SETTLING
"Jensen we're mated." Arandi whispered.
"So it's only logical that we make it official right?" Jensen smiled.
"Yes I suppose." Arandi felt completely overwhelmed.
Jensen lifted her hand and slid a ring on to her finger where no one else could see. "Good then."
Arandi looked at the beautiful diamond engagement ring. "When did you get this and how did you know?"
"I got it when we were shopping because I knew Lisa was going to make a scene and trust me I know my momma." Jensen chuckled.
"So now what?" Hunter's voice cut in. "I'm just supposed to walk out of here as if you didn't steal my girlfriend?"
Jensen took a deep breath and cracked his neck before turning to face Hunter. "You can always leave on a stretcher." He threatened his eyes blazing. "Or a body bag."
Hunter took a few steps back.
"As for stealing your girlfriend, I couldn't steal what was never really yours in the first place."
"Dad you have to do something." Lisa was pleading.
"What am I supposed to do Lisa unmate them you need to stop making a mockery of yourself and get a grip." Her father said as he stood up. "Jensen while your actions were less than noble in my book you did what you felt necessary and I congratulate you on your new life, we will now take our leave."
Lisa actually began to stomp her feet and screeched, Jensen really couldn't believe he actually dated her for as long as he had. "Fuck she had to have been drugging me." He whispered to Arandi.
"Either that or you had a fetish for the immature trampy type." Arandi whispered back.
Jensen eyed her then grinned. "I have a fetish for sexy legs in stiletto heels and a fetish for the woman wearing said heels to still have to tippy toe to kiss me."
"You do realize we are not alone right?" Arandi murmured against his chest amused with the fact that Jensen was hitting on her with two exes gaping.
Jensen looked around at all the faces watching with amusement. "Shall we eat?" He deterred.
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Jensen, Jared, and Misha played pool while the ladies talked, everyone else had left long ago and the friends wanted to drink and celebrate.
"The mighty Ackles has been vanquished." Misha bowed over dramatically.
"Oh fucking kiss this." Jensen growled.
"Dude you are so lucky that you opened your eyes before you ended up with Liszilla." Jared shuddered.
"I don't think I did too badly." Jensen smiled at Arandi. "She is the quintessential lady on my arm and fucking tigress in my bed."
"Who knew?" Jared laughed.
"Oh I know brother, I know." Jensen sighed heavily.
The three men walked to the women and Jensen already having felt heat pooled in his belly most of the night leaned in to kiss his now fiancé.
He motioned for a server and ordered drinks for the table. "Double shot of Petron for myself and a Long Island iced tea for my lady."
"Is that good?" Arandi asked.
"Have you never had one?" Jensen asked.
"I think you forgot that your bride to be is still not of drinking age." Jared laughed.
Jensen had really forgotten that Arandi was barely nineteen while he was twenty four. "It's quite easy to forget." Jensen smirked but he tipped the server extra with a wink so that she wouldn't question Arandi's age.
Arandi took a slow sip of her drink. "This is really good I like it."
"Would I steer you wrong?" Jensen grinned.
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Jensen was smiling a huge goofy smile as he watched Arandi loosen up after her fourth Long Island.
He was feeling pretty loose himself losing count of shots.
"We should have an orgy." Misha slurred.
"Alright guys I have to get this drunken fool home before he begins to hump the furniture." Victoria laughed.
"Rain check." Misha called over his shoulder as he stumbled after his wife.
"Dude I don't want to get a DUI." Jared hiccupped.
"How about we share one of those yellow cars?" Jensen laughed.
"You mean a taxi." Jade offered.
"No silly a bus." Arandi giggled.
They all laughed.
"Mr. Ackles Bryon and myself will gladly drive your vehicles home and have our wives pick us up." The bartender offered.
"Thank you Teddy that would be just awesome and add a fifty percent tip to my tab for both of you." Jensen signed the receipt.
Teddy delivered Jensen and Arandi safely to the front door and left with his wife figuring the couple wouldn't have too much trouble getting inside.
"Who invented locks?" Jensen groused. "They fucking suck when you're drunk."
Arandi giggled beside him.
"What's so funny?" He huffed.
"You're cute when you're eyebrows are all hunched together."
Jensen was about to make a retort when he stumbled through the suddenly unlocked door straight onto the foyer floor Arandi falling on top of him.
They both laughed uncontrollably.
"I think I bruised my sacroiliac." Jensen laughed.
"You want me to kiss it?"
"No but you can kiss my lips." Jensen sighed and they kissed for a few minutes and then Jensen stood up wobbly and pulled Arandi up with him they both swayed.
Jensen locked the front door and then headed for the stairs getting a little dizzy he sat down on one of the steps and leaned back.
"What's wrong?" Arandi asked.
"I think I'm drunk." Jensen chuckled.
"Well no fucking shit." Arandi giggled.
"You have a dirty mouth."
"Not yet I don't." She answered hotly rubbing the heel of her hand just right across his crotch.
Jensen moaned loudly leaning back as he spread his legs. She did quick work of his button and zipper and he felt strong burning heat shoot straight through him when her lips wrapped around him.
"Fuck Arandi." He moaned thrusting slowly up as to not make her gag.
She looked at him sinfully and he pulled her up wanted more than this just wanting to be buried deep inside her, he meant to pull her to the bedroom but Arandi was as anxious as Jensen was and the next thing he knew she was straddling him and he was sinking into her.
Fuck she looked so hot like that as he grabbed her hips thrusting deep into her with every thrust down that she had their moans loud through the quiet house.
"You're just so fucking beautiful." Jensen moaned into her lips as they went at it hot and heavy.
Jensen knew nothing but searing hot pleasure filling him from every direction and then nothing else.
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Jensen woke with a start, his mouth so dry he could barely swallow. He opened his eyes slowly aware that he was on the bed but completely naked and had no idea how he had gotten there.
Arandi was beside him face down completely naked also and the last thing he remembered was having sex on the stairs, hot brain melting sex and somehow he must have gotten them to bed afterwards and just didn't remember.
He groaned, his head pounding keeping rhythm with his pulse. It had been a long time since he had gotten that drunk but he had enjoyed it especially seeing Arandi opened up and relaxed.
He looked at her and smiled looking for his phone knowing he had better get the cure going before she woke up.
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Arandi stirred awake at the feeling of kisses on her shoulder and opened her eyes instantly regretting it.
"If you sleep too much you're going to have a worse headache than you do now." Jensen said into her ear quietly.
"I beg you just shoot me please I'll sign a paper saying I made you do it." Arandi groaned.
Jensen laughed. "Sorry I shouldn't have let you drink so much."
"I only had four."
"Darling each glass has four or five shots of different alcohol mixed together so you really had like twenty shots." Jensen explained.
"You're a bastard." Arandi groaned.
"I said I was sorry."
"Well when my brain stops sending Morse code I may forgive you."
"Sit up you need water and grease a plenty." He said.
Arandi was sure she couldn't eat a thing but Jensen made her and she found that the fries helped her more than she thought possible.
Once he was sure he had her feeling better he got into bed next to her, just in pajama bottoms and pulled her close.
"So where do you want to get married?" He asked.
"I get to choose?" She asked in surprise.
"Well of course it is your wedding."
She was quiet for a while. "I always dreamed of getting married on the beaches of the Island of Angels." She said softly, her tone telling Jensen she was sure that he would say no way.
"Isn't that a small island near the Bahamas?"
"Yeah and they call it the Island of Angels because there are five mountains that look exactly like gigantic angels frozen in stone." She sighed wistfully.
"The Island of Angels it is then." Jensen said with confidence.
"How are you going to pull that off?" Arandi asked.
Jensen smiled knowingly. "Darling when I put my mind to something I can pull off miracles."
Arandi only nodded sure that even Jensen couldn't make this dream come true because of the island not being a tourist zone.
"Be prepared for my mom to drag you and your mom through every possible wedding planning thing for the next few weeks." Jensen sighed. "She has only me to marry off so she's going to do it big, your way but big."
Arandi smiled; somehow she didn't see a problem with that.
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Alright so Jensen hadn't been exaggerating about his mom's enthusiasm as a wedding planner. She really was going all out.
Arandi wanted her wedding colors to be white and blue but she wanted roses and wasn't' sure how that would work. The next thing she knew her mother in law to be was presenting her the exact color of blue roses she had in mind.
It was a whirlwind and Jensen got to work while Arandi got dragged from one place to another.
Jensen had told Arandi that he didn't want her to go anywhere alone, he still wasn't feeling that she was safe from Hunter or even Lisa for that matter so everyday Arandi was with her mom, Jade, Jensen's mom, or a combination.
She was sitting having lunch with Jensen's mom when Delia got a phone call and had to leave.
Arandi was left on her own so she called Jensen but he didn't answer. She was about to try again when someone grabbed her arm and yanked her away.
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Jensen was reading over files in his office when his door opened and he looked up to see Lisa.
He berated himself for not having alerted security that she was no longer allowed in any of the Ackles companies.
He glared at her angrily seeing her dressed in her impression of sexy.
"Lisa why can't you let this go while you still have some dignity?" He growled.
"There is no way that you could get over me so easily." She purred rubbing up against him.
"To get over you would mean that I actually cared about you at one time and that was a no go." Jensen said as he pushed her away his dick actually shrinking instead of showing interest.
"You know you want me." Lisa insisted.
Jensen had had it. "Lisa I tried to make this as easy as I could but I'm tired of your bullshit! I have never loved you Lisa being with you was as fucking burden and I had no idea what fun I was missing until I met Arandi."
Lisa's eyes blazed with pure fury. "You won't think that after today."
Jensen's eyes widened and knew instantly that Arandi was in danger; he violently shoved Lisa against the wall. "If anything has happened to my mate I will kill you like the fucking bitch that you are!"
Lisa looked terrified.
"Pamela call security and have this woman taken into custody for assault." He said to his secretary.
Jensen grabbed his things and ran out the door.
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"Hunter stop this Jensen is going to kill you." Arandi pleaded fighting hard to get Hunter off of her; her heart was pounding in fear. Hunter was going to rape her just to prove a point.
He had dragged her into a warehouse.
"He won't want you anymore after I get what I deserve." Hunter growled ripping at her clothes.
Arandi scratched his face drawing blood and he hack handed her making her dizzy but she fought harder beginning to panic.
Hunter's fingers wrapped around her throat and she kicked and hit seeing the darkness hedging her vision.
Suddenly Hunter was yanked away violently and Arandi coughed with the sudden air that filled her mouth and she saw Jensen, he had found her.
Jensen was on Hunter hitting him viciously but Hunter wasn't alone, three of his cohorts had been standing by and the tides turned on Jensen fast as he was knocked to the ground and then held up for Hunter to take one punch after another to Jensen's stomach.
"You think, you're such the amazing alpha and you're nothing." Hunter spat. "Look at you now."
"A guy that has to have three others hold me down would say that." Jensen responded looking at Hunter with no fear in his eyes. "Is there anything else you need to get off your chest Hunter?"
"I'm going to make you eat that smug fucking look." Hunter screamed.
"Not today." Jensen roared and his movements were too fast to track as he broke loose and knocked each person on their asses with solid vicious blows.
Arandi watch huddled against the wall seeing Jensen's fury unfurl and she feared that Hunter really was going to die today, not that she cared about Hunter but she didn't want Jensen being arrested.
The doors blew open and police stormed in and just like that it was over.
Jensen bloodied and bruised stumbled to Arandi's side and pulled her into his arms; it was all it took for her to break down completely.
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"It's bad enough that you refused to be taken to the hospital Jensen the least you can to do is be a civil patient." Misha yelled.
"I'm fine Misha just bruised." Jensen growled.
"Oh so you got a medical license since the last time I saw you?" Misha scoffed.
"Just please Misha make sure Arandi's ok, please."
"Oh you want me to clean up the mess you made, that figures, you go in like fucking James Bond finding her with her phone GPS and saving her from being brutality raped and then when she's clinging to you in hysterics you push her away and tell her that she needs to wash Hunter's stench off of herself and leave her standing there with all these strangers. How could anyone be such a hero and a dick all at once?" Misha asked angrily.
"I wasn't thinking fuck Misha first Lisa and then and then seeing Hunter all over her like that and I have a concussion right?" Jensen hedged.
"You would be so lucky super agent dick." Misha said purposely prodding Jensen's bruised torso.
Jensen groaned in pain.
"Does that hurt?" Misha asked sarcastically.
"Is she ok Misha?"
"She's going to be physically fine; she just needs to take it easy for a couple of days. He didn't get anything done Jensen and this was not her fault."
"I told her not to be anywhere alone."
"She tried to call you when your mother left her high and dry, do you want me to wrap your ribs?"
"No I'll manage."
"She's been in the bathroom a long time Jensen, I'm going downstairs to make her some hot tea and you a fucking triple of the strongest shit you have."
Jensen nodded and stared at the bathroom door.
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Arandi let the hot water fall over her body and she scrubbed hard at her body all over but especially where Hunter had touched her.
She had felt such relief that Jensen had found her and saved her but then he had gone tense against her and pushed her away telling her that she needed to get Hunter's stench off and left her standing there shaking.
He had refused to be taken to the hospital so she had too but Misha was waiting for them at home.
He had said nothing else to her offered her no other comfort so after a quick once over from Misha she had shuffled to the bathroom to do as she was told.
She washed her body over and over until the water ran cold and she already felt chilled to the bone even while the water had been hot.
She stepped out of the shower drying herself with shaking hands and then wrapped another towel around herself, she didn't have clothes to put on and she didn't know what to do.
What was she supposed to do? The reality of what had nearly happened finally hit her and she broke, tears flowing and her breath hitching. Jensen didn't want her anymore what was she supposed to do?
Her chest felt tight and breathing was getting harder. She couldn't stop crying and now she couldn't breathe and she slid to the floor just giving up on it all.
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Ok he had been a dick it was one of his major flaws when things didn't go his way he tended to take it out on the people around him.
Maybe he had been a little harsh pushing Arandi away like he had but she was covered in Hunter's stench and he knew it wasn't her fault but the fury he felt about what had almost happened made him see red.
She needed him and he had made her feel unwanted.
He knocked on the bathroom door. "Arandi hey you can come out now." He said trying to keep his tone soft.
He got no response. "I'm sorry I was a dick but I was mad and it wasn't at you even though I took it out on you."
Still nothing so he turned the knob.
Arandi was on her side unconscious on the floor and Jensen dropped beside her pain flaring everywhere. "Misha!" He yelled until he heard the pounding of running steps coming up the stairs.
Misha slid into the bathroom and went to work. "She must have had a panic attack here by herself." He said pointedly.
Jensen felt the guilt prodding at him, she was his mate he was supposed to protect her not hurt her but the anger and frustration that he had felt that another man had touched her had short circuited his brain and even now that Misha was touching her to try to help her Jensen wanted nothing more than to push him away.
"You are not honestly jealous of me?" Misha growled incredulously.
"You wanted and orgy." Jensen defended.
"After drinking enough alcohol to stock my bar at home." Misha defended back. "Look Victoria is on her way and I'm going to make sure that you both get plenty of rest so take a shower get comfortable Vicky and I will be here all night if you need anything."
Jensen nodded tiredly carrying Arandi to the bed because pain or no pain no one else was carrying her.
When he stepped out of the shower Victoria was beside Arandi. "She woke up a bit upset I told her that you weren't mad at her so don't make a liar out of me, Misha already gave her something to help her sleep and…."
Jensen startled feeling the sudden burning sting in arm.
"And now get your ass in bed." Misha growled.
"Asshole." Jensen mumbled.
"We'll decide your nickname when you're not drugged." Misha grinned slyly.
Jensen managed to get under the covers close to Arandi, whatever the shit was it was powerful and he was gone.
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Jensen woke up sore and looked at the clock on the nightstand, somehow having slept an entire night and half of the following day and man did he have to piss.
He sat up slowly and noticed that Arandi wasn't in bed with him and his heart raced, it would serve him right if she left him but she couldn't even if she wanted to not unless he gave her permission.
Using the bathroom quickly, he headed downstairs the scent of something cooking making his stomach growl.
He stepped into the kitchen finding Arandi at the stove in shorts and a tank top and seeing the bruising all over her made him really feel like a jerk.
He cleared his throat but she still startled. "Did Misha and Victoria leave?"
"Misha said we would live." She said not looking at him.
"That smells great." He said enthusiastically.
"I thought you would be hungry."
"It's for me?" He said guilt tearing at him.
"I'm supposed to make sure that you eat." She said her voice even.
Jensen couldn't take it anymore stepping behind her and hugging her tight. "I'm sorry I acted like I did, I let jealousy and possessiveness win over taking care of you and I'm ashamed."
Arandi stiffened up against him. "May I speak my mind?"
Jensen pulled back. "Yes please do."
"I didn't want him to touch me and I fought him hard but if you hadn't gotten there when you did and it had happened Jensen you would hate me more than you do now and where would I be?"
"I don't hate you Arandi why would you think that?" Jensen growled.
"Well you can't possibly love me and the way you made me feel…" Arandi stammered as tears filled her eyes.
"I would have killed him if he had harmed you like that."
"But you would have rejected me forever." She whispered.
Jensen stared at her not liking one bit that she was feeling like this because of his possessiveness. "You're my mate."
"Is that supposed to be enough forever Jensen, I need to know what you would have done to me if Hunter had succeeded." She raised her voice.
The thought made his blood boil. "I would have needed time to adjust but I would not have left you or physically hurt you, fuck Arandi I'm an alpha and you're my mate I'm supposed to not let and not want another man near you let alone touch you."
"Jensen I don't want anyone else." She began to cry feeling lost because although she and Jensen had been thrown together she was his mate and bound to him until they died or he sent her away.
He pulled her into his arms. "Shhh baby it's ok it's over ok and I'm here for a you a day late and about twenty dollars short but I'm here." He soothed trying to hide the pain that he was in from her pressing against his still very sore ribs.
Arandi was the one that jumped back from him. "I'm sorry your ribs."
"I'm fine just sore." He assured her. "You're supposed to be resting." He said noting that she still looked pale.
Right at that moment the back door in the kitchen opened and small robust lady walked in. "Mr. Ackles, why didn't you call me?"
"Forgive me Marie but you were on vacation." Jensen smiled. "I would kiss you but….." He pointed to his ribs with a pout. "Arandi this is our wondrous spark of a housekeeper Marie, Miss Marie my fiancé Arandi Remington."
"My goodness the two of you now up to bed I will finish this…." Marie stared at the pans and sniffed. "Well my boy you at least found one that can cook." She said happily.
Jensen grabbed Arandi's hand pulling her toward the stairs. "Try to always do what Marie asks or she turns into this huge green hulking thing that grunts a lot and breaks things." Jensen mock whispered.
"I heard that…..you're not too old for me to put you over my knee." Marie called.
"You just want to touch my firm ass." Jensen called back laughing.
"Boy you wouldn't know what to do with a woman like me, I could probably teach you a couple of things that would make your toes curl for weeks." Marie chuckled.
Arandi laughed already liking Marie very much.
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No matter how hard Jensen tried he couldn't get comfortable and he really didn't want to be a pansy about the pain he felt in his ribs and he sure as hell didn't want Arandi thinking that Hunter had gotten the best of him.
He shifted again and couldn't hold back the groan that pushed from his throat.
"Do I need to call Misha?" Arandi asked softly.
"He gets to needle happy." Jensen said between gritted teeth.
"Maybe you need it."
Jensen thought about it but they had just finished eating and Marie had left to buy what she needed for dinner
He felt her warm hands on his ribs and somehow it felt better and just like that he fell asleep.
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Days later Jensen sat on the bed with his laptop and phone yelling at Pamela. "What do you mean it's down five percent? Pamela remember the reason I hired you was for your furious nature of keeping my office straighter than a homophobic so bare those fangs damn it and draw blood." He hung up and tossed his phone on the bed with a sigh.
Arandi stood in the doorway with coffee for him and he reached for it as if she had just brought him his life's blood.
She smiled handing it to him as he pulled her down for a quick peck. "You're a fucking angel." He moaned taking the first delicious sip.
Arandi eyed all the files strewn over their bed.
He looked up at her. "The best thing about being the boss is that I can work anywhere I want too."
She sat on the edge of the bed and picked up one of the files and browsed over it.
Jensen watched her curiously smiling thinking any second she was going to ask him what it all meant but instead she kept reading and he noticed her brows furrow.
"Jensen is this supposed to be here?" She asked quietly the look on her face sure that he was going to laugh at her.
Jensen took the file reading where she pointed and frowned. "What the fuck?" He muttered. The file had been one that he was supposed to sign and be done with, it was supposed to have been gone over with a fine tooth comb yet here he was staring at a loophole that would have cost his company millions if Arandi hadn't gotten curious.
"Were you studying corporate law?" He asked.
"Something like that." She sighed.
"Would you do me a favor and scan over the rest of these files?"
Arandi seemed thrilled to be involved and she sat back against the headboard and began to read.
Hours later Jensen was seething that someone in his company had slacked or worse yet were intentionally trying to cost him money. Arandi had discovered three more files that would have cost him nearly thirty million dollars.
"Where is Marie?" Jensen asked.
"She has left for the day."
"Good." He growled yanking Arandi into his lap. "You know you're wearing entirely too much clothes."
"Do something about it then cowboy." Arandi growled.
"Yes ma'am." He kissed into her neck and showed her how much better he was doing.
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"I want to know how these files got to me ready to sign and it would have cost me millions if I had?" Jensen was saying to everyone sitting around the conference table. "Heads are going to roll and it would be easier if the people responsible would grow a pair and fess up because if I have to pull your head out of your ass you're going to fucking feel it! You have to the end of the day or I do it my way, dismissed!"
He stormed into his office slamming the door and began to pace. He had been furious since Arandi had pointed out the errors and he knew he could deal with it yet he was restless, his chest tight and he wandered if maybe he had reinjured a rib or something. "Fuck what the hell?" He guzzled a bottle of water and sat down to go over new files but he couldn't stop tapping his leg and looking at the time.
Then Arandi walked in for their lunch date and it all went away and his mouth fell open. They were truly bonding and Jensen wasn't sure if he liked the desperation he felt being away from her.
She must have felt it too because as soon as he stood up she was kissing him and he moaned into the sweet taste of finally tasting her lips against his.
They had only been apart five hours, he was so fucked.
TBC
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Thank you for reading!