Page 36 of Wolf's Mark

“Hey, girl. Tell me all about the drink.” Mattie had a way of demanding everything she wanted to.

“I will, but only if…” I was using my singsong voice, which she hated.

“Oh, God. What? Do you need me to fix a toilet or bring over Band-Aids for a scraped knee?”

She’d teased me of being helpless more than once just for fun. “I think I have my own private plumber in the future and we’re all good here. Very good in fact.” As if I was going to tell her about the incident at the morgue. Not a chance in hell. Since she was a doctor as well, she might have me committed to the local psyche ward. I certainly would if I heard a nutty story like mine.

“Ooh-la-la. I think you have juicy treats. What’s the favor?”

“Will you come over and spend the night with Britney tomorrow? Pretty please?”

Instead of issuing a snide remark, she burst into a typical squeal. This time it was so loud I had to jerk the phone away from my ear, wincing as I did so.

“That’s all you need to tell me about that hot man,” she finally purred like some big white Persian cat who was wearing a tiara. The visionary aspects had been something I’d done with her and only her since the beginning of our friendship. “Of course I will. But I do want details about this all-nightery later.”

That could require me to tell her about the first close to all-nighter. Maybe some dirty little secrets were meant to be kept locked away.

CHAPTER 11

Jax

Wolfen Industries was well run with offices, production facilities, and dealers in several cities and countrysides throughout the entire United States. We were also in discussions with some European diplomats, although it would seem Italy was pushing hard against our entrance into the arena.

There was a planned meeting with a group of Italians to try to smooth the way, but I wasn’t certain it would matter.

From what I knew, it would seem they were terrified that we’d take more of the market than we already had. Was I supposed to feel sorry for them? Not a chance.

I was considered one of the most ruthless businessmen in the industry for good reason.

The two production plants between Cartersville and Chicago were the original locations started by my great-grandfather a long time ago. While refurbished with the best and mostexpensive equipment, they both held the charming appeal that they once did.

Including a set of offices on the ground floor of the original first building. I understood the history behind our corporation and out mother’s love of watching it grow, but I wasn’t certain why she insisted on meeting here at least twice a year.

Chase might be my younger brother, but he’d always reminded me that if that was all she wanted as a stockholder and board member, we had to give it to her.

So here we were, the three brothers and my best friend, who happened to be the corporate attorney, Parker Sherman, waiting for our mother’s usually fashionable arrival.

She was almost always late. I wish I could say it was because of her attendance at a book club or making a knitting group. Not a chance. Our mother was the oldest woman I knew and perhaps the feistiest. As flirtatious as she was, and as kinky, she could have a young guy in her bed every single night.

No, it wasn’t my favorite mental subject.

I had myriad questions to ask her, some she might not be appreciative of, but they were necessary.

“I don’t like this at all,” Chase grumbled from behind us. “We need some answers and now. I’m not fucking finding some chick I don’t know to mate with. Bull fucking shit.”

“What is he talking about?” Parker asked.

“Family business,” Riker answered. “Nothing you need to worry about.”

“Every time you tell me that, we end up in some corporate nightmare.”

“This has nothing to do with the company,” I said and closed my eyes briefly. Thoughts and images of the woman flowed through my mind. The memory of her long, thick hair cascading over her shoulders and the way she looked by candlelight caused desire to burn inside me, thick, hot, and possessive.

Another unusual occurrence in a box full of them.

I glanced at Riker who lifted a single eyebrow. I hadn’t told my younger brother what I suspected Mother would share with us. He was the most excitable of the group, going off halfcocked more often than I could remember. He’d been the troublemaker as a kid and in some ways, he still was.

“Why do I have a feeling I won’t like being here today?” Parker asked. The man was very human, sometimes too much so in my opinion. He also knew about our lineage and what our kind was capable of.

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