Page 23 of Ours

He nodded and opened the door before walking straight to the lounge room. He sat on the sofa without letting go of his precious bundle. He stroked her hair as he thought of what to say. “There’s a shifter killer on the loose. My partner, cousin, and his partner, are working nonstop to find him. The last three killings have been people we knew. I can’t shake the feeling he is deliberately playing with us. He is killing more and more. I have to find him.”

She let out a big sigh. “Why else are you holding back with me?”

He moaned because he knew he had to tell her. He couldn’t keep holding back. “I don’t want to be too controlling, as I know you hate how your brothers and father are. But I can’t help it.”

Jake gripped her hands and kissed her fingers. “Please don’t get angry when I tell you this. When you’ve been working late at night and are the last to leave work, I watch you to make sure you get in your car and get home and lock your house. I also had your car checked, and a guy will be installing a security system in your house. Oh, and I went to the fire station and had a chat with your father and brothers. That’s why they haven’t been around every morning and night.”

She stared at him, speechless, for a while before a car horn seemed to make her shake herself, and she looked toward the door and then back at him. “Give me a moment.” She got off him and walked out of the room.

He waited for her to come back. Zack walked into the room.

“Where’s Sandy?”

He pointed toward the door.

“Why did you let her leave?”

Getting off the sofa, he stalked over to Zack. “I didn’t let her leave. Unlike you, I went after her.”

“Well, where the hell is she then?” Zack snarled back.

Jake felt his clothes rip as his bear took over because he was angry that Zack had done nothing to go after their mate. Muscles stretched and fur grew as he and Zack both turned into bears.

A scream and a yell had them both turning in their bear forms to see Sandy and her brother standing in the lounge room entry. Sandy’s brother looked white as a ghost as he pushed Sandy behind him. She went willingly for a moment then seemed to look at the both of them in their fighting stance.

Sandy came around her brother, avoided him trying to grab her and put her safely behind him. When she was only a couple of feet away, she put her hands on her hips, and snarled, “You two boys were not about to fight, were you?” They moved farther apart.

“You weren’t fighting over me, were you?”

He and Zack both hung their massive heads. Sandy came over and smacked both of them. She shocked Jake when she knew which bear was which. “Jake, who started this?”

Sandy patted Zack. “Change back now. You’re scaring my brother.”

He and Zack both changed back to human form. Jake watched as Sandy’s brother Philip leaned against the wall.

“What the hell are you two?”

Sandy spun to face her brother. “You’re joking, right? They’re bear shifters, you idiot. Hence, us walking in on two massive bears fighting.” She turned back to them and came up to Jake. “I leave you for two minutes, and you’re fighting Zack. What the hell, Jake?”

He shot a glare at Zack who grinned at him. “Ah, Little Red, we were just playing right, Zack?”

Sandy turned to Zack who muttered, “Um, yeah.”

“Crap. You two suck at lying right now, but I have a bigger problem. What do we do with my brother now that he knows?”

Jake had no clue. He looked Philip up and down. “You going to tell anyone what you saw?”

Philip shook his head frantically. “Who the hell would believe me anyway? I would be committed.” He seemed to study him and Zack for a moment before he looked at his sister. “Do you want to tell me anything sis? You okay here?”

Jake held back his growl because her brother was only trying to protect her, but that was his and Zack’s job now. His heart soared and he puffed out his chest as Sandy rolled her eyes.

“I’m fine, trust me there really teddy bears.” She laughed at her own joke and her brother shook his head and gave a chin lift to both him and Zack before he turned and left the house.

At the door Philip paused. “If you need me sis, I’ll come. I love you. See you at home.”

Sandy’s laughter stopped and she ran over and hugged Philip. “I love you to big bro and I’ll make you your favorite dish as a thank you for coming all this way. You can go now though, thanks.” She kissed both his cheek before she eased back and came back to him. Jake held her in his embrace and kissed her head lingering to breath in her heavenly scent.

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