Her Billionaire Werewolf Stepbrother (3 page)

She’s mine.
She’s mine and
I’ll have her tonight. The wolf pushes. He isn’t concerned about her sadness.
I’m on the fence. Sandy shouldn’t have done this. It’s tearing my girl apart.
Janie’s been sniffling since we got here. I’ve given her three tissues so far.
I brought a pocketful because once she starts it’s always a long time before
she stops. I know this from experience. It was the one time that I made her
cry. She’s a strong girl and it takes a lot to get her to that point. Once she
gets there though, she has a hard time stopping. It’s like the world crashes
around her.

I was an asshole that day, a total
asshole. I knew it at the time but I was so frustrated that I couldn’t stop. It
won’t happen again. I will never make her cry again. I will never be the reason
for her pain or her tears. Not on purpose anyway.

My team is at the house packing up
her room and bathroom. They will move it to my place and put it away before she
arrives. She doesn’t know. She doesn’t need to know, she only needs to survive
this one last sad emotional day. Six of Dad’s friends are lifting the casket to
carry it out now and put it in the back of the hearse. It’s a nice casket.
Janie chose it. It’s wood, oak I think and it’s covered in pink rose blooms.
Sandy liked pink roses. I watch it go then follow Dad and Janie out.

We get into a limo that I ordered
yesterday. I wasn’t putting Janie in the clunky pick up between me and Dad. I
get in and the driver closes the door. Janie leans into me and I wrap my arm
around her. Dad is against the other door staring outside, he looks over at me.
“Her choice?” Dad asks. I nod. “Okay. You have my blessing.”

“Thanks.” He goes back to staring
out at the others getting into their cars. Ours starts to roll forward. I give
Jane another tissue. She blows her nose and dabs her eyes then stuffs it in her
purse. It’s all I can see inside the small clutch, a sea of used tissues. I
give her another and I see her lips lift. The ride to the cemetery is short. We
get out when the car stops and Jane takes my elbow when we start across the
uneven ground. I’m half afraid she’ll break an ankle in the heels she has on.
She said they were the only black heels she had when I objected to them, so I’d
conceded and let her have her way. They’re so high though they should only be
worn in my bed. Them and nothing else. My wolf pushes, I push him back. She’ll
have fifteen pairs of shorter black heels before the end of the week.

We sit down at the graveside on the
metal folding chairs they’ve put out for family. They’re putting Sandy’s casket
on the straps that will lower her into the ground. Janie starts battling a new
round of tears. Her makeup was gone a long time ago. I’m glad. I didn’t like it
anyway. I like her to look like Janie. She has perfect pale skin, a natural
blush to her cheeks and dark lashes. Janie doesn’t need that crap. Her hair is
pinned up in a knot at the base of her neck. I want that gone too. I want to
see the long hair that hangs to the middle of her back and I want to fist my
hand in it. I want to do a lot of things but now is not the time.

The reverend is speaking, we pray, then
he says more. He’s not a wolf but it doesn’t matter. Church is church. The pack
rev is in Florida visiting family and won’t be back for another week. I offered
to fly him in but Dad said to let him have his vacation. He didn’t conduct
funerals very often, usually it was a mating or Sunday service.

Janie is fisting the tissue and
needs a replacement. I reach in my pocket, there’s only one left after this one.
I wonder if Dad brought any. I give him a look as I hand it to her and he
shakes his head. He didn’t. My mate, my job. That’s okay. If I have to, I’ll
let her use my sleeve. I have more shirts.

Janie stands and I stand beside
her. She tosses the flower that she had a death grip on a few minutes ago into
the grave where they’ve lowered the casket. I hear her sigh and I take her hand
to lead her away. I let her go when Jackie Peterson comes over and hugs her
tight. They surround her then, the old she-wolves of the pack and they’re
offering support. I stand aside and wait patiently.

There will be a reception at the
Alpha’s house. We have to go there next. I don’t want to but I don’t have a
choice. If I announce that we’re mating, they’ll all be happy for us but there
will still be a reception. They will also expect it to be public and Jane isn’t
ready for that. We’ll stick to the plan. I take her hand again and lead her to
the limo. We wait for Dad. He needed a moment alone at the grave. I see him rub
his face with both hands as he turns toward us where we wait in the car. He
really loved her. The second woman that he loved has died. I hope that the next
one will outlive him. It’s not fair that he always has to be the one left
behind.

Candice approaches him and hugs
him. I consider it. She’s around his age and she’s alone, seems nice, she makes
a mean apple pie. She’ll do, I decide. He likes apple pie, I give it six
months, eight at the latest before he’s mated again. I smile to myself but I
don’t let Jane see. She wouldn’t be pleased. She’ll expect him to mourn her
mother and he should but wolves are never happy alone. I’m proof of that. My
wolf aches for family, for pack and for a mate. He’s finally going to get it.

I hear Jane shudder as she inhales
and I wrap an arm around her then kiss the top of her head. I hope the tears
end soon. I’m having a hard time with her pain. It’s difficult to bear and my
wolf is getting antsy about it now. I kiss her temple and I see her cheeks
flush. “I can’t wait to get you home so I can make you forget all this sadness
for a while.” I tip her head up with my finger and kiss her softly. God, she
tastes good. I kiss her again and I hear the soft growl. I’ll make her do more
than that later. I’ll make her howl.

The Alpha’s mate hugs all of us
when we get there. She shows us to some nice armchairs that are grouped
together with a couch. Jane takes a chair, me and Dad flank her. The Alpha sits
on the couch. He’s old. I could have his job if I wanted it. He gives me a look
and lifts his chin. I’m not sure if it’s a challenge or if he’s showing throat.
I don’t want his job so I lower my eyes and submit. We both know though that if
I wanted it, it would be mine. I don’t lose often in any challenge whether it
be mental, physical or financial. He’s speaking to Dad and I ignore them. I
don’t care about his sentiments, I just want to get Jane out of here.

Some of the ladies bring us plates
and cups of coffee. It’s bitter. It’s not the good stuff that I stock in my
kitchen or in my office. Jane makes a face when she tastes it. “I’ll get you a
soda.” I whisper against her ear.

“Thanks.” She says softly. I bring
it back and someone is in my seat chatting up my girl. I lean past him and hand
her the soda. I recognize him from the funeral home. His name is Aiden, he’s
her age and a decent looking kid. I flash him a look and he apologizes, offers
his condolences once more then gets out of my seat. I give him a quiet
aggressive growl and send him prancing away. Pup.

I sit next to Janie and give her a
reassuring hug. Luckily there is a new box of tissues on the coffee table
beside my chair. I hand her two new ones to destroy. The tears are coming fast
now. Her eyes are swollen and red. I want to hold her all the way home and I
won’t be able to if I’m driving.

I pull out my phone and text my
team. One of them will drive the sports car back the other the SUV they came
in. I text the limo driver next and secure the car for the night. He will drive
us into the city. I’ll tip him good and he knows it. People are very compliant
when dealing with billionaires. Janie picks at the plate they’ve given her. I
don’t know if it’s because she doesn’t like it or if she’s just not hungry. I
text my house keeper to leave dinner, something light.

Jocelyn texts right back with my
choices. I think the fruit, cheese and bread will suit Jane best and tell her
to leave that. She’ll take care of it. Jocelyn runs my house like a top. She’s
not married since her husband passed away a year ago. He was hit by a taxi
while crossing the street. He may have survived if he’d been wolf but he was a
weak human. He was my valet. I’ve been taking care of my own needs since then.

I have a team of security guys,
thirty of them. They control and watch everything from another apartment on the
floor below, Jocelyn lives in her own apartment next door to the security team
headquarters. I keep them close but not too close. I like my privacy. Some of
them are humans, some are shifters. I have cats, bears and wolves.  

I own the building so no big deal.
My offices are below the staff quarters. Then the rest of the building. The
second and third floors house my lawyers. Four though seven belong to my
finance department. I spend most of my time on the software floors and the rest
in my office. There are thirty-two all together and five floors of underground
parking. Part of the first floor is sectioned off and holds my personal cars.  It
will be overwhelming for her at first. She’ll adapt.

I hear Jane sigh. I can see Dad is
getting restless too. I get up and find the Alpha’s mate. I let her know that
it’s been a long day and we need to go home. She understands. We’ve been here
ninety-seven minutes. Long enough. I make my way back through the house to Jane
and Dad.

That pup Aiden is persistent, he’s
back in my chair. I’m shaking hands as I cross the living room but my eyes are
on the pup. For a little, I would take him out back and teach him a big lesson.
I lean over right in his ear when I get there and growl
Mine
in his ear.
I wouldn’t be surprised if he wet his pants from the tone of his whimper. He
leaps from my seat and goes straight out the front door. Pup. I shake my head.
He wasn’t even willing to fight for her. I would be more than willing. I would
kill for Jane.

I take her elbow and lift her from
the seat. “Let’s go. I’ve made our excuses and said our goodbyes. Dad.” I give
him a pointed look and he almost jumps up. He hates this kind of thing and he’s
more than ready to get out of here and back to his recliner. Jane leans against
me and lets me lead her outside. We pile into the limo and ride the short
distance to Dad’s house.

When we pull up in the driveway the
limo driver gets out and opens Dad’s door. “Dad, we’re going to the city. We
aren’t coming in.” He nods.

“What about my stuff?” Jane says.

“All taken care of beautiful, my
team has packed it and moved it to the condo.

“Where’s your car?” She asks
spinning her head around.

“They took that too. We’re riding
back in this. Okay?” She nods and settles.

“Bye Daddy.” She calls to him.

“Bye Sweetie. Call me if you need
anything.” The door closes and we’re alone. I raise the privacy glass and text
the driver the address and ask that he not disturb us. I get an ‘of course’
back a second later. The car is moving again.

“I wanted to hold you on the way.
You seem like you need that today.” She sniffles. I grabbed a handful of the
Alpha’s tissues before we left and give her one.

“Thanks. You always know what I
need.” I kiss the top of her head and she cuddles closer to me. “It’s so weird.
Half of the time I think of you as my brother and the other half I want to…” I
hug her tight.

“How about for this ride, I’m just
Jake. Not your brother, not your mate to be, just Jake. The guy that is
offering you comfort and tissues.” She laughs softly. I like that sound.

Jane is quiet for most of the ride.
I think she’s fallen asleep and I sneak a look. Her eyes are closed and her
mouth is moving in the sexy little way she has. She’s out. I blow out a breath.
Her eyelids are puffy and her nose is red. She’s still beautiful.

I check my email on my phone. There
are hundreds of them. I have eight reminders from my calendar, I’ve already
addressed all of them ahead of time. I scroll through emails one by one giving
answers when required. I look at the one Scott sent, the project with the
problem. It’s too big to look at on the phone. I’ll have to look at it later. I
move on. I can’t wait until I’ve made Jane my assistant so she can take care of
some of this. Jane is methodical and brilliant. She’s a good catch whether she
knows it or not. I’ve needed help for a while but never got around to hiring.
My assistant would normally do that. I quirk a grin.

I’ve been borrowing Lee’s assistant
for pressing issues and she seems eager. I think she has a thing for me. They
all do. It’s the wolf that draws them in, he makes me more attractive. He oozes
charm and pheromones that will drop even a prude’s panties.

Lee’s assistant has been under his
desk more than once though and he can have her. She’s an odd duck. One of her
eyes is brown and the other green. The wolf doesn’t like it, it’s an imperfect
trait and not one he wants for his pups. He doesn’t mind me fucking them but
he’s rather standoffish when it comes to her. Jane on the other hand makes him
crazy. He wants to take her right now even while she’s upset and puffy faced.

I look down at her again. The red
blotches are clearing up on her cheeks and her nose is not as red either. Her
eyes are still puffy though and her mouth is still working. It’s a shame to
wake her and I wonder if I can get her from the car and up the private elevator
without waking her. I text security. I tell them I am ten minutes out and to
have the elevator waiting in the garage.  Chris is standing by, the return text
says. Good. She stirs but doesn’t wake. I text the driver that she is asleep
and that quiet is imperative. I get nothing back until the next stop light.
It’s another ‘of course’. I lean my head against hers. My sweet girl is going
to be okay. I’ll make sure of it.

I wake up in a soft bed with a
quilt pulled over me. My shoes are gone, so is my dress. How does he do that?
How can you undress an adult without them waking? When I go to sleep, does my
brain die then come back when I wake? Weird. I am exhausted, I have been since
Mom…No. I will not cry again. My stomach growls. I’ve only really eaten a small
bowl of cereal. I picked at the Alpha’s house because I was still too
distraught.

He’s sitting across the room in a
chair typing furiously on a laptop. He doesn’t notice that I’m awake yet. This
room is nice. I’m guessing that it’s Jake’s bedroom. It smells like him. There
are floor to ceiling windows covering an entire wall. I hope the sun doesn’t
come up in them. That’s going to wake me and I like to sleep in. I watch him. I
think that I can type fast but he makes me look pathetic. What is he doing? His
eyes narrow then close for a second. They open again and I see his jaw tighten.
He’s not happy with whatever he’s looking at on the screen. He types more furiously
then stops suddenly and looks up at me. He gives me the sexy lopsided grin that
sends heat to my core. Jake has a knack for that, melting my panties. I’ll
never tell him that. That’s top secret.

“Hungry?” He asks. I nod. He closes
the computer and sets it aside. He gets up and comes to the bed with a robe. I
think it’s his because I don’t own one, and it smells like him. Yummy. I put my
arms in and let him wrap it around me. All I had on was my bra and panties.
“I’m glad that you slept Jane. You look much better.

“How long was I out?” He looks at
the expensive watch on his wrist.

“Four hours including the time in
the car. I asked Jocelyn to leave us dinner and I cleared out the house. We’re
alone except the cameras.” I look up at the very small black bubbles as we
move. We’ve gone down one hallway and started down another. “Don’t worry
they’re only at the doors, this hall and my office. You’re free to run around
naked everywhere else.” I look around. We’re passing a lot of doors and I’m
already lost. I won’t be running around naked anywhere until I know for sure where
everything is and where the humans are. He has staff and even though it is
perfectly acceptable to run around naked at home, I’ve never been one to do it.
I’ve been on pack hunts and I’ve shifted in front of others but it’s not
something that I’ve ever been comfortable with. After spending four years away
at school and living with mostly humans I’m even less apt to do it now.

“This is the main hall that leads
to my office.” He points to the right through the open door. There’s a big
glass desk with a big leather chair. He has three huge monitors and a
treadmill. I make a face. “I can’t always get out to run.” He winks at me.

“But you said there are cameras.”
He nods. “So you’ve shown yourself?” He scoffs.

“No, I run on that, walk rather. He
runs in the workout room if he has to.” I scrunch my eyebrows.

“Do you ever shift?” I finish the
word on a whisper.

“All the time.” He whispers back.
“There is a state park nearby and I own twenty acres just outside of town that
backs to it. Sometimes when business is in the heat of battle though, I just
can’t make time so, treadmill. In my office I walk when I need to think. It
helps if I’m trying to figure out code.”

“Okay.” Not my idea of meditation
but to each his own.

“What do you do when you need to
think? Do you still sit upside down on couches?” I smirk and shake my head. He
looks disappointed but moves on.  “This is the living room.” It’s all various
shades of beige and brown, the walls, the floor and the furniture. The tables
are low and wood and there are a lot of plants. I could like this room except I
would’ve made it all green so it felt like forest. No, maybe not, then it
wouldn’t have any contrast. I’m not a decorator. That was Mom’s forte. I’m sad
again, thinking of her. “Come.” He drags me along. I think he senses the shitty
emotions that keep gripping me. “Theater room.” He pushes the door open.

There are theater seats facing a
huge TV. Wow. The walls are dark and the carpet is lush. It looks cozy. I know
that I want to spend time in this room. “Next, the library.” He pushes open
that door, it’s across from the theatre. Overstuffed couches and three walls of
bookshelves covered in books. More beige, but the couches are dark with
patterns. There’s a desk built into one bookshelf for studying but it’s the
oversized chair in the corner that draws my attention. It’s beige with big blue
flowers, not really his style. It seems familiar but not. I step inside and go
to it. I run my hand along the big rolled arm of it. It’s soft. “It was my
mother’s.” He says from right behind me. “You may use it any time you like,
right side up or upside down.” He kisses my neck. “Let’s go, you’re hungry. I
know that he doesn’t spend time in here because the air is stale but that could
be the books.

We move along and pass a dining
room on the right and finally the kitchen is through an open doorway to the
left. It’s huge and any chef would envy it. I can’t imagine sitting here eating
an ordinary bowl of oatmeal. It’s all white and stainless. The floor is white
marble tile, the countertops are white marble and solid. Very modern. All of
the lighting is recessed and the refrigerator is built into a cabinet. Mom
would love this. “I’m going to hate keeping this clean.”

“Not your concern beautiful.
Jocelyn will take care of it. Your only concern is us.” I think about that.
Suddenly, everything is getting real.

“Did you decorate this?” I try to
get past the scary overwhelming thoughts that threaten to creep in.  He teeters
his hand back and forth in the air. “So a woman decorated this.” I say and he
grins. “Who is she?” I ask, hoping she is only a decorator and not a previous
girlfriend.

“Her name is Michelle. She’s on
staff and does all of the decorating in the building. She also is responsible
for replacing furniture and fixtures. I nod. “If there is something in this
condo that you don’t like, whether it’s paint, furniture, whatever you can ask
for a change. She will accommodate you. I want you to be happy so whatever you
like Jane. It’s yours now too.” Mine? I shake my head. He lifts me onto a bar
stool at the counter. It’s wooden and has a back, the cushion is light
turquoise blue. It’s the only color in this room other than the white and
steel. “Now let’s see.”

He opens the fridge and brings out
a bowl of fruit and puts it in front of me. He spins around and finds a wooden
cutting board that is covered with a glass dome. There is bread and cheese
underneath the dome. I can see the cheese is the kind that gets melty at room
temperature and I want to try it. I’ve only seen this on TV.

Jake sets the dome aside and slices
the long loaf of bread into thick pieces. He dips his knife into the cheese and
smears it across the bread. My mouth is watering. I’ve never had a reaction
like this to a cheese sandwich. Maybe it’s because he’s making it. My stomach
screams and groans. Jake looks up at me and grins. He offers the bread. I take
it from him and bite into it. It is smooth and creamy like butter’s older more
sophisticated cousin. I hear him growl softly. We’re going to mate and I’ve just
accepted nourishment from his hand. That’s a big deal. My eyes climb up the
front of him slowly until they find his. They’re amber. I set the bread down.
He grips the counter.

“Eat.” He says softly. I know that
he wants me and I know that he is barely containing himself. I hop off the
stool and go around the counter. I grab my bread off the plate and offer him a
bite. He takes it when I hold it up to his mouth. I smile and finish the piece.
We’ve just completed a very old tradition, a ritual really. He’s offered me
food, I accepted. I offered him food and he’s accepted. I’ve eaten after him,
I’ve accepted him. His wolf knows it, and so does mine. She feels happy in
there. She wants him.

He’s making another piece of bread
but scoots the bowl of fruit toward me. There are grapes, apples and pears. I
choose a small Asian pear. They are incredible. I’ve had this once before, Jake
brought it to me and told me to try it. I loved it. He knew that I would. My
biggest complaint has always been that pears are too squishy. He found these. A
crunchy pear. Leave it to Jake to solve all of the world’s problems. I bite
into it, it’s just as I expected. I go back to my seat and climb up.

“My wolf is anxious.” He murmurs.
“But I don’t want to rush you.” I watch him. “You’ve had a rough week and a
really rough day.” I nod. “If you’re not up to it, we can wait.” He’s not
breathing. I let him suffer for a second, pay him back a little for making me
wet myself.

“I don’t want to wait.” I finally
whisper. He exhales and I grin at him.

“Good.” He lays three pieces of
bread and cheese on a napkin and slides them toward me. “We’ll eat and then…” I
nod and put more of the bread in my mouth. I’m starting to feel better. I’m not
as tired and my stomach is settling. Jake goes to the fridge again and pulls
out a soda and a water.

“Water.” I say.

“I have wine if you want.” I shake
my head. I hate wine, any alcohol really. It serves no real purpose to a wolf.
I’d have to guzzle that whole bottle to get the slightest of buzzes. It tastes
awful anyway, so no point really. Not to me.

The soda though, that’s fun. Sugary
bubbly fun and I can take a shot at burping the alphabet if I drink it fast
enough. Not really a trick I want to show Jake though. It’s neither romantic
nor ladylike and today is a day for both of those.

I rub my feet together. They’re
getting a little cold. Most wolves are always hot and Jake is one of them but
I’m usually colder than wolves. I was always hotter than humans though. In
college, I was still wearing short sleeves and sandals when the others were
mostly in sweaters and corduroy. I wrap the robe tighter around me when the air
conditioning comes on.

We’ve finished with the bread and
cheese. He puts the dome back on it and puts the fruit back in the fridge. He
takes my pear core and puts it under the sink. The trash can must be there. I’m
suddenly nervous. This is it. He’ll claim me next. I shiver. I wonder if he
knows I’m a virgin. I wonder if he can sense it or if I should tell him. I
think that it’s something that he should know before we get started but I’m not
sure how to say it. ‘I’ve never been fucked before so don’t hurt me.’ No. I
don’t think he’ll hurt me anyway. It’s Jake.

He holds out a hand to me and I
take it. He’s leaving the kitchen and heading back to the bedroom. His cell
phone rings and he pulls it out of his pocket to look at it. He lets go of my
hand and answers it. I wander over to the blinds in the living room and push
two apart to get a better view. There’s a balcony but I won’t go out yet. I
look out over the skyline. It’s not a huge city but next to the town where I
grew up it’s gigantic. Traffic is buzzing below and I see a trail of ruby tail
lights moving like ants in a parade beneath me. That’s not for me. If I had to
drive in that every day the wolf would break out and make a run for it.

He’s moving down the hall to his
office so I follow him. Jake closes the door softly behind him. Maybe it’s
private. I narrow my eyes and think about that but I keep walking. If I go down
this hall to the end and turn I think I’ll be in the bedroom. I can crawl back
under the quilt where it’s warm. I follow the hall, I reach the end and turn.
I’m in a smaller room than the bedroom that I remember. I feel for a light
switch and flip it up.

It’s full of clothes. Women’s
clothes. “What the heck is this?” I ask myself. I touch some of them. There are
silks and woolens. There are doors, a double set of doors. I open them and dear
God I have never seen so many shoes. They’re all the same size but every color
imaginable. I exhale.

Who is she? Who is the woman that
belongs to all of these clothes? She must have lived here. She must be
important to him for him to have kept this. I wonder if he’s come for me
because she’s gone. I feel sorry for her. She must’ve died to have left all of
these beautiful things behind. I feel sorry for him too. To have lost someone,
a person that you loved so much that you can’t empty their closet. I wonder if
Dad has started cleaning out Mom’s things. A tear makes its way down my cheek
at that thought and for Jake and the absent woman. Am I just a replacement for
her? A runner up. He said that he knew the moment he saw me but now there’s
her. Why would he lie?

“Damn it Jane.” He scolds and I
whirl around. I’m caught snooping. I feel utter shame at my intruding where I
don’t belong and I my cheeks heat. Why didn’t I hear him coming? My wolf is off
her game. “You ruined my surprise.” I give him a look that says both ‘huh?’ and
‘oh shit’ all at once. He comes to me and puts his hands on my shoulders. “Do
you like it?”

“What?” He grins. I shrug. I feel
stupid right now. Jake has an uncanny ability to make me feel stupid. He’s been
doing it for years. He’s smarter than I am and we both know it. When I was in
school, all of my schools, I always knew that I was probably the smartest
person in the room. Grades and assignments came easy to me, I knew the answers.
But around him it’s as if my  brain goes on permanent vacation.

“This? Your dressing room.” He
points.

“My…dressing room?” I look at the rainbow
of blouses.

“What’s wrong with you Jane?”

“I don’t understand. Why didn’t she
take these with her? Did she die? And who is she?” He lowers his forehead to
mine.

“This is yours. There is no she,
nobody died.”

“None of this is mine.” I glance to
the left at the shoes. Oh, I want them to be mine. I could spend days in here
trying them on. They’re all so beautiful. There are so many textures and
fabrics to run my fingers over. I wonder if I’m drooling. There are pairs lined
up on the floor under the clothes too.