By the Tail

Chapter Six

Miles Bermin ran a weary hand through his hair. Damn, he was tired. Tired of flying to New York because Jerome Stanton couldn’t understand what condensed distribution meant after three times of explaining it to him. Tired of darting to Cougar Falls every five seconds because Stacey needed financial help, and God forbid she explain herself in person. Though to be fair, expanding their line on the West Coast and in Montana did need a bit of finessing. But Stacey acting so demanding annoyed him to no end. As did his future brother-in-law.

Especially since the last time he’d been in Cougar Falls seeking investors, Miles’s hair had been blue. Fucking Dean Chastell and his stupid pranks. Jesus, Miles needed a break from Cougar Falls already. He’d learned to tolerate Burke, but the other males… His head throbbed. At least Melissa and Amy seemed to be thriving in the far north.

His taxi pulled into a section of drive not blocked by the security gate. Miles left the cab, accepted his bags from the trunk and paid the driver, including a generous tip for the man’s blessed silence on the way home from the airport. His house sat just down the road from the pride’s estate—Michael’s house. He refused to consider it Quince’s.

After inputting the code, he waited until the gates opened, then strode through and up the drive. He didn’t mind the walk. He needed it to clear his head. He hated being cooped up in airplanes. Maybe it was time to invest in a private jet. But that would mean more time away from home.

He sighed with indecision and let himself inside, not surprised to find a layer of dust on everything. Time to call the cleaning service again. Like most of the others in the pride, Miles used an in-house service as often as possible. Supporting the pride financially made sense. He’d call the Lorenz sisters tomorrow.

After tossing his coat and briefcase on the couch and leaving his bags behind, he decided to stop putting off the inevitable and checked his personal cell phone messages. As usual, nothing from Joy, even though he’d left her six messages since last week. At this rate, she was neck-and-neck with Stacey for most annoying sibling of the year.

He swore to himself then paused at the next message on his phone. Alissa Roberto? Hell, he hadn’t talked to her in months, not since the last time he’d shot her down. He wasn’t looking for a quick hook-up with a woman whose ego rivaled his own. He knew his worth, and he would pick and choose his mate on his terms. Not that he was interested in mating, not yet.

He figured at some point he’d feel the urge, but he had too damn many things to do to spend time with just one woman on a regular basis. Sex was all well and good, but he could get that easily enough. At the thought, he wondered if Willow was currently unattached. A pretty cat with a good head on her shoulders, she never asked for more than he wanted to give. Like him, she didn’t want to settle down. Just a bit of fun every now and then.

Miles listened to Alissa’s message with half an ear, not intending to call her back or get together with her, until she mentioned how Quince had been hounding his little sister. How the man continued to stalk her, going so far as to force her to spend time with him, or else.

“Or else what, motherfucker?” Miles set down the phone and stalked to his side bar. After pouring himself a straight vodka, he downed it in one gulp. Not sure if he should deal with Quince now or later, he decided to give himself a break. Joy could handle herself, for the most part. After a good night’s sleep, he’d find the bastard who’d made his family’s life a living hell the past few months. Then he’d pound some sense into him. And if Quince thought about running Joy or any other Bermin into the ground, Miles would gladly disabuse him of the notion.

Quince drove them back to the pride’s estate the next evening in the best mood he’d been in ages. Talk about a hell of a party. He and Joy had spent quality time together. He’d once again explained how everything had gone down with Lex, and this time she acted as though she believed him. Even better, she’d willingly shared stories of her time in Cougar Falls with him.

But even knowing that she and Dean Chastell had never fooled around, he still wanted to beat the smooth-talking cat to a pulp. Then again, the poor guy was stuck with Stacey for life. Punishment served.

“What’s that smirk for?” Joy asked. Her hand lay on his thigh as he drove. Since they’d made love that first time, they hadn’t stopped touching each other. As if worried this new, fragile peace between them might be severed, he kept in physical contact. And she accepted it.

“Oh, just thinking about Dean…and your sister. Such a perfect pair.”

“I know, right?” Joy chuckled. “I’m not sure which one of them they consider prettier.”

He grinned.

“Amy and Melissa are doing fine up there. I’m just worried about the wolf rumors.”

“Oh?”

“I think the dogs are taking a look at my sisters. Man. Can you imagine wolves as family?”

He gave a mock shudder. “Thank you, no. My dealings with Monty GrayClaw were enough to scare me for life. How the hell is a wolf in a pride, anyway? Cougar Falls is a weird place.”

“True.”

The closest wolf order to Miami was in Texas, a place Quince had no inclination to visit. Ever. If he wanted sun and sand, he had plenty of it in Miami. And no thick drawls, thuggish canines or ten-gallon hats to contend with.

“So what now?” he asked, loath to bring it up, but not wanting any misunderstandings. He’d have confessed his love earlier if he hadn’t thought he might completely freak her out. Mating was one thing. Animal spirits and humans in tune with the whole package. She hadn’t seemed to overly care about his cat wanting her, since it was a biological imperative she would have as well. But that freaky emotion—love—tended to alarm even the most stalwart of felines. It made them vulnerable. If he hadn’t had years to adjust to the idea, he might have been terrorized himself.

“What do you mean, ‘What now’?” she asked.

“Don’t give me that look. I’m done playing.”

Her soft mew of disappointment had him fighting a grin.

“Okay, fine,” she sighed. “I guess this—you know, our going at it like cats in heat—qualifies as serious dating.”

“Monogamous dating. Just you and me. No other males.”

“Or females,” she added with bite. “Especially not Alissa friggin’ Whoreberto.”

He laughed. “Catty much?”

“Shut up.”

“Whoreberto.” He chuckled. “She’s been a thorn in my side for years.” The woman refused to understand he wanted nothing to do with her. She was cold, wanting only to use him for whatever she could wring out of him before she’d no doubt cut him off when he’d served his purpose. He’d seen her do it time and time again to the men in the pride. Jace had been brave enough to dip his toe in the water once. According to him, the woman gave a mean blowjob. But Quince wasn’t desperate enough to put his dick anywhere near Alissa’s mouth.

“She’s done bothering you. I promise.”

“Now don’t go starting trouble.” What am I saying? The woman’s middle name is Trouble. That’s like asking her to stop breathing. “I mean, just think about the harm you could do with the females in the pride. They look up to you, even the ones counting Alissa as a friend.” He’d been impressed with the headway Joy had made in the little time she’d been appointed Liaison.

“Yeah, well. She brings it, I’ll finish it.”

He fought down a smirk at her possessive tone. His cat loved her jealousy. But he also knew showing his satisfaction would be a sure way to piss the woman off. The trick to handling Joy was to act unconcerned until he wanted something. Then he had to act the opposite to get what he wanted. He’d studied the contrary woman enough to know that she’d step into a trap just to spite an opponent.

They continued to tease each other the rest of the short trip back. Since she still wore her sexy pajamas, he needed to swing by her house to pick up a change of clothes for her. And maybe, if he were lucky, they’d spend some quality time together in his comfortable bed for once. He hadn’t mentioned their living arrangement yet, but he wanted her spending her nights with him. And he wanted everyone to know it.

Except when he pulled into her driveway and keyed the remote to open the garage, he saw a familiar car parked in front of her house. Quince stopped the SUV, not yet ready to have his perfect time with Joy ruined.

She glanced at the car as well, and they watched together as the driver side door of a sports car worth five of Quince’s SUV opened. Miles unfolded from the seat, dressed in trousers and a silk tee-shirt—his war wear. To say he looked less than pleased to see Quince’s SUV in the driveway was an understatement.

“Shit,” Quince and Joy swore at the same time. They glanced at each other and snickered.

“I’ll handle this one,” Joy said.

“You sure? I don’t want him giving you a hard time. You know how he feels about me,” he ended brusquely, still bothered that his best friend didn’t seem to know the real him. How the fuck could Miles believe Quince had ever tried to hurt Michael?

Joy’s eyes softened. “He’s stubborn. You know Miles. He digs in his heels, especially when he thinks he might be mistaken. I think the world might end if Miles ever admitted he was in the wrong.”

“You got that right.” He covered her hand, still on his thigh, and squeezed it. “You handle him however you need to. But I won’t let him take his dislike of me out on you.”

She squeezed his hand back, then left the SUV. Quince knew the shit would really hit the fan once Miles took a good look at Joy’s clothing. Or lack of clothing. Though the boy shorts and tank might be able to pass as thin casual wear, maybe, it seemed too obvious to Quince that Joy had just been fucked seven ways from Sunday.

He couldn’t forget their merged scents, or the fact that for just a moment, Joy had initiated what felt like the beginning of a true bonding.

“Well, look at this.” Miles opened his eyes wide with mock surprise as he stopped a few feet away from Joy. “My dearest sister wearing next to nothing. Is this what you’re considering for our new junior line?”

Quince left the vehicle to stand behind Joy, at her back.

The frost descending over Miles’s face was almost visible to the naked eye. Light green eyes flashed with loathing as he scowled at Quince. “Slumming, honey?” he sneered. “I know your taste in men is deplorable, but even you can do better than this.”

“Excuse me? Even I can do better than this? What the hell does that mean?” Joy planted her hands on her hips, her tone one Quince knew to steer clear of. If Miles possessed an iota of sense, he’d back away and return later for a confrontation. Joy in a rage might turn Quince on, but the woman was lethal. Her brother should know better.

Miles gave him a contemptuous onceover. “Please. It’s obvious. This cat isn’t worth your time. He’s gutter trash. Come on. We’re going home.”

Quince would have loved nothing better than to give Miles that fist in the mouth he seemed to be begging for, until he realized what a blessing this might turn out to be. Miles telling Joy not to date Quince. It was like a higher power coming down to order Joy to love him forever. At this rate, he and Joy might be mates by tomorrow.

He could scent the musk of rage settling over her, a deep perfume that turned him inside out and always had, and had to stifle the wide-ass grin threatening to overtake his face.

She fired back at her brother, “You know what, Miles? You can go fuck yourself. I’m happy here. And I’m happy with Quince.”

His cat sneered at Miles, needing more taunting, more play, to set off this potential obstacle to mating Joy. Although Quince liked finally getting one over on his old friend, a part of him mourned that it had come to this. Why the hell had Miles believed—continued to believe—such bad things about him?

“Please. You’re happy with what? A pride leader who’s not as bad as Lex used to be? I understand you’re glad to be home. I admit, I’m not a fan of Montana. Or those Chastells,” Miles muttered.

Quince decided to stir the pot. “I don’t know. Personally, I kind of liked Dean.”

Joy crossed her arms over her chest. “Yeah. He and Grady are like the brothers I wish I had.”

Miles’s eyes narrowed. Score a hit for Joy. “Too bad. I’m the only brother you have down here. Your only family.” He took a step forward.

Quince wanted to let Joy handle him, but he couldn’t deny his instinct to protect. He stepped to meet Miles, putting Joy behind him. “Back off. You won’t hurt her.” Not while I’m still breathing.

Miles gaped. “You’re protecting her from me? I’m not the one who tried to kill her!”

“Yeah, well neither is he,” Joy defended him, bringing warmth to the cold spots in his soul. “He did what he had to for the pride. Michael wanted him to do it. Quince saved us. More than a few times.”

“You can’t believe his shit?”

“Why not? You believe all the lies told about him. I did for a while too. But Miles, things are different now. There’s no king of the mountain here.” Joy tried to reach out to her brother, but Miles wasn’t in the mood.

He stepped back from Quince and snarled.

Quince reached for Joy’s hand behind him. “Let it go. He’s not ready to listen.”

She came to stand next to him.

Miles stared at their clasped hands, and his face went blank. “So you’re choosing him over your own brother? He’s a liar and a cheat.”

“Miles, you’re wrong,” she said softly.

His eyes gleamed, an enraged panther staring out at them. At Quince. “I hope to hell I am, Joy. You’re a grown woman, so you keep telling me. Fine. Do whatever you think you need to. But I’ll be here when he fucks you over. That’s what Quince is good at. Playing the part of a friend until he stabs you in the back.”

Quince shook his head. “What the hell is your problem? What did I ever do to you to make you act like this?”

“Save it.” Miles stepped closer, until he stood a foot from Quince. Close enough to reach out and throttle. “You hurt my sister, you even blink at her wrong, and I’ll be right here. Ready to turn your world upside-down. I’ll take you out, Quince. Just like you took out Michael.”

Then Miles turned on his heel and strode back to his car. He tore away from the house in a screech of tires, and Quince and Joy watched him leave in silence.

When Quince turned back around, he saw Joy looking at him. He’d been making such progress. Miles warning her off had been a good thing. But acting the defensive big brother, bringing up Michael yet again. Had he ruined Quince’s recent strides?

“So.” Joy just stared at him.

“So.”

“Should I pack, or are we spending the night here?”

He blinked at her, then grinned with relief. “I was thinking we could try out your bed first. Then compare it to mine later.”

“Hmm. Okay.” With a grin and a whoop, she raced into the garage.

He took his time, determined to make every moment last.

Joy woke the next morning in her bed, a heavy arm across her middle holding her down. She carefully lifted his arm and settled it on the spot she vacated. Quince frowned, looking softer, but no less masculine, in sleep. He spread his fingers on the bed and shifted his hand, as if searching for something.

For me. She didn’t doubt he desired her. And after all their talking and time spent together, she tended to believe he didn’t want her sisters or a connection to Miles, at least, not through her.

She leaned down and kissed him on the cheek. “Shh. I’m here.”

His frown eased, and he sighed into the pillow, still asleep.

From what he’d said, he needed it. Quince had been cleaning up Lex’s messes for months. Now that he had the resources and the leadership he’d needed to finish fixing the problems in the pride, he could tackle the issues head-on.

He wouldn’t have left Miami to drag her back with him unless he meant everything he’d said. Quince wanted her. He could easily have tried to persuade Amy or Melissa to return with him. They liked him. But he hadn’t even said “boo” to either of her sisters.

She entered her bathroom and took care of her morning needs. After a hasty shower, she dressed in casual shorts and a tee-shirt and moved into the kitchen to cook them breakfast.

“Damn. I’m becoming a domesticated cat,” she muttered and grinned at herself. She was way too pleased about life lately, and it had to do with that big-ass man in her bed.

Her cat purred, and she let it, knowing the feline deserved the pleasure. After making a quick phone call to see a doctor—because it was past time for birth control—she fixed some eggs and bacon, then brewed a pot of coffee.

They’d have to return to reality today. Joy sighed, wishing they could spend more time together, dating, just the two of them. Screw Alissa and the rest of the females still posturing to become Quince’s arm candy. As pride leader, he now commanded even more attention than he’d had as Michael’s head lieutenant. Like Jace and Ellis now, Quince had been a problem solver in the pride, concerned with an area of southern territory. The pride normally had three lieutenants to watch over the group, but after Lex, it seemed they now had just two. She herself had her hands full simply addressing the female needs among her kind.

Normally, marriage had to be approved by the pride leader. Mating and breeding occurred organically between Ac-taw. But marriage was a legal commitment in the eyes of the public, and Michael had often demanded those in want of legal ties to state their case before him. The females—Joy included—used to appreciate the sentiment. Mostly because Michael would thoroughly vet the males under scrutiny before allowing them to marry. Females were to be protected, treasured and deserved a steady, loving male.

Then Lex had come with his demands, raping and pillaging, taking whatever the hell he wanted. Females lost all rights. It was no wonder they were hesitant to trust again, even though most of them loved having Quince in charge.

“Do you want to rule the pride?” she’d asked him.

“Actually, I don’t,” he’d responded.

What the hell did that mean? And why wouldn’t he want to take charge after he’d fought so hard to make a difference? She had questions to ask him, but she didn’t want to rush him. Now that he’d seemed to ease into being with her, she wanted to sate herself on sex. To get under his skin and poke and prod at his secrets. Once she had the answers her way, then she’d think about where her resurging feelings and their relationship might take them. Because her friggin’ cat wanted nothing more than to get pregnant and take him as mate.

The thought of babies made her shiver. She had no intention of missing her doctor appointment later that afternoon. Take that, feline.

“Hey. Is that bacon?” Quince entered the kitchen yawning, his eyes sleepy, his face smooth. He scratched his bare chest, the fine male dressed only in a pair of jeans.

Her mouth watered, and she had to force herself to concentrate on the bacon. A sizzle of grease spattered onto her hand, and she jerked it away. “Damn.”

“Hey, easy.” Quince pulled her back and took the pan off the burner. Then he kissed the spot where she’d been burned.

She literally quivered, confused at how much she wanted more from this man. God. Amazing sex was one thing, but this desire to mate, breed and live happily ever after scared the crap out of her.

Quince smiled into her eyes. “Better now?”

“Yeah,” she croaked and tugged her hand back.

He slapped her on the ass. “Good. Now quit screwing around and feed me, woman. You wore me out last night.”

She glared at him, doing her best not to laugh at the arrogant feline now lazing at her kitchen table. He looked so damn cute with his hair sticking up, his eyes still sleepy.

He blinked at her. “Joy is great.”

She didn’t know how to respond to that without hugging him.

“At making bacon,” he added with a smirk. He dodged the tongs she tossed at him and made a sad face. “Joy is great…at pouring her man some coffee?” he asked hopefully.

She let out a put-upon sigh but grinned as she fetched him a cup. When she took it to him, she paused before handing it over. “Don’t get used to this. I’m simply rewarding you for that nice work you did last night.”

“Yes, dear.” He reached for the cup.

Their hands met and their eyes locked. The pleasure radiating in his entire being couldn’t be ignored. Nor could hers.

He took the cup to his lips and drank, never looking away from her. “Ah. Joy is great.”

A great big pushover, she muttered to herself even as she danced away to finish making him breakfast.

“You know,” Quinn said, “when you sleep over at my place, I make a mean omelet and coffee, and I promise a full body massage at your leisure.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. But that’s after I get to make love to you for hours the night before. Just sayin’, so you know what to expect tonight and tomorrow.” And the night after that, his satisfied smile told her.

She couldn’t find it in herself to argue what she wanted too. “Hmm. Well, as long as it’s full service, I guess I can agree to that.” She paused. “Only if I can rub it in Alissa’s face that I’m fucking you and she’s not.”

He choked and spattered coffee all over his chest, then stood to reach for a towel to dry himself off. “Damn, woman. Nice mouth.”

She smirked at his blatant erection, once again pleased to have the upper hand. “I know.”

He only groaned and sat back down. “I don’t suppose we have time for a little fun in your bed before my morning meeting?” At her look, he sighed. “I didn’t think so. But tonight, I promise, you’ll make it up to me.”

“Oh I will, will I?”

His leer should have annoyed her. Instead, his interest complimented her abilities as a woman. As a mate, her cat reminded her.

“Hell, yeah, you will.” He cleared his throat. “And uh, we haven’t exactly talked about it, but, well…”

“Spit it out, Quince.”

“You taking any birth control? Not that I wouldn’t mind having cubs with you, but this is kind of soon for it, you know?”

She grew warm and fuzzy thinking about kids with Quince. “You could always wear a condom.”

He groaned in misery. “If I could think past getting inside you, maybe. But I get near you and all I can think about is sucking those tits and shoving hard up into that fine pussy.” He grinned at her blush. “Yeah, you know it’s true.”

“Okay, okay. As a matter of fact, I already set up an appointment for today. By tonight, I’ll be good to go.” A pride doctor would alleviate her worries. Special birth control would protect her from conceiving right away.

“Good.” He blew out a breath. “Because if you don’t get that shot, I’m afraid I’m going to knock you up sooner than later. And I won’t be sorry about it at all.”

She didn’t know how to respond to that. “So you want bacon and eggs then?”

“Sure.” He ran a hand through his hair, and she turned so that she wouldn’t see that bunched strength in his arms and be tempted to give him a quickie for breakfast. “Make that a pound of bacon. Because it’s either I eat this, or I eat you. And I won’t stop until I fill you up again.”

She glanced over at him and saw his cat staring at her hungrily from Quince’s golden eyes. “Right.” She cleared her throat. “Dead pig coming right up.”

No babies on the menu this morning.

Not yet, her cat corrected. But soon.