Force of Nature by Kathi S. Barton Page B

mate. Good for you. I hear that Austin is a good guy.”
    She wanted to scream. “Then you mate with him. He doesn’t want me anyway.” She fell in step with him as they moved across the lot toward the other detective. “He only wants me because I can ‘whelp’ or some other shit.”
    Isaac did a little stutter step then continued on. He looked at her oddly, but didn’t comment on what she’d said. She knew he would, but right now he seemed to be mulling things over.
    “Miss Webber, I’m going to have to insist that you take this load for us. There are millions of—” She cut Leo off.
    “I’m going. I’ll take it. Just tell me what I need to do and I can get going. I only have a few days to get across the country and I need to get going. Oh, and you’re paying for the gas. I do this on my terms and not—”
    “I told you no. You’re not going anywhere.” She closed her eyes at Austin’s loud voice.
    “You are going home with me, CJ, and that’s final.”
    “Miss Webber, you really need to take this. We could take your truck from you, but I’d rather not. It’s been established that you are the driver. Now I’ve set it up with Isaac to be your second driver. And he’ll—”
    The deep feral growl had all three of them turning. Austin was looking at Isaac as if he was going to hurt him. CJ stepped in front of her friend and felt his arms on her shoulders the next instance.
    “CJ, don’t. You’ll only make him madder if you try and protect me,” Isaac whispered near her ear. “Step away from me and I’ll settle this with your mate.”
    “He’s not my fucking mate,” she shouted. “Christ, I wish you people would stop calling me that. I. Am. Not. His. Mate. I’m going alone or with you. I’m so fucking sick of this.” She turned back to her truck and started stalking toward it. If one person said the word “mate” to her again, she was going to kill them all. She got in the rig just as Austin came up beside it. She hit the locks and started the thing up before she realized Dallas still sat in the passenger seat.
    “You going to California with me? If not, then get the hell out.” She was doing a quick check of all the stuff she needed when he spoke.
    “I’m not going, but thanks for asking.” He didn’t move, but stared at his brother. “This isn’t the way to handle him. You’re only going to make him madder.”
    She didn’t answer, but continued with what she was doing. Like she gave a shit what his temper was like. She was just pushing in the clutch to shift into drive when Dallas put his hand over hers. She looked up at him. “Get out,” she said. It was all she could manage if she didn’t want to go screaming into the night. “Just get out.”
    He seemed to know she was close to losing it. So he nodded and put his hand on the handle.
    He turned back to her before he got out. “I like you Charlie Jane. Very much so, as a matter of fact. I’m going to enjoy watching the two of you come to terms with this. Because you will have to eventually.” With that, he got out. Before she could move on, Austin got in.
    Without a word, she put it in first gear and moved to the line of trucks where the Preston truck was sitting. She thought if he wanted to come with her, she’d not speak to him.

    ~Chapter Ten~

    Austin watched her drive the big semi up the lane. He had an idea what was going on, but didn’t get all the details before she’d stormed off in the direction of the rig. Isaac had said he was going with her so that he could drive part of the way, but Austin told him that wasn’t happening.
    The older man seemed to think that was funny, but Austin failed to see the humor in it.
    He watched her back up to the trailer. She did it with ease and expertise. He was impressed with the way she seemed to just know when to stop without hitting the trailer, and when she grabbed a pair of heavy gloves and got out, he wasn’t sure if he should follow. He was sort of afraid she