Nauti Intentions (23 page)

was a hometown hero, too, and they’d found someone new to punish.

She pushed her fingers through her hair and fought back the anger rushing through her. Anger wasn’t going to help her. Pride,

determination—screw al of them.

She stalked to the closet, drew out the clothes she’d already chosen to wear today or this evening. The restaurant opened its doors at four, but the

employees arrived hours before that. She needed to be downstairs, overseeing everything within the hour.

She usual y enjoyed her coffee and rol s first. But no, this morning Alex just had to drop his little bombshel before she could even get that first jolt of

caffeine into her system.

She had no doubt it was deliberate.

Her hands were stil shaking with anger as she rol ed sheer black stockings up her legs and attached the lacy elastic band to the straps of the matching

garter belt. Black panties came next, the thong eliminating any hint of panty line beneath the black mid-thigh-length silk skirt.

From her dresser she pul ed free one of her favorite bras. One she had rarely worn outside the house. The demi bra gave her breasts a little added

volume and, when paired with the violet short-sleeved silk-lined knit sweater she wore, made her feel sexier, more in control.

She buttoned the tiny violet buttons that ran up the sweater, buttoning it far enough that only a hint of cleavage was left showing, and Alex’s bite

marks were wel covered.

There was no way in hel to hide the one on her neck completely. She applied her makeup then, fol owing Rogue’s laughing advice, applied the

heavy cover base to the mark before using a touch of foundation to blend it in against her skin. It was stil there, but it wasn’t glaring.

Hel , if she couldn’t hide it, she may as wel own it at this point, she told herself. But as she stared into the mirror and brushed her hair to curl around

her neck, she couldn’t find it in herself to be ashamed of it. Simply wary. Alex didn’t want others to know where he was sleeping at night, and she

didn’t want to harm the reputation she knew he had in the county.

Thankful y, the cut and style of her hair helped to hide the mark. She knew it was there, though, and she had the memory of how it had been placed

there. The mark on Alex’s neck couldn’t be hidden without a ton of makeup, she thought, as she applied her lipstick and stared at her own kiss-

swol en lips.

What the hel had she been thinking when she’d done that?

Oh, she knew what she was thinking. Ownership. If only for a few days, however long it took for the mark to recede, everyone would know he had been

claimed. It didn’t make a whit of difference, because no one would know who the hel had claimed him. But she knew. She knew, and each time she

thought of it her stomach clenched at the memory.

Finishing up, she slid her feet into three-inch black heels, made certain her hair was stil curled over the side of her neck, then left the bedroom.

Alex was stil there.

He rose slowly from the kitchen table, where he was working on the laptop, and stared at her, his expression granite hard now, his eyes flat, distant.

Poor little Alex, the stupid little girl he was having to watch over wasn’t obeying him near as wel as he would like. She almost snorted at the thought.

“I have twenty minutes to get downstairs,†she told him, moving to the fresh pot of coffee just finishing in the maker. “Can I drink this cup of

coffee without being harassed?â€

He closed the laptop slowly as she turned back with a ful cup and lifted it to her lips. His expression was nerve-racking. She had never seen him look

like that.

Pissed, obviously, she thought. That was too bad, because now she was pissed.

“It’s harassment to ask for one logical reason why you won’t marry me?†His hands were placed careful y on the table. Broad, cal oused,

strong male hands. Yeah, she loved those hands, too.

“I told you why. It was a completely logical reason.†She’d lived without love for most of her life. She wanted love. She needed it.

“I care for you, Janey.†He sighed. “You’d never have to worry about me cheating on you or hurting you.â€

He’d already hurt her, more times than she could count. The very fact that he went to such lengths to keep anyone from knowing he was staying with

her had the power to rip at her heart if she let herself think about it too often. And she thought about it often.

She loved him. As she stared back at him, she realized, in some ways, she had loved Alex for years. Every time Dayle had al owed her to come home,

she had looked for him, asked about him. She had been fascinated with him. That fascination hadn’t changed.

She lifted her coffee to her lips and sipped, hoping the caffeine would clear her head. Despite the years she had spent keeping herself alone, isolated,

giving Dayle no one he could use to strike out at her, Janey had managed to retain a few dreams. And one of those dreams was love.

“I deserve more than just a man who cares for me,†she final y told him. “You can care for a pet. I want to be more than that to someone, Alex. I

need more than that.â€

He wiped his hand over his face and exhaled roughly. “Janey, sometimes you’re so damned mature you frighten me, then times like this you

make me feel like a fucking cradle robber.†He rose from his seat, frustration lining his face now as she watched him careful y. “Sweetheart, listen to

me, what you’re looking for doesn’t exist, and you’re only going to get your heart broken looking for it.†His face hardened then. “And if

you’re carrying my child, then that baby wil suffer the effects of however you hurt yourself. Is that what you want?â€

“We’l discuss that if it happens.†Her voice was a hel of a lot calmer than she was.

“It wil happen.†His arms bracketed her, his hands slapping against the counter beside her. “Trust me, sweetheart, if it didn’t happen last

night, then it wil tonight or the night after. Because fucking you without latex is too damned good to give up.â€

“I hope you’ve had blood tests lately,†she stated calmly.

Janey was anything but calm. She could feel her nipples beading, her pussy heating. Hel , she could feel her womb shaking in anticipation at the sight

of the lust flickering in his gaze and his tight, forbidding expression. If she looked, lowered her gaze to his jeans, she knew what she would see. If she

gave him the slightest go-ahead, he’d be buried inside her.

So thick, so hard. He would push between her thighs, stretch her, burn her with pleasure.

“Look at your face,†he said, his voice rougher now. “I can see the need in your eyes, baby. You want me, again. Pumping inside you, fil ing

you with my cum. It was hot, wasn’t it, Janey? So hot it’s addictive.â€

Oh yes, she did want him. The want was like a fever inside her.

“It was hot,†she whispered back, moving to set yet another unfinished cup of coffee on the counter.

“You want me, Janey.â€

She turned her back to him, gripping the counter with desperate fingers as she closed her eyes and fought the need. No, she didn’t want him; she

loved him. She loved him with a strength she hadn’t believed in herself. That was, she’d loved him until this morning. Until he had offered her

marriage, without the love.

“Want isn’t enough.†She shook her head, feeling him behind her, feeling his breath at her neck.

“Do
you
love
me
, Janey?â€

She blinked against the tears that would have fal en. She wasn’t going to cry for him.

Turning back to him, she lifted her gaze to his, forcing the emotion back, forcing the pain back. It didn’t matter what she felt, she told herself. It never

had. Al the wanting in the world wouldn’t change that. “You don’t believe in love, Alex. So it doesn’t matter one way or the other, does it?

â€

THIRTEEN

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Mackay’s Café was packed. With the addition of new chefs, a decent kitchen staff, and serious managing, the restaurant was attaining a reputation

not just for the fact that it was run by the traitor’s daughter, but for its food, its service, and the fact that Janey al owed herself to be on display.

She had watched Dayle Mackay’s haphazard management of the restaurant for years. It was no more than a front then, a way to launder the money

the militia filtered through its ranks. Now it was kicking some serious ass.

At eight that evening they had a ful house, tables fil ed no sooner than they were emptied and cleaned, and a smal waiting list on the off chance of a

cancel ation.

Janey was kept on her feet, moving through the restaurant, seating customers, fielding questions and comments. And compliments.

She was seating a table of six when she knew the night was going to go to hel .

It began with Natches and Alex walking up to the hostess station and standing, rather patiently. Natches wasn’t always patient. He was wearing his

motorcycle chaps and a leather jacket, his hair was windblown, his face roughened from the cold. Alex was dressed in jeans and the long-sleeved gray

striped shirt he had worn that morning, boots, and a hip-length leather jacket that absolutely did not do a damned thing to hide from Natches that hickey on

his neck.

“I hope you enjoy your meal.†She smiled to the occupants of the table as they sat down and accepted their menus. “Your server wil be right

with you.â€

She turned, caught the eye of the waitress for that section, and motioned her over to the table before moving to the reception area.

Natches had that look in his eyes that warned everyone around him not to push him. Alex’s expression was pretty much as it had been when she

left him that morning. Stony. Cool. He wasn’t pleased with her and that was just too bad.

“I don’t have any tables free, Natches,†she told her brother. “You and Alex wil have to eat in the kitchen if you’re hungry.â€

“I own the place. Surely I can have a table,†he drawled, drawing the attention of everyone close enough to hear them.

Hoyt spoke up behind her. “Ms. Mackay, we have a cancel ation on table fourteen in twenty-five minutes.â€

“And we have a waiting list.†She turned to her manager with a bright smile. “Perhaps you should cal the Daltons and let them know we have

a table if they can be here in time.â€

Hoyt stared back at her helplessly before glancing to Natches and Alex. The younger man hero-worshipped both Natches and Alex. Turning them down

would break his heart.

She rol ed her eyes. “Fine. They can wait for the table in the office.†She turned back to Natches. “You can wait in the office.â€

“You can come with us.â€

Before she could avoid him, he had hold of her arm and was pul ing her through the restaurant to the short hal and the large office past the restrooms.

Oh, this so wasn’t good. Natches hadn’t dragged her around like a puppy since she was five years old.

Unlocking the office door, he pushed her inside before fol owing. At least he released her before moving into the wel -appointed room with a disgusted

breath.

“Bastard liked his comfort, didn’t he?†He stared around the office at the leather seating arrangement and glass table. The desk was

Janey’s addition. Scarred and comfortable, it beat the contemporary modern glass one Dayle Mackay had had before his arrest.

“And I like keeping myself in comfort.†Janey propped her hand on her hip, flicked her gaze to where Alex leaned against the wal , his eyes

narrowed on her, then back to Natches. “What the hel is up with this? I have work to do if you don’t mind, and dealing with you in a snit isn’t

conducive to that job.â€

“Stan Johnson cal ed from the newspaper a few hours ago,†he informed her as he took a seat on the corner of her desk. “Says you put an ad

in the paper.â€

Janey lifted her chin before shooting Alex an accusing glance. “He wasn’t supposed to tel you.â€

Natches shot her a hard grin. “He’s more scared of me than he is of you, sis. He squealed like a rat.â€

Janey grimaced at the image. Actual y, Johnson probably reminded some people of just that rodent.

“And how is this his business?†She nodded to Alex.

“You carry matching hickeys,†Natches snapped. “You made it his business.â€

Great. She barely managed to keep from lifting her hand to cover the mark everyone had been staring at that evening.

“Like hel .†She shot Alex a scowl.

“We’re not going to argue over this,†Natches told her coldly. “I’ve done had my spat with Alex; I’m not fol owing up with you.

I’l tel you the same thing I told him.â€

“And that is?†She jerked her head to him, feeling the anger beginning to clench inside her.

“When you hire a new manager, this place closes down,†he told her. “I’l burn the bastard to the ground as I should have six months ago.

You got me?â€

“You’re not the only owner, Natches.†Janey could feel it. She hated it. She could feel the anger beginning to build, to crash past the shield she

kept around it. “Don’t walk in here and think you can order me around, because I won’t fight with you. I’l cal your wife.â€

There was a long, slow blink of outraged green eyes.

“You did not just threaten to tel Chaya on me,†he growled.

“It wasn’t a threat. It was a promise.†She shrugged. “Now I need to get back to work.â€

“Janey.†His voice stopped her. It was somber, serious.

“What?â€

“You wouldn’t actual y leave me, would you?â€