Treasured Find (Royal Pride Book 1) (7 page)

“No.” Kade snarled. “Jon damned me to this fate when he beheaded our father and tore our family apart.”

Rafe curled his fingers and breathed through the anger gripping him. It didn’t matter if a century had passed. The bite of betrayal was still sharp. One horrible night changed their family forever. Rafe still blamed himself for it too.

Kade laid a hand on his shoulder. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to remind you of that night.”

Rafe jerked away from him and pressed his palms to his eyes. “It’s not your fault. I mentioned to Jasmine about losing Nina to the bastard. The memory is fresh.”

“It’s not your fault. We didn’t know—”

“I found her discarded shirt near our garage then stumbled upon Jon smelling of sex.” Rafe growled and slammed his clawed hands into the ground before he lashed out at Kade. “And I fucking let him go. Believed his goddamn lies.”

“Jon was over four hundred when he kidnapped Nina. His body and mind will be aging by now. He’ll start making mistakes, and we’ll catch him.”

Considering they had no clues and over a century had passed since Nina disappeared, he wasn’t sure he believed Kade. Rafe nodded anyway.

“Tomorrow, I’ll go to the fire chief and see what I can find out. If the fire was indeed an accident, we can spend a couple of days monitoring the interaction of the cubs with their human guardians before I make a decision as to Josh and Jasmine’s fate.”

“If it wasn’t an accident?”

Kade flexed his hand. “Then the bastard who killed a human in order to get Megan will die.”

Rafe nodded. Kade’s decision was one Rafe approved of and one he’d happily carry out.

Silence descended while they watched over Jasmine’s house. One by one the rooms darkened until only the corner bedroom light remained on. Jasmine came into view and reached for the hem of her top.

Rafe leaned forward. “Turn around, Kade.”

Kade chuckled and did as he was told. “I suppose that’s the sweet Jasmine’s arousal I smell all over you.”

Jasmine dropped the top. He got a glimpse of her full breasts before she bent to pick up a shirt. The loose tee covered her, and the lights went out.

Rafe licked his lips. “Yeah, it was damn delicious too.”

“Are you sharing?”

Rafe settled against a tree to keep watch over Jasmine. “Nope. No threesomes this time. I think I’ll keep this one for myself.”

Chapter Eight

Jazz woke to sound of her boys talking outside her bedroom door. She peered at the clock on her nightstand. Noon. She squeezed her eyes shut. Opened them. Her boys were still arguing, and it was still five hours past when she normally woke.

Great. Today, of all days, I oversleep.
She jumped from the bed, tugged on shorts and ran into the hall.

Both Seth and Levi turned in unison. They wore their sleep clothes, and their hair stood on end.

“Mom, you’re awake,” they said together.

“Yeah, I’m awake.” She cleared her throat. “Did you just wake up too?”

They nodded.

She ruffled their hair. “All right. Looks like we’re all getting a late start. Let’s go get breakfast.”

After setting them up with bowls of their favorite cereal, she grabbed the phone. Four missed calls, all from Josh. With shaky fingers, she dialed. Got his voicemail.

She left the boys to finish their breakfast and slipped into the living room to dial Josh’s parents’ house. His mom answered with a whispered greeting. Jazz gripped the phone tighter.

“Is everything okay?” Jazz asked.

“Yes. Megan’s sleeping. We don’t want to wake her and have her get upset again. She’s been having fits all morning.”

“What’s wrong? Do you need help with her?”

“Hold on.” The sounds of breathing filled the line, then Josh’s mother sighed. The honking of a car suggested where Josh’s mom had gone—outside. “Josh left, and Megan’s feeling clingy. It’s normal. She’s afraid if she can’t see Josh, she’ll lose him too. So we don’t want her to know he’s not here.”

Jazz could understand the little girl’s fear. Megan had lost her adoptive mother in a hit and run, then Tony in a fire. No wonder Megan was worried about Josh.

“Where did Josh go?”

“Back to the bar to show Susan some stuff. He plans on leaving her in charge of everything while he helps Megan adjust.”

Jazz squeezed the bridge of her nose. “I still can’t believe Tony’s gone. I saw him yesterday morning.” He’d been thrilled with the plate of cookies she’d brought and promised to save some for Megan. “Thank goodness Megan was sleeping over at Josh’s place.”

“I know. I told Tony not to buy that house. There’s a fixer-upper and there’s a death trap. He let Cindy influence him, though. She told him the place was a steal.”

“Was that the cause? Poor wiring?”

“I don’t know. The fire chief is bringing in some expert.”

She glanced toward the kitchen door. It remained closed. She lowered her voice anyway. “Do they suspect foul play?”

“Who would hurt Tony? Everybody loved him.”

“You’re right. Everyone did, but I was just wondering if that was the reason the fire chief was bringing in an expert.”

“Insurance claim, I guess. He’s young. Hasn’t seen many fires.”

“Let me know if you find out anything or need help.”

“I will. You’re like the daughter I never had.”

Jazz grinned. “That’s only because I spent so much time at your place growing up.”

“I had hoped something might happen between you and Tony, but I’m not really surprised it hadn’t. Tony wouldn’t have wanted to steal you from Josh.”

“Josh and I haven’t been together in years. We’re only friends now.”

“If you say so.”

“I do. Look, I’ve got to go. Talk soon.”

“Okay, Jazz, and thank you for caring about my boys.” She hung up.

Guilt squeezed Jazz’s chest. She hadn’t meant to lead either Josh or Tony on. How shitty did it make her look, especially when she was just starting to get involved with Rafe?

If he was still interested. He might not bother contacting her again. If he didn’t, it wasn’t as if she could call him. She’d never gotten his number.

She walked into the kitchen to get her own breakfast. The phone in her hand rang. She glanced at the caller ID.

Rafe Alexander.

Her pulse kicked up. She stepped outside and answered. “Hello?”

“Hello, beautiful. Did you sleep well?”

She grinned and ran a hand over her sleep-tousled hair. Beautiful wasn’t the description she’d use, not as soon as she rolled out of bed anyway. Good thing he couldn’t see her. He’d run screaming in the opposite direction.

“I did. Actually, I just woke up.” Her breathless voice surprised her.

“You did have a late night. I’m glad I waited to call you. I didn’t want to interrupt your beauty sleep.”

Her smile widened. The man was sweet and considerate. “And how about you? Did you sleep well?”

“Hmmm, not a wink. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw yours. I’ve missed you.”

She blew out a breath and pushed the heavy weight of her hair off her shoulder. It didn’t help. Her skin burned. “I must admit I did think of you too. Once or twice.”

His deep chuckle filled the line. She reacted to the sound as if he stood behind her and held her close. Arousal sparked along her nerve endings, leaving her sensitized. She shifted the cotton top from her pebbled nipples.

“Once or twice isn’t good enough. I should be in your every waking thought.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. I want to see you. Now.”

The demanding tone should’ve annoyed her. It didn’t. It fed her arousal and left her hot and achy. She ran a hand over the back of her neck. “I can’t. I have so much to do, and I haven’t had a chance to call Mr. Wilkins.”

“Call him. I’ll pick you up at six.” The air of confidence he used, as if she’d agree without hesitation, was clear in his order. He was right. She couldn’t wait to see him. Talk to him. Kiss him.

“And Jasmine?”

She ran her tongue over her teeth and tugged once more at the annoying cloth rubbing against her nipples. “What?”

“Plan for that sleepover,” he said and hung up.

She held the phone to her chest for a moment and conjured Rafe’s face. Her lower belly quivered. She swallowed hard and dialed Mr. Wilkins.

Chapter Nine

Rafe blew out a strained breath and slid the phone back into his pocket. The length of the yard separated him from Jasmine. A few hundred feet. It could’ve been miles. Her hard nipples pushing against the cotton, showed him how very aroused she was. She needed a male’s touch.

His touch.

He wanted to rip the thin top off her body and put his mouth on her breasts, teasing her until she squirmed for him. Until she was begging him to fuck her.

He groaned and adjusted his cock.

“The female’s got you twisted up. Be careful.” The warning was clear in Kade’s tone.

Rafe faced his brother once Jasmine slipped inside the house. Kade sat with his back against a tree. The intense glare focused on Rafe demanded his secrets. Rafe snorted. His brother could level his alpha stare at him all he wanted. He wasn’t getting anything more than Rafe was willing to share, which wasn’t much.

“Be careful of what? Blue balls?” He glanced at the front of his jeans and the bulge there. “Got those already. That’s why I need to get Jasmine alone. She left me in this state, and by the gods, she’s going to take care of me.”

“I’m not talking about sex.” Kade waved his hand to encompass Rafe’s body. “You’re tense. You watched her bedroom window all night and left me to prowl the grounds.”

He’d done more than that. While Kade had shifted and explored the area, Rafe had made his way to the house. He’d stood below Jasmine’s window simply to hear her breathing.

“And?” Rafe leaned against a tree, one leg stretched in front of him and the other bent. The relaxed pose was for Kade’s benefit. He didn’t need to know how damn edgy thoughts of Jasmine had left Rafe. “That’s part of surveillance. We’ve spent many nights dealing with humans who were in this exact situation. We confirm the kids are safe, then assess the situation before deciding the best way to retrieve them so as not to frighten them.”

“True. That’s standard practice.” Kade leaned forward. “Getting involved physically with their human guardians isn’t. That’s asking for trouble.”

Rafe couldn’t deny that. “I didn’t know she was the guardian of shifter cubs when I met her.”

“No. You just thought she was involved either in shifter trafficking or romantically with another Royal.”

“What better way to get her to trust me then to get her in bed?”

“You’re using her.” Kade smirked. “Is that the shit you’re trying to feed me?”

Rafe glanced away. He couldn’t look his brother in the face and lie. Kade knew him too well. “We still need to find out how she came to be the guardian of shifters. I intend to learn her secrets. If that means getting close to her to gain the knowledge, then that’s what I’ll do.”

“Look me in the eye and tell me that.”

“No.” Rafe glanced at him. “I have nothing to prove to you.”

“Then I’ll call you a liar. You want to get close to the woman because she’s caught your cats’ attentions.” Kade dropped a hand to the ground and leaned forward. “You’re sitting here wondering if your cats sense something about her you don’t. That maybe she’s your true mate.”

“She triggered my instincts. I’ll admit to that, but it’s because she smelled of another male. I wanted to steal her away. Simple as that.”

“Yeah, she smelled of her cubs.”

Rafe shrugged. “Again, I didn’t know it at the time. You can’t tell a shifter’s age by scent alone.”

“All right. I can buy that excuse as the reason you first got her naked, but—”

“She wasn’t naked.” He would’ve been happy if she had been, though. He could’ve licked her head to toe before he slipped his dick inside her.

“—but what’s your excuse for the way you’re acting now?”

“What did the fire chief say when you talked to him?” Rafe was done with Kade’s interrogation. Rafe didn’t want to analyze why he had a raging hard-on for Jasmine.

Kade sighed and shook his head, obviously guessing at the reason behind the change in subject. “Not much. I got the usual—I can’t share information associated with an active investigation—so I dropped Colonel Malory’s name.”

The older human had been instrumental in expanding the Shifter Affairs department. Many in the human government hated him because of it. Acknowledging the laws their forefathers had signed was one thing. Enforcing them when the exploitation of shifters had become a profitable business was another.

“And?” Rafe prompted.

“And I was told Colonel Malory had no jurisdiction in West Virginia. Any information about the fire would be shared once the investigation was completed.”

“Did you call Shifter Affairs? Maybe they can find out more.”

“There is no agency office in West Virginia. Supposedly there’s one in the works, but the details haven’t been finalized yet. I did leave a message with our contact at the Virginia office. All we can do is wait.”

The lack of information didn’t ease Rafe. “I don’t like it. Something’s not right about the timing of the fire and Megan’s discovery.”

“So you’ve said, but without any signs of trouble and no scents of other shifters, we can’t assume anything. We’ll watch over the cubs and assess the situation exactly as we’d planned.”

Rafe propped his elbow on his bent knee and leaned forward. “The lack of scents doesn’t necessarily mean a shifter wasn’t involved.”

Royals had the option of masking their scent with a drug supplied to them by the human government. Rafe rarely used it, nor did most of their males. Their women and children often did, however. For them, the discovery of the drug had been a godsend. They were easy targets for those who were looking to tap into the strength of the gods.

They might be immortal, but their ability to heal nearly all injuries, with the exception of losing their heads, didn’t kick in until after maturity. During their first two and half decades, they were as vulnerable as any mortal, and many who’d been captured took their own lives. For shifters who housed three animal souls, being restrained or tortured often broke their minds. Devin could attest to that. He hadn’t chosen the easy out death offered, however. His obligation to his sister ensured he couldn’t, but he’d often confessed to wishing he had.

“Why would a Royal kill an innocent human?” Kade shook his head. “No. I don’t see it happening. We personally know every Royal within the States and most of the ones scattered throughout the world. I can’t see Megan’s situation affecting any of them enough to go to that length. Honestly, most wouldn’t care if she lived or died.”

What Kade said was true. Most Royals avoided humans and shifters.

“I suppose.”

“Go on your date tonight and get the woman out of your system.” Kade stood. “In the meantime, we’ll watch and wait.”

With the order given, Kade undressed, then carefully stashed his clothes under a nearby bush. He walked deeper into the woods. Within one step and the next, he shifted into his jaguar form and slipped into the shadows.

Rafe turned his attention on the house and allowed Kade’s words to replay in his head. Kade was right. Jasmine had crawled into Rafe’s mind and taken up residence there, not something he had planned on or wanted, but he couldn’t walk away.

And it was taking everything he had not to think about why.