by Dia Cole
Crap! Do I call the police?
I swiped my phone and placed my finger over the emergency call button. Just then I remembered Mrs. Pierce mentioning that Mira’s uncle sometimes made unannounced visits. Although I hadn’t seen Tyberius since our meeting at the club parking lot months ago, the idea that it might be him kept me from pressing the button.
I could only imagine how annoyed both he and Nathan would be if I brought the police out to the house for a false alarm. Also, I wasn’t convinced that what Nathan did for a living was entirely legal. Given his wealth, his constant travel, and his extreme protectiveness over his privacy, he could very well be involved in some kind of criminal syndicate or something. Me bringing law enforcement into his house might spell the end of my employment.
Deciding to go check it out myself, I tiptoed down the hallway.
Suddenly, a huge wall of muscle stepped out of the shadows into my path. I dropped my phone in surprise. Before I could scream, a hand covered my mouth. “Shh. Havana, it’s me, Ty.”
I stiffened. Mira’s uncle?
The man dropped his hand from my mouth and brushed back a lock of my hair with a familiarity that shocked me. “I’ve missed you.”
Missed me? I’d met the guy only once. Weirded out, I took a step back. “I think you have me confused with someone else.”
He let out a heavy sigh then cupped my chin so he could look me in the eye. In the dim light of my phone, his golden eyes looked as if they were glowing.
“Remember me,” he said in a deep melodious voice that made my head ache.
Suddenly, the memories of our countless dates came flying back to me. “Ty!” I threw my arms around him. “Why didn’t you tell me you were here?” Ty nearly always stayed over at the house while Nathan was gone. We’d often climb up on the roof to stargaze or go to the theater room and watch movies. Lately, we’d been spending a lot of time going through the books in Nathan’s study. Ty loved to read me passages from his favorite poems. Most nights I’d fall asleep on the couch with his arm around me and his beautiful voice in my ear. It was no wonder that I’d fallen head over heels for him.
He rubbed a hand through his close-cropped hair. “I only just arrived. I was planning on taking a shower when the power went out.”
“Oh.” I couldn’t help doing a once-over of his sexy muscular body. What I wouldn’t pay to watch him bathe. “Would you like any help?”
He inhaled sharply. “Don’t tease me like that.”
Tease? He has to be kidding right? We’d been seeing each other nearly every other day for almost two months and no matter how seductively I’d dressed or acted, the gorgeous male had all but ignored my attempts at repeating our first kiss. He’d claimed he wanted us to take things slow, but hell, at this point, a glacier would run laps around us. The sexual frustration was killing me and I was more than ready to move things out of the friend zone. I looked up at him and nibbled my lower lip. “How about I wash your back, or your front?” Even I was a little shocked by my boldness.
He groaned. “You have no idea how much I want that… how much I want you.”
My pulse jumped and I couldn’t stop the smile spreading across my face. Finally! “Then have me.” I rose up on the balls of my feet, wrapped my arms around his neck, and pulled his head down.
His delicious bay rum scent enveloped me as his warm breath ghosted across my face.
A second before our lips met, Ty jerked his head away and cursed. “I’m going into my room now. You didn’t see me. You won’t remember this or any of our dates until I remind you.”
Pain thrummed through my skull so sharp that I doubled over. When the throbbing finally abated, I found myself kneeling on the floor in the hallway. Damn, these strange headaches are getting worse and worse. What if it’s like a brain tumor or something? The thought chilled me. I really needed to see a doctor, not that I could afford one without any health insurance. Maybe I should talk to Nathan about health benefits.
My phone lay on the floor where I must’ve dropped it. As I reached over to retrieve it, the sound of glass clinking came from down the hall. Oh crap! Someone’s here! Remembering that I was on my way to check it out, I grabbed my phone and continued down the hallway.
10
Nathan
Normally I loved the sound of rain, but tonight the water and wind lashing against the window of my study did nothing to lessen my foul mood. Not only had my flight been delayed by the storm, but the limo driver had to drop me off nearly half a mile from the house because the street was flooded. It didn’t help that tonight was a full moon to boot. My wolf clawed at me, desperate to escape.
Gnashing my teeth, I kicked off my shoes, and ripped off my sopping wet dress shirt. I knew I should go to my room and change, but the heat from the fire felt good on my bare chest.
As I stared into the dancing flames I went over the meeting with the Bitter Lake Faction in Roswell. What a clusterfuck. The first tip-off should’ve been when the Alpha couldn’t be bothered to attend the talks herself. She’d sent a platoon of Enforcers that wouldn’t know their way around a peace accord if it bit them in the ass.
Through growls and veiled threats they’d made it clear that no Winterhaven Faction members were ever to set foot in their territory or else. All my negotiating and diplomacy attempts fell on deaf ears.
Apparently fifty years ago, Tasha had captured and tortured one of the Alpha’s children for sport. Even though the child had survived, the Bitter Lake Faction hadn’t forgotten and certainly hadn’t forgiven. That point was driven home when one of their Enforcers launched across the table and attacked me.
The male had been under the mistaken assumption that the silver cuffs negated all my Alpha abilities, and he certainly hadn’t counted on me having the combat skills of an Enforcer. I could’ve simply compelled him to attack his friends instead, but pounding the boardroom table with his head had been much more satisfactory. I clenched my hands at the memory, wincing at the sting from my bleeding knuckles.
No. There would be no peace with that faction. Not now. Not ever.
Feeling frustrated, I ran my hands through my wet hair. Shoshanna had made it clear she would never agree to the accord and although I couldn’t blame her given what Tasha had done to her nephew, it was yet another powerful potential ally turned enemy. Another nail in the coffin.
Damnation. Tasha’s ruthlessness and cruelty had turned all our neighboring factions into sworn enemies. At this point, any Winterhaven Lykos who left southern Arizona was putting their life at risk.
I let out a heavy sigh. The only good thing to come out of the day was that I was able to return home early. I’ll get to see Vana tomorrow. A thrill shot through me at the thought.
Through my connection with Ty, I’d been able to experience their dates together. Vana liked to talk and since Ty didn’t, she’d often share how her day had been and tell stories of her wilder past. As a result, I’d gotten to know her in a way I’d never gotten to know another female. In addition to her breathtaking beauty, she had a quick mind and a kind heart. The more time I’d spent with her, well technically the more time Ty and I spent with her, the more infatuated I became.
And I wasn’t the only one. Mira was blossoming under her care. Vana had taught her how to write her name and most of the ABCs. Even better, Mira hadn’t tried to use mind control once in the past month. Well, except that business with Mrs. Pierce and the blueberry scones. But come on. All bets were off when it came to blueberry scones.
I let out a chuckle as I poured myself a glass of bourbon. Now if only Mira would stop begging me to ask Vana to move in with us. As if I could handle that kind of temptation. It was already hard enough as it was to keep my distance.
A whisper of sound had me turning around to find the object of my obsession standing in my study doorway wearing nothing but a red nightshirt that barely grazed the tops of her thighs. The sight of her long bare legs hit me like a punch to the gut.
“Oh, I’m
so glad it’s you.” Vana laughed nervously. “I thought it might be a burglar.” Her gaze locked on my bare chest and she licked her lips.
I fought the urge to grab my shirt and put it back on. “And so you thought the best course of action was to confront the criminal half-naked?”
She shrugged, the movement drawing her shirt tight over her chest.
I could clearly see the outline of her nipples pressed against the thin fabric. Damn. She wasn’t wearing a bra. I fisted my glass as I took a ragged breath. Keep control. “My meetings were canceled and I was able to return early. You are free to return home if you wish.”
Her dark eyes widened. “I couldn’t go out in that.” She motioned to the rain pounding against the window. “I hate storms.” She quivered as a crack of lightning sounded overhead.
The flash of fear in her eyes roused my concern. “Why don’t you come in and have a drink?”
“Okay.” Her sultry lips curled up and I knew in that moment, my impulsive invitation would cost me.
I focused on pouring her glass, trying hard not to notice the way her nightshirt crept up her thighs as she sat down on the leather sofa near the fireplace. The flames of the fire played across the softly curling raven strands of her hair. With a start I realized this was the first time I was seeing her without makeup. “You have freckles,” I blurted out as I handed her the glass, making sure that no part of my skin made contact with hers.
She laughed and wiped at the bridge of her nose. “Yes, unfortunately. I usually try to cover them up.”
“You shouldn’t. They’re beautiful,” I said before I could stop myself.
“You think so?” Her dark eyes seemed to swallow me up. She ran her finger seductively around the rim of her glass and slid over as if to give me room to sit next to her.
Danger. Danger. I backed away from the sofa and went to stand by the bookcase a safe distance away. Even the smell of the leather-bound tomes and aged paper couldn’t block her scent. Her skin smelled like the petals of an exotic flower—rich, warm, and seductive. I’ll bet she’d taste as sweet as honey. I bit off a groan. My wall of resistance to her was cracking. I couldn’t let it fall. I’ll let her finish her drink and send her on her way. When I glanced over at her, I found her knocking back her drink as if it was rotgut tequila. I couldn’t help chiding her. “That’s three-hundred-dollar bourbon.”
“Oh,” she said looking down at her empty glass. “Well, it tasted good.”
“It’s meant to be savored. Slowly.” I snatched her glass, walked back over to the bar, and refilled it.
As I handed it to her our fingers brushed. Electricity arced across my skin at the contact. I quickly moved my hand away. Too quickly. The glass tipped to the side and amber liquid sloshed out and hit her bare thigh.
“Sorry about that.” Fighting back the insane urge to fall to my knees and suck the liquor off her skin, I grabbed my damp dress shirt from the side of the sofa and threw it over her legs. “Use this to mop it up.”
“Thanks,” she murmured.
Crack.
She let out a soft noise at the sound of the thunder.
I blinked and realized her face was pale and beads of sweat dotted her forehead. The scent of fear wafted off her. She really is frightened. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, it’s just the storm.” She took a slow drink. I had to stifle my laugh as I watched her swish the bourbon around her glass and then take a tiny sip as if she was wine tasting.
“Why do you fear storms?” I couldn’t help asking.
She sighed. “Growing up, my mom and I lived in a trailer.” She gave me a quick look, probably waiting for my censure.
I only nodded my head impassively. Through our dates, well her dates with Ty, I’d already learned about her impoverished upbringing. It disturbed me that she’d been deprived of so much.
She took a shaky breath and let it out slowly. “Anyway, one of my earliest memories—I think I was about three—was waking to the sound of a monsoon raging outside. Lightning was flashing like a strobe light and the thunder was so loud it sounded like explosions over my head.” She grabbed one of the embroidered sofa cushions and crushed it to her chest the same way Mira clung to her stuffed doll.
“It must’ve been frightening for you.”
She nodded. “I covered myself with my blankets and sang that song from The Sound of Music.”
I looked at her blankly. “I don’t know that one.”
“It’s not important.” She waved her hand dismissively. “That night a big tree crashed through the roof of the trailer. I was so scared, but I couldn’t move because I was pinned by the branches. I screamed for help, but my mom worked nights so she wasn’t around and the neighbors couldn’t hear me over the storm…” Her voice trailed off.
“You were alone?” I asked in disbelief.
She shuddered. “It must’ve been only six or seven hours before the neighbors found me in the morning, but it felt like a lifetime. I’ve hated storms ever since.” She gave a strained laugh.
“Understandably so.” The idea of a small child being left alone in that situation left a bitter taste in my mouth. Her mother had been criminally neglectful and it was a wonder Vana had survived. What if there had been a fire? What if a child predator had found her? I couldn’t imagine the scars that kind of childhood left on someone. Check that. I knew very well the kind of scars it left. Before I could consider my actions, I reached down and clasped her hand. “I wish I’d been there to rescue you.”
She let out a smoky laugh. “If you had, I’m sure I would have followed you around like a lovesick puppy.”
“I might’ve liked that,” I said in a low voice before I could stop myself.
“What happened to your knuckles?” she asked, looking down at the bruises and cuts on my hand.
“Nothing.” I tried to tug my hand away. It truly was nothing compared to the marks I’d left on that impudent Bitter Lake Enforcer’s face. Of course, once he regained consciousness he could shift into wolf form and immediately heal his wounds, while I was forced to heal the human way.
She gripped my hand tightly and brought my knuckles to her mouth. “I’ll kiss it better.”
The feeling of her soft lips on my skin made me groan. All I could think about was what those lips would feel like on other parts of my body. I looked down into her deep brown eyes.
She held eye contact with me for a heartbeat. Just long enough for something unspoken to pass through us. Then she whispered my name and pulled me toward her.
Clinging to my last bit of sanity, I resisted.
“Please,” she begged. Her breathing went ragged, which drew my attention to her gorgeous breasts and the stiff nipples pressing against the fabric of her shirt.
I stared down at her, wanting more than anything to tear off that shirt and feast my eyes on her gorgeous body. A shudder ripped through me as a feral growl escaped my lips. My wolf wanted her too. I cupped her chin and ran my finger over her soft lips.
Surprising me, she dipped her head and took my index finger into her mouth.
Oh fuck… The sensation of her tongue and lips stripped me of my sanity. The animal inside took over. One second I was standing over her, the next, I was lying on top of her crushing her into the leather cushions. Inserting my knees between her legs, I spread her thighs. Her nightshirt rode up revealing the tiny scrap of black fabric covering her pussy. I was going to shred it with my teeth.
She let out a husky moan, her eyes heavy lidded with desire.
Damn the fates. I couldn’t wait to touch her… taste her… mate her. My hand was halfway up her shirt before the silver cuff on my wrist snagged the fabric. Reality slapped me in the face. “No, I can’t.” I jumped off her and fled across the room. Settling into my office chair, I sought refuge behind my desk. What was I thinking? When I could finally speak, I said, “You need to go back to your room,” in the iciest tone I could manage.
She stood and stared at me from across the room. H
er face was flushed and her skin looked burnished gold in the firelight. She lifted her chin and gave me a coy look. “Would you punish me if I didn’t?”
11
Havana
Holy hell! I couldn’t believe I’d just thrown it out there. But there was no denying my body’s reaction to him. My nipples had never ached for a man’s touch as much as they did right then. And my panties were soaked with desire for him. Desire I now knew he felt too. Feeling his body on top of mine had felt so amazing. So right. I wasn’t going to let him push me away.
“Leave,” Nathan ordered, but his heavy breathing betrayed him. He didn’t want me to leave. In fact, by the look of his flaring nostrils and fisted hands, he wanted me very much to stay.
He looked so hot wearing only his dress pants. Seeing the well-defined muscles of his chest made my mouth dry. How could a businessman like him be built like a professional football player? His thickly muscled shoulders were impossibly wide and tapered to a chiseled six-pack. With abs like that he’d need to work out for hours every day. As I studied his cut pectoral muscles, I noticed his nipples were dark brown. Mmm. I couldn’t wait to lick and bite them.
Ignoring his warning tone, I prowled over to his desk and sat on the edge of it. “No.”
Nathan’s eyes blazed. “I can’t give you what you want. I can’t touch you.”
Odd. He didn’t say that he didn’t want to touch me. “Why?” Mira’s mother had to have been dead for at least a couple years and so far I’d seen no evidence of another woman in his life.
He rubbed one of his silver wrist cuffs. “It doesn’t matter. Just go back to your room before we do something we’ll regret.”
I had a feeling if I pushed him on his reasons, I’d lose the moment and I wanted to fuel, not vanquish, the heat blazing in his eyes. Lucky for me, I’d spent most of my adult life learning how to ignite men’s passions. “I don’t think we’ll regret this at all.” I reached down, grabbed the hem of my nightshirt, and slowly pulled it over my head. Tossing the shirt on the floor I crawled across the top of his desk until I sat directly in front of him. My bare breasts swayed inches from his face.