Temptation's Hold [Temptation, Wyoming 4]

by Zoey Marcel

  Unlike his playboy brothers, he could still count the number of women he’d slept with on one hand. Sex was deeply personal to him and he didn’t want to cheapen himself by throwing his body around to just anybody.

  Brad and Cory were sharing women for a while before Dawson joined in. Brad shared his sub with him a few times, but since Chanel started talking to him again, Dawson abstained in hopes that he could win her respect and somehow get her back.

  “Brad was all wrong about her,” Cory was saying now that he sat on the barstool. He winced slightly when he moved on the stool as if his butt was sore. “The woman’s got handcuffs and she knows how to use them.”

  Dawson had to smile at this. “She handcuffed you?”

  Cory blushed. “Yeah, but don’t tell Brad. The story is that I handcuffed her to the bed. Got it?”

  “I’m not gonna lie to my brother.”

  “You don’t have to lie. Just don’t tell him about it.”

  Brad came in from the other room. “Don’t tell me about what?”

  Cory pointed at him. “You. You said she didn’t want it. I told you she wanted it.”

  Brad eyed him suspiciously. “What did you do?”

  “I fucked Chanel, that’s what I did. Well, not in the traditional sense of the word. She sucked me off and I ate her out. It was fucking grand.”

  Brad folded his arms with an approving grin. “Well, well. Our little mate is coming around after all.”

  “That kinky bitch isn’t the vanilla librarian you figured she’d be in bed. She has handcuffs and corsets and...all kinds of things.”

  “She let you handcuff her?”

  Cory blushed. “Yep. I spanked her, too.”

  “How did you spank her if you were handcuffed to her bed?” Ben teased.

  Cory turned pink. “Shh!”

  Brad shook his head. “You let her handcuff you?”

  “Yeah, but it was so hot.”

  “And you’re probably the one who got the spanking, too, huh?”

  “Yeah,” Cory confessed sheepishly. “She used that wand thing that you turn blinds with and whacked me a few good ones.”

  “Clever. Since when do you bottom for women?”

  “I don’t, but she was worth it.”

  “Maybe he’s a switch,” Dawson suggested.

  “Maybe,” Brad agreed, “or maybe our horny little brother was so desperate to get into her pants he didn’t care what he had to do to get there.”

  The men chuckled.

  “Hey, you would’ve done the same thing if you’d been in my shoes,” Cory accused.

  Brad shook his head. “No, Cory, I wouldn’t have. No woman is tying me up and spanking me like I’m her little slave boy. When I get Chanel beneath me it’s going to be on my terms, not hers.”

  “She said she’d never sleep with you because you’re a chauvinistic pervert.” Cory chuckled after his hiccup.

  Brad smiled devilishly over this. “She said she’d never give you the time of day, either, and look what happened tonight. We’re getting through to her. I told Dawson earlier I let my sub go. From now on, you and I are going to keep it in our pants like he does until we seduce her.”

  Cory scowled. “Well, that sucks. It’s not like she agreed to go out with me or anything. She threw me out afterward and started cussing at me for going through her things.”

  Ben shook his head and rolled his eyes as he played his newest hand. “Are you still stalking my sister-in-law, Cory? Persistence is one thing, but she’ll eat you for breakfast if you try to steal one of her things like a little creep.”

  “What’s wrong with a little souvenir? Besides I’m glad I did it. I think she’s ready to start a family.”

  Brad’s interest looked piqued. “What makes you say that?”

  “I found a little Onesie in her underwear drawer. You know the kind that little babies wear? Apparently, she’s planning ahead to start a family and I’m thinking she wants a little boy, since the outfit was blue. You think she’d wait on that stuff until she actually had a baby.”

  “Maybe she’s pregnant,” Sampson suggested, taking a drink of his whiskey.

  “Well, that’s not possible. I came in her mouth. Oh, you mean by someone else.” Cory appeared annoyed. “Hey! She’d better not be. I’m gonna make her babies for her.”

  Brad grinned. “I doubt she’s pregnant, Cory. But if she wants babies we can give her babies.”

  Dawson pondered all of this quietly. He would love to start a family with Chanel.

  * * * *

  Chanel wore sunglasses and a hat on her head in a weak attempt to hide from Cory when she walked through town the following day. Thank god it was Saturday. She could hide at home, ride out the hangover, and avoid him. He had a big mouth, but she clung to the hope that he hadn’t said anything to anyone about what they did together last night.

  She bought a crystal ball at the magic shop and Hilary, the witch, was nice enough to give her a brief rundown on how to use it, or at least how to conjure the image of Lucius whenever she wanted to.

  Chanel sat at home now, hesitant to call the image of him into the clear sphere. Could she bear to look at him after she’d bawled for an hour last night when Cory found the tiny, treasured article of clothing in her underwear drawer?

  She took a deep breath and uttered the words Hilary told her to say. The image of a young, bleach-blonde woman appeared. She sat at a bar and Lucius used some clever line to gain her trust and stimulate her sense of humor. He could be supremely charming when he wanted to be. The conversation went on for a bit and he made sure the woman had plenty of drinks to relax her. As if he needed to get her drunk. The man was handsomely alluring with a certain dark, mysterious edge to him that was lethal and inviting. But Chanel could see past his facade to the killer that lay beneath.

  Lucius put his hand on the woman’s bare thigh and rubbed her sensually as he whispered provocative promises into her ear. “Your room?”

  The ditz simpered and batted her eyes. “Okay. This is exciting. I can’t wait.”

  His smile was pure evil. “Neither can I.”

  Chanel shivered, knowing by the brief flash of yellow that flickered in his eyes before they returned to blue while the woman’s back was turned that it wasn’t sex the fiend had on his mind.

  The girl walked with him upstairs to her hotel room and unknowingly to her death.

  “Run, you stupid bitch,” Chanel murmured, shaking her head as she felt a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach coming on.

  The woman didn’t run. She made out with Lucius once they were alone in her room. “Why don’t I just change into something more comfortable?”

  He grinned like the heartless bastard he was. “I’ll do the same.”

  “No!” Chanel pounded the table angrily. “He’s going to kill you, you brainless slut! Get out of there!”

  But the woman couldn’t hear her. She removed her clothes in the bathroom and came out in her bra and panties.

  The man she came up with was nowhere to be found. By the time she saw the huge wolf with glowing yellow eyes it was too late. He was on her in a flash and it frustrated the hell out of Chanel that this girl seemed to be one of the irritating ones who became paralyzed with fear and struck silent in the face of danger.

  “No!” Chanel shouted at the ball, cupping her hands over it so she didn’t have to witness the woman’s death.

  A tiny, strangled scream too faint to be heard by anyone in the next room was all that came from the poor girl before the sound of suffocating supplanted it. The wolf probably had her by the throat and was crushing her windpipe until she no longer drew breath and then he would feed on her...like a soulless animal hunting prey.

  Chanel took a baseball bat and smashed the crystal ball into smithereens. She knew she would regret cutting off access to her only way to find Lucius, but right now she just didn’t give a shit. If she had to witness or hear one more person suffer by his hand she’d kill herself.

>   Her cell phone rang, distracting her from the agonizing situation. “Hello?”

  “Hey, Chanel. It’s me.” Her older sister, Jill.

  “Oh, hi, Jill. What’s up?” Chanel forced herself to put down the bat she squeezed with white knuckles and brushed away the stray tears that managed to escape.

  “I was just calling to make sure you’re still coming out here for Christmas.”

  “Of course. I wouldn’t miss it for anything. You know I always go home for Christmas.”

  “Great. So Joe and I’ll pick you up from the airport. What time does your plane land?”

  “Actually, I thought I would drive this year instead of fly.”

  “Why the hell for? Do you know how long of a drive that would be?”

  “It’ll be fun. I can make tourist stops on the way,” said Chanel.

  The real reason was that her gun and ammunition would never make it past the metal detectors and airport security. Nothing was going to keep her from doing what she had to, even if she had to drive for a crap ton of hours to accomplish it.

  “If it’s a financial issue we can cover it for you.”

  “It has nothing to do with money. Trust me, I just need a little adventure.”

  “Well, suit yourself. How have you been?”

  A difficult question to answer. Her new job as a librarian appealed to her, but the memories of her little one haunted and broke her heart. The playful romp in bed with Cory last night thrilled her, but the reality of what she would do in Las Vegas had her adrenaline pumping furiously at the moment.

  “I’m fine. How have you been?” A safe classic to fall back on.

  “We’re good. I’m having fun planning the wedding. Pasadena and Coral are excited that they get to be the flower girls.”

  “I bet. Did Ben agree to the divorce, then?”

  Jill exhaled an exasperated sigh. “No. I’ve been on his ass for months and he won’t change his mind. I don’t know why he wants to stay married when we live in different states and have nothing to do with each other. I think he’s just being a vindictive asshole, trying to punish me for leaving him and rob me of any happiness.”

  “Just tell him you slept with your fiancé like I told you to.”

  “But I haven’t. I don’t feel right about sleeping with another man while I’m still married to Ben.”

  “You don’t have to if you don’t feel right about it yet. Just tell him you did and that should get him to agree to the divorce.”

  “I don’t feel right about lying to him, either.”

  Chanel rolled her eyes. “The shithead lied to you and tricked you into marrying him. It would serve him right if you returned the favor and tricked him into a divorce.”

  “I shouldn’t have to lie to my husband so he’ll give me a divorce.”

  “I’ll do it. I have no problem making the bastard’s life hell after what he did to you.”

  “That’s okay. Don’t bother. As soon as the snow clears some up there and I get a chance without making Joe suspicious, I’ll plan a trip up there and confront the jerk in person.”

  “You shouldn’t have to do that. You’ve got your hands full with your job, being a mom, and planning a wedding.”

  Jill sighed. “I know, but it’ll be worth it if I can finally talk Ben into cooperating. Besides, I’ll get to see you while I’m up there. That will be fun. Oh, I’ve got to go. It looks like Joe brought home dinner. He’s so good to me.”

  “I’m glad you’re happy, Jill. It sounds like you found a good one.”

  “Thanks. He is. While you’re down here you’ll have to tell me all about your love life.”

  Chanel felt a steady rush of warm blood creep into her cheeks when she recalled her reminiscent texts to Dawson and the way he’d basically asked her out. She remembered the hot rush of need Brad inflicted her with in the library and the amazing tonguing from Cory last night. The way his cute buns had bloomed pink beneath her spanking and the hot, luscious feel of his stiff cock in her mouth was rapturous.

  After saying good-bye to Jill, Chanel pulled the tiny, light blue Onesie from her dresser drawer. He’d looked so cute in it. Her little man had been a bitty miniature of his daddy. She missed them both so much.

  She reached beneath the neat stacks of lingerie, grateful Cory hadn’t found the gun hidden in her drawer there as well.

  She kissed the cotton outfit, remembering the powdery-scented innocence of his soft, chubby skin. She loved the feel of his peach fuzz tickling her as she brushed her lips against his sweet head. He’d always liked that.

  God, she wanted another baby. Why hadn’t she let Cory penetrate her last night? If she had she might have been carrying a baby right now.

  Chanel put the garment away and checked the cylinder of her gun, pleased to find the silver bullets she’d had specially made. She would go to California to visit her family for Christmas as usual. But first she had a surprise visit to pay someone in Las Vegas.

  * * * *

  Brad went to Sally’s Christmas party with his brothers. Though none of them said it, they all wished Chanel had agreed to accompany them. They’d waited for her for years and it was wearing his patience thin.

  Sally was an excellent hostess and a professional caterer, so the food and holiday decorations were top notch. Brad especially liked the large Christmas tree she’d decorated so festively.

  It amused him the way Dale Havarti all but shadowed her for most of the evening. The man was clearly interested in her and Brad wondered when he’d make his move. Sally had a personal human pet, Josh, and Dale had one in his sub, Trish. And while their devotion to their pets was apparent, the attraction and affection Dale and Sally had for one another were obvious.

  Brad felt his spirits lift and his heart quicken when he saw Chanel walk in. She came alone, but she came. She looked fetching in her long black skirt, black stiletto boots, and the olive-green sweater that brought out her eyes. Her long, brown hair fell soft and free, the ends flirting with the perky bosom his eyes were burning to see.

  Sally greeted her with a big smile and a warm hug since they were good friends. When she was alone again, Chanel scanned the room as if looking for someone.

  Right over here, sweetheart.

  Brad started to head toward her, but then realized who she was really searching for as she headed over to the sheriff with an air of exasperated determination. Dear god, was she really going to go pester her brother-in-law again? Would she never leave the poor man alone?

  Brad went to go save Ben from the snippy little thing. The closer he drew, the better he could overhear their conversation. Ben looked annoyed and muttered something in German.

  Chanel folded her arms, seeming irritated. “What did you say?”

  Ben smiled mischievously before immersing himself in his mug of eggnog.

  She turned to Dexter Woods, a beaver shifter. “What did he say?”

  Dexter gave her a lopsided smile. “Sorry, I don’t know German. I only know Klingon and Elven.”

  The way her head shook in aggravation told Brad she’d probably rolled her eyes at his comment. Ben walked off and Chanel followed him, yipping at him like an ornery dog and denying him peace.

  Brad tried to follow, but it was difficult to maneuver through the crowd without shoving people aside and being rude, so he took his time and tried to be polite. Although he really just wanted to hip check everybody aside so he could reach his woman sooner and shut her up before she embarrassed Ben and made a fool of herself in public.

  Ben looked exasperated as she laid into him, but to his credit, he managed to keep his cool better than Brad probably would have if the little woman got out of line with him. She needed to be put in her place. He also wanted to dance with her and have her sit next to him and his brothers while they partook of refreshments.

  “She wants a divorce, you stupid bastard,” Chanel said far too loudly.

  Ben muttered something in a low voice, but Brad’s superior hearing told him tha
t the sheriff made it clear to her that his marriage to her sister was none of Chanel’s business and he wasn’t going to discuss it with her any further. He turned to disappear into the crowd, but her sudden outburst stopped him in his tracks.

  “Jill already had sex with her fiancé! He’s a bodybuilder who supports her dreams and she told me he’s much better in the sack than you ever were! She loves him more than she ever loved you!” Chanel stood there smugly and waited for Ben to turn around and face her.

  The entire room fell silent and only the sound of Christmas music could be heard playing in the background. How appropriate that it was “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.”

  To Brad’s surprise, Ben actually turned back around slowly to face her. His lips were parted slightly as if in shock, and the only time Brad had ever seen Ben’s eyes misty like that was the day Jill left him seven years ago. Ben didn’t say a word as he grabbed his coat and left the party with everyone staring at him.

  Neil Banks appeared torn between wanting to cuss Chanel out and going to comfort his best friend. In the end, he chose to go after Ben and be there for him.

  Brad was pissed. He couldn’t ever remember being so furious with Chanel before. No more horsing around. The town bitch needed a lesson. She liked dishing out pain? Maybe it was time she was on the receiving end of some. He told his brothers to bring the truck around front and he’d be out in a second.

  This time, Brad had no problem nudging people out of the way as he stomped toward her. The individuals who saw him coming knew to move over for him. He grabbed her by the arm and yanked her toward the front door.

  “Let go of me, you asshole!” Chanel ordered as she tried in vain to pull away.

  Brad slung her over his shoulder and carried her out.

  “Put me down, Brad! This is embarrassing!”

  “How the fuck do you think Ben feels right about now?”

  Dawson already had the truck pulled around front. He sat in the driver’s seat and Cory scooted over into the middle as Brad got in on the passenger’s side and pulled Chanel onto his lap.

  “Let me go, you son of a bitch!” she yelled when the doors locked and they started to drive.