Force of the Dark Wolf (Force of Nature Series) (23 page)

Gladys huffed.
“Last week it was a knife.
Get your stor
ies
straight
,
you old bat.
And as far
as
I know
,
you’ve never even had a gun in your hands.”

“I did to
o
.
Last fall when we had that turkey sho
o
t.
Remember?
You said that I couldn’t hit the broad side of a house and I proved I could.”

“You did hit the broad side of the house.
Nearly shot Alexis in the process.
She told you if you ever picked up a gun again she was going to sho
o
t you with it herself.”
Gladys took a gallon of milk out of the refrigerator and s
e
t it between him and Dallas as she continued berating her friend.
“And it wasn’t a turkey sho
o
t you were at
,
it was the backyard where Alexis was trying to show us how not to use a gun.
You failed. Miserably.”

Jessie looked crestfallen for about half a minute then brightened. “Yes. I remember now.
I did show her I could load a gun quickly.
She was very impressed with that.”
She took the milk from them and then handed them both a beer.

Gladys took the beers
,
put them back
,
and handed them both a glass of milk. “Beer and cookies will make you sick.
And yes
,
she was impressed with you
r
ability to load a gun. But if you remember correctly, which you never do
,
she told you that she was impressed that you could load a gun so quickly with all the ammo that had already been used.
It does little good to have a well loaded gun if all the bullets in it are already fired.
You dolt.
I swear you get nuttier every day.”

Gordon didn’t know how much longer the bickering might have gone on
,
but the children came into the kitchen at that moment and defused it.
They were given milk and cookies too
,
and after a kiss to both aunts and a hug to both him and Dallas they were sent on their way into the backyard.
Dallas grinned at him when the door closed behind them.

“You ready for a family?
Seems they’ve taken to you all right.”
Dallas picked up another cookie and took a healthy bite.
“I’m going to be the favorite uncle and enjoy spoiling them all very soon.”

Every wolf that came near him knew that he was claimed and that he had a mate.
Gordon’s cock jerked in his pants every
time he thought of his mate and what they’d done in the forest last night.
Christ
,
she was wonderful and he found himself wondering where she was right now and if he could go and find her.
He looked up when the back door opened and there she stood.
His wolf snarled for a taste of her too.

Dallas’ laughter brought him back or he might have simply pressed her against the wall and taken her, damn the people around them.
He flushed and glanced back at Alexis
,
whose cheeks were red.

“Down
,
you two
,
or we’ll never get this finished.”
Dallas got up
,
led Alexis to his chair
,
and then stood next to the counter.
“The house is secure.
There isn’t anything I think we can add to make it any better.
The building out back, is it just as locked up?”

Alexis nodded and turned toward Dallas.
Gordon felt his breath swoosh from his lungs.
Damn it
,
he felt like he
had
a constant hard-on around her and wondered if they would ever get enough of each other.
Then he grinned.
He certainly hoped not.

“I’ve had several different people work on the system since we’ve moved in. There are four…no five different alarm companies that have us online.
As well as Dark Treasures in town.
If someone so much as breath
e
s on the door
,
the police will be there in seconds.”
Alexis started to continue
,
but Gladys chimed in.

“There
are
also buttons all over the building to press if we are in trouble and open.
Alexis showed us where they were and even gave us both a map so we didn’t forget where in case somebody comes in.”
She pulled her map out and handed it to him.
“There are a whole bunch of them in the front and a bunch in the back.
She even put one in the bathrooms in case we’re using the facilities when we get the call.”

“We’re not to push it if we need toilet paper and we’re in there
,
though.
The police were not amused when they bust
ed
in the door for that one.”
Jessie shook her head.
“Nope, not one bit. I’ve had to do some pretty long community service for that one.”

Gordon didn’t even ask.
Being on the force
,
he had heard about someone calling for help and it turn
ing
out to be nothing but a paper run
,
but he’d never heard it had been Jessie.
He was going to call his brother Connor when he got some time and see if he had much information on it. Gordon could see that Dallas wanted to ask
,
but didn’t.

With a shake of his head, Dallas continued.
“I want to be able to have a look around the shop if you don’t mind.
When do you open for business?”

“I have to run some supplies in today.
We’re normally closed on Sunday and Monday. That’s when I go in and replenish what we’ve sold through the week.”
Alexis got up and moved toward the door.
“I’ll let you know when I’m packed up.
The van is nearly loaded now and I shouldn’t be much longer.”

When she went out the door
,
he stood to follow her.
Dallas stopped him with a hand on his chest.
The older women left the kitchen about the same time and they could hear their voices fade as they walked away.

“The wolf, do you think he’ll try and get to the children?
They go back to school tomorrow, right?”

“Yes,” he answered Dallas.
“I’ve already made arrangements to have one of the pack pick them up here and take them. They’ll also bring them back at the end of the day.
There are five teachers there that Austin has told to watch out for them and to protect them as well.
Why?”

“Don’t know
,
but I have a feeling that…well, I have something on my mind that I’d like to talk to you about when we’re alone.”
Dallas looked at the door that Gladys and Jessie had gone through.
“Do you think the other woman, Jessie, do you think she’s as dumb as she appears?”

Gordon started to say she wasn’t dumb just confused
,
but then he realized what his brother was asking.
He too looked at the door.
Could she be?
The two wom
e
n had been together since the beginning of this and neither of them seemed surprised by Jessie’s behavior.
Nor did it seem forced or an act.
But still
,
he didn’t know for sure.

“What are you asking me?
If I think this is a scam and she’s a part of it?”
He had lowered his voice to nearly nothing
,
but he knew that his brother would hear him.
“You think she’s in on whatever is going on here?”

“I don’t know,” Dallas answered just as quietly.
“But I can’t believe that she’s that stupid about things.”

Gordon hadn’t thought of it like that. He’d just thought they were funny together.
He would wonder now and that was probably why Dallas had told him.
He’d keep an eye on both women from now on.
He moved toward the door again and out.
Dallas said he’d be walking the perimeter again and would wait for the two of them.

Chapter 13

Alexis was just putting the last of the barred soap in the box when the door opened behind her.
She looked up at Gordon
,
but didn’t stop what she was doing. She was suddenly very nervous around him and shy.

“You should have waited for me to load those boxes in the van for you.
They look heavy.”

She almost snapped at him that she was fine
,
but didn’t.
It wasn’t his fault she was in a crappy mood.

“Alexis, what is it?”

“Nothing.
I have to get these soaps out now. Those over there weren’t ready to wrap yet so I’ll have to take them down lat—
”

He turned her around
,
took the bars out of her hand
,
and s
e
t them back on the counter.
She looked up at him and bit her tongue so that she wouldn’t say anything.
He pressed her against the counter and she growled.
His smile made her pissed off for some reason.
Before she could tell him off
,
he started talking in that low sexy voice of his.

“You know that as a wolf
,
I have the ability to smell all sorts of things most people can’t.”
He lowered his head to her neck and she nearly moaned.
“Like I can smell that you’re angry.
At what
,
I can only guess.
Like I’m thinking you’re pissed because I didn’t make love to you this morning before you left the bed.”

That wasn’t it
,
but she was beginning to see why that might have been a good reason not to have come down here so early.
Making love with this man was worth having a few less things in the store.
But she still tried to hold onto her anger.