“Yeah, yeah. Sure. I found him sobbing in the locker room before gym because he was PMSing.”
She laughed. “You did not.”
“How’s the candy apple?”
“Good. How’s the caramel?”
He held it out for her and she leaned over the counter to bite it while holding hers up for him so he could do the same. Johnny DeSerio really was cute. She knew quite a few girls in her class who thought the whole deep-thinking-artist thing really sexy.
Not her, of course. She liked football players and she adored basketball players. All that height. She’d inherited very little from the wolf side of her DNA. Even shifted she was simply shaggier than the rest of them, but still mostly wild dog. She didn’t mind. Wolves were a little too cranky for her. She liked being happy. Liked enjoying her life. After knowing her biological father she had absolutely no regrets about the fact he’d wanted nothing to do with her or her mother. He’d only made her realize how wonderful her real father was. Danny might not be blood, but it didn’t matter. He loved her, took care of her, and treated her like his own. Nothing else mattered.
Johnny slowly chewed his bite of apple while staring at her. He wanted to kiss her. She knew the signs. She wouldn’t, though. Not yet. Not until the time was absolutely perfect.
“Good?”
His gaze snapped away from her lips to stare into her eyes. “Yeah. Yeah, it’s really good.”
“So is yours.”
She licked caramel off her bottom lip and watched in fascination as Johnny turned an interesting shade of red.
“Kristan?”
Kristan spun around. Walt Wilson stood in the doorway of the staff kitchen. When he stopped trying to contact her, she’d prayed he’d given up and gone back to Alabama. Apparently no such luck for her. Shit, shit, shit!
“What are you doing here?”
“You haven’t returned any of my messages.”
She hadn’t. She hadn’t wanted to talk to him. And she didn’t even want to think about how he tracked her down. She’d finally had to admit to herself that the man simply creeped her the hell out. Danny was her dad. He’d always be her dad. And he never creeped her out.
“Sorry. With the snowstorm and all, I haven’t really touched my cell phone.”
“Fine.” And he truly seemed not to care. Danny worried when she was ten minutes late getting home from school. “But I’m thinking, little girl, you need to come with me.”
She felt Johnny tense behind her at the man’s coldly stated words.
“Come with you?” she asked, stalling for time.
She had to get out of this and not let Johnny get hurt. He was dumb enough to do something heroic, and she had no doubts the man standing across from them would kill Johnny without even thinking about it. With Smitty it had been a mere show of strength, putting Johnny in his place among the Pack. But Walt Wilson would kill him, and it would be all her fault because she’d allowed the man into their lives.
Still not comfortable shifting for battle, her eyes strayed over to the block of kitchen knives.
He laughed. “Don’t even think about it, little girl.”
As panic began to set into her bones, the other set of kitchen doors opened and Smitty’s mom, whom everyone called “Miss Janie,” walked into the room.
“There you two are. And eating that bad food when dinner will be ready in another hour.” She took the apples by their sticks and tossed them into the garbage. “Now I want you two to get on upstairs and change into something nice.”
“Why are we doing this again?” Johnny asked, clearly relaxing now that the older She-wolf was in the room.
“Because, little man, this is for your momma and my son. Now move that skinny ass upstairs before I take a switch to ya.”
“It’s New York. We don’t have any switches.”
Miss Janie raised one eyebrow and Johnny held his hands up. “We’re going. We’re going.”
Johnny took her hand and dragged her toward the door. Kristan looked back once at Walt Wilson. Something told her she wouldn’t be seeing the man again.
The sad thing was…she felt relieved.
Janie Mae Lewis faced her very distant kin. “Well, well, well. Walt Wilson.”
“Miss Janie.”
“Your momma told me you were in town. She was very upset. Upset because my son was choosing that little wild dog over kin.”
“I just want to see my daughter.”
“Is that right?” Janie walked toward him and she watched Walt’s body tense at her approach. “That’s funny. ’Cause your momma also said you’re having some money problems and that Bobby Ray should help.”
Walt took several steps back at her approach, but he didn’t break eye contact. “I never asked for that, but I ain’t sure what it has to do with anything?”
“Everything if Kristan’s momma is right and you’re just using that little girl because you’re hoping her Pack will pay you to go away.”
“I’m doing no such—” The boy nearly jumped out of his skin as the swinging door opened behind her and Bubba strolled into the room. She didn’t even have to turn around to recognize his scent, the way his work boots dragged on the floor, the way he growled every time he looked at her ass. Lord, she did love that man.
“Why are you in here?” Janie demanded, hiding her smile.
“Heard there’s candy apples.”
“Bubba Smith! We are eatin’ in another hour.”
“So? Trust me, woman. I’ll eat again.”
Shaking her head in disgust, she looked back at Walt. “Do you believe him? Man has the worst sweet tooth. Now, where was I…oh, yes! The girl.”
“My daughter’s not your concern, Miss Janie.”
“Real funny how she’s your daughter now when not six months ago she was that lie some wild dog told on you.”
“A man can’t change his mind about getting to know his own blood?”
“Of course he can. But my cousin, Micah Lewis, did notice how your desire to meet Kristan seemed to coincide with this magazine coming out…. What was it called again, Bubba?” she asked over her shoulder.
“Cables or something.”
“Not cables. Wired. That was it! Wired Magazine. They were buried inside, is my understanding, but you saw ’em fast enough, didn’t you? And then suddenly you wanted to know your kin.”
Walt’s nostrils flared the tiniest bit, and that mean streak his daddy always had came out with a vengeance. “Maybe you should mind your own, Miss Janie.”
“You brought it to my table. You did.”
“I wanted to warn you that your idiot boy was—”
She moved so fast, he never saw it coming. He underestimated her because of her age. Foolish boy.
Janie slapped her hand against Walt’s mouth, her fingers sliding in to grip hold of his bottom lip and jaw while staying away from his teeth. Then she shoved him back until she had him pinned to the wall. They both knew all she had to do was twist and she could either tear his bottom lip off or break his jaw, whichever she might be in the mood for this late afternoon.
“Do you really think Bubba Smith only keeps me around ’cause he likes fuckin’ me?”
“Although I do,” Bubba said while downing that caramel apple.
“I am the meanest woman you’ll ever meet, boy, so listen close. You leave. Tonight. You leave this town and you leave that little girl alone. She don’t like you much anyway from what I can reckon. You leave and you never look back.”
Walt twisted his head around until he could get Janie’s fingers from his mouth. “You can’t keep me away from my own daughter,” he snarled. “Not you and not these weak little dogs. I’ll take Maylin to court to get my rights—”
Not liking what she was hearing at all, Janie wrapped her hand around Walt’s neck, pulled him forward, and quickly slammed him back. She knocked the wind right out of the man too.
“You ain’t listening, boy. I’m giving you one chance here. And only one. You
stay away from this Pack; you stay away from that darlin’ little girl or there will be hell to pay.”
“I’m family!” he argued.
Janie tipped her head to the side and slowly unleashed her claws, digging them into Walt’s neck. She avoided major arteries by tearing into scars that looked recently born—seems her Bobby Ray learned well from his momma.
“You’re distant family. You and your scrawny little Pack. But Jessie Ann Ward will be the momma of Smith babies. That means she takes precedence over you idiots. That means she and her Pack are now blood.” Janie stepped closer, her nose right next to Walt’s neck.
“You cross her or my son,” she said in a low whisper, her fangs brushing against his jaw as she spit out the words, “and there won’t be a place in this universe where you’ll be safe from the Smiths. No place where we won’t find you.” She tightened her grip. “We’ll hunt you down. We’ll tear you apart. We will wipe your Pack from the face of the earth. And I won’t miss a moment’s sleep about it. Do you understand me?”
When he didn’t answer in five seconds or less, she dug her claws in and Walt let out a panicked yelp.
“Do. You. Understand?”
“Yes,” he bit out between clenched teeth.
“Good. I want y’all back in Alabama by tomorrow morning or I’m sending Eggie for you. He’s been looking for a good fight, and you know how he is about family. You know, he always did like little Jessie Ann. Said he never knew a dog who could climb trees. Now the Reed boys are going to be kind enough to take you and your Pack to the airport. They’re waitin’ outside for ya right now.” Janie released his neck and Walt let out a breath as she stepped back. “Now you’re gonna leave these dogs alone. No more questions. No more being nosey. Yeah, I heard you were asking around about them. About their past. Well, their past is their business. Not yours. Although I’d wager none of them would ever use their own babies to get money. Right?”
“Damn right they wouldn’t,” Bubba muttered. The Smiths and Kuznetsovs had been trapped in this fancy hotel for nearly three days during the snowstorm and they’d gotten along like a house on fire. Even Bubba, who didn’t like much of anyone but her, had found himself a warm spot for little Maylin and her baby girl. Although Phil wore on Bubba’s nerves pretty fast. Janie herself had grown fond of Sabina. A mean girl after her own heart.
When he didn’t answer in three seconds or less, Janie snapped her fingers right by his ear and Walt jumped.
“I asked you a question, boy.”
“Yes! You’re right. They wouldn’t use their own babies to get money.”
“Good. Now you need to learn from that.” Janie carefully took hold of Walt’s scarf, enjoying the way the boy cringed away from her, and gently wrapped it around his throat to hide the blood and claw marks. “There.” She patted his chest. “Now get on outside. The Reed boys are waiting for you out front. And you know how they get when you keep ’em waitin’ for too long.”
Walt nodded and headed toward the door.
“Tell your momma I said hi,” she called after him, enjoying the way his entire body jumped at the sound of her voice.
“Yes’m.”
The door closed and Janie turned toward her mate. “Bubba Ray Smith! You are not eating another one of those.”
Bubba reached for a bright red candy apple. “Don’t bark at me, woman.”
“But we’re going to have dinner in a little while!”
“I’ll eat.” He took a bite and chewed. “Why are we having this dinner anyway?”
She walked around the counter to stand next to Bubba. “To celebrate your boy finding his mate. It’s a happy time.”
“Foolish girl if you ask me.”
“Well, no one did.”
He held up the candy apple for her and she stared at it. “Go on. You know you want to.”
She leaned forward and took a bite.
“I wonder where they find these apples,” he grumbled, staring at her mouth. “They’re huge. As big as my head.”
“No,” she said after swallowing. “Nothing quite that big.”
“Keep it up and we won’t make that dinner.”
Janie licked her lips. “Is that right?”
“Uh-huh.” He took another bite, chewed, and said, “You know they’ll have wolfdogs.”
“So? They’ll be our grandbabies.”
“Our crazy wolfdog grandbabies.”
“Not always crazy. Look at little Kristan,” Janie argued.
“Yeah, but you know it’s only a matter of time before that little girl snaps. She’ll go off like a rocket and take everyone in a twenty-five-mile radius with her.”
“Bubba Smith! You stop that kind of talk right now.”
“I didn’t say I didn’t like her. I’m just warning the general populace.” He finished off that giant apple in seconds and dropped the stick and core on the counter. “Now…come here.”
He reached for her and Janie grabbed his wrists. “Your hands are sticky.”
“They’re gonna be stickier in a second.”
She laughed while she tried to hold him back. “You always get like this after I have to deal with family business.”
“I love seeing you get mean.”
“Is that the only reason you came in here? To watch me scare that little boy?”
He finally had his arms around her, pulling her close against his body. “Damn right. Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
“That’s what I thought,” she said on a giggle as he teased her neck.
“Now, darlin’,” he murmured in her ear, “give your sugar some sugar.”
Chapter 32
Smitty handed his truck keys to one of only two valets at Shaw’s hotel that he trusted and took Jessie’s hand. Together, they headed toward the automatic front doors of the Kingston Arms. He had to do some damage control and do it fast. He’d promised Jessie he’d fix this. He didn’t break promises, and he sure as hell wouldn’t let Walt Wilson make him break a promise.
The doors slid open, but Jessie stopped cold, bringing Smitty up short.
“What?” he asked, when he found her staring at the corner. “What’s wrong?”
She raised her hand and pointed. His gaze followed and they watched as Ronnie Lee’s daddy dragged Walt Wilson to a waiting SUV. Ronnie’s two uncles behind them.
“Lord, they’ve brought in the original Reed boys.”
“The original Reed boys?”
“Yeah, the Reed boys before the Reed boys. They invented the junkyard dog.” Smitty shook his head. “This isn’t good.”
As he said the words, Clifton Reed slammed Wilson headfirst into the SUV door frame.
Jessie jerked in surprise. “Oh, my God.”
“Yeah.”
“Smitty, what’s going on?”
“I don’t know. Come on.” He moved toward the door, pulling Jessie behind him. As they walked into the lobby, Kristan charged up to them, throwing her arms around Jessie first and then Smitty.
“I’m so happy for you guys!”
Johnny walked up behind her, his eyes mid-roll.
Examining the pair, Jessie asked, “Why are you guys dressed up?”
The boy had on the makings of a suit, although he looked downright miserable. And Kristan had on a little cocktail dress.
“We can’t tell,” Kristan said with way too much enthusiasm before grabbing the boy’s hand and dragging him off.
“This can’t be good,” Jessie said.
“I know, darlin’.”
“Something’s going on.”
“I know.”
“I say we make a run for it.”
He nodded. “Yup.”
They headed right back to the front door, but sturdy hands used to raising five sons and one out-of-control daughter grabbed the back of their necks and held tight.
“And where are y’all runnin’ off to?” Janie Mae Lewis demanded while pulling him and Jessie back around. “You gonna leave without saying hello to you
r own momma?”
Resigned to his fate, Smitty smiled. “No, no, ’course not.”
“Then give your momma a hug.”
He did, enjoying her warmth. No matter how tough she was on the rest of the world, she always took good care of her boys.
Sissy Mae, however, was another matter altogether.
“Look at you,” she said when she finally pulled back. “So handsome.”
“Momma, come on.”
She hugged Jessie Ann before raising an eyebrow at her. “Don’t you look well tended, my little wild dog.”
Jessie’s cheeks reddened a bit and she shrugged.
“Now y’all come on.” She took his hand and Jessie’s and led them to the elevator.
“What’s going on, Momma?”
“Don’t you trust me?”
Smitty shook his head. “Trick question. I’m not answering that.”
“Smart boy.”
A quick elevator ride to the top floor of the hotel and the five-star restaurant it held. When they walked in, the room erupted into applause and whoops. They were all there—his Pack, much of his Daddy’s who’d come with them on their trip, and Jessie Ann’s. And all of them applauded and yelled out congratulations.
“Took you long enough!” one of his Daddy’s cousins yelled from the back of the room.
For the first time since he’d met her again, Jessie looked like she’d give anything to have some bleachers to hide under.
“Momma,” Smitty said, taking Jessie’s hand with his own, “you didn’t have to do all this.”
“Of course I did. Your daddy’s family did it for us. It was downright humiliating. Now it’s y’all’s turn.” She slapped Smitty’s hand and he let Jessie loose. “Now, Jessie Ann, you go on down to that end of the table and sit with me and Bubba.”
Smitty reached for Jessie when he saw the panic in her eyes, but his daddy caught hold of her arm and pulled her away.
“And you’ll sit down here with some of Jessie’s people.” Jessie’s people? Sure enough, his momma led him over to sit beside Phil and Sabina, as well as Sissy Mae and, oddly enough, Mitch Shaw.
As they walked Smitty said under his breath, “What about Wilson?”
“Oh,” his momma waved her hand dismissively, “don’t y’all worry about him no more.”