by J. R. Ward
Mary frowned, but bent down and shuffled into the backseat. As he joined her, he shut them in, and was really glad the glass had been recently tinted.
"What is it?" she asked. "What's going on--"
Taking her hand, he put it on his rigid arousal. "This."
"Rhage!" She laughed some more. "You brought me out here just to--"
He started kissing her mouth and putting his hands around her waist. "Outcome engineer. You knew it when you mated me."
As she kissed him back, he and his Beast were all about the thank-fuck, and he moved fast, because he didn't want them to get caught--not because he had anything against sex in semi-public places, but rather because he didn't want to have to tear the throat out of some innocent son of a bitch who had come for a Band-Aid and ended up with an eyeful or an earful of what they were doing.
Talk about your boo-boos.
He got her loose pants off one of her legs and her in his lap before pulling a fly-away in front of his hips.
And then it was go time.
When he thrust up hard, Mary let out a curse--as her head bonked into the roof of the car.
"Oh, shit, sorry," he groaned.
"Like I care?" she said, taking his mouth with her own. "I need you so badly."
SIXTY-THREE
Trez pulled Manny's Porsche up in front of Marcus Reinhardt's jewelry store. The oldest jeweler in town, the place had been featured in things like the New York Times, and even the Robb Report, for its extensive inventory.
And by extensive, that was carat weight.
Glancing over at Selena, he said, "You ready?"
"I have never had a ring of my own."
"Really?"
She shook her head. "There were jewels in the Treasury--" She stopped. "Are jewels in the Treasury, but as Chosen, we were unadorned except for our pearl--and that was not really ours."
Unlatching his door, he said over his shoulder, "Yet another pity as far as I'm concerned."
But he was going to rectify of that tonight. Walking in front, he opened her door, and as her beautiful hand extended, he caught hold and gave in to the urge to bend down and kiss the back of it. Then he pulled her carefully to her feet and offered her his elbow.
As she took it, he had a feeling that both of them were ignoring how the gesture was not just that of a polite gentlemale, but something that was needed.
She wasn't walking as well as she had been.
Before they got to the door, the iron-barred thing opened wide. "Mr. Latimer, greetings."
The man was dressed in a formal suit and had a neat head of hair and a precisely cropped beard. Along with his patrician accent, and the fact that he had a three-point pocket square, he was pretty much central casting for what you'd blue-sky as a guy who specializes in six-to seven-figure engagement rings.
"Thanks for opening things up for us," Trez said as they shook hands. "This is my fiancee, Selena."
"My pleasure. Madam."
Okay, you had to approve of that bow.
Inside, everything was set up for a private showing, and Trez suddenly felt really fucking good about all this. The cases with their fillings of precious gems twinkled under the special lights, as if they were applauding Selena's and his arrival. Champagne was cooling in a silver bucket, and a pair of crystal flutes had been set out.
"May I offer you some Veuve Clicquot?" they were asked.
"I think I'm good," he said. "Selena?"
She tilted up her chin as if she were determined to enjoy herself. "I would like some, please."
"Make that two," Trez amended.
Pop! Fizz! Pour and hand over.
He clinked their glasses. "Let's do this."
Mr. Reinhardt took them into a private room that had a video camera mounted in the corner on the ceiling. "Mr. Perlmutter gave me your specifications, and I took the liberty of preparing you a tray for consideration."
Annnnnnnd out came the ice.
In black velvet slots, diamond rings sat up like good little children panting to get picked to answer a question.
Selena's inhale was like a pat on the back for him.
"See anything you like?" Trez asked.
She tried on every single one, putting the rings on any finger that fit and turning her wrist this way and that under the light. The coup de grace was her sliding on alllll of them, her ten fingers stacked with about twenty spectacular baubles.
"How much money is all that?" he asked idly as he sipped his champagne.
"Several million," Mr. Reinhardt said.
At that, Selena blanched and put her hands down. "What?"
"Several million," the jeweler repeated.
"How much are these things?" she demanded. And then, when informed what the square on her pinkie was worth, she exclaimed, "Dearest Virgin Scribe!"
There was an awkward moment as Trez wished he'd STFU'd. "Selena, I'm not thinking about the price--"
"You should be!" She started taking the rings off at a furious pace. "I haven't spent a lot of time on this side, but I've learned a thing or two about human money--"
"Will you give us a moment?" Trez said smoothly. "And you can take these away if you're worried about the security."
"Your credentials have been well verified, Mr. Latimer." The man got to his polished shoes. "Take your time."
The second the door closed behind the man, Selena turned to him. "Trez, I don't want you spending this kind of money on me."
"Why not?"
"It's a waste. I'm not going to wear the thing for centuries."
He exhaled like someone had kicked him in the chest. "Yeah, wow. You're really missing the point here if you think I'm looking for some kind of time value on the cash." He gathered her hands. "I want to do you right. I want . . . I just want this experience with you, okay? This time, right here"--he motioned around the desk--"this is our infinity. It's happening right here, right now. So let's get you the biggest fucking ring in this place and a pair of earrings to match. Let's just say fuck-you to dying, all right?"
She blinked fast. "Oh, Trez . . ."
He picked up one of the rings she had thrown back on the velvet tray and put it over the nail of her ring finger. "Come on, say it with me."
"Say what?"
"'Fuck you, death.'"
"Trez. Don't be ridiculous--"
"Hey, on the outside chance the Grim Reaper is listening, I think he needs to know how much we hate his ass. Come on, my queen, say it with me. 'Fuck you, death.'"
She put her free hand up to hide an off-kilter smile. "You're crazy."
"Tell me something I don't know--and stop ducking this. 'Fuck you, death!'" When she just mumbled the words, he shook his head. "Nope. Louder. 'Fuck you, death!'"
Selena started to laugh. "This isn't funny."
"Couldn't agree more." He smiled and nodded at her, still poised with the ring at the top of her finger. "All together--like he can hear you."
"Fuck you, death!" she hollered. Then she smiled broadly. "Fuck you, death!"
He slid the ring home and sat back, staring at the sparkler. "You know, I really like that one, actually."
Selena peered over her hand and regarded the grape-size, pear-shaped rock. "Oh . . . boy. It's so big."
"That's what she said."
As they both started to laugh, he pulled her in by the back of the neck and kissed her. "You want to keep trying on some more?"
She shook her head. "No, this is perfect. I want this one."
Putting her beautiful hand out, she did that thing females did with rings, pursing her lips and smiling to herself.
God, I love you, he thought, you perfect, perfect female of worth.
"Are you sure it's not too expensive?" she said.
"No matter the cost"--he kissed her again--"it's yours."
*
iAm got naked really damn fast. As soon as he was birthday-suit ready, he wanted to go down on maichen--even though he had no idea what to do to a female below the waist, he was thr
ee hundred ready to find the hell out.
Didn't happen.
The wrench in the works was when he got within range of her, his sex brushing up against hers as he positioned himself on top--
That was pretty much it.
"I need you," he groaned as she ran her hands up his back and down his sides.
"Then take me."
iAm forced himself to stop. "Are you okay, though? After last night?"
God, he couldn't get enough of her almond-shaped eyes, and that black curling hair of hers all over the white pillowcase, and her resplendent skin. She was a constant revelation, one that shocked in a good way every time he looked at her.
"I am well," she said. "And I am of strength, thanks to your generous vein."
He really loved her accent, the dialect that was spoken in the Territory tinting her English with the sounds of home--
No, not home, he reminded himself. Caldwell was home.
Reaching between them, he angled his cock and drove in slowly with his hips, wanting to make sure he didn't force anything.
In response, her nails bit into his skin, and she arched up, her breasts all tight tips. "iAm . . ."
His hips took over, driving in and out, the friction going to his head like he'd been drinking all night. Harder, faster--until she came, jerking up against him, straining under him, one of her hands slapping down on the bed and twisting the duvet up hard.
He just kept going, coming over and over again. And then he pulled out of her and stroked himself, orgasming over her sex, her belly, her breasts.
Even as he was all in with what he was doing, a part of him refused to recognize the significance.
He wasn't marking this female.
He just . . . nope, he wasn't.
Because if he was marking her, if this was anything more than just an intense session with a female he happened to be really fucking attracted to?
Then it could put him in a very difficult situation. Especially as his brother was going to refuse to return and do his duty at the Territory, and iAm was then going to have to go on the lam to avoid an ax falling on the head of the only blood relation who mattered to him.
But again, he told himself as he collapsed against her naked body, he wasn't marking anything like that.
Nope.
Not at all.
SIXTY-FOUR
They held hands all the way home.
As Trez drove the Porsche back to the compound, he kept contact with his queen, thumbing her palm, playing with her new ring, bringing her hand up for a kiss.
"Everyone has been so kind," she murmured, her head back against the seat rest, the flaring lights from the streetlamps at the highway junctions giving him blue-tinted hints of her face.
"Yeah. Good people."
He thought of his brother. Rhage. Rehvenge. He'd even gotten a text from Tohr--who had walked a different version of this path. And then there was Doc Jane. Manny. Ehlena.
"All of them trying so hard to help," she said.
"Yeah."
"Doc Jane and Manny have been working around the clock, attempting to find solutions."
"Yeah." He kissed her hand again. "They have."
"And Rehvenge went up to his people."
"He did."
"And iAm went to the Territory--"
Trez ripped his head around. "What?"
She turned her head to him, her eyes half-lidded and sleepy. "iAm went to the Shadows--" Abruptly she frowned. "Ow, you're hurting me."
Shaking himself, he let up on his grip. "Sorry. I--what did you say?"
As she repeated it for a third frickin' time, his heart started to pound. Keeping his voice deliberately calm, he asked, "Do you know when he went?"
"No, Doc Jane just mentioned it when I went to see her. You were having your migraine. Trez, what's wrong?"
"Nothing." He brought up her hand for yet another kiss. "Nothing at all."
The rest of the trip home was a Sybil experience, one part of him connected with Selena, the other half hunting down iAm and screaming in the male's face something along the lines of, What the fuck were you thinking, you asshat motherfucker, putting yourself in danger like that!?!
Or something to that effect.
". . . changed before we go up there?"
"I'm sorry?" He took the right-hander that led up the mountain. "What did you say?"
"I'd like to get changed. This cooking thing is going to get messy."
"You could do it naked. I'm just saying--cleanup would be a breeze, because I could take you directly into the shower. Plus I could lick off cake batter if it landed . . . you know, anywhere."
She laughed. "Might be cold."
"Then I could keep my hands on you the whole time."
"I won't get any cooking done."
"Don't underestimate the power of takeout." He leaned in and kissed her shoulder. "But that's fine. Whatever you want."
When the great gray mansion came into view, he parked the car in front of the steps as Manny requested, and then went around to open his female's door. As she reached her hand out, the diamond caught the light from the house's security lamps and flashed a rainbow.
"I love it so much," she said.
"Good. That was the plan."
Once inside, he took Selena up to their bedroom. Fritz and the doggen had moved clothes into his closet for her, and he had to admit he loved all her shit mixed in with his.
Thank God she needed to change, he thought as he acted as nonchalant as he could.
"So listen, I'm just going to go next door," he said, keeping his voice level. "For a second. You know, to check on iAm."
"All right," she said, smiling.
The instant he was out of her sight, he bared his fangs and ditched the all-cool act. At his brother's door he didn't bother to knock; he just whipped the thing open.
"iAm!" he barked, even though he doubted the guy was there.
Not waiting for an answer, he took out his phone and hit the guy up. One ring, two rings . . .
"Yeah? Trez? What's wrong--"
"What the fuck were you thinking?"
There was a pause. "Excuse me?"
"You went to the fucking Territory?" He tried to keep his voice down. "Are you out of your fucking mind!"
"Trez--"
"What the fuck are you doing!"
"I am not discussing this with you over the phone."
"Then get your fucking ass home now."
He hung up and marched around. Then, snapping himself out of it, he masked up and went back to his room. "Hey, Selena?"
"Yes?" she said from the closet.
"I've got to hang here for a little bit. Not long. If you want, you can head on up and I'll be there quick?"
He knew in the back of his mind that he wasn't thinking right--she shouldn't be alone--but he was seeing red, his brain locked on his brother's idiot move.
Sticking her head out, she smiled and said something that didn't sink in. Going by her nod, though, she was going to leave. He went over and kissed her, and then shut himself into iAm's bedroom.
It felt like it was an hour until his brother showed up, but it was probably five or ten minutes. And as the guy walked into the room, a strange scent on him dimly registered: It was female. But whatever.
"What the hell, iAm?" he demanded. "Like I don't have enough problems?"
"You need to back off. I went there because I wanted to see if there was any record of the Arrest in the healing journals. It was just a trip in and out--"
"How. Who did you make a deal with."
"Myself."
"Bullshit."
"Trez, no offense, but why are you wasting time with this? I got out--"
"Was it s'Ex? Did you use s'Ex?" When iAm didn't reply, he threw up his hands. "Oh, come on! Are you kidding--"
"Calm down--"
"Calm down! You don't think that it might be seriously fucking nuts for you to turn yourself over to the Queen's executioner? Who I've spent the last nine month
s buying off with a supply of prostitutes? That doesn't strike you as irresponsible, considering they want me to go back there?"
"You know what? I'm not doing this with you. I'm not--"
"The fuck you're not! You exposed us both going there! They could have used you as leverage--"
"They didn't--"
"--to get me back there to service that fucking Princess! You told me I had 'til the end of the mourning period--that's only three days and I've got shit I need to deal with here! I don't need you wild-carding--"
"Trez, I know you're caught up with Selena. I get it. But you're outta line here--"
"Out of line? What if they'd kept you? What if AnsLai had come to me and been all like, 'I got your brother, time for your mating'? Did you think for even a second what kind of position that would put me in? Either you and a life of imprisoned fucking for me--or not being here for Selena at the end of her life! What the fuck--"
For some reason, iAm's abrupt change in affect registered: The male had frozen in place and was staring over Trez's shoulder, his expression instantly going blank.
Trez clamped his mouth shut and closed his lids. Even before he turned around, he knew what he was going to find in the doorway to the bedroom.
Yup. Selena had opened the way in and was standing between the jambs, pale as a ghost.
"You're to be mated?" she said in a thin voice. "In three days?"
*
iAm cursed under his breath. Just exactly how this didn't need to come out.
And worse, as Selena came forward, her gait was off, like her knees or maybe her hips were giving her bother.
"What are you . . ." She stopped in front of Trez. "Are you going to mate that female in three days?"
Time to go, iAm thought. This was definitely something the two of them--
"No," Selena said as he went to head by her. "Stay."
Like she wanted him available to fill things in if she felt her male wasn't being straight with her.
"What's going on?" she demanded.
Even though Trez had been rip-shit only moments before, the guy looked as composed as an inanimate object: "It's not important."
"That's not what I just heard. And before you accuse me of eavesdropping, the two of you were yelling so loudly, I could hear it next door."
Trez rubbed his short-cropped hair and walked around. "Selena--"
"Are you going to be mated?"
"This doesn't affect us."
"It most certainly does."
When there was a tight silence, iAm decided, Fuck it. "He was sold by our parents when we were infants to the Queen of the Territory--as a mate for the heir to the throne. It was decreed by his astrological chart. He's done everything possible to escape from it, and the reason he's pissed at me is because I'm his Achilles's heel. He's just freaking out at a close call, probably because the real thing he's worried about is you and he can't do anything about that."