“No. Of course not.”
A heavy sigh left her. “What do you want from me, Mitchell? You want to fuck? Is that it?”
“Yes. No.” He scrubbed hand through his hair, frustrated but still unsure of what he wanted. Actually, he knew what he wanted. To strip her naked, lick every inch of her, then fuck her with his cock until she screamed in his arms. But, at the same time, doing that would open a huge can of worms that he didn’t think he was prepared for. “I want things to go back the way they were, when it wasn’t so freakn’ complicated.”
“You mean before I forced you to actually pay attention to me. To realize I am a woman with needs. A woman looking for her mate to claim her, or at least put out the fire in her body.”
“A part of me wants to,” he whispered, reaching a hand out to stroke a tendril of hair from her face. “But another part of me keeps screaming it’s wrong.”
“I’m not going to wait forever.”
“Can’t you wait long enough for me to sort through this mess in my head? I don’t want to rush into something that we’ll both regret.”
Disappointment flashed in her eyes, and before she could answer, the cat returned, his arm sliding around her from behind. Jealousy stung Mitchell at the casual way she accepted Alejandro’s embrace and the easy way she leaned back into his body, finding refuge in his touch.
“We were talking,” he growled.
The seducer fixed him with a cold stare. “No, you were making excuses. Again. And I’m tired of it. Some of us aren’t afraid to admit our feelings. To act.” Brazenly, Alejandro, ran a hand up her torso until he cupped a breast. Francine’s breathing hitched, but she did nothing to remove his palm, and an urge to cup her other breast came over Mitchell. He almost had to grab his hand to stop it from actually doing it.
He took a step back in the hopes some space would help him regain control. The cat’s words penetrated. “You’re mates?”
“Not yet, but we will be,” Alejandro said with calm assurance. But Mitchell didn’t miss the surprise in Francine’s eyes when he said it.
“Don’t do it, Francine,” he said, his jealousy winning the battle. “He’s a womanizer. He’ll fuck you then leave you for the first pussy that comes his way. He’ll make you-”
Faster than he would have credited the bastard, Alejandro tucked Francine behind him and threw the first punch, the force of it making Mitchell stagger, his ears ringing. With a roar of rage, and using his turmoil-and blue balls-to fuel it, he attacked back. Fists swinging, he fought the bastard who thought to claim Francine. Who thought to touch the silky skin that he dreamt of. Who kissed the lips that should press against his. Who dared to try and claim his woman.
The screams of bystanders along with the cheers faded into the background as he slugged it out with Alejandro, the satisfying sound of his fist connecting with flesh making him grin savagely. A smile lost when a right hook back loosened some teeth.
The fight lasted only minutes before the bouncers, shapeshifters on steroids who almost rivaled Ethan in size, pried them apart and tossed their asses out of the club. Sprawled on the pavement, Mitchell raised his head, his beast pulsing at the forefront. He snarled, baring his teeth. The damned cat, on all fours, tossed his head back and growled right back, his eyes more animal than human. Their staring match ended up broken by a curvy pair of calves. Letting his gaze travel up the skin, Mitchell swallowed as he saw right up Francine’s short skirt. He couldn’t help but stare at the damp fabric clinging to a cleft whose scent drifted down to him like the sweetest of perfumes.
“Are you done?” she demanded, tapping a foot. “And you can stop looking up my skirt, Mitchell. I am not happy with either of you. I am not some fucking toy that you can use in your testosterone match of tug of war.”
“I’m sorry, Francine.” The cat’s immediate reply came out contrite, and Mitchell sneered.
“Pussy.”
“Enough,” she yelled. “Did you not just hear me, Mitchell? For a guy who can’t say the words ‘I want you’, you’re acting like a possessive jerk.”
“Fine. I want you,” he bit out with a triumphant look at the cat.
“Bullshit. You only think you do because Alejandro had the balls to say he did first. What if he left right now? Would you still say that?”
Would he? If the cat were gone tomorrow, and he didn’t have to worry about Francine in the arms of another, could he go back to his life the way it was? Turmoil free?
“Time’s up. Wrong answer.”
“But, I didn’t say anything,” he protested.
“Exactly,” she said. “I’m done. Alejandro, take me home.”
Turning, she stalked toward the parking lot, and the cat shot him an exultant smile before springing to his feet and following. A red film descended over his eyes, and Mitchell jumped to his feet, ready to charge the bastard again when Jenny, in a blonde fury, stepped in front of him.
“She’s what you ditched me for?” she screeched. “That tubby orphan Annie wannabe? You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. I am a hundred times better than that slut. That…”
Mitchell tuned Jenny out as he watched Alejandro open Francine’s car door to seat her then slide into the driver’s seat. He ignored her until the red taillights winked out of view, then came back to himself and actually heard the invectives Jenny kept hurling about Francine.
“Shut the fuck up, you anorexic slut,” he snapped. His rebuke made her recoil, but it did nothing to wipe the rage from her twisted features.
“I will not. Since when do you want that redheaded cow?”
“I don’t want her,” he answered automatically.
“Oh, please. Everyone in the club could see you watching her, staring at her like you wanted to eat her up.” Jenny sneered. “But the great part is it looks to me like she doesn’t want you.”
“You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. It’s complicated. And none of your damned business.”
She spat at him. “Fuck you, Mitchell. I can do better than you.”
Off she stalked, leaving Mitchell alone finally, and it was then he realized the answer he should have given Francine.
“Are you okay?” Alejandro’s soft question snapped her from her vacant stare out the car window.
“No. I’m now wondering if I should have said or done something different with Mitchell. But, I got so mad when instead of admitting he felt something for me, he pretended the whole asshole act was to protect me.”
“It’s not easy to admit you care about somebody.”
A bitter laugh slipped from her. “So I’m noticing. I think I’m going to forget our plan to make him jealous. It’s worked too well. The only problem is while he’s jealous, he still doesn’t want to do anything about it. Make that, he wants nothing to do with me.”
“Mitchell’s an idiot. So forget the dog. Let’s make the act reality.”
Puzzled, she turned to look at him. “What are you trying to say? You want to keep pretending we’re a couple?”
“Not all of us were faking it,” he said in a wry tone.
“I don’t understand.”
Stopped at a red light, Alejandro banged his head off the steering wheel. “God, for a smart woman, you are so freakn’ clueless sometimes. I’m saying I’m not faking it, baby. I feel things for you. Intense things.”
“You’re horny. I get that. So am I. If you want to fuck, just say so. I could use a bit of stress relief.”
A groan escaped him. “You talk about Mitchell being dense. I. Want. You. Not just your body, all of you, dammit.”
Surprise made her gape at him. “You do?”
“Why do you sound so shocked? Did you really think the whole thing was an act? Mitchell was only our
