Jealous Freakn’

Chapter Two

Francine couldn’t stop herself from gaping at the wrestling men. She still couldn’t quite grasp what happened. If I didn’t know better, I’d say Mitchell was jealous. Crazy, of course. He’d made it perfectly clear he didn’t think of her that way.

What didn’t surprise her was the way he’d yelled at her just like he would with his sister Naomi. A part of her wished she could dislike him. After all, look at the way he’d just treated her, and in front of the gorgeous looking stranger who rescued her. Heck, his reluctance to even be in the same room as her should have made kicking him to the curb a cinch. But, she couldn’t stop her heart from beating faster, and her cleft from moistening as she watched the two big men trading blows. If only they would get naked as they fought. Talk about real entertainment.

“Not even here two minutes and already causing trouble, I see,” her friend announced, coming down the steps, her belly leading the way. Behind Naomi strode Javier, his step light as he bounded over the rolling combatants, followed by Ethan, a giant of a man who could recite poetry one evening, and crush a whole team of lacrosse players the next. Naomi was such a lucky bitch.

Pursing her lips, Francine glared at the snarling men. “It was Mitchell who started it. I was just trying to say thanks to the guy who rescued me from the road after my car broke down when Mitchell got all bossy and then attacked him.”

“Hmmm.” Naomi peered at her brother pensively for a moment. “Interesting. I wonder what set him off?”

“He’s your brother. Since when does anybody in your family need a reason to fight?” Francine said dryly. She’d often joked they should hand helmets out at the door.

Naomi laughed. “True. But they’re usually better behaved when they come over. You know how Ethan gets when they upset me.”

Francine snorted. Naomi kept insisting she was a delicate freakn’ flower-Not!-and both her mates treated her like one. Ethan usually acted as the peacemaker-his huge fist acting as a deterrent to misbehavior-while Javier used his smooth tongue to ensure nothing disturbed her, not even her family. Again, luckiest skank alive.

“So who is the hottie anyway?” Francine asked, wincing as Mitchell bashed the biker’s head onto the ground. She then bit her lip as the tanned stranger head butted him back.

“That would be my baby brother, Alejandro,” Javier said with a shake of his head as he slid his arm around Naomi’s rounded middle. “And, as usual, he’s causing shit wherever he goes.”

“It wasn’t his fault,” Francine said in his defense. “Mitchell swung first.”

Javier chuckled. “They always swing first when Alejandro’s around, usually because he’s done or said something he shouldn’t.”

Remembering his innuendo, Francine couldn’t deny it. Even funnier, though, she’d enjoyed it.

The combatants rolled off the walkway, still trying to get the upper hand, onto the lawn. Their brawl brought them precariously close to a well-ordered cluster of blooms, hand planted by Naomi.

“Ethan, they’re going to crush my pretty flowers,” Naomi barked, more concerned about her garden than her brother’s now bleeding nose.

With a quirk of his lips, Naomi’s big teddy bear bent over, grabbed the fighters by the arms and yanked them apart. “Enough, or I’ll beat you both,” he rumbled.

Few people were stupid enough to mess with a Kodiak bear, and these two, despite their heated blood, were no exception. Mitchell stumbled to his feet with a glower while Alejandro lay there with a grin and messy hair that made him even sexier. “But we were just getting to know each other.”

Mitchell growled. His fists, clenched at his side, turned almost white in direct contrast to his bright red, extremely annoyed expression.

“Stop pissing off Naomi’s brother or I’ll let Ethan have a go at you,” Javier warned.

“I could use the exercise,” added the bear with a vicious smile that made more than one lacrosse player on the floor run the other way.

Alejandro laughed before springing to his feet. Ignoring a still bristling Mitchell, he headed to Naomi, enveloping her in a gentle hug. “Naomi, my sweet sister-in-law, you look more gorgeous each time I see you. If you weren’t already taken…”

“Yes, I know, we’d fuck like wild animals until the next cutie caught your eye.”

“Ah, but we’d have so much fun until that happened,” he said with a wink.

While Francine found their byplay entertaining, her wolf, for some reason, didn’t, and growled in her head.

Thankfully, she didn’t have to listen to her bitch’s weird pms-ing for long as Javier yanked Alejandro from Naomi’s arms. Javier squeezed him in a hug and said in a low tone, not low enough for shifter ears to miss, “Grab her ass again, and I’ll cut off your hand.”

“Brother, you wound me,” Alejandro replied, hugging his older sibling back before escaping.

“Not as much as I will,” Ethan announced in a cheerful voice. Alejandro blanched a bit, but shook the bear’s hand, grunting when Ethan snagged him in a bear hug.

When he released him, Alejandro looked red in the face as his chest heaved for air.

Naomi laughed. “Javier, you and your brothers almost make my family look normal.”

“God forbid,” her mate replied, rolling his eyes. “I guess I should introduce everyone starting with the little trouble maker here. This is Alejandro, my youngest and most annoying brother.” Facing his brother he said, “The guy who is trying to kill you with his gaze is Naomi’s brother, Mitchell. And the redhead you somehow kidnapped on your way in is Naomi’s best friend, which means off limits, Francine.”

Francine could only sputter. “Javier!”

“What? I’m just making things clear now because I’d hate to have to kick his ass later.”

“Such a good husband,” Naomi purred, patting his arm. “He knows which side of his bread to butter.”

Francine could only roll her eyes as her best friend and her mate gazed at each other sappily. When they exchanged a smooch, she put a finger in her mouth and pretended to gag, which made Alejandro chuckle while Mitchell just frowned. Spoilsport.

“Francine, is that the name of the vision of loveliness I found languishing on the road?” Alejandro threw himself on a knee in front of Francine who blushed as he continued to wax poetic. “It was such an honor and a pleasure for me to be able to aide you in continuing your journey. Might I say, you can ride with me anytime?” He waggled his brows and gave her a suggestive grin that caused her to blush, giggle-and wet herself in a naughty spot all at once.

“A pleasure,” she murmured, letting him grab her hand and kiss it. The tip of his tongue on her skin along with his lips made her breath catch, and butterflies spontaneously came to life in her tummy. She snatched her hand back, her cheeks heating at the reaction of her body, a reaction that didn’t go unnoticed.

Snorting, Mitchell stalked off, muttering, “You’ve got to be freakn’ kidding me. Who the fuck falls for that shit?”

Watching him go, Francine couldn’t stop her sigh of disappointment.

“What is it, baby? Don’t tell me you’re sorry to see that stick in the mud go?”

“That uptight stick is my mate, or will be once he lets himself unbend enough to see it,” she retorted.

With an incredulous look, Alejandro looked at Mitchell’s retreating form then back at her. “He’s an idiot if he can’t see what a prize you are.”

“The idiot gene runs in the family. I should know,” snorted Naomi. “Now, can we go inside? My back is killing me and I want to open presents.”

Francine lingered for a moment, watching the direction Mitchell disappeared in, wondering what it would take to make him claim her. Did his wolf not get agitated whenever they met? Of course, they’d not seen each other in years, through no fault of her own. That man knew how to freakn’ run and hide. But still, seeing him again, all delicious six-foot-three inches of him, her bitch went haywire, her heart sped up, and a tingle swept through her body.

Which, oddly enough, also happened when I met Alejandro. Could she have mistaken the mating urge all these years with pure and simple lust? But no, she’d known desire before, and it didn’t make her want to throw her self-respect to the wind and chase after him so she could tackle his lanky frame and tear off his clothes.

She would have pondered it some more, but she found herself grabbed and thrown over a shoulder, a wide one.

“Um, Ethan, wrong woman.”

“Naomi said to carry your mooning ass inside.”

“I’m sure she didn’t mean that literally.”

“She’s pregnant and extremely hormonal. I’m not taking chances.”

“I heard that!” Naomi hollered.

“See,” Ethan whispered.

A giggle escaped Francine. Some people might have called her nuts for wanting to belong to this family, but personally, she couldn’t imagine anything more awesome, even if most family dinners required a person to wear a helmet and padding for protection. Still, despite the violent tendencies, the love they all had for each other more than made up for it.

Alejandro hit the bathroom first to wash the dust and blood off his face before he grabbed a beer. He needed the bitter brew to help him assimilate what had just happened. Chugging it, though, didn’t give him enough time to wonder why the little redhead he’d picked up on his way made his cat purr. Or why he wanted to beat the hell out of that upstart wolf-and still did. It especially didn’t answer why he wanted to commit suicide by launching himself at Ethan, who carried the little firecracker inside.

Thankfully, he stayed alive, managing to curb his impulse to attack the giant Kodiak when he set Francine down. However, it did nothing to curb the interest of his cat, who prowled in his mind, suggesting he get closer to her for a sniff.

But despite her allure, he needed to stay away. After all, he was simply a guest here for a short time while the troubles back home calmed. Entertaining himself with her, while fun, probably wasn’t worth the hassle because the lady in question was spoken for, kind of. Not that he cared what that arrogant idiot Mitchell thought. It was his sister-in-law, Naomi, that scared him. If he hurt her best friend, chances were he’d end up missing a body part or two.

However, deciding to give Francine a wide berth and doing so proved two completely different things. As if he owned no control over his own body, he found himself immediately going to stand behind her when she sank onto Naomi’s couch beside an older woman. She ignored him, and miffed at the unusualness of it, he did the same back, perusing the crowd in the room.

Alejandro didn’t know most of the people, having only visited once before on a stopover. He’d gotten to know Naomi when Javier brought her home to show off to his family. The visit ended up vastly entertaining as Javier-his older, lusty brother-showed a possessive streak none of them ever encountered before. It made their flirting with his mate so much fun, until Naomi put a stop to it, her grip on Miguel’s balls leaving him squeaking for days as she explained that while she found it funny how they taunted Javier, if they touched her again, she’d rip them off. Somehow, they didn’t doubt her ability to do so.

What a woman, even if she’s not my type. He preferred not to worry about getting hurt when he slept with a woman. His gaze dropped to the top of Francine’s head. He couldn’t see the little firecracker hurting a fly.

Sliding into the vacated spot beside Francine, he couldn’t stop the jolt of awareness that made his body flare to life as his thigh brushed hers. A sharp inhalation of her breath told him she felt it too. She turned startled eyes his way and he grinned, enjoying the blush that crept into her freckled cheeks.

While not gorgeous by model standards, he couldn’t deny her girl next door appeal. Wild-haired, bright-eyed, and with lips that could only improve if they wrapped around his cock, she owned a set of curves begging for a man’s touch. What an idiot that Mitchell was for not claiming her. I could bite her and steal her out from under him, then the little wolf would belong to me. He almost recoiled from her when his thoughts veered into that unknown territory. Alejandro did not claim women. Flirt with them, fuck them, and make them cry as he left, yes, but mark one to keep as his own? Why bind himself to one when he could enjoy a variety?

It occurred to him that the challenge she posed with her I’m-taken-but-not stance probably made her appealing. Anything else was just foolish, or caused by a lack of sleep. He’d needed to put as many miles as possible between him and a certain situation he fled.

“Are you going to stare at me all night, or are you mentally conversing with aliens?” she asked, breaking his inner train of thought.

He recovered quickly. “Just wondering how that overgrown dog hasn’t recognized what a gem you are?”

Again, that beautiful blush colored her cheeks. “Mitchell has issues with seeing me as something other than a sister. Naomi and I have been hanging out since we were babies. Apparently, that makes getting with me gross.”

“I’d say he’s a moron if he hasn’t noticed you’ve grown up, and might I say, nicely.” He flashed her the hundred watt grin that dropped panties wherever he went.

Hers stayed intact. A snort escaped her. “My God, are you always like this?”

“Like what? Charming and handsome?”

“Conceited and flirty.”

“Now you wound me,” he said, clasping her hand and pressing it to his chest. Again, a jolt went through him and his heart rate increased.

“I doubt it,” she replied, but her eyes remained locked to his and she didn’t pull away.

“Alejandro, stop flirting with my brother’s almost mate and come over here to meet my family.” With regret, he let go of her hand, and she ducked her head as he stood. Thank God my leather pants are tight, he thought as he made sure his untucked t-shirt hung over his groin, further hiding his semi-erection.

I really need to get laid if a simple conversation at a baby shower is making me horny. He usually enjoyed better self-control.

Linking her arm in his, Naomi dragged him around, introducing him to folks scattered around the room. He shook hands with several of her brothers, none of whom gave him an urge to punch their lights out like the annoying Mitchell. He met her uncomfortable-looking father, Geoffrey, and several aunts and cousins. He fawned over Naomi’s mother’s hand, which made the older woman laugh and her husband glare. By the time they’d come full circle, his head spun with names and faces, the place packed with shifters. Judging by the tic on Ethan’s face, he recognized the possibility of an explosion with so many animals in one place. And everyone knew how Naomi disliked chaos in her house.

This could get interesting, but not as interesting as the round ass he caught a glimpse of, bent over and straining the fabric covering it, as Francine began to hand Naomi the gifts.

Maybe he acted a little hastily in deciding to not pursue the little firecracker. Perhaps she wouldn’t find herself averse to a little strings-free fun. He’d just have to make sure Naomi and her mates didn’t find out. Sneaky sex in other words. God, that made the prospect even more exciting. But how to get her alone?

He trusted fate, and his usual luck with women, would see him getting to know the feisty redhead better, make that naked and sweaty.

Annoyed, but unable to figure out the exact cause, Mitchell stalked home and flopped full length on his parents’ couch, trying not to feel like such a coward for fleeing. For years it became second nature to avoid Francine, but tonight, actually seeing her, smelling her for the first time since their teen years, he discovered something he never expected. She’s hot! Actually, more than hot; sexy, curvy and with an enticing aroma that made him want to sink to his knees and bay at her like he’d worship the moon.

It seemed almost sick to think it. Little pig-tailed Francine, pain in his ass, with her shrill voice, raucous ways, and determined chasing, had gone from annoying pest to luscious beauty. Even closing his eyes, he couldn’t erase the sight of her from his mind, but in his mental vision, she wore nothing, just some freckles begging that he count them with his lips.

Cock hardening, he jumped up from the couch and paced. Wrong, so wrong. A temporary aberration because he’d not shagged anyone in a while. He’d rectify that problem ASAP because no matter what his prick thought, Francine was off limits. And as for his wolf’s interest, it probably stemmed from a desire to protect her from that suave Casanova sniffing around her. Of course, some might have seen his outburst as jealousy, but Mitchell knew better. He’d have done the same thing for Naomi. But Francine is a grown woman, his mind slyly reminded. She can date whoever she wants. Mitchell growled and his fist lashed out to connect with the tough wood paneling installed years ago at their mother’s behest because she’d tired of the holes in the plaster.

Obviously needing to vent, he headed to the basement gym and the sorry-looking punching bag, duct taped because of the abuse suffered over the years. It was while he pummeled the inanimate object into submission that he realized something. If Francine’s car was broken down, how would she get home?

Whacking at the heavy bag, he tried to convince himself that Naomi would get one of her mates or cousins to take Francine back. But the more he tried to tell himself that, the more he couldn’t help picturing Javier’s brother with Francine’s arms wrapped around him as they took off on that death trap of his. Not on his watch, they wouldn’t.

Quickly, he showered, dressed, then drove down the road and parked, waiting for Francine to emerge, too chicken to go inside where he just knew the whole family, namely his mother and Naomi, would watch him with arched brows. He told himself as he sat waiting that he did this for her own safety. He wouldn’t want his sister riding with a stranger at night with no helmet.

But even as he kept saying that to himself, he couldn’t help hearing maniacal laughter and a mocking chant in his head. Liar, liar, pants on fire. What a shame he couldn’t punch himself. Aw well, maybe if he got lucky, he’d get the chance to punch someone else.