Tailing Her (3 page)

He walked like the cat that lived inside him, slow and sure and with all the grace of a feline. He didn’t pause in his approach until he stood less than a foot from her. She’d held her ground, refusing to give him even a centimeter or retreat the slightest bit. They were both strong lions in their own right, and she wasn’t about to back down.

Brett lifted his hands, skimmed his fingertips up her arms, then across her collarbone before tracing the upper swells of her breasts. Jennifer couldn’t suppress the shiver of need that assaulted her or the sudden heating of her center, body already slicking and preparing itself for him.

She craved him like her next breath and was shocked by her desperate need for her mate. She owed her best friend an apology. She’d teased Penelope over jumping right into bed with Marcus, and yet Jennifer was more than willing to find the nearest flat surface with her mate.

Oh look, there’s a bed. Let’s use that.

He continued teasing her with his touch, fingers never slowing as they glided over her skin. He skimmed the long line of her neck before finally sifting his fingers through her hair to cradle her skull. “There will be plenty of time for a bed… later.”

It was only when a new flare of need filled his gaze that she realized she’d spoken the words aloud. At the prospect of not getting what she most desired, Jennifer’s lioness whimpered. It also had her cheeks heating with a furious blush as she fought to turn her head away from him but he held her fast.

“No hiding. I like that you want me.” He stepped closer, and evidence of his arousal pressed against her lower stomach. “Because I sure as hell want you.” He lowered his head and treated her to a teasing kiss. “But first we need to deal with our current situation.”

“Current situation?” she whispered, mind consumed with need for him. She couldn’t follow their conversation. Her brain sort of shorted out with his
I sure as hell want you
.

Brett captured her lower lip between his teeth and nibbled the plump bit of flesh, gifting her with a little sting of pain that merely stoked her arousal. “You have to focus, baby. Once we figure out who came after you, and how to eliminate the threat, I’ll lay you out on my bed and mate you… Tie you to me so hard that you won’t ever think or look at another male.”

“Yes…” she hissed. She wanted that, a lot of a lot of a lot.

“Good.” He nibbled again. “Marcus filled me in a little. I know it’s the Colletti family that’s after you, but what do you have against Niccolo Colletti that makes you think you can put him away? Why have you taken on such a big human case and involved lions in a human problem?”

Groaning, knowing she couldn’t lie to her mate just as she wasn’t able to lie to her alpha, Jennifer sighed. “It’s a lion problem because the human Colletti has a half-brother who is a lion. So, they are not just breaking human laws, they’re also breaking ours.” She huffed. “If I can’t fight the werelion Colletti because he hasn’t been caught breaking our laws, I can at least tweak his tail. Hence, the human court proceedings. I wouldn’t have taken such a high profile case otherwise. Marcus thinks—”

*

A deafening roar leapt to Brett’s lips. “Marcus thinks?” He snarled for good measure. “Marcus thinks!” He took a deep breath but it did nothing to calm his anger. All it accomplished was bringing him more of Jennifer’s sweet scent. Pulling that into him both soothed and enraged his beast. “Exactly what did Marcus say about all this? And
when
did he make his opinions known? You’ve hardly been here a month and he’s been traveling with Penelope. You haven’t even been officially welcomed to the pride but Marcus is already involving you in…”

He needed to cool off before he hunted down his brother and tore him to shreds for risking his mate.

Jennifer frowned, and he fought the need to kiss away that expression. “We talked about it after I made the initial connection between Colletti-the-human and Colletti-the-lion whose name is Davis. He agreed with me because, while we don’t have any concrete evidence against the lion that would enable him to render judgment, I should go ahead with prosecuting the head of the human side of the organization. Like I said, tweak his tail.”

Brett flexed his fingers, massaging the back of her head, and was careful not to prick her delicate skin with his claws. “And you didn’t feel that you should have some sort of security detail while you go after the city’s most corrupt crime family? He didn’t feel—”

“Of course, he did.” She shrugged and tried to ease from his hold. His lion didn’t want to release her but he sensed her need for space so he let her go. “But it was my choice. I’m not some girl who needs to hide behind a man. I lived with enough of that in Ryland. I didn’t want to deal with that caveman attitude here.”

“That’s just stupid. You let your pride get the best of you and almost got yourself shot!” The words rang through the room. The second the last syllable left his mouth, he went silent. He probably could’ve been a little more tactful saying that but he didn’t regret the message. She was his
mate,
and he’d nearly lost her before he had the chance to have her.

“Oh, fuck you very much.” She curled her lip at him, issuing a clear threat, and then spun away, presenting him with her back. She strode toward the windows that made up one wall of the room and stared at the world below. Her back was ramrod straight, and fury filled every inch of her body.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair in frustration. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have shouted like that. But…”

He went to her, unable to stomach the new distance between them. She didn’t move away as he approached and he took that as a good sign. Deciding they should begin as they would live, he didn’t allow her to close herself off. He wrapped his arms around her waist and tugged her against him, enjoying the sensation of her soft curves against his hard body. Not second-guessing himself, he lowered his head and grasped the flesh of her shoulder between his teeth. He didn’t break skin, he wasn’t about to start something they couldn’t finish, but he wanted her to know how he felt.

Brett released her and lapped at the bruised skin. He didn’t miss the tremors that wracked her body and he knew she felt the same as he did even if she was being prickly at the moment.

“You’re mine.
Mine
. I just met you and already I don’t know what I’d do without you. The fact you’ve been in so much danger enrages my lion. Do I feel like the situation we’re in could have been avoided? Yes. Do I think it was foolish? Yes.” He took a calming breath. “Do I wish you’d taken a different path, and that Marcus would have shoved a protection detail on you? No.” She stiffened for a moment and he encouraged her to turn and face him. She didn’t bite him as he repositioned her and he carefully enfolded her in his arms so they were chest to chest. “Because if you had made the
smart
decision, I wouldn’t be here with you now.” He lowered his head and brushed his mouth across hers. “And nothing gets a guy hotter than protecting his mate.”

“Mate…” she murmured.

It was the first time they’d confirmed the truth between them, the first time either said the words out loud. “Yes. I’m your mate, and you’re mine. As soon as this bullshit is handled, I’m going to tie you to that bed and make love to you until you can’t walk straight.”

Jennifer whimpered and wiggled against him and it took all of his control not to do exactly as he promised right this second. But they needed to wait until the danger to her had passed which meant he wanted this shit wrapped up ASAP.

“We could…”

Brett shook his head. “I want to stay on alert, I want to be ready to protect you. I know the second I get inside you, I won’t be able to think of anything
but
you. It’s a good idea when we’re alone and safe, but not when there’s someone out there gunning for you.” She opened her mouth, probably to voice an objection and he gave her a quick, fierce kiss. “Not another word. I’m holding onto my control by a thread. I’ve got sweatpants and t-shirts in the bottom drawer of the dresser that might fit you. Grab something and come on out when you’re ready.”

He stepped away from her, turning to head toward the door, but her low growl had him giving her his attention once again. Her eyes were the lioness’ amber and a light dusting of gold fur decorated her shoulders. He could scent she was pissed—he had no idea why—but damn was she gorgeous.

It didn’t take her long to tell him what he’d done wrong.

“Small enough to fit me? You’re over six feet and two hundred pounds and have something that’ll fit me?” She narrowed her eyes and he could practically see the gears working in her head as she made connections that probably wouldn’t make sense to him. “You have another woman’s clothes here?”

Nope, Brett didn’t get it, but her words did make him grin. “You’re jealous.”

“Correction. I’m ready to cut the woman those clothes belong to.”

That had him smiling wider and he was secure in the knowledge she was his match in every way. “You
are
jealous. But there’s no reason to be. They’re my old clothes. No need to bust out those claws.” He let the full weight of his need enter his gaze. “And the idea that you’re wearing my clothing… Baby, you have no idea what it does to me.”

She swallowed hard, bringing his attention to her throat which then had him focusing on the juncture of her neck and shoulder.

Jennifer smirked, her gaze flicking from his face to his groin and back again. “Oh, I think I do.”

Brett wasn’t embarrassed by his body’s reaction to her. In fact, the only reason he’d ever have to be embarrassed in front of his mate was if he wasn’t at full attention around her. He reached down and stroked his hardness, teasing himself with the touch while also showing Jennifer exactly how much he wanted her. She licked her lips, that pink tongue wetting her lower lip and all he could think of was her mouth on him. Her sucking him deep and toying with him before he finally lost control and took her.

“Minx.”

Her smirk turned into a teasing grin. “Lioness.”

“Pain in my ass,” he countered. “Get dressed and then we can talk everything out in the living room with the guys.”

He made it as far as the bedroom door before she spoke again. “Can we talk about why the safe house sported a trashy lion-whore in the driveway? I assume that location was supposed to be confidential and yet…”

Brett groaned. “The ‘lion-whore’ is no longer a problem and she hasn’t been in
my
life for over six months. As for who leaked the location… I’ll be dealing with that.”

Jennifer voiced the concern that had been swirling in his mind from the moment they passed the house. “If she was able to bribe someone on your team for its address, what other types of bribes will they take?”

“I know.” He glanced at her over his shoulder, getting one last delicious look at her body before she covered it in baggy clothing. “Get dressed. We’ll deal with it all at once.”

Deal with it all…
That was one way of saying it. Really, he was about to put down one of his own lions. Betraying him and risking the life of another lion was irresponsible. Potentially risking the life of his
mate
was unacceptable. Or rather deadly.

Jennifer didn’t engage in the verbal battle being fought behind her. No, she simply continued to stare at the bustling city below. Night had fallen, and the landscape filled with sparkling lights and the rapid race of cars rushing down the highways. The world moved on as if no one had attempted to commit murder that very morning at the courthouse.

Her life had irrevocably changed in that split second but everyone one else continued as if it were just another day. She supposed it was for them. For her, it had been both frightening and exhilarating. Even now, when she should be worried about the men in Brett’s group, all she could think about was hauling Brett back to the bedroom.

Instead, she had to deal with a bunch of overgrown, bickering children. Except for Brett. Her mate remained silent and watchful, taking in everyone’s reactions to the accusation of betrayal. Throw a group together, roar out the accusation and then let them fight it out themselves. The plan didn’t always work. There were those who were psychopathic and flat out evil shifters, after all, and didn’t react in any way, but she didn’t sense that in this group. No, her lioness firmly believed one of these males was just an idiot and a sucker for a pretty face.

That didn’t mean she’d break it up. Let them go after each other. It would be a hard and painful lesson to the guilty party. They were lions and sometimes it did boil down to survival of the fittest. Or rather smartest.

Snarls and tumbling growls filled the air, and she found herself easily able to differentiate each one. Listening and thinking back to the event, it took her less than five minutes to discover the person who had betrayed Brett. She imagined it took her mate even less time. The evidence tinkled together, and she had only one question to pose to the gathered males.

She tore her attention from the cityscape and enveloped the half-dozen men in a single glance. “Excuse me?”

Seven sets of eyes focused on her, one pair holding a look of pure need while the other six stared with barely suppressed emotions that ranged from annoyed to furious. Hell, one pair looked like he had homicide on the brain. Oh, she couldn’t wait to kick that guy’s ass. Was she a woman? Yes. Was she a total bitch who fought dirty? Fuck. Yeah.

“What do you need, sweetheart? Can’t you see the big boys are talking?” That condescending question came from Zane. Dead Zane.

Brett growled his displeasure, but Jennifer acted.

Really, when thinking back on it later, she’d probably feel bad about lunging after the guy. But right now, all she could ponder was whether she could get to the male before Brett. Turned out, as she dove toward him, easily leaping the six feet that separated them, Jennifer was quicker.

She didn’t hesitate to wrap her fingers around his throat and squeeze. She didn’t prick his skin, or even tighten her grip that hard. Just enough for him to realize she was not one to be messed with. All right, maybe “that hard” was actually enough to make it difficult for him to breathe. But she really didn’t pierce his skin!