CupidRocks (19 page)

He stalked Jake. Circling him. Slow. Careful. Jake was a
good fighter. He always had been, but Joe didn’t know how often his brother
fought like this. With Joe, it happened more often than he liked. He’d had to
bust a few heads when they had rowdy fans and he knew he could take down his
brothers to get to his mate. He had to.

Mandy watched the three wolves on the snow-covered lawn.
Julian sat off to the side. Thank God his brothers weren’t attacking Joe at the
same time. But that still meant that he’d have to fight one and then the other
to win her. A part of her enjoyed this, but most of her was horrified. Why were
his brothers challenging him? She didn’t understand it. They knew she and Joe
were True Mates.

“They’re both unattached and the scent of you is
intoxicating. That’s why Leo is staying so far away from you. It’s even getting
to him.”

She glanced at her father-in-law. He looked uncomfortable,
then he looked away from her. Leo and Eddie stood on the ground in front of her
while she viewed the fight from the porch. Her mother and Maria waited and
watched while stationed between the older males and her—an additional barrier
between the fighters and Mandy. Was this her fault? She didn’t want Jake or
Julian. She only wanted Joe.

Joe leaped onto Jake and the two wolves rolled, teeth
flashing. Digging into each other’s pelts. She wanted to cover her eyes but she
had to watch. Jake caught Joe’s throat.

“Joe!” she screamed, but Joe fought away from his brother’s
lethal teeth.

Joe twisted and rolled on top of Jake. Jake leaped away. The
two wolves circled each other.

“What the fuck is going on here?”

“Oh, no,” Mandy groaned, catching sight of Zach crossing the
back yard. He saw the fight and stopped, looking up at Mandy.

“Are you?” She nodded. “Fuck,” he grunted, slowly backing
off as the three wolves on the lawn turned on him, growling.

Mandy didn’t get it. Both Julian and Jake had challenged Joe
for her, but now with Zach here, they stood at Joe’s shoulders to back him up
as he stalked Zach.

“I don’t want to fight you, Joe,” he told the lead wolf.

“Mi-i-ine,” Joe’s growl was almost human and the word he
said was clear.

“Yeah, she’s yours. I get it.” Zach held up his hands.

Joe turned to his brothers. He growled and snarled at them.
Using wolfspeak to tell them that Mandy belonged to him. Jake and Jules
exchanged glances and shifted back to human and Joe followed.

“Okay, she’s yours,” Jake answered.

“Julian?”

“Yeah. Sorry man. She’s just really…potent.”

Joe walked toward the porch. She could see in his expression
that the fire was still in him. Both sex and anger. He mounted the steps and
grabbed her. She went to his arms willingly and he took her mouth. Kissing her
ruthlessly. Dominating her. But she didn’t fight. She submitted.

“You’re my True Mate,” she whispered, holding him. Stroking
him in an attempt to soothe him.

“And don’t ever forget it.” He bent and caught her. Then she
found herself upside down as Joe threw her over his shoulder and carried her
into the house.

Joe carried Mandy through the house to their bedroom. He
kicked the door shut behind him and threw her on the bed. She sat up and looked
at him, her eyes wide. He stayed by the door. He was nude and hard as stone. If
he came near her he was going to rip off her clothes and be inside her whether
she was ready or not. He gritted his teeth.

“Angel, I need you to strip and get yourself ready for me.”

“Don’t you want to—”

“No. I can’t.”

“I don’t understand.” She frowned.

“I’m ready for you right now. If I get close to you I’m
going to fuck you and I don’t want to…rape you.”

She blinked. “You think you would?”

“I’m fighting it. I don’t want to hurt you, but the fight
out there did something to me I’ve never experienced before and it won’t be
pleasant for either of us.”

Mandy nodded and stripped quickly. She licked her lips and
he growled. She froze. “Joe, you’re scaring me.”

“I’m scaring me too.” He looked up at the ceiling and he
heard her shift on the bed. His gaze flashed back to her and he bared his teeth
in a snarl. She froze again. “Shit.”

“This isn’t going well,” she said softly.

“No, it isn’t.” He closed his eyes and practiced some slow
breathing. Trying to calm himself. It helped…a little. But the drive to mount
her was riding him hard. “Angel, I love you and I don’t want to hurt you. But I
need you to get yourself ready for me.
Please
.”

She reached between her thighs and started to play with her
clit. Even with direct stimulation he could see that not a damn thing was happening
for her. Though she was still in heat, it wasn’t working because he’d
frightened her too much.

“Angel, I’m going to come over there.”

“Maybe you better not,” she said in a small voice, her
pupils dilated with fear.

“I’m going to try.”

“Remember what Yoda said.”

He laughed. And somehow that laughter discharged his rage.
The hunger for her was still there, but the violence was gone. The compulsion
to possess was gone. Instead, he only felt the need to mark her as his mate,
not overpower and use her. His entire body relaxed.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

“For what?”

“For making me laugh. For lightening the situation.” He
smiled at her. “For loving me.”

“That’s my pleasure. Always.”

“I’m better now. Okay?” She nodded. “So I’m going to join
you on the bed.”

She bit her lip as he crossed the space between them. He
climbed up beside her. Slowly. As if he was dealing with a skittish animal. He
reached out to stroke her cheek and she flinched. He froze. He could see her
swallow hard, then she reached up to take his hand in hers.

“You’re really okay now?”

“Yes, angel. I’m really okay now.”

She sat up and threw her arms around his neck, holding him
tight. He embraced her. Thank God he hadn’t fucked this up. If he had taken her
in anger, he never would have forgiven himself and he would have destroyed
something precious. Joe knew it wasn’t her fault.
None
of it had been
her fault. It was just biology.

“You still love me, Joe?”

“Always, Mandy. Always.” He kissed her cheek. “You still
love me?”

She smiled. “Yes, Joe. Always.”

His arms slid around her and his hands skimmed along her
back. He was her gentle True Mate lover again. She laid her head on his
shoulder, reveling in the caress of his hand on her bare skin. Her skin warmed.
Arousal returned and she shivered under his touch.

Joe eased her back on the bed, rising over her. He raised
his head and held her gaze. He stroked her cheek, traced a path across her
lips, down along her neck, stopping at her breasts. His thumb brushed her tight
nipples. She arched into his touch and reached up to capture his body in an
embrace of welcome.

Their mouths came together and this time, he wasn’t rough.
He was tender. Teasing touches of his tongue along the seam of her lips made
her sigh. She twined her tongue with his, running her hands over his heated
skin.

His fingers slipped between her legs and she opened for his
touch. Moaning when he stroked her clit. Circling it. Rubbing the nub until she
was gasping, her hips rising and falling like the tide responding to the moon.

“Please, Joe. More.”

“Ah, yeah, angel.”

He pressed her down into the bed and she gloried in the
weight of his body against hers, writhing against him. His fingers slipped
inside her, getting her wet with each stroke. She lifted her hips to take more
of his touch.

She raised her head, baring her neck to his mouth. Wanting
his lips and tongue on the vulnerable skin. His hot breath teased her before he
brushed his mouth against her. Gentle bites had her gasping. Ascending to him.
Seeking more.

“Fuck me, Joe. Please?”

He kept up the loving caress of her core. Fingers brushing
the tight button of nerve endings to increase her pleasure. She spread wide and
pushed against his hand.

“Are you ready for me?”

“Oh, God yes. Can’t you feel how wet I am?”

“I know. But I almost messed this up before. I don’t want to
do that again.”

“I’m ready, Joe. I really am.”

He parted her and slowly slid home. She groaned, clasping
his cock as he hit bottom. Filling her completely. She clutched his shoulders
and enfolded his hips with her thighs. Joe began the long, slow build.
Thrusting and retreating. Moaning sweet kisses against her lips. His hands
trailed over her skin. Light caresses designed to drive her mad.

She propelled her hips upward, enveloping him inside her
heat, letting him drive her to release. Taking her hard and deep. She matched
him perfectly. It only took a few strokes before she cried out, shuddering in
climax. Still he didn’t stop. Priming her to move through her heat cycle. She
sobbed, open to him. Accepting every plunge of his cock inside her. Clamping
down on him as she tensed and came again.

“Oh God. Joe.”

He kissed her, whispering, “Again, angel. Come for me
again.”

And she obeyed. Shuddering as every muscle tightened and she
cried out. His pecs hung above her as he drove into her. She wanted to sink her
teeth into him but that seemed wrong somehow. She shouldn’t want to bite him,
should she?

Do it, angel. Mark me.

Mark you?

Yes, sink those fangs of yours into me and bite deep
while I fuck you.

The intimacy of hearing him in her mind as he took her made
her moan. She clutched his arms. Her nails digging into his biceps.

That’s it, Mandy. Please, angel. I need it.

But I’ll hurt you.

No, you won’t. Bite me. Please.

He twisted his hips, grinding his pelvis into hers. She
shrieked and came again, throwing her head back. This time when her eyes opened
and she saw his chest, she lunged. Thought gone. Civilization gone. She was
wolf and he was her mate.

The metallic taste of his blood set her on fire and she came
again, shaking with the force of it. Finally, she released him, licking the
wound to close it. She stared at the angry bite. She should be ashamed, but
instead she felt a sense of rightness. Completeness. Joe pulled out of her and
she howled in outrage.

She clawed at him to pull him back. He grabbed her hips and
flipped her onto her stomach and reached between her legs to play with her
pussy. Stroking her clit and finger-fucking her. She lifted her ass and drove
back onto him.

“Harder, Joe. Oh God, yes.”

He grunted behind her and caught her hips in his hands. She
expected him to plunge into her pussy, but instead she felt his mouth. He
licked her. Buried his face against her and breathed deep with a growl of pure
lust.

“Fuck you smell good, angel.”

She angled her hips, tilting her pussy toward him. Closing
her eyes as he tongued her from clit to ass and back again. He drank her
juices, tongued her clit, and she panted. His fingers entered inside her again,
driving her hard. She pushed back, shoving onto his hand while he pinched her
clit. She screamed and came, and then he was inside her.

He took her with shallow thrusts, driving her to the top of
the mountain one more time. Short stabs that she accepted with gasping sobs.
Begging wordlessly for more with animal sounds. She was beyond being able to
speak. She was nothing but sex. Need. Heat. He stroked her clit again. Pressing
down. Rubbing it. Circling. Using the long nails of his hand to scrape over the
sensitive nerves.

“Yes. More.” He stroked again. She shoved back, trying to get
him to bottom out.

“You ready, angel?”

“Yes. Now, Joe.”

He paused and she shrieked, reaching behind her to claw at
him.

“You sure?”

“Yes!”

“Pregnant?” A part of her brain was still working and
recognized that he wasn’t wearing a condom. She nodded and he groaned, plunging
deep. She felt the way they hooked up. The perfection of their connection. And
she came again, with a cry.

Joe leaned over her and his teeth sank into her shoulder.
Marking her as his True Mate. He covered her body as he went rigid. Then she
felt the spurt of his cum inside her. And again. He held her tight, his bite
holding her in place while his cock twitched, spilling his cream. Finally they
both collapsed on the bed and he licked the wound. Healing it. She groaned as
Joe’s cock continued to spasm. Small twitches, and each time she trembled in
reaction. Like small little aftershocks rolling through her. He cradled her
tenderly in his arms, kissing her.

“This was the other part of my birthday wish,” he whispered.

“What? Me going into heat?” She turned her head and looked
back at him.

“No. A pup on the way.”

She grinned. “Well, we aren’t getting any younger. And Carly
will be thrilled.”

He laughed. “That’s not why I did it.”

“Me either. It’s just a happy side effect.”

Joe pulled her close and pressed a loving kiss on her mouth.
“Love you, angel.”

“Love you more.”

Chapter Seventeen

“You’re pregnant? I knew it,” Carly shrieked, bouncing out
of the kitchen chair the following morning. She grabbed Mandy’s hands and
danced around the room with her daughter. “I knew it. I knew it. I knew it.
This is the best anniversary present EVER!”

Carly hugged her then sprang across the room to hug Joe and
give him a wet kiss on the cheek. She looked back at Eddie.

“I told you. Didn’t I tell you?”

“Yes, Carly. You told me,” he groaned, rolling his eyes.

“What did you tell him, Mom?” Mandy asked, exchanging a look
with her mate.

“I told him that if the two of you met, there’d be
chemistry.”

Mandy laughed. “I bet that went over well.” She raised her
eyebrows at her father. He shrugged.

“He didn’t believe me, but I
knew
.” She ran around
the table and grabbed Maria, dragging her out of her chair for a hug. “We’re
going to be grannies! Isn’t it amazing?”

Maria patted Carly on the shoulder, smiling and glancing at
Leo. “It’s spectacular.”

“It is, isn’t it?”

She ran back to Mandy and gave her another hug. “I’ve got to
call Sharon.”

“We’ll see her later today.”

“But she needs to know
now
!” Carly found her cell
phone and ran out of the kitchen, dialing as she went.

Mandy released a breath. “A happy side effect indeed.”

“Happy?” Joe walked over and took her in his arms.
“Exultant.
Ecstatic
, more like.”

Eddie came over and gave them a joint hug. “Congratulations
to you both. I’m happy for you too.”

“Just us?” Mandy teased.

Eddie’s lips quirked. “Naw, I’m happy for me too. I’m not
quite as over the moon as Carly, but I was beginning to wonder if I’d ever
become a grandpa.”

“Well, give us nine months.”

“I’ll let you have it.” Then he knelt in front of her and
set his hand on her belly. “But you?
You
better be on time. We’ve waited
a long time for you.” He stood and kissed her cheek again and went to find
Carly.

Mandy watched Joe turn to his parents and brothers. She
hugged him close, knowing he wasn’t expecting ecstasy from his own family. He
looked as if he was just hoping they’d be pleased.

His mother approached with outstretched arms. She hugged Joe
tight then she hugged Mandy.

“I’m as happy as your mother, my dear. I’m just not as
demonstrative.”

“You’re both happy?” he asked his mother.

Leo joined them and nodded. Wordlessly, he gave Joe a hug
and then pulled Mandy close too, kissing her cheek. He wiped away a tear and
blinked, clearing his throat.

“We are very pleased. I, too, questioned whether
grandfatherhood was in my future.” Leo kissed Joe on both cheeks. “It’s a good
day.”

“Thanks, Papa,” he whispered. Leo hugged him again and then
took Maria’s hand and left the kitchen.

That left his brothers, and Mandy wasn’t sure how his
brothers felt this morning. Jake and Jules started to grin.

“Better you than me, big brother,” Jules teased.

“Damn, I’m sorry about last night, Joe,” Jake said.

“Me too. She just smelled so damn good. It was like a siren
call, you know?”

Joe nodded. His brothers looked uncertain. Worried.

Go over there and hug them.
She pushed him and he
moved, crossing the room to Jake and Jules. All three exchanged back-slapping
hugs and started to laugh.

“I forgive you guys. I can understand how you might have
been overwhelmed. That’s how I felt the moment I met her.”

“She’s sure potent. I’ll give you that.” Jules laughed.

“TNT,” Jake agreed.

“Well, nice to know I’m lethal but I’m going to go take a
shower. Food doesn’t smell really good at the moment.”

“Way to go, bro.”

Mandy shook her head as she left the kitchen to her
brothers-in-law lauding Joe’s virility. It took two for God’s sake.

* * * * *

In the early evening, Mandy stood back and watched as the
guys unloaded the equipment at Zach’s bar. They’d spent most of the day in
rehearsals to make sure she was ready. Joe had allowed everyone to take a
couple hours off to rest their voices before the concert. It didn’t matter
because Mandy felt ill. Faint. Her stomach was already starting to heave. She’d
been a little off all day because she was newly pregnant, but it was worse now.
She was having trouble thinking. Concentrating. She couldn’t remember a single
lyric for even one of her songs. She leaned against the side of the building,
longing to run for it.

She felt hot. Then cold. Her stomach clenched with nausea. She
couldn’t do it. She could
not
get up on stage and sing. What if she
forgot the words? What if they laughed at her. She’d embarrass herself. Her
family. Her mate. She started to inch away and she almost got to the corner of
the building when warm arms circled her.

“It’s gonna be okay, angel. I’ve got you.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of.”

He chuckled. “I mean, I’ve got your back. I will never leave
you hanging. No one will ever laugh at you while I’m around, okay?”

She nodded, but she hadn’t been able to eat anything all day
and now she felt a little lightheaded.

“Damn it, Mandy.” He turned her around and met her gaze.
“You haven’t eaten?”

“How did you—”

“We’re True Mates. I heard that thought. You have
got
to get something into your stomach.”

“I’ll throw up.”

“Maybe later, but right now you need to eat. C’mon.” He
grabbed her hand and dragged her inside. “Hey, Zach,” he called.

Zach came out from behind the bar. “Yeah, what’s up?”

“Mandy hasn’t eaten all day. What have you got?”

“Newly pregs, right?” Mandy scowled at him and he shrugged.
“Well?”

“Yeah.”

“Something light. A burger?”

“That’s not light.”

“It is to me.”

“Well,” she said as she wrinkled her nose, “it sounds
horrid.”

Zach rubbed his lips, considering the possibilities. “How
about a grilled cheese?”

Mandy considered. “I might be able to keep that down. For a
little while anyway.”

“Only a little while?”

“Joe talked me into singing tonight.”

“You?” He turned to Joe. “I’m impressed, man. The only times
I’ve mentioned it to her she’s bit my head off.”

“She’s good.”

“I’m terrified.”

“That doesn’t prevent you from being good, angel.” He pulled
her close. “Get the sandwich for her, would ya? Oh and don’t let her leave the
building. I’ve got to get back to set up.”

“Sure,” Zach grinned. Joe walked away and yelled at Eddie
when he set something down in the wrong place. “So, you’re a prisoner, huh?”

She slumped into a chair. “Yeah.”

“You’ll do fine, Mands.”

“Easy for you to say.”

“Yeah, it is. I’ll go get you the food.”

When Zach brought her the sandwich, it actually smelled
good. Her brows rose as he set a glass of milk on the table beside the
sandwich.

“Milk?”

“It does a body good.” He shrugged and she laughed.

She wolfed it down along with the milk he gave her and
paused. “Could I get some french fries too? With ketchup?”

“You sure?” he asked and she nodded. Suddenly, her belly was
growling and she was starved. It wasn’t long until he set the fries in front of
her and she ate those too. Joe paused on one of his trips out the back door to
get the instruments.

“Good?”

“Yeah. It is actually.”

He leaned down and kissed her. “I’m glad.” Then he got back
to work.

They set up and she watched Joe keep them on track with
speed and efficiency. His parents and his brothers picked out a table and Mandy
went over to join them. She pulled a deck of cards out of her pocket and dealt
out a hand of poker. She explained the game and Leo and Maria told her to deal.

“You two aren’t quite so unhip as you pretend to be, huh?”

“Language, Amanda,” Leo commented dryly and she giggled then
focused on her hand.

They came out of the game when the band started the sound
check. She listened. They sounded good.

“Surprisingly good acoustics,” Leo said.

“I think it’s the size of the room. There’s just something
about it that makes it work well for performance,” Mandy agreed.

“The domed ceiling above the stage certainly helps,” Julian
mentioned, taking a swig of his beer.

“Bounces the sound back down,” Jake agreed.

“We’re gonna open,” Zach yelled. Mandy looked up and
pointed. “Hey, grab that table there. Put some coats on the chairs.”

“Why?”

“Dee and Sam and their mates are coming to the concert
tonight. They just didn’t want to hang out for setup.”

“Then why did we arrive so early?” her father-in-law asked,
sounding slightly aggrieved.

Mandy smiled at Leo. “’Cause I needed company.” He snorted
but they went back to the card game.

Zach had his crew open the doors and start taking cover.
From then on it was full out. People snagged their favorite tables and ordered
booze and food. After the sound check, the band went into the back to hang out
until the performance.

“You can join them if you like. We’ll be fine out here,”
Maria assured her.

“If I go back I’ll just dwell on it. It’s tough enough now.”

“Well you look lovely,” Leo sounded hesitant. At the moment
she was wearing jeans and a T-shirt.

“Don’t worry. Before I perform, I’ll change. I just didn’t
want to show up all dressed up. Carly took my case back earlier.”

“Case?” Julian asked.

“Clothes and makeup. I’m not getting on stage bare faced. No
way.”

Mandy ate some more, pleasantly surprised that her stomach
cooperated. When Sharon and Tom’s pups arrived, Mandy hugged them and
introduced them to Joe’s family.

“Hey, Mom says you’re preggers. Congrats.” Dee hugged her.

“Females are bustin’ out all over.” Sam laughed, kissing his
mate and pointing at his sister.

“But none of us are named June,” Mandy teased Sam.

“No, I guess not.” The Whitewolfs settled at the other table
and ordered a pitcher of soda and food.

As the time dragged by before the concert, Mandy grew more
nervous. She didn’t want to perform, but she knew that she was stuck. They were
counting on her to help out. But if she could escape, she would have. Slowly
the time ticked away to nine o’clock and the beginning of the concert. Her
hands got clammy and she quit eating. Food started to taste bad again. She
sipped at some ice water, but that’s all she could force down.

Zach stopped at their table and dumped multiple packets of
saltines in front of her. “Try these.”

She grimaced, but opened a package and nibbled, pleasantly
surprised when the crackers helped to settle her stomach some. Then it was time
and Zach mounted the stage.

“We have a great band for you tonight. You may have caught
them right before the holiday, but they’re back! Please help me welcome…The
Pack!”

Mandy grinned as they ran onto the stage accompanied by
cheers and screams from the crowd. They started as they always did and she
smiled as Joe launched into the familiar guitar riffs of
Sweet Child of Mine
.

She screamed as Joe began and Eddie joined in. Maria patted
her arm and she leaned over.

“Don’t scream, dear. You’ll ruin your voice.”

“Oh, yeah.”

Maria winked at her as Joe started to sing, then she turned
to watch her son perform. From the first note. The first word. Everyone was
rocking with the band, cheering and flowing onto the dance floor to move to the
music. When Joe launched into a solo, Mandy refrained from screaming. Instead
she whistled and clapped.

“God, he’s so good.”

“Yes, he is. Isn’t he Leo?”

Mandy looked at her father-in-law, expecting to see an
expression of pain. Instead, he looked contemplative.

“He is quite…adequate.”

Mandy began to bristle but Leo chuckled, winking at her
because he knew she’d rise in defense of her mate. As they ended the song the
crowd cheered and the band segued into
Joe Fabulous
. She’s always loved
this song, but there was just something special having a guy named Joe singing.
It fit.

For the next few songs Eddie took lead on the guitar and Joe
stepped back and let Eddie rock out. About halfway through the set, Mandy
slipped into the back and changed clothes then sat down to put on her makeup.
As she finished up her look the band piled into the room, high fiving each
other.

“That was fucking awesome!” Joe howled.

Eddie laughed and slapped him on the back, then he caught
sight of her. “You look good, punkin. Very Grace Slick.”

“I was going for Pat Benatar, but Grace will do.”

Mandy grinned at Eddie as Joe turned around and caught sight
of her. His eyes widened as he took her in from top to toe. She was a little
nervous because he’d never seen her as a rocker chick before. She wore black
high-heeled leather boots, tight black silk pants, and a sparkly red bustier
that pushed her boobs up. Over that she wore a black leather jacket. She’d teased
her hair to the sky and her makeup was fierce. Her lips bright red.

“Holy shit,” Joe breathed.

“Is that good or bad?”

“You’re so fucking hot I don’t want you to leave the room.”

“Good. Then I did it right.”

Joe stared at her for a minute then he turned to Eddie and
Tom. He waved in her direction. “
This
is how she used to dress to
perform?”

“Yup.”

“How old was she?”

“That competition happened when you were eighteen, right?”

“Yeah.” As if she really needed a reminder just now.

“You let her dress like that when she wasn’t even of age?
Were you nuts?”

“Let her?” Carly laughed. “It wasn’t a case of
letting
her. She dressed the way she wanted and if we didn’t like it, what did you say,
honey? We could go fuck a duck?”