Force of Nature Series Boxed Set (Books 1 - 4) (14 page)

The feeling of murder and mayhem dissipated. CJ mentally added another question to her growing list and walked into the diner with Holly on one side of her and Austin on the other.

“It’s Webber. Not Force, just Webber. Glad to meet you, Miss Force.”

~
Chapter Thirteen
~

Holly watched her brother with CJ. He probably didn’t even know he was constantly touching her, but CJ did. She really seemed to be uncomfortable by it, Holly thought. Also, she kept correcting him when he called her Charlie. She told him several times she preferred to be called CJ.

“So, CJ, how long have you been a trucker?” Holly nearly burst out laughing when she asked. CJ had just moved to the other end of the booth only to be scooted back to Austin’s side.

With a glare at Austin, CJ answered. “About eight years, give or take. Just after my mom died, so yeah, about eight years. She wanted me to become a lawyer and I decided I wanted away.”

“So, you have any burning desire to go to school and realize her dream for you? Just for the record, my mom would have a cow if I suddenly became a trucker. But it sounds like fun.” Holly smiled at the waiter as he set her food down. “But she loves me, so I’d be able to talk her into it.”

Holly watched as CJ covered her hash browns in sausage gravy and then tore biscuits over the whole thing. When she reached for the hot sauce, Austin tried to take it from her, but CJ simply waited for him to put it down then threatened him with her fork before she answered. 

“I had already gotten my law degree when she died. I had just started working with Phil when she—”

“You have a law degree, and you’re driving a truck? What the hell for? This just goes to prove that I was right, and you will sell the rig and work on that instead of this ridiculous job driving around the country.” Austin seemed satisfied with his pronouncement and started in on his breakfast. “As soon as this is over you’ll sell the rig and move in with me at the pack house.”

The fork rammed deep in the table and shimmied in the sunlight. Austin looked at it, then at CJ. Holly decided that she liked this girl more than she ever thought she would.

“Now that I have your attention,” CJ said in a voice that made Holly want to obey. Alpha…CJ was an alpha female. “You will listen to me, because I don’t plan to say this again. I had sex with you. Nothing more, nothing less. I am not your wife, I will not take your last name, and I most certainly will not sell my rig. When and if I decide I’ve had enough, I will set it aside. Not because you told me to, but because I want to. Where I live is not up to you. I’m a grown woman and I see to myself. Don’t even start,” CJ said when Austin opened his mouth. “This is not up for discussion.”

CJ’s cell phone rang and she picked it up, and without a word, she stood up and dug in her pocket as she answered the call. With a toss of her wrist, she threw forty dollars on the table and with a nod to Holly, CJ left.

Holly stared at her until she was out of sight. When Austin got up, Holly put her hand on his arm to stop him. “I wouldn’t if I were you. Not if you plan to walk on your own in the future. She needs time to cool off, and you need time to learn that women are from the twenty-first century and not the dark ages.” Holly slapped his arm. “What the hell is wrong with you? Are you stupid?”

“This is none of your business. This is between Charlie and me, and I would appreciate it if you minded your own business.” He started to stand then sat back down, a look of total defeat on his face. “Fuck, I screwed that up. She just brings out the worst in me.”

Holly laughed. “No, I’m pretty sure you do that all on your own. I’ve always thought you were a little overbearing, but this…Christ, Austin, you going to ground her if she doesn’t obey you?”

“She doesn’t understand. She’s not even trying. I tell her to do something and she does the opposite just to piss me off. Damn it, Holly, she’s human, and an independent one at that.” Austin looked again at the doorway that CJ had gone through. “I don’t know what to do about her.”

Holly looked at her brother and almost felt sorry for him…almost. “Why does she not want you to call her Charlie? There must be a reason…maybe a bad memory that she has from…didn’t you say her dad was that guy that shot Dallas? Maybe he called her that.”

Austin looked at her and shook his head. “No, I call her that because that’s her name, not to bring any bad memories to her. She should know I’d not do anything like that.”

Holly picked up her water and tossed it in his face. When he stood up and reached out to grab her, she pulled her handgun and laid it on the table. He jerked his hand back as if she was a flame.

“Sit down.” He sat. “Now, I’m going to ask you some questions and you’ll answer them. You’ll not yell and you most certainly will not snarl at me. Understand?”

“Where did you get that gun? You put that thing—” His mouth snapped shut when she picked it up.

“See how this works? Now, I noticed two things. One, and this is a biggie, you didn’t know she has a law degree. Why? This brings me to number two. What’s her birthday?”

Austin stared at her with his mouth open before answering. “What the hell does that have to do with her not listening to me?”

“So you don’t know. And you never gave her the opportunity to listen, you fuck-tard, you made demands. I don’t listen to demands either.” She thought he mumbled she didn’t listen to anything, but decided to let it go for now. “Her birthday is July tenth. I asked her in the ladies room.” Holly had asked a few other things too, and most of those things she’d never tell her brother. “She hadn’t spoken to her dad since the day her mom was buried. She lived with her grandma until she started driving a truck, and she is allergic to tape—anything sticky touches her skin and she blisters. What do you know?”

Austin growled low in his throat. “She was a virgin before last night and she’s a pain in my ass.”

“Yes, well, I’m betting you’re no peach either.” Holly saw CJ coming toward their table and looked at her brother. “You want her to hate you, then by all means continue treating her like Uncle Max did Aunt Susan. You remember what happened with that.”

She’d had him killed. Paid a man twenty thousand dollars to murder her husband, then killed herself. Her note had said she was at peace for the first time in fifty years, approximately the same amount of time she’d been married to Uncle Max. She’d claimed she couldn’t take his overbearing ways a minute longer.

“Charlie…CJ wouldn’t hurt me. She’s my mate.” Holly didn’t think he sounded so sure.

“Yes. But here’s something to remember, I’m not your mate and I can hurt you.” She stood up when CJ was five feet away. “Behave, Austin, and listen. You might be surprised by what you learn.”

“I’m leaving,” CJ said as she reached the table. She looked at Austin. “Why don’t you go with your sister? That way I won’t have to smother you in your sleep.”

“I’m going. I told you I was and I am.” Austin grabbed Holly in a tight hug and whispered in her ear, “I can’t wait until you find your mate. I hope he makes your life a living hell.”

Holly watched the big truck leave the lot and went to her car. Her brother would figure this out, she was sure. She was sliding into the seat when she thought about what he’d threatened her with. Smiling, she thought about her mate.

She knew who he was. She’d known for a very long time, but he didn’t seem to. She wished things could be different, but she also knew that he wouldn’t come to her. As she pulled into traffic, she wondered what her brother would say about that.

~~~

“Solomon called,” CJ said as soon as they got on the highway again. “He wanted to know if we were going to make the deadline by Wednesday night or if we would need more time.”

Austin looked over at her and frowned. “Does he think you’re running behind? If so, how far does he think we are?”

“We’re not behind. I’m right on…he mentioned my driving partner. I didn’t tell him there was a passenger with me. He’s watching. I’m not sure how much he knows yet, but he’s watching me.” She took out several sheets of paper and handed them to him as she continued. “Phil sent me that. It’s from the Feds. Solomon is having this distributed for his stores across the United States. When I get this to the warehouse, it’ll be re-boxed and then put on another truck going back this way.”

Austin looked at the list. It detailed pages and pages of high end items—big screen televisions, computers, game systems, and even jewelry. He laid it on the console and looked at her.

“If they know what he’s doing, then why are the Feds having you drive this to him? Why don’t they simply arrest him and be done with it?” Austin thought he knew the moment he asked. He wasn’t thrilled about what he thought was going on either.

Her answer confirmed it. “Because they want to see who the big cheese is. Phil seemed to think that Solomon is just the middleman, and that whoever we take this to is the one they want. They didn’t even know the warehouse address until this.”

Austin started to tell her that she’d have to tell them she wasn’t doing it, but thought about what Holly had said. He tried to think of a tactful or even a nicer way to tell her she wasn’t doing it, but the best he could do was tell her “no fucking way.” He was sure that would go over well.

“I know what you’re thinking and I’m taking this load, Austin. You should have gone with your sister if you think I’ll not do this. I’m my own person, and you have no rights over me whatsoever.”

It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her that she was his, but again, thought that it wouldn’t be prudent. Instead, he tried reason. It could work.

“I’m telling you you’re not.” He winced when he realized that it hadn’t been anywhere close to reason. “Let me reword that. It might have come out wrong.”

“Oh no, you said it just like I thought you would.” He could tell by her entire body she was pissed. “I’ve made arrangements for you to be picked up when we get to Amarillo, Texas. It’s a good-sized town and they have a nice airport. I don’t need the added stress of you for another three days.”

She would leave him too. Austin wasn’t sure if he was more hurt than pissed at her for making arrangements when he snapped his mouth closed. He’d done the same thing. Just as she’d done, he’d made arrangements to suit himself over her wants.

He looked out the window and thought. Christ, he didn’t want to leave her. He didn’t just want her…he needed her. Looking back at CJ, he tried again.

“I’ll go home if after today you still want me to. I’m…it’s been pointed out to me that I may have been a bit overbearing toward you.”

“A bit? Austin, you’ve done nothing but order me around since the first time I saw you. I don’t need it. No, I think for both of us we should just mark this as a bad experiment and move on with our lives.” Austin could feel her hurt as she continued. “It’s not worth the good sex. I won’t have a man own me. My mother put up with it for nearly all her married life, and I won’t.”

He tried again. “I’m going to work on that. I swear. Just give me until Amarillo. If I haven’t made some changes in my charming ways, I’ll go willingly.” He would leave her truck, but not her. He’d rent a car and follow her if need be, but he wouldn’t leave her. “Please?”

Austin had never had to beg in his life, and never for the company of a woman. But he was beginning to realize she wasn’t just any woman. She was his mate, his match.

“All right. But I’m not canceling the arrangements until we have to. I have to be honest with you, Austin. I can’t take much more of this. You have to fucking back off. It was just sex. Nothing more.”

Smiling to himself, he thought perhaps that she was saying that a little too much. She knew as well as he did that it wasn’t just sex, and as soon as he could, he was going to prove it to her.

~
Chapter Fourteen
~

“They just passed over into Tulsa. She’s about an hour from Oklahoma City. I figure they’ll stop there for the night. I got another crew waiting for them there to see if she’s got a tail or not.”

Wayne Solomon looked over at his partner, Ruben Baker. He and Ruben had been working this same deal for over five years now, and it had been extremely profitable for them both. He looked around the room they were in and smiled.

The carpet alone cost more than most people made in a year. Italian made, it covered most of the knotty pine floor and was valued at just over ten million dollars. He grinned when he thought about how few people actually got to walk on this rug. 

The antiques were the finest he could have. Most of the pieces were from an office he’d laid claim to several years ago. An antique dealer had kept a huge warehouse of beautiful things and when Wayne had tried to buy him out, he wouldn’t sell. The man had very nicely left everything to Wayne when he’d died suddenly. An ice pick to the ear tended to do that. 

The rest of his mausoleum was decorated the same way; beauty for only his eyes and those of the few people he had over. None of them were friends, not even Ruben, but they thought they were. Business was business and Wayne had been very careful never to mix his pleasure with his business, though there were times when the two of them did spill over into one another.

“What do we know about the man traveling with her? Is he someone we need to be worried about?” They had been surprised when they’d seen the man with her yesterday, but not concerned. CJ Webber was a loner and too much like her father to have them worry about some man. The older Webber had been a business man too. Not a very good one, but a business man all the same.

“No. He still lives at home with his family. They have a nice bit of property next to where her father lived…the family he claimed was werewolves.”

Wayne nodded. He remembered now. Webber had even said he’d shot one as it stole across his land. The police had gone out to the house of the man he’d said he’d shot and there was nothing. Wayne looked down at the file he’d had put together on CJ right after he’d gotten her name from a mutual contact.

“See that he doesn’t become a problem. Make sure the claim of him being a wolf isn’t true as well. I don’t need any pack to show up when one of their brothers goes missing. As for Oklahoma City, make sure they get the tracer on her truck this time. Those idiots really bungled it last night.”

The tracer the idiot…the dead idiot…had put on what he had assumed was the Webber girl’s truck had instead been put on one going in the opposite direction from CJ. It took them nearly three hours to figure out what had happened, and by then it was too late to call off the kill of the driver. How was he to know that the man wasn’t the right driver until it was too late? Totally and completely not his fault.

Wayne decided to call the girl that night, just to give her some encouraging words and maybe let her know that if she wasn’t in on time, just a little off, he’d cut her some slack. Wayne loved the Wisconsin accent he’d perfected to talk to her. He had her eating out of his hands. Maybe when this run was over, he’d have to meet up with the pretty little trucker. Her picture, he was sure, didn’t do her justice.

The load she was carrying for them was valued at just over fifty million. Preston Xpress had been shipping his jewelry in ordinary trucks for several weeks now. Diamonds and other gems were stashed in with the middle end televisions and the cheaper laptop computers. The floors were false, and only a few other than store managers where the merchandise was going had any idea what they were receiving. The trucks, unloaded by the staff, would be stolen into late at night so that the manager could get in and get the things that had been hidden. Wayne had only found out about it several days ago…in fact, on the same day he’d called little Miss Webber.

Ruben’s phone went off. From the ring tone, Wayne knew it was Ruben’s wife. The man was a simpering fool when it came to his mate. There were days, like today as a matter of fact, that he wished Ruben would just shoot her, then himself. It mattered little to Wayne that Ruben’s wife was his own sister…she was a whiny bitch. By the time Ruben had ended the call, Wayne wanted to hit someone. Instead, he sent Ruben on any errand. 

“Find out what you can about this supposed wolf. I want to know if he is a loner or is he a member of a pack. If he is I want to know how big it is and if he will be missed.”

“You want to get him away from the girl? Are you thinking he’ll be an issue?” Ruben took out his phone and began clicking away at the keys. “I can have someone…that new guy, what was his name? Isaac Dorsey can hunt them down. I’m betting he can—”

“No. No more outsiders. I want you to do this. This load can make us very rich, and I would like to be able to spend it without having to look over my shoulder all the time.” Wayne had plans to not look over his shoulder and see Ruben and his family there already. “Go to Oklahoma City and see what you can find out. Report back to me. I’m going to go to Columbus and see what I can find there.”

Wayne waited until Ruben left for the airstrip and then sat behind his desk. Pulling out the list from under his blotter, he checked off two of his “to do” things. Number three, check on Webber girl, done. Number twelve, kill Ruben—here he put half a check mark. Smiling, he knew that it would only be a matter of hours before that little item was checked as well. The other two things he checked were getting rid of the car he’d stolen two weeks ago and selling off the few pieces of antiques that he no longer found enjoyable.

He picked up his disposable phone and called CJ. She answered on the second ring. That made him smile. He could not abide rudeness…not of any kind.

~~~

Austin had started to doze off again when the dash exploded with static. He looked over at CJ as she played around on a radio-looking device that sat above her stereo. So far as he could see, she didn’t listen to music, so he couldn’t figure out what station she’d be trying to tune into this far into the trip. Then when voices came through the line, he realized it was a CB.

If anyone would have asked Austin, he would have said that CBs were a thing of the past. He thought that with cell phones and satellite, no one would have any use for them in this day and age. He started to ask her about it when a very clear, very male voice sounded out of the thing.

“That you QT-Pie? Damn girl, you said you’s done. How the heck are you?” 

Austin’s breath caught when CJ smiled. He didn’t think he’d ever seen anything more beautiful.

“Yeah, Jungle Jock, it’s me. You know how it is, can’t stay still for more than ten seconds without my legs getting all jumpy.” 

Austin sat back to listen.

“You knows it. I been doing this so long my butt’s got big old calluses on it. Makes my bottom look like a horse’s south end.” They both laughed at the unseen man. “Hear it told you done purchased that farm. Whatcha doin’ that for? You gonna make your dream happen?”

CJ glanced over at Austin before she answered. “Umm, yeah. Got a deal too good to pass up. Construction starts in the thaw. Should be up and running by next spring if all goes well.”

“Your momma’d be prouder than a peacock. You got a name picked out? Should be something fitting. I think it should be—”

“Hey Jungle, what do you know of the Mounties coming through Tex-ass? I got me a load I have to get on time.” Austin raised a brow at her as she continued. “I have less than two days to get to the City of Angels.”

“Ah hell, girly, ain’t seen nothing of them for several hours. I was thinking there was a donut convention going on and they all got themselves an invite. Hope so, ‘cause me and the boys we are making up for lost time.” Austin glanced over at the speedometer and winced. Eighty. If she got pulled over, they’d all be sunk. He felt the truck begin to slow and looked again at the dash. Seventy now.

After ten more minutes or so of bantering back and forth, Austin saw her turn the thing down. He could see signs for Oklahoma City and wondered how much further she was planning to go that day. Frankly, his own ass was getting to be a tad sore and he wanted to stretch.

They’d been in the truck since six that morning. They had stopped once around noon to get gas and to go to the bathroom. She’d filled up while he went inside, and when she’d gone in to go to the bathroom, he’d taken the opportunity to call Phil, then Dallas.

Phil hadn’t answered so he left a message telling him where they were and they were both fine, then he’d called his brother.

“Hey, I found out what the trust is for.” Dallas launched right into it as soon as he answered. “She bought about four thousand acres just outside of Columbus. From the county records, she’s applied for a building permit to build a set of apartments. The city is all for it, of course. She got a tax abatement for ten years, and then she’s guaranteed to hire twenty people by the end of the first year.”

“It’s an apartment? Are you sure?” Austin knew it was something more than that. And Dallas confirmed it.

“That’s what they are calling it now. One of the pack works for the county engineer’s office and he said that it’s being called that to hide what it really is. Austin, it’s going to be the Rebecca Jane House. It’s a place for battered and abused women. It’ll even have health care and some learning facilities when it’s complete.” Austin lay back on the bed as his brother continued. “There’s something else. Your mate? She’s rich. Not just rich, but ‘oh my fucking God’ rich. Not counting the three properties that she’ll sign off on in January, she’s worth well over ten million. Once she signs off on that, she’ll be a cool twenty. I’ve already got an appointment with Phil to make him the pack’s financial guru.”

Austin heard the door open and took a deep breath through his mouth. CJ; her scent made his cock harden. When she walked through the doorway with two bags of what smelled like burgers and fries, Austin told his brother he’d call him later.

After they ate, CJ got back at the wheel and Austin sat in the passenger side to think. That had been nearly four hours ago. They’d only said a handful of words since. But looking at her now, Austin could see the fatigue written all over her face.

“How much longer are you going today? You look like you can barely hold your head up.” She glanced over at him, but didn’t say anything. “CJ, why don’t we pull over and rest? You could nap for an hour of two and probably feel a lot better.”

“I can’t. If I can make it to Amarillo tonight, you’ll be on a plane home by midnight. Phil set it up for you.” They passed the sign welcoming them to Sayre, Oklahoma just as she finished. “There’s an airport, Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport, that’s just a few miles from the Love’s I’m going to be staying at to—”

“No. Don’t send me back. I’ve been…I can’t leave you, CJ. Not when you’re this close to getting this finished. What if something happens?” He took a deep breath before he spoke again. “Even if you don’t let me ride with you, I’ll rent a car and follow you.”

He could see tears forming in her eyes. He was honest with her. She could drop him off at the airport, but she couldn’t make him leave. And he wouldn’t. Not now…not ever. He saw her nod, and he felt like she’d given him permission to take a deep breath. Since that morning when she’d told him she couldn’t do this any longer, he’d been afraid…terrified really…that she’d turn him away.

Austin watched her as they drove on. Another three hours, she told him, and she’d pull into the Love’s to rest. Then another ten hours on Tuesday, and she’d be only about six hours or less to Los Angeles. Before he could comment, her cell phone rang. She looked over at him before she reached above her head and turned the phone on.

“Hello, Miss Webber. You must be getting close to Oklahoma City, don’t you know. Some of the other drivers are going to help you bring the load in. Their names are—”

“I’m already past Oklahoma City. I didn’t stop there.” When CJ looked over at him, Austin could see the slight anger in her eyes. Before she could continue, Solomon did.

“I see. So where exactly are you and your rider, Miss Webber?” The coldness in his voice was tangible, even through the phone. “I mean, are you even bringing me my load?”

She didn’t answer, though Austin could tell that she wanted to. But she did something that surprised him. She reached above her head where the cell was clipped and put her finger over it.

“No one has ever questioned my honesty before, and neither will you.” She cut Solomon off in mid sputter and pushed the end button. 

When the large rig started making its way to the side of the road, Austin held his breath. She was watching what she was doing, but that didn’t make it any less scary when horns blared and tires screamed. 

“I need to…I’m pissed and I can’t drive.” He simply nodded, too afraid to say anything to distract her. When she turned off the key, he looked at her.

She was shaking. He’d never seen her this…well, emotional, he thought. When he started to reach for her shoulder, she turned and started toward him. When her hand was on the handle to get out of the door, she slipped and fell against him.

Need, which had been coiled up inside him since that morning, leapt out at her, and he groaned at the contact. Before he could think whether or not it was a smart move, he cupped the back of her neck and brought her mouth to his.