He was a monster. One of those shifter things
who could change into creatures and murder you in the night. Hester had heard
of them, these things that were an abomination to the human race, and had been
telling George and the rest of the idiots that was where the government money
was going. Right to research on those things to make them. There was no way
that anything like that had ever been born. They were making them so that they
could take over the world.
When her name was called a few minutes later,
the other man was gone, as was the line that had continued to move when he left.
She was going to hunt him down too and show him a thing or two about Hester
Casey. As she was being led back to see George, she thought of all the things
she was going to say to him. Starting with him getting his ass home again.
“Hester. I didn’t think you’d come to see me.
It’s been a long time since…I was wondering where you went to.” She sat down on
the chair that was in the room, pissed off again that no one had pulled it out
for her. George was sitting across from her with cuffs on and an outfit that
she disliked. Hester looked at the idiot in blue in the corner and wished she
had her cane.
“Get these things off of him and find him
another shirt to wear. This makes him look like a criminal and I will not have
it.” The officer that stood there only smiled at her. “Are you stupid? You
heard me, remove them. He’s got rights too.”
“So does the woman he pulled a gun on. As
well as the one he was dragging by her hair down the hallway. And I’m not going
to take them off unless you think your visit is over.” The man rocked back on
his heels as he continued. “Or I could go get Liam for you and you can have
another conversation with him. He was in a right foul mood when he left, thanks
to you. Nicest man I ever met, and you managed to make him almost lose it.”
“Me? I didn’t do nothing. And if you’re
talking about that thing that roughhoused me, well, I plan to get his ass too.”
She looked at George when he asked her what was going on with this person. “You
let me worry about this, and you work on getting out of here so I can get back
to doing things the way I want. What the hell are you doing in here anyway?
Pulling a gun on someone ain’t a crime the last time I looked. Whoever she was,
I’m pretty sure that she deserved it. Should have killed her if you ask me. Murdering
somebody, we could have hid the body. And that daughter of yours too. She needs
her ass kicked and chained up like I told you from the beginning.”
“Hester, what woman are you talking about? I
don’t have a daughter.” George looked confused and he laughed with the officer.
“I don’t think I want to talk to her any more. She’s making my head hurt. Can
you make her leave me alone?”
“I most certainly am not leaving you. What is
wrong with you? Why are you acting so…like somebody drugged you up? Is that
what they did? They brought you in here, drugged you up so you’d do what they told
you? I’m telling you, George, the government is trying their best to kill off
people like us. I’m talking about Andi. Your daughter that’s an ungrateful
bitch. And your son too. What is wrong with you?” George looked at her with
this sort of glazed look, then his nose started to bleed. She was worried that
he’d bleed out, and she reached for him to look into his eyes when the officer
told her to put her hand back, no touching the prisoner. His body blocked her
from her brother and that pissed her off more than she had been. Hester slapped
the cop when he dared to get in her way.
Things happened almost too fast for her to
realize that she should have not done that. At least when she didn’t have her
trusty cane. Her body was pressed against the wall now, her arm pulled up
behind her back again, and she was being read some rights that didn’t apply to
her. She was exempt from shit like that. Hester Casey made her own fucking
rules. When she struggled to get away, he pressed her harder against the wall
and she was having a hard time breathing because of it.
“You’re under arrest, Hester.” She tried to
ask him what for when he spoke again. “You can’t slap me. I’m an officer of the
law.”
“I don’t recognize you as the law. Let me go,
you moron. I’m here to talk to my brother, not have you trying to get your
jollies pretending to fuck my ass. What sort of drugs did you give him? Tell me
now so I can have you shot.” He laughed and Hester saw stars when he smacked
her head against the unforgiving glass she was next to now. “I’m going to have
your badge, you fucking prick. See if I don’t.”
As she was being led down the hall by not one
but four officers, Hester told them all what she was going to do to them and
that they had no rights over her. One of them told her to shut up, and she
lunged at him and he laughed when she tripped up, falling on her ass right
there in front of them.
“I’m an American citizen. And I got me
rights.” He told her that he did as well. “I don’t give a flying good fuck about
your rights. Bring me that dumbass niece of mine. I want her here now. I don’t
like her, but she’s the only one besides me with even a lick of sense, and let
me tell you, that ain’t saying all that much. Get Andi Collins here now.”
“Andi? I don’t think you want to mess with
her anymore, Hester. She’s got her life in order, and you won’t be fucking it
up anymore. Not unless you have a death wish or something.” The man that had
attacked her first was laughing as he continued. “I don’t think she’ll come
down here anyway. I think her and Mac are getting their house all set up.”
“What do you mean, getting their house set up?
I never gave her permission to do any such thing. If she has money to do shit
like that, she’s going to turn it over to me, not get her a house. Fucking
whore. She’ll pay the price of that if she thinks she can get things by me. Besides,
she has a home. At my house. And when she gets there I’m going to show her what
it means to be loyal to your family. She’s left us without quite long enough. I
want you to get her here.” The man nodded but didn’t move to do anything she
was ordering him to do. “I swear to Christ, I’ve never met a more stupid bunch
of fools in my entire life. Get. Andi. Here. Fucking. Now.”
“I’ll call her in the morning. Meantime, you
are going to be put in that pretty little outfit like the one your brother has
on and spend the night in a cell. You need anything?” Before she could tell him
she needed him to let her go so she could knock the shit out of him, he had her
picked up and shoved in the cell, and was walking away before she could form a
thought.
“Get back here, you idiot. You hear me? I
said to get back here. I’m going to hurt you when I get out.” For the next
twenty minutes she screamed at them. Finally, when she was so hoarse that she
couldn’t speak, she sat down on the edge of the bed. There was a bright orange
jumper on the bed, but she refused to put it on. There wasn’t a dressing room
in here, and if they thought she was going to use that toilet hanging on the
wall, well, she’d piss the bed before that happened. She just might anyway.
All night she was going to be stuck here if
they didn’t get that fucking niece of hers. Hester yelling at them had gotten
her nowhere, and when one of them would come down the hall to, she supposed,
count her, they would not say a single word to her, nor would they look in her
direction only to see that she was still there. Hester was fuming when she saw
the sun coming up from her little window in the fucking cell the next morning.
Just as the lights were coming on down the
long hallway, she heard someone walking. The click-click of shoes on the hard
surface had Hester waiting on her bed. Whoever it might be, they had better
have the keys to this cell and a damned good lawyer. She was going to fucking
sue them all. But when she looked up at the two people standing there, she was
reminded of the man from earlier, the one that had knocked her around
unnecessarily. It was not him, but he looked like him enough to know they were
related.
“What the fuck do you want?” The woman looked
familiar to her as well, but it was the man that she was talking to. Women were
not smart enough, as far as Hester was concerned, to even bother with. She had
always been the exception to the rule in being smarter even than all men she
had ever encountered. “Are you getting me the fuck out of here? If not, then go
the hell away.”
“You had them call for me. What is it you
want?” She looked at the woman and stood up. “Well? I’m sure you have a long
list of things you think I’m going to do for you, but I’m not. Just so you
know.”
“I don’t know you. Why are you even speaking
to me? Go away.” Hester moved closer to the bars and looked at her. The woman
had her hair down, something that Hester did not approve of, as well as stylish
clothing. A blue sweater that hung to her knees, jeans that looked too tight,
and boots. Hooker boots she called them, the kind that went to the knee. “Who
the hell are you?”
“It’s me. Andi Collins. Your niece. They told
me that you wanted to see me. So what is it? I didn’t really want to come down
here, but I thought I’d see what it was you wanted.” Hester wanted to deny it
was her, but knew that this creature before her was just who she said. “Well?
What do you want?”
“You will not speak to me that way, young
lady. I am your elder and I demand respect from you. Where is that idiot of a
brother of yours, too? I’m going to start laying down the law again, and the
two of you are going to suffer greatly for this…whatever you call what you’ve
been up to.” Hester looked her up and down. “And you’ll not be wearing whore
clothing like that either. I’m guessing that’s what he is to you? Some sort of
good fuck that buys you things? You’re finished with that as well. Get rid of
him and get me out of here.”
“This is the man I’m living with, Cormac
Harrison. Mac, this is my Aunt Hester, my father’s sister. She’s a nasty
woman.” Hester started to speak but was cut off by Andi. She saw stars, she was
so pissed now. “We came down here to see what you wanted. As for the way I’m
dressed? I love this. And I plan on wearing more pretty things. They make me
feel good about myself. Something you never did.”
“You think you can talk to me that way
because there are bars between us? When I get you home, you’re going to pay for
this. Get me out of here so I can teach you a lesson like I used to when you
were a baby.” Andi simply told her no. “No? No? You do as I say, Andi, or so
help me I’ll make you regret it. You will anyway, but I’m not going to be
treated this way. And where is that simpleton brother of yours? Don’t think I
didn’t notice that you didn’t answer that either. I’ve been looking for him for
several days now, and when I find him, he’s going to regret it. Then that
fucking bastard of a cop decided to toss me around like nothing, and now they
think they can hold me in here. Get me out of here, Andi. Right now.”
“No. And if there is nothing else you want,
I’m going home now.” Hester watched her as she backed from the cell. “You’re a
horrible, mean woman, and I’m glad that Jim and I managed to figure that out
before you killed us. Jim is safe from you, by the way. You and Father can go
straight to hell for all I care.”
Hester screamed at her to come back here, but
she only moved out of the area.
Mac wasn’t sure who was more upset, he or
Andi, as he drove them to the shopping center. He was sure that she would
rather be doing anything else but picking out furniture, but she’d told him
that it was fine. Mac reached for his mom again.
She’s going to be all right, son. I just know
it. This is the best thing for her, to tell her relatives what she thinks of
them. And I’m sure it took a great deal out of her to stand up to that woman like
you said.
He told her that it broke his heart to see her this upset.
Well of course it
does. When you love someone, that’s what happens.
He started to tell him mom that he didn’t
love her, but he glanced over at Andi and realized in the moment that he did. Christ,
he loved her. When his mom started talking again, he had to have her stop so he
could breathe around this new information. Mac was in love.
I’ve never been in love before.
He felt her laughter
and wanted to find her and hug her for telling him what his heart already knew.
Do you suppose she loves me too?
I would think she does. You’re a good boy…man,
I suppose. And if she hasn’t realized it as yet either, it’ll come to her when
you tell her how you feel.
She laughed again.
Your father said to tell you to
change her and get her fat with his grandson.
I’d like that as well.
As soon as they parked, Mac pulled her into
his arms. He’d driven over to the market district, knowing that whatever they
bought, some of it they’d be able to put in the back of his brother’s truck. Andi
didn’t say anything, but she did rest her head on his shoulder.
“Will you marry me?” He hadn’t meant to say
that or to even ask at this moment. But now that the words were out there, he
decided that was just what he wanted. When Andi looked up at him, he kissed her
on the mouth as he continued. “I know that you think this is really fast. And I
guess for most it would be. But for us, our kind—tigers, I mean—we fall in love
quickly and love hard. And I do…love you, I mean. And making you my wife is
what I want more than anything in this world. Dad said I should get you fat
with him a grandchild, and I think that’s—”
She put her hand over his mouth and he
realized he was babbling. Mac kissed the palm of her hand and pulled it away
before kissing her again, this time with all the love he felt for her.
“You’re very…why?” He asked her what she
meant. “Why do you think you want to marry me? And I’m not saying no, but just
to have a kid is not a good enough reason.”
“No, it’s not. I would find that to be a
perk.” She growled low and he laughed. “Also, if you would like, I’d very much
like to convert you to what we are. A tiger. That way we can go running in the
woods together. Have—”
Mac stopped talking when she growled again. He
tried to think how best to answer her. Because he had a feeling that this was
going to be the most important answer he could ever give a person in his life.
“Why do I want to marry you? I suppose I
could tell you the story about how, as a cat, falling in love is quick and with
the only person that I will ever love. I could tell you that tiger shifters
mate for life and that marriage is a way for you to be legally mine, even
though in my heart you are already mine. But I don’t want you to think those
are the only reasons why I want to marry you.” He felt something wash over him
and knew that it was a great calmness, and that his cat was helping him. “I’m
in love with you. And I think I have been since the first time I saw you. I
would love to grow old with you, have children with you, and grandchildren
later on. But the real reason that I want to marry you is that I want to commit
to you. Show you that no matter what, I belong to you and only you. That
whatever I have is yours, whatever you have is ours. I want nothing more than
to know every day when I wake that you’re there, and when I go to bed at night,
it is with you in my arms.”
He watched her face and wondered if he’d gone
too far. Or perhaps not far enough. As she sat there, he wondered what was
going on in her mind and heart. Mac was tempted to look but only held her. Then
she looked out the front window of the truck.
“No one, not in my entire life, has said that
they loved me. My mother might have, but she died when I was very young so I
have no idea if she did or not. My father hated me, and told me that on
numerous occasions. Aunt Hester…well, you’ve met her, so you know what she
feels about me, or just about anyone, I guess. Jim never…I think Jim might not
know what love is either. And there were times when we were growing up that I
thought that he perhaps felt something for me.” Mac held her to him, knowing
that everything she said was true. He’d talked to Jim the other day, and knew
that neither of them had had a good childhood, or much of an adulthood either. When
she turned back to him, he held his breath, afraid of her next words. “I don’t
know what I feel for you, Mac. It might be love. I know that I’ve never felt
this way before with anyone. I like the way you treat me. I know there are
times when you get frustrated with me because I’m so afraid, but I think with
you I can move on from that too.”
“I love you.” She nodded and laid her head
over his heart. “It only beats for you, my heart. I’m here with you because I
don’t want to be with anyone else.”
“I see your mom and dad.” He turned and
looked and saw them too. “I think…would you give me a little time to think
about this? I don’t…I like being with you, but I need to think.”
“You take as long as you want. But don’t be
surprised if I tell you every minute that I love you with all my heart.” She
grinned at him. “Okay…shopping, dinner, then back to our place for a night of
making love.”
As he walked up to his parents, Mac felt
lighter than he had in years. Holding Andi’s hand, he wanted to shout to the
world that he had found her. His one and only true love. Feeling a little
sappy, he kissed his mom and hugged his dad. Entering the shopping center,
buying furniture that the two of them were going to use for the first time, had
him giddy.
You’re a sap.
He felt his brother’s
touch and told him to fuck off.
Yeah, I got my own mate for that, thanks. Anyway,
I wanted to tell you that Storm has Jim assigned to this guy she knows that’s
going to whip him into shape. I’m not sure what that means, but I don’t think
he’s going to be the same afterwards.
You mean with his education?
Riordan told him it
was everything.
I see. And you’re telling me because you want me to tell
Andi?
Yeah. As timid as she is, Storm said that
she’s going to pop one of these days soon, and she wants to be there to see it.
She seems to think that your mate is going to be epic when she lets that
tightly held temper go.
Mac said he didn’t think she had a temper like that.
Oh,
you need to talk to Storm about that. She said she knew this guy once that was
being beat to shit about something. She didn’t tell me what so I just assumed
we didn’t want to know. But anyway, when he finally had had enough, the guy
took out seven men with his bare hands. She said it was a sight she’d never
forget.
They were currently in the bedroom department
of the center and he wandered off, trying to find a place where he could talk
to his brother without being interrupted. Mac was sure that Storm was wrong
about Andi. The woman had had people pounding on her for years and had never snapped.
He also wanted to tell him that he’d asked Andi to marry him.
I told her I loved her and she needs to think
about it. I want her to tell me now, but I’m not going to rush her.
Riordan told him
that was a good plan.
She said that no one has ever loved her before, or
even said it to her. Jim either.
That’s probably right. And it would explain a
great deal. How did the visit with her aunt go? I’m assuming that didn’t pan
out like the woman wanted either.
He told him no.
I was talking to Tyler
earlier, by the way, and he said that she’d be released today with a fine and
court date. You might want to tell Andi so she can keep an eye out for her.
He told him he would as he watched Andi
bounce on one of the beds with his mom nearby. Mac felt his cock ache to join
her, show her the proper way to bounce on a bed. Embarrassed just a little, he
asked his brother what had been on his mind since getting out of the shower
with Andi this morning.
Do you ever get tired of Storm? I mean, not
being around her, but…Christ, I don’t know. Does the sex part ever slow? Do you
continue to want to fuck her every time you see her?
Riordan laughed and Mac wanted to tell him to
forget it.
Yes. And I’ll tell you something, she’s no
different. I mean…well, no details, but if we come up missing, don’t go looking
for us and I’ll do the same for you.
Mac leaned against the wall and smiled
.
Go buy some shit for your house and stop bothering me. I have a mate I want to
nail.
The rest of the afternoon was spent looking
at everything under the roof. When dinner time rolled around, they ended up at
his parents’ favorite restaurant, a Mexican place that served the best tamales
he’d ever eaten. And then they went home. Mac thought perhaps it was the most
fun he’d had in a long time shopping.
And as soon as he was in the house, Mac
pulled Andi into his arms and showed her with his entire body how much he loved
and wanted her. When he lifted his head and looked down at her, he fell in love
with her all over.
~~~
Andi wanted to go to the bedroom, but the
more Mac touched her, unbuttoning her clothing so that he could, the less and
less appeal it had to her to let go of him. And when he took her bare breast
into his mouth and sucked hard, she held him there and tried to think if anyone
was in the house right now.
“I want to take you outside and run with
you.” Before she could tell him yes, because that sounded good to her, he
smiled. “Go in the yard by the tree line and take off all of your clothing but
these boots. I want to fuck you against a tree with you wearing them.”
“What if someone sees us?” He told her that
they were their woods and if they did come on his property, they should get a
show. “Are you going to be your tiger when you chase me?”
“Yes. He’s going to run you down and then eat
you. Fucking you with his tongue too.” Her body heated and she knew that he
could smell her when his nostrils flared. “Go. Before I change my mind and take
you right here.”
She went out to the yard and away from the
two houses on the back side of the property. Andi was excited, but she was also
afraid. Being naked in the house was one thing, but out in the open was
something entirely different. As she laid her clothing out, she thought about
what Mac might be about to do to her.
His cat was sexy. So was Mac. The two of
them, different but alike in many ways, made her come so hard when they touched
her. And also they both made her feel like she was everything to them. Sitting
down on a log, she pulled off her boots to take her pants off and felt her
pussy warm at the thought of being dressed this way, naked, with only her boots
to keep her from stepping on something hard. When she was finished zipping the
boots back up, she saw him coming toward her.
Had anyone told her that she’d be willing to
have a big Bengal tiger coming toward her, much less touch her, she would have
said they were insane. But now, all she could think about was her cat. The way
he touched her, his fur warming her skin. When he stopped moving and sat down,
she reached out to him like Storm told her to do and felt the connection.
I’ve never done this before, as you know. Do
I just run
?
He told her yes and to hide too.
You’ll find me, right? I won’t be lost out
here.
No. I’ll find you. Right now I can smell your
pussy, heated and ready for us.
She ran her fingers through the wet curls,
and he growled at her.
Go. He wants to mark you too when he’s eaten his fill
of you.
Andi took off running. It was a little disconcerting
at first, being naked with only a pair of boots on. But when he ran her down,
knocking her to the soft grass the first time, he licked her pussy from gate to
clit, then told her to go again, but to try harder to hide.
The trees were dense on this part of the land,
but she knew that hiding behind them would get her found quickly again. Not
that it didn’t hold a great deal of appeal, for him to lick her that way again,
but she knew this was going to be fun for them both. As she found a hollow log,
she moved deep inside of it and waited for him to come for her.
He touched his tongue to her leg, just above
the boots she had on. Screaming at the startling feeling, he pulled her from
her hiding place with his great mouth on her boot. Mac told her to spread her
legs and he did it again, this time bringing her so close that she wanted to beg
him for more.
Go. And remember, everything you touch, you
leave your scent on. Not that I couldn’t find you anyway, but that will keep me
from finding you so quickly.
She got up, her body shaking with need, and
took off again. This time she was careful not to let branches touch her so much.
She didn’t reach out to trees when she walked by them afraid of falling on her
ass. And when she came to a cropping of large stones, she moved between them.