Theirs (7 page)

“
Later, El.” My wolf roared to the surface; jealousy was easy to embrace after what I’d already witnessed between them. I knew I was being stubborn and selfish, but I didn’t give a fuck. I wanted to be a part of the pleasure Kate experienced.

“
So long as you take the wheel, Jerry, I won’t write Ellie up. I sure would have loved to let the guys downtown rile her over it though.” Sal tipped his head towards me.

“
Where’s your wife, Sally?” Ellie poked him in the chest, forcing him backwards as she got out of the car.

Acting on instinct, I was between them in a flash. “Thanks, Sal. I’ll catch up with you tomorrow.”

A minute later, Sal was gone and I was driving Ellie’s pink Mustang through town.

“
You look so macho, Sheriff,” Ellie teased.

Kate snickered beside me. I studied her sideways. She covered her mouth, trying to hold back, but failed. She moved her hand, revealing her big grin. “Sorry!” she laughed. “I still find you sexy if that counts for anything.” She had no idea how important she was, what her words meant.

My wolf puffed his chest, at the ready to prove himself should anyone challenge his strength or his reputation as alpha. I ignored him.

I linked my hand with Kate’s. “It counts.”

Her eyes softened, her gaze melting into mine. Her heart was a steady thump, a soothing lullaby to my wolf.

“
Eyes on the road, Romeo.” Ellie thrust her body against the back seat, reminding us of her presence.

Kate briefly met my gaze, each of us smiling coyly at the other.

—

Chapter Thirteen

KATE

Ellie and Jerry showed me the best of Snowy Mountain, South Carolina, at least along the main drag of town. It was very different from Miami. Everyone waved a greeting, and anytime we stepped into a business, they were on a first-name basis with the owner and employees. The charm of the place was apparent. I’d seen my neighbors twice in the three years I’d lived in my apartment and they certainly didn’t wave a greeting or bother to introduce themselves.

We stopped in for coffee and spent the next hour exchanging childhood stories. Ellie and Jerry were quite the team growing up. In their small town, grade levels were often mixed at school to increase overall participation. Looking at them now, I couldn’t picture Ellie being tall and lanky or Jerry being small and scrawny.

I revealed my literary theatrics. I was alone a lot growing up and I would act out scenes from books where the hero came sweeping in to rescue me, the damsel in distress. I also built reading forts. I would layer blankets over chairs and tables, stools, etc, stuff half the pillows in the house on the floor and lie down in the center to read by flashlight. During summer, I lost days in there.

“
That sounds fun now, minus the whole reading part.”

“
Ellie isn’t fond of books. She used to have me save my homework and essays so she could use them again when she got that class.”

Ellie laughed. “You offered.”

“
Jokingly,” Jerry clarified.

Watching them, they had such great chemistry. “Did you two ever try dating each other?”

They immediately shook their heads negatively; Ellie was emphatic with the motion.

“
Never. I’ve always like boobs.” Ellie smiled wide as she blatantly stared at mine.

“
I was willing. The lesbian queen wasn’t.” Jerry poked Ellie’s shoulder.

“
Have you ever thought about dating a woman?” Ellie asked, leaning closer to me.

“
No.” I studied her figure for a moment. “Don’t laugh, but I never saw the point before now. I guess I was a tad naïve as to what sort of pleasure you could have with a woman, given our anatomy was built for a man’s…um…”

“
Equipment?” Jerry offered, amusement vivid in his depths.

“
Exactly.” I nibbled my bottom lip.

Ellie snickered as she jerked me closer. She gazed straight into my eyes. “Oh, I can definitely give you as much pleasure, if not more, than Jerry.” She brushed her lips across mine. It was a gentle touch but the flames of desire consumed my core.

As if she sensed my aroused response, she wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me into her lap. She hooked my thighs and pulled them on either side of hers before moving her hands to cup my ass aggressively. She thrust her tongue into my mouth, tasting me as if she owned me and had every right to.

My nipples hardened, pressing beyond every layer between us as she possessed my mouth. In that moment, all else fell away. I was lost in Ellie and all she wrangled from within me. She turned me into a vixen. She incited confidence I usually didn’t have.

Losing more and more air with every brush of her lips, I finally broke away, gasping. My heart thumped a rapid rhythm that echoed my need.

Ellie grinned with pride. “Had we been home, I would have finger fucked you while sucking your tits until you begged me to stop.”

I heard chairs scraping across the floor. “Sweet mother of Mary, I need what she has,” one woman said.

A quick glance back revealed patrons of varying ages fanning themselves as they walked out while others seemed to squeeze their legs together as they ran to their escape.

“
That was a great way to introduce her to the pack.” Jerry’s features were turned down; his jaw was taut, as if he was clenching his teeth.

I felt my cheeks heat as I fought off of Ellie’s lap, all desire erased with his words. She wasn’t letting up though.

“
You don’t have to be a dick about it,” she roared, her glared fixed on the male across the table.

Jesus. When did I start indulging in regular pda?
I was raised conservatively. These types of things were for behind closed doors only. My parents barely held hands in public, let alone kiss.

I turned my attention to the clock on the wall. It was ten minutes to two. “I, uh, need to go.”

This time Ellie released me.

Jerry was at my side in an instant.

I couldn’t look at him though. Shame kept my gaze down.

He pulled me to him. “I’m sorry. Take it as a jealous fit. My words weren’t because you did anything wrong though.”

I merely nodded my head in understanding. I suppose it was obvious that he’d been speaking to Ellie, but it inadvertently involved me, making the chastise feel personal.

“
Look at me,” he commanded.

Darn if I didn’t find myself looking up at him.

“
I’ll make it up to you later. Promise.” His eyes sparkled with mischief as his lips quirked slightly upwards, just enough to endear me.

I bit my lower lip, my gaze sliding over his well-muscled physique. “It better be good.”

His irises began to glow as his smirk widened. “Oh, it’ll be good,” he assured. He gave me a chaste kiss before spinning me towards the door. “I’ll walk you to the shop.”

“
You’re not ditching me. I’m going with.” Ellie was out of her seat in a flash. She grabbed my purse and strutted ahead of us to the door. “You need to stop those jealous fits of yours, Jeremiah.” She stuck her nose up, the epitome of a preppy queen.

Jerry grunted, his eyes wavering with honey hues now; it appeared his wolf was retreating. He didn’t respond though. He grabbed our cups and disposed of them.

“
Thanks.”

He nodded once. He gestured for me to walk ahead of him.

I scurried out the door and headed towards the repair shop. I didn’t have to look back to know they were behind me. I prayed they kept each other in check around Jared.

My stomach churned. If Jared found out about my sexual escapades, I didn’t doubt he would alert Billy, claiming negligence on my part. I knew how Billy would respond to that. I’d get a lecture before a basket of pamphlets on the dangers of unprotected sex ended up on my doorstep. And that was a good reaction. I always teased Billy about his future daughters. He would have them wearing chastity belts the moment they were potty trained. Poor girls.

Sadly, a part of me acknowledged the truth in his message. There were dangers to everything in life, risks that couldn’t be measured. Love was a risk. People were a risk. Life was one big catalogue of risks.

The closer I got to the shop, the higher my anxiety climbed. It seemed to crush my lungs, making each breath more difficult than the last. My heart began to beat harder, fighting against the compression.

I stumbled as I rounded the final corner to the shop.

Ellie and Jerry came up on either side of me, taking an arm to steady me.

“
Kate? You’re walkin’ like old man Skeeter after a few too many. What’s wrong?” Ellie halted me.

Jerry studied me closely, amplifying my nerves. “Shit.”

I scrunched my features as my lungs squeezed tighter. The world began to spin. I just couldn’t turn off my thoughts. I couldn’t slow down the scenarios that kept popping, popping, popping forward. What ifs about Jared and Billy. What ifs about Ellie and Jerry. What ifs about Donovan. It seemingly came out of nowhere, and I was unable to stop it. It was an uncontrollable downward spiral.

I closed my eyes, trying to recall what the therapist had taught me all those years ago.
Happy place. Go to your happy place, Kate.

Deep breaths. Picture the walls moving away, the light pouring in and illuminating the openness surrounding me.

“
What the fuck, man? Get your hands off of her!”

My eyes popped open. My heart took off again.
Crap!
That wasn’t Jared.

“
No. You need to back off, buddy,” Ellie spewed the words his way.

I spun around to face him. In my head space, it appeared I’d missed some action.

Jerry stood firmly between me and my brother, dressed in jeans and a Lacoste polo shirt, and the security team he’d brought in. Ellie darted in from the side, giving two of the guards a run for their money. She easily shook them off.

“
Billy, stop,” I cried.

Ellie and the muscle men separated.

He glared at me. “How long have they been back?” Billy didn’t shy away from confrontation, regardless of who was present, aside from clients.

I felt my cheeks heat as I shrugged my shoulders. “About a year.”

He glanced at Ellie then Jerry. “We’ll be discussing that later.”

“
I don’t think so, hot shot.” Ellie rounded the security personnel and closed in on Billy.

I was shell-shocked. I’d been prepared, sort of, to meet Jared, not face down my brother.

Billy waved off the guards before they could act. The five beefy men dressed in traditional all black attire, complete with blue tooth ear pieces, glared darts at us.
Talk about overkill.
But that was Billy. He covered all of his bases in his client proposals, and he did the same in all other parts of his life. He was a meticulous planner.

Billy stood taller, moving into Ellie. Tension wound through me. I held my breath as he stared directly into her eyes, the smallest of smirks tugging his lips. “Do yourself a favor and drop the tough girl act. Clearly I’m better…equipped to protect Kate.”