The Beast in Him
Page 80
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Loser.
Smittys eyes narrowed. No, no. Not a good idea to kick the shit out of the kid yet. No matter how much he deserved it.
They stared at each other, and Smitty was impressed the kid didnt look away. But he did speak first.
Dont hurt her.
Im trying not to.
Well, youre doing a shitty job.
Maybe you should stay out of this, son. Until you actually have some fangs.
Johnny glanced at Jessies window. That woman means the world to me. Fuck her life up at your own peril, hillbilly.
He walked off and Smitty gave a little smile. That kid would be dangerous once he grew into his paws.
Jess sat on the front porch, her feet up on the railing and a mug of Mays hot and delicious coffee gripped between her hands. They were heading home today. Back to work. Back to her life. What she still didnt knowwhether her life included Smitty. Theyd slept together again the night before. Literally. Fully clothed. Simply holding on to each other. To be honest, Jess slept like a baby, feeling safe and loved in Smittys arms.
Clearly, shed have to help this idiot out. If she waited for him, shed be old and gray by the time he bought a goddamn clue.
So annoyed by the whole thing, Jess answered her phone without even checking caller ID.
This is Jess.
Yes, it is.
Jesss feet dropped to the ground and she frowned, the southern accent that slithered through the phone making her hackles rise.
When she didnt speak, the male voice continued, I thought about calling Maylin directly, but she couldnt decide her way out of a wet paper bag. And I need decisions.
Jess slowly stood and walked down the porch steps. Decisions about what?
About how my daughter will spend the next two years of her life. With yall? Or with me and mine?
Jess continued to walk away from the house, a potent rage singing through her veins. You dont want her.
No, but Ill take her. The courts are real kind about that sort of thing. Especially when a fathers been kept from his child.
She didnt bother to argue the point with him. They both knew it was a lie, arguing would waste her breath.
So what do you want?
A lot. I want a lot.
Thats awfully vague.
I can be much more specific... in person.
She stopped walking. Im sure you can.
We can keep this nice and simple, you and me. Just between us.
Jess gave a short snort.
Whats so funny?
Turning, she faced the Pack house. Not surprisingly, a good majority of the adults stood there, listening. Their wild-dog hearing clueing them in, theirloyalty to each other leading them.
You really dont know what youve done, do you?
He laughed. Aint no little runt dogs gonna scare me.
I know, Jess sighed out. But thats because youre stupid.
She hung up before he could say anything else, her gaze focusing on her Pack. She had one shot to fix this before all hell broke loose. Then it wouldnt matter who Wilsons Pack was tied to, who his kin was.
None of it would matter once the damage was done.
Move that ass, Sissy Mae.
Hold your damn horses, Bobby Ray.
Sissy Mae ran down the stairs, her traveling bag slung over her shoulder. I dont see what the big rush is.
Its a rush when I say its rush. Now move!
She muttered something mighty offensive and stormed out of the house. Smitty started to follow when his phone rang.
Yeah?
Hi. Its Jess.
His very soul immediately soothed just from the sound of her voice, Smitty smiled. Hey, darlin. Whats up?
I hate to bother you and you can say no
What do you need, Jessie Ann?
Wilson contacted me.
Smitty let out a breath. And?
And we either pay him or hes going to try and take Kristan. That cant happen.
No, it couldnt. Hed met the Wilsons and hed met Kristan. No way would he let that sweet little gal spend ten seconds in Wilson territory.
Background noise when he called makes me think hes in New York.
But Mitch has had a hell of a time finding him.
I know. So has Phil. But if our best trackers cant find him... He could hear her pacing, sense her anxiety through the phone. And it worries me that we cant find him. It means hes hiding. Why?
We both know why, Jessie Ann.
Yeah, she said with deep resignation. We both know why.
Tell me what you need, Jessie.
Look, I wouldnt bug you about this
Youre not bugging me, Jessie.
but my Pack is about three minutes from doing something really... not good. Something I think the Smiths will never be able to forgive us for. Either I stop this now or I let them off-leash.
Dont do that. I can help. He just didnt know how. But knowing her Pack as he now did, he had no doubts they could and would do some serious damage that would and could cause a Pack war between the Smiths and the Kuznetsovs. He couldnt let that happen. He had to come up with something fast or...
Smittys eyes narrowed. No, no. Not a good idea to kick the shit out of the kid yet. No matter how much he deserved it.
They stared at each other, and Smitty was impressed the kid didnt look away. But he did speak first.
Dont hurt her.
Im trying not to.
Well, youre doing a shitty job.
Maybe you should stay out of this, son. Until you actually have some fangs.
Johnny glanced at Jessies window. That woman means the world to me. Fuck her life up at your own peril, hillbilly.
He walked off and Smitty gave a little smile. That kid would be dangerous once he grew into his paws.
Jess sat on the front porch, her feet up on the railing and a mug of Mays hot and delicious coffee gripped between her hands. They were heading home today. Back to work. Back to her life. What she still didnt knowwhether her life included Smitty. Theyd slept together again the night before. Literally. Fully clothed. Simply holding on to each other. To be honest, Jess slept like a baby, feeling safe and loved in Smittys arms.
Clearly, shed have to help this idiot out. If she waited for him, shed be old and gray by the time he bought a goddamn clue.
So annoyed by the whole thing, Jess answered her phone without even checking caller ID.
This is Jess.
Yes, it is.
Jesss feet dropped to the ground and she frowned, the southern accent that slithered through the phone making her hackles rise.
When she didnt speak, the male voice continued, I thought about calling Maylin directly, but she couldnt decide her way out of a wet paper bag. And I need decisions.
Jess slowly stood and walked down the porch steps. Decisions about what?
About how my daughter will spend the next two years of her life. With yall? Or with me and mine?
Jess continued to walk away from the house, a potent rage singing through her veins. You dont want her.
No, but Ill take her. The courts are real kind about that sort of thing. Especially when a fathers been kept from his child.
She didnt bother to argue the point with him. They both knew it was a lie, arguing would waste her breath.
So what do you want?
A lot. I want a lot.
Thats awfully vague.
I can be much more specific... in person.
She stopped walking. Im sure you can.
We can keep this nice and simple, you and me. Just between us.
Jess gave a short snort.
Whats so funny?
Turning, she faced the Pack house. Not surprisingly, a good majority of the adults stood there, listening. Their wild-dog hearing clueing them in, theirloyalty to each other leading them.
You really dont know what youve done, do you?
He laughed. Aint no little runt dogs gonna scare me.
I know, Jess sighed out. But thats because youre stupid.
She hung up before he could say anything else, her gaze focusing on her Pack. She had one shot to fix this before all hell broke loose. Then it wouldnt matter who Wilsons Pack was tied to, who his kin was.
None of it would matter once the damage was done.
Move that ass, Sissy Mae.
Hold your damn horses, Bobby Ray.
Sissy Mae ran down the stairs, her traveling bag slung over her shoulder. I dont see what the big rush is.
Its a rush when I say its rush. Now move!
She muttered something mighty offensive and stormed out of the house. Smitty started to follow when his phone rang.
Yeah?
Hi. Its Jess.
His very soul immediately soothed just from the sound of her voice, Smitty smiled. Hey, darlin. Whats up?
I hate to bother you and you can say no
What do you need, Jessie Ann?
Wilson contacted me.
Smitty let out a breath. And?
And we either pay him or hes going to try and take Kristan. That cant happen.
No, it couldnt. Hed met the Wilsons and hed met Kristan. No way would he let that sweet little gal spend ten seconds in Wilson territory.
Background noise when he called makes me think hes in New York.
But Mitch has had a hell of a time finding him.
I know. So has Phil. But if our best trackers cant find him... He could hear her pacing, sense her anxiety through the phone. And it worries me that we cant find him. It means hes hiding. Why?
We both know why, Jessie Ann.
Yeah, she said with deep resignation. We both know why.
Tell me what you need, Jessie.
Look, I wouldnt bug you about this
Youre not bugging me, Jessie.
but my Pack is about three minutes from doing something really... not good. Something I think the Smiths will never be able to forgive us for. Either I stop this now or I let them off-leash.
Dont do that. I can help. He just didnt know how. But knowing her Pack as he now did, he had no doubts they could and would do some serious damage that would and could cause a Pack war between the Smiths and the Kuznetsovs. He couldnt let that happen. He had to come up with something fast or...
