Goading the Enforcer(5)

When they offered him a second beer, Jared declined and took his leave.   He drove the hour back to Colin City, listening to the soothing whine  of  the Porche's powerful engine as he zipped along the curving mountain   roads. Even though he'd been offered a room at the house by his  parents,  Jared had opted for a hotel. Sitting in the whirlpool tub in  his suite,  he booted up his laptop, checked his firewalls and logged  into his  accounts. A smile curved his lips when he confirmed that he  had indeed  been paid by his last employer. It had been a simple job,  needing only  his customized rifle and scope, plus a spotter. He'd taken  Raul with  him, the one man he trusted.

Thinking of his longtime friend, he picked up his phone and dialed. "Hello, Raul," he teased, hearing the man's sleepy greeting.

"Hey, Jared," Raul grunted. "What the hell do you need at this hour?"

"I'm just confirming that you over-nighted the items I requested," he   replied. Jared grinned and pulled the phone away from his ear for a   moment. Even at a distance of six inches, he could still hear Raul's   outburst, but at least it didn't blast his eardrums.

"What the fuck, man? Of course I sent it! Why'd you call at three thirty   in the morning for that?" Raul snarled. Then the man became eerily   quiet for several heartbeats and Jared knew what his next question would   be. Predictably, Raul asked, "I thought this wasn't a job, Jared.   What's going on?"

He blew out a quiet breath. "It isn't. At least not in the traditional sense," he amended. "I'm helping a friend."

Raul snorted. "You? Helping a friend? I didn't even know you had any friends."

That comment made Jared pause and think for a moment. He stared out the   window, contemplating the other man's words. Raul was right. Other than   him, Jared had never claimed to have any friends. Although, with his   lifestyle it wasn't surprising, it was still a sobering thought. What   made Grady so different? Did these shifter creatures simply intrigue   him? Or was it something else? Jared had no idea, which suddenly   bothered him even more.

Glaring at the phone as if it were the cause of his suddenly sour mood,   he sneered. He lifted it back to his ear and replied, "That's not your   concern, Raul. Thank you for sending those items." He hit the end  button  on his phone and tossed it onto the tile at the foot of the  whirlpool  tub. Rubbing his temples with his fingers, he sank into the  water up to  his neck. Maybe he was just getting too old for this game.  But what the  hell else would I do?

No longer finding the water soothing, Jared rose and dried himself off.   Tossing the towel over his shoulder, he walked naked onto his balcony.   Leaning on the rail, he let the chilly mountain air tease his skin and   senses. He let the cold snake around him, calming his irritation. Once   he felt more like himself, Jared walked back inside, crawled into bed   and went to sleep.

So, he'd lied about the tux fitting. Jared had brought his own from   home. The next morning he spent with his family, which was an   interesting experience. He hadn't seen them in person in so long and   their lives were so different than his own that it was hard to relate to   any of them. He met Brandy's fiancé, a decent looking brunet with a   bright smile and eyes only for his sister. Jared could see the love   between the pair and he hoped the harsh realities of the world wouldn't   destroy that.

Patricia had arranged for a champagne brunch and he struggled to   socialize. Other than his family, he didn't know anyone. He could   honestly say he'd had more fun in the wolves' den plotting how to   extract their friend. He sighed, taking a tiny sip from his champagne   glass, trying to keep up appearances. He made a point of never drinking   too much, since his job required that he always keep his wits about  him.                       
       
           



       

"Hey, Jared! There you are," Brandy called a little too loudly, but he   managed not to cringe. She wrapped her arm through his and started   dragging him through the crowd. "I have someone I'd like you to meet."

He'd faced down men with guns, ninjas and had even been tortured without   backing down, but when it became clear his sister was leading him   toward a woman, Jared felt the unmistakable desire to run. It suddenly   occurred to him that this brunch could be nothing more than an elaborate   scheme to set him up.

"This is Cindy," Brandy introduced. "Cindy Pritchard. She's a   schoolteacher at the local high school. I was just telling her about how   Giovanni. God rest his afterthought.

Blanketing his expression into a bland smile, Jared reached out his hand   and shook Cindy's hand. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Pritchard. It was   indeed a shame to see Mr. Giovanni pass while still in his prime."

"Oh, no," the woman giggled, before her eyes widened. "I mean, yes, it   was a shame about Kyle, but no, you don't have to call me Misses. Just   Cindy is fine."

Keeping his expression the same, he nodded. She's obviously had one   glass of champagne too many."Of course, Cindy. Did you work closely with   Mr. Giovanni? What classes do you teach?" Did you know he was a   shifter? Are you one? He kept those thoughts to himself as he conversed   with Cindy. She really was the opposite of his usual MO for what he   looked for in a woman, someone who knew the score and didn't expect more   than a few hours of mutual pleasure. fond you were of the late Kyle

soul," she added, clearly as an Jared realized the woman was on the   prowl for a husband, but even with that knowledge, he realized he could   probably have a few nights of meaningless sex with her and then walk   away. She was attractive, with glossy brown hair, expressive blue eyes   and full breasts. Too bad he didn't feel even a modicum of attraction to   her. In fact, even as he looked at her dark brown hair, his thoughts   conjured up an image of black hair long enough to wrap around his fist   so he could hold in place the head that was attached to the mouth he   ravaged as he pounded into the firm body beneath him. His dick sprang to   life faster than it had since puberty and Jared had to fight back a   groan as his pants suddenly became too restrictive.

"What do you think?" Cindy's question jerked him back to the   conversation. "I'm sorry? My mind wandered. The hotel beds are   definitely not as comfortable as home's, no matter what their ads say,"   he said with a smile. "What were you asking?"

"I wanted to know if you'd be interested in going to dinner with me this evening. I understand there aren't any wedding plans."

She looked expectantly at him, her blue eyes shining with what could   only be hope. Jared searched his brain for a response that wouldn't   crush the woman but would still get him out of sitting through a meal   with her. To his utter shock, his future brother-in-law saved him the   trouble.

"Jared, Brandy said you were over here." Terry grinned at Cindy. "I'm   sorry, Cindy. I just need to borrow Jared for a few minutes to discuss   the bachelor party."

Jared smiled at Cindy and lied smoothly, "We'll talk in a bit." When she   was out of earshot, he glanced sideways at Terry. "Thanks. I haven't   seen my sister in ten fucking years and she tries to set me up!" he   growled.

Terry chuckled. "What can I say? I make her happy." To his soon-to-be   brother-in-law's credit, he didn't seem at all intimidated by Jared's   ire. "She just wants everyone else to be as happy," he said cheekily.

Licking his lips, Jared suddenly smiled. "Tell her I'm gay. I'm sure that'll back her off."

His brother-in-law froze, stared at him for a second and then shrugged.   "Sure, but she won't believe it and then I'm gonna say I told you so."

Jared wasn't certain if Terry believed him or not, but he smirked   anyway. "Let me worry about that. Just be certain she sets an extra   plate for my date."

After another shocked look from the other man, Terry started to laugh.   He slapped him on the back. "For being a douche who hasn't visited in   ten years, you're all right! I've heard them wonder why you've never   come back and now I know." Terry winked. "You were just afraid of how   they'd take you being a fruitcake!"

Jared showed plenty of teeth when he smiled back. "Just don't let my   date hear you call us that. He may be gay, but he'll still beat your   ass."