Chapter Three
Pounding woke her and she rolled over with a groan. A glance at her clock revealed it was nearing five o’clock, and she realized she’d stayed in bed all day.
Then everything came crashing down.
Fuck, pain hammered through her, Beth’s loss still beating her up from the inside out. Even her bunny was subdued, no longer clamoring at her to find her mate and play nice.
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She needed to get out of bed and find something to eat. She had the makings for a salad…
Another round of thumping filled her room and she forced herself from the soft haven of her bed. Whoever it was, they weren’t going away.
Padding through the house, she tromped down the stairs, wiping sleep from her eyes while she traveled the familiar steps, swaying as she navigated her home. At the bottom, she glanced toward the front door, but quickly realized that the sounds were coming from the back.
Oh. Yeah. Her door.
Well, at least someone had sent over a handyman to fix what Neal had done.
Neal.
Hell, even thoughts of her mate stung. She knew she’d (eventually) have to face him and work things out. Part of her wanted to simply embrace him, hold him close, and take whatever he was willing to give. The other half of her wanted exactly what Maya had with Alex. She craved a Disney happily-ever-after, damn it.
The hammering began again and she headed toward her kitchen, careful to scan for any bits of wood that might have been littering the ground and ready to pierce her feet. But it’d all been swept up and a look at the entry showed a piece of plywood in place. Well, at least there wouldn’t be anything crawling through the doorway.
Curious as to her savior from creepy crawlies, she headed over to the small window above the sink and pushed it open, the frame grinding over the wood. A now familiar scent flowed over her. Carly’s bunny awoke in a flash, the furball rolling to her feet and purring to high heaven.
Neal.
“Wha—What are you doing here?”
Her mate—gah, her mate—looked up from what he was doing and flashed a wide smile. A few more pounds of the hammer against a nail and then he rolled to his feet and headed toward her, a smooth roll of his hips with every step. His cowboy boots thunked on her wood porch.
God had given Neal a double dose of hotness and it just wasn’t fair. How was she supposed to resist him, guard her heart against his charm, if all she could think about was getting him naked?
“Hey, Lucky.” He stood before her, the screen keeping them separated, and leaned against the house, hands on either side of the window. “Just came to take care of my girl. Alex had someone keeping an eye on the place, but I wanted to make sure that you were closed up tight.” Neal focused on her, eyes traveling over her face and she felt like he could look inside her, straight into her soul. She tore her gaze away and heard his sigh and ignored it, not quite ready to accept that maybe her behavior was hurting him, as well. “I’m also here to take my girl out.”
She glared at him. “I don’t think so. I—“
“You want to get to know me better. See that I’m a one woman man and that I can be the best damned mate in Ridgeville.” He smiled, the corner of his lips quirking up just a bit. She hated his smile. Loved it, but hated it just the same. And she didn’t want the best mate, she just wanted him all to herself. “I’d say the world, but you know I’ll fuck up now and again. If you can settle for me just being the best in town, I promise to do my damdest to make you happy.”
“Neal—“
A vulnerable plea slid across his features. “We’re mates, Carly. Let’s not throw that away. We’re already tied together for life. There’s no one else for either of us. Let’s give it a go, angel. I can be the mate you deserve.”
She melted. Right there. For the big, bad Neal Landry to break down and (almost) beg touched her, and a little of the pain she’d been carrying all day lessened.
Carly nodded. “Okay.” She breathed deep. “Yeah. We can do this.”
She didn’t tack on the ‘as pointless as it may be’ that she’d been thinking. She’d say ‘I told you so’ later…as she cried into her ice cream with Maya the first time she caught him whispering ‘darlin’’ to another woman.
“All right, then. Go get cleaned up and I’ll be back in an hour.” Neal’s smile nearly blinded her and that dimple made her knees weak.
Her mate disappeared from the window and she watched him gather his tools. “Neal, wait. Now? I’ve gotta… Ian and Devlin…”
The look he gave her was filled with guilt and sadness and he came back to her. “First, I want you to know that I’m taking you out because I want to. Second, Ian wants to make sure you’re protected until we know what happened with your cousin. He’s got calls in to a few resources, but he doesn’t have anything concrete yet.”
A look passed over his features, something akin to worry and a knowledge he didn’t want to share. She bit her tongue and kept the words that burbled inside her at bay. He knew something…and he wasn’t sharing.
“Your brother was going to send a guard over,” Neal growled, “but I can’t stand the idea of another male near you.” His bright blue eyes darkened to near navy. “You’re mine.”
“Yes.” She licked her suddenly dry lips. Carly shouldn’t be touched by his possessive, Neanderthal behavior. Really. If he was feeling the need to defend his ‘territory’, then maybe he was just as affected by their mating as her. Maybe…
Neal jerked his head in a quick nod. “Good. We’re going to Honey’s over near Stratton, where we held that little party for Alex and Maya in January. It was a private party then, but one of the regular bartenders is a hedgehog so the carnivores are used to not munching on little ladies like you. Plus, there won’t be a bunch of meddling lions. And even better,” He grinned, eyes sparkling. “There’s dancing.” He leaned close, their lips nearly touching. If not for the screen, she imagined he would have laid a fierce kiss on her. “I want to hold you close again, angel. Even if we’ve got stuff to work out, you can’t deny that you want me.” He held up his hand, thumb and forefinger nearly touching. “Just a little.”
Carly stuck her tongue out at him and blew a raspberry. “You wish, cat.”
She reached up and slammed the window down with a heavy thud, then turned on her heal, Neal’s laughter following her through the house.
Cocky lion.
He was right.
But still cocky.
* * *
Neal felt like a fifteen-year-old kid on his first date. His palms were sweaty, his heart beating a mile a minute, and he could hardly catch his breath. A glance out of the corner of his eye revealed that Carly didn’t seem to have the same problem.
Nope. His lovely angel was looking as sweet as pie and calmer than the eye of a hurricane.
Hell, she was gorgeous. He didn’t deserve her. Not one inch of her luscious body. She was wearing a snug top cut way too low for his liking, revealing her abundant cleavage for one and all. Her body belonged to him. Him, damn it. He didn’t care that he sounded like a possessive ass. He wanted to lock her up so no other man could look at her, woo her away from him.
She’d paired that tight blouse with an equally close-fitting skirt that landed too many inches above her knees.
The whole damned outfit had him hard in his jeans, dick throbbing and aching to be let free. He wanted to pull over and dive between her thighs, mark her from the inside out.
The lion was in total agreement.
But he had to keep a tight hold on his lust, and his cat. His angel deserved better than a quick fuck on the side of the road. Nope, she deserved to be wooed, wined and dined, seduced and teased. He needed to prove that she wasn’t just another ‘darlin’’ to him. That she was his one and only.
At least, that’s what Maya had said. He’d stuck around after her little ‘display’ with Brute and she’d laid it all out for him. All of it. Good, bad, and downright ugly, and it hadn’t taken him long to realize that Prima was one hundred percent right.
He hated being wrong. By the time she’d finished with him, he felt an inch tall and that was being generous.
Neal sensed movement and couldn’t help but turn his head and watch his mate cross her legs, left over right, and reveal a wide swath of pure, peaches-n-cream skin. Hot damn.
A loud honk yanked his attention back to driving and he took a deep breath, begging his body to cool and his cock to soften.
“Maybe you should watch the road, cowboy.” He could hear the smile in her voice.
“Maybe you shouldn’t tease me, Lucky. I’m a hungry cat and you look good enough to eat.”
Carly snickered and he grinned. She wasn’t cursing him or giving him the cold shoulder. Yet.
The sign for Honey’s Bar & Grill came into sight and he easily pulled into the parking lot and slid his truck into a space. Before his mate could move, he reached over and snagged her hand, brought it to his mouth, and brushed a soft kiss across her knuckles. He kept his gaze on her face and inwardly smiled at the soft blush that stole across her cheeks. When he felt her shift to withdraw her hands from his grip, he flipped her hand over and pressed a kiss to the center of her palm.
“Stay put, angel. Lemme come around and help you down.”
She narrowed her eyes and compressed her lips into a tight line. He wanted to kiss that frown away again and again. “I—“
“Humor me.”
Her blush burned a little brighter and he gave her a wink before hopping from the cab of his truck. Having a vehicle that was high served two purposes: he could go off road, if needed, and his little bit of a mate needed help getting in and out.
Which meant he got to touch her.
In a half-dozen steps, he was at her side, hands on her waist as he helped her from the truck. Of course, he took his time, held her close, and let her body hug his as he eased her feet to the ground. He relished the gentle curves of her figure as she slid along his length and his cock pulsed in his jeans. That sweet heat across her cheeks spread to encompass her face and he couldn’t help teasing her. Just a little.
“What’s with the blushes, Lucky? Something getting ya hot and bothered.”
She stuck her tongue out. “You wish, cowboy.”
Neal leaned down and gave her a quick kiss, tongue barely tangling with hers before he pulled away. He whispered against her lips. “You’re right, Carly.”
Without waiting for a response, he twined his fingers with hers, tugged her along behind him as he strode through the lot and toward the front door. He needed to put some space between them before he laid her down in the bed of his truck and showed her exactly how hot he could make her.
That close, he could smell her arousal, knew she wasn’t as unaffected as she appeared and the cat inside him roared with approval. The lion wanted her to crave him as much as he craved her curvy, furry, voluptuous ass.
Yum.
Once inside, Neal looked around and spotted a table with a handful of their friends. This was a date, but he wanted his girl to be comfortable, too. So he led her to a table right next to the few members of the pride he’d chosen to accompany them. Maddy, the pride’s Sensitive, and Gina, one of Prima’s friends, sat with Wyatt and Deuce. Carly was comfortable with the four of them and they all typically had a good time together.
Halfway to their group, he pulled her close, laid an arm across her shoulder, and nuzzled her neck, making sure to spread a good dose of his scent on her. “Brought you a few folks to make you feel comfortable, Lucky.” When he pulled away, she gifted him with a bright smile and pushed to her tiptoes while tugging him down, plump lips pursed. He went easily and accepted her chaste kiss. “Aw, angel. No fair. You shouldn’t tease a guy who’s on the edge like that.”
Carly pulled away, a mischievous spark in her eyes. “Who says I’m teasing, cowboy?”
The little brat danced away from him and he followed her to their table, eyes trained on the seductive sway of her hips, the curve of her heart-shaped ass. He wanted to nibble it, taste every inch, and arouse her until she begged for his cock. He craved having her thighs wrapped around him again, those high heels digging into his ass while she screamed his name.
Yeah, he could be down with some begging. His or hers.
Feet behind her, he heard her high-pitched squeal easily as his mate danced forward to meet the girls, exchanging hugs and murmurs of comfort about Beth’s death and exclamations over how pretty they each looked…where they had bought this or that.
He’d given up trying to figure out what the hell women were talking about when it came to clothes.
Neal nodded to the guys and accepted a bottle of beer from Deuce. “This ain’t that light shit, is it?”
“Fuck you, cowboy.” Deuce glared at him.
He couldn’t help it. He smiled wide. “Naw, I’ve got a mate, thanks.”
Neal slumped into a seat and watched his woman chat. He’d have plenty of time to steal Carly’s attention later. He held up his drink and tilted it toward his friends. “Thanks for coming, guys.”
Wyatt rolled his eyes. “What, like spending time with sweet little Maddy and that sexy Gina is any hardship?”
He was tempted to respond. He agreed with Wyatt, but he kept his mouth shut. Part of his problem was his flirty nature and while he wasn’t for changing himself for someone else, he was all about pleasing the woman he’d spend the rest of his life with. Being a little less of a ladies’ man wasn’t difficult.
Neal looked around the bar and recognized a few familiar faces. Some of the wolves from Stratton, including the Alpha, Max, were scattered throughout the place. Added to them were a handful of lions, a tiger or two, and he couldn’t forget the spunky little hedgehog behind the bar.
Of course, God couldn’t leave him be. Nope, he just had to toss in a bit of shit to make his night hell.
Naomi was sitting at the bar, smiling at a jackal, leaning close and stroking the man’s arm. The woman was nothing to him. Well, she was something, but she wasn’t a human he’d be toying with any longer.
“Neal?” A soft hand turned his attention from the human woman and he met the worried gaze of his mate.
He slid his arm around Carly’s waist, pulling her close. “Hey, angel.” He nuzzled her arm. No sense in wasting any opportunity to spread his scent on her skin. “You ready to snag our own table and get something to eat? You need to build up your strength before I dance you across the floor.”
Wariness still lingering in her gaze, she nodded. “Sure. I’m just gonna run to the bathroom real quick.”
Neal tugged her closer, stroked her spine, and nudged her head down until her mouth was within reach. He brushed a kiss across her lips, lingered for a moment, and traced the seam with his tongue. “Hurry back, Lucky.”
*
Lord, she couldn’t even pee in peace.
Carly took two steps away from Neal and bumped right into Maddy. The woman was a bundle of sweetness with just an edge of submissiveness that made her want to protect the woman with her bunny power. Which wasn’t much, honestly, but it didn’t mean she wouldn’t try if pressed.
“Hey! Come with me to the bathroom. I hate going alone.”
Powerless to stop her, Carly was tugged along by the woman and toward the back of the bar, along the (now infamous) hallway, and into the bathroom.
Madison hadn’t said a word, not during their trudge through the throng or when they entered the small restroom. But the timid woman did peek under the doors shielding the toilets and, seeming to be appeased that they were alone, turned on Carly with a smile she’d never seen on her before.
“Great! We’re alone.” She grasped Carly’s hands in hers. “So how do you feel about being pregnant?”
Okay. That had been unexpected. She didn’t know Maddy all that well, but Maya adored the little lioness to distraction and often invited her along on shopping expeditions. She didn’t think they’d gotten to the point where private stuff was discussed.
“P-Pr-Pregnant? Me?” She sputtered. Maddy nodded. “I’m not… It’s impossible…” Her mind traveled back to the night they’d claimed each other. The Gaian Moon…the one night when furballs were especially fertile. She tugged her hands free of Maddy’s hold and covered her lower belly. “Really?”
“Yes.” The smaller woman nodded again, all bright smiles and shining eyes.
“But you didn’t know about Maya when she got pregnant. How can you be sure—“
Maddy sighed. “Because she was newly changed and I had no idea if what I was picking up from her was because of that or if she truly was pregnant.” She held up a hand. “Believe me, I’ve heard a ton about that from Prima.” She traced Carly’s arm until her palm rested over hers, the two of them cradling the small life in her womb. “Trust me. You’ve got a sweet little girl in there. Not sure if she’s bunny or lion, but she’s strong.”
Good god. A girl. Her girl. Neal’s girl. Their girl.
She paled, the blood deserting her face. “I’m not ready for this, Maddy. He’s not… He won’t be… I don’t think the mating is the same as everyone else’s.”
Maddy frowned. “Why would you think that? Mating is, well, mating. There are different types when it comes to shifters. But it’s still the same…you either are, or you aren’t.”
Carly shook her head, not willing to hope. The pride’s Sensitive had super powers, like sensing things about shifters, easing emotions and sorta reading minds, but she wasn’t sure if the position came with super knowledge, too. “No, I’m a rabbit, he’s a lion. How can the same things apply? He’s a man-whore.” Well, it was the truth. “I can’t think of touching another man, but what about him?”
“Before you, maybe. He was a total slut.” The other woman rolled her eyes. “Since he found you, he hasn’t touched anyone else. He hasn’t looked at anyone else. Lord, woman, be happy you’ve found a mate. Enjoy every minute.” A hint of vulnerability entered Maddy’s eyes, but the woman quickly blinked away the emotion and pressed a little harder on Carly’s lower stomach, drawing their attention back to her pregnancy. “Now, go share the news with the happy daddy and then take a few minutes to talk to him. He’ll tell you the same thing I have.”
Daddy. Good god. They were having a little kit. Someone who carried pieces of them both. A sweet little girl to cuddle and hold close. They’d share all of those tender moments, all of their daughter’s firsts…
Carly turned toward the door, but it opened before she could reach for the handle, and in strolled the blonde bimbo, Naomi. She was a pride familiar, a human who visited on the Gaian Moon in the hopes of getting pregnant, but that was about it.
The thin woman strolled in, all runway model gorgeous. “Did I hear something about happy news?” she purred, but the look in her eyes belied the smile on her lips. Hatred, pure and hot, bore into Carly. “Oh, darling, I heard about you mating with Neal. Congratulations.” That smile turned wicked, almost a sneer. “I’m sure your little one will get along famously with our children.”
She didn’t want to know. Didn’t. Really. Because, in her mind, this was his first. The girl was going to be his pride and joy and they’d go through all of the baby stuff together. She was selfish enough to have wanted theirs to be his first. She had conveniently forgotten about the Gaian Moon, the part Naomi played and how close she seemed to be to Neal. Pain snaked through her with every beat of her heart and it hurt to breathe.
“Your children?” She choked out the words.
Yes, Naomi was getting way too much enjoyment out of the situation. Her eyes sparkled with triumph, probably sensing her ache.
“Of course. We have three together. Elijah is three, Carson is two, and Ryan is just over six months. I thought he told you…” The woman waved a dismissing hand. “I suppose it doesn’t matter that I got to him first, does it?”
Carly didn’t listen any longer. She couldn’t. It was stupid and immature and dumb, but she was pissed and hurt and…she wanted to cry. Fuck, but she was naïve. No, she wasn’t a virgin. Not by a long shot. Gaian Moons existed for a reason, and she’d participated in her share every year, twice a year. That said, she’d never gotten pregnant. No…this was her first.
Her Disney happily-ever-after was crumbling just a little more. She wasn’t ready for this, not when it all hurt so much. She should have dumped her dreams a long time ago and focused on reality.
Carly brushed past Naomi and, once through the door, she leaned against the roughhewn wall, pressing the heel of her hand over her heart. She needed to get a hold on her emotions.
Within a second, Maddy was beside her, speaking softly into her ear. “Calm down, Carly. Deep breaths. It’s not good for the baby to get so upset. Don’t let Naomi get to you. She’s a jealous human bitch who wanted Neal to herself, and he’s yours.” The words surrounded her and she let the Sensitive woman work her magic. If Maddy were a wolf, she’d be labeled an Omega: able to soothe shifters with a word and a touch.
Carly definitely needed some soothing. Like, mad soothing.
“Take another breath. That’s it.”
She watched Naomi, the smirking beyotch, glide past them and back into the bar.
Maddy stiffened beside her and she felt her heart rate soar once again. “What?”
“Your big, bad lion just caught sight of Naomi and is heading this way. He does not look happy.”
She snorted. Couldn’t help it. “Probably thinks the cubs are out of the bag and is trying to get a jump on damage control.” She growled. “He should have told me. Fuck. Someone should have told me.” As soon as she got Neal to a nice, private place, she’d go crouching rabbit, hidden ‘super sharp teeth that gnaw through his achilles tendon’, bad ass.
Maddy stayed quiet. Smart lioness.
It didn’t take long for Neal to get to her side. “What’d she do?”
Carly snickered. “Maybe you should talk about what you did…Daddy.”
He stilled. “Fuck.”
She straightened, tilted her head back until she could look him in the eyes. Tall asshole.
“Yes, that’s what you did.” She poked him in the chest. “Convenient that we’ve known each other for six months, mated last night, and you didn’t bother to clue me in on the fact that you’ve got three kids. Interesting, ain’t it? At least, I thought so! You stupid ass-licking, butt-sniffing, litter box using asshole!” By the time she finished with her tirade, she’d begun punching him in the chest and he had the good grace to wince and back up with each strike. Not that she hurt him.
More’s the pity.
“Carly…” He held his hands up. “I was waiting for the right time.”
Carly snapped her teeth at him, wishing that she was more fierce that a just a little fuzzy bunny.
“Like when you first wrapped your arms around me, darlin’? Or when you took me home a few months ago, darlin’? Or when you came to me last night and claimed me, darlin’?” Yes, she knew she was probably more emotional because of her pregnancy, but that didn’t calm her one bit.
“Any time during all that you could have mentioned cubs. But, no, I had to hear it from her.” She spat the word, disgusted with even having to mention the skinny bitch. That woman had taken too much joy in announcing the existence of their children. Hurting her on purpose.
Before she could smack him again, he snagged her, hugged her close, and propped his chin on her head. “You’re right.” His chest rose and fell with his sigh. “I’m a coward. Totally. You were saving yourself for your mate, fighting the moon, and I’ve been a slave to it. You were already against me for being a ‘man-whore’. I didn’t want to add three more reasons for you to resist me even more. And my relationship with Naomi is permanent because of the little ones.” His lips brushed across her temple and she refused to melt against him. She wasn’t ready to forgive him. Yet. “You still don’t really believe I’m your mate. Still think I’m going to be unfaithful.” A single large finger tapped at her chin and she raised her face to stare into his. “But you’re it for me, Carly. My mate. My world. I sound like a pussy.” She wasn’t going to snicker. Really. “But I live for your smiles. I love you, baby. You don’t have to say it back; just know that I do.”
Neal really did take all the fun outta being mad.
Asshole.
And now she felt the sting of tears behind her eyes. With a huff, she thought of something else to be pissed about. “In a bar, Neal? A bar? ‘I love you’, here?”
He looked over her head and she heard him talking to the forgotten lioness. “Little help here, Maddy?”
The woman giggled and skirted past them. “You’re on your own, big guy. But, I will tell ya that she’s got a secret of her own. Maybe you should drag her out of here. I have a feeling you’ll need a bed. Soon.”
Alone. Relatively. Neal tightened his hold in a small hug. “So, gonna tell me?”
She could feel the tension strumming through his veins. “What if I don’t wanna?”
“Carly…” She could hear the threatening growl in his voice.
“I won’t be threatened by the big, bad lion, cowboy.”
“Fine. Please? Pretty please with whipped cream and me lapping at your pretty pussy for hours?”
Carly rolled her eyes. She was annoyed, but her rabbit was definitely interested in the whipped cream.
“Fine.” She huffed and put a tiny bit of space between them, stared right into his eyes and said, “I’m pregnant.”
*
Pregnant. Hot damn.
Oh. Damn.
Maddy had obviously told Carly about their cub and Naomi had swooped in and chatted about Elijah, Carson, and Ryan right after.
Bitch.
In all honesty, he hadn’t followed Carly’s tirade all that well, but now he understood everything that she’d screamed at him.
What the hell had he ever seen in the human woman? Sure, the moon had a fierce pull, but he should have tried to resist, should have waited for the woman who was now in his arms. Or, hell, picked a woman worth having.
Without hesitation, he leaned down and kissed Carly, stroking and teasing the seam of her lips until she opened for him and then he chased her taste. His mate was all surrender and sweetness. He savored every hint of her flavor, poured his love into the kiss and prayed that they could move past the confusion and hurt.
His cock throbbed in his jeans, begging to be released, aching to fill his mate. Not that he could get her any more pregnant than she already was, but he could give it the old college try.
Reluctant to release her, he slowed their tangle of tongues and broke the kiss with a last flick to her bottom lip. “Angel, I think Maddy’s right. We need to get out of here.”
“You’re happy, then?” A flush stole over her cheeks.
“More than you could imagine.” He cupped her cheek. “Lemme take you home and show you.”
“We’re gonna have to talk about things.”
He winced. Well, damn. He’d really hoped they could just skip over that part. “Yeah, Lucky. We will.”
Neal tugged her arms from around his waist and snagged her hand. Without another word, he wove through the bar, his mate right on his heels. A minute later, they pushed through the front door and into the night, the cool air enveloping them, and he took a deep breath, hoping it would dampen his need.
His mate was pregnant.
There was no doubt that he loved each of his children, but his mate was carrying his young. Unfamiliar protective instincts poured through him and the lion paced, both thrilled and agitated. It rejoiced in the impending birth, but clawed at the human side of him for bringing their mate out and making her vulnerable. It couldn’t protect her in the open, outside of their den.
Their feet crunched on the loose gravel, stones shifting beneath their shoes. The sounds of music lessened as they put distance between them and the building, quiet wrapping around them while they approached his truck.
Just as they reached the bumper of his vehicle, two soft thunks split the night air, and Neal recognized the sounds the moment they reached his ears. Someone was firing a gun with a silencer. Close. While the sound wasn’t like the crack of an unaltered gun, it was lessened by the modification, but nowhere near as silent as many believed.
He spun on his heels, yanked on Carly, and lowered her to the ground, his body hovering over hers. Another half-dozen shots split the darkness and then the rapid retreat over gravel split the night.
“Carly? Angel?”
His answer was a low moan.
Shit, fuck, damn, and growl.