“I’ve made my decision. I obviously can’t go on this trip. I can’t go.”
That’s when Livy slammed Toni to the floor and pinned her there—because the woman simply didn’t know the meaning of the word subtle.
Ricky grabbed the small but surprisingly strong and vicious female off of Toni.
“Tell her,” Livy ordered him once he’d gotten her off Toni. “Tell her that she
is
going.”
“How can I go now?” Toni shot back. “At first I thought I just needed to deal with the schedule issue, which is challenge enough. But now . . . after what I’ve found out about Delilah?”
“Excuses!” Livy accused, pointing a damning finger at Toni. “You’re using bullshit excuses to get out of this. Because you’re scared.”
“They’re bears! Of course I’m scared!”
“Not of the bears, you idiot.” Livy swung her arms until Ricky was forced to drop her. Then she re-adjusted her T-shirt and denim mini-skirt. “You’re scared of change. You’re scared of taking this chance and going out on your own.”
“They need me.”
“Because you’ve made them helpless. Which, I’d like to remind you, is not your job. Your job as the eldest jackal sibling is to prepare them for life on their own.”
“But what about Delilah?” Toni demanded. “She’s a problem all on her own.”
“Isn’t that something your parents should be concerned with?” Ricky asked.
“My parents are in denial. I’m not.”
“
I’ll
watch out for Freddy,” Livy said.
“I can’t ask you to—”
“I’ll watch out for Freddy, so just suck-it-the-fuck-up already.”
“Don’t curse at me, whore!”
“Birthing cow!”
“All right!” Ricky cut in before he was hurt trying to stop these two females from getting into a claw match. “That’s it!” He focused on Toni. “The bottom line is, if you don’t take this trip, I can assure you that Cella Malone is going to fire your ass, no matter whose cousin you are.”
“I don’t care,” Toni said, her voice firm. “Let her fire me. I’m not leaving. At least not until we get things . . . organized.”
“Organized?”
“Right. Once I get their schedules organized, everything will be fine. That’ll just take me a couple of days. Cella won’t mind that, I’m sure.”
Toni walked out, leaving Ricky and Livy standing there, gazing at the open door.
“Will that Cella Malone chick mind that?” Livy asked him.
“She sure will.”
“Then we have to take away her excuses.”
Ricky shrugged. “I may have an idea.” He pulled out his phone. “But my baby brother won’t like it.”
“Your baby brother? Was that the other wolf who was in the office with us?”
“Yep.”
“Then I don’t give a shit he won’t like it.”
Ricky laughed and began making calls.
C
HAPTER
F
IFTEEN
P
aul stepped out of the cab and held his hand out so that Jackie could grab it. He helped her out and then held his hand out for Irene. She, as always, completely ignored it, and got out on her own. He didn’t take that personally, though. He never had. It was one of the main reasons they’d gotten along so well. Paul never took anything Irene did personally. She was so brutally direct and unwaveringly honest, it didn’t make sense to get all worked up when she said things like, “I’d prefer you not touch me” or “Are you staring at me because you have a question or because you’re planning to kill me at your earliest convenience?”
Paul, the first and only born of his hippie mom, loved that directness. He loved that he knew his beautiful mate would always be safe around Irene Conridge because she never bothered to lie. And, when they started having pups, that his kids would be safe around her. He hadn’t been crazy about the wolves that became part of their lives when Irene had hooked up with Niles Van Holtz, but it made sense. Irene simply didn’t fit in with full-humans even though she was one. She needed a predator for a mate . . . even if that predator was an obsessive-compulsive wolf.
And, over time, Paul and Van had become buddies. Sort of. And Van treated all the Jean-Louis Parker kids as family and Pack, which meant a lot. So it had all worked out.
Like now. Having Irene around while they were staying in New York was great because it kept Jackie happy. The pair of them could sit around gabbing or making fun of the kids or obsessing over the future of the kids’ educations. And while they did that, Paul could do what he really loved to do . . . watch TV, read a book, and fix up old cars.
It was turning out to be a really nice summer with Irene around.
The trio reached the stone steps outside of their rental house and began to climb. Paul glanced over his shoulder and saw a limo parked a bit down the street. He didn’t know why it was there or why he noticed it.
Jackie pulled out her keys and had them in the lock when the door opened and that country wolf was standing there. Man, this kid was really making a hard run at Paul’s baby girl. Something that would normally set Paul’s hair on fire, but after that last idiot had made her miserable, the wolf seemed like a good way to transition
away
from that past relationship and into more promising ones.
“Richard Reed?” Irene said, because she wasn’t about to call anyone Ricky Lee. “Why are you here?”
“Miss Irene. Miss Jackie. Mr. Paul.”
“Please don’t call me that,” Paul practically begged as they all moved into the hallway and Paul closed the door. He felt old enough without adding “mister” before his first name like he should be wearing an ascot.
“I need y’all to do me a favor and just go along with what’s about to happen.”
Paul blinked. “Why? What’s about to happen?”
There was a knock on the door Paul had just closed and he pulled it open again. “Good Lord,” he muttered, staring up at the behemoth standing in his doorway. He looked at Ricky. “Toni’s bringing stray hockey players home with her now?”
“Actually I asked Mr. Novikov here. To help out.”
“Help out with what?” Irene asked, her gaze locked on the man lumbering into their home. “Are you planning to kill all the children so they’ll no longer be a bother?”
“Irene,” Jackie chastised. “Not the right response.”
“Because it’s morally wrong or because you’re afraid he’ll get mad and kill us, too?”
“Both!” Jackie snapped.
“Hi!” A pretty black woman popped out from behind Novikov. She had a bright, wide smile and adorable dimples, but Paul didn’t understand why she was here or why Novikov was here. What the hell was going on?
“I’m Blayne. Bo’s fiancée. I’m here to help, too.”
“Except I didn’t ask her here to help,” Novikov replied, his cold blue eyes looking around the hallway like he was trying to figure out how to destroy the walls to get to the weak pups within. “But she’s worried I’ll make your kids cry.”
“No, no,” his fiancée quickly cut in, trying to laugh it off. “He’s very good with children. He has to be.” The wolfdog gripped his thick arm with very strong-looking hands. “You
have
to be.”
“If you’re once again talking about our future offspring, I already told you that as long as they understand schedules and time management and focus . . . we’ll be fine.” He locked those cold, dead eyes on Ricky Reed. “Where are they?”
“I’ll show you.”
“You will?” Paul asked, trying to ignore the fact his voice broke.
“Just go along with this,” the wolf said again before heading down the hallway.
Paul looked at Jackie and Irene. Both females shrugged and, not knowing what else to do, followed after the wolf and the two unstable-looking hybrids.
Their children were in the living room arguing. Paul had left them that way more than an hour ago, and it didn’t seem as if much had changed except that Toni had joined the fray.
She was standing next to a dry-erase board that had a very large claw mark ripped through it.
“This,” Toni said, pointing at the dry-erase board, “was not helpful, Oriana.”
Paul’s fifteen-year-old baby girl had started shifting her entire body at fourteen and was now learning to control that power, which meant that she liked to whip her claws out at the slightest provocation.
“You always side with Kyle and Troy,” Oriana accused. “I’m sick of it.”
“I do not always side with them.”
“No,” Kyle corrected, “she always sides with Cooper and Cherise.”
“Why are you even here, Cooper?” Troy demanded.
Raising his hands and dropping them, Cooper asked, “What are you attacking me for? I’ve been trying to help you little bastards.”
“Well, good job, big head.”
Cooper’s eyes narrowed and he took several steps toward Troy, but Toni caught his arm and held him back. It was a rare thing to see Cooper’s temper, but Kyle and Troy always managed to get that anger out of him.
Ricky Reed stepped forward and said, “Toni, I brought you and your kin some help.”
Toni looked over and her eyes widened at the sight of Bo Novikov. Then Kyle perked up and said, “Mr. Novikov! Are you here to pose for me?”
“No!” Novikov and Toni said simultaneously.
Toni focused on the large hybrid. “What
are
you doing here?”
“Reed’s idiot brother called me—”
“I do have a name, hoss.”
“—and said you needed help with schedules and organization.”
“But don’t you have practice?”
“Malone canceled it for tonight, which meant my other option was another thrilling dinner with a bunch of never-shutting-up wild dogs.”
“They love you!” Blayne said with a huge grin.
Novikov glanced at his fiancée and back at Toni. “See what I mean?”
“Hi, Toni!” the wolfdog cheered.
“Oh.” Toni frowned. “Hi, um . . .”
The wolfdog’s smile slowly faded. “Blayne. Blayne Thorpe.”
“Uh-huh.”
“We just met this morning?”
“Uh-huh.”
She tried again. “Bo’s fiancée?”
“Oh. Right. Bane.”
“Blayne.”
“Right.” Toni turned back to Novikov. “So you’re here to help?”
“What makes you think
you
can help us?” Troy asked, sounding particularly snobby. “I mean you’re just a sports guy, right? You’re like Oriana . . . only with skates.”
“Physique wise, though,” Kyle pointed out, “he is perfection.” When everyone stared at him, Kyle added, “Perfect for a sculptor like me.”
“Okay.”
Novikov walked over and stood next to Toni so that he towered in front of the kids. He was like a giant wall.
“What I am, small child I can easily crush with one hand, is the best hockey player in the States. Not one of the best. I’m
the
best. And I ensure I stay the best with focus, determination, and a willingness to destroy anyone who tries to get my puck. What ensures that I stay on point with all that I have to do in a day is maintaining my schedule and organizing my life. That’s my fiancée, Blayne.” He pointed over at Blayne, but she was still staring at Toni. “She’s all over the place. Schedules mean nothing to her. She writes lists but she doesn’t follow them. That’s probably why she’s a plumber.”
That’s when he had Blayne’s full attention. “I like being a plumber.”
“But you’re not the best plumber.”
“I’m one of the best plumbers in the Manhattan area.”
He looked back at Paul’s children. “
One
of the best,” he repeated. “See what I mean?”
“But you can help us, right?” Kyle asked.
“I
will
help you. It’s the least I can do for your sister.”
“For Toni?” Troy briefly studied his sister. “What do you owe her?”
“I’m the best in the States. And she’s going to help me get to Russia to prove that I’m the best
in the world.
” He looked at Toni and, for the first time since walking into their home, the hybrid smiled. It didn’t make him look any more approachable or nicer but it still helped . . . a little. “Right, Toni?”
Toni swallowed and, with a sigh, nodded her head. “Yeah. That’s right.”
“Then you better get going.”
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Toni asked. “They’re really horrible children.”
“Where’s the loyalty?” Kyle demanded.
“They’re not horrible,” Novikov corrected. “They’re just determined. I understand determined. I can handle determined. What I can’t handle is telling me my wedding will start
around
three o’clock.”
“Are you still bringing that up?” Blayne snarled.
“Yes!”
“You’ll need a new dry-erase board,” Toni pointed out.
“I don’t like dry-erase boards.” He looked at the kids. “Can anyone tell me why?”
Kyle raised his hand and when Novikov pointed at him, he answered, “Because they can be erased?”
“Exactly. There’s no permanence. But I saw an office supply store a few blocks away. Let’s go get those giant Post-it notes that we can stick to the walls. Actually, let’s get an array of sizes of Post-its. In different colors. And multicolor permanent markers. Permanent. Not erasable. That way we can color-code things permanently. I like color-coding.” He pointed at the twins, Freddy, and Dennis. “These very small ones will stay here. I won’t be responsible for their safety. But I’ll take these three with me.” He pointed at Oriana, Kyle, and Troy. “I can tell they’ll be the most trouble during this process.” Yet that didn’t seem to bother him.
“Can I come?” Blayne asked.
“No. You’ll wander the aisles and want to buy things that aren’t needed for this process. But I will pick you up a couple of those giant Butterfingers that they sell at the cash register.”
Blayne grinned. “Okay!”
“You three,” Novikov ordered. “Let’s go.”
And for the first time Paul could think of, his three middle children got to their feet and followed after someone
without question
. It boggled his mind.
“Where are you going?” Jackie asked Toni.
“Russia. To negotiate with bears.”
“Don’t worry, though,” Ricky Reed told them, putting his arm around Toni’s shoulders. “I’m going with her to protect her.”
“Because Russian bears love wolves so much?”
The wolf grinned. “Mr. Parker, is that what you Yankees call sarcasm?”
Livy Kowalski walked into the living room. “Your bag is packed and ready to go,” she told Toni. “Your limo is waiting outside.”
“Yeah, but—”
“No buts, canine. Just go. You need to do this.”
“She’s right,” Paul said, moving to stand in front of his daughter and taking her hands in his. “Is this part of your job, baby?”
“It is.”
“Then you have to go.”
“Or I could quit.”
“Let me ask you this . . . do you want to quit? And before you answer, I’m not asking if you think you should quit or if you think your siblings want you to quit. I’m asking you if you
want
to quit?”
Toni was silent for a long moment before she replied, “I don’t think so. At least not yet.”
“Then go get your plane and do your job.”
“And you guys?”
“We’ll be fine. I promise.” He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “I love you, baby.”
“I love you, too, Dad.”
“And be careful.”
“Yes, sir.”
Toni headed out, stopping to hug her mother and Irene. She motioned for Cooper to follow her.
Ricky Reed nodded at Paul. “I’ll protect her with my life, sir.”
“You better,” Paul told him plainly. “Because I will kill you if anything happens to my daughter. And I mean anything.”
“I understand, sir.” And Paul believed him, which was surprising because Paul rarely believed wolves unless it was Niles Van Holtz.
Jackie faced Paul once the kids were down the hall and at the door, saying their good-byes to Toni. “We’re letting our daughter go off to negotiate with
bears
?”
“No. We’re letting our daughter go off and be an adult. It’s time, Jack. You know that.”
“I know. I know.”
He wrapped his arms around his mate and hugged her tight. “Of all our kids, she’s the one I know can handle herself in any situation. So don’t worry.”
“Okay.”
They held each other for a bit until Jackie asked, “Where’s that dog you insist on keeping around?”
“I like that dog. She’s the only one in the family who doesn’t talk back.”
“Excuse me.” Blayne, who Paul hadn’t realized was still in the room, smiled and gave a little wave. “Your dog is under the couch.”
Still holding on to each other, Paul and Jackie leaned over a little so they could look under the couch.