Outfoxed

Chapter Seven

The next day, Gabby made sure to get Grady’s schedule by hinting to Rachel she might need his help fixing up her place. Since she knew Grady and his sister-in-law were thick as thieves, it figured Rachel would do whatever she could to help Grady win her over. Yet she didn’t get the sense Rachel knew about Dean and Joy.

Doused in a chemical compound to dull her scent—one she’d found, ironically, from a source her mother used when she’d go to visit her father—Gabby didn’t worry about being outted as Grady’s mate. Not only had the bastard lied to her, he’d mated her without asking. Okay, so she’d wanted him. Still, he should have asked before scent-marking her.

She completely ignored the fact she’d claimed him first.

She sat with Miles at the table in the dining room of the main house. Everyone else had already eaten and gone out, though she thought she heard a few of Miles’s sisters in the kitchen. Grady had yet to return from Whitefish, which made it difficult to rub his nose in her new relationship. Gabby turned to Miles and murmured, “Don’t overdo it.”

“Darling, I’m as good out of bed as I am in it, don’t you worry.” His green eyes sparkled with amusement. He draped an arm around her chair and blew into her ear. “He’s at the door right now. And I guarantee he wants to shove this arm I have around your shoulders somewhere very inappropriate up my person.”

She chuckled, as he’d no doubt meant her to, and turned at the roar that followed.

Accompanied by surprised shouts, a struggle and several men to hold Grady back, Grady’s shout of fury satisfied her inner bitch. Good. Let him feel an inkling of what she’d been through. Sheer, unadulterated rage, and a crap load of hurt, because thinking he hadn’t loved her had nearly brought her to her knees.

Apparently not even a silver fox, a cat and a gray wolf could bring Grady to his knees. His rage was a thing of beauty. Not because she took immense gratification from his show of emotions—though she did—but because Grady Chastell did angry better than anyone she’d ever seen. His eyes gleamed like gold, his muscles strained and bulged, and his scent made the entire room smell like heaven covered in chocolate and drizzled in caramel sauce. Positively yummy.

“Fuck it all, cat. Settle down. What the hell crawled up your ass to pitch a fit?” Monty ducked a fist and growled at her brother-in-law. “Ty, man up and hold him down.”

“Shut up, Monty,” Ty growled back. “Dean, his legs. He kicks my nuts, I’m kicking yours. Grady, what the hell?”

“Problem, Grady?” Miles asked cheerily and rubbed her shoulder. “We saved you some dinner. Don’t get all hissy about it.”

Grady nearly tore free before Burke darted from the study and intervened. It took four of them to drag Grady outside.

“Holy crap. What’d I miss?” Amy asked. She, Joy and Melissa stood stock-still just inside the dining room, glued to the byplay outside the front door.

“Just like I was telling you,” Miles said to them, disdain clear in his frosty tone. “Grady Chastell is as lowborn as they come.” He raised his voice to amend, “No offense Burke.”

“None taken,” Burke yelled back before lowering his voice. “Stubborn bastard, quit swinging.”

Gabby could hear the muffled swearing and grunting outside. A pinprick of guilt pierced her heart before she recalled how sweet Grady had been to her that night she’d tried to protect him from Joy and Dean. How she’d given him her sympathy…and an orgasm. The sexy liar.

She hardened her resolve to teach the tomcat a lesson and swung her gaze to another guilty party. Joy. “I’m sorry you had to see that,” she said gently, then blinked, wide-eyed, feigning innocence. “I mean, I’m sorry all of you had to see that. Grady’s usually very nice.”

Miles played his part to a T. “Why’d you direct that at Joy?”

When she didn’t answer, he turned her cheek to face him. “Gabby, what’s going on?”

Aware of her fascinated audience, she lowered her gaze. “I’m sorry. It’s not my place to say anything… But true love should never be denied. Miles, Dean is in love with Joy. You should know you can’t keep them apart.”

“What?” He swung accusing eyes to his sister, who looked like she’d rather be anywhere else. “Joy? You and Dean—Chastell—intend to mate?”

“What the fuck? Dean?” Burke’s voice could be heard from three counties away.

Rachel and Stacey entered from the back door and froze at the sight of Miles and Gabby, nearly arm in arm.

“What’s going on? What’s all the yelling about?” Rachel asked, then added, “What did Dean do now?”

Gabby sighed. “You should know, Rachel. It’s not a secret any longer, though they shouldn’t have had to hide their feelings for so long. Joy and Dean plan to mate. They’re in love.” Gabby knew she’d nailed it when Joy stammered and turned red, trying to answer.

Dean raced into the house with Burke hard on his heels. “Wait, it’s not like that…” He faltered when he saw Gabby sitting with Miles so close. “What the hell is going on?”

“That’s what I’d like to know. Joy Bermin?” Burke shook his head. “Nothing against you, Joy. But I always thought you and the boys were close, like kin. Brother and sister.” He looked baffled. “You’re in love? With Dean?” He took a whiff of his brother.

Her only weak spot in their charade. Joy and Dean didn’t smell mated.

Not like I do.

Joy was flustered, no two ways about it. The fox in Gabby snickered with delight when Joy obviously wanted to deny it but couldn’t in front of Gabby. “Ah, yes. Totally, utterly in love.”

Dean couldn’t take his gaze from Miles’s arm around her shoulder.

Burke frowned. “That true, Dean?”

“Huh? What? Uh-huh.” He blinked up at Burke then let his gaze meet the other astonished faces in the house. “Shit. Yeah. True love. All the way.” He turned back to Gabby, his expression suddenly inscrutable. “You know what they say. Love conquers all.”

She nodded at him. “I’m so glad you came out with the truth, Dean.”

His gaze narrowed. Maybe she shouldn’t have emphasized truth so hard.

Rachel intervened, thankfully. “But if Dean and Joy are an item, why is Grady freaking out outside?”

Gabby sighed and wondered if she’d made a mistake not majoring in theater. “Grady loved Joy before Dean stole her away from him. But Dean’s in love. It’s not his fault.” She drummed up a tear, encouraged when Miles squeezed her shoulder.

“Dear God. This sounds like something the raptors deal with on a daily basis. All the drama. It’s like a soap opera gone bad.” Burke squeezed the bridge of his nose.

“Very bad.” Miles took charge of the situation, bless him. “I don’t know why Joy thought she had to hide her affairs from me, but if she’s in love, I’m happy for her.” He gave her a loving smile, and Gabby thrilled at seeing the conniving cat flinch at such affection. “I’m no fan of Dean’s, as you well know, but I love you, Joy. I wish you all the happiness you deserve.”

Gabby choked on hysterical laughter and coughed to cover her mirth.

Miles continued. “Well, if the drama is over and the psycho cat outside taken care of, Gabby and I have plans.”

“Like friggin’ Peyton Place,” Rachel muttered, looking around the room in confusion.

“We’re going to a movie. Don’t worry, Ty,” he interrupted just as her overprotective brother-in-law opened his big mouth. “I’ll be with her all night. Don’t wait up.” No one could mistake his grin as anything but carnal.

Julia chose that moment to enter through the front door. “Why is Monty holding Grady in a headlock out there? Because they don’t look like they’re playing.”

And end scene. Gabby stood with Miles and linked hands with him. “I have a date, sis. Don’t wait up.” Then with a gleeful twist of the proverbial knife, she walked with him past a stunned Monty and Grady to his BMW X5 and drove off into the sunset.

“What the hell did you do?” Burke yelled when Grady stepped through the front door.

Grady had cooled down enough that he’d convinced Monty to release him. He had to hand it to the gray wolf—Monty could hold his own when he had to. The whole loss of control he attributed to his cat. Seeing his mate in another male’s arms had driven him insane with jealousy. Perhaps if he’d been able to cement their bond, he might have been able to handle it better. But one, seeing a potential rival touching her, and two, having that rival be Miles…he’d lost his mind. Totally understandable.

Burke slapped him on the back of the head.

“Ow.” Understandable to everyone but his pride leader.

“What the fuck—excuse me ladies. What the hell is going on?”

Dean, Joy and Grady traded glances. Where to begin?

To everyone’s surprise, Stacey Bermin condescended to step into the thick of things. “Hillbilly,” she said to Dean, “why don’t you tell everyone just what you’re up to?” Her smile showed a lot of pretty white teeth. “There’s no one here to play for anymore. Just spill.” She studied her nails as if she couldn’t have cared less.

Yep. Pretty but cold. Not like his mate… Grady rumbled in the back of his throat, a scream of rage building once more, unable to keep thoughts of gutting Miles from intruding. He took a step back toward the door and found his way blocked by Monty and Ty.

“No going, Grady,” Ty said in his sheriff’s voice. The one he used when you really didn’t want to cross him.

“But—”

“Dean?” Stacey asked in a soft voice. “Now would be a good time to confess to being a man-whore.”

Rachel choked. Julia laughed out loud. The Bermins gasped while Ty and Monty shook their heads, apparently not surprised.

Burke groaned. “It always comes back to you, Dean.”

“It’s not my fault. It’s not.” He sounded less sure of himself. “Well it’s Joy’s too.”

“Oh good. Throw me under the bus, why don’t you?”

Stacey smiled, a secretive grin that threw Dean into a lather.

“What the princess meant about me being a man-whore…” he paused to scowl at her “…is that Joy and I only pretended to be a couple to get Grady into Gabby’s good graces.”

Silence filled the house.

“I so need a drink.” Burke wore the same look he’d worn throughout Grady’s high school years.

It embarrassed him to see it now, especially in front of the damn pride. “Stop. You want the truth? Fine. Here it is. Gabby’s mine. The stubborn woman would never give me the time of day. Then the genius and his sidekick over there—”

“Hey!” Joy protested.

“—decided to help me out without my knowledge. They led Gabby to believe Joy and I had been an item, but that she dumped me for Dean.”

Monty chuckled. “Really?”

“It could happen,” Dean snapped.

Grady talked over him. “Thinking she would give me a shot at a date out of pity.” So embarrassing to talk about, but in a way, it also felt freeing. “She and I grew closer. We mated,” he said bluntly. “Or at least, I think we did. I’m honestly not sure now.”

“I didn’t smell it.” Burke looked thoughtful. He and Rachel exchanged a look.

She nodded. “She’s masking it, but I scented it. And if you pay attention, it’s all over him.”

Everyone suddenly took note of Grady.

“What?”

“She claimed you back, dumbass.” Burke looked at the ceiling as if asking for divine intervention. “Honestly, we had the same parents. I’m not that dense, am I?”

“Not all the time, honey.” Rachel smiled kindly.

Hope unfurled in Grady’s breast, especially when Julia and Ty looked at him with shock.

“Oh my God. She did mark him. What a sneak,” Julia ranted. “I tell her everything, but does she tell me she claimed Grady? No. I have to learn about it from the other pregnant lady in the house. Now I’ll never hear the end of it.”

“Cats rule. Deal,” Rachel taunted. “And I still say my kid comes out before yours.”

“Not that your pregnancy competition isn’t funny in its own odd, little-woman kind of way,” Stacey drawled. “But I’d like to know how Grady can be so clueless. You’re mated, yet you’re letting my brother drag your mate around town? And why the hell would Gabby take another after mating you? Then again, she shows some sense going after a Bermin.”

Joy’s mouth dropped open. “She must have overheard us in the cabin.”

Dean blew out a breath. “Oh man. She pulled a fast one on you, bro.” Then he grinned at Ty and Julia. “Nice one. Score one for the silver foxes.”

Ty nodded. “We’re tricky. Remember that.” He rounded on Grady and slapped him on the back of the head, right where Burke had hit him.

“Ow! What the heck, Ty?” He rubbed his head.

“Treat her right or I’ll skewer you from your dick—um, er, innards—to your throat.”

“Nice save,” Julia murmured.

“What he said.” Burke nodded. “It goes without saying we approve.” By we he meant himself and Rachel. The two were inseparable, and now Grady knew what that felt like. “If I could give you a word of advice, tell her you’re sorry. On your knees, Grady. And mean it.”

“I am. I really am.” He felt like a grade-A fool, and the sympathy on the male faces around him told him he wasn’t alone.

“You’ll never be right again, you realize that, don’t you?” Ty gave Julia a knowing look.

“What?” She frowned at him, looking so much like Gabby Grady had to smile. Those silver fox females were so adorable.

Grady straightened up. “She’s complicated, I’ll give her that. And I deserved all this.” He rubbed his ribs and bruised cheek.

“But let’s not forget Joy and Dean’s part in all this,” Stacey spoke up. “Big sister has a penchant for trouble. Like the man-whore.”

Dean looked genuinely irritated. “Call me that again, princess, and you won’t like the repercussions.”

“Oh big word, Dean. But do you know what it means?” Trust Stacey to pull the lion’s tail.

Before Dean got into more trouble, Burke took him by the back of the neck while Rachel grabbed Joy, saving Stacey, who didn’t seem to realize the danger she’d been in. Then again, predator that she was, she’d have eaten Joy and Dean for dessert.

“Well, seems I have a stubborn mate to find.” And get even with. As much as he knew she’d been entitled to some payback, the vixen had nearly killed him by denying their connection. “I’m sorry for all this.”

Burke sighed and kept a hold on Dean, who continued to try unsuccessfully to get free. “I would say this is your fault, but when it comes to the female mind, we’re all a victim, Grady.”

“No shit.” Monty shook his head. “Poor bastard.”

Rachel, Joy and the other women frowned at him.

Ty and Burke shared a knowing glance and said as one, “Good luck.”

Miles walked with Gabby from the diner, still laughing. “Did you see his face? That cat was fit to be tied.”

She tried to laugh, but darn it all, Gabby had felt terrible ever since they’d left the Catamount Ranch. “Yeah.”

“Oh stop.” Miles rubbed her cheek with the back of his fingers. “He had it coming. Hell, Gabby. The only reason you now know the truth is because you overheard him. Though if Joy was involved, there was no way he could extricate himself from the mess without going down. But he should have trusted you before now.”

She nodded. “Miles? Grady and I…we’re mated. I know that.” She felt it with every pore of her being. “But Ac-taw can be mated and not be in love.” She’d seen enough angst in the silver fox clan to know that love didn’t conquer all. Lust and animal attraction could sometimes be enough to join Shifters as mates.

“So you’re not in love with Grady?”

“Of course I am. I meant him.”

Miles walked her to his vehicle parked way in the back of the lot, sandwiched between two large SUVs. The Fox’s Henhouse was always crowded, but tonight it seemed to be extra popular. She noted the number of SUVs in the lot and wondered what she’d missed. None of them looked familiar.

“Honey, if Grady was any more in love, I’d be dead by now. A good thing you had four Shifters to hold him back.” His grin was genuine, and it turned Miles from an aloof yet fearsome predator into a handsome, caring man. “Honestly? I didn’t know he had it in him.”

“What’s with all the animosity between you two, anyway?”

Miles sighed. “It’s a long story that goes back to the third grade. You see, there was this girl—” He stopped in his tracks and sniffed.

She smelled unfamiliar male cougar at the same time he did.

“Gabby, run.”

He moved at the instant a bullet struck him, hitting him in the shoulder instead of his chest. The noise had been muffled, but with so much going on, no one would think anything odd about a few men fighting. Instead of going down, Miles knocked her between his Beamer and another SUV. “It’s Ronnie, Lex’s brother. I can smell him.” The son of his old pride leader, and one of the men who’d tried to hurt Miles and his sisters. A weak little bastard who didn’t have the stomach, or the fortitude, to fight with honor—or so she’d overheard Miles tell Ty the other night. “He won’t be alone. Get out of here.” He shoved his keys into her hands.

Before she could so much as blink, rough hands grabbed her from Miles and gagged her. Someone shoved a needle in Miles’s neck, and she watched him shift into his cat and try to fight three men before he succumbed to the drugs they’d given him. Then a blindfold dropped over her eyes.

She fought hard and almost managed to get away before more hands stilled her.

“And aren’t you a pretty one,” someone with hot breath said into her ear, just before he handed to her to another set of large, mauling hands inside the vehicle next to them. A set-up from the get-go. Poor Miles. She hoped he hadn’t been overly hurt. If they’d drugged him, they probably meant to do more damage before they killed him. But until they found another place to do said damage, she and Miles would have time to make a getaway.

The Shifter next to her rubbed her ass and groped her breasts when she squirmed to escape, before someone in the front seat ordered him to be patient. Then the bastard sat her down next to him and licked her neck, warning he’d bite if she didn’t stop moving.

She froze, annoyed with his laughter. I’m so going to hurt this one. While they drove away, her fox planned and strategized. Oh yeah. These fuckheads were going to rue the day they’d ever grabbed the wrong girl.

Miles didn’t know how much time had passed before he came to. He remained a cat, his front and back paws tied together, trussed up like a hapless herbivore. Though his shoulder hurt like a bitch, and he had a bad feeling the bullet had lodged in the bone, he forced himself to shift back to human, so slowly, so silently, that no one would know. The dickheads in the car with him were smaller cats, so they wouldn’t have thought about such a size difference when shifting. But his human bones were significantly smaller than his feline ones. A plus when needing to escape.

In the dark of what he presumed to be the trunk of a car, he rode over bumps and gravel. Still dizzy yet finally free of the ropes holding his wrists tight, he ignored the pain and freed his ankles as well. The scent of blood filled the trunk, and he realized he’d been shot in the upper thigh too.

But that wasn’t the worst of it. They’d taken an innocent woman. Gabby Easton. Miles wasn’t happy, but Grady would gut any male that stood between him and his mate. Miles smiled, for once glad of Grady’s tenacity.

Now he just had to escape to help Grady hunt down and kill the pricks responsible. But Ronnie was his. All his…

He found the release for one of the back seats and pushed, not surprised by the laziness of the mountain lion driving the car. His partner had fallen asleep, not keeping an eye on the back as he should have. Miles gritted his teeth and shifted to cat. Oh fuck. The bullet lodged deeper into the bone.

The driver cursed seconds before Miles tore his throat out. Then Miles managed to disarm the now-awake partner before the car crashed into a tree.

He forced himself to stay conscious long enough to restrain their only source of information, but it was touch and go.

He blinked his eyes open to see Grady’s furious face as the great cat loomed over him.

Grady quickly turned back into a man. “Miles?”

“They have her, Grady. Have to…find her. Use him.” Miles lolled his head in the direction of the swearing lion he’d duct-taped to a tree.

“Hold on, damn it.”

Spots danced before Miles’s eyes.

Grady disappeared and reappeared on the other side of him. “Don’t move.”

“C-can’t.” Miles felt cold. Oh crap. He was going into shock. He had to warn Grady. “Ronnie…will hurt her. Find her. Go. No…time. Loves you.”

Grady’s features softened. “I know. The only reason I’m not kicking your ass for helping her is I deserved it. Well, and you look like shit. No challenge in it for me.”

Miles managed a laugh that turned into a weak cough.

“At least you’re not coughing blood.”

Pressure on his leg hurt almost as bad as the throbbing in his shoulder.

“Hell. You shifted with the bullet in you. Bad move, Miles. That’s gonna hurt like a bitch to come out.” Another pause. “Okay. They’re here. You hold on, you arrogant bastard. No way am I standing in as big brother for your troublemaking sisters. You’re not going anywhere yet.”

He heard more voices, then nothing. But he didn’t worry about Gabby anymore, not now that Grady had come to save his mate.