Primal Possession (6 page)

He held his hands up in a defensive gesture. “No, I mean,
just
friends. I mean, I could never be just friends with you. I…shit, never mind.” His expression was so dejected and out of character she was tempted to smile, but she didn’t let him off the hook.

Liam had a possessive streak a mile wide and it annoyed her. She tried to hurry past him, but true to form, he beat her to the door. By the time she’d caught up, he’d opened it. No doubt after looking through the peephole. Or maybe he’d scented her friend. December still didn’t understand the animal side of him and what his limitations were.

“Hey, December.” Kat’s eyes widened as she looked back and forth between Liam and December.

She wrapped her arms around herself at the sudden blast of cold air that trailed in. “Hey, Kat. I didn’t realize you’d be here so early.” In that moment, December hated the unfamiliar jolt of jealousy she experienced. Especially since it was directed at her friend. The sun was barely up but her friend looked perfect. Her ivory skin practically glowed. Kat was tall and slim, built like a model, but she actually had breasts. With long, dark hair and exotic, almost catlike eyes she was the kind of woman men fantasized about. Now that she thought about it, December was pretty sure her friend had said something about modeling when she was younger. And December felt tiny and small for being jealous of her.

“Sorry, the drive was quicker than I thought in this snow.” She looked at Liam questioningly. “Uh, hey, Liam. I didn’t know you knew December.”

December didn’t bother to hide her shock as she turned to him. “You know Kat?”

He took a step back and cleared his throat. “Sort of. I’ll let you two do whatever it is you need….” His voice trailed off as he disappeared back toward the kitchen.

December shut the door behind Kat, who was looking at her expectantly. The bottom dropped out of her stomach. Oh God, had they slept together? She shouldn’t care since she had no claim on him, but the thought bothered her. Okay, more than bothered her. It made her see red and feel as if claws could sprout at any moment. “The books are in here.” She motioned toward her living room where the box of books sat on her coffee table.

Kat trailed after her and flopped down on her brown leather love seat. “So, you and Liam Armstrong, huh?
Very
nice, girl.” She was whispering but December had a feeling he could hear them anyway.

December sat next to her but perched on the edge of the couch. “Did you sleep with him?” As soon as the words were out, she wanted to take them back. She couldn’t believe she’d asked her friend that.

Kat’s pale eyes widened for an instant. Then she laughed as if the thought were hysterical. “Uh,
no
. Not that he’s not hot or anything, but, uh, he’s not exactly my type. And I’m pretty sure I’m not his either, guessing by the way he was practically devouring you with his eyes.”

December hadn’t expected the relief that swelled through her. It was like a fast-breaking wave that nearly knocked her off her feet.

Before she could say anything, Kat continued. “So what’s up with you two? He’s spending the night? When
did this happen? I thought you had a date with that tourist last night. He’s a stockbroker or something, right? And I’ve never known you to let a man stay the night. I want details!”

December struggled to compose herself. She’d almost been able to forget about what had happened the night before. Pretend it was a dream. Her friend’s question brought reality crashing back on her. She’d tell Kat later what had happened, but if she started talking about it now, she was afraid she’d do something stupid like start crying. “That didn’t work out. And Liam and I aren’t together. Not like that. We’re just friends.”

“Friends?” Kat snorted loudly. The sound was so irreverent it made December smile. “Yeah, all my hot male friends have sleepovers with me too. We stay up late and paint each other’s toenails. Do
not
hold out on me. I haven’t had sex in forever, so give me something juicy.”

She didn’t bother explaining herself. “How do you know him anyway? He hasn’t been in town that long.” Liam had moved to the Fontana Mountain community less than a month ago. She still didn’t understand all the dynamics of his pack, but his brother was some sort of leader. An Alpha, she thought he was called. Now Connor was leader of the local pack.

Suddenly Kat looked uncomfortable. “Uh, something happened and…I don’t want to lie, so just ask him about that, okay?”

A thread of unease wormed its way through her, but she ignored it. Apparently they both had secrets. Instead of pressuring her friend, she changed the subject. “I’m sorry I haven’t been to the center lately. I promise after the New Year I’ll be volunteering again.”

Kat shook her head and peered inside the open box
on the table. “You don’t have to explain yourself. I just appreciate all these books.”

When she gave up teaching and started her own bookstore, December had volunteered her free time at the local literacy center. But when her only two employees had quit within weeks of each other, she was still trying to find at least one decent replacement. Volunteering for anything at the moment was out of the question.

“Well, I’ve still got a couple more stops to make before my first class, so I’ll get out of your hair and let you get back to your
friend
.” Kat stood and lifted the box.

“Liam and I aren’t—”

“Yeah, yeah. Save it. Why don’t you bring him to the party tonight?”

“Party?” She stared at Kat in confusion.

“I can’t believe you forgot.”

December racked her brain. It sounded vaguely familiar. The past couple weeks she’d had a lot on her mind. Someone had broken into her house, roughed her up, and Tased her, some other jerk had tried to mug her, and then last night…She shuddered as she remembered it. Partying wasn’t on the top of her to-do list lately.

“We’ll be there.” Liam’s voice jerked her out of her thoughts. She turned to find him walking out of the kitchen. And he now had a sweater on. She hadn’t even heard him go upstairs. The man really was stealth personified.

A huge grin broke over Kat’s face. “Great. It’s at the ski lodge, so just come by my cabin around seven and we’ll head there together.”

December wanted to argue but knew it was pointless. After the last few weeks maybe she needed to relax anyway. And if Liam was with her, she wouldn’t have to worry about anything bad happening.

“So what’s this party for?” Liam asked after Kat left.

“I have no idea but it’s probably a birthday for someone Kat works with. It should be fun, though, if it’s at the ski lodge.”

“I kept a plate warm for you.” He motioned toward the kitchen.

She didn’t want to be affected by what he’d done, but the gesture was sweet. “Thanks. So, how do you know Kat?” Kat’s cryptic answer had piqued her interest.

He shrugged but looked just as uncomfortable as Kat had. “Ah, it’s a long story.”

She lifted an eyebrow at him as she sat at the table. “I have time.”

“I can’t tell you and I’m not going to lie to you.” He placed her plate in front of her.

“Excuse me?”

“We met under…illegal circumstances.”

“Illegal?
Kat?
” They hadn’t been friends long and she was really private about her past, but her friend volunteered most of her time when she wasn’t working at the ski lodge as an instructor. And once a spot opened up at the local elementary school, Kat planned to start teaching again. December couldn’t see her engaging in anything bad.

“I didn’t say
she
did anything illegal. Just that the circumstances were…. Listen, I don’t want to lie to you and I can’t tell you, so let’s leave it at that.”

Pushing down her annoyance, she speared a piece of sausage with her fork. Did he think his answer made her any less intrigued?

“I didn’t sleep with her, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“I know,” she muttered.

“How do you know?”

“Because I asked her.” Damn it! Admitting that was as good as telling him she cared.

A wide grin spread across Liam’s face. He looked positively smug. At least he didn’t respond. The man was smarter than that.

Edward moved closer to the fireplace. The heat in his house had kicked off last night and the place was only now starting to warm up.

“Attempting to take the Saburova woman is crazy. Do you know who her father is?” Joseph asked.

Of course he knew who the criminal was. Years ago Edward had lived in Miami for over a decade. Even though he hadn’t run in the same circle, anyone who lived there knew who Dimitri Saburova was. The man was one of the most violent, brutal bastards Edward had ever come across. That was saying something.

Dimitri’s daughter had cut ties with her father, but that wasn’t why Edward wanted her. Katarina Saburova had been intimately connected with Jayce Kazan, the enforcer for the North American Council of lupine shifters. Katarina and Jayce had dated for many months until she’d moved to North Carolina.

Edward had almost had her captured a few weeks ago. The two idiots he’d enlisted to kidnap her had accomplished that much with relative ease. But then they’d been killed because they hadn’t followed his instructions. Instead of bringing her straight to him, they’d apparently locked her up in some cage on their property. Then they’d gotten themselves arrested for going after Connor Armstrong’s mate in the middle of the day during a drunken joyride. That had made them a bright shiny target for the Armstrongs. If they hadn’t gotten themselves killed, Adler would have done it anyway.

Those fucking Armstrong brothers, Liam and Connor, had interfered. He couldn’t prove it but he knew they’d helped Katarina escape. That bitch hadn’t killed those two goons on her own. The cops might have bought her story—because they had no reason not to believe her—but he had a video recording of the Armstrong brothers searching Felix’s house. The same day and around the same time the woman supposedly killed Edward’s two guys all by herself. Unfortunately he didn’t have video from the shed where they’d died. It was where they’d taken their victims, and Edward hadn’t known about its existence until too late.

Edward straightened. “I
know
who Dimitri Saburova is. She hasn’t spoken to her father in a year. He won’t be a problem.” The heat was nearly suffocating now, so he stepped away from the fire.

“I don’t know, man. I knew this guy who went to Coleman Penitentiary instead of flipping on Dimitri. The Feds offered him protection and everything and he
still
chose maximum-security prison.” Joseph wiped a hand across his sweaty brow and Edward knew it had nothing to do with the warmth of the room.

“Taking her will be a triumph for us. What do you think the boss will be able to do with her?” They could bring the enforcer to his knees and turn him into a mindless killer.

Joseph looked confused and shrugged. “I dunno.”

Edward clenched his jaw. While he appreciated the enthusiasm of these new recruits, they were more or less ignorant thugs. Or wannabe thugs. Which was often worse. They thought they were bad enough to take on anyone. He cleared his throat and tried to keep the disdain out of his voice. “Forget about her father. This bitch dated the enforcer.”

“So? They broke up.”

He sighed. “It doesn’t matter. Those animals are very territorial. He’ll come for her. If we take her, he’ll trade his life for hers.”

Joseph frowned. “You’re sure?”

He probably would trade his life for hers, but that’s not why they wanted him. If they lured Kazan into a trap where they held Katarina, he’d kill any human in the near vicinity who he thought was involved with her kidnapping. Joseph would likely be one of those humans and if Adler could get it on tape…He smiled at the possibilities. Once that happened, the APL could officially launch their media campaign against all these shifter abominations. “Why do you keep questioning me? Haven’t I given you a place to stay? Didn’t I take you in when you had nowhere else to go?”

Immediately Joseph’s eyes dropped. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

“Soon that bitch will—”

“Tsk, tsk.” Brianna walked into the room carrying a tray of cookies.

Immediately Edward felt like he was a kid again. “Sorry, Brianna.”

“If you want to teach these recruits, you also need to teach them manners.” Her soft voice was authoritative.

“Of course. I’m sorry.” Petite, blond, and damn near perfect, Brianna was the only woman on the planet who got away with talking to him that way.

She was also the only woman he’d ever stand for. Hurrying toward her, he took the tray and laid it on the middle of the coffee table. He desperately wanted to please her and hated himself for it. “These look great.”

A slight smile touched her full, pink lips. “I have three more trays of finger foods in the kitchen.”

“We’ll help you get them.” He nodded at Joseph, who immediately disappeared into the other room.

Before he could move, Brianna patted the side of his face. The hideously scarred side of his face. He tensed, as he always did, but she didn’t pull back. The disfigurement never seemed to bother her. “You’re better than all of these men combined. You just have to act like the leader you are. Cursing is for ignorant thugs and you’re not one. Remember that,” she whispered.

In response, he nodded. It was difficult to talk around her. He wanted to hate her, but he didn’t. He just wanted her approval so much.

“I’m going to shower before the meeting, but you’ll make sure everything is laid out properly?” she asked in that genteel voice.

Again, he nodded.

She disappeared up the stairs and only when she was out of eyesight did he breathe again.

“Man, I don’t know why that bitch thinks she can tell you what to do,” Joseph said as he walked back in carrying a tray of sandwiches.

If he hadn’t been carrying food
Brianna
had prepared, Edward would have struck him. “Don’t you
ever
talk about her like that. She does a lot for the APL and deserves our respect.”

Joseph faltered, likely because of the deadly edge in Edward’s voice. “I’m sorry, man. I just don’t like to see her treat you that way.”