by R. E. Butler
He grunted. “Right. If I were, though, I’d change about half our laws. Prides that don’t change with the times will die out.”
“I’m not alpha now, and my father likes the laws the way they are.”
Titus gave him a long look and then sighed. “I’ll leave you alone about it, then. Just don’t think that your new Mrs. is going to come in here and make a lot of changes.”
Judging by Madison’s country club family, Duke doubted she’d even set foot in the bar, which was fine with him.
“Don’t worry.”
“Good. I’m heading down to make sure everyone showed up for their shifts.”
“I’ll be down later.”
“I’ll buy you a beer. It’s your last week of freedom, after all.”
“Stop saying that,” Duke said, growling a warning.
Titus laughed as he walked out of the office.
Leaning back in the leather desk chair, he stared at the ceiling. His lion was right there in his mind, nudging him with Titus’s promises. He could break the mating contract, if he found his heart-match. But what in the hell were the odds of that happening in a week? In twenty-five years, he hadn’t found her yet, and after next Saturday, it wouldn’t matter if he had, anyway. Once he mated Madison, once she bore his mark and he bore hers, they’d be bound together in a mating that was only severable by death. Unlike the contract, which could be broken, a mating was for life, period.
Which was exactly what he wanted. Mating. Alphaship. Family.
Then he’d have everything.
As if on cue, his lion suddenly stretched under his skin, pushing and nudging him to go down to the bar. He didn’t normally spend the evenings on the floor, aside from making appearances to say hello to regulars and make sure things were running smoothly. Titus worked the floor most nights, handling the staff schedules and stock, and Duke handled the business end of things.
He pushed at his lion, but the beast refused to settle. He’d been listening to his aggravated cat’s grumblings ever since he’d decided to see Abbie. He wished he’d thought to ask his dad if his lion had given him that much grief when he’d contracted for a mate.
Fine!
Pushing away from the desk, he stalked to the door and yanked it open, the handle cracking against the wall with a satisfying thud. He walked down the wide hallway, through the security door, and out onto the balcony. The second floor was accessible by an elevator and stairwell, the access hidden in one of the stockrooms behind security doors. No one had ever tried to get up to the second floor without permission, but it was a space that was definitely invitation-only.
Staring down into the crowd, he let his gaze roam over the dancers in the center of the open space who moved to the music of the house band. Lasers and strobes painted their writhing bodies.
Then he saw her.
A mass of long, auburn hair cascaded past her shoulders. Curves for days, barely contained by the dress that hugged each inch of her body like it wouldn’t ever let go. She was with another female, who judging by the resemblance was most likely family. She didn’t appear to be with a male, but he wouldn’t have minded anyway, because he was very sure of one thing as he watched her make her way to the bar – she was his heart-match.
He rushed down the stairs, bursting into the stock room, his only thoughts about getting to the female and claiming her. When he reached the open area, the dancing crowd separating him from the long bar, he found her with her friend, ordering drinks. His lion chuffed, anxious for him to close the distance to her.
Mate her. Claim her.
Mine!
His fingers tingled from the claws that threatened to break free, and his gums ached from the fangs. He knew his eyes were flashing gold. He’d never been so unable to keep the beast at bay, but he was barely holding on.
She shivered, and turned slowly. She scanned the crowd and then her gaze met his and everything inside him roared in happiness. He moved through the crowd, the dancers parting for him as if they were aware that he was on a mission and would not be stopped. He wasn’t sure he could stop. The pull to reach her was overwhelming.
He stopped with only inches between them. She was a full foot shorter than him, her brown eyes wide as she looked up at him, her brows high with curiosity. Her scent hit him full force, sweet like honey, and he knew in that moment that she was human, but he didn’t care.
She was his, and this time he was certain that what he’d been born for wasn’t to lead the pride, but to make this female happy for the rest of their lives.
“I’m Duke Fairborn,” he said, taking one of her hands and lifting it to his lips.
A zing of electricity snapped through him at the simple touch, and he knew she felt it too when she gasped.
“Memory Hendrix, but my friends call me Ree.”
He looked over her head and found Titus staring at him in slack-jawed surprise. “Clear a booth for us.”
Titus snapped into motion at the request and hustled from behind the bar, disappearing to the booths to make room for him and his mate.
“Join me?” he asked.
“I… I’m human?”
He arched a brow. “Are you asking or telling?”
“No. I mean, I’m human and you’re… not.”
“I’m aware. Don’t be afraid of me.”
“Said the big bad wolf.”
He grinned. She was feisty. “Lion.”
She rolled her eyes. “Sorry. Big bad lion.”
“You’ll join me?”
She bit her bottom lip, which made him want to purr, and glanced over her shoulder. Her friend was smiling broadly.
“My sister,” Ree said.
“I’m fine on my own,” the sister said. “I’m Mercy, by the way.”
“But,” Ree said.
Mercy put her hand up. “I see some girls from the salon, so I’m going to dance with them. Don’t worry about me.” She mouthed have fun, and winked exaggeratedly, which made Ree’s cheeks turn scarlet.
“Do you have any siblings?” Ree asked as she watched her sister dance her way from the bar to a group of females.
“No.”
“Lucky. On the good days, she’s my best friend. On the bad ones, though, she makes me want to dig a very deep hole and push her into it.”
“I’m sure she’s a comfort. It’s not always nice to be an only child.”
She reached for her drink on the bar without letting go of his hand. “I think you mentioned a booth?”
He nodded, feeling like the king of the world as he walked her to the booth in the back corner. The lighting was dim, which gave an aura of privacy in the busy, noisy bar. She scooted into the booth and he joined her, signaling to a nearby waitress.
“What can I get for you?” China, a lioness, asked.
“Do you want something besides your Coke?” he asked.
“I’m the designated driver.”
Deciding to follow suit, he said, “Bring me a Coke, too.”
She nodded and hurried off.
“Your name is unique,” he said. “Is there a story behind it?”
Her cheeks darkened in blush again. “My mom was binge reading historical novels when she was pregnant with me, and there was a heroine in her favorite book named Memory.”
“It’s pretty. I like your nickname, too.”
“That’s from Mercy. She couldn’t say Memory so she called me Ree, and it just stuck. I only ever cared about my weird name when we’d go somewhere on vacation and I couldn’t find any souvenirs with my name on them.”
He chuckled. “I never thought about that as a hardship.”
“I think it’s more common now, people seem to like to give their kids unique names. I like your name, though. Makes me think of a cowboy.”
China dropped off a Coke for him, and he smiled at Ree. “I’m no cowboy. Horses would spook with one scent of my beast.”
“Ah, the old predator/prey situation.” She sipped her drink through two narrow straws, he
r lips pursing and making his cock throb.
He cupped her face and stared into her lovely brown eyes. “You are so beautiful,” he said hoarsely. Pressing his lips to hers, he first tasted the chilled soda and then under that, was her natural taste, sweet and decadent, like caramel and dark chocolate mixed together. She moaned softly and wrapped her arms around his neck, melting into the kiss as her lips parted and their tongues touched. He’d never been so rocked to the core by a kiss, but the connection that sizzled between them had everything to do with her being the single female on the planet who was meant for him.
Kissing across her cheek, he planted nips and kisses down her throat, stopping at the juncture of her neck and shoulder, where he’d sink his fangs into her warm flesh and mark her. He pulled her closer, and sucked her flesh into his mouth, biting gently. She pressed her head against his shoulder, groaning sweetly as he slid one hand up her side and cupped her breast.
Her fingers curled into the short hair at the top of his head, and her nails bit into his scalp, but he didn’t mind. He kissed the light mark he’d made, laving his tongue over her throat and tasting her natural sweetness. He wanted to lick her everywhere. Trace her curves with his tongue and find out what she sounded like when she came for him.
“Come upstairs with me,” he said roughly. His lion was banging around in his skull, and his human side was entirely in agreement – that getting Ree naked, and in his bed, was the very best idea he’d ever had.
She leaned back slightly and stared at him, her eyes a little glazed and her face flushed. “Upstairs?”
“I have an apartment.”
Her brow furrowed and she frowned, attempting to push away from him.
Alarmed, he locked his arms tighter around her. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m not interested in being a one-night stand,” she said, her voice low and tinged with anger.
“Whoa, sweetheart, who said anything about one night?”
She blinked in confusion. “You don’t want to have sex with me?”
“No, I want to make love to you, which is entirely different. But if you don’t want to get physical tonight, at least stay with me. It’s noisy down here and there’s no privacy.”
He saw the indecision in her gaze, and could practically see her mind spinning over the possibilities.
“If you’re worried about Mercy, I’ll have my best friend and business partner make sure she gets home safely. His name is Titus.”
She tilted her head. “You’d do that for me?”
His lion roared within him, and he knew his eyes changed color. “I would move the moon from the sky for you. I don’t care that you’re human, I care that you’re mine.”
“What?”
He pressed his forehead to hers and exhaled with a soft snarl. “You’re my heart-match, Ree. My true mate. I felt you walk into the bar. You felt me, too, didn’t you?”
“I felt something.”
“Me. The connection between us.”
“I don’t know you and you don’t know me.”
“That’s what the rest of our lives are for. I only need to know that you’re my mate. Everything else is just background noise for me right now.”
“I feel like I’ve fallen into a romance novel.” Her mouth quirked up at the corner.
He chuckled and kissed her. “I’m not human, Ree. I don’t need to date you for a year and then propose. I feel connected to you and want to be with you.”
“Just like that?” She leaned away and arched her brow.
“Why does love have to be complicated?”
“Because it is.”
“For humans.”
“For everyone, I think. You’re a shifter and I’m human. We’re from two different worlds.”
“Give me a chance to show you how compatible we are.”
Insecurity washed over him. He didn’t know what he’d do if Ree wanted to leave. Well, he’d probably follow her home and stake out her place to make sure she was safe. He didn’t like the idea of her being away from him, and his lion wasn’t much interested in their being separated either. He’d never felt so in tune with his beast, but right now they were on the same wavelength. Ree was theirs – this beautiful, witty, feisty human was everything he’d ever wanted.
“I need to get the car keys to my sister.”
“I’m right here,” Mercy said as she stopped in front of the table. Next to her was Barron, one of the pride members who worked as a bouncer.
“Oh! Do you want me to take you home?” Ree asked.
Duke stifled a snarl of displeasure.
“Hell no! Barron told me who you were with, and said that it appeared you wouldn’t be heading home with me tonight, so I came to get the keys.”
“Geez,” Ree said, a blush creeping up her neck. “That is decidedly uncool.”
“Nah, it’s awesome,” Mercy said.
Duke stared at Barron. “Mercy’s important to my mate, and that makes her important to me. Am I making myself clear?”
“Of course,” Barron said. “On my life, I’ll see her home safely.”
Mercy fanned herself. “I freaking love shifters.”
Ree pushed a set of keys across the table. “Text me in the morning.”
“Don’t do anything I would,” Mercy said with a wink, tucking the keys into her pocket and waving at them as she walked away.
“See? She makes me want to push her in a hole,” Ree said. “That was embarrassing.”
“Why?” he asked, wrapping a lock of her hair around one finger. “Because one of my pride members recognized what we are together and was looking out for your sister?”
“I haven’t decided if I believe in this mate business.”
“Let me show you, Ree.”
She stared at him in silence, and then she chuckled and kissed him. “Yes.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Part of me wants to leave because I’ve been hurt in the past, but I feel like if I don’t stay with you tonight, then I’ll regret it.”
“I won’t let you down, Ree, I swear.”
She whispered. “Please don’t break my heart, Duke. I don’t think I could handle it.”
His heart cracked a little from her confession. A plea and a demand wrapped up together. “You’re safe with me. I promise.”
He slipped from the booth and signaled to Titus, who joined them. “T, this is my mate, Ree. Her sister, Mercy, is with Barron. I’m counting on you to ensure that he gets her safely home.”
Titus smiled. “Nice to meet you, Ree. Barron already checked in with me. I’ll be sure she makes it home. Barron is a trustworthy male.”
“Does he do that kind of thing all the time?” Ree asked as she scooted from the booth and stood next to him.
“What?” Titus asked.
“Hit on girls when they walk into the bar?”
“Is that what happened?” Duke asked. “No, definitely not. He’s a quiet male, and I’ve never heard of him doing that.”
“Me, either,” Titus said. “If he asked your sister out right then, his lion is leading him.”
“What does that mean? They’re mates?”
“It’s possible,” Duke said with a shrug.
Ree looked past them to the dancing crowd and then shook her head with a smile. “She always has to copy me.”
Titus laughed. “Gotta love siblings.”
“We’re heading upstairs. Don’t call me.”
Titus snorted. “No worries.”
“Are you ready, Ree?” he asked.
She smiled, rose onto her toes, and brushed her lips over his. “Yes.”
Chapter 4
By the time they reached Duke’s apartment on the second floor, she was very sure she’d made the right choice in staying with him. Even though it was odd to her that a man would make such a serious commitment after spending an hour with someone, she could see in his eyes that he was sincere. She felt a connection to him that defied explanation. It was like love at first
sight, but there was more to it than that. It went deeper than a physical attraction, although she’d be an idiot not to be attracted to him, but it was more than even that. He was a lion, and from the way the few pride members she’d met had treated him, he was important, but he didn’t flaunt that.
He opened the door to the apartment and she walked inside. He shut and locked the door, and then he moved to her, standing at her back and hooking his fingers in her jacket and slowly pulling it from her. He dropped it over the arm of the couch and then he brushed his fingers lightly down her arms. She tilted her head with a sigh and he kissed her neck as he made patterns on her skin with his rough fingertips.
He cupped her face, tipping her chin until he could kiss her lips. She turned in his arms and eagerly returned the kiss. He lifted and carried her into a bedroom. He set her down on a bed, and she felt a soft blanket under her hands as she stretched out on her back.
“Do you mind if I turn on a light?” he asked. “I want to see you.”
She inhaled sharply. She couldn’t recall ever making love with the lights on. Then again, she was very positive she’d never actually made love to anyone before. She was curvy, and self-consciousness rose within her but she pushed it away. Duke said they were mates, and he’d had his hands on her in the bar, so he knew she wasn’t slender. If he wanted her, she decided, then he would see what he was getting this first time, and she wasn’t going to hide in the dark.
Besides, he could probably see in the dark anyway.
“You can turn on the light. I want to see you, too.”
There was a click and the overhead light came on. He turned a switch and the light dimmed some, cutting out the harsh brightness, but she could still see clearly. Feeling emboldened by the bright gold of his eyes, she wiggled around to her knees and undid the zipper at the back of the dress. He watched her as she gathered the dress in her hands and lifted it slowly over her head and dropped it to the floor. His nostrils flared as he looked at her.
She’d chosen a dark pink satin bra and panty set. It had made her feel feminine and pretty, even though she hadn’t expected anyone to see them outside of her. She was very thankful, though, that she’d shaved her legs.