Wolf Under Fire, page 9
“With Zac Efron?” Zoe questioned, looking dubious. “And champagne?”
“What did you guys wear?” Chloe asked, her expression going from amused to calculating.
He didn’t know where they were going with that question. Or more precisely, he didn’t see the point. But the intent expression on both girls’ faces made him think it important for some reason. “I wore a suit. Jes had on a dress.”
Thinking about how stunning Jes had looked in the aforementioned gown with her shoulders bare, cleavage on display, and slit up the side to expose all that leg was enough to distract any man. Which was probably why he didn’t realize Zoe and Chloe were staring at him like he was stupid. Shaking their heads in unison, they turned their attention to Jes.
“What kind of dress was it?” Chloe asked, her face as eager as her sister’s.
“This crazy gorgeous Oscar de la Renta number in a shimmering blue color,” Jes said, sounding almost as giddy as the girls. “I have no idea how STAT got their hands on the thing, but I’m pretty sure it was worth as much as my car back home in DC. And the Christian Louboutin heels they found for me? They were killer sexy and even more comfortable than my running shoes. I’m going to miss them.”
“They didn’t let you keep them?” Zoe squealed. “That’s cruel!”
Jake was pretty sure those heels—which had admittedly made her calves look scrumptious—had never made it out of Darby’s manor. She definitely hadn’t been wearing them when he’d caught her coming off the balcony.
Of course, Jes didn’t give that nugget of information away. Instead, she shrugged her shoulders with a sorrowful expression. “I guess it just wasn’t meant to be. But that dress, those shoes, and I will always have that one night together. We’ll never forget what we meant to each other.”
Now it was Jake’s turn to roll his eyes at all the fashion drama as Jes and the twins bemoaned the end of a relationship that could have apparently changed the world. They were talking about a pair of frigging shoes. He’d be the first to admit Jes had looked smoking in them, but still, they were just shoes. How could a woman get that attached to a bit of leather and some buckles in just a few hours? There’d been a particular pair of combat boots he’d worn every single day during a nine-month deployment to Iraq that he remembered being pretty fond of, but when the soles had split on one of them, he’d tossed them into the garbage without a second thought. Okay, he’d missed the old pair for a few days until he’d broken in their replacement, but that was the closest he’d ever come to developing feelings for his footwear.
“What did Jake wear?” Chloe asked, leaning forward to eagerly continue the interrogation about all things fashion.
Jake groaned silently. Christmas at their place was likely going to be much more complicated than he’d anticipated. Gift cards probably weren’t going to cut it.
“I told you,” he said. “I wore a suit.”
“It was a Brioni,” Jes told them. “A classic two-button style, perfect for the part he played tonight.”
“Part?” Zoe prompted.
“I was a rich socialite and Jake was my tall, mysterious, menacing bodyguard.” She gave him a sidelong glance. “He played his role to perfection and looked deadly in that suit.”
The girls laughed at that, asking for details, which Jes was more than happy to provide. Jake had to admit he was impressed by the way she weaved the narrative of them having a thrilling time at the high-class charity event without ever mentioning the danger. She kept the twins riveted.
“Are you guys going out together again?” Chloe asked when Jes finished.
“I know where you’re headed with this, Chloe, and it isn’t like that,” Jake said, jumping in before Jes could answer. He didn’t want his teammate to tell them anything that was blatantly untrue or mislead the girls. Especially Chloe. Of the twins, she was the one who’d latched on to him the hardest after the death of their parents. She’d also been the one most worried about him working for STAT. She might support him in his desire to work there, but he knew it scared her all the same. “Yes, Jes and I went to a charity event last night, and while there were parts that were fun, we really were there for work. Going forward, that’s what we’re going to be focused on—work.”
Zoe and Chloe looked at each other in that way they always did, their faces serious again.
“You won’t be doing anything dangerous, right?” Zoe asked.
He hated lying to them, but there was no way the girls—especially Chloe—could handle the truth. So, he took a page from Jes’s book and merely stretched the truth a bit.
“Nothing too dangerous,” he said. “We’re looking for a teenager who went missing a week ago. We’re just trying to figure out what happened to her and how we can help bring her home.”
The twins exchanged glances again, and Jake knew they were going to ask for more details. Which he wasn’t going to give them even if he could. So, instead of going there, he changed the subject.
“What have you two been up to today?” he asked, taking a sip of coffee and trying to make the question sound as casual as he could. Which wasn’t very casual, based on the way they both rolled their eyes. But thankfully, they let him slide.
“We worked until noon, then Mr. McKay gave us the rest of the day off so we could get some more furniture and stuff for the apartment,” Zoe said.
Jake glanced over at Jes. “McKay offered the girls part-time jobs doing administrative work for STAT. They don’t have security clearances, so there’s only so much they can do, but he definitely keeps them busy.”
“Austin and Colt came over after they got off work and put together the bookcases we got, then we all went out for pizza,” Chloe added.
Jake scowled. To say he wasn’t thrilled about two guys hanging around the apartment when he wasn’t there was putting it mildly.
“Austin Dunn and Colt Holland?” Jes asked.
Zoe nodded. “Do you know them?”
“I’ve worked with them a few times.” Jes glanced at him, as if she knew what he was thinking. “They’re great guys—the kind you’d want keeping an eye on your family when you’re out of town.”
The twins smirked and Jake was waiting for them to stick out their tongues and tell him I told you so. Wisely, they refrained from doing that. Instead, they munched on more M&M’s, cuddled their puppies, and asked Jes what she knew about the young FBI agents they clearly had crushes on. At least the guys didn’t have criminal records. That was something, he supposed.
They talked for another half hour, and even though it was over a laptop screen and they were thousands of miles away, it was still good to talk to Zoe and Chloe and see that they were doing okay. It was difficult hanging up, but it was getting late back home, and he wanted the girls to get to bed, even if they swore they wouldn’t be able to sleep for hours now that they’d talked to him and Jes.
“And remember to be careful,” Chloe reminded him. “Both you and Jes.”
He smiled. “I’ll be careful and so will Jes.”
Beside him, Jes smiled and nodded, then made a show of crossing her heart.
That seemed to make Zoe and Chloe happy, and they both grinned and waved before logging off. Jake closed the laptop with a sigh, wondering for the hundredth time if he’d done the right thing by joining STAT. Risking his life when he was a SEAL and even a cop was completely different when all he had to think about was himself. He had two people who depended on him now.
“You hungry?” Jes asked, pulling his attention away from his new family and how his choices were affecting them. “I’m making grilled cheese.”
He lifted his head to see that Jes had gotten up and was taking a cast iron frying pan out of a bottom cabinet. There was a loaf of bread and a package of cheese already on the counter beside the stove. He considered pointing out it was five o’clock in the morning and that grilled cheese sandwiches were probably more of a lunchtime thing, but then decided melted cheese on bread was good anytime, day or night.
“Um, yeah,” he said. “I could eat.”
Setting the skillet on the stove, she turned on the gas, then took a knife out of the block that was big enough to take off someone’s head and approached the wheel of Double Gloucester.
“How about I cut the cheese and you handle the bread and butter?” he murmured, moving across the kitchen.
“Okay. Thanks.” She set the knife on the counter and opened the bag of bread. “How many sandwiches do you want?”
Jake considered that. “Four or five.”
He cringed inwardly. That was way more than a normal human ate and he waited for Jes to say something snarky, but she made no comment about his crazy enormous appetite as she took out a dozen slices of bread.
The Double Gloucester wasn’t as hard as he thought it’d be, but he made sure to concentrate on cutting the orange cheese so the slices would be even.
“If I’m being too nosy, feel free to tell me to back off, but I’m curious how you ended up as Zoe and Chloe’s legal guardian,” Jes said as she spread butter on the bread.
Jake paused in mid-slice, wondering if it was a good idea to reveal those kinds of secrets to someone like Jes. There was no reason not to. With the security clearance she possessed, getting into his personnel file wouldn’t be that difficult. Then she’d know everything there was to know about him and the twins.
“About six months ago, several men broke into Zoe and Chloe’s home in Utah,” he said, cutting another slice of cheese. “The assholes murdered their parents right in front of them, then kidnapped the girls. They had no idea where the men were going to take them, but considering they were in Santa Fe when they were finally able to get away, there’s a good chance the bastards were taking them to Mexico to sell them. Twins can fetch a lot of money in the human trafficking auctions down there.”
He’d stayed focused on the cheese he was slicing, knowing if he didn’t, his claws would come out. Every time he thought of what those sons of bitches did to Zoe and Chloe’s parents and intended to do to them, his inner wolf wanted to do some serious damage. Jake didn’t blame the beast. If he ever found those men, he’d tear them to pieces—with or without claws.
Jes gasped, butter knife poised above the slice of bread in her hand, her face pale. “That’s awful. What did they do after they got away?”
“They followed their instincts and ran.”
She frowned as she reached over to grab a few slices of cheese and assembled the sandwiches. She loaded on the cheese, too. He liked that.
“What do you mean, followed their instincts?” she asked.
“The trauma of seeing their parents murdered and getting kidnapped turned them into werewolves,” he said, not looking at Jes, afraid of what he’d see in her eyes. “The instincts they were following were their inner wolves nudging them toward their alpha, the werewolf who would protect and look out for them. In their case—me.”
When Jes didn’t say anything, he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and saw her staring at him in shock as what he’d just said hit her.
“Zoe and Chloe are werewolves?” she asked. “I never would have guessed. They look so…normal.”
Jake bit his tongue to hold back the growl that threatened to slip out. “What, I don’t look normal? Is that what you’re saying?” He glared at her, the tips of his fangs coming out. “So, tell me. What exactly does a werewolf look like to you anyway?”
Jes sighed, her shoulders sagging. The breathy sound somehow calmed him down even though he didn’t want to.
“I didn’t mean it like that,” she said softly. “It’s just that you, Harley, and Caleb are all physically intimidating. There’s no mistaking that the moment you walk into a room. But Zoe and Chloe are nothing like that. They’re so cute and precious and the complete opposite of intimidating. You can’t blame me for noticing they aren’t like you.”
Jake let out a breath, his fangs retracting as the tension drained from his body. On some level, he knew he’d overreacted, seeing slights and insults that probably weren’t even there. But for some ridiculous reason he didn’t understand, he wanted Jes to accept him for what he was. Whenever it seemed like she rejected his werewolf side, it bothered the hell out of him.
“The twins aren’t like me,” he said softly, slicing the rest of the cheese. “They aren’t like Harley or Caleb, either. They’re beta werewolves, which makes them smaller and less…outgoing…than the rest of us. They have the fangs and claws like we do, but they’re less likely to use them except in extreme situations. Instead, they depend on the strength of their pack—and their alpha—to keep them safe. As you probably picked up during our conversation, Zoe and Chloe are pretty much the same as any other eighteen-year-old girls out there. They care about guys, music, college, shopping…guys. The only difference is they went through something traumatic and became werewolves.”
Jes was silent as she put together the rest of the sandwiches. “You said instinct brought you together, but how did you and the twins actually find each other?”
“Before I joined STAT, I was a cop in Santa Fe. After my shift one night, I stopped at a diner to grab something to eat before I went home. The moment I walked in, I smelled Zoe and Chloe. They had been there right before I was. I couldn’t have missed them by more than half an hour.” He shook his head. “I can’t explain it, but something told me they were in trouble. I used my badge to get the manager to show me the security footage, and as soon as I saw the twins on camera, I knew they were in trouble and that I had to find them. Luckily, my inner wolf led me right to them.”
Jes didn’t say anything as she placed three of the sandwiches she’d prepared in the frying pan, letting them sizzle there for a while before squishing them flat with a metal spatula. A savory aroma immediately filled the kitchen, making his mouth water.
“Did you ever figure out who murdered their parents and kidnapped them?” she asked, focusing all her attention on the sandwiches.
He shook his head. “Unfortunately, no. McKay is looking into it for us, but if I’m right about the human-trafficking angle, they’re probably not even in the States any longer.”
“You said you’re their alpha.” She glanced at him. “Does that mean you’re like their adoptive father?”
He grimaced. “I’m definitely not old enough to be their dad. I’m more like an older brother, I guess you’d say.”
Jes nodded. “It’s still pretty cool, though. There aren’t a lot of people out there who’d step up like that. It says a lot about you.”
He shrugged, not sure why it felt so nice to have her compliment him like that. “I’m their alpha. It’s something you’ll come to understand about werewolves in time. It might be complicated, but there are some connections out there that can’t be ignored.”
Jes looked over at him, her expression unreadable. Jake found her dark eyes drawing him in, and he realized he liked the way it made him feel when she gazed at him like she was right then. Like he wasn’t the monster she thought after all.
Giving him a half smile, she turned her attention back to the sandwiches, setting the finished ones on a plate and adding the uncooked ones to the skillet.
“What does your family think of you taking in two teenagers?” she asked, smashing the sandwiches down with the spatula until the orange cheese melted and started to ooze out.
He leaned back against the counter, resting his hands on either side of him. “I kind of had to lie to them a little. I told them that Zoe and Chloe are the daughters of a Navy SEAL friend and his wife, who’d both gotten killed, and that they didn’t have any other family. My mom and dad were sorry to hear about what happened, but they’re thrilled to have two granddaughters. I have four married brothers who all have boys. While my parents love them like crazy, they’re ecstatic to have two girls to spoil. Not only that, but they’re twins, which is like some kind of extra credit as far as my mom is concerned.”
While Jes transferred the remaining sandwiches to the plate, Jake headed to the fridge for ketchup.
“Can you grab mustard, too?” she asked.
He glanced at her over his shoulder. “On grilled cheese? That’s disgusting.”
She laughed and carried the plates over to the table. “Don’t knock it until you try it.”
Jake wasn’t too sure about liking it even if he did try it—which he wasn’t going to—but took out the bottle of Dijon mustard all the same. Sitting down opposite her, he squeezed half the bottle of ketchup onto his plate and dunked the corner of his first sandwich in the puddle, then took a bite. The bread was buttery and crispy, and the cheese melted in his mouth. Damn, it was good.
“Since you said you had to lie to your family about the twins, I’m guessing that means they don’t know what happened to you,” she said quietly, like maybe she didn’t think she should ask, as she bit into her sandwich.
“That I’m a werewolf?” He let out a short laugh. “No. There was a time right after I turned when I wanted to tell them, but ultimately, I realized I couldn’t. There are some people in the world ready to know about the existence of things like me, but unfortunately, my family isn’t among that group. It’s safer to leave them comfortable in the world they know.”
“That must be tough, not having anyone you can talk to.”
He smiled. “I have people I talk to. The twins are just a Skype call away. And I even had a conversation of sorts with Caleb right before you came down, so there’s potential there. I’m getting the feeling that Harley isn’t big on the whole talking thing, but I’m holding out hope for her.”
Jes laughed, a light sound of real amusement. “Two out of four ain’t bad.”
“And there’s you now,” he added, though he had no idea where the hell those words had come from. “For some reason, I find myself telling you more than I probably should.”
