by Sedona Venez
“You didn’t tell me because you refuse to let me in.”
My body stiffened. “Let you in? You mean let you into my bed, right? From the first time you saw me, you viewed me as another conquest. So don’t sit here and act any different.”
“I’m honest enough with myself to say yes. But that changed. Everything changed. Nothing else will change for you or us if you can’t even be honest with yourself.”
I stayed silent. This was totally new territory for me and I didn’t know how to respond. “I’m not sure what you think is going to happen here, but this will never work.”
“Tell me something. Why do you drink so much?”
My mouth dropped open. “What?”
He scoffed. “You heard me. Why do you drink so much?”
I hesitated a second too long. “Because it’s not fattening and it’s not good for me.”
He laughed coldly. “So that’s what you do? The first sign of a man caring for you, wanting you for more than a fuck toy, you hide behind your mask?”
It stung a little that he figured me out. Hard and sweaty sex I could do, but relationships and commitment were a no-go. “So you think you’ve got me figured out, huh?”
“Yes,” he responded bluntly.
My calm façade broke. “Okay. I’m done.” I scrambled off the bed, marching toward the door, stopping to think for a second before I turned back to face him. He stared at me blankly. “Look, I’m going to keep it real and blunt.” I gestured wildly. “This thing between us has to fucking stop.”
He arched a brow. “And what thing are you talking about?” He looked at me with smouldering eyes.
Shit. Shit. Shit. I felt my sex clench. I wanted this fucking arrogant motherfucker.
“Let’s not play games. I suggest we bang this out. Right here. Right now. Get it out of our system.” I pulled my hair out of a ponytail, shaking my hair out angrily. “We do this. Walk away. And get the hell on with business.”
There. I said it. I was a big girl with no time for coy games.
He stood up slowly and widened his muscular legs. “As much as I love a good bang, you and I are not banging shit out. When I get you under me, it’s going to be slow, hard, and memorable.”
My heart stuttered. Dammit! “Okay, not my usual approach, but if it helps me get this itch out of my system, I’m all for it.” I licked my dry lips nervously.
“Let’s be clear, Light. There will be no out for you. I want you on a permanent basis.” His lips tightened, looking at me pointedly. “But I refuse to accept you like this.” He crossed to me. His hand grabbed the back of my head. He kissed me, and I felt his canines against my tongue. But I didn’t give a shit. I wanted him too badly. And I wanted him like this.
He pulled away.
My mouth dropped open with shock. “Ryker—I don’t do permanent for a multitude of reasons. I’m not changing for any man.”
“I’m not any man.”
“Whatever.” I scoffed, but on the inside, I agreed. He was not just any man. I took a shaky breath. The room felt hot and uncomfortable.
“There’s nothing wrong with alcohol in moderation. Drinking until you can’t remember your name or until you black out is unacceptable. I need you sober.”
“I am sober,” I rasped.
His eyes narrowed. “Surprisingly. This is the first time I’ve seen you remotely coherent.”
I gave him the middle finger. “Go fuck yourself, wolf-shifter.”
“Now, is that nice?” He pulled me between his legs, gripping my hair. I moaned in response, the edge of pain taking me right where I needed to be. “We can have something great. You know that, right?”
I tried to pull away from him, but he held my head tight. “I don’t do sweet and romantic. I like it raw and rugged,” I muttered between pants. No. He looked like the type of man who would fuck me so hard and long that I would black out from ecstasy right in the middle. Then he’d revive me, flip me over, and fuck me all over again. God, I wanted him. My mouth watered with need.
His sea-green eyes glinted. Wolf eyes. “Do I look like a sweet and romantic kind of man?”
“No, it’s—” I looked down to think. “It’s—it’s complicated.”
“Light. There’s nothing complicated about meeting a man you like and knowing what to do.”
We both were silent. Ryker leaned closer. I didn’t move back; my eyes closed. He barely touched my lips with his.
I gulped with wild eyes. “What are you playing at, Ryker? I’ve seen the parade of women you’ve been through. I know the real Alpha, the ‘I don’t give a shit’ you. So what’s all this fluff?”
“This is the Alpha who will change your world.” He paused as his eyes softened. “I’m not trying to break you, Light. I love your wildness. In fact, I need it. But I need the real you.” He pressed a hand over my heart. “The one hiding in here, too afraid to show me the real you. Not this shell of a woman.”
My mouth hardened. “What you see is what you fucking get, Ryker. I’m wild, blunt, love alcohol and sex—lots of it.” I cupped his crotch, feeling the hardness. Damn, he was even big there. I let go quickly. “Which for some reason you’re not down to partake in.” I paused. “And I’m not afraid to go after what I want.”
“All things I love about you. I’m not looking for a quick fuck with you. I’m looking for forever.”
My eyes widened with shock. “Let’s be clear. I’m broken and can’t be fixed.” I swallowed over the pain. “Every man I’ve been with couldn’t deal with my mood swings. So they got what they wanted and left.”
“I’m not every man. I’m your man, if you give us a chance.”
“I can’t.” I decided the truth was needed. “I have real emotional issues I’m dealing with. And I’m slipping into a dark rabbit hole that even I can’t get out of.” I blinked back the fear and emotions. “You need someone stable, a mate who can help you with the pack. I’m not her.” I touched his cheek, feeling the tether pulling and pulsing between us. Pulling back sharply, I gritted my teeth. I couldn’t put him through watching me slowly lose my mind. “I’m sorry, Ryker.”
His face was like granite. “You can run, but you can’t hide, Light. This is real. I can’t force you to want to take a leap of faith.” He pushed me away gently. “Come back to me when you’re ready for a real man.” He turned on his heels and exited.
I wrapped my arms around myself, and for the first time in my life, I let the salty tears of regret flow down my cheeks unchecked.
I ROLLED OVER, PRESSING MY face into my pillow, when I heard the annoyed ringing. It was too early, and I had just gotten to sleep after tossing and turning all night. Despite all my efforts, I couldn’t get Ryker out of my head, which pissed me the hell off. My cell stopped ringing. I sighed. It started ringing again.
I grabbed it. “Yes?”
“Wakeup, Sleeping Beauty,” Reason drawled.
“What?” I paused. “And this better not be about last night.”
Reason laughed. “Not at all, princess of the Shadow lunatics. I knew one day you would be the leader of your own group of lunatics.”
My lips curled up into a grin. “Thanks for poking me with a stick.”
“I’m the daughter of a stone-cold killer. Believe me, I’m not judging.” She paused. “By the way, Dad explained it all, and before you bitch about it, we’re keeping the information within the circle.”
“Make sure your coven does,” I snapped.
Reason paused. “That’s not what I called about. I have some information. When you left last night…”
I snorted. “Let’s be clear. I didn’t leave. I was dismissed.”
“Oh-kay, after you were dismissed, I overheard Ryker telling my father…”
“Overheard?” I scoffed
“You want to hear this shit or not?” she asked with an impatient tinge.
“Go on.”
“Ryker said that after his enforcers did some physically persuasive talking with Greco, he caved. Celina
paid him to break into the safe.”
I lifted my sleep mask, sitting up, more alert. “Celina? She paid him all that money?” The escorts were independently wealthy, but even for her, that was a lot of money.
“No. She fucked him… repeatedly, for his safe-cracking services. He claims the Shadows paid him.”
I gritted my teeth. “Ryker deliberately withheld important information. I’m going to kick wolf-shifter in the teeth.”
“Isn’t that what you did? Held back information?” She paused. “By the way, were you ever going to tell your best friend and lawyer about this warrior Shadow princess shit?”
“Of course.”
“Mm-hmm,” Reason muttered.
I was going to tell her… eventually. “Can we get back to Celina? Why would she want to steal our client list or, more importantly, help the Shadows?”
“You want to find out? I’m sure Celina’s apartment can give us a hint why.”
I pushed my sleep-tousled hair away from my face. “Give me an hour, then swing by and get me.”
“And how are you going to escape from Ryker?”
I pursed my lips. “Let me worry about that.”
Now I was pissed. Ryker was a damn hypocrite. All that bullshit about trust, and he withheld the one piece of information I cared about: who took our list. I slid off the bed, slipping into the bathroom to freshen up. After brushing my teeth and hair, I tugged my hair into a ponytail with angry, jerky movements. My mind raced as I prowled into the walk-in closet. Why would Celina betray us? We had a good working relationship with her. Shit, she was our top escort and Credence O. treated her as such. There was never even a sign she was angry or resentful. I pulled on a dangerously short, black-and-white mini knit dress, paired it with black knit leg warmers, and finished off the look with short, black suede booties. And what was the connection between her and the Shadows? All of this was too strange and too much of a coincidence.
I stood by the door, strategizing on how to get away from Ryker undetected. Fuck it. I would wing it. Ready to face my sexy Wolfie, I cracked open the door, padding across the penthouse, pausing only when my stomach rumbled embarrassingly loud. Okay, eat first, then escape. Within minutes, I quickly stepped into his gorgeous gourmet kitchen, practically salivating when I saw the espresso machine. Pushing the button, I watched excitedly as the rich black coffee streamed into my cup. Grabbing the cup greedily, I moaned with pleasure as the mellow blend rolled over my tongue.
“This is so much better than sex.”
“I beg to differ,” Ryker drawled.
I jumped at his voice, quickly turning around, gawking at the large, black wolf tattoo covering the left side of his massive chest. Its fluffy tail swirled down, wrapping around his yummy, well-defined waist. I caught myself and cleared my throat. “And since you refuse to make me a believer, forgive me if I don’t take your word on that.” I placed another cup under the machine to fill.
Leaning my hip against the granite kitchen counter, boldly my eyes roamed up and down his body. The man was tanned with bulging muscles. Hardened abs rippled downward to his low-slung lounge pants. He ran a hand through his sleep-tousled hair. Damn, no man should look this fucking good in the morning.
“By all means, check out the goods, darling.” He grinned confidently, making no attempt to conceal the erection tenting the lightweight fabric of his pants.
I smiled over the rim of my cup. This man is going to be the death of me. I cleared my throat. Get it together, Light. Focus. Reason is on her way.
I drained my cup and set it down. “So let’s talk breakfast. Eggs, toast, and whatever else I can scrounge up.” I turned to open the Sub-Zero refrigerator, hoping to distract myself from his delectable body.
RYKER INSTANTLY GOT HARD AGAIN at the sight of her curvy ass peeking from underneath her dress, which looked as if it was meant to be a top. He wanted nothing more at this moment than to bend her over the counter, taking her from behind, sliding deep into her. The desire was strong, but he restrained the temptation. He wouldn’t give Light what she wanted, a quick fuck. No. He was determined to prove to her that she was worth more to him.
He stepped into the kitchen, grabbing the espresso-filled cup, making sure to brush her arm. He smiled when she shivered deliciously. “Did you like it?” he asked seductively.
She slammed the refrigerator closed, turning sharply, holding a carton of eggs and vegetables. “Did I like what, Wolfie?”
He locked eyes on hers, grabbing the eggs and vegetables, putting them on the countertop. She jammed her hands on her luscious hips.
She bit her bottom lip. "What?"
He stepped forward, caging her, making sure her body was flush against his. “You examined me like a side of beef. And frankly, I fucking enjoyed it. Now all I want to know is do you like what you see, darling?” He whispered in her ear.
I SUCKED IN A BREATH as the hard bulge pressed against my stomach. Reaching between us, my hand gripped his cock, and he shut his eyes tight as a growl rumbled in his chest. “I’ve made no secret about that, Alpha.” I gave him one more squeeze.
Our mouths were a breath away, the desire and tension almost more than I could take. Then I blinked and his eyes snapped open. They were wild and sensual. “I’m trying not to slam you onto this counter.” He leaned into me and just as quickly pulled back. His body shaking, “I don’t want to take you like this, Light. I want you to understand that I want more… from you and us.”
My pulse raced as his eyes turned wolf. I cupped his cheek, feeling the slide of his wolf underneath. My eyes widened. His beast was so close to the surface, fighting him for control. This is what Ryker fought every day to tame. He struggled like me. My struggle was my empath issues. His was controlling his beast. And he didn’t want to fail like every male in his family did.
“How bad?” I whispered.
He shrugged his muscled shoulders. “Some days it’s bearable.”
Something stirred within me. I desperately wanted to end his pain. Grabbing his face, my fingers tingled strangely. His beast pressed forward.
“No!” He took a breath. “I wouldn’t do that right now.”
“Quiet, Alpha,” I answered. Going on pure instinct, I glided my fingers across his jaw. A soft pulse of energy whipped through my body and the beast fell back. Ryker’s eyes transformed back to human.
He leaned his head against mine, letting out a sigh of relief. “What did you do?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know.” That was the truth and it’s what made my empath abilities so damn scary. It was unpredictable.
“Are you ready to tell me what you are?”
“Maybe… someday,” I hedged. “If this thing works out between us.” Which honestly, was an outcome I highly doubted.
“Maybe?” Ryker growled a long, low growl. A growl that turned me on, making me absolutely insane. I nearly swallowed my tongue when he lifted me, sitting me on the countertop. The cold granite felt delicious against my ass. I smiled, thinking about the ass prints that would be left. He pushed me back gently, one hand grabbing firm hold of my wrists while his legs forced my knees apart. His free hand ripped my panties off and slid into my pussy, two fingers pushing inside, stretching me open. I moaned as I clenched those fingers tight. He growled again.
SHE MOANED AND HIS COCK hardened even more at the sound. Yeah. Light was a complicated woman, but he wanted her. Forever. His fingers stilled as he straightened and growled, “Are you ready to give me what I need? What we both need?”
Frowning, she asked, “What?”
“I want your submission. I want your body, heart, and soul.” He stilled her hips; otherwise, her constant grinding would have him coming all over her. “I want your beautiful body under me, over me, whatever way I can think of, for the rest of our lives.”
She looked away, an expression of intense thought on her face. He hid his surprise when he realized he’d actually gotten her to consider it. He knew what he wanted. And maybe from the mome
nt he met her, his beast knew. She tried to move away from him, but he held her tight. And he waited.
Finally, she looked at him, her eyes clear but worried. “There’s so much you don’t know about me. Shit. There’s so much I don’t know about you.”
“We’re Others, Light. We don’t play games like humans. You and I know the difference between straight-up physical attraction and something more. This, between us, is something more.”
He leaned into her body as he sucked her tongue into his mouth. He couldn’t hold it back anymore. Not with her soft and pliant in his arms. Her tongue slid around the tip of his, then rubbed under it. He let his hands slide up to her neck, then down her body to her hips. He leaned in and kissed her throat, biting the spot. She moaned, and his cock hardened even more at the sound.
He traced a finger over the small tattoo of a lightning bolt on her left hip. “Submit, Light.”
“Not on your life, Alpha.”
Rubbing his nose against her neck, he growled. “Is that your final answer?”
“Yes.”
He sighed. She still wasn’t ready. He offered his hand, pulling her off the countertop. He kissed her hard on the lips and stepped back. “Enjoy your breakfast, darling. I need a cold shower to get rid of this hard-on.” He turned on his heels and exited the kitchen. As far as he was concerned, this wasn’t the end. It was just the beginning.
REASON LOOKED OVER TO ME. I’d felt her heavy stare since I got into the SUV but didn’t care. I was still confused about my kitchen tryst with Ryker. We were on the cusp of something great, then I blinked and he was gone, walking away without another word. He left me standing alone in the kitchen for what seemed like hours, fighting the urge to go running after him like an idiot.
I frowned, staring at the passing Manhattan scenery. Does he actually want me as his mate? I bit my lower lip. He actually wants me to be the alpha-female of his pack. Is he insane?
“I’ve never seen you this quiet, Light.” Reason smiled. “So did you fuck him yet?”