by Celia Kyle
Snarl on his lips, Ricker launched himself from the couch and right at the cocky lion, claws unsheathed and ready to tear into the fucker. Even if he agreed with the other lion’s assessment, no one was going to say anything bad about his Madison. The woman was perfect, if a little mouthy and unable to listen worth a damn. Every curvy, short inch of her belonged to him.
Mouth open and fangs flashing, he took two steps and reached for Deuce, tiger looking for blood. This is what males did. They defended, protected and went through anyone who stood in their way to accomplish it.
Four sets of arms corralled him before his nails encountered Deuce’s neck, tips a mere hairsbreadth from the man’s skin and Ricker growled his displeasure. He yanked, pulled and fought the hands that held him, the tiger craving the blood of the other man.
“Never say another word about her again. Never.” His beast was just below the surface. It prowled and poked at his control, just waiting for a chink in the wall that held him at bay.
Deuce had held his ground, arms held high, palms out and face paler than a ghost. Had to give the guy some credit for not running. Or pissing himself. With Ricker’s level of dominance, he’d had more than one fierce male lose control of his bladder when Ricker got mad.
Ricker really hated the smell of piss.
“You got it man. Nothing doing.”
Ricker narrowed his eyes, studied Deuce’s face for any hint at deception. His nose worked double-time, scenting the air surrounding them, searching out a lie. Worry, apprehension and something that Ricker had labeled as “freaked the fuck out” hit his nose. The stinging tang of a lie was nowhere to be found.
Smart man.
Ricker pulled at the hands holding him, a quick jerk of his body, and smiled at Deuce’s flinch.
Alex’s voice broke into the silence that followed Deuce’s apology. “Well, that’s fun,” the Prime deadpanned. “Ricker, do you think you can refrain from killing Maya’s guard for now? She tends to get attached.”
Tendrils of the lion’s dominance graced his skin. And while he could have brushed off the suggestion, he chose to listen and release the tension thrumming through his body.
Damn, he hadn’t realized his possessive and protective instincts were gonna turn him into a raving lunatic when it came to Maddy.
The hands retreated and Ricker turned his back on the other male. The offense forgotten. At least by him. He was sure Deuce would remember the lesson. At least for a little while.
He moved back to the couch and sunk into the cushions once again. The earlier process repeated, Brute throwing him a new beer since he’d spilled the other on the Prime’s carpet. Since the man hadn’t bitched at him yet, Ricker figured cleaning could wait.
Ricker popped the top of the can and took a deep swig of the bitter brew. Just what he needed. He rested the can on his thigh, laid his head against the back of the couch and let his eyes drift closed, let the security of being surrounded by strong males lull him. He didn’t have to be on guard, didn’t have to wait for the next shoe to drop or a crazy shifter to come crashing the door, guns blazing.
He could take a break. And let his mind wander to his mate. Since the fire-fight, she’d been in the back of his mind, tethered to him and he relished that connection. She was happy, almost giddy, and he could practically feel the purr of her lioness in his mind. The cat was happy, Madison was happy and life was good.
The men’s voices raised once again, Harding and Wyatt giving Deuce shit about being an asshole.
Alex agreed.
Neal had to add his two cents. “It’s the beer, man. Fucker drinks light beer. How can we expect him to be smart if he does dumb shit like drink light beer? We ought to revoke his man card and cut off his balls while we’re at it.”
Ricker raised his head and looked around the room. “Light beer? Seriously? You guys should have told me that before I went after him. It’s like picking on the runt of the litter.” He took a sip of his beer. Regular beer. Not that mamby pamby bullshit. “If I’d known, I wouldn’t have tried to gut him. Seems wrong to attack the defenseless…”
An empty can came flying at his head and he caught it before it struck him, crumpling the aluminum with ease. It was a light beer can.
Fucker.
Ricker felt Alex’s focus on him and he turned his head toward the Prime. The man was letting him, a more dominant feline, camp out in his territory. For now. The least he could do was show a bit of respect.
“A little touchy are we?” He flashed Ricker a smirk and raised a brow.
“’Fuck you’ would be the wrong response, huh?”
Alex snorted. “It would.”
He chuffed and extended his legs, thighs spread, and settled deeper into the cushions. “Fine. A little. She’s just… Damn.” Ricker rubbed his chest, an ache building in his heart, and he was quickly swamped in feelings he didn’t want to identify. ‘Cause seeing them for what they were would just cause a hell of a lot of problems. Like giving up his man card because he’d become pussy-whipped by his little woman. “Does it get easier?”
That smirk grew to an all-out smile. “Nope.”
He’d been afraid of that.
*
“So, freakin’ dish already!” Maya’s voice was a loud squeal, quickly quieted by a spoonful of ice cream which was followed by a deep moan. The woman was huge, pregnant with twins, and had decided that she could exist solely on ice cream through her entire pregnancy. Alex kept trying to feed her veggies and meat, but apparently, he hadn’t been successful on the “balanced diet” front.
Maddy laughed and snatched one of the unclaimed cartons from the freezer. After grabbing a spoon, she settled into a kitchen chair and dug into her pint of goodness. There was nothing better in the world than Jen & Berry’s. Except maybe sex. But even then, it was a very close call.
“I got kidnapped.” She shrugged, pretending indifference. She was anything but. The bastards had stolen her from her home, assaulted her and forced her to use her powers on perverted shifters.
Yeah, not fun.
But at least she got a mate outta the deal. Ricker… How the hell had she gotten so lucky? Well, maybe “lucky” wasn’t the right word. He was hot. No doubt about it. And growly and dominant. Which added to the hotness. But what she liked about him also pissed her the hell off. He was so…frustrating. He had expectations as to how she should act and she’d worked hard to blow Sensitive stereotypes out of the water.
“Yes, you got kidnapped. Which you totally rocked at by the way.” The Prima interjected. “I made Alex take me along when he checked out your house and there was blood, like, everywhere. It was freakin’ awesome.”
Carly nodded her agreement, but didn’t look up from her pint. Since she was another preggers chick, Maddy didn’t take offense. The lady had a constant craving for the stuff and no one, ever, came between Carly and ice cream.
Maddy took another bite of the creamy goodness and then waved her spoon at the Prima. “Thank you. But I couldn’t have done it without y’all. I mean, Maya, you taught me to be a bitch and Carly, you taught me how to kick ass.”
Maya mock-glared at her. “I’d take offense to that statement if it wasn’t true. Bitch.”
“Whore.”
“What, like you didn’t climb Ricker the first chance you got.” The Prima raised an eyebrow.
Maddy’s face burned because that’s exactly what had happened. One sniff and she went King Kong on the man, climbing him like the Empire State Building.
Rawr.
“Anyway. Yes, I kicked butt and did the Macarena on their asses, thank-you-very-much. And, yes, I played ‘King of the Mountain’…” That earned her snickers all around. “…with Ricker. Even better, I totally killed a guy.”
She could joke her way through this. She could.
Carly finally looked up from her sugary treat. “Score!”
Carly raised her hand and Maddy gave her a high-five, quickly followed by one with Maya.
�
�Yup. It was this fucker who totally spoke in third person. What is up with that? Anyway, they threw me into this room and there was another Sensitive there. The guy had raped her repeatedly over the last two years while she was held captive and came to take her again while I was there. When Ricker busted me out of that room, I hunted the asshole through the compound and took him out.” She frowned. “I had no idea that it would be so bloody. I mean, fighting those other guys was a little icky, but that guy,” she shuddered, memories of her cat’s thirst slinking through her mind. A gentle stroke, a soothing touch, floated through her connection to Ricker and the horror of the hyena’s death was brushed from her mind. “That was gross-tastic with a side of puke-worthy. Blech.”
Maya, the most bloodthirsty of any lion Maddy knew, was leaned toward her, eyes alight at the prospect of hearing the gory details.
“Anyway. He’s dead. I’m not. And Elise is with her family.” She took another bite of her Karamel Sutra ice cream. “Oh! I told her she could come here if things weren’t all ‘happy-happy’ at home.” Maddy poked at the frozen confection. “The thing about it is…” She glanced around the table and found her friend’s gazes intent on her. “She’s sort of a fox.”
“Fox as in, wow she’s hot and we should watch our men around her? Ready to bitch-slap them if they look too long?” Maya didn’t look the tiniest bit upset about the idea.
Carly broke in with her own question. “Or fox as in, grr grr?” She made claws out of her hands and reached for Maddy.
Maddy nibbled her lower lip. Way back when Carly was seven, she’d gotten mad at her parents, shifted and run into the forest. Hours later, she came back dragging the body of dead fox. Shed told her mother that foxes did not play fair. “Uh, grr, grr? I swear, though. We’ll totally get her to promise not to eat you in a bad way. Or anyone in your warren.” She held up three fingers. “Scouts honor.”
Carly’s face went blank. “You were never a scout.”
Maddy sniffed. “I would have been if my brothers hadn’t chased after me that time we went camping. I couldn’t control my shift and—”
“And you came back to camp nekkid.” Maya, the bitch, smirked.
“Fuck you.”
“That’s Ricker’s job.”
Maddy growled. “Then go fuck yourself.”
Maya licked her spoon. “That’s Alex’s job.”
Carly snickered. “And boy did he ever.”
“Anyway. If she wants to join our band of wackiness, she’s welcome. But she has to bring her own ice cream.” Aw, sometimes Maddy really loved Maya. When she wasn’t snarking at her.
“And she has to understand that there will be no destroying of my kitchen if she comes to my house.” Carly pointed at her with her spoon. “Maya still hasn’t gotten the walls fixed and it’s been months.”
Maddy wasn’t going to laugh. Really. The Prima hadn’t taken the news of her pregnancy well and, after plopping into a chair in Carly’s kitchen, had kicked off her shoes to get comfortable. There were now dents in Carly’s wall. Oh, and the freezer door was missing which was why ice cream parties were now being held at the pride house instead of Carly’s place.
Maya had been really freaked.
“Agreed. No eating rabbits, her own ice cream and no destroying of private property.”
That wasn’t enough for Maya. “No public property either. I like Genesis just the way it is. If she needs a chew toy, we’ll buy her one. The tables at the club are off limits.”
“Chew toy?” She choked on a bit of ice cream.
The Prima looked at her with wide, not-so-innocent eyes. “Well, she’s from the Canidae family, right? So are dogs. Dogs chew on things. Hence, chew toys. I’ll put some in her welcome basket.”
Okay then.
Chapter Nine
“In a fight, don’t go away mad. Make them cry first. Or bleed. I prefer bleed, but whatever works for you.” – Maya Josephs, Prima of the Ridgeville Pride, who actually has done the whole “bleed” thing. For Maddy even.
Alex and Maya had growled, snarled and practically ordered Ricker and Madison to stay with them at the pride house. Well, Maya had wanted them there and Alex was merely trying to give his pregnant mate exactly what she’d desired.
But Ricker had won.
He needed time with his sweet, non-biddable mate, and he hadn’t thought that would have happened at the pride house. Not with lions traipsing in and out of the home at all hours and most of them wanted to check in with Maddy.
It’d taken everything in him not to snarl at the males who’d hugged her and welcomed her home.
Every. Thing.
Ricker glanced at his mate from the corner of his eye, saw her eyelids droop while he navigated the streets of the tiny town. They passed home after home, little Victorians that eventually bled to ranch style houses and finally those that had a good bit of land surrounding them.
From what Madison had said, she’d inherited her house from her grandmother (which frustrated her brothers to no end) and she’d lived there ever since.
He turned into the gravel driveway, tires crunching over the loose stones, and pulled up to the home, right next to what he assumed was her little car. It looked at least ten years old and he made a mental note to look into getting her a new one.
“Don’t need a new one.” She grumbled and stretched in her seat before removing her seatbelt. “That one does just fine.”
He narrowed his eyes. Maybe being connected wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.
Madison snorted and hopped from the SUV. Her hopping reminded him that he needed to return the truck to the council. They’d had the car replaced after leaving the cabin. He’d have to buy something closer to the ground so she wasn’t jumping from the car everywhere they went. Winter in Chicago, the council’s headquarters, made the roads and sidewalks slick. He climbed from the vehicle, mind rolling with preparations. The last thing he needed was for his mate to slip and hurt herself. Hell, by then she’d probably be pregnant with their cubs and no way would anything happen to them.
Madison, half way to the house, glanced back at him, smile playing on her lips. “What has you so happy?”
Ricker couldn’t fight his shit-eating grin. He closed the distance between them, wrapped his arms around her and tugged her close. He loved the feel of her body against his, those lush curves cushioning him.
He nuzzled her neck, rubbing his scent on her and inhaling her fragrance. Damn, he’d never get enough of her. Ever. “You. Pregnant with my cubs.”
“Yeah?” Madison snuggled and wiggled against him as if she wanted to crawl inside his skin. She sounded so unsure of herself, disbelieving, that he wanted to hit whoever had made her doubt herself.
“Yeah, Kit. You and me? We’re it. I want you by my side, big with my cubs. Forever.”
He settled his chin on the top of her head, rubbed it back and forth. Emotions were pouring from Madison and he worked at sorting through them. He tossed aside the disbelief. He’d spend the rest of his life proving that he wanted her, and only her.
Hope just added to his anger at those who’d beaten her down as she grew up. His mate should believe him, believe that she was worthy of his devotion. Hell, she should grab him by the nuts and demand her due.
Then, buried so deep he’d almost missed it, was a kernel of feeling that made his breath hitch. It wasn’t love. No, he readily admitted he wasn’t quite to that level either, but it was a start. Something more than “like” and just under the “L” word and he was relieved he wasn’t the only one feeling that way.
She tilted her head back, face upturned. “Forever?”
He didn’t think he’d ever get tired of staring into those blue eyes. “Yeah, Kit.” He closed the distance between their mouths, brushed his lips over hers in a ghost of a kiss. Once, twice and then he lingered, tongue stroking the seam of her lips. He needed a taste, just another reminder of his mate’s flavor.
Madison’s hands clutched his shirt, tugging on him,
and he lowered willingly, aching for more from her. He slipped his tongue into her mouth, swept into the moist cavern. He drank from her, a groan building in his chest. Another swipe, deeper still, exploring her moist heat, lapping and sucking her tongue, mimicking what was to come.
It’d been too long since he’d been inside her, slid into her pussy and made her scream. The idea made his cock harden in his jeans, press and struggle against the confines of his pants. Madison wiggled against him, rose to her tiptoes and rocked against his length. The cradle of her thighs hugged him, teased and tormented him.
He shifted his hold, cupped the fullness of her ass and brought her more firmly against him, nice and snug. She whimpered into his mouth and his knees nearly buckled, her need bleeding through to his mind and amplifying his. The scent of her arousal taunted him, teased him with what was to come.
Because now that they’d started (again), he wasn’t about to let them not finish.
Ricker gripped her tighter, took her weight into his palms and pulled his mouth from hers.
“Wrap your legs around me, Madison.” His voice was more tiger than man, beast on the edge and needing to claim their mate once again.
Madison lapped at his mouth and nipped his lower lip, doing as he asked. “Please.”
Mate in his arms, he strode toward the house, intent on finding a bed. Now. His arousal was roaring through his veins, cock pounding hard and ready to burst. Madison surrounded him in her scent, her taste, her lush curves pressing against him.
He stomped up the wooden steps and across the porch, right up to the front door. Unable to wait another moment, he pressed her against the hard surface and dove back in for another kiss.
Heat bounced between them, tongues licking and teeth nibbling, exploring and discovering everything anew. Her hands clutched at his shoulders, pulled him harder against her and he couldn’t help but obey. His balls ached, dick pulsing as the heat of her pussy seared through his jeans. He knew he’d find her wet and ready for him, sweet pussy begging for his touch, his mouth, his cock. Fuck, he wanted it all. He craved her body like a drug.