Kiera blinked hard. Pain ripped through her chest. Her father had been dead to her for years, but still, the knowledge that Riley had taken his life sent a cold shock through her system.
“You murdered our father,” Kiera whispered, venom in her voice.
Riley sucked in a harsh breath.
Turner snarled and pointed his finger at her. “You wouldn’t be alive if she hadn’t done what she did.”
“It’s okay,” Riley said softly, putting her hand on his chest. Her gaze lingered on Turner’s for a moment, until some of the anger dimmed from his eyes. She looked back at Kiera. “I know it’s all a shock.”
Kiera huffed. That was the understatement of the year.
“Sit down. We’ll explain everything.” Jacob placed a hand on her shoulder. His warmth seeped through her in calming waves, but she shrugged him off. She wanted–no, needed–to be angry. If not, she thought her grief might overwhelm her.
“What else don’t I know?” Kiera felt Jacob’s heavy gaze on her, but she kept her eyes narrowed on her sister.
Riley looked down at the floor. “I told you, that it was Marcus DuPoint who injected you with the serum.”
“I don’t believe it.” She shook her head. Marcus was one of her closest friends. There were things he knew about her that even Riley didn’t. He would never have intentionally hurt her.
“It’s true. He would have done the same to me if Turner hadn’t stopped him. He was working with our father. Trying to figure out a way to access the recessive Metamorph gene in non-shifters. Marcus’s sister volunteered to be one of the first injected. Like all the others, she became trapped in animal form. He thought that if he turned you, our father would work harder to find a cure.”
“No. I want to talk to him.” She needed to hear it from Marcus himself. There had to be an explanation.
“You can’t,” Riley answered softly, her eyes filling with new tears. “Marcus is dead.”
Revulsion washed over her.
“Did you kill him too?” Kiera snapped, staring into her sister’s widening, horrified gaze.
“You have no idea the hell Riley has gone through to protect you,” Turner snarled.
“To protect you, you mean,” Kiera bit out.
Turner’s face went red, and a low growl vibrated from his chest.
The lion within paced, responding to the emotions she tried so hard to contain. Her throat ached with the cry she wanted desperately to release.
“Enough.” Jacob moved between them and put his hands up.
“This is bullshit.” Turner cursed under his breath and pulled Riley against his chest. “If you had had even the slightest idea of the sacrifices that were made for you–”
“Sacrifices.” Kiera laughed bitterly. “While you’ve been off playing house with my sister, I’ve had to deal with the fact that there’s a freaking lion living inside of me.”
As if on cue, her lion let out a vibrating roar that echoed around the room. Kiera covered her mouth and closed her eyes, trying to rein the animal back the way Jacob had taught her.
Shit, shit, shit. She couldn’t deal with this right now. Unshed tears burned her eyes. She blinked them back angrily. She wouldn’t cry. Not here. Not now. Not in front of Jacob.
“I want you to leave,” she said, her voice strained, barely recognizable.
“Kiera, please,” Riley pleaded.
“Go.” The strangled cry tore from her lips before she had time to contain it. She turned her back on them and tried to catch her breath.
Jacob ushered them out of the kitchen, talking to them in hushed tones.
The animal lingered too close to the surface. Kiera dug her palms into her eyes and tried to block the primal urge to let the beast take over. For a moment, she almost let it. How much easier would it be to not have to think, to just be?
Kiera didn’t wait for Jacob to return. Instead, she bounded up the stairs, slamming the bedroom door behind her, and prayed for one last ounce of strength to contain the lion within.
Chapter 4
Standing outside of Keira’s bedroom, Jacob dragged his fingers through his hair and let out a long sigh. He could hear her pacing, sense her animal stirring, but she’d made it clear that she didn’t want help unless she asked. Still, she was his responsibility. If anything happened to her, it would be on his head.
“Kiera?” He knocked lightly on the door.
A small whimper sounded on the other side of the door, then a loud crash, and a series of curses.
“Jacob,” her voice was barely a whisper, but he heard it.
“Fuck.” Without another thought, he burst into the room.
At first, he didn’t see her.
The nightstand had toppled, and a shattered lamp lay on the floor. The white comforter had been pulled off the bed and lay in a heap in the corner. Kiera lay shivering underneath.
He knelt beside her and brushed the sweat-dampened hair away from her face.
“I-I ca-can’t stop it.” She trembled under his touch.
“Yes you can.” He crouched and scooped her up in his arms, an easy task with her slight frame. “You’re already doing it.”
“I ne-need the pills.” Her fingers clutched at his shirt, shaking uncontrollably.
He had them in his pocket, but she’d already become too dependent on them. If she took a sedative every time she felt her animal stir, she’d be a zombie twenty-four-seven.
“You don’t need them.”
It was the emotional stress that stirred her animal. If he could get her to calm down, then she’d be fine.
She gripped his shirt and dug her face into his chest. “It hurts.”
“I know.” With her still clutched tightly to his chest, he sat down on the bed with his back against the headboard, cradling her in his arms. “It gets easier. Take deep breaths. The animal isn’t your enemy.”
A small, shaky laugh escaped her lips. “Then why am I fighting it?”
“You’re fighting for control, not oppression. It’s about finding balance.”
She snorted. “Tell that to the lion.”
He smiled and leaned his head back, looking up at the ceiling fan. Her body relaxed, and melted into his. He hadn’t meant to put himself in such an intimate position, but now that he had her there, he was finding it hard to let go.
Kiera’s fingers fidgeted with a button on his shirt. “I shouldn’t have yelled at Riley.”
“No, but she understands the shock you’ve had.”
“Do you know what happened to Marcus?”
The bite of jealousy nipped at him.
“He was shot by your father’s men. Marcus went against his orders. He was never supposed to inject you with the serum.”
She squeezed her eyes. A tear slid down her cheek, and she swiped it away with the back of her hand.
“Were you–” He cleared his throat. “Involved with him?”
There was a small pause before she shook her head against his chest. “No. Not like that.”
She was holding back again, but he didn’t push her.
The thought of her being with another man stirred something in him that he didn’t want to speculate on.
“We were friends. Partied together sometimes. There was one night…” She shivered.
“What?”
“We were at a club. I thought someone put something in my drink. Marcus helped me to his car. I don’t remember much. I woke up on his bed the next morning.”
“Do you think he did something to you?” Jacob tensed.
“No. My clothes were on and he’d slept on the couch. But…”
“What?”
“My neck hurt for a few days after. I found a small bruise.” She touched her neck. “I didn’t think much of it at the time, but now…”
“Now you know the truth.”
She nodded weakly. “I guess I do.”
Even though the man was dead, anger welled in Jacob’s chest for what he’d done to her.
; “I’m tired.” She snuggled into him.
“Close your eyes.” He shifted her in his arms and placed her on the bed beside him.
“Don’t leave.” She gripped his hand when he moved towards the edge of the bed, blue eyes pleading.
Moonlight streamed through the room, glowing against her soft, pale skin. He inhaled her delicate scent and his cock twitched.
A battle waged inside of him. Staying would be a bad idea. Already, he’d crossed too many lines, broken too many of his own rules.
“Please,” she whispered.
She stared up at him in the darkness.
So beautiful.
“Just for tonight. I don’t want to be alone.”
The sound of her voice called to him. It stirred a need he hadn’t known existed.
He raked his hand roughly through his hair.
Fuck. What was he doing? He hated feeling out of control, but that was exactly how she made him feel. And yet he was like a moth to a flame, unable to deny her request.
He laid back stiffly, and placed a hand behind his head. He’d stay with her until she fell asleep. There was no harm in that. He hoped.
She inched towards him, placing her head on his chest, so that he had no choice but to wrap his free arm around her shoulder.
Her body fit against him perfectly.
He exhaled heavily and stared up at the ceiling, arousal moving through his system. His erection lay heavy against his stomach, tormenting him.
Bloody fucking terrible idea.
Silence lengthened between them.
“Jacob?”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you.”
He grunted, not trusting his voice.
After a few minutes, her breathing softened, became more regular, and he sensed that she was finally asleep. Thank God. He needed to get out of the room before his body betrayed him more than it already had. And yet he couldn’t bring himself to leave.
Her body was too soft, too perfect pressed against him, seeking his strength, his protection. He swallowed tightly and closed his eyes. He’d stay with her a little longer. In the morning he’d put the proper boundaries in place.
Chapter 5
Jacob was gone when Kiera woke up, but his scent lingered on the sheets. She rolled over on her stomach and placed her face in the pillow, breathing in the musky maleness. Her body ached to touch him, to have his large, powerful hands on her body, and not just in a gentle caress.
He wanted her too, or at least his body did. She’d felt his response to her nearness. But from what she knew about Jacob, he would never break his rules for a small fling, especially not with someone who he considered to be his responsibility.
She stood and stretched.
The soft hum of a lawnmower sounded outside. She peered out the window and sucked in her breath at the sight that met her. Jacob stood in the middle of the yard, his broad shoulders bare. In the morning sun, his skin glistened with sweat. Black shorts hung low on his narrow waist. He wiped his forehead with the back of his arm and turned the mower off.
A small moan escaped her lips. As if he sensed her watching him, he looked up at her window.
“Shit.” She stepped back and immediately regretted the action. He’d think she was standing there checking him out. Damn it, she had been checking him out.
She sighed and headed to the shower, intent on releasing some of her sexual frustration. They had work to do if she was ever going to master the whole werelion thing. But if she didn’t get her hormones under control, she was going to end up pouncing on him the next time he touched her.
The warm water eased some of her discomfort, but not even her own touch could eliminate the ache between her thighs. Her fingers skimmed over her sensitive breasts, her stomach. She whimpered when she touched her soft mound and pressed a finger between the folds.
A loud knock on the door made her yelp in surprise. She stumbled back and slipped. Panicking, she reached for the shower curtain to stop from falling. With a small squeak, she fell hard, her backside throbbing in pain. Shampoo bottles flew and the curtain and metal rod tumbled on top of her.
“Kiera?” The door burst open.
“Get out,” she screamed, fighting with the heavy curtain, yet trying to keep some semblance of modesty.
Jacob stared, his eyes wide, mouth hanging open. The scent of his desire hit her like an extra dose of an aphrodisiac. He remained shirtless. The heavy coiled muscles on his stomach and chest were covered in a faint dusting of hair that snaked down past his waistband. His erection pressed heavily against the thin material of his shorts. She nearly moaned again as her heightened arousal became an almost physical pain.
She threw a shampoo bottle at him. It missed, hit the wall beside his head and fell to the floor. “I said, get out.”
His brows snapped into a frown. He turned his back but stayed where he was.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.” Free from the curtain, she turned the water off, then grabbed a towel. Humiliated, her face burned. Did he know what she’d been doing? Surely, if she could sense his arousal, then he could sense hers. Did he have any idea how desperately she craved his touch?
“I brought your things up.” He kept his back to her. His fists clenched and unclenched at his sides. “I wanted to let you know.”
He still didn’t leave. The muscles in his back strained against the golden skin. Warmth radiated down her spine and the desire to touch him was almost unbearable. Her mouth watered with the need to taste him. Her hormones raged with animalistic need.
If he didn’t leave now, she wouldn’t be responsible for what she did next.
Kiera swallowed hard. “Thanks for letting me know, but unless you want to join me in the shower, then I suggest you go.”
He flinched, then coughed roughly. “I’ll fix the shower curtain later.”
“Right.” She rolled her eyes as he left. Her mouth had gotten the better of her again. Damn, why couldn’t she learn to keep it shut?
She sat down heavily on the edge of the tub and put her face in her hands. It was a dangerous game playing with him like that. Was she even prepared if he’d said yes and joined her?
A small shiver raced across her skin. Her body was more than ready and that was all that mattered. She’d learned a long time ago that sex and emotions were a dangerous combination, but there were no emotions between her and Jacob. Just mutual lust.
There was no harm in what she had in mind for him, no reason the two of them couldn’t have a little fun while she was there.
They were living under the same roof. There was no avoiding each other, or the chemistry between them. Why play coy when she knew what she wanted?
Kiera stood. She drew in a deep breath before nodding abruptly. The man was a challenge, and one thing she’d never backed down from was a good fight.
Chapter 6
With a deep sigh, Jacob opened his laptop and logged into the Therian Agency’s network. He leaned back in the leather chair and tapped his fingers on the edge of the large mahogany desk, waiting for the information to load.
Kiera moved around in the upstairs room. She’d spent most of the day unpacking and setting up her art studio in the back solarium.
Her scent permeated the house, making it nearly impossible for him to concentrate on anything else. He rubbed the back of his neck and closed his eyes. He’d nearly lost all control when he’d seen her splayed out, naked on the bathtub floor. Every cell in his body had cried out to take her, to claim her. He’d reined his animal back, but just barely.
There had been desire in her gaze. Reckless, uncensored lust that had his balls tightening with need.
“Pull yourself together,” he muttered.
Balor whined at his feet, as if agreeing.
He’d brought Kiera under his care for one purpose: to teach her how to control her new nature. The irony that she made his own animal pace wildly was not lost on him.
Kiera popped her head around the corner
of the office door. “I’m going for a quick run.”
“A run?”
“Yeah. You know, when you move your feet real fast and –”
“I know what you meant. There’s a treadmill in the basement.”
She shook her head. “Not the same thing.”
“Give me a couple minutes to finish up here and I’ll go with you.”
“I’ll be fine. I won’t go far. And I promise if I start growing a mane and tail, I’ll come right back.”
“Female lions don’t have manes.” He shut down the computer, pushed his chair back and stood.
“It was a joke.” She rolled her eyes.
“Right.” He pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled a slow, steady breath. “Still, I don’t want you out there alone. If something happened–”
“I know, I know. You’d be responsible.”
He followed her out onto the front porch, careful to keep his gaze from travelling down to the tight running shorts that outlined her perfectly sculpted backside. Balor padded along beside him.
She turned and placed her hands on her hips, and gave him a mischievous little smile. “I need exercise, so unless you have a better idea, I’m going for a run.”
Her blue eyes glittered with a dare.
A small rumble echoed in his chest before he could stop it.
The woman was intent on destroying what sanity he had left.
“Fine. But take Balor with you.”
The dog’s ears perked up at the mention of his name. He stood, wagging his tail.
“No way. He’ll probably drag me down the street.”
Jacob grabbed the leash and fastened it to the dog’s collar. Balor whined excitedly.
“He hasn’t been walked today.” He handed her the leash.
Kiera frowned down at the animal. “I don’t like dogs.”
“He seems to like you.”
Balor licked her hand and she sighed.
“All right, but if he runs away it’s your fault.”
“He knows his way home. You on the other hand don’t, so don’t go far.”
Balor tugged at the leash, pulling Kiera down the porch steps. He could hear her muttering all the way down the cobblestone path. She started to jog and Balor slowed to keep pace with her. He caught a glimpse of her smile before she turned the corner.
Taming Kiera (Therian Agents Book 3) Page 3