by Maia Star
When the light flashes green, I speed off. “Not to change the subject again, but how did you meet Maxen?”
Erika looks out the window, and I can see her reflection in the glass. She’s looking out over the rest of San Francisco as we drive up and down the sloped roads. “Well, it would have been around a year ago now. We met at a bar. I was with some friends who I don’t speak to anymore, just trying to have a fun night. Basically, I’d had a rough day, and my friends thought a few drinks would help.” She pauses to sigh. “That’s when Maxen approached us. He was bold and told us that I’d caught his eye. Since he apparently didn’t frequent bars enough, which was a straight-up lie, he thought he couldn’t pass up this chance to talk to me. My friends didn’t see anything wrong with him, and soon enough, they disappeared one by one to let the two of us chat.”
She places her chin in her palm and taps her fingers along her cheek. “I really thought he was cute that first night. He offered to take me back to his place, but I thought I had better sense than that, and we decided to just get coffee the next Tuesday.”
I listen intently, trying to imagine what it would be like for Maxen to have spotted a woman like Erika at a bar. I can’t imagine how difficult it must have been for him to hold back. I might have made a fool of myself trying to keep my animalistic desires from taking over. Erika was simply something else.
“We went on a few more dates, and then the night we went out to dinner, we went back to his place after that. I’d noticed a few beer bottles around, but I didn't think anything of it.” Now she rubs her hand over her face. I can really see the fatigue in her eyes and the way she slouches in her seat. “I think the moment I slept with him was when I realized he was a bear shifter. I tried not to think much of it, and we kept on seeing each other until we were in an official relationship. About a month in, his controlling tendencies began to emerge, and a few weeks after that, he slapped me pretty hard.” She laughs dryly now. “I was stupid enough to not recognize the signs yet, and so I stayed with him. My life began to fall apart and revolve only around him.”
Before long, I pull us up in front of Street House. We sit in silence as I turn off the engine.
I notice that she hasn’t realized we stopped. Placing a hand on her shoulder, I shake her back to the present and put on my warmest smile. “Hey, easy there. You’re safe here. I know I’ve said this before, but I’ll do anything to protect you from him. And I’m not saying that just as your bodyguard, but because I genuinely like you. You got unlucky becoming the object of his obsession, so me and others will sort it out, okay?”
She nods and half-smiles at me. “Thanks, Hayden. Seriously, it means a lot.”
“Good, because now you can really start the life you want.”
And with that, we hop out of the car. I can’t wait to bash Maxen’s face in.
Chapter Fifteen
Erika
It’s been days now since I’d hired the Street Dragons. Days since I first thought I saw Maxen in the city.
I still couldn’t be sure if it really was him or not that I saw that night with Hayden, but I was sure I saw something.
Ever since, the trio decided to take turns guarding me and scouting the city for any sign of my ex. Every day, for four hours a piece, one shifter would stand guard at Street House while the other two would branch out and fly over the city. Dragons flying over San Francisco was a daily occurrence, so it’s not like they would look out of the ordinary.
Yet, it was still difficult not to drown in boredom and my worries that Maxen would randomly show up with two of the guys gone.
As much as I liked Hayden, he’d begun to fixate on teaching Maxen a lesson for hurting me. That was great and all, but sometimes I just wanted to forget about my ex for a few hours, not talk about how I would one-up him and flip him off. Sven, likewise, was sometimes too heavy in the opposite direction. He’d try to make me laugh constantly and acted more like a fool than the other two. Granted, the guy was funny, but sometimes that extreme put me on edge.
Luckily, when I am around Reed, I feel genuinely relaxed. He’s pretty sensitive overall, and senses my unease, giving me some quiet time to think and contemplate or offering to play a game with me to get me thinking about something other than my past.
Like right now.
Reed peers at me over his hand of four UNO cards. He squints at my eleven cards, looking at each one in turn as if he can see right through to the other side. I frown, shuffling my cards, my hand hovering over a blue six. I pick it and place it down on the pile of discarded cards in the middle of the table, only to see Reed smirk and place down a blue skip card. I groan and fan myself with my cards as he then places down a red skip, and then slaps down a red one.
My jaw drops, and I meet his haughty gaze. “What are you, an UNO wizard?”
“Something like that,” he says, grinning and leaning back in his chair. He waves his last card around as if to mock me. “Trust me, Hayden and Sven have the same reactions. If there were a competitive UNO League, I’d definitely go pro.”
“How often do you play this game?” I ask, blinking over my ten cards. Gazing past my hand and to his single card, my eyes drift down to his slender fingers. I dream of what it would be like to feel those fingers of his sliding through my hair, over my scalp. His pointed gaze is intense as he watches me try to come to a decision. How much more intense would he be like if we were playing a more adult game?
I gulp at the idea, place down a plus-four and wait for his reaction. I watch his free hand, waiting for him to reach forward and pick up four more cards from the deck, but instead, Reed chuckles and slaps down a plus-four too.
Tossing my hand on the table, I lean back in my high back chair and sigh in utter defeat. “You’ve got to be kidding me, Reed.”
“What can I say? I’m an UNO champion in the making.”
“That seems like an understatement.”
Reed laughs. Unlike Hayden or Sven, Reed’s laughs are always shorter, to the point. Well, I guess that’s how I’d describe him as a whole.
As Reed gathers up all the UNO cards and shuffles them together, I watch how his dark bangs fall over his glasses. He doesn’t part them right away, and I have the urge to brush them aside myself. His eyes are just as captivating, and I want to be looking into them. Lifting his head, he quickly pulls his bangs out of the way and smiles at me innocently. “Want to play another round? We’ve still got a few hours left until Sven comes back to switch out.”
Leaning forward and resting my chin in the crook of my crossed arm, I smile up at him. “You’re really good about getting me to focus on anything other than Maxen, you know that?”
He grins. “It’s all part of my strategy and charm.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Strategy?”
“Yeah, my strategy to get you to fall in love with me.”
My heart instantly pounds in my chest, and my body heats up at the insinuation. “Oh? So you like me that much?”
Reed laughs again, this time a bit longer than usual. “I take it that's it for UNO?” Without waiting for a response, he drops the deck back into the box. “How about we play a different game then?”
“Another one, huh? Which game is that?”
Reed watches me, a new fire in his eyes. I’m beginning to get weak in the knees just trying to maintain eye contact. “It’s played on a bed. Or maybe a couch. Or, well, practically anywhere the participants feel like playing.”
I bite my lip, my mind racing. “Oh?”
Reed stands up and walks around the table. This take-charge attitude is really turning me on, and I can’t help but straighten my posture and lift my head as he stands over me. “I know how hard it must be for you to keep remembering everything your ex did to you. You barely have other memories that are as strong as when you were with him, right? So how about we make a new one?”
He takes my cheeks in his hand and leans down, pressing his mouth to mine. I forget about everything and close my eyes, lettin
g the moment overtake me. I didn’t expect this to really happen, but suddenly Reed is kissing me, and I am accepting that kiss.
When he breaks off, I stare into his eyes, a new desire in my mind. He runs a thumb down my lips. “You taste amazing. How about we go to my bedroom and continue this there?”
Chapter Sixteen
Reed
By the time we reach my bedroom door, Erika’s hands are all over my hair, threading her fingers through my locks. Her lips are so unbelievably soft and taste like something sweet. She presses her body to mine, and my hands run up and down her curves. I grab her hips, my mind melting from the sheer prospect of her body.
She’s already breathing hard, and by the time I spin her around and throw her on my bed, she’s gazing up at me longingly. But then her eyes dart away and look elsewhere as I pull off my shirt.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” she asks as I drop my pants. She keeps glancing back and forth between my half-naked body and my dresser, her cheeks a burning red mess.
I pull off my socks, staring down at her. “It’s all right if you’re okay with it. We don’t have to keep going if this makes you uncomfortable.” It kills me to say that, yet I’m not about to force her or frighten her. She deserves respect, and so much more than what Maxen gave her.
She stutters as she tries to speak next, her eyes drifting across the hard lines of my abs. She licks her lips and looks up at me. I hook my thumbs under my boxers and wait for her go-ahead to drop them. “What about Hayden and Sven?”
“What about them? Would you rather sleep with them?”
“That’s not what I meant...I…” Taking a deep breath. “Oh, screw it. I need this.”
And with that, I slide down my boxers, revealing all of my skin to her. She gawks openly. “Not bad.” Rising to her feet, she slips her t-shirt over her head. “I guess it’s my turn now. Wait patiently, okay?”
I clutch my hands behind my back as I watch her strip slowly, sensually. I nearly drool when she’s completely naked, my eyes looking all over her goddess-like body. She stares at me, smiling, and starts to strut around me, teasing me. I reach forward to grab her, but she slaps me away. “No touch. Not yet.”
Trembling, I remain rooted in place, my body hard and ready to go. All I can think about is connecting my body to hers. I want her like nobody’s ever wanted another person before. Yet she’s in no rush. This is another game for her, and so she’s taking her sweet time. She touches my shoulder with a single finger and traces that finger down my arm.
Finally, she steps in front of the bed again and beckons me forward.
So I pounce on her, embracing her from behind. She gasps at my intensity, but I ignore her. I can't stop myself now. Reaching down, my hand slips between her legs, and she moans at my touch. I kiss and bite her neck, leaving marks. Her skin is so comfortable and soft that I can’t let go. Her hips press hard against mine, making me huff with desire. Wrapping one arm around her chest, I rub against her and turn her head back to kiss her.
As we make out, I can tell she’s holding back. No matter how teasing she was before, she’s letting me lead now, never daring to take any action herself. I want her to relax, to forget about the pain and worry of before. “If you ever feel like stopping…” I breathe, “just tell me, okay? I do as you tell me to.”
“Then bend me over,” she whispers back.
Her whisper is full of raw desire. So I do as she tells me; I place a hand on the small of her back and push her down. She looks back up at me pleadingly, my body pressed tight to hers.
“You wanna make me forget?” she asks. “Then go ahead and do it.”
I grip her hips and enter her. We both hiss at the sudden sensation, and she swears nonstop. My body is already shaking from the pleasure, and as I start to move, my mind begins to melt again. Being connected to her makes me feel like my whole body will burn up and turn to ashes. She’s so hot.
My inner dragon begins to take over, and I pound her wildly, shaking my bed. Her legs shake, and she swears and groans and moans. She calls out my name, making me go wilder. Her hands spread out to grip the sheets, and she closes her eyes. I do the same, wanting to just feel her. I quickly forget where I am and nearly forget my name too. I forget that I’m a part of a clan of dragon shifters that are clamoring to have her just like I am right now.
Actually, that only turns me on even more, and suddenly, without warning, I lose myself in the moment. I spasm and shoot out. Erika muffles her screams of pleasure into the sheets. I pull her hips even tighter into mine, and I strain to keep myself from collapsing on top of her. My inner dragon roars out, and then we both slacken.
Erika is breathing hard, and so am I...but I want more.
Pulling out, I lift her and turn her over. She doesn’t say a thing when I place her down on her back. She knows from my look of desire that I want to go another round, and this time I want to see her beautiful face twist at the ecstasy.
She smiles up at me, her arms splayed over her head. After entering her again, I reach forward and grab her arms, crossing them under her chest. And then I go nuts.
Erika can’t help but laugh and moan and keep on swearing. Her voice is like the rhythm I move to, the beat I never want to stop hearing. I want to do this again, and again, and again. I want her to be my mate, and my mate only.
The bed shakes wildly. Erika locks eyes with me. My face scrunches up as I keep pounding her. My body heats up to the point where I’m sweating like crazy. I’m stunned by how amazing this feels.
I spasm harder this time, locking my muscles in place, hunching over at the sheer pleasure. Erika bites her lips, and at the last second, I lean down and kiss her. We both jerk on the bed. An eternity seems to pass.
Eventually, I collapse on the bed next to her, and we both smile and gaze into each other’s eyes. At this moment, I can’t accept anything less than Erika becoming my mate.
I go to speak, but then suddenly, the front door swings open.
Chapter Seventeen
Erika
When we hear the front door swing open, we both scramble to our feet. Or, at least I do.
Reed takes his time even just sitting up, rolling his shoulders, even whistling, while I quickly hurry to put on my clothes. Everything is sweaty and smelly, but I need to learn to deal with it if I don’t want us to be caught in Reed’s bedroom.
“Reed? Erika?” Sven’s voice calls out.
Finally standing, Reed goes to pick up his clothes and pull them on. In an effort to hurry him up, I toss his shirt at him, which he catches and then chuckles about. My cheeks are fully red now, and my embarrassment is driving my every action. I have a bad feeling that if Sven catches us, those two might begin to argue, or worse. Reed is already acting cockier than before, and it makes me sick to my stomach.
Barging out into the hallway, I walk back into the rest of the apartment. I see Sven about to barge out the door, scowling. “Sven!” He stops and swivels, taking me in, his eyes widening at the sight of me.
“Erika! Where were you? And why didn’t you answer me right away?” He comes back in, letting the door slam behind him. “And where the hell is Reed? He’s supposed to be guarding you right now. I swear, if that guy left to grab a bite to eat…”
But Sven stops five feet away from me, his gaze shifting to something over my shoulder. I turn and see Reed, still shirtless, leaning against the hallway wall. He’s smiling like a kid who just bought candy, and he’s holding his shirt in one hand. “Hey, Sven, how did the scouting go?”
Sven is looking between Reed and I now. I can see the connection being made in his hard eyes. He sniffs the air and grunts. “What exactly were you two doing?”
Reed won’t answer, so Sven turns to me. “Were you both in your room, or his? There’s a heavy stench of sweat coming from back there...and you both smell like sex.”
I cross my arms and look away, my heart thumping wildly. Ugh, this is not the conversation I want to be having right now! “I don
’t know what you’re talking about.”
Sighing, Sven moves over to sit on a stool by the kitchen island, resting one tattooed arm on the table. The first tattoo I spy is a three-headed dragon spewing fire from all three mouths. Its tail wraps around his bicep and ends a bit further down. He catches me looking, and I try to smile at him. “You don’t need to lie about it, Erika. We’re all adults here.” And when I still stand, rigid, my shoulders high and tight, he smiles. “It’s nothing to be ashamed about.”
“Your damn right it isn’t,” Reed says. Coming forward, he pulls on his shirt. “Erika’s been stressed like hell recently. Since you and Hayden seem to never stop reminding her that she’s being hunted by a maniac for an ex-boyfriend, I decided to take it upon myself to help her out.” He comes forward to loom over Sven, which, well, isn’t easy to do. Sven is frowning, clearly not happy with Reed’s attitude. “So, I slept with her while you two were out.”
“Excuse me?” Sven says, clenching his fist. “Are you telling me her paranoia is my fault?”
“Pretty much, yeah.”
My jaw is dropping, seeing my fears are already coming to fruition. I step forward to hopefully get their attention. “Okay, guys, let’s stop it there.”
They both acknowledge me, but Sven growls and whips his eyes back to Reed. “I want to, Erika, but Reed has a tendency to get bullheaded every time he thinks he’s winning in a competition. I’m not about to let this one slide.”
“Well, it was never a competition in the first place,” I say, my blood boiling. I step closer until I’m as close to those two as they are to each other.