Wild Life Page 9

  “What is the true intention of you coming into Manhattan Maen territory without invitation or provocation?” Addison asked all of them in clear English.

  “We can travel where we see fit, outside of lunar week we do not require formal invitation to enter any territory.” The New Jersey council stated.

  Addison glanced at his large sports watch, noting the date on it. “You’re a day out from the start of lunar week. I’d say that’s a fine line to debate and that out of courtesy and respect to the pack leader, you require invitation or provocation to enter our territory in this manner.”

  “We simply did not believe Mr D’arenberg would head our words or was in fact being completely honest with us yesterday.” The Queens councillor said flippantly at Addison.

  “We do not care, what you believe.” Addison growled at him placing both hands on the booth table and leaning forwards. “This is not your pack. This is not your relationship under scrutiny. This is not your fight. There is no fight here.”

  “Then let us go about our business.” The Bronx werewolf representative.

  “No.”

  “You’re deny us freedom to investigate wether this is anything we need to know,” another councillor said. “You’re lack of hospitality in this, only assumes your pack guilty of some wrong doing, or cause for our suspicions to be confirmed.” The Queens councillor said again.

  Addison looked over at the councillors and at the only representative not to have spoken a word to him yet. The Breukelen member. “What about you?” He said nodding his head at the Breukelen member. “What do you have to say?”

  The Breukelen male looked at Addison. “I have no voice here. They believe what they wish to believe and if I am to express an opinion it is only to be tainted by that belief. So my voice is null and void in this.” Addison straightened up. “Even though I think they’ve got it completely wrong.” The Breukelen added on, causing all the councillors to look back at him quickly and suspiciously

  “Well councillors, seems like you’re all falling apart, at the doing of yourselves rather than anyone else.” Addison muttered before walking off on them and back to Paris.

  “When word of our capture gets out…” the Queens representative started, but stopped when Addison glared back at him before continuing on. His pack leader looked at him. “Have I ever mentioned how much I fucking hate pack politics?”

  “Constantly.” Paris replied, he stood up and glanced at the councillors. He spoke low and in French asking “How badly have I fucked this up?” as they turned their backs on the councillors and other werewolves. “When they came in I was just livid, like yesterday all over again.”

  “Where’s Bg?” Addison asked thinking ahead in English.

  “I had her sent back to Brooklyn, to be sure she’s safe with her own pack until whatever it is that they’re doing this witch hunt for with me, is over. I gave Bodil and Aksel Sommers a complete run down on the matter at hand.” Addison nodded his head. It was a smart move for Paris to rally the brother and sister of the Breukelen werewolf in the centre of the whole shit-storm, that had them here. Especially since they were Breukelen hierarchy.

  “Okay,” Addison said with a sigh as they walked to the far side of the room again and spoke low in French. “Here’s what I think you should do. Release them. But not before setting up tails on their residences and Staten Island. Have them escorted to the outer city limits and advise them their business here is done. I don’t know what they think they’re doing here, other than trying to provoke a fight out of you, to give them reason to do what they want here, or have you removed from your position.”

  Paris frowned in thought at him. “But what would the purpose of that be. I mean if they want me out as pack leader, surely they’d just recruit a member of the pack to fight me for leadership. Something about this feels funky.”

  “Yeah, I got that vibe too.” Addison agreed out loud in English. as they turned around to look back at the councillors who were now bickering amongst themselves.

  Paris lifted his chin at Jules and Bohm who sprang to their feet and strode over to their leader. “Yes my Alpha.” Bohm a young twenty-something beta wolf addressed Paris with. As Jules stood next him silently. Paris instructed them in French on what they were to do as both wolves nodded their heads in understanding.

  “Wiatt, I want you to escort the councillors to the edge of the city limits, take Dale and Andrew with you to ensure you have no trouble. Paris told his brother who whistled at the two guards, Dale and Andrew.

  “Let’s go for a ride.” He said addressing the councillors in a menacing voice. Rather enjoying the horrified looks on their faces at his words. “The boys will ensure you get where you’re going.” Wiatt said making eye contact with Dale and Andrew.

  Paris and Addison watched as the councillors were escorted past them and out of the club. “Do you think Gabby’s behind this, like some sort of wronged, power play?” Addison asked, once the councillors were out of earshot.

  “I don’t know. It would make some sort of sense. She has a beef with Bg and she got served badly, in their last showdown. She’s still paying for that mistake now.” Paris said referring to the silvering injuries that Bg had done to the Manhattan Maen alpha female, wolf. “What else could it be?”

  “I dunno. I just, something’s off.” Addison stated.

  “Yeah. Off.” Paris repeated.

  “Come on, let’s go get a drink.” Addison said slapping his friend’s back. “I know the perfect place to make you forget about pack for awhile.”

  “Should I be worried?” Paris joked as they walked out of Crescent.

  “Only if I’m driving the Porsche.” Addison intoned as Paris produced his car keys.

  “Like hell.” His friend muttered at him.

  12

  Addison paid the over priced cover charge for both of them as they entered Provocation.

  “I’ve never been here before.” Paris stated as they walked into the dimly lit interior of the club and looked around. It was fairly busy for an evening crowd. On a week day.

  “Yeah, probably because it’s not one of ours.” Addison said as he indicated a table at the front and to the side of the centre stage in the room. Paris and Addison were business partners as well as friends and pack leader and lieutenant. They owned a substantial amount of real estate, that included strip clubs and night clubs. It was how they made the majority of their money. Paris walked over to the table Addison had singled out as he went to the bar.

  “Hey, what can I get you?” The bar attendant in black pants and a black sleeveless top and eyeliner asked him.

  “Is Cassidy working today?” Addison asked him.

  “Yeah, she should be out soon.”

  “Two beers,” Addison said pointing to two foreign beers in the bar fridge behind the bar before handing over money. He gathered his change, beers and walked back over to Paris. Handing him one of the cold bottles. “To how much your job sucks.” Addison stated holding up the beer bottle and clinking it with Paris’s. Paris nodded his head slightly before downing the first mouthful of beer.

  “The only time in my whole life I’ve decided to have a girlfriend, a relationship and suddenly it’s all under scrutiny because of my job.” He stated tilting his beer bottle to his mouth again. “Before this, life seemed a lot simpler.”

  The lights in the room dimmed further and the lights on the stage brightened. Both males looked at the stage expectantly. It was only then that Addison noted there were no poles on stage.

  Music started playing and women dressed in sequined corsets and feathered skirts filled the stage as they danced their way about the stage, pulling chairs behind them, to add to the set up of tables, that the male dances, in white singlet tops and pin striped pants, carried and danced, on to the stage.

  It was Latin music Addison realised as the dancers set out to give the atmosphere of a Latin, café or club. Male dancers slid across tables flirting with the female dancers, and twirling the
m sharply.

  “I always thought this place was a strip club.” Paris commented in a low voice, his eyes watching the dancers nearest him do a small, cheeky, bump and grind routine. A male on the right of the stage, one leg atop a chair, leaning into it, started speaking Spanish in time with the music. Or miming perfectly, Addison couldn’t tell.

  “So did I.” Addison muttered softly as the pace of the music suddenly picked up. And another dancer appeared, at the far end of the stage. A sexy silhouette of a woman strutting through the Latino club, in heels, fishnet stockings, a short red glistening skirt that caught the light.

  It was like strips of glittering red that move and swayed with her movements. The top half of her dress, in red and black looked like it was sprayed onto her. With fishnet arm sleeves going up to her elbows. There was no mistaking her outline. Fake diamonds layering themselves chunkily around her slender neck and wrists. Her eyes were dark with black eyeliner, her lips ruby red and her brown hair, pulled back in a straight pony tail.

  Addison’s eyes fixated on the curvy, darkly clothed, figure. His gaze going steely with it’s gaze on the sexy creature, parading down the stage. It was Cassidy. Strutting and oozing confidence like she was self assured she was the hottest thing in everyone’s sight. And far as Addison was concerned she was.

  As the music’s paced changed and picked up dramatically, a male dancer from a nearby table sprang to his feet circling Cassidy, grabbing her waist and sharply spinning her into him, as they’re feet did a quick, duel around each other. The male dancer, was trying to court her, Addison realised as they both held eye contact, their faces locked on one another.

  There bodies duelling in sharp twists, turns and a few dramatic lunges. He also noticed there seemed to be no back at all to Cassidy’s outfit, it revealed her entire back and stopped short of her tailbone. Addison’s mouth, was dry, his hand was still holding its beer in mid-air.

  Cassidy’s look was of sex and she danced with a passionate defiance at the male dancer who seemed enamoured with her. Addison sat forward on his chair. His inner werewolf was growling, scratching at the idea of another male putting his hands on her after the night they’d previously spent together.

  The Spanish guy started rapping in Spanish in time to the fast music as Cassidy and her guy, started duelling with their bodies and feet, in a sharp, fast, blink and you miss it’s technical brilliance, movements. It was perfection to behold. The lethality of their non violent, fight for dominance with one another. It looked hot, intricate. It made Addison feel hard and hot all over.

  It appealed completely to Addison’s being. He felt that way, all the time. Like being a werewolf and a human male was a constant duel of passion, defiance and control. Addison abandoned his beer. His mouth hanging open as Cassidy kicked her leg up high so it rested completely against the upper torso of the male dancer, lying strait, past his shoulder and head as he turned her.

  She was dipped backwards, almost flat to her other leg, before coming back up again sharply. His mouth started to water and he ran his hand over it. The werewolf inside, scratched wildly and his skin heated up.

  He’d had no idea about her at all. He watched as the male spun her around quickly and she rounded his body and seemed to liquefy with instant grace as she slid, wrapping herself around and between the males legs, till she was on the ground as he effortlessly brought up back up against his body.

  Cassidy was lifted onto the shoulders of the male, laid out on her side straight, and spun around three times before she was thrown over his head and somehow, Addison’s brain couldn’t figure it out quick enough. Was rolled down the front of the male dancer, all the while he held onto her.

  Cassidy’s expression never faltered, she smouldered through the whole routine as she rolled down the front of her partners body and stopped inches from the floor for the final pose of the all too short, but highly charged, sexy routine. The music faded and the crowd at Provocation clapped and cheered enthusiastically clearly impressed with the opening number.

  Addison sat stunned. Paris looked at him as he clapped. The dancers cleared the stage for the next dance treat. He looked across at Paris. Who was smiling at him. “See something you like?”

  “I saw her first.” Addison stated quickly.

  Paris downed a mouthful of beer. “How do you figure?” He asked pointing back at the stage. “We were both here, watching the show at the same time. How can you possibly lay claim to her?”

  Addison tilted his head in a very animal way at his friend and leader. “Well you were busy having sex with Bg at the pack party when I first spoke to her.” Addison said picking up his own beer again.

  Paris stared at his friend. “Well aren’t you lucky I’ve been claimed then? So that’s her, your mystery woman?” He said clearly surprised.

  “Yes.”

  “I thought you said she tended bar.” They looked at each other.

  “Did I also mention she’s Canadian?” Addison smirked at his friend.

  “You got a wild one on your hands. Are you ready for her?” Paris teased him. Addison looked back at the stage which was dark again. He couldn’t answer Paris because he really didn’t think he was ready for Cassidy Owens.

  Cassidy walked out of the change room, in her jeans and flat shoes and Addison’s t-shirt. She felt good, happy. Content and now after a night of working on the show, a little less wound up.

  Cassidy had spotted Addison and his friend in the first routine number, it was hard not to since they were at the table closest to the stage. Probably presuming they’d get a good eyeful of a stripper, there. Maybe even get the attention of a pole dancing princess, only there were no poles.

  A lot of patrons made the mistake of assuming Provocation was a strip club. But more often than not they were impressed with the burlesque show put on each night, and came back with friends again.

  Addison was waiting out the back of the club with Paris. Cassidy smiled broadly at him as he reached her, sliding his arms around her waist. Kissing her deeply, urgently. In front of a quite surprised Paris D’arenberg. That wasn’t usually Addison’s style. Could this woman be different?

  Cassidy moaned, moulding into him. Addison broke the kiss. “Sexy, very sexy He stated throatily in a low voice. His need to be intimate with her again, desire for this woman was making him feel greedy. “You were amazing out there.” Cassidy arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow in response and looked over at Paris.

  “Yeah but do you like my new T-shirt, I’ve been wearing it all day because it smells, so good.”

  “That good huh?” Addison murmured back at her.

  “So, so, good.” Cassidy purred back at him playfully. Both of them forgetting Paris was standing by and was watching them both with silent amusement.

  “Dandelion I want to be anything but good with you after watching you dance.” Cassidy’s eyes gazed into his and she held the heat with him.

  She smiled broadly at him. “So that’s all I had to do to really get your attention huh?”

  Addison’s werewolf stirred around in him. “I want you to meet my friend, Paris D’arenberg.” Addison said opening his hold so he had one arm around her waist and they were facing Paris together. As he lowered his eye level slightly with a subtle tilt of his head. It was as respectful as he could be without giving Paris a more formal introduction to his date and giving away their animal nature. A thought that was beginning to bother him.

  Cassidy looked at the broad shouldered male. He was as tall as Addison, and clearly as muscled, if not slightly larger.

  “Paris this is Cassidy.”

  Cassidy smiled at him and held out her hand. “Hi, it’s nice to meet you. Was it your brother who came round this morning?” Paris had dark brown hair that was longer than Addison’s and possibly in need of a cut. He had the darkest blue eyes Cassidy thought she’d ever seen. Like the deep recessing waves of an ocean.

  Paris shook Cassidy’s hand. “Yes, I’m the older one.” He said politely. “Your
dancing was fantastic. Especially the opening number.” Paris said looking at the way Addison kept her against his side. He’d never seen his friend so openly possessive before in front of him. Addison was normally mister cool, calm and collected.

  “Thank you. Latin dances are my speciality and Sascha my dance partner choreographed the Argentine Tango, specially with me in mind. He choreographs the most amazing numbers.”

  “Well you were fantastic. My partner would love to see your show some time. I’ll have to bring her along.” Paris commented. “Bg loves dancing. She’s a big fan of Salsa.”

  “Oh I’d like that. Be nice to meet another woman around here, who isn’t someone I have to work and compete with.”

  “Okay, we’ll set something up.” Paris said looking from Cassidy to Addison who was actually smiling. Another un-Addison like thing, he noted. Addison didn’t smile a lot. “Speaking of Bg I’m going to head over to see her.” Paris said holding eye contact with Addison. “So I’ll catch you guys later.”

  “Bye.” Cassidy said waving at Paris as they watched him get into the Red Porsche. Cassidy tried not to be impressed by the flashy sports car. Addison started walking with her, out onto the street that joined the back lot.

  He hailed a taxicab for them, before turning to face Cassidy.

  “You know I want my t-shirt back now, right?” Addison said to her as Cassidy laughed at him.

  13

  “Zac,” Cassidy breathed huskily as Addison continued kissing her neck. She turned to try and kiss his neck. He’d started in the taxi, and had avoided her mouth for the entire ride. Just to hear her sighs and gasps as he licked and kissed his way around her neck, and collar bone, he’d told her.

  “Zac,” Cassidy tried again as they stumbled, with her backwards and Addison walking forwards, his arms around her, towards her place. “You can’t come in.” Cassidy blurted out, as Addison stilled instantly.