Shifters at Law (A Complete Paranormal Romance Shifter Series) Page 19

  It’s not long before I’m on the edge of orgasm and I can tell by the way Anna’s tight pussy is clenching my cock that she’s not far behind me. She’s so close I can practically taste it.

  “Come for me, princess,” I murmur. “Come.”

  She raises herself up and when she sinks back down, I fill her completely, and she comes. She groans as the orgasm washes over her and when I see her climaxing, I can’t hold back any longer. I thrust up deeper into her and I come, too, filling her.

  Then Anna leans against my chest: her head pressed against my heart. I’m still inside of her as I hold her, stroking her hair, kissing her forehead, whispering that she’s beautiful, that she’s perfect, that I love her.

  I love her.

  Chapter 13

  Anna

  I love you.

  He whispered the words so quietly I almost didn’t hear him, but I did. The words wrap around me like a blanket, holding me in place, covering me with protection, offering me safety.

  After awhile, Oliver lifts me and carries me to bed. He holds me all night and when I wake up in the morning, I roll over and just look at him.

  He’s beautiful, and perfect.

  And I know I don’t deserve him.

  We spend the day together cooking, eating, and watching movies. The weekend is relaxing and long and fantastic, and on Monday, when I go back to work, Rita looks me up and down.

  “Damn,” she says.

  “What?”

  “You look better than you’ve ever looked.”

  I glance down at myself. “Um, thanks?”

  “You’re in love.”

  “What makes you say that?”

  “It’s obvious, honey.” She laughs and pours me a cup of coffee. “Trust me. I’ve been married three times. I know what a woman looks like when she’s in love.”

  “Is it scary?” I ask her, taking the hot mug from her hands.

  “What?”

  “Being married.”

  “Huh? No. No way. Being married is wonderful.”

  “I was just wondering,” I’m trying not to be awkward and failing miserably. “Because, um,” I’m going to have to tell people at work eventually. It might as well be now. “Because I’m engaged.”

  “WHAT?” She shrieks. “Girl, how did I not know there was a man in your life? And where’s your ring?” She looks at my hand pointedly.

  “No engagement ring,” I tell her. “I don’t want one. We’re getting married really soon, like in a couple of weeks, and I didn’t want to spend money on a ring I’d only be wearing for a short time.”

  “Understandable. You’re frugal. I like that about you.”

  “Any advice?” She has been married three times, after all. Surely the woman knows a thing or two about surviving a marriage. Besides, I’m only going to be married for a year. It’s not going to be that hard, is it? For a year? I can’t imagine there’s anything Oliver could do, short of secretly being a serial killer, that would make being married to him for a year horrible.

  Just one year, and then we can split up.

  I don’t want to think about that, though, because every time I think about the possibility of saying goodbye to Oliver, I feel an overwhelming sense of sadness.

  “Marriage advice? I don’t know if I’m the person to ask about that, honey. I’ve been married three times, but I’ve also been divorced three times, so I’m not exactly an expert.”

  “I value your opinion,” I tell the older woman. That seems to be enough to get her talking.

  “The thing about marriage,” Rita leans against the counter and takes a long sip of her coffee. “Is that it’s not just a relationship. It’s an experience. A lot of things change when you get married. Your relationship changes. You change. The way people interact with you changes. Sometimes your single friends won’t want to hang out as much because they’ll feel like they’re bothering you, or like you can’t take time away from your husband to be with them.”

  “That’s stupid. Why should getting married change your friendships?”

  “It shouldn’t. I agree, but it does, so just be ready for that. Be ready to compromise more than you ever thought you would. Be ready to learn how to communicate in new ways. Learning to live with another person is one thing, but learning how to share your entire life with someone is something entirely different. It’s wonderful, but scary.”

  “If you could do it all over again, knowing how things turned out, would you still have gotten married?”

  “Me? Of course,” Rita laughs. “But I’m a dreamer, honey. I’m a dreamer.”

  She heads off to do some paperwork and I find myself walking slowly to my desk. A couple of teachers greet me, but I’m caught up in my thoughts and don’t try to start any conversations.

  I still have to get a wedding dress, and Oliver and I have to pick out rings, and I have to figure out what we’re going to do for a reception. There are so many plans to finalize, so many things to do to make this wedding come together in a short amount of time, but all I can think about is that I don’t want it to end.

  I don’t want any of this to end.

  It’s selfish, I know, but I’m having such a lovely time with Oliver that the thought of leaving him terrifies me. Somehow, I feel like we’re perfect together. Somehow, I feel like everything is going to be okay.

  *

  When I get home that night, Oliver has dinner ready and on the table. I kiss him before we sit down to enjoy our meal together.

  “So, Carl was arrested today,” I tell him. “The police officer assigned to my case called me to let me know.”

  “I can’t say I’m not happy. The bastard deserves whatever he gets. I should have fought him when I had the chance.”

  “Trust me, you made the right call in letting the justice system handle this one,” I shiver thinking about what I would have done if I’d lost Oliver. I have no doubt he’d be able to take Carl, no doubt he’d come out the winner, but at what cost?

  Killing someone changes you, and I wouldn’t want to see Oliver change.

  Not like that.

  “What happened?” Oliver asks, raising an eyebrow.

  “Apparently, he tried to break into my house again. One of my neighbors called it in. The cops caught him with a ton of gasoline.”

  “He was going to burn it down?”

  “They’re charging him with breaking and entering and attempted arson.”

  “Motherfucker,” he shakes his head. “I hope they give him the maximum sentence.”

  “Either way,” I shrug. “We won’t have to worry about him much longer.”

  “He’s still the executor of your estate,” Oliver points out. “But if he’s in jail, he can’t perform his duties and someone new will be appointed. I’m going to try to make sure it’s me.”

  “You’d do that for me?”

  “I would do anything for you, Anna. I’ve told you this.”

  “That’s quite the responsibility, though.”

  “Anything. I would do anything for you.”

  I put down my fork and push my plate away.

  “Something wrong with the food?”

  I walk over to him, place my hands on his shoulders, and take a deep breath.

  I love you is on the tip of my tongue, but I can’t say it just yet. It’s still so new. It’s still so fresh, and those words are so final, so serious. So instead of saying the words we both need to hear, I kiss him. I kiss Oliver and kiss him and kiss him. I kiss him like there’s no tomorrow, like there’s nothing better or more important to me than him.

  I kiss him like I love him because, I’m realizing, I really, really do.

  Chapter 14

  Oliver

  Anna and I spend all of our free time together kissing, talking, watching movies, and making love. We’re having so much fun that I barely feel any stress from my clients or cases. I barely feel any anxiety about work at all, and that’s something new for me.

  Usually, I have trouble
sleeping because I worry about my clients so much.

  Now?

  Now I sleep like a baby.

  At least until judgment day comes.

  Anna is nervous about meeting with the judge, but she doesn’t need to be. George Locke is one of the fairest judges I’ve ever worked with. He’s tough, and a total badass, but he’s also kind.

  He takes one look at the trust and calls bullshit on it.

  “Absolutely invalid,” he says, shaking his head. “A tiger clause? Really? They thought they’d be able to sneak that in. Unacceptable.”

  Anna breathes a huge sigh of relief and I squeeze her hand. If the judge notices our intimate gesture, he doesn’t say anything. I’ve worked with George long enough that I know he’s incredibly discreet.

  We work through some paperwork with the judge and his assistant, and then that’s it. Then we’re free. Then we can leave the courthouse, and on Anna’s 25th birthday, she’ll have full access to her trust fund and the land her daddy left her.

  And I couldn’t be happier for her.

  We get back to the house and head up to our apartment. Anna gets settled on the couch and I grab a bottle of Crown Royal from the freezer. I pour us each a glass and then come over and join her, settling down next to her.

  “To the future,” I say.

  “To the future.”

  We sip the alcohol and she leans her head on me. I’m so happy that Anna is going to get her money and she isn’t going to be forced into marriage. Not that I would have minded marrying her. It’s just that when you marry someone, it should be because you love them, and I don’t know that Anna loves me.

  Over the past few weeks, I’ve fallen hard for her in ways I never could have imagined. The more I get to know Anna, the more I realize she’s not like any other woman I’ve ever met. She’s different in every way, and I love her for that.

  I love everything about her.

  I just love her.

  “So what are you going to do now?” I ask, addressing the elephant in the room. “Carl is safely tucked away in jail, and you aren’t going to be forced to marry a shifter, so you could technically move back home if you wanted to.”

  “What?” She sits up quickly and looks at me. Anna looks like this was the last thing she expected me to say. “You want me to leave?”

  “No,” I tell her honestly. “I don’t want that at all, sweetie, but you don’t have to marry me anymore. You’re free.” I point to the stack of papers we brought back from the courthouse that are now on the coffee table. “You don’t have to get married just to receive what your dad left you. You don’t have to.”

  “But…”

  “But what?”

  Anna doesn’t seem happy at the idea of not getting married, but that doesn’t make sense. She should be completely relieved. She should be happy, even. She’s never said I love you. She’s never said she wants to be with me because she likes me, because she wants me. Oh, there’s no doubt in my mind that she likes having sex and companionship and hanging out, but she’s never said she loves me.

  She should be happy that she has her freedom now.

  She can do whatever she wants, date whoever she wants, go wherever she wants.

  She can do anything.

  “But I don’t want to go,” she whispers, and her eyes meet mine. They swirl with confusion and anguish and fear. They swirl with sadness and regret.

  “Why don’t you want to go?” I whisper. “This should make you happy. You don’t have to marry me.”

  “I want to marry you, Oliver,” she whispers. Anna starts to cry silently as she looks at me. She’s holding my hand tightly as she speaks. “I should have told you before, but I was scared.”

  “Should have told me what?”

  “That I love you.”

  I love you.

  Is this really happening?

  Did she really just say the words?

  Did Anna really just say she wants to be with me?

  My heart soars, and maybe I’m going crazy, but I want this, too. I want her. I never believed in mates before, and I’m still not sure if I do, but if there’s a mate for me in this world, it’s Anna.

  “I want to marry you, Oliver. I want that more than anything. I want to be with you and love you and spend time with you. I want to grow old with you. I want to laugh with you and cry with you and have babies with you. I want all of that.”

  “I want all of those things, too. I just didn’t know you felt that way.”

  “What kind of shifter are you?” She sniffles, but smiles jokingly. “Shouldn’t you be able to read my emotions?”

  “As it turns out, I’m not entirely level-headed and logical when it comes to the woman of my dreams.”

  “Really?”

  “Really.”

  “You really want to do this?”

  “I really want to do this.”

  “I love you, Oliver.”

  “I love you, too, princess.”

  Epilogue

  Anna

  One Month Later

  The wedding was beautiful, sweet, and small. Our friends and Oliver’s family came to the ceremony and then the two of us had a lovely honeymoon in Honeypot, Colorado. We rented a little cabin on this ranch for shifters, so Oliver could shift as much as he wanted and we could just relax and be together.

  And I got to see him change from a man into an incredible beast.

  I got to see him as a tiger, and he was incredible.

  My husband is a tiger shifter and I’ve never seen anything more beautiful.

  He shifted and I ran beside him through the forests, through the fields, and to the mountains. We went swimming and climbing and hiking, and we just spent time together.

  It was perfect.

  And I couldn’t be happier.

  Now that I’m 25, I have the land my father left me, and Oliver and I are going to build a house together. The land is perfect for raising a shifter family. There are plenty of trees and hills and places to climb. There’s even a little waterfall.

  It’s beautiful.

  And even though getting to this point in my life was painful and long and difficult, it was so worth it.

  It’s all been worth it.

  Oliver is incredible, and I am so lucky to call him my husband, my partner.

  I’m so lucky to call him mate.

  Because me and Oliver?

  We’re forever.

  THE END

  Sergeant Bear

  Shifters at Law

  Sophie Stern

  For my mate

  Joyce Lawson is a fierce woman. She has to be. She single-handedly keeps Casa, Fee, and Lyon's legal business in check. From marketing to catering to billing, she handles most aspects of the law firm, but lately, Joyce has been feeling anything but strong.

  Her ex-boyfriend is a person of interest in the disappearance of a local college student, and Joyce is certain he's responsible. Every time she gets close to finding a clue, however, something happens that sets her back. Someone is watching her and trying to keep her from discovering the truth, no matter what that is.

  Sergeant Wyatt Dixon has had to fight his way up from the bottom. Shifters may have found a place in the world, but that doesn't mean anyone is handing out favors. As a bear shifter, he's constantly fighting the stereotype that bears are bumbly, disorganized, and clumsy. When an intriguing case brings crosses his desk, Dixon realizes he's got much more on his hands than just a missing college student.

  He could be looking at a murderer who will do anything to keep his secrets.

  Even if it means killing again.

  Chapter 1

  Joyce

  It’s been a long time since I felt comfortable around another person. Oh, I’m not talking about my bosses or clients. That’s not what I mean. Casa, Fee, and Lyon are all incredible bosses. They’re the best. They’re always around when I need someone to talk to and they’ve never shied away from the hard talks. When I’m lonely or scared or hurting, they�
��re there for me. They’ve never been afraid to address the big issues with me or call me out on my crap, and I love that about our relationships.

  My clients are just as fantastic. I’m always hugging people and holding them while they cry. Getting legal care can be surprisingly dramatic for some people. Still, I love the touch and the companionship and the comfort there. I love interacting with people.

  But it has been a very, very long time since I felt comfortable around a man romantically, and it’s all because of Logan Smith.

  I don’t want to think about him anymore or worry about what happened in the past. The important thing is to move forward, right? The important thing is to move forward and to have a good, happy life. The important thing is that I focus on growing as a person and not on communicating my needs, expectations, and desires to any guy I might meet in the future.

  Yeah, that’s what I should be worried about.

  But I’m not.

  I’m still thinking of him.

  I’m still thinking of everything that happened, everything that was said. I’m still thinking of the way he smelled after a shower and how he held me in bed. I’m still thinking of the moments he was normal, the times he was mine, and the times when he seemed to become someone else entirely.

  And I’m thinking of everything that came after.

  And I’m wondering if it’s my fault.

  I should have known something was wrong, should have suspected Logan wasn’t who he said he was. I should have had some sort of sixth sense. I should have been able to stop everything.

  I didn’t.

  And now I can’t stop trying to figure out where to go from here.

  “Joyce?” Someone knocks on the door to my office and opens it without waiting for a response. Lyon. Of course. He smiles at me and I can’t help but smile back. Something about this crazy tiger just gets me. He’s such a good guy and he doesn’t even know it. Once he found his true mate, he became a completely different person. Oliver has come out of his shell and he doesn’t even seem to notice he was locked away for so long.