Force of Nature Series Boxed Set (Books 1 - 4) (16 page)

His phone ringing startled him. Lifting the receiver after seeing who it was made Wayne straighten in his chair and fix his mussed hair. He knew that Arthur couldn’t see him, but it was a point of his to be well groomed at all times.

“Yes, sir. How may I help you?”

“I suppose you’ve heard about this thing with Baker. Terrible mess that was. I wish you’d of made me aware of just how you were going to knock him off. Might have taken a little trip with them this time, and then where would you be?”

Wayne felt his heart rate speed up. The man was entirely too perceptive. “Yes, sir. That would…. Why would you think I’d do something like that?”

“Because you’re a greedy bastard and would murder your own mother—well, in this case your own sister—to get more of the cut. Well, did you?”

Wayne didn’t like this. They were on a regular phone and there could be others listening, or someone could be in Arthur’s house right now listening in, just waiting for him to mess up. Instead of answering, he changed the subject.

“The Webber girl is almost to Amarillo. She should be in Cally just like she said. She’s been a bit…well, she was a bit smart with me today when I last spoke to her.” Wayne looked around the room. “She needs to be made aware of who is paying her.”

“Got smart with you, did she? Good for her. And on time too. Maybe I should have her working for me instead of an idiot like you. And don’t think I didn’t notice that you changed the subject.” The laugh that came across the line to Wayne made him want to find him and shoot his face off. “I want to meet her. You let me know when she comes in. I will be there too. Now that you’ve taken care of whatever you perceived your problem with Baker was, I might need to take on someone else to help with making me money.”

Wayne was still sputtering when Arthur hung up on him. Wayne took several deep breaths to try and calm his anger, but sitting in one of his favorite rooms with his things broken didn’t help. He lifted the glass of bourbon near his hand and threw it at the large screen television that had until then missed any of the carnage. 

Standing and shifting at nearly the same moment, Wayne launched himself through the glass door and took off for the backyard and the woods beyond. He needed relief, relief so profound he could barely see through the red haze and the pounding headache. 

The first thing he scented was human. Sliding up behind it on his belly, Wayne attacked the gardener and ripped his throat out. But it wasn’t enough. He needed to hurt, destroy, and to kill. Raising his snout to the air, he found several more humans. Feeling his body surge with the need to hurt, he followed their scents and killed them all.

By the time he returned to the house, his body, human now, was covered in blood. He could feel the hot, sweet essences of them pounding in his veins and his body felt stronger for it. He was coming through the broken glass when he saw his housekeeper. A pretty little thing, he decided, and felt his cock harden with need. She looked up from picking up some broken glass and started to back away.

“If you run, I will kill you. If you suck me off, then you may not get fucked. Up to you.” He stroked his cock, the sticky blood making the move smooth. “Down on your knees, and you’d better not miss a drop.”

She moved to her knees, her body trembling with need, he thought. Well, she’d get more than she bargained for if she wanted him inside of her. He wasted no time and yanked her head back by grabbing a handful of her hair. After snarling for her to open, he rammed his cock into her mouth and fucked her to the back of her throat. 

Her screams only gave him more of what he needed, and after only a few seconds, he spilled his seed down her mouth. As soon as he finished, he dropped her to the floor and walked over her.

“Clean this mess up,” he told her as he strode to the door. “And if you tell one person, even your mother, I will hunt her down and do what I should have done to you—fucked you until I ripped you apart. Do you understand me?”

When she nodded, tears in her eyes, he left the room and headed for his bedroom and a shower. He felt measurably better and smiled when he thought of the cunt trucker. She was going to pay when he saw her, and so was Arthur Sims.

~
Chapter Sixteen
~

Austin watched CJ move toward the showers with her bag over her shoulder. He moved to the men’s room and quickly scrubbed his body and got dressed. Austin had plans. As he made his way to the dining room he asked to speak to the manager.

“I need a dinner for two to go. My wife has been driving all day and, well, I’d like to do something special for her.” Austin hoped CJ hadn’t heard him refer to her as his wife again. Even as tired as she was, she’d probably hurt him. “She’s…well, I’ve made her mad and I want to make it up to her.”

Austin wasn’t sure why he admitted to the man that he’d pissed her off. He figured that he’d do whatever it took for him to get her to let him stay with her. The man looked to be about Austin’s age and he also wore a wedding band.

“What did you do? The reason I’m asking is to see if whatever you’re doing might work for me. I sort of forgot our anniversary yesterday. Not the wedding one…I remember that one, but the first date one. How is a man supposed to remember all the stuff they do?”

Austin didn’t know. He decided to get himself a notebook and start writing things in it. First and foremost, he was going to write the date he’d met her and the night he’d taken her virginity.

“I’m going to take her a nice dinner to the rig, feed her, then when she’s full, I’m going to give her a full body massage. When she’s finally asleep, I’m going to watch her sleep and thank my lucky stars she’s allowed me into her life.” Austin realized that he was lucky. She was his world and he hadn’t shown her that. He decided if this guy wouldn’t help him, he’d go to the fast food joint on the other end and get them burgers and fries to keep her happy.

“Yeah, okay. Women like that sappy stuff. I’ll fix it for you. But you’ll let me know how it works out. I need to do something. I haven’t had sex in over two weeks. I’m hurting, if you know what I mean.” 

Austin didn’t comment. This guy would be lucky if his wife didn’t cut his dick off in his sleep. Sappy stuff? Austin looked over at the bathroom again and didn’t see CJ. He had the keys so he knew she couldn’t get by him. Twenty minutes later, the manager and CJ found him at the same time.

“Oh good,” CJ told him as the manager handed him the bag. “You got you something to go. I’m not hungry, so I think I’ll go back and sleep. I didn’t realize how tired I was until I got all warm from the shower.” Nodding, Austin followed her out.

She was dressed in what he could only describe as a handkerchief. Her legs, long and incredibly well toned, stretched for a good mile. The tight blue jean skirt seemed to have a life of its own the way it moved and swayed with each of her steps. The shoes, small flip-flops, showed off her tiny feet and the pale pink polish that topped each toe. But it was her shirt that had him wanting to shove his fist into his mouth and whimper like a small animal.

Her back was completely bare, with only a small knot of material at the base of her spine to hold the shirt together. When he’d seen her coming toward him, he felt his entire body get hard and his cock seep with need. Her breasts, unfettered by a bra, bounced with her movements, and even though he knew she wasn’t aware of it, every man, and even most women, noticed her nipples. 

It was all Austin could do not to throw her over the breakfast bar and take her from behind, to mark her again as his, and to fill her body with his seed. Moving closer behind her, just to protect her, he told himself, he felt her heat, smelled the soft scent of her shampoo and the scent of his wolf all over her. A small growl escaped his mouth before he could stop it. When she stopped and looked over her shoulder at him, he nearly dropped to his knees and begged her to let him taste her.

“Are you all right?” she asked him softly. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard you growl except when you’re pissed or horny. Which are you now?”

Austin moved up behind her and rocked his cock into her ass. “Right now I’m pissed because I’m not deep inside of you. Go before we’re arrested.”

“Arrested? What for? Walking to the rig? Get real.” She was out the door before he pulled her body to his from behind. “Austin?”

“Arrested for fucking you in front of everyone that walks by us.” He snarled close to her ear. “Go, or I swear all my good intentions are going to be for naught. I’m hard enough right now to bend you over the closest car and take you.”

She stared for all of five seconds before her scent hit him. Another growl sent her moving to the rig and he followed her, taking deep breaths. She was going to kill him. He knew it as surely as he was living. Trying to keep his mind on the fact that she was his forever and he didn’t need to fuck her right away only worked so long as he wasn’t watching her hips and ass sway in a way that beckoned him to come after her. He was in so much trouble.

She was standing next to the driver’s door when he finally made it to the rig. He had better control over himself, but not much. She looked fuckable, and he wanted to oblige her in so many ways. Unlocking the door and watching her climb into the truck broke him, and he took the stairs just behind her and flattened her on the seat before she could get in.

“I need you. Now.” He rocked into her, the bag of food in his hand forgotten. “Go to the bed and get on your hands and knees. This is going to be fast and hard.”

She didn’t say a word, but hurried to do what he wanted. He could smell her now. Her scent was driving him on. When she disappeared into the sleeper, he followed, dropping the food on the other seat and unsnapping his jeans as he went.

She was on the bed as he’d directed. She hadn’t removed her clothes, for which he was glad and angry. He wanted to strip them off and he wanted them gone. As soon as he was behind her, he lifted the tiny skirt up off her ass and did whimper then.

A thong. Not a pretty little colored either, but a bright fire engine red. Austin wrapped both his hands in the tiny ribbons on either side and tore them from her. Her moan was enough to let him know that she was ready. Reaching between her legs with his fingers, he found her wet, dripping wet, and hot.

“Fuck, CJ. You’re going to hate me for this.” He rammed his cock deep. His hands held her steady as he took her, pounding into her heat and wet channel like a mad man. When her hand cupped his balls, he looked down at her and saw his cock soaked with her juices and her hand fondling him. It sent him over the edge and he roared out his release. Even as he reached around her and pinched her clit, he could feel her tighten around him, and each surge into her got tighter and tighter. When she exploded, her climax screaming from her throat, Austin felt another smaller but no less powerful climax grab him. He dropped over her and took her to the bed.

He couldn’t move. His entire body felt as though he’d been put through a ringer and had come out the other side broken yet sated. He rolled to his back, his cock still semi-hard deep in her, and brought her with him. When he thought he could speak and make sense, he chuckled.

“I had meant to make this enjoyable for you. I wanted to make love with you, not take you like a rutting animal.” When she turned and looked at him, his breath caught. “Christ, you’re beautiful.”

“Thank you. And what makes you think I didn’t enjoy this? I came very hard when you did.” She moved off him as she continued. “But I think I would like to see more than just a small glimpse of you. But not tonight…I’m exhausted.”

She started to stand and he stopped her. He wanted her again, but not with the urgency he’d had earlier. Austin stood up, pulled her into his arms, and she wrapped her arms around his waist.

“I have dinner for us. Then I want to strip you down and massage you.” Her hum of approval made his cock twitch. “Then while you sleep, I’m going to hold you the rest of the night.”

He pulled her away from him long enough to take her shirt off. “Don’t wear this in public again, please. It’s enough to cause a riot. Besides, it makes me pissy when other men look at you.”

Her giggle made him smile. He wanted to hear it again and again. As he was turning her around so that her back was to him, he stilled.

He was in love with her. When she turned and looked at him, her face full of concern, he turned her back around until he could think and began to unbutton her skirt. His mind was about half on his task and nearly missed what she was saying.

“I love this shirt, thanks. It’s going to be so hot tonight here. I love the weather, but I wouldn’t want to live here. I love the seasons in Ohio. By the time we get to California, it’s going to be too hot to wear much more than this.”

The skirt slid to the floor and he brought his hands to her waist as he buried his face in her shoulder. She smelled like his wolf. He reached for one of his shirts and handed it to her. Taking a small nip of her wrist when she took it, he told her to sit down.

“I got us some food. It’s probably cold by now.” He reached to the seat and brought the large bag to the bed. “I wanted this to be so romantic for you. I don’t even know what that guy fixed us.”

The meal turned out to be roast beef sandwiches and large containers of potato salad. He burst out laughing when he realized how much more trouble the guy was in than he thought if this was a romantic dinner. He told CJ about their conversation.

“Maybe the guy doesn’t know how to romance a woman,” CJ said as she took a huge bite of the sandwich. “There was this girl in college. She wanted her boyfriend to romance her. He brought some of his magazines over and wanted her to do what the women were doing to the guys on the pages.”

Austin waited for her to finish and when she didn’t, he prompted her. “You mean like Penthouse and Playboy? Tell me that didn’t work. And please tell me that you didn’t watch.”

She looked at him with so much shock that he burst out laughing. “No, thank you very much, I did not watch. And yes, it did work. She married the guy as soon as the semester was over. I think they have like seven kids or something.”

He watched her finish her food as her eyes got heavier and heavier. Taking the remnants of their dinner off the bed, he pulled her down to the mattress. Starting at her feet, he began to massage her toes and worked his way up her calves. She moaned several times but said nothing. When he realized she was asleep, he pulled the cover up over her and turned out the lights. He stepped outside the rig and called Phil.

“I’m in love with her,” he told the vamp when he answered. “Falling over my lower lip, heart pounding, toe curling in love with her.” The fucking bastard laughed. “I’m serious. What the hell am I supposed to do now?”

“Hope the hell she loves you back. Because I got news for you, she’s the real deal. But you hurt her and I’ll hunt you for the rest of your days and then drain you.” Austin believed him. “Where are you right now?”

“Amarillo, Texas. Tomorrow she said we’d get to Kingman, Arizona. Then from there we’re only about five hours from the warehouse. She said I can stay, if you are wondering.”

She hadn’t, but she hadn’t mentioned him going back either. Austin started to explain that to the man, but he spoke first.

“So, from where you’ll be tomorrow, you’ll be about…let me see….”

Austin closed his eyes. He wanted to go back in and cuddle up with his mate, not try and figure out the vampire who knew her better and was talking in riddles. Austin looked at the empty lots surrounding them and wondered if he could shift and go for a quick run when Phil came back.

“You’re going to be just a bit over two hours from Vegas. You want me to book you a room and a wedding chapel?” Austin sat down hard as Phil continued. “I can have a limo pick you up if you know where you’re going to stay, take you to the chapel, and then bring you back to the rig sometime after noon. You’ll still make the deadline and you’ll be married too.”

Married. He looked over his shoulder at the door that his mate was sleeping behind. He rubbed his hand over his heart and realized he wanted to do this more than he wanted to take his next breath.

“Call my mom and family; tell them to meet us there. You’ll have to give her away, of course. I have a ring. Tell my mom to bring the ring my grandma gave me.” He heard Phil laugh. “What’s so funny? This was your idea.”

“Yes, and if you fail to make her see that it’s best for you both, then I’ll deny it. Otherwise, I plan to take full credit. I’ll call your mom in a bit. I don’t think you should tell CJ. She may chicken out. I told you she tends to run when she’s scared.”

Austin agreed. Plus, if he pulled this off, she’d be a Force and not a Webber for real. They made plans for a little while longer. A suite with champagne and flowers, a dress for her to wear, and flowers for her wedding. They decided that the deluxe wedding would be best, Phil reading off what it entailed, and Austin told him he’d pay him for it when he saw him tomorrow.

“You’re a good guy for a vamp,” he told Phil before he hung up. 

“Yeah, and you’re an okay guy for a dog.” Phil laughed. “I’ll text you tomorrow when I have everything set up. Let me know when you leave and I’ll make sure that everything is ready.”

After hanging up, Austin crawled back into the rig with CJ and stripped down. When she didn’t stir when he got into the bed with her, he pulled her soft, warm body into his and closed his eyes. This time tomorrow, she’d be his wife or he’d be a dead wolf. Smiling, he hoped he could convince her not to kill him.