Jezebel's Lion (5 page)

“You must be Brandon. I’m Mrs.
Dibson
.
You look just like your brothers. My boys played football with them. How are
Carl and Tyler?” Mrs.
Dibson
motioned for him to sit
on the sofa.

Brandon sat and looked around for Jezebel, frowning
when he couldn’t see her. “Carl and Tyler are good. They come down most
weekends. It is Tyler’s last year. They’ll be staying with my parents for the
Christmas holidays.”

“So will Jezebel’s brothers. Though she usually
spends her Christmas with her friends, and we only get the morning.” Jezebel’s
mother looked sad for a moment before she shook her head like
she
was clearing it, and then she smiled at him. “You said
on the phone you want to take her out to dinner and a movie?”

“Yes, with your permission of course. Jezebel is a
lovely woman, and I would love to get to know her more.”

“No.” Shocked, Brandon turned to Jezebel’s father,
who spoke for the first time. “You are too old for my baby girl. I know about
you Pride boys, and my daughter is not another girl for you to use and
discard.”

“Darrell, Brandon is a guest, and he has been
nothing but a gentleman.” Jezebel’s mother turned red as she berated her
husband.

Darrell grunted, and then a smirk curved his lips.
“If he’s a gentleman he will have dinner with us tonight and invite his parents
to show he is serious about our daughter.”

“Darrell, it is late notice to invite his family
and—”

Brandon knew his parents would come. “That’s fine if
you are okay with it. I will even call them now. I’m also happy to pay for us
all to eat at a restaurant and save you cooking?”

Brandon heard the gasp and saw Jezebel’s head as she
peeked around the entrance. His lion sat up at the sight of his mate, and
Brandon’s eyes honed in on her.

“Oh you don’t have to pay for us, Brandon,” Jezebel’s
mother said.

Brandon didn’t let his gaze leave Jezebel, who’d
changed into jeans and a black tank top. She looked comfortable and sexy as
hell. “What do you think, Jezebel?” he asked, making her presence known to her
parents. She came out more from her hiding place. He captured her gaze, smiled,
and with his eyes pulled her to him.

****

Holy
crap
.
Jess
had gotten into the house and was eager to get away from Brandon. She had
convinced herself he had given her a pity fuck or was just being nice to the
chubby girl who’d made a fool of herself. She told herself once she let him off
the hook to go he would leave, but when she came down from getting changed and
calling Travis to come around she could hear her dad saying “no” to him. Jess
had been horrified to hear what her dad said and what he’d asked of Brandon,
who was, to her shock, still here.

When Brandon had heard her gasps his gaze had caught
hers, and she hadn’t been able took look anywhere but him. Her body seemed to
move towards him of its own accord. He was like a magnet pulling her to him. He
asked her what she thought of the plan, and all she could do was nod. Brandon
gave her a megawatt smile, and two dimples appeared, and she knew then that she
was a goner. A sigh slipped past her lips as she sat down next to him.

He put his hands in his pants pockets and pulled out
his phone, dialed a number, and put the phone to his ear. Jess couldn’t tear
her gaze from his.

“Mom,
it’s
Brandon. Can you
and Dad have dinner with my mate, Jezebel, and her parents, the
Dibsons
, tonight? Yes.
Great.
I
suggested a restaurant. That would be the best one.
No, just
you two.
The others will see her Thursday at games night. Aha. Thanks,
I’ll see you later.” He hung the phone up and finally broke their connection to
look at her parents, who were staring at Brandon.
 

Jess’s dad was giving Brandon death stares. His arms
were crossed over his chest and his lips in a thin line. Her mother had a huge
grin on her face as she looked between her and Brandon.

“My parents would love to have dinner with you. They
also said they would love to show you to
Cassa
Delento
. How does a seven o’clock booking sound?”

Her mother clapped. “Oh, I love the food there. That
is perfect, isn’t it, Darrell?”

Jess giggled as her dad shook his head, then looked
at her mother and changed to a nod. Brandon stood and smiled a bright smile
down at her, his dimples again popping. Wow, he was even better looking the
more time she spent with him. Brandon held his hand out to her, and she took it
and stood.

“I will come by here at twenty to seven to pick you
up.” Jess found herself nodding. “I’ll see you, Mrs.
Dibson
and Mr.
Dibson
, in a couple of hours.” Her mother
nodded, and Jess walked with Brandon to the front door.

Jess opened the door, and he stepped out lingering
on the step below. “Why did you run off when you got in?”

It was time she stopped being so awed and spoke up
and told him how she really felt. “To tell you the truth the whole ride back my
mind went over what I’d done. I’m not usually like this. Actually, I’m never
like this. I did what I did with you because I thought I’d never have a chance
with anyone like you ever again. I didn’t want to miss my opportunity. I’m not
stupid. I know you would never usually give me a second look. I mean look at
me…” Jess waved her hands up and down her shapely body. “And look at you. You
are way out of my league. I’m a frumpy, nerdy, girl who’s not popular and whose
closest friends are two guys. It’s only since Sasha’s come that I have been to
house parties and gotten invited on girlie shopping trips.” Jess stared into
Brandon’s perfect face. “I never thought you’d really be interested in me. I
ran so I didn’t get more attached to you.” Jess heard a car door slam and
looked up to see Travis and a pissed off Zeck coming towards her.

Brandon caressed her cheek, gaining her attention.
“Jezebel, you are second and third look worthy. You are beautiful, with your
curvy body, chestnut hair, and gorgeous eyes that change with your moods. I
don’t care if you’re popular or not, if you go on girlie shopping trips, or
have a million or just one friend. I’m not in school, and I don’t care about
that stuff. Lastly, I am very interested in you. Jezebel, I am already attached
to you and not letting you get away.”

Jess felt like her heart would beat out of her
chest. Brandon’s words and his lust-filled look had her melting. Brandon
gathered her to him and brushed his lips over hers at first, and then his
tongue slipped out and traced the seam of her lips. She opened her mouth and
met his tongue with her own.

A throat cleared loudly, and Zeck said, “You have
got to fucking be kidding me.” It had Jess pulling away from Brandon. Her
cheeks heated as she looked behind Brandon to a pissed off Zeck, and Travis,
who had a look that Jess wasn’t sure about.
 
“What the fuck is going on, Jess?”
Zeck’s nasty
tone had Brandon turning from her, and she stopped him as he took a step
towards her friends.

Straightening her shoulders she glared at Zeck. “I
was just saying thank you and goodbye to Brandon.”

“You don’t say goodbye to me like that,” Travis
muttered.

Something wasn’t right. She studied her two best
friends. They were both stiff, and their eyes were troubled. Letting go of
Brandon she went to her friends and grabbed a hand of each. “Give me a moment
and I promise I’ll be in. I’ll meet you in my bedroom in a second.”

A loud growl sounded behind her as she said bedroom.
Travis grinned, and Zeck snarled at Brandon before they let go of her and went
inside. Jess turned to see Brandon staring daggers into her friends’ backs.

Brandon pulled her to him. “I don’t like them in
your room with you.”

Jess rolled her eyes, but couldn’t help the smile
that spread over her face. “Go. I’ll see you later.” She stood on her tiptoes
and gave him a quick kiss. “Please don’t get my hopes up and break my heart.”
With that she walked inside, shut the door, and walked up to her bedroom to her
best friends.

****

“What the fuck are you doing with a Pride man, Jess?
I’m sick of those men taking my friends. They are too old for you anyway. I
don’t know why you women think they are so good.” Zeck angry words were yelled
at her as she came into her room.

“That Pride man looked after me last night when you
two dicks didn’t. Neither of you remembered my birthday, and I got drunk and
then you left me.”

They both turned red and wouldn’t look at her.

Travis sighed and dug into his pocket. “I’ve had
this for you for a while. I, um, wanted to give it to you at a special time.”
Travis pulled out a velvet pouch and undid the sash. He walked behind her and
gathered her hair to the side, and then she felt a cold necklace settle over
her neck as Travis fiddled with the lock. Travis left from her back, and she
went to her vanity mirror and gasped at the silver heart necklace.

“Travis. It’s beautiful.” She turned and flung
herself at him and kissed his cheek. “Thank you. Did Zeck help you buy it?”

Jess looked behind her at Zeck, who shook his head.
“No. Travis bought that all by himself.”

Jess moved from Travis’s hold and smiled at him.
Travis was bright red but grinned down at her. “I’m happy you like it. Does it
mean I’m forgiven?”

She nudged him. “Yeah, you two know I can never be
angry at you for too long. I love you both.” She winked at them. “So, Zeck,
tell me what has a stick up your butt.”
 

The tension left around them, and Zeck told her what
had happened with Sasha. That Sasha had come around to Zeck’s house this
morning and told him he had no chance with her. That she loved Savron and would
never be with anyone but him. She said she was sorry if he ever thought he had
a chance with her because he didn’t.

Jess felt sorry for Zeck, but he needed to know that
he didn’t have a chance with Sasha so he could stop pining for someone he could
never have. Jess hoped she was never in Zeck’s position.

****

Brandon needed to see his parents, but first he
wanted to get his mate a birthday present.

He knew what he wanted for Jezebel. She deserved
something to show that she was special and he was serious. Golden Jewels was an
exclusive store and the only store that carried what he wanted. Brandon went
into the jeweler, and the salesman came straight to him. Brandon told him what
he wanted, and fifteen minutes later Brandon left with his present for Jezebel
wrapped and ready.

Brandon parked in the driveway of his parents’ house
and got out of his car and let himself into the house. He found his father in
his study. “Hi, Dad, is Mom home? I thought I’d talk to you both about what
happened.”

“Yes, son.
We
knew after the phone call we got you’d come around.” He stood. “Come on, we’ll
go into the family room. Britney is home, too. Would you like her with us, or
is this private?”

“Britney can listen. What I have to say isn’t
private. She may even be useful.” His dad nodded and walked out of his study,
and Brandon followed to the family room where his mother and Britney sat
watching a movie. They turned it off and looked at him as he sat next to
Britney.
 

“Brandon, do you want to tell us why we are going to
dinner tonight with Jezebel
Dibson
and her parents?”

“Jezebel is my mate.”

Brandon glared at Britney as she burst into
laughter. “Oh, Bran, this is so funny. You and Savron have human mates, and
Jezebel has lived practically around the corner all her life.
Not only that, she’s had a crush on Carl and Tyler.”

Elbowing Britney he growled at her, and she giggled.
Brandon didn’t find the situation funny. He let his lion take over. He had
mated Jezebel without her knowledge. Jezebel had even mentioned she had had a
thing for his younger brothers.

“Britney, don’t tease your brother. If Jezebel is
his mate and she liked Tyler and Carl this could cause big problems. Do you
want Brandon to try to kill them?” Britney stopped laughing and shook her head.
Brandon’s mother sighed. “How did we get invited to dinner with your mate’s
parents, Brandon?”
 

Brandon was embarrassed. He’d never before lost
control of his lion. He’d never been so possessive and unmoving, but Jezebel
had done that and more. Brandon didn’t want his parents to think he couldn’t
control himself or that he was irresponsible. “I went to check on Sasha last
night and found my mate. Jezebel was there, and as soon as I arrived my lion
awoke and told me what she was to me. Jezebel didn’t seem interested in me, and
it drove me and my lion insane. We sat watching her until Savron got home, and
she was going to leave with a friend of hers that had had a drink. I didn’t
want my mate going with anyone but me. I argued with her friend, and he gave in
and let me look after her. Jezebel didn’t want to go home because she was
drunk. It was her birthday, and her two best friends had forgotten. So I took
her back to my house. I was very good. We didn’t do anything. I kept myself
under control.” Brandon looked up to see both his parents looking at him
waiting for him to continue. He cleared his throat, nervous about telling them
the rest about his rash actions. “I will admit I shouldn’t have slept in the
same bed as she did.” He studied the wall behind them. “In the morning she was
very happy to see me. I didn’t ask her to mate or do anything she didn’t want.
I moved away and was good. I was hanging on by a thread to keep my lion under
control, but then she gave me the go ahead and I snapped. I didn’t tell her
what it would mean if she made love with me.” He glanced at his mother to see a
frown on her lips. “I was her first. I couldn’t control myself. I can’t now
just thinking about her. I mated her. When we made love I couldn’t hold myself
back. I cracked and mated her. I didn’t tell her what I was, or what mating her
meant or what it meant for me. She thought that it was a one night stand
because the Pride boys are friendly with women. I tried to convince her, but
she kept talking about me being out of her league. She doesn’t think very
positively about herself. To help convince her I talked to her parents. I also
need your help because you know I won’t be able to sleep or be without her for
long.” He ran his fingers through his hair and looked up into his parents’
shocked gaze. “I made a real mess of it. I promised when I found my mate I
would do better than what I had seen Savron do, but I think I’ve done worse.”
He groaned as it sank in.