Force of Nature Series Boxed Set (Books 1 - 4) (34 page)

Chapter 13

Alexis was just putting the last of the barred soap in the box when the door opened behind her. She looked up at Gordon, but didn’t stop what she was doing. She was suddenly very nervous around him and shy.

“You should have waited for me to load those boxes in the van for you. They look heavy.”

She almost snapped at him that she was fine, but didn’t. It wasn’t his fault she was in a crappy mood.

“Alexis, what is it?”

“Nothing. I have to get these soaps out now. Those over there weren’t ready to wrap yet so I’ll have to take them down lat—”

He turned her around, took the bars out of her hand, and set them back on the counter. She looked up at him and bit her tongue so that she wouldn’t say anything. He pressed her against the counter and she growled. His smile pissed her off for some reason. Before she could tell him off, he started talking in that low sexy voice of his.

“You know that as a wolf, I have the ability to smell all sorts of things most people can’t.” He lowered his head to her neck and she nearly moaned. “Like I can smell that you’re angry. At what, I can only guess. Like I’m thinking you’re pissed because I didn’t make love to you this morning before you left the bed.”

That wasn’t it, but she was beginning to see why that might have been a good reason not to have come down here so early. Making love with this man was worth having a few less things in the store. But she still tried to hold onto her anger.

“I had things to do, and lazing about in the bed with you wasn’t going to get things done. I have to support this family, and having you around isn’t going to change that.” She felt him laugh against her neck. She grabbed a handful of his hair and jerked him away. “This isn’t funny, you overgrown pup. I’m pissed at you.”

“So I can tell.” She was beginning to hate that calmness of his. “Why don’t you let go of my hair and tell me what I did to make you so mad at me?”

She let go, but only turned away and started to load the product again. He didn’t move and she could feel his heat as he brushed against her several times. She was nearly ready to tell him to get the fuck away from her when he pressed his hard cock into her ass. She stilled when he wrapped his hands around her waist to hold her.

“I want you. I’ve yet to take you this way, bent over something and me taking you from behind. I want to fuck you this way until you scream out my name. Then I want to turn you around and fuck you again with your ass sitting up on this counter.” He rocked into her again. “Christ, I need to be buried deep inside of you.”

Before she could stop herself, she was moving against him. Her pussy was already clenching with need of him, and when he growled she knew that he was going to do just what he’d said. After reaching around her, unsnapping her pants, and pulling the zipper nearly out of her jeans, he jerked them down around her hips, then to her knees. She bent over to take them the rest of the way off when he turned her around and sat her on the counter, shoving everything out of his way.

With another growl her pants were off and so was her blouse and bra. She was naked in seconds. He didn’t move, didn’t touch her for several more, and she wondered what he was going to do. Without a word, he pulled her to her feet and turned her around. She braced both hands on the counter when he put them there and moved her feet back where he positioned her.

“This is going to be quick and hard. I can smell you’re wet.” His cock pulsed at her entrance and she moaned. “There’s no one around us, baby, so I want you to scream when you come. Scream loud and hard.”

His cock entered her hard and she pressed back. He wrapped his hand in her hair and pressed her down against the counter before he started fucking her. Her first climax tore through her and her second one caught her in mid scream. He was slamming her hard from behind and she couldn’t seem to get enough. When he slid his fingers down her belly and into her pussy, she closed her hand over his and showed him where to touch her.

“Fuck, you’re wet. Come again for me Alexis. Flood my hand with your cum and I’ll fill you with mine.” He pinched her clit hard and she screamed again.

Her voice was raw and she was sure she was going to pass out when he suddenly stiffened and then roared out his own release. His teeth bit into her shoulder hard as he filled her. When he released her shoulder his howl echoed in the room, and she slid into a darkness that felt like home to her.

She was on the couch in her office when she woke. Her clothes were folded neatly with her shoes on top of them when she looked down. Smiling, she threw off the small blanket and started to pull on her panties when she realized she wasn’t alone. Gordon was sitting in the chair watching her.

“Did I hurt you?” She shook her head at his question. “I could have. I’m sorry about treating you that way.”

“Why? I said you didn’t hurt me and I’m reasonably sure that you could hear how much I enjoyed it.” She frowned at him. “What’s happened?”

He got up, handed her her clothes, and sat down next to her. She started pulling on the rest of her clothes, not sure what else to say. When he spoke, she wished she’d just loaded the van herself and stayed in town.

“Your brother-in-law has been hanging around the property. I’ve found his scent as close as the gate and a little beyond.” He got up and started to pace. “I can’t hurt him until he does something that will warrant it. Our laws, pack laws, are older than most human laws.”

She looked around the room and thought about her sister and what she’d seen done to her. Alexis looked up at him when he stood by the windows, the sunlight streaming in from around him.

“I’m going to tell you what I’ve never told anyone else before. It’s what happened at the house the day Judith was killed.” She moved to the arm of the big sofa and stared at the floor. She didn’t think she could look at him and tell him what she’d done. “I’d gotten a call from Judith the week before. She said that she thought something had happened to Paddy and that she was suddenly afraid for her children. He had visitation rights, you see, and she didn’t want to hand them over to him any longer.”

“Alexis, if you’re going to tell me someone else killed your sister, I already know most of it. Darcy told me last night.”

She nodded. Darcy had told her that she’d talked to the men. But she needed to tell him everything. “Yes. There was another man there. Tom Garrison was his name. He was there because Paddy had told Aunt Glad that he was his lawyer. When they got there, Paddy lost control. His…monster sort of came forth and attacked. But he didn’t get far. He only got as far as hitting Judith.”

“You were there? I thought Darcy said you’d shown up later?” She nodded. “When is it that you came to the house?”

“That morning. I was there because I was helping them pack up. Darcy was sick and Sis was playing in her room. I’d heard the shouting and came down after locking Sis in her closet and calling the police.” She wiped at the tears she didn’t know had been falling. “Paddy was on the floor and he was a wolf. He’d been tranquilized by something strong. Tom had shot him with his cane just as I came into the room. It was already too late to save Judith.”

He sat on the floor in front of her, took her chin in his hand, and brought her face to his. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t pull away. He kissed her gently on the mouth before he spoke.

“You tried to save her, didn’t you? That’s why you didn’t want to help me. You were afraid of failing again, weren’t you?” She nodded as he continued. “Did you…. Honey, did you try to kill Tom? At any time, did you try to kill him?”

She pulled away this time and he let her. She wasn’t sure why he had, but was more grateful than she’d ever been about anything. She shook her head before she told him what she’d done. “I had a brief moment of murderous hatred and that was all. He’d already killed Judith, as I’ve said, but Darcy was…she was nearly dead too. I had to save her, and if I had killed him, then she would have died too.” She looked at him now. “You understand, don’t you? I couldn’t let her die. She was my sister’s child.”

“Yes, love, you had to save her. And I’m very proud of you for doing so. Darcy will be all right soon, you’ll see. You did just what you had to do.”

She nodded and looked away. “But I wanted him dead. And every day I think about killing him, making him pay for what he did to my sister and her child. I’m a horrible person for wanting to see him suffer, suffer for everything he did.”

~~~

Gordon was still sitting in the office when his brother came in. He glanced up at Connor, but didn’t speak. He decided to ignore him when Connor sat in the chair across from him and said nothing. He had a lot to deal with and conversation wasn’t going to help. When Austin and Dallas came in a few minutes later he knew that someone had told them that he was upset.

“I’m fine. Really, I am. I have a lot to think about and I’m just going to sort it out, then I’ll go and find Alexis and we’ll talk.” He hoped so anyway. She’d been so quiet when she’d left him that he wasn’t sure what they’d said after she told him what she’d done.

“Okay, but you might want to take a look at the clock, buddy. You’ve been sitting here for over four hours.” He looked over at Connor, sure he was kidding. “You were supposed to meet us at the shop over three hours ago. Good thing your mate is a bit more punctual than you are.”

“Alexis,” he said as he stood. Christ, he’d forgotten to go with her to keep her safe. He was nearly to the door when Austin stopped him.

“She’s in the kitchen with CJ. They’re arguing over dinner plans…something about eating a frozen pizza over ordering Chinese. It seems neither of our mates can cook worth a damn.”

Gordon sat back down and looked at his family. He didn’t know where to begin. Not to mention he didn’t think they’d believe him anyway…hell, he didn’t believe it either. As he got up again and poured himself a drink, he tried to think. Gordon rarely drank, but felt that now would be a good time to start. Downing the hard liquor, he sat back down. It was still burning his throat when he started talking.

“Alexis said I could let you know what she’s done.” He looked around again. “Christ, she’s amazing.”

Austin grinned. “You should know that we are already in agreement with you there. She’s your mate so she already has our support. If she can twist you up like this, then she has another point in her favor.”

Gordon knew what his brother was doing. He was trying to make it easier on him to say whatever he thought he needed to tell them. He wasn’t worried that they’d hurt his mate. They wouldn’t do that, but they might ask them to leave, which he really couldn’t blame them for once they heard what he had.

“Alexis has known for a while that she is different. Hell, not just different, but fucking different.” He took a deep breath before starting over. “She saved me, as you know, but she also healed her niece. She can…she can heal people. Not just heal them, but nearly bring them back from the dead heal them. ”

“We know that, buddy. When she saved you, you were all but dead. So what is it you think we don’t know?” Connor asked him. “Has Phil told you anything more about what he thinks she is? Is that it…you know what she is and you’re afraid we’ll reject her for it?”

Gordon knew his brother was smart and he smiled when he got it so quickly. “No. He’s still not talking to me. But I’m working on something that will hopefully get me on his better side. At least, I hope it does. And I’m not afraid you’re going to reject her, but she is. And I’m having a hard time trying to convince her of it.”

“Of course she would. She hasn’t had a great deal of reason to trust any of us so far, but we’re working on that. She’s a hell of a woman.” Austin frowned before he continued. “Is she worried that we’re going to put her brother-in-law down? The council has already said he must die. Once a were kills, especially the way that Patrick did, they feel there is no redeeming hope for them. I’m working on trying to get him a stay, but you know how they can be.”

Yes, he did know. And Gordon hated to admit it, but he felt that after what he’d done to his ex-wife and daughter, Gordon didn’t want him around either. He’d be up to something all the time and he’d be a shadow in their lives.

“No. I think that bothers her as much as it worries her. She wants both men out of her life. And the children’s. She has custody of them, did I mention that?” He got up to go to the bar again and decided he didn’t need it. “I love those kids as much as if they were my own. I can’t let him hurt them again. Not ever. I have to do everything in my power to protect them. But she….”

“She what?” Austin asked. “She won’t let you? She doesn’t trust you?” Gordon nodded, agreeing to all the questions. “I see. Then we’ll just have to show her what we can do.”

He knew that they’d help him, but that wasn’t the problem. The problem was he wanted to show her he could do it. But he knew that with what was going on, he’d more than likely end up getting someone killed or hurt, and he didn’t want that either. He knew them all well enough to know that they’d have a million questions, but they’d think them out. They were all alphas, had been born that way. Someday they’d all lead their own packs, and this was what would make them great leaders.

“So you’re saying that she doesn’t want your help or that she is telling you to fuck off?” Gordon nodded at Dallas’s question. “Oh, I like this one. She can not only twist you up, but make you question your manliness too. Yeah, I really like her.”