Ours (12 page)

Brock sighed loudly. “I hate to say it, but you’re right. I
say we go and get something to eat.”

They all got up and headed towards the door when the smell
of honey and strawberry assaulted him. He glanced around to see
Sandy
stalking toward him
with a box of doughnuts and his partner trailing behind.
Sandy
’s eyes searched the room. When they
meet his, her eyes narrowed, and she picked up her pace.

Brock slapped him on the back.
“Looks
like lunch is coming to you, Jake.”

When she got close enough, he noticed her face was pulled
tight, and her jaw looked like she was grinding her teeth. What scared him the
most was her eyes that blazed with
anger.

Brock noticed her look too because he muttered, “You going
to be all right, coz?”

He didn’t get to answer because his little redhead reached
him and threw the doughnuts at him as she yelled, “You overbearing dickhead.
Because of your jealous ways, I got fired.”
Sandy
bashed at his chest, and he winced when
she hurt her hand.

He saw Brock and David shake their heads at the officers
that came to help him.
Sandy
continued her tirade and he watched as her hair fell out of its bun, her suit
skirt become uneven, and her shirt
untucked
. He
became instantly hard at the sight of her and took deep breaths in of her
scent.

Sandy
squealed.
“
Argh
.
You’re not even listening to me, are you?
You chauvinist pig.
I tell you, I’m cursed with being
surrounded by Neanderthals. I loved that job. But no, you had to go and scare
the shit out of my boss’s brother, for Christ’s sake. I had it all figured
out.” Jake reached for her and she snarled. “I swear if you or any man in here
touches me, I will kill him.”

Sandy
turned to Brock who was on the phone to Zack
telling him he might want to get to the station quick.

Sandy
stalked to his cousin. “You better not be on
the phone to the other idiot. I know who you are, and I’m already not happy
with you for several reasons. So if Zack arrives here while I’m trying to kill
Jake, you will be next on my list, buster. Come to think of it, I would
probably be doing Sammy a favor.
One less idiot to deal
with.”

Jake cleared his throat. “Little Red, this
isn
—”

She turned back to him growling. “Don’t you ‘Little Red’
me. I’m not your Little Red.”

Jake glanced around. He didn’t know how long David, Brock,
and
Kegon
could hold off the other officers. Sighing,
he picked his mate up and threw her over his shoulder in a fireman’s hold.

Sandy
screamed and yelled, “Jake, put me down right
know. I mean it. There will be consequences if you don’t. Help me!” She went on
and on.

He heard Brock tell everyone “Sorry. As you can see, Jake’s
fiancée is a feisty one. She will be right as rain when he talks to her.”

Jake took her to the very back conference room and locked
it before placing her on the table in the middle of the room.

Sandy
glared at him. “What have you got to say for
yourself? Your actions on the weekend got me fired.”

Looking at her rosy cheeks and her hair that was now a mess
falling everywhere, Jake couldn’t help himself. He had to have her. “God,
you’re beautiful.” He pulled her close and she pushed against him, whining,
“
No touching. When I touch you or you touch me, I forget why
I’m angry at you.”

Jake grinned down at her, and she groaned as his hands
trailed under her shirt.

“I hate you right now.”

Jake brushed his lips against hers. “No, you don’t. You
love me.”

She moaned as he nipped her neck and ear. “Yeah, well, I
hate you right now too.”

 
He shrugged, not
bothered. As long as she loved him, all was right in the world.

“I’m not having sex with you. I’m angry.”

 
He chuckled against
her neck. “Yes, I’m sure everyone in Homicide knows you’re angry.”

She pushed at him. “This is not funny.”

He nodded but he couldn’t stop the laughter shaking his
body. “Oh, Little Red, don’t be mad. You’ll find a job really quickly.” He
stopped laughing when a sob racked her body.

 
“I liked that job,
and who’s going to hire a woman who’s with two Neanderthal men? Oh, and who
might be pregnant too.”

Jake held her close and she cried against him.

“Is there a back way to get out of here?”

He kissed her head and closed his eyes, holding her tight.
“I love you, and it shouldn’t matter who you’re with for a job. Do you want me
to call my brother? He’s a lawyer.”

Sandy
hiccupped and looked up at him. “You never told
me you had a brother. I know about Zack’s family but not about yours. Wow, I’m
like the worst girlfriend in the world.”

Jake shook his head at her instant change.
Women.
He would never get them. “I have two brothers and two
sisters. I don’t see them very often, but there are a lot of us Bears.”

Sandy
stroked his chest. “What do you mean by a lot?
Like shape-shifter bears, or your family’s last name, which I would like say is
very obvious.”

He grinned. “Oh really, you never guessed. But I was
talking about our last name. The Bear family is quite a big clan. There are a
decent amount of bear shifters, more than you probably think. Most have obvious
names as you call them.
The Grizzlies, the Browns, the
Honeys, and many more.”

Sandy
giggled. “Someone has a last name of Honey?”

He nodded and she giggled some more. “I’m still mad at you
for getting me fired with your Neanderthal ways.”

 
“I’m sorry.”

She gave a loud huff. “No, you’re not.”

Jake shrugged. “Sorry, but you’re mine.
Ours.”
He captured her mouth and spread her legs, rubbing his erection at her covered
pussy. They pulled away panting. “
Mmm
, this table is
the perfect height for me to fuck you.”

Sandy
moaned and her head fell back. “I shouldn’t
have let you touch me. Every time your or Zack’s body touches mine, I become a
woman in heat. What have you two done to me?”

“It’s the mate bond. It helps make us irresistible.”

There was a knock on the door, and his partner said, “Jake,
I’m sorry to interrupt, but you’re going to want to know this. And I think it’s
good that
Sandy
’s
here.”

Jake sighed and pulled away from
Sandy
before helping her stand. They opened
the door to a solemn David.

“Follow me. Your family has just been contacted, and
Kegon
and I are about to head out to the scene.”

Jake held
Sandy
’s
hand as they walked back to the main offices.

David raked his fingers through his hair before he continued.
“The report just came in. Sabin was found murdered.” Jake froze as he looked at
David, who nodded. “I’m going to confirm it, but it’s his house.”

“The killer left him in his house,” Jake shouted. “He’s
only just moved out of my uncle’s place. Sabin’s fucking twenty years old.
A baby.”

They walked into the room and everyone turned to him. He
looked around to see Brock on the phone, his face tight and emotionless. “Who’s
been contacted?”

 
“Your uncle and aunt
were the ones who found him.”

“Fucking hell.”

 
Sandy
jumped beside him at his yell. Jake
looked down to see her gritting her teeth. He noticed that her fingers were
white. He eased his grip on her hand, and she nodded to him.

“Is there anything I can do? Do you need me here? Do you
want me to go so you can work?”
Sandy
used her free hand to rub his back. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

 
Jake brought her
hand up and kissed it. “No, don’t go. I want you with me.” He pulled her over
to Brock. “Wait here a moment. I have to talk to the captain.”

 
Sandy
nodded and shooed him away.

****

Zack had no idea what was going on. First he got a call
from Brock to come and help with his mate, who was chucking a fit over losing
her job. Then Brock called him again to say that their cousin Sabin had been
killed.

Sandy
stood by his brother Brock looking a mess. Her
hair was in tangles that fell around her.
Sandy
’s
usually immaculate suit sat off center with the top two buttons open and had
crumbs all over it.

She opened her arms as soon as she saw him, and he walked
into them. He hugged her tight and kissed her forehead.

“Oh, Zack, I’m so sorry.”

 
He nodded and looked
to his brother. “Where’s Jake?”

His brother sighed loudly. He looked exhausted and
miserable.
“Gone to see the captain.”
He closed his
eyes for a moment like he was trying to gather himself. “Look, I’ve spoken to
Mum and our family, so why don’t you take your woman here home? I think no
matter what we would like to do, Jake and I are going to be here until late.”

Zack nodded.

“What about my car?”
Sandy
asked

“We’ll get it tomorrow, or someone will drop it off.”

Sandy
nodded and followed him out of the room.

He’d ridden his Harley to work so he’d had to go to his
garage and drive his spare car as his Land Rover was at
Sandy
’s.

He groaned as soon as
Sandy
saw his Ferrari
Enzo
. She started to pull him to the
red sports car. He regretted getting it, but when he’d gotten out of the army,
he wanted to celebrate with some of his inheritance, so he bought a couple of
cars.

Sitting in his car, he looked at the time then back at
Sandy
. “Would it be all
right if we stopped by my shop? I have clients now and contractors ringing this
afternoon.” He scrubbed his hands over his face. “I know I’m going to sound
like a prick when I say this, but I don’t have time to grieve.”

Sandy
nodded, picked up his hand, and kissed it.
“That’s fine. I have nothing else to do now that I don’t have a job.” He raised
his eyebrow and waited for her to tell what happened. She groaned. “I will not
be going back to visit Jake at the station, that’s all I will say. You boys
always get my temper riled.” She sighed and then a grin spread over her face.
“If you want, I can drive.”

Sandy
looked gorgeous in his car. He studied her. Her
eyes were bright, her hair fell everywhere, and her smile was huge and hopeful.
It was on the tip of his tongue to say “hell no,” but then she pouted.
Crap
. “Okay, do you know the way to my
shop from here?”

Sandy
’s eyes grew wide and she nodded. She got out of
the car and ran to his side. He helped her adjust his seat as far forward as it
would go it. He got in the passenger side and almost told her no
again,
when he heard
vroom
,
vroom
. Then her foot went down on the
accelerator.

Zack got out of the car at his shop, and for the first time
in his life, he patted himself down to check he was all still there and alive.
He turned to a grinning Sandy, who ran her hands lovingly over the car and
cooed at it.

The look of happiness on her face was priceless and well
worth the pain he’d just gone through. “I take it you like the car.”
Sandy
didn’t even answer
him just nodded. “So are you going to stay out here with the car, or come
inside and help me check if I’m still alive after the ride you just put me
through?”

“Ha, ha, you’re so funny.” She turned and walked in the
back entrance to his shop, muttering about smart aleck men.

Going to the front of the shop, Zack apologized to his
client who sat waiting, kissed
Sandy
on the cheek, and sighed. “Let me do these two men that are here waiting, but
if you can talk to them for a moment, I’m going to ring and cancel the rest.”