Excessica Anthology BOX SET Winter (55 page)

“Now
what would you like to talk about?” Jamie asked as she walked over to her side
of the desk.

“My
boss wants to rent your establishment for a night.”

Jamie
had to hide her shock. All along they had thought he was the head honcho. There
was someone above Archarius?

“I
don’t usually rent out Vixen’s…”

He
interrupted her. “We’re willing to pay two thousand plus all alcohol consumed.”

Jamie
leaned back in her chair. The money didn’t matter. This was a chance to find
out information they needed and get close to whoever killed her family.

“Who’s
your boss?”

A
sly smiled came over his face. “Luca O’Lory.”

“Well,
tell Mister O’Lory he has a deal. Let me know the date and we’ll have it all
set up.”

“This
Friday.” He pulled out a checkbook and wrote her a check for the two thousand.
“We’ll discuss the bill when the time comes.”

Jamie
took the proffered check. “Of course. Is there anything special Mister O’Lory
wants?”

When
Archarius smiled this time, he showed his fangs. “Actually, yes.” He pulled two
envelopes and a sheet of paper from his coat. Standing, he handed them to
Jamie. “It’s been a pleasure doing business with you.”

“And
you.”

Jamie
picked up the envelopes. One had her name on it, the other Baylee’s. Jamie
tapped the invitations against the desk. Why invite her and Baylee? Did he know
she was after him?

A
light knock brought her out of her thoughts. “Love, can I come in?”

A
smile touched her lips at the sound of Morgan’s voice. “Come in.” She slipped
the invitations under some other papers on her desk. She’d wait to tell him
about them until she was sure what they meant.

Jamie
smiled at Morgan as he came in.

“Did
I just see Archarius leave?” Morgan asked. She nodded, stood, and walked toward
him. “And you let him leave in one piece?”

Jamie
smiled slipping her arms around his neck. “It seems I was mistaken. Archarius
has a boss—Luca O’Lory. I need Sean and Shayne to do a little sniffing
around before I take revenge on the wrong person.”

“Well
I guess you’re not as gung-ho on this as I thought. At least you’re willing to
admit someone other than Archarius might have killed Konner.”

“Let’s
not talk about it right now. I recall some promises…”

Morgan
grinned, pulling her tight against him. He swung her off her feet and around,
pressing her against the door.

 “You’re
hiding something.”

“No
I’m not.” Jamie’s gut twisted at the outright lie. She wanted to tell him her
plan, but knew he wouldn’t go along with it.

 Morgan
frowned. “Jamie, you can’t hide things from me. We’re bonded. I can see into
your mind, just as you can mine.”

Her
eyes searched his face. Finally she muttered. “I’m doing it, with or without
you.”

Morgan
sighed and let her go, stepping back. “Luc won’t let Baylee do it.”

“That’s
Bay’s choice, not Luc’s.” Jamie stepped away from the door and walked over to
her desk.

Morgan
pinched the bridge of his nose. “Once this is over you’re going to stop
hunting? No more obsessions.”

“Only
you.”

He
grinned. “Then what can I do to help?”

Chapter
Seven

“No.
She’s not doing it.” Lucian paced in front of the fireplace in the library.

Jamie
ignored him. “Bay, come on—it’s for Konner.”

“And
you.” Luc pointed at Morgan who leaned against the door way. “I can’t believe
you are letting Jamie confront a Lycan of O’Lory’s status.”

“You
try stopping her.”

Jamie
tossed a smile at him. Finally they were beginning to understand each other.

Luc
tossed his hands in the air. “Baylee, hon, you’re not going to do this.”

Biting
her lower lip, Baylee looked from Jamie to Luc. The tension in the room was so
thick you could cut it with a knife. Finally, unable to deal with the position
she was putting Baylee in, Jamie gave up.

“I’ll
do it myself.” She turned on her heel and left the room, heading straight for
the back door. Jamie needed to get out of here—she needed to run.
Crossing the backyard, she ducked into the secluded forest surrounding the
property. Inside the thick foliage, she shifted her body, molding into a dark
brown wolf.

Lowering
her nose to the ground, she picked up the scent of a couple rabbits. A good
hunt would take her mind off her troubles for a little bit.

* *
* *

Stepping
out of the library, Morgan heard the back door slam shut. He’d felt how
betrayed Jamie was feeling. It added to her anger, grief and pain. All of which
hurt him as well. The thing was, he knew what she had to do and hated it. But
the only way for her to heal was to confront Konner’s killer. Sean and Shayne
had done the homework for her and found out O’Lory was, in fact, the one
pulling the strings. So now Jamie was hell bent on going after an Alpha male.
Entering his bedroom, he walked over and dropped down on the bed. Putting his
head in his hands he wondered what the hell he’d gotten himself into.

Chapter Eight

Jamie
sighed and straightened her dress. God she wished Baylee had come with her. She
could have used her support. Morgan was in her office, just in case, but it
just wasn‘t the same. Sean and Shayne were somewhere in the crowd.

Well,
it was now or never. Walking through the crowd, she made her way up to the VIP
area. Looking up at the bouncer, she faked a smile. “Everybody having a good
time, Ben?”

“Sounds
that way, boss.”

Jamie
nodded and went in. The area was a small balcony overlooking the dance floor
with curtains that could be drawn to allow for privacy. With her fake smile in
place, she walked over to where Archarius sat with O’Lory.

 “Ah,
here’s our lovely hostess.”

“Mister
O’Lory, I hope everything is to your satisfaction.”

He
glanced at Archarius, who left them quickly. “Yes, everything is perfect.
Except I was hoping you and your lovely sister would be joining me.”

“Bay
is busy, unfortunately.”

“But
you’re here.” In a flash, he grabbed her and yanked her on his lap. “You’re
your pack’s new alpha.” Lowering his voice, he whispered, “You are not the only
one watching.”

Jamie
growled low in the back of her throat. “Let me go.” O’Lory shook his head. She
found struggling against him was like fighting with iron bands. His thin frame
hid the fact he was all muscle.

O’Lory
nodded to Archarius who ushered the few others in the area out. This had been
planned. It was a trap. God how stupid could she be?

“Jamie,
you have two choices. One, you bring me into your pack as your mate—the
new alpha male. Or…” He drew his fingers through her hair. “You and your pack
will die.”

“Why?”
In her mind, she screamed for Morgan.

“Your
father and brother made friends and a name for themselves. I can use that to
further my business. But I had to make sure there wasn’t anyone in my way to
become the pack’s Alpha-male. I’ve watched your family for a long time. I knew
if your parents passed on, Konner would become head. After him, your brothers
would look to you and Baylee. Of course, Baylee doesn’t have quite the right
stuff to be a leader. You, however, are perfect.”

“So
you were behind the deaths of my brother and parents?”

He
grinned and ran his hand up over her hip. “You do what you have to.”

Her
nails turned into claws as she caught his throat in her hand. His eyes
glittered dangerously. Softly she growled, “I already have a mate.”

“That
Vampire.” He chuckled, “I’ll take care of…”

A
chorus of growls echoed behind Jamie. O’Lory tensed, his eyes darting behind
her. She could feel Morgan but what were the others?

“Then
take care of me,” Morgan said. She felt him move closer.

With
a snarl, O’Lory threw Jamie from his lap. She landed a few feet away, dazed. In
front of her, O’Lory lunged at Morgan who ducked out of the way. Shaking her
head, Jamie looked to the doorway to find Baylee and their brothers in wolf
form. Baylee ran to her, nuzzling and licking her face. Gently pushing Baylee
away, she looked to Morgan and O’Lory. O’Lory had transformed halfway and
latched onto Morgan’s arm.

“Give
the word Jamie, and the entire pack will pounce.”

She
looked up to find Luc standing over her. She turned back to the fight between
Morgan and O’Lory. Morgan had heard everything via her—it was his fight
now.

“No.”
She shook her head. “Once Morgan’s done—if there’s anything
left—we’ll have our revenge.”

Watching
Morgan snap O’Lory’s jaw, Jamie slowly shifted into her wolf form. With a jerk
of her head, she sent Bryce, Blake and Parker in one direction, while she and
Baylee circled around the other.

O’Lory
pulled away his hanging jaw and a broken arm. Morgan bore several claw marks
and a large gash across his chest. The metallic smell of blood and sweat flooded
her senses.

The
urge to protect her mate drove her to lunge at O’Lory in his unprotected
moment. She latched onto his throat, yanking it out. Blood covered her as he
gurgled and clawed at his throat.

O’Lory’s
body sank to the floor, blood foaming and pooling around it.

Grimacing
Morgan looked at her as she transformed back. “Feel better now?”

“Yes.”
She moved to check his wounds. “You?”

He
shook his head, as around them her family shifted into human form.

Epilogue

 Jamie
sat on Morgan’s lap in the library. Luc shook his head. “I don’t understand.
Nothing. No one has said a word about O’Lory’s death.”

Jamie
smiled. “That’s the great thing about guys like him. No one cares where he
went, they’re just glad he’s gone.”

Morgan
bounced her on his knee. “Tell him the truth.”

“Fine.
Archarius took over O’Lory’s businesses. He took care of O’Lory’s body and the
cover up for us.”

Luc
frowned at her. “And what does he get in return?”

“I
called in a few favors so he doesn’t get blamed.”

“I
didn’t know you had that kind of sway.”

“Neither
did I. But apparently our family name has a great deal of sway with all the
right people.” Jamie turned to Morgan and wiggled slightly. “Now I’m going to
focus on more important things.”

About
Wynter O’Reilly

Wynter O'Reilly lives in the Adirondack
Mountains with her husband and mutt Hemi. She spends most her free time writing
or reading, when not doing either of those she spends her time outdoors hiking,
kayaking or various other actives. Wynter's love of books is what inspired her
to start writing and with her active, some times over active, imagination it
seemed like a good outlet.

ON CHERRY HILL

By Selena Kitt

My
stomach lurched when I saw the red and blue flashing lights appear out of
nowhere behind me. I pulled over onto the grass on the side of the dirt road. I
hadn't seen one car since turning down this road, but that wasn't
surprising—it was four in the morning and I'd been watching for a break
in the farms and fields, looking for my next turn.

I
rolled down my window, letting in the cool night air with just a hint of
dampness. It was a relief after the heat of the day. I dug through my wallet
for my license, hearing his boots crunching the gravel as he came up to my car,
waving his flashlight in through my window. It was the only light out
here—there were no streetlights at all.

"Ma'am."
He bent down to look into my window. I glanced over at him, my heart leaping as
it always did whenever I faced someone in authority. "License,
registration and proof of insurance?"

I
handed him my license, flipping my glove box open and digging through. The
papers were buried under fast food napkins and packets of ketchup and taco
sauce.

"Here
you go." I managed to keep my voice from quivering, but was unable to stop
the way my hands trembled. "Officer, I'm sorry, but I'm really in a hurry.
I'm on my way to a birth."

He
dipped his head back down, frowning. "A birth? Are you a doctor?"

"Midwife,"
I corrected, adding softly, "Apprentice midwife."

His
gaze was level and cool, disbelieving. "There isn't a hospital around here
for miles, ma'am."

"It's
a home birth," I explained, pleading at him with my eyes. His face had
that square, chiseled look I always associated with cops. "I have the
address. I swear I'm telling you the truth. There's a woman in labor about half
a mile from here who's waiting for me to deliver her baby.

He
fixed his eyes on me for a moment, assessing. It was close to the truth, but
not quite, and I swear he could tell. Without a word, he took my paperwork,
turned around and went back to his cruiser.

I
grabbed my cell phone out of my purse, ducking down a little in the seat,
hoping he couldn't see me. Charlotte's number was three on my speed dial, after
"home" and "Charlie's cell." I pushed the button and
waited, but nothing happened.

"Fuck,"
I swore, looking at the "Searching for service" screen illuminated on
my phone.

I
was in the middle of nowhere. Of course there was no service. Charlotte had
called me at three-fifteen to tell me Katie's water had broken and told me to
meet her there. This was only the fifth birth we'd done together, and I
couldn't believe I might miss it because of some cop!

I
heard his boots kicking gravel again and shoved my phone back into my purse,
looking up at him as he leaned over to talk to me. "Do you know why I
pulled you over, ma'am?"

"No."
I shook my head, seeing him raise his eyebrows at me under his hat.

"You
have a headlight out." He pointed to the front of my husband's car. I
always took his car when I went to a birth, because he had to take the kids to
the sitter, and the car seats were in the minivan I usually drove.

I
sighed, closing my eyes in frustration. I thought it had seemed darker down
here than the last time I'd traveled this road. Charlie had sworn he was going
to have it fixed.

"I
didn't know, officer," I insisted. "This is my husband's car."

He
frowned again, his eyes narrowing just slightly. "It's registered in your
name."

"Both
of our cars are in my name," I explained, leaning my arm on the window.
"Officer, there's a woman in labor, I really have to—"

He
took off his hat, revealing dark, close-cropped hair. "Ma'am, do you
realize you're driving on a suspended license?"

I
stopped, staring at him, blinking fast. "No," I replied, incredulous.
"That's not possible."

"Can
you get out of the car, please, ma'am?" he asked, taking a step back.

"Wh—What?"
My heart was racing and my hands were really trembling now. "I don't
understand."

"I'm
afraid you'll have to come with me," he said, indicating with his hand
that he wanted me to get out of the car. "Please roll up your windows and
lock your vehicle."

I
sat motionless, stunned, my mouth working but nothing coming out.

"Ma'am."
This time his voice was more firm. "Step out of the vehicle. Now."

I
felt tears welling up and choked them back, grabbing my keys and my purse and
opening the door. He nodded toward my window, and I rolled it up, locking my
door and shutting it.

I
was still blinking back tears when I turned to face him. "Officer,
please... I really didn't know."

"Did
you get a ticket a few months ago in Newport?" he asked me. "Put your
purse on the ground, ma'am."

I
dropped my keys into my purse and set it down by my back tire, a slow, terrible
realization dawning.

"For
doing five over," I agreed, nodding, a lump in my throat. I remembered it
clearly. I was talking on my cell to Charlie and driving home from dropping the
kids off at school when I got pulled over for doing thirty in a twenty-five.

"Did
you pay that ticket, ma'am?" He took a step toward me. He was very tall and
broad-shouldered, formidable in that uniform and I shrank against the car.

"My
husband—" I started, and he touched my shoulder, his grip hard and
firm.

"Turn
around for me, ma'am." He twisted his hand, his thumb digging into the
flesh above my clavicle.

I
did as he asked, feeling hot tears starting, and I couldn't stop them. Charlie
was the one who handled paying all the bills. I’d told him about the ticket and
had given it to him to pay.

I
knew he'd had to do a lot of juggling lately and creative financing since I'd
quit my job and started doing midwifery full time, but I couldn't imagine he
hadn't paid a sixty dollar ticket. Even if that were the case, I couldn't
believe someone's license could get suspended for an unpaid speeding ticket!

What
I really couldn't imagine, though, was that the consequences were going to be
my getting arrested and sent to jail. It was very real to me all of a sudden,
standing there at the side of my car in the light of the flashers, and I felt
weak with the realization.

"Put
your hands on top of the vehicle," he instructed and I cringed, not
believing this could be happening. I pressed my hands to the cool surface,
looking off through the field, seeing everything through prisms. I was glad for
the support of the car against me, because I was feeling faint. "Spread
your feet apart, ma'am."

I
looked over my shoulder at him, incredulous. He couldn't be serious!

He
raised his eyebrows and nodded once. "Ma'am, spread your legs."

Turning
my face away, I slowly parted my thighs, my heart thundering in my chest, my
cheeks flushed red. I decided to try one more time.

"You
don't understand/" I heard the tremble in my own voice, and my feeble
attempt to control it. "There's a woman in labor and I have to be at her
birth. Can't you please just let me go?"

I
said the words to the trees rustling in the breeze, listening behind me for any
response from him. It was quiet for a moment.

"Are
you the only one who can deliver this baby?"

I
sighed. "No," I admitted. "I'm the apprentice. The primary
midwife is on her way, but she has longer to drive, and I'm worried she won't
get there in time."

"But
you aren't the only person responsible for this woman and her baby?"

I
closed my eyes, shaking my head, whatever hope I'd been hanging onto fading.
"No, sir—but she's counting on me to be there. This is my
job
.
I need to go. You don't understand!"

"I
understand your position," he said, not unkindly. I felt him moving behind
me, not touching me, but the presence of his big body behind mine was nearly
palpable. "But I need
you
to understand
mine
. Your license
has been suspended—
you can't drive.
"

I
pressed my forehead to the window of the car, defeated.

Then
I had a thought. "You could drive me."

He
put his hands over mine, spreading them further apart on the roof. "No,
ma'am, I can't drive you...I have to arrest you."

I
groaned, shaking my head, my stomach lurching again. "Is that really
necessary?"

I
felt his hands on my ankles, which were bare, since I was wearing Birkenstocks
and a sundress. His palms felt enormous as he slid his hands up my calves.

"Wh—what
are you doing?" I breathed, turning to look down at him squatting behind
me.

"Searching
you," he replied calmly, his hands slipping further up, past my knees. He
was under my dress, now, instead of over it, touching bare skin.

"Is
this really necessary?" My breath caught as his fingers worked their way
up my inner thighs. "It's not like I could carry a concealed weapon under
a sundress, right?"

"I
don't know." His voice was low and he stood behind me, his hands not
moving from my inner thighs. My dress pulled up as he stood, and I felt his
fingers brush between my legs. "Feels like you've got quite a bit
concealed under here."

Mortified,
I bit my lip and closed my eyes. I’d been in a hurry when I left and had thrown
on the dress, but hadn't bothered with panties since I knew I had an extra set
of clothes in my bag. I glanced toward his cruiser, hoping to see the little
red light of a camera in the window, but I saw nothing.

His
hand moved up under my dress, over my hips, grabbing my ass. I couldn't move, I
couldn't even breathe as he cupped my bare breasts in his hands, my dress
pulled all the way up now, leaving me fully exposed.

"Oh
my god," I whispered as he pressed in behind me, his belt digging into the
flesh of my back. "What are you doing?"

I
knew in that moment, there were scarier things than getting arrested. I felt
his breath against my neck and something hard against my hip. I thought it
might be his gun.

"Please."
I gasped as his fingers pinched my nipples, twisting them, making me recoil.
"You don't have to do this."

"You
keep saying that, Anne." The sound of my name in his mouth made me even
more afraid. "You want to know if this is really necessary?"

"Oh
my god," I breathed, shaking, trying to melt into the car when I heard the
sound of him undoing his belt buckle. "Please, don't, please..."

"You
tell me," he murmured, sliding a hand down my belly and cupping my mound,
pulling up tight, making me jerk back against him. His other hand was still
rolling my nipple, which showed the first sign of my body's betrayal, hardening
under the cool air and his attention.

"I
don't understand," I gasped, looking toward his cruiser again, past it,
searching the road for other cars and knowing I wouldn't find any. It was four
in the morning and we were in the middle of nowhere.

"Do
you want to be arrested?" He grabbed my shoulders and propelled me toward
the front of my car. I screamed, I couldn't help it, panicking. I stumbled over
my sandals and they came off as he grabbed my arms, twisting them behind me as
he bent me over the hood.

"Please,"
I pleaded, real tears coming now. "Please don't do this—"

I
heard the handcuffs before I felt them clicking around my wrists. I groaned,
pressing my flushed, wet cheek to the hood of the car.

"If
I arrest you…" His hands slid under my dress again, moving it up over my
ass. The air was cool against my skin. "It's four points and a thousand
dollar fine for driving with a suspended license. That's not including the three
hundred dollars it will take to bail you out of jail."

I
gasped, half at his words, half at his fingers probing between my legs.

We
didn't have thirteen hundred dollars.
We obviously don't even have sixty to
pay the speeding ticket in the first place, or I wouldn't be in this position,
would I?
I thought, wincing as his fingers searched and groped my flesh.

"Are
you going to arrest me?" I looked toward his car. I couldn't see it from
this angle, where I was laid out on the hood, but the flashing lights
continued, giving a red cast to everything. At this point, I was thinking a
night in jail wasn't such a bad thing after all.

"I'd
rather fuck you." His fingers were inside of me now, pushing in and
sliding out. I bit the inside of my cheek, trying not to scream or cry.

"Do...
do I have a choice?" I gasped as he spread my legs wider.

"Not
really." He used his fingers to open my lips. I did cry then, silently,
feeling his hand rubbing roughly between my legs. I knew it wouldn't matter if
I screamed or struggled—there was no one out here but us.

"Don't
move," he cautioned, and I felt the weight of him move off of me and heard
the sound of his boots on the gravel again. I twisted, trying to see, but
couldn't.

"I'm
not going far," he assured me, and then I felt his breath against my
thighs, his palms spreading open my ass.

"Please,"
I whispered, but I barely heard myself.

His
fingers and tongue slipped between my pussy lips, spreading me open. His hands
pressed my thighs even wider, and I felt his cheeks against them as he slid his
tongue up and down my slit.

"No,"
I groaned, straining against the handcuffs, my shoulders aching.

"You
have a beautiful cunt," he murmured, licking me up and down, long, slow
laps with his tongue. "Doesn't that feel good?

I
held still then, my mind racing. I couldn't stop whatever he was intent on
doing, and although it had occurred to me perhaps he wasn't going to ever let
me go, I fought against the panic of that thought. He clearly wanted me to feel
pleasure—maybe if I feigned some, this could be over much sooner?