Page 76 of Covert Affections (Shadow Agents/PSI-Ops #5)

Chapter Fifty-Seven

Jesse

Jesse held Lindy’s phone in his hand as she began muttering something that sounded like “there’s no place like home.” When she clicked her feet together, her head bent, the blanket falling down her, he realized what she was doing and laughed. Her gaze snapped up at him.

“Gorgeous, I only laughed because you’re adorable,” he said, lifting his free hand. “Don’t give me a murder stare. You’re oddly good at it. It’s kind of unnerving.”

The woman on the other end of the phone laughed, her voice sounding like she had a five-pack-a-day habit. “She doing that thing where one of her eyebrows arches up high?”

“She is!” said Jesse, nodding as he took in the sight of his angry mate. “It’s cute and a little scary.”

“What’s your name, stud?” asked the woman.

“Jesse,” he returned.

“I’m Teresa,” the woman stated, sounding nice. “What are you?”

The question threw him. “Come again?”

“Sounded like you already did that,” Teresa shot back quickly. “I’ll ask again, what are you? I know it’s not human. I heard that confession through the phone somewhere after round one, but possibly in the middle of round two.”

Lindy reached for the phone.

Jesse kept hold of it.

“You’ve gone quiet,” Teresa said. “Trying to think of a good lie? Don’t bother. I’ve got a pretty good idea.”

“And what idea is that?” he asked, tension gathering between his shoulders. If Teresa started nosing around, she could tip The Corporation off about Lindy.

“Answer something for me first,” Teresa stated, sounding like she was taking a drag off a cigarette.

“All right, what?”

Lindy tried again to take the phone.

Jesse kept it to his ear.

“You who showed up behind the library to help that young girl over a decade ago?” the woman asked, her voice level, but her tone off.

Jesse touched Lindy’s cheek, caressing it slightly as he spoke. “No idea who helped someone behind a library.”

Teresa let out a long breath.

“Now I have a question for you,” Jesse returned.

“What’s that?” she countered.

Jesse kept his hand on Lindy’s cheek. “You the woman with the bat who was behind the grocery store with Lindy years ago?”

“I am,” Teresa answered, her tone lighter.

“Then I owe you a thank you,” said Jesse, knowing things could have played out much differently had Efren gotten his way back then. “You did what I should have done.”

“You mean protecting her?” asked Teresa.

“Exactly.”

Lindy put her hand over Jesse’s on her cheek.

“Seems to me, you attacking that piece of shit vampire was protecting her,” said Teresa.

Jesse snorted. “You mean were-coyote?”

“My memory is slipping with age,” the woman said with a snort.

“Bullshit. You were testing me. I’m not offended,” Jesse added fast. “You care about Lindy. You want her to be safe. And you don’t know me.”

“If you’re who I think you are to her, you’ll make sure no on harms her,” Teresa said before Jesse heard something muffled in the background. “Are you him? Are you her mate?”

Emotion filled Jesse, and he blinked away the moisture trying to gather in his eyes. “I am.”

“Is the deed done?” asked Teresa. “Did you claim her?”

“I did,” Jesse said.

“That’s good,” said Teresa. “But if you hurt one hair on that girl’s head, or break her heart in any way, I’ll rip your dick off and chop it into little pieces, right after I club you with my bat and make you sign it.”

He gulped, believing she’d do it.

“Am I making myself clear?” she asked.

“Yes, ma’am,” he said with a nod.

Lindy watched him closely. “What is she saying?”

“We’re just, um, coming to an understanding,” said Jesse, worried that repeating it might make it somehow come to fruition.

Jesse knew he’d never harm Lindy, but he didn’t know what would happen if The Corporation got a hold of him and fucked with his head with the serum again.

Would he turn on her? He didn’t want to think so.

Not that he’d ever hurt Lindy, but he had a strong suspicion Teresa didn’t need a reason to cut things off men. She probably did it just for sport.

Lindy snatched the phone from his hand. “Teresa? Did you threaten him?”

Robert pounded on the door again.

Jesse wasn’t about to open it with Lindy barely covered.

He tried wrapping his mate in the blanket tighter, but she grunted, pushed at the thick material, and stepped away, trying to hurry off the phone.

Knowing they’d been overheard the entire time they were having sex should have pissed him off.

It didn’t bother him in the least. Knowing if Lindy dared step outside the Airstream right now, wearing only his dress shirt, Robert would see her, did rile him.

Robert was her ex, and Jesse intended to keep it that way. The man had lost his right to see her in a state of undress.

I should tear out his eyeballs for ever seeing her naked.

The idea brought a smile to his face.

Jesse’s cat side bristled as it stirred within him, wanting a chance to eliminate who it saw as a threat to its bond to Lindy.

“I’m not getting into the details with you,” Lindy said, irritation evident as she paced with her cell phone. “Teresa, I’ll call you back later. Robert is waiting for us.”

“He can wait,” Jesse returned, his jaw clenching.

“ Thanks ,” said Robert from the other side of the door.

Jesse glared at the closed door. “You’re not needed in this conversation, Bob.”

“Don’t call me Bob.”

Lindy tapped her bare foot on the floor of the Airstream, her gaze locking on Jesse.

Jesse felt the need to rub his palms against the thigh of his jeans, nervousness creeping over him. When he realized it was because his mate was annoyed with him, he refrained from actually rubbing his palms on anything.

He wasn’t going to turn into one of those men who ended up whipped the second they were in a relationship. He held his chin high as if to challenge her authority over him.

With an eerie level of calmness, Lindy tipped her head partially, regarding him with an expression that told him everything he wouldn’t have access to if he continued—namely, her.

Jesse’s hands lifted in surrender. “I’ll behave if Bob does.”

She groaned. “Really, Teresa, I have to go before your nephew and my…um… meat-market guy end up in a fight.” She gasped. “Teresa, he’s your nephew, don’t hope for a fight and no, I’m not recording it because it’s not going to happen. Not if they both know what’s good for them.”

“Her money better be on me!” shouted Robert, clearly refusing to abandon his post by the door.

Jesse grabbed for the door handle, ready to have it out with the asshole once and for all.

Lindy’s hand shot out. She didn’t grab the door. Nope. She grabbed Jesse’s groin.

He froze.

She wasn’t even looking at him as she continued her talk with Teresa. “I really don’t want to talk about Boat Guy right now. I promise. I’ll call you back tonight around closing time. Okay, yes. Great. Talk to you then.”

She hung up, her hand still on his jean-covered dick.

“Planning to do something with that or just offering it support because it’s so big you’re worried about it being on its own?” he asked with a smirk.

A sugar-sweet smile slid over Lindy’s face, and her eyes crinkled with mirth as she squeezed—hard.

Jesse put his hand to hers and he leaned forward in an attempt to alleviate pressure on his cock. He went to work carefully opening her fingers one by one. “Let’s not rip it off, okay? Teresa already threatened to do as much.”

Lindy sighed. “I figured as much. Behave or I’ll let her.”

Jesse drew her closer, her palm still pressed to his groin. He bent and stole a kiss, making her laugh as he did. “You’re a bit of a brat, aren’t you?”

“You don’t know the half of it,” Robert said. “She’s a total hellion.”

“Hey!” Lindy grabbed for the door.

Jesse slid an arm around her waist and lifted her, preventing her from leaving. “Gorgeous, you’re pretty much naked.”

“Let her come out,” said Robert, his voice gruff. “I never get tired of the show.”

Jesse growled, still holding Lindy.

Lindy grunted. “Can you two try to adult for like five minutes even?”

“No,” they said together.

“Jesse, put me down. I can’t stay in here forever.” Lindy wiggled against him, her ass pressed to his groin.

His breath caught, and he purred, wanting in her again.

“Keep it in your pants!” shouted Robert.

Lindy patted Jesse’s arm.

Despite wanting to keep her right where she was, Jesse eased Lindy to her feet. He tugged at the dress shirt, wanting it to cover her as much as possible. She was his woman. His to undress and worship. Not Robert’s.

“Jesse,” she said with a huff.

He pressed his mouth to her ear, his hand finding her bare thigh. “Anyone could drive by when you step out. I just want to be sure you’re not on display for them. That’s all.”

She twisted his arms and put her palms to his chest. She grinned up at him and then gave him a chaste kiss. “That’s kind of sweet, actually.”

“Yes, I’m out here gagging on the sweetness. He’s a real catch,” said Robert, his voice lacking emotion. “What every girl wants. Stunned he wasn’t already off the market.”

Lindy blew a stray strand of hair out of her face and offered Jesse an apologetic look. “I swear he’s normally a nice guy. He’s funny too. Most of the time.”

“A real ball of laughs,” Jesse said, not believing her for a minute.

Lindy retrieved the blanket and much to Jesse’s delight, wrapped it around herself. “Where are my boots?”

He wasn’t sure.

She shrugged and went for the door, opening it to reveal Robert.

He was standing there in all his cop glory.

Asshole.

Robert was in full uniform—again. Jesse wondered if the guy slept in the thing. The only addition to the ensemble was a pair of mirrored sunglasses.

Robert’s attention locked on Lindy. “You okay?”

She didn’t respond at first, and Jesse worried he’d harmed her during their lovemaking. He’d struggled with his alpha side during it, but only to keep from claiming her again and again, as if his cat side was worried the first claim might not stick.

“Your phone broken?” she asked.

Robert cocked his head to the side as he stood in the road. “What? No.”

“Oh, so you were just ignoring my texts and calls for the last five days,” Lindy snapped, pushing past the man as she basically walked like a penguin all wrapped up in the blanket.

Jesse exited the RV fully.

Robert made a move to touch Lindy.

Jesse growled.

Lindy twisted around, her eyes narrowing on the men. “I want to go home now, Jesse.”

Jesse lifted her, despite her protests, and carried her, blanket and all, to the passenger side of his truck.

He loaded her in like the precious cargo she was, shut the door, and turned to face the wolf-shifter.

“You knew what was happening in there.” He motioned to the Airstream.

“You could have given us privacy. You knew she was fine.”

A tic started in Robert’s jaw. The mirrored glasses prevented Jesse from fully gauging his expression. “More bodies were uncovered in shallow graves, same as here, all women.”

“Where and how many?” asked Jesse, going right for him.

“I don’t have all the details. The site is closer to Denver, but everything fits with what we have here,” said Robert, sounding tired. “I need to know everything you know.”

Jesse glanced around. While the stretch of road was isolated, he didn’t want to take any chances. He nodded. “Let’s get Lindy to her place so she can get dressed. I’ll tell you everything I know there.”

Robert offered a curt nod and headed for his SUV.

Jesse went to his truck and got in.

Lindy was watching the side mirror. “Is he okay?”

“I didn’t hurt him,” Jesse replied as he started the truck.

“That’s not what I meant,” she said, her voice tight. Her heart was big.

Jesse started the truck and pulled out onto the road. Then he reached over and took Lindy’s hand in his. He brought their joined hands to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. “He will be.”