Force of Temptation
Page 89
Some reporters, due to the article, speculated that it was shifters taking his homes just as he’d taken theirs. After all, it was simple to confirm just how many of his hotels and spas were built on what was previously shifter land. Other reporters, however, believed it was the extremists trying to implicate shifters; after all, the humans would loathe Hector for his half-shifter blood. But Hector would know it was Nick.
“He’ll retaliate,” added Cain. “We need to be ready for that.”
“‘We?’” Ally gave a fast shake of the head. “No, Cain. You stay out of this.”
Jesse turned as the front door swung open. Cassidy skipped inside, followed by Kathy, who had Willow perched on her hip. Behind them was the female he’d been waiting for. His wolf relaxed at the sight of Harley. He hadn’t seen much of her since he’d left their lodge this morning as the pack had been vigilantly guarding the perimeter. Shaya had spent most of the day sitting on her balcony with binoculars and her shotgun, to Nick’s dismay.
Harley had been shocked when the Alphas asked her to aid Kathy in keeping an eye on the pups because they trusted her ability to protect them. Jesse hadn’t been so surprised. He’d always known that the pack would grow to adore and trust her. Plus, shifters liked their children to be guarded by someone fierce and protective. That made Harley a wise choice.
Jesse stepped aside to let Kathy and the pups pass, giving Cassidy a quick wink that made her giggle. He then slipped an arm around his mate and kissed her temple. “You okay, baby?” he asked quietly, nuzzling her and inhaling her scent—a scent he wanted mixed with his.
Melting into him, Harley puffed out a breath. “Spending a full day with two kids was more exhausting than I thought it would be, even with Kathy’s help.” They just seemed to have an endless abundance of energy. Willow always found a way to get dirty, no matter what they were doing or where they were doing it. Cassidy chatted nonstop, talking about even the most inconsequential of things. They’d loved petting and playing with her cat.
Smiling, Jesse gave her a quick kiss. “I’d have to agree.” He turned back to the scene in the living area, only to frown as Cassidy skidded to a halt in front of Cain.
Then the little girl gave the wolf a bright smile. “You’re here.” Like she’d been expecting him.
Cain’s brow creased. “I’m . . . here.”
“You’re early,” the pup added.
Looking lost, Cain said, “I am?”
“Yep. You’re gonna help me take off my jacket.”
Harley exchanged a confused look with Jesse, who just shrugged. The pup wasn’t even wearing a jacket.
Ally quickly stepped forward. “Cain, meet our little Seer, Cassidy.”
Understanding dawned on his features. “A Seer, huh?” He’d know all about them, having grown up with Ally.
“Nick and Shaya foster me,” Cassidy told him, swinging her arms. “I was staying at the shelter because the human family who adopted me gave me up. They weren’t very nice people and they worked a lot. I like it better here.”
Before Cassidy could tell him her life story, Jesse asked, “Does this mean you’ve finished playing with my mate? Because I kind of want her back.”
Cassidy gave him an odd look. “Dude, she’s right there.”
“Stop saying ‘dude’; you’re four.” Shaya chuckled, gladly taking her daughter from Kathy. “Hello, angel.”
Cain looked at Willow. “Wow, you’re a lot bigger than the last time I saw you.”
Shaya gently squeezed her daughter’s hand. “Aren’t you going to say ‘hi’ to Cain?”
Pulling her thumb out of her mouth, Willow whispered, “I see dead people.”
Shaya gasped and glanced around. “Who let her watch The Sixth Sense?”
Shoulders shaking, Jesse joined the others in shrugging, looking stumped.
“That was creepy,” Cain said to Willow. “Cute but creepy.” When a sociopath found something creepy, it had to be.
With a forced smile, Shaya put Willow on the ground and then turned to Kent and Caleb. “Maybe you should take the girls outside while we finish our conversation.”
Nodding, Caleb stood. “Who wants to hit the play area?” The girls jumped up and down excitedly. Harley stepped aside so that the two males and the pups could exit the living area. That was when Cain got a good look at Harley and froze.
“Cain, this is Jesse’s mate, Harley Vincent,” Ally told him. “Harley, this is my foster brother, Cain Holt.”
“Harley Vincent,” Cain repeated, eyes narrowed.
Chin up, Harley nodded. “That’s right.” She didn’t like the way the male was looking at her. Assessing her. Sizing her up. Her cat’s tail twitched as they engaged in a stare-out.
“Why didn’t you tell your father about all the trouble with Hector?” he asked her.
Harley cocked her head. “What makes you think I didn’t?” The wolf didn’t respond, making her once again wonder if Clive was a player within The Movement after all. She’d still prefer not to know for sure.
“Back to the subject of Hector,” said Ally, frowning at Cain. “Promise me you won’t get involved.”
“I can’t do that,” he told her firmly.
Ally rubbed at her temples. “The Movement has a true purpose. Assassinating assholes isn’t part of it.”
“He’ll retaliate,” added Cain. “We need to be ready for that.”
“‘We?’” Ally gave a fast shake of the head. “No, Cain. You stay out of this.”
Jesse turned as the front door swung open. Cassidy skipped inside, followed by Kathy, who had Willow perched on her hip. Behind them was the female he’d been waiting for. His wolf relaxed at the sight of Harley. He hadn’t seen much of her since he’d left their lodge this morning as the pack had been vigilantly guarding the perimeter. Shaya had spent most of the day sitting on her balcony with binoculars and her shotgun, to Nick’s dismay.
Harley had been shocked when the Alphas asked her to aid Kathy in keeping an eye on the pups because they trusted her ability to protect them. Jesse hadn’t been so surprised. He’d always known that the pack would grow to adore and trust her. Plus, shifters liked their children to be guarded by someone fierce and protective. That made Harley a wise choice.
Jesse stepped aside to let Kathy and the pups pass, giving Cassidy a quick wink that made her giggle. He then slipped an arm around his mate and kissed her temple. “You okay, baby?” he asked quietly, nuzzling her and inhaling her scent—a scent he wanted mixed with his.
Melting into him, Harley puffed out a breath. “Spending a full day with two kids was more exhausting than I thought it would be, even with Kathy’s help.” They just seemed to have an endless abundance of energy. Willow always found a way to get dirty, no matter what they were doing or where they were doing it. Cassidy chatted nonstop, talking about even the most inconsequential of things. They’d loved petting and playing with her cat.
Smiling, Jesse gave her a quick kiss. “I’d have to agree.” He turned back to the scene in the living area, only to frown as Cassidy skidded to a halt in front of Cain.
Then the little girl gave the wolf a bright smile. “You’re here.” Like she’d been expecting him.
Cain’s brow creased. “I’m . . . here.”
“You’re early,” the pup added.
Looking lost, Cain said, “I am?”
“Yep. You’re gonna help me take off my jacket.”
Harley exchanged a confused look with Jesse, who just shrugged. The pup wasn’t even wearing a jacket.
Ally quickly stepped forward. “Cain, meet our little Seer, Cassidy.”
Understanding dawned on his features. “A Seer, huh?” He’d know all about them, having grown up with Ally.
“Nick and Shaya foster me,” Cassidy told him, swinging her arms. “I was staying at the shelter because the human family who adopted me gave me up. They weren’t very nice people and they worked a lot. I like it better here.”
Before Cassidy could tell him her life story, Jesse asked, “Does this mean you’ve finished playing with my mate? Because I kind of want her back.”
Cassidy gave him an odd look. “Dude, she’s right there.”
“Stop saying ‘dude’; you’re four.” Shaya chuckled, gladly taking her daughter from Kathy. “Hello, angel.”
Cain looked at Willow. “Wow, you’re a lot bigger than the last time I saw you.”
Shaya gently squeezed her daughter’s hand. “Aren’t you going to say ‘hi’ to Cain?”
Pulling her thumb out of her mouth, Willow whispered, “I see dead people.”
Shaya gasped and glanced around. “Who let her watch The Sixth Sense?”
Shoulders shaking, Jesse joined the others in shrugging, looking stumped.
“That was creepy,” Cain said to Willow. “Cute but creepy.” When a sociopath found something creepy, it had to be.
With a forced smile, Shaya put Willow on the ground and then turned to Kent and Caleb. “Maybe you should take the girls outside while we finish our conversation.”
Nodding, Caleb stood. “Who wants to hit the play area?” The girls jumped up and down excitedly. Harley stepped aside so that the two males and the pups could exit the living area. That was when Cain got a good look at Harley and froze.
“Cain, this is Jesse’s mate, Harley Vincent,” Ally told him. “Harley, this is my foster brother, Cain Holt.”
“Harley Vincent,” Cain repeated, eyes narrowed.
Chin up, Harley nodded. “That’s right.” She didn’t like the way the male was looking at her. Assessing her. Sizing her up. Her cat’s tail twitched as they engaged in a stare-out.
“Why didn’t you tell your father about all the trouble with Hector?” he asked her.
Harley cocked her head. “What makes you think I didn’t?” The wolf didn’t respond, making her once again wonder if Clive was a player within The Movement after all. She’d still prefer not to know for sure.
“Back to the subject of Hector,” said Ally, frowning at Cain. “Promise me you won’t get involved.”
“I can’t do that,” he told her firmly.
Ally rubbed at her temples. “The Movement has a true purpose. Assassinating assholes isn’t part of it.”
