The Beast in Him by Shelly Laurenston Page A

pure pain.
    “Look at him!” She shoved Smitty by the shoulder. “Look at that face!”
    “It’ll heal in a couple of days.”
    Oooh. Wrong answer.
    Dez turned those gorgeous gray-green eyes on the wolf, and Mace watched Smitty do what any sensible predator would do in a situation like this...
    Plot to run away.
    “He’ll heal? Is that what you said to me?”
    “Well—”
    “Because what if this wasn’t some simple facial lacerations? What if someone had pulled a gun or put a knife to his throat?”
    “Yeah, but—”
    She took a step closer. At least five inches shorter than Smitty, she still would make any male wary. After the baby had been born, Mace really worried that side of his Dez had gone away. But one day back at her job and she was tougher. More dangerous.
    Mace found it so hot.
    “When he goes to work, I’m assuming you’re protecting each other. That you’re protecting him.”
    “Yeah, but he’s king of the jungle.”
    Mace watched those eyes he loved so much narrow dangerously. Her hand curled into a fist. And Mace knew Dez had at least two guns on her.
    Smitty swallowed, probably wondering who could move faster—Mace’s money was on his woman and her ability to draw her weapon. Then the hospital door opened and Smitty took his chance.
    “It’s not my fault.” He pointed at the wild dog who’d just walked into the room. “It’s hers.”
    Dez spun around, nailing Jessica Ward to the spot. But after a moment, the two women grinned, squealed, and ran into each other’s arms for a big hug.
    “Jess!”
    “Dez! Oh, my God, girl. How are you?”
    “I’m fine. Fine.” Dez pulled back. “Look at you, Miss Too Rich to Remember Her Friends.”
    “Oh, yeah, right. I was at the Christmas party at Moriharty’s. Where were you?”
    Dez smirked and nodded toward Mace. “I’d just bred his little demon seed.”
    Jess gasped in surprise. “You’re a mother?” That question was followed with another squeal that had both Smitty and Mace covering their ears in agony.
    When Mace could hear again, the women were huddled over Dez’s wallet and pictures of Marcus—and her dumb dogs. He glanced at Smitty, who mouthed, “Asshole.” In response, Mace gave him the finger.
    “So what happened?” Dez asked after the pair had gushed over how beautiful Marcus and those dumb dogs were.
    “Bobby Ray is right,” Jess admitted. “It was my fault. I forgot Mace was coming to the office, and Danny was doing his usual lunch thing by letting our dogs take him around the office on his skateboard. They love doing that. Anyway, with a lion suddenly appearing in the office, they got a little spooked.”
    Dez turned accusing eyes on Mace. “You scared her dogs?” she yelled.
    “Wait. How did this become my fault?”
     
    Jess stood around chatting with Dez until two more lions, mocking Llewellyn mercilessly, showed up. One of the big cats she knew: Brendon Shaw. Her company had done work for him on more than one occasion, she’d seen him at a few social events over the years, and the Pack’s much-loved Long Island property butted right up against Marissa Shaw’s and the Stark hyena Clan’s territories.
    With Shaw came his brother. Not as big but just as handsome. She’d never met him before, but he seemed pleasant enough.
    The problem wasn’t the brothers but the fact that Brendon brought flowers for Mace. As a joke sure, but Jess couldn’t find it funny. Since her allergic reaction to flowers could be considered colossal. She had small zipped cases in her backpack and key strategic places she frequented that held her allergy pills, nasal spray, and even an inhaler for those worst-case scenarios. Unfortunately, she hadn’t brought her backpack or coat with her. So she had no way of stopping one of her bouts unless she left the room in the next ninety seconds.
    Not wasting any time, she whispered good-bye to Dez with promises to see her another time for lunch or dinner, before making her escape.
    She