“Crazy woman, listen carefully. I’m not with anyone. I’m not looking for a mate, and I’m sure as shit not looking for a casual fuck from a woman who works for IESA and has made my life a living hell. Now kindly piss off. I have somewhere to be.”
“I need a cub.”
“What?” He rounded on her, heart pounding with fury. “You would make a terrible mother.”
“I don’t give a shit about being a mother, you idiot. In light of Krueger’s unfortunate disappearance along with our men, IESA is rebuilding. Aw, look at your sad face.” Shayna pouted out her bottom lip. “Did you think your little killing spree was going to make the government forget about you? Krueger’s work needs to go on. You and your brothers were at the end of your usefulness on missions. You got too nosey and grew some morals. We lured you to the barn to take you for reproductive research, but you ruined our attempt to save at least some of you, you ungrateful dick. If you won’t be forced, I’ll buy you instead.”
“I’m taking a hard pass on this one, Shayna.” Dade’s voice cracked like a whip, but he didn’t care. He wanted nothing more than to strangle the woman for all the pain she’d brought. And now she was a fucking bear shifter, like him.
“I have agreed to bear a cub and was given a choice between you and your brothers for the other half of my future cub’s genetic material. IESA wants the Keller line, and since Gage won’t even look at me, and Cody is shacked up with that whore now, it’s between you and Boone. And quite honestly, you’re the better lay.”
Bile crept up Dade’s throat at the thought of her sleeping with Boone, too. It seemed the Keller boys had all been screwed. “I won’t be bought. Not by you or anyone else.”
“But you were fine with being blackmailed. When your family was in danger, you all flocked to do our bidding. Don’t make me go down that road again.” She turned and lowered his tailgate, then leaned on it and pulled her skirt up to expose her bare ass. She arched her back until he could see her pink, wet lips between her legs. “Now hurry, Dade. I’m ovulating.”
Dade looked around the woods, shocked. “This is what you want? A quickie fuck on the side of the road?”
“Well, no. I want lots of quickie fucks, lover. At least until you put a cub in me. Lucky you.”
“You’re crazy,” he whispered, disgusted.
“Oh, come on. You didn’t even know Lisa’s name. At least you know who you’re sleeping with this time.”
He huffed a blast of air and shook his head. “The answer is never. Now get off my truck before you give it an STD.”
Shayna spun, eyes blazing. “You’ll do this, or your entire family will pay. Anyone you get close to will have to look over their shoulder. IESA is coming for you, Dade. I was the one who convinced my superiors you were more useful to us alive than dead. I was the one who petitioned to have you spared for reproductive research after Krueger went missing. The only thing standing in between the Breck Crew and complete annihilation is me. You pissed off everyone when you killed Krueger and half of our damned corporation.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Liar!”
“You kidnapped Rory, tried to kill me, tried to take my brother’s for some fucked up science experiment, and IESA’s treachery backfired. If your people are missing, seems to me the blame lies with your agency. Not with me or my crew.”
“You’re monsters, Dade! Look at you! Look at your eyes, all gold and green and couldn’t pass for human if you tried. We can do whatever we want with you because you are monsters. What would the public do if we told them what we’re really protecting them from?”
“That’s bullshit. We aren’t dangerous to humans.”
“And who do you think they’re going to trust on that, huh? Some savage bear shifters, or the people entrusted to protect the public at all costs? Accept it Dade. I run your life.”
Screw the open tailgate, he couldn’t stand here and listen to this anymore. He hopped into his truck and rolled the window down as he turned the engine. “The only monster here is you, Shayna. My answer stands.”
“I own you!” she screeched as he spun the truck around her, kicking up dust with his tires.
Tank scrabbled toward the open window, snarling and barking at the woman who stood in the cloud of dust with her skirt up to her stomach.
Dade slammed his fist against the steering wheel and gritted his teeth until his face hurt.
Shayna was wrong.
No one owned him.
A couple more miles, and he pulled into the parking lot of the veterinary clinic, pissed as hell and ready to crack some skulls. Shayna was trouble, but as tempting as it was to use the skills he’d obtained from IESA’s forced missions on that woman, he couldn’t just go around killing everyone who threatened the Breck Crew. There had to be a better way to get IESA off their backs. He pulled his phone from the cup holder and texted Boone and Cody.