The Jaguar's Beach Bride: BBW Jaguar Shifter Paranormal Romance (Shifters of Coral Beach Book 1) (9 page)

Brennan petted her, reveling in her softness, tracing her inner lips. He danced around her entrance, and Mina groaned when he refused to fill her. Smiling against her neck, he licked her and then bit her lightly.

“Patience,” he said. She swore, making him laugh.

Finally, he slowly pushed a finger inside of her, and they both groaned this time. Mina was so tight and wet, and Brennan could wait any longer. He rubbed her clit with his thumb as he thrust a finger in and out of her; he could feel her clenching around his finger, already so close.

“Come for me, sweetheart.” He thrust faster, inserting another finger, brushing her clit a little harder, and he felt her tighten around him.

Her body jolted, and she sobbed against his shoulder. Wetness coated his palm as she came and came, her body trembling all over.

Brennan kissed her before pulling his hand from her. He licked his fingers, and she watched him with wide, dazed eyes. She tasted tangy and honeyed, an elixir he could never get enough of.

He couldn’t wait any longer, though. He reached into his back pocket, pulling out his wallet and fishing out a condom. Thank God he’d remembered to put one in there earlier. He ripped open the packet and sheathed himself. He then hitched her hip against him and pushed himself all the way inside her, all the way to the hilt, and he shuddered. Slowly, he pulled out before thrusting back in, and Mina made delicious little noises in the back of her throat.

He thrust fast and furious then, the rhythm jumbled and messy, but he could feel Mina tightening around his cock with each stroke, urging him to go faster. She mewled and scrabbled at his shoulders.

Brennan said things he never thought he’d say to any woman: dirty, intimate, intense things, about how he never wanted to stop making love to her and he wanted to keep her on his cock every hour of every day and spend himself inside of her until everyone knew she was
his.

And then Mina cried out against his shoulder, and Brennan felt her orgasm throughout her entire body. She contracted around him, and it only took a few more moments before he came too, filling her. He swore and slapped his hand against the wall, coming and coming and coming until he half-wondered if it would ever end.

But then his body started to come down, and he became aware again of himself and of Mina—little Mina, her body flushed and a light sheen of sweat on her brow—and he licked that sweat away and then kissed her, still inside of her, half-hard.

He pushed against her, and she gasped.

“I want you again,” he ground out, carrying her into the bedroom and tossing her onto the bed.

“Don’t stop.” Mina tilted her head back and Brennan bit her in that lovely angle between her neck and shoulder. “Don’t ever stop.”

“I won’t,” he said. “I’ll never stop wanting you, Mina.”

Chapter Eleven

The morning after, Brennan kissed Mina goodbye and told her he’d see her after work. She’d almost begged him to stay—to keep her safe and to make love to her all day—but she’d kissed him back and forced herself to let him go. He wouldn’t be gone long, she reasoned, and she was being ridiculous, anyway. Roger and his crew may have been brazen enough to break into her store, but they wouldn’t have big enough balls to hurt her at her house.

Right?

Mina shoved the paranoia away, focusing instead on Brennan and their second night together. If anything, it had been even more intense this time, like their bond only strengthened each time they came together. How could she have fallen so hard for a guy in such a short time? Then again, she could argue that she’d been in love with him since she was a young girl, but that had been puppy love. This wasn’t mere infatuation—it was love.

Yes, love, Mina admitted to herself. She’d probably fallen in love with him the moment she set eyes on him, coming into her shop, smiling at her like he did. Those fascinating green eyes, the way he stretched and moved—almost like a cat—and most of all, how he kept her safe. How he’d put everything aside to help her these past forty-eight hours. What other man had done so much for her? Not even her ex-fiancé had sacrificed that much for her when they had been engaged.

She heard her phone ring. She hoped it was Brennan. But the number came up as one she didn’t recognize. Then she read the words scrawled across the screen:
Come meet me tonight with the money and we can end this.

A chill filled Mina, and she had to sit down. She’d stupidly given Roger her phone number when she’d filled out that so-called loan application, but this was the first time he’d texted her directly. He preferred vague voicemails. And asking her to meet him? Did he really think she’d have the money
now?

Trembling and furious, Mina typed,
How do you think I can pay you after you stole everything from my business?

The blinking three dots emerged, and she could just imagine Roger laughing as he replied.

Not my problem,
came the answer,
you still owe me and the interest has only been increasing.

She noticed that he didn’t admit—or deny—burglarizing her business.
Where and when do you want me to meet you with the money I clearly don’t have?

At the brewery, close to downtown. You know which one. Be there by 6:00, or you’ll face worse consequences.
      

Before Mina could respond, another reply:
And come alone. Bring that man of yours and the deal’s off.

She didn’t reply. She didn’t need to. Roger knew he had her backed into a corner, and Mina hated him for it. Picking up her phone, she almost called Brennan, but then hesitated. If she could take care of this herself, without having to involve Brennan again, shouldn’t she? Roger wanted money, not her. He’d leave her alone if she paid him—that much Mina knew.

Mina sat and considered all morning, almost missing her appointment with her insurance agents, and even during that meeting she could barely follow the conversation. Where could she get almost $100,000 by that evening? She knew her brother didn’t have that kind of cash, even if he’d give it to her. More than likely he’d take matters into his own hands and go after Roger himself. She also knew Brennan didn’t have that kind of money; neither did her parents, or other friends.

Mina had been so lost in thought that she hadn’t even realized the insurance agents had stood up, and she shook their hands and murmured a thanks without even knowing what they’d discussed or decided.

When she arrived home again, she knew she couldn’t find the full amount in a mere four hours. But she could get part of it, if she’d be willing to sacrifice something important to her. Mina headed up to her bedroom, pulling out her grandmother’s music box, where her few pieces of jewelry were stored. Her grandmother had died ten years ago, imparting all of her rings and necklaces and bracelets to Mina, the majority of which were little more than costume jewelry.

But one piece was not: when she opened a faded velvet box, the diamond ring inside winked at Mina in the low light. It had been her grandmother’s engagement ring, and her mother before her, having been handed down for at least four generations. It seemed rather unassuming at first glance, but it sparkled and shone like no other diamond.

Out of sheer curiosity, Mina had gotten it appraised years ago, and had learned—to her utter astonishment—that it was worth close to $65,000 based on its cut and clarity. She had refused to sell it, however, hoping to wear it as her own engagement ring someday. The jeweler had advised her to keep it in a safe, but the ring didn’t seem flashy enough in Mina’s mind, so she’d kept it in her grandmother’s box like any other piece of jewelry.

Mina twirled the ring in her fingers. She didn't have a choice now, did she? She kissed the ring before placing it in the box, silently apologizing to her grandmother and all of her great-grandmothers. Hopefully they’d understand how desperate she was that she’d sell a piece of her family’s history to keep the situation from getting worse.

She still felt the glare of her ancestors as she drove to the same jeweler who’d appraised the ring years ago, and she continued to feel their disapproval when she exited the shop with more cash in hand than she’d ever imagined, let alone possessed. It was like a huge weight in her purse, and Mina couldn’t stop the paranoia from growing, waiting to see if someone would jump out at her.

But she was left alone, even as she drove to the location Roger had specified. Even miles away, she had smelled the rather nauseating scent of the brewery, which tended to waft down the highway as you drove toward it. Mina had never been a beer fan, and getting so close to where it was made now didn’t induce her to change her mind.

Mina parked her car and waited. Roger would find her. Of that, she was certain. She clutched her purse against her body, trying to stem the tide of trembling that was climbing up her limbs. She couldn’t lose it now. She was so close to being free of all of this—even though she didn’t have the full amount, it surely had to be enough to get Roger off of her back for a little while, right? Mina could only pray that was the case.

A knock on her window startled her so badly that her heart almost burst from her chest. A man she didn’t recognize was standing at her driver’s side door, and he motioned for her to unlock the door. She flipped the lock, wondering if she should just drive off into the distance, change her name and live somewhere new. But instead, she pushed at the door so the man backed up. She stepped out in front of him, her purse still clutched in her hands and her head held high.

“Are you with Roger?” she asked. Her voice was only slightly shaky, thank God.

The man nodded. “Come with me.”

Without any further ado, the man turned and walked quickly away, and Mina hurried to catch up with him. Clearly, he had no consideration for her short legs, and by the time they reached their destination, she was almost panting.

He’d taken her to a small trailer a little distance from the brewery, and she watched as Roger stepped out of the enclosure, descending the steps.

“So, you decided to come,” he said in amused tones. “I hope that means you have my money.”

Mina bit her lip. “If I give you this money, you have to swear you’ll leave me and my business and my family alone.”

Roger laughed then, and the two guys with him looked just as amused. “I never swear, and you’re in no position to be making deals,” he replied. “Either you have the money or you don’t. So which is it?”

Fumbling with her purse, Mina pulled out her wallet and the wad of cash. She shoved it into Roger’s hands before scuttling away, like being so close to him had burned her. “There. Satisfied?”

“Let me count it first.” He fingered one bill, and then another one, counting each one slowly and methodically.

He licked his lips periodically, glancing up at Mina before returning to his prize. She almost ran for it, but she knew his men would catch her before she got even a few footsteps away.

“Now that you’re done counting, can I go?” Mina tried to sound unconcerned, even bored, but more than likely she came off more as desperate and terrified.

He stuffed the money into his back pocket. “I know women aren’t so good with numbers, but you owe me $100,000. Plus interest.”

Mina backed away. “I know that.”

“Then you must know that that was only $65,000, and that you owe me $35,000 more. Plus interest.” He caught her by the arm, his fingers clenching hard enough to bruise. “And that’s a pretty big difference, don’t you think?”

“It’s all I could do right now. But that should be enough to tide you over until I get the rest.”

Roger sighed, as if his patience were running thin. “I’ve waited long enough. I’ve given you so many chances, and this is how you repay me? Trying to get out of giving me every cent you borrowed from me?”

“No, that’s not it…” Mina shook her head, and his grip tightened. “I promise you I’ll get the rest.”

“We both know your promises mean nothing.” Roger snapped his fingers.

The two guys took hold of her. Mina thrashed, but both of their grips were too much for her. Her heart pounded madly, and her mind raced with what they were going to do with her. Ransom her? Kill her?

“Please, let me go. Please.” Tears fell, and the humiliation of the moment was complete. She hated to beg, especially with a man like Roger. “What are you going to do with me?”

“That’s for you to find out.” He patted her cheek before his face transformed into something hard and cruel. “Take her into the trailer. Maybe she’ll decide to give me the rest of the money she owes me after a little persuasion.”

Mina screamed, but the man on her right clapped his hand over her mouth. She struggled and tried to kick and even punch one of the men, but one of them cuffed her in the back of the head, and stars filled her vision. She couldn’t get stuck in that trailer, but her body seemed to be made of molasses. Inside, one of the men tied a gag around her mouth before forcing her into a chair.

Hot tears flooded her eyes, dripping down her cheeks onto her gag. The cloth tasted of sweat and dirt, and she didn’t even want to imagine where it had come from.

Oh God, Brennan,
she prayed,
please find me. Please find me and save me.

But as the same man was about to tie her to the chair, they all heard a growl, like that of a wild animal. The man looked up, startled, and glanced at his companion. “What the hell—?”

And that was when they all heard Roger scream.

Chapter Twelve

After leaving Mina, Brennan had once again called work—family emergency, so sorry—and then driven to his place to regroup. He needed a plan before he confronted Roger, beyond wanting to punch the guy in the face a thousand times and making him apologize to Mina for hurting her.

He focused instead on finding the exact brewery that seemed the most likely spot that Roger would set up shop, and then decided to wait until nightfall to go through with the plan. If he really wanted to scare Roger, he needed to be in jaguar form: nothing scarier than a huge wild cat coming for your throat.