a trap door in the bedroom, under the trunk.” La narrowed her eyes. “Where are you going?”