Forever Fated Mates: A Shifter Romance Collection Page 33

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  He looked at me pointedly. “How much do you know about these women?”

  “Everything I need to know,” she challenged.

  “So, you know they’re bad news?”

  Roxy dramatically rolled her eyes. “Oh god, are you serious? ‘Bad news’? Why, because they rode through the park late?”

  “No, because they’re known for being criminals and getting into trouble.”

  “I’ll put your mind at ease right now. Don’t worry about me. I can take care of myself, and I’m not going to do anything stupid.”

  “Except join a gang of hardened criminals.”

  She narrowed her eyes and leaned in. “And what makes you think I’m not one already?”

  “Because you’re a federal employee. We have very thorough background checks, and if you were known to be part of a gang like that, you would not be a Ranger. In fact, if the right people find out, it could mean your job.”

  She got to her feet and stood over me. “Is that a threat? You gonna rat on me, Boy Scout?”

  I gestured up and down her Ranger uniform. “Who do you think you are? And since when is being a Boy Scout a bad thing? I’m not threatening you. I would just watch out, is all. Don’t throw your career away over some stupid bikes.”

  “So I should what, be more like you? Sit at home with my stamp collection, singing karaoke alone?”

  “I do not sing karaoke,” I insisted.

  “Whatever. Don’t tell me what to do, and I won’t tell you what to do, okay?”

  I wanted to let it go. She was right. She wasn’t my concern. But that need to protect was right there, burning hot inside me, and it made me keep at her. “I’m not about to go around breaking the law, so I have the right to do what I want. You don’t if it means doing something illegal.”

  “Well, I appreciate the tip and all, but I don’t need you to look out for me.”

  “You weren’t saying that last night when Wyatt let you go because of me.”

  “I didn’t ask him to do that,” she snapped. “In fact, I almost insisted we pay when he mentioned your name.”

  “What good would that do? See, they’re already affecting you. You’re already making stupid choices.”

  “What the hell do you know about my choices?” she yelled.

  The other Ranger stuck his head around the corner and looked at me. I held up a hand to signify that everything was okay.

  “Keep your voice down,” I demanded. “This is a place of business, not a place for you to throw a hissy fit.”

  She put her hands on her hips. “You can’t talk to me like that.”

  “Then stop acting like that. You’re being childish.”

  She gritted her teeth and leaned closer. “You’d better watch it. Remember that I do have friends willing to break the law.”

  “Now you’re threatening me? Classy. You just get better every minute I spend with you.”

  “You think you’re a joy to be around? I can’t stand you! You’re so goddamn boring and annoying.”

  I stood, too, and leaned right back in her face. “And you’re stubborn, stupid and bitchy.” My insides raged. The attraction to her was unbearable, but my anger toward her was stronger. I couldn’t decide if I should kiss her or storm away.

  “And you call me the childish one. Would your boss like you insulting fellow co-workers? Female co-workers?”

  “You plan to make this some kind of female issue now?”

  “Well, I am a female, in case you haven’t noticed.”

  “Oh, I’ve noticed.” I said it, and wanted to take it back.

  She raised one eyebrow and gave me a challenging stare.

  I had meant to argue with her. I’d been automatically coming back against anything she said, and I hadn’t stopped to think about what I was confessing to. By saying I’d noticed she was a woman, clearly something more was implied.

  I stared back at her and for a moment, the longing in me nudged me closer to her. I looked to her thick red lips and sparkling brown eyes. What would it be like to feel those lips on mine?

  I swallowed hard and took a step back. No way. I couldn’t go there. Knowing her, she’d probably say I’d sexually assaulted her if I tried to kiss her. Besides that, Roxy couldn’t be my fated mate; we were far too different. So different we couldn’t even be in the room together without fighting.

  My mate had to be back in California. The first chance I got, I’d visit and try to find her. Then I wouldn’t have to deal with this bizarre attraction to someone I couldn’t stand.

  “Cat got your tongue?” she asked.

  I shook my head and sat back down. “Let’s just try to figure this out.”

  She sat hard in the chair beside me. “Fine. What have you been working on?”

  I explained the research I was doing on sound and how far the trail would need to be from certain problem areas to make sure nothing was disturbed.

  As we worked and she leaned closer to see what I pointed to on the screen, I kept having that feeling of deep longing; so intense, I almost kissed her a few more times. Once, when her neck was right in front of me, looking so delicate and soft. Another time, she leaned past me, and I had to lean back to avoid her cheek brushing against my lips.

  She had to be doing it on purpose to mess with me. For all the ways I’d tried to insult her intelligence, the truth was, I could tell she was smart. But being sneaky smart wasn’t the same as being numbers smart. Roxy was probably great with the visitors to the park. She would excel in areas that required a personal touch, and she could talk to people well. But when it came to planning and researching, she was severely lacking.

  Maybe, in the end, we could make a great trail together. If we could find compromises that worked, we might be able to make it interesting enough for those driving on it and safe enough for those living around it. Maybe. Or she might prove to be the most stubborn woman I ever met and insist on her ways until I went over her head and pointed out all the problems with her plan.

  I hoped it wouldn’t come to that. I didn’t want to be known as someone difficult to work with, but I feared I was at times. Even within my own clan, I sensed times that I annoyed them. With so much going on in my mind all the time, I found it hard to take the brain power needed to socialize well. If my clan was any larger, I’d probably be much lonelier because my clan mates would have more choices in friends.

  When it seemed like all Roxy and I could do was argue over every little point on the trail, I stopped.

  “This is getting nowhere,” I said. “Let’s stop for today and come back tomorrow with new ideas. Write down the most important things to you, in order. I’ll do the same, and we can try to find a way to make everyone happy.”

  “Does that mean I can get out of here now?”

  “Yes. Please.”

  “Thank god.”

  She rushed to the door, paused to grab her helmet sitting on the floor, and walked out, letting the door slam hard behind her.

  6

  Alex

  That night, I sat and thought carefully about my list. What were the most important things to me regarding the trail? Well, safety would have to be probably the most important. We couldn’t have some endangered species disturbed. But then I thought of what Roxy said about the rocky curve. No, the safety of people had to be the priority. Safety to the park inhabitants, number two. Other things I wanted to implement, like posting restricted hours for the trail, would have to take a back seat.

  I felt about good about my two points. Surely, when I saw her top items, we could make something that fit them all. I even went so far as to email my list to her. That way, she would know I wasn’t going to make a bunch of demands she didn’t agree with. And maybe the next day could be more productive.

  Before dinner, I checked my email. A response from her waited. I clicked it open and read, “Cool. My list is: safety of the people, safety of the park, interesting landmarks, fun ride, ope
n hours, room for groups, and pavilions for meet ups.”

  I read her email three times, fuming hotter with each pass. At first, I’d felt encouraged. We had the same top two priorities, so that should make it easy to compromise. But as I kept reading, her list of demands increasing rather than decreasing, I could not believe she’d honestly responded in that way.

  I was so angry, I barely made it outside before I shifted.

  Good. You’re here, I said to Sawyer. I cannot work with that woman. Give me someone else.

  Alex, he said. What is going on with you two? I got a message that you were arguing in the station?

  She’s impossible! She wants everything for this stupid trail with no concern for the park itself, and she refuses to compromise. My feet hit the ground hard, and I pushed myself even harder.

  I did not choose her, Sawyer said. Toby was asked to provide four wolves, and he did. Roxy happened to be one of them. There’s no changing that.

  There has to be something you can do. Talk to him. Or I’ll talk to him. Tell him that she’s ridiculous and nothing is getting done.

  Maybe you should take a day off. Get away from her for a while.

  A while? I huffed. How about like forever?

  Elijah shifted in and needed Sawyer for something related to a prescriptive fire he had planned.

  As I ran on, listening to them talk, I had an idea. Sawyer’s idea wasn’t too bad. Take a day off. Or maybe a few days. I’d been wanting to go to Silicon Valley to find my mate anyway, so why not now?

  When Elijah shifted back out, Sawyer asked, You okay?

  I’m going to do what you said.

  Find a way to work with her? he clarified.

  No. Take time off. I know my fated mate is back in California. I want to take a few days and visit.

  Okay. If that’s what you really want to do.

  I need to. I’m going out of my mind.

  Then just let me know when you’ll be back and I’ll take care of it.

  Thanks, Sawyer.

  I ran home and shifted back. Before going to bed, I bought a plane ticket and booked a hotel room. I had plenty of family to stay with, but it wasn’t a social visit. I was going for one purpose and I couldn’t afford to be distracted.

  During the plane ride, I mapped out my itinerary. I’d had a loose plan in place since the day I realized my mate was in California, but now I was firming things up, being as thorough as possible.

  From the moment my feet touched the floor in the airport, I was searching. I made eye contact with as many females as I could, jumping from face to face quickly, but allowing for enough of a connection to know there was no spark.

  After picking up my rental car, I made the rounds at the most popular places. Bookstores, coffee shops, clothing stores, even a mall. I walked through parks and down streets. I sat on a bench and watched people pass me.

  All the while, I was paying close attention to my feelings. I waited for something like a draw toward some place or area. Nothing in particular came, but I couldn’t get my mind off home and the mess with Roxy. Forcing myself to refocus, I went off to find dinner.

  I’d marked off several places on my list by the time I finally checked into my hotel. Feeling tired from all the activity of the day, my room and its quiet emptiness were drawing me in, but I had a mission. Carrying my book down to the lobby, I sat there to read so I could observe anyone who walked in or left.

  Days two and three were spent the same way. I ate breakfast at a new diner or coffee shop, took a long walk through a different area, stopped at several stores and parks. By the end of the third day, I was beyond frustrated.

  That evening, instead of reading in the lobby, I found myself at the hotel’s bar, sipping a beer and half-watching the game on TV. And still, after three beers and two hours, I hadn’t seen anyone who remotely attracted my attention. Even the beer’s buzz couldn’t keep my mind off work. I ended up making notes on a napkin about how I would respond to Roxy when I saw her again.

  I checked out in the morning, dutifully still looking at as many people as possible as I drove back to the airport and flew home.

  Once I left California, I didn’t bother holding back the thoughts of work. I could only imagine what trouble Roxy had gotten herself into while I was gone. Most likely, she’d gone ahead and done a bunch of work without me. I’d have to undo it all and fight with her to make things right.

  The more I thought about all the things she might have done in my absence, the stronger the urge grew to get back to work and settle things with her. That woman had me so distracted and tangled up in anger that I had struggled during my whole trip not to think of her.

  By the time I got home, I was full of disgust all over again, but this time at myself. Before this mess started, I had been very much looking forward to visiting Silicon Valley again. I felt certain I’d find my mate there because I’d feel the pull toward her the moment I was close enough to her. I’d probably spent so much time being frustrated, the pull had been hidden from me. I’d missed it somehow. Yet again, I’d missed my chance at finding my fated mate, and it felt very much like Roxy’s fault.

  I got to work early and checked over my copy of the plans and the papers on my desk. Nothing looked too disturbed. The plans didn’t have marker all over them drawing a new path or anything like what I’d feared. I half expected to walk in and see the thing finished and ready to send for approval. But it looked like nothing had gotten done at all.

  Of course. I should have known that instead of going nuts and finishing the whole plan without me, she wouldn’t have even bothered to get anything done at all, I thought as I logged into my computer. She’d probably sat around drinking coffee and doing her nails while I was gone.

  Elijah walked in and called out to me. “How was the trip?”

  “Not nearly as productive as I’d hoped.”

  “Bummer. But at least you got away from Roxy for a while, right?”

  “Yeah,” I said. “Except I was so angry the whole time, I didn’t really get away from anything.”

  “Well, it’s your lucky day.” He looked out through the window, then turned back to me. “Roxy hasn’t shown up the last few days. You might be off the hook.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “She hasn’t been here? Then she’s probably just been working out of her own station.”

  Elijah shook his head. “Toby called over here and said she hadn’t punched in. He hasn’t been able to get a hold of her. Apparently, she missed a clan meeting, too.”

  My stomach twisted in fear. She shows up with the She Devils one night, and days later, she vanishes? Something’s not right.

  “Has Wyatt gone looking for her?” I asked. “Or has her clan?”

  “No one reported her missing,” Elijah said.

  “Toby didn’t?”

  He shook his head. “Said he expected something like this because she’s been blowing off the clan a lot.”

  “Why would she do that?”

  “I don’t know. Toby didn’t say why.”

  “This isn’t right,” I said. “You’re telling me that in her whole clan and among all her fellow Rangers, which includes us, no one thought to try to find her?”

  Elijah shrugged. “Seems like no one thinks it’s out of character for her to disappear for days.”

  “I don’t like this at all.”

  7

  Roxy

  I rolled over to look at the clock. 10:35. Throwing the covers back over my head, I decided that one more day off work was needed.

  When I finally crawled out of bed at 12:16, I wandered to the kitchen, yawning, and heated some old pizza in the toaster oven. I chewed it whiling waiting for the coffee to finish brewing.

  The night before had been particularly late, but we’d been having such a blast, I hadn’t noticed the time until I got home and saw it was nearing sunrise. We had decided to mess with some of the guys from a rival bike club. We knew where most of them lived and had gone to their houses, found th
eir car or truck or whatever they had besides a bike, and then moved it. In most cases, we just took the car around the block and left it a street or two away.

  The fun had been in breaking into the cars in the first place, a challenge I was surprisingly good at. I’d unlocked more doors than anyone. We’d then put the vehicles into neutral and pushed them to the spot we decided to leave them in.

  Hellcat had the perfect justification. If we didn’t have the keys and hadn’t hotwired anything, then we weren’t really breaking the law. No vehicles had been started or harmed in any way. The guys would come out, think their car was gone, then find it a few blocks from their house. Just a little harmless prank.

  I laughed picturing the faces of the guys who had talked down to us the night before at a local hole in the wall. After our nasty encounter with them, we’d waited carefully and followed them home. Then, we came up with the moved-cars plan. Brilliant. We’d show those assholes who they’re messing with.

  In the last few days with the She Devils, I’d had more fun than I had in years. They were the coolest people I’d ever met, and hanging out with them made me feel normal again. We’d partied so hard that I’d skipped a few days of work. And the funny thing was, I didn’t miss it. I was starting to think that maybe the biker life was more my style. I could find a job doing something with a little more risk but a lot more involved. Hellcat and Velvet and many of the ladies didn’t have a full-time gig. If they could make it work, why was I still busting my ass every day dealing with people like Alex?

  I showered and picked out something to wear that night. I had a few hours to kill before we’d meet up at our usual spot, so I just watched some TV and sorted through the mail. When 7:30 rolled around, I hopped on my bike and rode to the bar to meet up. Velvet had beat me there, so I walked over to her and sat at her table.

  “Place is hopping tonight,” I said. People were already lined up along the bar, ordering drinks.