Diablo Lake: Moonstruck (7 page)

“Damn.”

JJ chuckled. “All that power coulda been yours. But it isn’t because your boy couldn’t keep his peter in his pants.”

Politics. Jace groaned inwardly.

“You think, ’cause she’s back in town, that she’s gonna hitch her wagon to a
Dooley
? Darrell isn’t the only Pembry male in town,” Dwayne said. “Girl might be flighty, but she’s got
some
taste.”

Jace interrupted with a growl. “You’d best keep your tone respectful, mayor. Katie Faith Grady isn’t some whore for your wolves to rut on.” And if he couldn’t, he’d find a fist in his face.

JJ eyed his grandson but Jace ignored it.

“She’s in
our
territory. Ours to protect. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can just waltz in and grab her up to strengthen your house.” JJ stood and Jace followed. “If we’re done here, Carl, we’re going to leave.”

“Go on then.” Carl shooed them out with a motion of his hand. Jace saw the twinkle in his grandpa’s eyes and the answering set of the jaw on Dwayne’s face.

This was not good.

And neither was the commotion out at the main desk.

“Is my daughter in there? You’d best get her on out here right this minute, Connie.” Nadine Grady stood at the front window of the police station, arms crossed over her chest, looking every inch the guardian she was.

“Miz Grady, she’s not being arrested. They just wanted to hold her until they questioned people. Let me call back and see what’s going on.” Connie smiled and grabbed the phone, all the while not taking her eye off Katie Faith’s enraged momma.

Her momma who then said, “I’m gonna knock the pee-whining shit outta someone if they don’t get my girl out here right now.”

“Well howdy-do, Nadine.” JJ approached Nadine with his arms open and there was nothing she could do but give him a hug.

Jace always did admire his grandfather’s balls.

“Do you know what happened? TeeFay called me to say Darrell and Katie Faith got into it outside Salt and Pepper and she used her magic on him. She’s on her way over, too, Connie. I don’t think you want me
and
TeeFay out here on your behind,” she called out around JJ’s body.

Connie snickered. “She’s on her way out, Miz Grady. Sheriff says to be nice and that he’ll tell your daddy if you don’t behave. Personally? I think Katie Faith shoulda fried his hair off too. Darrell Pembry thinks the sun rises just to hear him crow. Needs to be set back a few notches.”

Nadine smiled all pretty-like at Connie and Jace knew where Katie Faith got her mettle. Nadine had been through a lot over the past weeks and Jace sure as heck knew he wasn’t gonna let the Pembrys hurt Katie Faith and her family. She was his and that meant her people were his too. That’s who wolves were. Poor Katie Faith was never gonna see what hit her, but a Dooley man set his sights on her and there was no way she had a chance in the face of just how much Jace wanted her.

He smiled, both at the thought and the sight of Katie Faith and Aimee coming out front. It took everything he had not to step in and hug her. But he knew she needed to go to her momma first. It was enough when her eyes sought him out immediately.

They murmured back and forth as Jace and JJ both moved close. TeeFay came through the doors at full speed, her purse swinging as she stalked toward them. Lesser men would have run. TeeFay was a guardian through and through, much like Aimee, he supposed. But where Aimee’s protective tendencies ran toward social work, TeeFay had been a cop in Diablo Lake for ten years before she had kids and now taught self-defense courses at rural schools.

TeeFay looked her daughter up and down and once she was satisfied Aimee was in one piece she looked over at Connie once more. “Where’s Carl? I got something to say to him.”

“He had to do his job, Momma,” Aimee said. “It’s fine. He had them bring in donut holes and decaf for goodness sake,” she added in an undertone.

Just then Carl came out with Dwayne and when he saw his wife he groaned. “Trula Faye, I was just doing my job.”

“You put our daughter and our goddaughter in jail, Carl! You know as well as Mayor Hot Air there that Darrell deserved whatever he got.”

Dwayne opened and closed his mouth a few times but in the end, he gave up and shook his head.

“Way I hear it, Carl, it’s Darrell who needs to be in a cell. Or don’t you get in trouble for assault if you’re the mayor’s son?” Nadine glared toward Dwayne for a moment and Jace almost felt sorry for the guy. “Why isn’t he?”

“He’s back there being questioned right now. Katie Faith says she doesn’t want to press charges.” Carl told his wife this, Jace was certain, to underline the politics of the situation and also to calm her down.

“Why would you do that, Katie Faith?” Nadine demanded of her daughter. “He hurt you. He should be in jail for that. Or at the very least, how about I get to hurt him right back? I know I’d feel better.”

Katie Faith exhaled sharply. “It’s dealt with. I’m sure he got the message and he’ll leave me alone. If this goes any further I’ll have to deal with him even more. Daddy is still recovering. I don’t want this to stress him out any more than it probably has already.” She looked miserable and worried and Jace didn’t even think, he just put an arm around her and she leaned into him.

Carl’s eyes went to them and one brow rose. “You sure about that, Katie Faith?”

She looked up to Jace’s face and he smiled at her, torn between his need to comfort and protect her. He highly doubted Darrell would take what happened that night lightly, but she was right that Avery had had enough.

“Yes. I’m sure,” Katie Faith told Carl.

“I want it on record, Carl Benton, that Darrell has threatened my daughter. Next time...” Nadine glared at Dwayne, “...next time he won’t be so lucky. Rose Collins will be working with Katie Faith to hone her skill and manage her power better. You best tell the boy to keep away from her or he’ll not only have Katie Faith to deal with, but every other witch in this town.” She bristled and the metallic energy he always picked up from guardians pulsated from her.

“Now, Nadine, my boy messed up but you have no call to be threatening him.” Dwayne put his hands up to try and calm her down.

The head whip Nadine gave Dwayne had Jace taking an involuntary step back. Dang that woman was terrifying.

Nadine’s gaze narrowed as she curled her hip. “
No call?
” There was magic in the words. Power. Enough to make clear to the Patron of the Pembry wolves she was not to be trifled with and neither was her child.

Katie Faith made no move to stop her mother, which is what kept Jace at her side. As much as he hated the politics of it, Jace understood certain lessons had to be underlined. It was witches that kept the wild magic shifters used anchored and stable. Wolves and cats had teeth and claw, but witches had the kind of control to harness their magic no others did.

Darrell and Dwayne forgot that, Jace knew because he did sometimes as well.

Nadine meant to remind them.

Dwayne made to respond but Nadine held a hand up to stay his words. “That was a rhetorical question meant to convey to you how ridiculous your statement was.” Her tone was so patronizing and sharp it had Dwayne ducking his head slightly. “I’m not one of your wolves, so you be quiet because I’m still talking.
No call
, my fanny. The boy shamed her, cheated on her, dumped her at the altar and then three years later he threatened her on a public sidewalk. Assaulted her. Is that how you’re raising Pembrys these days? Excellent job if you’re working on raising up sacks of poop. As for my statement? I said it and I mean it. You cross my daughter again and you’ll find out just what there’s a call for.” Nadine glared at the mayor.

“Not only the witches, but the Dooleys too. Girl lives on my land, surrounded by our wolves. She’s ours.” JJ’s energy rose and filled the room, Dwayne’s rose to match.

Jace looked to Carl, who rolled his eyes.

“Y’all need to quit it right now.” Katie Faith stood tall. “I said my piece and made it clear. I don’t live in
anyone’s
territory.” She looked at JJ, who didn’t appear worried. “Nor do I need to be defended. It was a stupid thing brought on by a big giant ego. It’s over and I’m leavin’.” With that, she turned and stalked out and Jace strolled out after her. What a witchy badass she was.

“Need a ride somewhere?” he called out. She jiggled so nicely when she was moving fast and worked up.

“I need a ride anywhere but here. You going there?” she said over her shoulder as she kept walking.

He knew he could grin as long as her back was turned. “If you’re there too, you bet I am.” He held his hand out and she took it.

Chapter Eight

He led her to his truck, opening up and helping her in, though she didn’t need the help. She took it anyway, liking the way he touched her. Moments later he got in on the other side and there she was, in a very small space with a man she’d been sort of crazy over for a long time. They’d been doing this hot for you dance for the last month and though the situation was serious, she let herself savor that bit of magic between them.

“I should go see my dad. Let him know I’m all right,” she mumbled. “He’s going to be all agitated by this mess.”

He took her hand after he’d pulled away from the curb. “I can take you there right now, if you like.”

She paused, looking at him. “You’re being very nice to me, Jace. Thank you.” She knew his impulse would be to defend and protect her. Knew, too, that he reined it in for her because that’s what she’d needed at the time. It had been a
big
deal that he hadn’t punched Darrell’s lights out. She knew how much it must have taken to let her handle things instead of taking over.

“Are you all right?” he asked quietly.

“Yes. No. I don’t know. Part of me likes that I sent Darrell’s ass flying a few feet. I made my point. Another part of me feels like a jerk for making my daddy upset. My momma was taking names and kicking ass in there.” She chuckled.

“Sometimes people tend to forget Nadine is a firecracker. It’s good to remind them. The way she went off on Dwayne at the end? It was a struggle not to cup my balls in sympathy.”

Her laugh was tired, but genuine. It was nice that he got what she needed in that way too. “I hope Dwayne can get Darrell to pay attention. He seemed pretty scared a time or two.” Katie Faith allowed herself a snicker. “This is going to be all over town by morning. I hate that this drama might make Daddy upset.”

Jace squeezed her hand as they turned up the long lane where her parents’ house sat.

“You knew it would come up at some point. Darrell is too big an ass to leave it alone.” Jace knew this wasn’t the last from the Pembrys. “Dwayne already came into the Counter to warn you off. Darrell just saw that as an invitation to poke around too.”

He keyed the engine off and Katie Faith spoke. “Darrell told me that just because he was taken there were other Pembrys who’d consider me. No need to stoop to a Dooley. What a moron he is.”

Jace growled and the hair on her arms stood up.

“You know where my interests lie, Jace Dooley, so stop that.”

He made an effort to pull his wolf back. “You need to understand the challenge to my control right now.”

She took his cheeks in her hands and kissed him. “
I
do.
It means so much. Thank you for doing it for me.” His begrudging smile drew downward into a frown when she opened her own door but she ignored it. “Come on inside. Every last light is on, he’s up and chances are, my momma is racing back here with a story to tell.”

He got out. “Next time, let me get the door for you.”

She looked him over and snorted. “I can open a door.”

He caught up to her on the front walk. “I know you can. But let’s just pretend so I can feel manly and stuff. Unless you want me to go over to Darrell’s and beat the stuffing from him. I’d prefer the latter, just in case you’re curious.”

He looked so hopeful she had to laugh. Without thinking, she hugged him and after a moment’s hesitation, he wrapped his arms around her.

“You really okay?” he whispered against her hair.

“Are
you
okay? Hard to take, a wolf getting all up in your space that way.” She wasn’t going to pretend she couldn’t see the way he’d stepped in and taken up a place at her side. Or that she hadn’t allowed it, knowing what it meant.

“I hate domestic violence calls the most. They’re pretty rare in Diablo Lake, but they’re here, like with humans. We were raised up to take care of our own. To make sure they’re safe and to not use our strength to hurt those weaker than we are. I wanted to kill him for touching you. I’m working on that now. I’m down to hitting him with my truck. Hopefully by morning I’ll just be at using my fists.”

She hugged him tighter for a moment. “I’m as okay as I can be. Physically I’m fine.” She stayed there against him for another long moment before finally letting go. “I’ll live.”

She’d only gotten a few steps away before she caught his snarl. Katie Faith turned back to him, surprised.

“Don’t talk like that, okay? It’s not a joke to imagine you not living.” He rolled his shoulders and it touched and amused her. He was a big ol’ badass who also happened to be a freaking werewolf.

He did it for her. Was gentle when everything else called him to be vicious and hard. Made her laugh when she needed it or end up crying. He knew her in ways no one else did because he
looked
. He paid attention.

Holy moley. She needed to make something extra clear to him. Because he nearly shook with the need to harm Darrell.

She smiled and then dropped her eyes. That’s when it all went sideways.

His wolf surged, bringing him to her side in just a breath. Her actions, the way she dropped her gaze meant she gave over to his dominance in the situation. He may not be a wild wolf, but he was still a wolf.

Need crawled over him, especially when she held very still, those big eyes of hers staring up into his after she’d dropped them first. Her heart beat wildly. He tasted it on the breeze, not fear but excitement, desire. She accepted him with her actions and that was a powerful thing. So powerful he nearly went to his knees with it.

All the other times they’d been intimate, kissing and touching, had been hot, but this, well this was her accepting what he was. Stepping fully into what it meant to be in a relationship with a werewolf.

He wanted to touch her, but didn’t trust himself not to take her right there in her daddy’s front yard.

“Katie Faith? That you, baby?” Her father’s silhouette darkened the front doorway as he peered outside.

Jace forced himself to step back, but not before he tucked a curl behind her right ear.

She cleared her throat and stepped forward. “It’s me. Jace brought me by.”

“Come on in. Your momma’s on her way back just now. Said there was a bit of a tussle. I’ll let you cut me a piece of pie so I can relax just so when you fill me in.” Her father held the screen door open and she went inside, Jace trailing behind, breathing her scent in deep.

The house was cheery, bright. Filled with shiny bits he knew witches seemed to love. God knew Katie Faith had enough of them in her apartment already. He’d been in the house once or twice over the years, but this felt different, more official-like.

Darrell Pembry was
such
a loser. He gave this up? Jace watched Katie Faith move, watched the light dance off the highlights in her hair, the curve of her very fine behind, and wondered what on earth got into Darrell to toss her aside for Sharon of all people.

The magic trailing in her wake slid over his skin as he followed. It felt so good he wanted to roll around in it. His wolf heartily approved of that idea so the man had to push that thought way far back. For the time being anyway.

Avery grabbed a pitcher and glasses, pouring out tea for everyone. “I just finished that tea so it’s fresh.”

“As if you’d serve anything else.” Katie Faith paused, arching a brow at her father. She pointed the knife at the pretty peach pie on the table. “Am I going to get in trouble for cutting this?”

Avery laughed and hugged her before he sat with a happy sigh. “It’s good to have you back home, baby. Your momma is being nice to me. Too nice to get pissy about pie. I gotta take what I can get just now. Won’t be recovering from a stroke forever. Aww, now, don’t be stingy.” He motioned at the slice Katie Faith had begun to cut for him.

“You are so bad.” She shook her head at her father but gave him a huge slice of pie. “I assume you’d like a slice too?” Katie Faith asked Jace.

He nodded enthusiastically. Nadine had a way with peach pie.

She grinned at Jace, slid a slice his way. “Be back in a sec, gotta get the ice cream.”

“Katie Faith Grady, there’s no need for ice cream.” Nadine stepped into the room and glared at her husband, then caught sight of Jace. Jace didn’t miss the calculation on her features for a brief moment. “Well now, hey there, Jace.” Her smile dimmed as she turned back to her husband. “
He
can have ice cream. You, on the other hand, nearly
died
. No ice cream for you.”

Avery shoveled pie in his face at an alarming rate and Nadine groaned. “Avery! Slow it down. I’m not going to snatch it from you, for goodness sake.” She turned to her daughter, kissed a cheek and sent thanks when Katie Faith slid a slice of pie to her too. “Crissakes, Avery, a body’d think you were an eight-year-old boy at his birthday the way you’re jamming that pie in your face. Gonna choke and I’ll have to take you back to the hospital. Again.”

Avery rolled his eyes but slowed down on the pie. “Now that I have the best pie ever made,” he sent a waggled brow at Nadine who ignored him, “and your momma just spanked me, what happened?” Avery asked before forking up another mouthful.

“Tempest in a teapot, that’s what.” Katie Faith filled her father in, light on the worst of the details.

Avery laughed at the end. “I wish I could have seen that dingus’s face when you sent him flying. Oh boy.” He sobered quickly though. “You know this is going be a problem. Those wolves are going to fight over you.”

Katie Faith winced and Jace stretched his pinky out to slide it against the side of her hand.

“Had enough of that the first time around. I made it clear they all need to leave me be. We can all live here and not get into kerfuffles out on Diablo Lake Avenue. It’s a whole bunch of hooey anyway. He doesn’t even want me. I don’t know what his problem is.” Her anger seemed to push her hurt away. Jace could deal with anger, hurt just made him want to rip heads off.

“His problem is that you’re a powerful witch who can bring any family you marry into some position in this town. Dwayne nearly beat the life out of the boy the first time he let you go. Even if he doesn’t want you, he wants you anyway.” Nadine harrumphed. “Pembrys always reaching above themselves. Darrell messed up big time and now you’re back to remind him of that every day. To remind the town of that every day. That she’s now living across the hall from this one,” she indicated Jace, “means there’ll be a turf war over it.”

No sense denying it. “Avery, Katie Faith lives on Dooley land. You have to know how Dooley wolves are going to view that.” Jace tried to be lighthearted about it, but it was going to be an issue.

It really just meant he needed to get moving and make a claim. He was feared and respected enough that once they figured out Katie Faith was his, no Dooley would make a move on her. Since that night two weeks before when she’d moved in and they’d kissed and talked and laughed for hours, they’d both been circling round the other. Teasing. He’d found her in the hall—because he’d sought her out when he knew she was leaving—and they’d ended up kissing one another breathless on more than one occasion. And then the hike and those stolen moments on the blanket under the sky.

It would happen. They were on the way. She knew it and that was enough to keep his wolf calm. For the moment anyway. If his brothers messed with him and interrupted again right when they were just about to finally get naked and busy, he might have to hurt someone.

And the way she’d dropped her gaze earlier? Yeah, that was like dating a year in werewolf time. She’d done it, knowing what it was. Which was exactly what he’d been waiting for.

Katie Faith was his. Not the Dooleys’, but his. As long as she knew it, that was what mattered most.

As for how Pembrys would react? Jace
hoped
Darrell gave him guff so he could pop him one right in that stupid face.

Katie Faith’s voice grabbed his attention. “Good lord, I’m a human chew toy between two gangs of dogs.” She rolled her eyes and Jace laughed because she needed him to. Then Katie Faith sobered. “You know I was ten kinds a fool with Darrell. It never even
occurred
to me that he’d be after my power. I just...I thought he loved me. But it wasn’t that at all. It was about adding me to the game as a power piece on their side. I hate that I didn’t know. I feel more stupid about that than being stood up on my wedding day.” Tears threatened and every cell within his body readied to go to war to save her from hurt.

Nadine took a deep breath, looking quickly to Jace. He didn’t quite know whether he was supposed to take it up then or if he should wait for her to.

“Of course you’re more than that.” Jace finally spoke, taking a chance. “So much more. But you know this town. You know our history. Like long legs or pretty eyes would be an attractor outside, power is here.” Not that he didn’t love her legs and those eyes of hers too.

Nadine nodded at him—apparently he’d passed a test—and looked back to Katie Faith.

“I don’t want to talk about it anymore. I need to go home. I have work tomorrow. First day with the new espresso service.” Katie Faith stood and her father did too.

“Honey, come here.” Avery opened his arms and Katie Faith stepped into his embrace. “You know, it’s not a bad thing that you’re powerful. Not just that it makes you a great catch, you already are that, but it keeps you safer. You come from a long line. If I can make you stronger, if the combo of your momma’s and my genetics makes you into a woman to be reckoned with, it’s better than a woman to be pushed around.”

Katie Faith really looked adorable when her face scrunched up that way.

“Fine, go on and be reasonable then. See if I care,” she mumbled. But it was clear her mood had brightened a little.

“That’s my job, baby. It’s what good daddies do. Go on home. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Avery kissed her forehead.

Nadine followed up with a hug and a kiss. “Oh hey, I’ve got some of your books, ones you left in the attic. There’s a box in the front room. Oh and your coat. It’s in the hall closet. Don’t forget. It’s getting chilly at night now.”