Tao leaned against the doorjamb. “I think your uncles couldn’t love you more if they tried. I think the majority of the ravens here are genuinely pleased to see you. I think Cynthia, however, would happily rip out your kidneys and slap me around with them, and that Shirley would applaud her the entire time. The parents of those who died in the shooting no longer place any blame on you, and they regret that they ever did.”
She tilted her head. “Very observant, aren’t you? My raven’s impressed.”
“Yeah? What about you?”
“Maybe I’m just as impressed. Maybe.”
Smiling, he said, “Wait here. I’ll be back.”
Her brow creased. “Where are you going?”
“My wolf’s going crazy knowing his territory isn’t marked, so I’m going to fix it.” Stalking through the kitchen, he slipped out of the patio doors and onto the rear deck. His wolf pushed against his skin, wanting to be free to explore. First Tao had a call to make. He dug out his cell phone and called Trey.
The Alpha quickly answered. “How did it go?”
“The party went smoothly and she was welcomed just fine by the flock,” said Tao. “Wade’s mother, however, confronted her after the party along with Riley’s archenemy—who also happens to be dating Riley’s ex. Both females want her gone.”
“What about the ex himself?”
“He seems to mistakenly still believe he has rights to her.” It grated on his wolf’s possessiveness to no end.
“How is Riley doing?”
“Okay. The confrontation with the females annoyed her, but she’s tough.”
“She is,” Trey agreed. “Keep me updated on everything.”
“Will do.” Tao slipped his phone back into his jeans pocket, shed his clothes, and shifted.
The wolf stretched, scratching at the floorboards and marking them. It was a warning to any who approached. He padded around the surrounding land, clawing at trees and rocks and leaving his scent to mark his temporary territory.
Only when he was satisfied that his space had been well claimed did the wolf return to the deck. And there was his female, waiting. The wolf rubbed against her, licking at her hand.
Smiling, Riley crouched down and sank her hands into the wolf’s coal-black fur. It was thicker than she’d expected, but not coarse. She’d encountered Tao’s wolf a number of times and watched as he ran with his pack, but she’d never been this close to him before. In general his wolf was playful and upbeat. But she’d seen the wolf fight from afar, seen him viciously and savagely rip into enemies.
He was powerfully built, standing proud and tall as she petted him. “I’ll admit it, you and your human side are pretty impressive in more ways than one.” She knew the wolf wouldn’t understand the words, but his human side would. And maybe that was why Tao immediately began the shift.
Riley stood and backed away as bones cracked and popped. But even when the shift was complete, she continued to back away, holding golden eyes that gleamed with masculine intensity. She wasn’t fleeing, she was teasing. He sensed it and slowly advanced on her with his smooth, predatory walk.
She was so caught up in the sight of those muscles rippling and flexing that she forgot to be aware of her surroundings. Her back met the kitchen counter, stopping her retreat. In two steps Tao was on her.
“Are you going to fight me, Riley?” He fisted a hand in her hair and tugged hard enough to make her scalp prickle. “Are you?”
“I don’t think there’d be any point.”
His mouth curved. “You’re right. There wouldn’t.” Out of his mind with need, Tao slammed his mouth on hers, plunging his tongue inside. Digging her nails into his shoulders, she kissed him back. With his grip on her hair, he angled her head how he wanted her as he possessed and ate at her mouth. He took everything she had to give, and maybe that was why panic rose up sharp in her scent.
He sucked hard on her pulse until she melted into him. “Good girl.” Pinning her still with his hips, he ripped off her shirt and bra. A pink flush covered full breasts he ached to mark. He sucked one taut nipple into his mouth as he cupped and squeezed her breast. It filled his hand just right, like it was made for him.
“Tao.” It was a protest, but Riley wasn’t sure what she was protesting against. Did she want him to stop? No. Not at all. But he’d taken over again. One part of her got off on it a little. Still, it made her feel powerless. She needed a minute to think, to get back some control. She tried to push him back, but he growled and sucked her nipple deeper into his mouth—hard enough to hurt.
He bit her nipple. “Don’t tell me you don’t want this, Riley. It would be a damn lie.”
She didn’t bother to deny it. What was the point, especially when he could smell how much she wanted him?
“But if you want me to stop, I will. You just have to say it.”
She believed him. If she really told him to let her go, he would. He might not like it, but he’d walk away if she asked. And that realization made her feel not quite so powerless. “Make me come.”
Rumbling a contented growl, Tao clawed off her jeans and panties and took her to the floor. Draping himself over her, he warned, “I’m not going to stop this time, Riley.” He sank two fingers inside her and swallowed her gasp. “Damn, you’re tight.” He thrust his fingers in and out of her, groaning at how hot and slick she was, but it wasn’t enough. He needed to taste her.
Riley made a noise of complaint when those very talented fingers withdrew, but then his tongue slid through her folds and she no longer had a problem. He pretty much wrecked her control as he licked, nipped, suckled, and bit. Her pussy throbbed and ached for more, so when he stabbed his tongue inside her, Riley almost sobbed in relief. She knew she wouldn’t last long, not when—
His mouth was gone. “Hey!” she complained. But he’d already risen above her, shoving her legs farther apart and tapping her clit with his cock.
“I want in you.” Tao needed to ride her hard, bury himself so deep she’d never be free of him. “Now.”
That was fine with Riley. What wasn’t fine was the teeth that dominantly locked around her shoulder. With a defiant hiss, she bucked and struggled. He just slipped an arm under her, tilted her hips, and rammed himself deep. Her mouth fell open in a silent scream. He was long and thick and, God, it burned as he stretched and filled her. But the pain barely registered because Tao was slamming in and out of her; the arm curled around her hips held her exactly how he wanted her. She couldn’t move. Couldn’t seem to get her breath.
Tao snarled against her mouth. “Do you know how long I’ve wanted to get inside this pussy, Riley? Months. Since minute fucking one.” He thrust harder, faster. He couldn’t get deep enough. Couldn’t get enough of those little moans she made. “That’s it, let me hear you.”
She grabbed his hair. “Stop talking and make me come.” Her raven wanted to mark him, wanted to rake his back and shoulders to leave her brand all over him. Riley closed her eyes against the temptation. No. No, she wouldn’t make her raven’s possessiveness worse than it already was. But it was hard to fight the urge when it wasn’t just the raven who felt it, wanted to see him all marked up, wanted to bite and scratch and brand.
Holding on to her self-control would be a whole lot easier if he weren’t wild. One minute he had her flat on her back, pounding into her. The next he’d rolled them both over and was slamming her up and down on his cock. Just when she thought she’d come, he rolled them again, hooked her legs over his shoulders, and began powering into her once more. It was almost too much. “Tao, I’m gonna—” She gasped as his teeth raked her neck, and her pussy clenched.
He groaned. “Yeah, baby, squeeze me.” Tao didn’t need her to tell him she was close to coming; he could feel her getting hotter and tighter by the second. And he didn’t have it in him to hold back any longer. “Come, Riley.” He sank his teeth over his mark, and her pussy clamped down so tight on his cock it almost fucking hurt. She screamed, rippling and squeezing him.
He exploded with a curse, shoving himself deep as he came.
CHAPTER SIX
Being an insomniac, Riley didn’t often wake to rays of sunlight shining in her eyes. Yellow beams slashed across the bedroom—it was a damn nice bedroom that took up most of the loft space.
After taking her on the kitchen floor the previous night, Tao had carried her up to bed and they’d both fallen instantly asleep. She’d woken around 3:00 a.m., her mind active. She’d tried to edge out of the bed, but Tao had dragged her to him and literally dropped her on his cock. She’d ridden him until she was boneless and couldn’t do anything but collapse at his side and fall right back asleep.
He was currently sprawled on his stomach, his breathing deep and even. At some point he’d kicked the covers down until they bared the length of his back. Hunger pricked at her as she stared at all that solid muscle and sleek skin. More of her marks now spanned the tribal tattoo on his upper back and shoulders. Her raven liked them a hell of a lot. She was also rather smug that he’d returned the favor. Riley could feel the slight sting of claw marks on her hips, and she remembered his gripping her tight as she rode him.
Knowing there was no chance she’d fall back asleep, Riley peeled back the coverlets that, like the red rug, had the same tribal markings as the cushions in the den. She ever so slowly edged out of the king-size sleigh bed, careful not to jolt the mattress, and—
“Sneaking out, baby?” he rumbled without even opening his eyes.
Startled, she almost jumped. “No, I just didn’t want to wake you.”
“Come here.”
“Why?”
His eyes opened, and those golden orbs speared her. “Just come here.”
With a sigh of sufferance, she knelt on the bed. “What?”
Gently tangling a hand in her hair, he pulled her down and kissed her. “Now you can go.”
“Well, thank you,” she said tartly.
“You’re welcome.”
She grabbed a T-shirt and sweatpants from her duffel and headed to the bathroom. A sound rumbled out of his throat—a sort of contented growl. Halting, she glanced at him over her shoulder. He was completely still, but his eyes were hot on hers. “What?”
“I love to watch you walk.”
She blinked. “Um, why?”
“You have a very feminine, graceful, confident walk. Makes me hard every time.”
Not really knowing how to respond to that, she just drawled, “Okay.” Walking into the bathroom, she closed the door. There was a freestanding bathtub and a walk-in shower—both of which she intended to enjoy while here. Plush towels hung from the chrome bars near the sink counter, on which there was a tray of complimentary hygiene products and plastic-wrapped water glasses. It was like being in a hotel.
Once clean and dressed, she returned to the bedroom to find Tao still in bed, eyes closed. It occurred to her that it was little wonder he was so tired, given that he’d been working late shifts all week. “I’ll be downstairs.”
“I won’t be long,” he said drowsily.
Riley suspected he’d fall back asleep, but she didn’t say so. She simply grabbed her cell from the nightstand and made her way downstairs. In the kitchen she pulled a can of Mountain Dew out of the fridge. It was simply too hot for coffee. Slipping out of the patio doors, she squinted at the bright sun. The air was dry and the breeze was light, but Riley had never minded the heat.
Crossing the deck, she happily settled on one of the sun loungers and called Makenna.
“Morning,” Makenna greeted her.
“You sound surprisingly chirpy.”
“I’m going shopping with Jaime today, so all is good.” There was a grunt in the background, and Makenna sighed. “Stop whining, Ryan, no one’s forcing you to come.”
Riley smiled, knowing how much Ryan hated shopping. He hated leaving Makenna’s side even more, however, so he often accompanied her.
“One day,” began Makenna, “you really do have to come with us, Riley.”
“I prefer shopping online; you know that.”
“Yes, but I strongly believe I can make you see the sheer joy of physical shopping.”
“Never gonna happen. Now, are they there?”
“Sure.” There was a short pause. “Savannah, it’s Riley.”
“Hi, Riley,” said Savannah through a mouthful of food.
Chest tightening, Riley smiled. “Hey, sweetie. How are you?”
“Okay, but Dexter keeps stealing my bacon and putting it in his pocket. He put a crayon in my porridge.”
Riley did her best to keep the smile out of her voice. “Well, that’s not nice.” Though Riley suspected that Dexter had given Savannah the crayon in exchange for the bacon, figuring it was a good deal.
“When are you coming home?”
“I’ll be back sometime tomorrow. Hopefully not too late.”
“Dexter, stop trying to snatch the phone!” hissed Savannah.
“Let him talk to Riley, Savannah,” said Makenna.
Savannah huffed. “Fine.”
After a moment there was another voice—this one soft and angelic. “Riley?”
“Hey, big guy, you haven’t been putting food in your pockets again, have you?”
“No.”
“You sure?”
“Sure.”
“Well, that’s good to hear.” Having drained the can of Mountain Dew, Riley placed it on the table beside the lounger. “I’ll be back tomorrow, okay?”
“’Kay.”
Riley heard Makenna’s voice in the background, asking Dexter for the phone. There was a sort of shuffling noise and then Makenna spoke. “Always quite the chatterbox, isn’t he?”
Riley chuckled, but that chuckle died when she heard feet rustling in the trees up ahead. Whoever was approaching wasn’t trying to hide; they were making plenty of noise so as not to take her by surprise.
A tall, lean figure was soon strolling toward her. Honestly, she wasn’t feeling up to conversation yet, but she was curious about whether he’d come to reprimand her for arguing with Cynthia. So she sat up and crossed her legs, half lotus, on the lounger. “I’ll speak to you again tomorrow morning,” she told Makenna.
“Okay, have fun with your uncles.”
“Will do.” Ending the call, Riley looked at her visitor. “Morning, Sawyer.”
He stopped in front of her, his smile strained. “Can we talk?”
“Sure, why not?”
He sat on the edge of the other sun lounger, leaning forward with his hands clasped. “A wolf, Riley. Really?”
She rubbed at her temple. “Please tell me you haven’t come to moan about Tao being here. Wolves aren’t so bad, you know.” But Sawyer had never liked them. “The Phoenix wolves have been good to me.”
“I know. I’m grateful that they took you in. I heard about the shelter and the bastard wolf from another pack who tried to take it over. I’m glad the Phoenix wolves gave you a place to stay so all that shit didn’t touch you.”
“How exactly did you hear about all that?”
“Max keeps me updated on how you’re doing.”
That ruffled her raven’s feathers. Her business was her own. Max shouldn’t be repeating it.
“Like I said, I’m grateful to them, but you don’t belong with them. You belong here. And I don’t like the guy, Riley. Not just because he’s a wolf.” Sawyer rolled back one shoulder. “Something about him just rubs me the wrong way.”
“You mean because he doesn’t feign respect if he doesn’t feel it? Don’t be so arrogant that you think you should be awarded respect for being an enforcer, Sawyer. Tao won’t care what position you hold. If he doesn’t like you or have any regard for you, he won’t pretend to.”
“And you like that,” Sawyer guessed.
“I like that there are no guessing games with him.”
Sawyer was quiet for a few moments. His eyes bored into hers, as if he were trying to read her mind. “You know nothing can really come of this thing you h
ave with the wolf, Riley. This is your home. And I doubt he’ll want to move to a flock. You’ve stayed away long enough. It’s time to come home.”
She loved Sedona, she truly did. She loved spending time with her uncles and taking in the views around her. But living here . . . she wasn’t sure if she could do that. She also wasn’t sure she could truly leave Savannah and Dexter. And then there was the other thing. “Shirley and Cynthia would hate it, Sawyer, and you know it.”
He shrugged. “They’d get used to it.” He cocked his head. “Cynthia told me about the little confrontation you had last night.”
“Hmm. I wonder just how much of her story was true.”
“Forget about them.” He put his hand on her knee. “Riley, you can’t let Cynthia, Shirley, or memories of the shooting keep you away from your own home.”
Hearing the creak of the patio door, she looked over her shoulder to see Tao slowly stalking toward them, his scowl locked on Sawyer. No, locked on the hand Sawyer had rested on her knee. She moved her leg, making the hand fall away, but Tao’s scowl didn’t fade even slightly.
She widened her eyes at Tao, pleading with him to not make a big deal out of it. If he fought with Sawyer, it would give Cynthia and Shirley grounds to have him removed from the flock’s territory—something they’d eagerly do, knowing Riley would leave with him.
Tao’s scowl eased into a frown, which was better than nothing, she supposed. Reaching her lounger, he bent and dropped a kiss on her mouth. It was brief, yet still hard, possessive, and drugging. And as a searing hunger roared through her, she was thinking it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to fuck on this lounger.
It wouldn’t be such a bad idea to fuck on this lounger, thought Tao. Reluctantly breaking the kiss, he smiled. “Morning, baby. Ethan called the cabin landline; I put him on hold.” He helped her get to her feet and nuzzled the crook of her neck, glaring at the male in front of him. “Sawyer,” he greeted him stiffly.
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