Pack Justice (Nature of the Beast Book 1) (37 page)
Read Pack Justice (Nature of the Beast Book 1) Online
Authors: RJ Blain
Instead of taking offense, my mate smirked.
“Shut up, Alice,” Ramirez grumbled.
“Shutting up now.” Alice straightened, and in a false whisper, she asked, “Where did you get that outfit? I need two.”
Andrea grinned.
It took every bit of my will to tear my gaze away from Andrea and focus on anything other than how badly I wanted to take her somewhere private. “Plan B?”
Ramirez leveled a glare at me.
I held my hands up and blurted, “Please don’t shoot me.”
“Fine. Pitch them, Alice.”
Rubbing her hands together, Alice grinned at me. “I love this plan. It involves moving on with our lives, keeping constant watch, and waiting for the psycho bitch and her rogue pack to show up. In the meantime, you move into Andrea’s—”
“Sold,” Andrea declared, slapping her hand down on the table.
“You could have let me finish.” With a pout, Alice slumped in her chair. “Not fair, Morgan.”
“I have all the information I need,” the defense attorney replied, lifting her chin.
I had all the information I needed, too, and I stole another glimpse of my mate’s legs. “She has a point, Alice.”
“But you didn’t wait for the best part—the part that will likely have the psycho bitch showing her face sooner rather than later.”
I tore my gaze away from Andrea and scowled at Alice, not liking her gleeful tone of voice. “Why do I have a feeling I’m not going to like what you’re about to say?”
“You’re as intelligent and wise as you are handsome, that’s why.”
“I’m taken and I’m not interested in a threesome or a foursome.”
“As I said, you’re as intelligent and wise as you are handsome. Pity. My husband probably wouldn’t have agreed anyway.”
Maybe I wasn’t experienced with being a Fenerec, but my wolf’s displeasure at even the thought of sharing Andrea made me confident Alice’s mate and husband would have nothing to do with the idea of sharing her. “Just get to the point, Alice.”
“Fine. We all want families; we’re wired that way. When word spreads you’re building a new family without her, the psycho bitch will show up. Add a kid into the equation, and she’ll either give up on you and pick a new male, or she’ll come calling to try to win you back.”
I froze. “A kid?”
“I’d say not yours, not yet at least, but I get the feeling Andrea’s going to be rather persistent in
that
department. No, it was my idea to add stability to your life by bringing in a foster.” Alice straightened, glancing at Ramirez before returning her attention to me. “Your real estate agent mentioned you were looking for a place good for kids, which gave me the idea. You’re amazing with kids, especially the troubled ones, and frankly speaking, that girl you brought in could use you. She’s not settling well, and I don’t think the pair she’s with is really capable of handling someone so damaged.”
I flinched at the memory of the girl’s attempt to kill herself and the things I had learned at her uncle’s house. “You mean Kimberly.”
“Yes. She needs an attorney. Frankly, a case like hers is exactly the sort of work you
need
to be doing. That’s Plan B. You and Andrea get a new house—or take over Andrea’s place. Once you’re settled, you two go on a drive, visit the girl, and offer to take over her foster care. Claim her case at the same time. The girl watches the news like it’s her religion, so she’s already heard about you. It’ll make
her
feel wanted and special, and it gives you common ground. The couple she’s with is convinced she’s a suicide risk, the girl is refusing therapy, and she has all the hallmarks of causing trouble. I think you two will have a far better chance of handling her—and if necessary, we can lean a little on Sir Spots. It’ll solve a lot of problems at the same time.”
Sometimes people surprised me, and while I liked Alice, I had never thought of her as someone to come up with such a plan. It was risky in many ways, but it was the sort of plan that could pay off well, not for me, but for Kimberly.
Then again, it was the exact sort of plan I expected from a compassionate cop who served the people, especially victims.
“You’d probably make a pretty good cop,” I conceded, wondering how I had missed that facet of Alice’s personality.
Of all the things I expected, such a serious—and sly—proposal wasn’t it.
“You’d probably make a good attorney if you ever decided to get off your lazy ass,” she sniped back. Lowering her voice to a hiss, she added, “Therapy mutt.”
“Children,” Ramirez warned.
Andrea rammed her elbow into my ribs before I had a chance to reply to Alice’s jab. “I’m interested, but getting approval won’t be easy.”
I didn’t expect Andrea’s agreement to the plan. “You’re interested?” I straightened, stared at Andrea, and held my breath. My spirit beasts waited with me, their eagerness intensifying with every passing moment.
Ramirez surprised me by waving her hand dismissively. “Approval’s easy. We’ve already taken over the girl’s case in the system, so routing her here is a form away. Alice is right; it’s the exact sort of case you thrive on, Sean. Will we get enough evidence to move the case forward? I don’t know. If we do, however, you’re the best man I know to handle it. Best of all, if Idette comes calling, there’s nothing more dangerous than a mated pair defending a puppy. Working together, you two should be fine, although we’ll be keeping a close watch.”
Andrea sighed, and I could smell my mate’s relief. “I like this plan a lot better. I’ve been worried about the girl ever since Sean brought her in.”
“Of course you have been,” Ramirez soothed. “What worries Sean worries you. I had him figured as a family man from the first time I saw him try a case. You’ve been waiting a long time for a family, too. However much it pains me to admit it, we can’t afford to put your lives on hold while we try to lure the fugitives out. All this bullshit of an idea has done is make you both miserable.”
I nodded my agreement. Andrea leaned in my direction, and I caught her staring at my coffee. Hiding my smile, I slid it within her reach. “It’s terrible. I like shit coffee, you know.”
“Shit coffee is better than no coffee,” Andrea replied, accepting my offering and taking a sip. “Sean, my place is way too small for a kid of any age, so we’re going to have to buy a house.”
My wolf and cheetah’s excitement bled into me. “I might know a guy who can help us with that.”
“I thought you might. Let’s go to my place and have a long talk about it.”
Alice stood, grabbed Ramirez by her collar, and dragged her away. “We’ll talk to you later. A lot later. Tomorrow, even. Have a nice night talking,” she called over her shoulder.
Rising from her seat, Andrea smoothed her skirt and watched me through half-lidded eyes. She held out her hand. “Come home with me, Mr. Scott.”
I stood and took hold of her hand, lacing our fingers together. “I was afraid you’d never ask.”
Titles by RJ Blain
From the Witch & Wolf World..
Series: Witch & Wolf
Silver Bullet (2016)
Series: Nature of the Beast
Dual Nature (TBD)
Series: Balancing the Scales
Karma (Coming Soon)
License to Kill (TBD)
Standalones
Shadowed Flame (Coming Soon: May 2016)
Tales of the Winter Wolf
(Short Story/Novella Collections)
Requiem for the Rift King (Epic Fantasy)
The Tides of War (2017)
The Fall of Erelith (Fantasy)
Royal Slaves (2017)
