By the Tail (9 page)

“She’s done bothering you. I promise.”

“Now don’t go starting trouble.”
What am I saying? The woman’s middle name is Trouble. That’s like asking her to stop breathing.
“I mean, just think about the harm you could do with the females in the pride. They look up to you, even the ones counting Alissa as a friend.” He’d been impressed with the headway Joy had made in the little time she’d been appointed Liaison.

“Yeah, well. She brings it, I’ll finish it.”

He fought down a smirk at her possessive tone. His cat loved her jealousy. But he also knew showing his satisfaction would be a sure way to piss the woman off. The trick to handling Joy was to act unconcerned until he wanted something. Then he had to act the opposite to get what he wanted. He’d studied the contrary woman enough to know that she’d step into a trap just to spite an opponent.

They continued to tease each other the rest of the short trip back. Since she still wore her sexy pajamas, he needed to swing by her house to pick up a change of clothes for her. And maybe, if he were lucky, they’d spend some quality time together in his comfortable bed for once. He hadn’t mentioned their living arrangement yet, but he wanted her spending her nights with him. And he wanted everyone to know it.

Except when he pulled into her driveway and keyed the remote to open the garage, he saw a familiar car parked in front of her house. Quince stopped the SUV, not yet ready to have his perfect time with Joy ruined.

She glanced at the car as well, and they watched together as the driver side door of a sports car worth five of Quince’s SUV opened. Miles unfolded from the seat, dressed in trousers and a silk tee-shirt—his war wear. To say he looked less than pleased to see Quince’s SUV in the driveway was an understatement.

“
Shit,
” Quince and Joy swore at the same time. They glanced at each other and snickered.

“I’ll handle this one,” Joy said.

“You sure? I don’t want him giving you a hard time. You know how he feels about me,” he ended brusquely, still bothered that his best friend didn’t seem to know the real him. How the fuck could Miles believe Quince had ever tried to hurt Michael?

Joy’s eyes softened. “He’s stubborn. You know Miles. He digs in his heels, especially when he thinks he might be mistaken. I think the world might end if Miles ever admitted he was in the wrong.”

“You got that right.” He covered her hand, still on his thigh, and squeezed it. “You handle him however you need to. But I won’t let him take his dislike of me out on you.”

She squeezed his hand back, then left the SUV. Quince knew the shit would really hit the fan once Miles took a good look at Joy’s clothing. Or lack of clothing. Though the boy shorts and tank might be able to pass as thin casual wear, maybe, it seemed too obvious to Quince that Joy had just been fucked seven ways from Sunday.

He couldn’t forget their merged scents, or the fact that for just a moment, Joy had initiated what felt like the beginning of a true bonding.

“Well, look at this.” Miles opened his eyes wide with mock surprise as he stopped a few feet away from Joy. “My dearest sister wearing next to nothing. Is
this
what you’re considering for our new junior line?”

Quince left the vehicle to stand behind Joy, at her back.

The frost descending over Miles’s face was almost visible to the naked eye. Light green eyes flashed with loathing as he scowled at Quince. “Slumming, honey?” he sneered. “I know your taste in men is deplorable, but even you can do better than this.”

“Excuse me? Even
I
can do better than this? What the hell does that mean?” Joy planted her hands on her hips, her tone one Quince knew to steer clear of. If Miles possessed an iota of sense, he’d back away and return later for a confrontation. Joy in a rage might turn Quince on, but the woman was lethal. Her brother should know better.

Miles gave him a contemptuous onceover. “Please. It’s obvious. This cat isn’t worth your time. He’s gutter trash. Come on. We’re going home.”

Quince would have loved nothing better than to give Miles that fist in the mouth he seemed to be begging for, until he realized what a blessing this might turn out to be. Miles telling Joy
not
to date Quince. It was like a higher power coming down to order Joy to love him forever. At this rate, he and Joy might be mates by tomorrow.

He could scent the musk of rage settling over her, a deep perfume that turned him inside out and always had, and had to stifle the wide-ass grin threatening to overtake his face.

She fired back at her brother, “You know what, Miles? You can go fuck yourself. I’m happy here. And I’m happy with Quince.”

His cat sneered at Miles, needing more taunting, more play, to set off this potential obstacle to mating Joy. Although Quince liked finally getting one over on his old friend, a part of him mourned that it had come to this. Why the hell had Miles believed—
continued
to believe—such bad things about him?

“Please. You’re happy with what? A pride leader who’s not as bad as Lex used to be? I understand you’re glad to be home. I admit, I’m not a fan of Montana. Or those Chastells,” Miles muttered.

Quince decided to stir the pot. “I don’t know. Personally, I kind of liked Dean.”

Joy crossed her arms over her chest. “Yeah. He and Grady are like the brothers I
wish
I had.”

Miles’s eyes narrowed. Score a hit for Joy. “Too bad. I’m the only brother you have down here. Your only
family
.” He took a step forward.

Quince wanted to let Joy handle him, but he couldn’t deny his instinct to protect. He stepped to meet Miles, putting Joy behind him. “Back off. You won’t hurt her.”
Not while I’m still breathing.

Miles gaped. “You’re protecting her from
me
? I’m not the one who tried to kill her!”

“Yeah, well neither is he,” Joy defended him, bringing warmth to the cold spots in his soul. “He did what he had to for the pride. Michael wanted him to do it. Quince saved us. More than a few times.”

“You can’t believe his shit?”

“Why not? You believe all the lies told about him. I did for a while too. But Miles, things are different now. There’s no king of the mountain here.” Joy tried to reach out to her brother, but Miles wasn’t in the mood.

He stepped back from Quince and snarled.

Quince reached for Joy’s hand behind him. “Let it go. He’s not ready to listen.”

She came to stand next to him.

Miles stared at their clasped hands, and his face went blank. “So you’re choosing him over your own brother? He’s a liar and a cheat.”

“Miles, you’re wrong,” she said softly.

His eyes gleamed, an enraged panther staring out at them. At Quince. “I hope to hell I am, Joy. You’re a grown woman, so you keep telling me. Fine. Do whatever you think you need to. But I’ll be here when he fucks you over. That’s what Quince is good at. Playing the part of a friend until he stabs you in the back.”

Quince shook his head. “What the hell is your problem? What did I ever do to you to make you act like this?”

“Save it.” Miles stepped closer, until he stood a foot from Quince. Close enough to reach out and throttle. “You hurt my sister, you even blink at her wrong, and I’ll be right here. Ready to turn your world upside-down. I’ll take you out, Quince. Just like you took out Michael.”

Then Miles turned on his heel and strode back to his car. He tore away from the house in a screech of tires, and Quince and Joy watched him leave in silence.

When Quince turned back around, he saw Joy looking at him. He’d been making such progress. Miles warning her off had been a good thing. But acting the defensive big brother, bringing up Michael yet again. Had he ruined Quince’s recent strides?

“So.” Joy just stared at him.

“So.”

“Should I pack, or are we spending the night here?”

He blinked at her, then grinned with relief. “I was thinking we could try out your bed first. Then compare it to mine later.”

“Hmm. Okay.” With a grin and a whoop, she raced into the garage.

He took his time, determined to make every moment last.

Joy woke the next morning in her bed, a heavy arm across her middle holding her down. She carefully lifted his arm and settled it on the spot she vacated. Quince frowned, looking softer, but no less masculine, in sleep. He spread his fingers on the bed and shifted his hand, as if searching for something.

For me.
She didn’t doubt he desired her. And after all their talking and time spent together, she tended to believe he didn’t want her sisters or a connection to Miles, at least, not through her.

She leaned down and kissed him on the cheek. “Shh. I’m here.”

His frown eased, and he sighed into the pillow, still asleep.

From what he’d said, he needed it. Quince had been cleaning up Lex’s messes for months. Now that he had the resources and the leadership he’d needed to finish fixing the problems in the pride, he could tackle the issues head-on.

He wouldn’t have left Miami to drag her back with him unless he meant everything he’d said. Quince wanted her. He could easily have tried to persuade Amy or Melissa to return with him. They liked him. But he hadn’t even said “boo” to either of her sisters.

She entered her bathroom and took care of her morning needs. After a hasty shower, she dressed in casual shorts and a tee-shirt and moved into the kitchen to cook them breakfast.

“Damn. I’m becoming a domesticated cat,” she muttered and grinned at herself. She was way too pleased about life lately, and it had to do with that big-ass man in her bed.

Her cat purred, and she let it, knowing the feline deserved the pleasure. After making a quick phone call to see a doctor—because it was past time for birth control—she fixed some eggs and bacon, then brewed a pot of coffee.

They’d have to return to reality today. Joy sighed, wishing they could spend more time together, dating, just the two of them. Screw Alissa and the rest of the females still posturing to become Quince’s arm candy. As pride leader, he now commanded even more attention than he’d had as Michael’s head lieutenant. Like Jace and Ellis now, Quince had been a problem solver in the pride, concerned with an area of southern territory. The pride normally had three lieutenants to watch over the group, but after Lex, it seemed they now had just two. She herself had her hands full simply addressing the female needs among her kind.

Normally, marriage had to be approved by the pride leader. Mating and breeding occurred organically between Ac-taw. But marriage was a legal commitment in the eyes of the public, and Michael had often demanded those in want of legal ties to state their case before him. The females—Joy included—used to appreciate the sentiment. Mostly because Michael would thoroughly vet the males under scrutiny before allowing them to marry. Females were to be protected, treasured and deserved a steady, loving male.

Then Lex had come with his demands, raping and pillaging, taking whatever the hell he wanted. Females lost all rights. It was no wonder they were hesitant to trust again, even though most of them loved having Quince in charge.

“Do you want to rule the pride?”
she’d asked him.

“Actually, I don’t,”
he’d responded.

What the hell did that mean? And why wouldn’t he want to take charge after he’d fought so hard to make a difference? She had questions to ask him, but she didn’t want to rush him. Now that he’d seemed to ease into being with her, she wanted to sate herself on sex. To get under his skin and poke and prod at his secrets. Once she had the answers
her
way, then she’d think about where her resurging feelings and their relationship might take them. Because her friggin’ cat wanted nothing more than to get pregnant and take him as mate.

The thought of babies made her shiver. She had no intention of missing her doctor appointment later that afternoon.
Take that, feline.

“Hey. Is that bacon?” Quince entered the kitchen yawning, his eyes sleepy, his face smooth. He scratched his bare chest, the fine male dressed only in a pair of jeans.

Her mouth watered, and she had to force herself to concentrate on the bacon. A sizzle of grease spattered onto her hand, and she jerked it away. “Damn.”

“Hey, easy.” Quince pulled her back and took the pan off the burner. Then he kissed the spot where she’d been burned.

She literally quivered, confused at how much she wanted more from this man.
God.
Amazing sex was one thing, but this desire to mate, breed and live happily ever after scared the crap out of her.

Quince smiled into her eyes. “Better now?”

“Yeah,” she croaked and tugged her hand back.

He slapped her on the ass. “Good. Now quit screwing around and feed me, woman. You wore me out last night.”

She glared at him, doing her best not to laugh at the arrogant feline now lazing at her kitchen table. He looked so damn cute with his hair sticking up, his eyes still sleepy.

He blinked at her. “Joy is great.”

She didn’t know how to respond to that without hugging him.

“At making bacon,” he added with a smirk. He dodged the tongs she tossed at him and made a sad face. “Joy is great…at pouring her man some coffee?” he asked hopefully.

She let out a put-upon sigh but grinned as she fetched him a cup. When she took it to him, she paused before handing it over. “Don’t get used to this. I’m simply rewarding you for that nice work you did last night.”

“Yes, dear.” He reached for the cup.

Their hands met and their eyes locked. The pleasure radiating in his entire being couldn’t be ignored. Nor could hers.

He took the cup to his lips and drank, never looking away from her. “Ah. Joy
is
great.”

A great big pushover,
she muttered to herself even as she danced away to finish making him breakfast.