The Shifter's Secret

by R. A. Boyd

  He would learn to live with her decision if she denied him. It would hurt him deep, but he would accept it. He’d rather be with her and Lily like he’d been the past few weeks than try to push something on Emma she didn’t want.

  His heart beat against his breast bone where her fingers rested. “Is that good or bad?”

  When she looked up at him, two shining tears ran down her cheeks. Her beautiful brown eyes were so bright beneath her lashes. She looked like an anime character.

  She wiped her tears away with the back of her hand and then sat up so fast Jace thought she was trying to get away from him. Her breathy voice tripped with laughter as she spoke. “You want to marry me and adopt Lily?”

  Emma was radiant like this. Brown eyes vibrant as she looked down at him, small hand toying with the collar of her purple nightshirt, and the most beautiful smile that shone as bright as the pure light of clouds. She was happy.

  “Yeah,” Jace said. He sighed and reached up to tuck a long curl behind her ear. “I really do.”

  “Remember you said you wouldn’t mind if I took care of Lily and didn’t work? That still stand?”

  Hell yes he remembered. He loved the way she was with Lily. He remembered her telling him how much she hated that Lily had to be in school every day all day. Yes, it was how many kids lived their lives, but she loved that her mom used to stay with her. The last time he saw Emma’s mom five years ago, she’d mentioned that she always hoped that Emma could do that for her future kids.

  Jace nodded and sat up. “I remember. You looked at me like I was insane.”

  She shrugged and moved to straddle him. “Okay, I did do that, but I’ve been thinking. If we do stay here, which I’m pretty sure we’re going to do, I want to volunteer at the pre-school. And I want to go back to school myself. Coding paid the bills, but it’s not what I want to do forever.”

  “Paige starts classes in September. It’s online, but maybe you could—”

  “Perfect!” A sob wrenched from her throat as she threw her arms around his neck and pushed her lips against his until their teeth clicked together in a painful kiss that hurt just right. “Ow,” she drawled out. She thrust her tongue into his mouth and ground her hips onto his erection. “We need to be quick so we don’t miss breakfast.”

  Quick? He could do quick, but he loved taking his time to worship her body. He’d been hard so long his cock ached, but damn-it, she felt good. Running his hands up under her shirt, he skimmed his nails down her back. She arched into him, body softening against his as she let off a quiet moan.

  Emma reached down between their bodies and slipped her hand beneath the fabric of his gym shorts. Starting at the base of his shaft and gliding her hand up until she squeezed the head of his cock, she stroked him over and over until he lifted his hips and pumped into her hand.

  “Do you like this?” she asked as she grinned into their kiss.

  A rumbling growl in his throat was the only answer he could give as she used her thumb to spread the bead of moisture from his tiny slit around the tip of his cock. Fuuck, that felt good. She brushed her tongue along the seam of his lips as her hips moved against him, her hand still jerking and squeezing him closer to orgasm.

  Just when he was about to stop her, she released him, stood up on the bed, and took off her short and panties. Her pussy so close to his face was a tease. He wanted to taste her, make her slick with need for him.

  She lowered herself over him and slid her wetness up and down the length of him, pulling off her shirt as she moved. Lowering his head, he took his hands and pushed her breasts together, licking and sucking both nipples at the same time. She took in huge gulps of breath as they both worked to get the other downright riled up and ready for a quick, sensuous fuck that would last them until they came home this evening.

  “I love your tits,” he said. He flicked his tongue over the drawn up buds and then bit them. Emma loved when he took his teeth to her nipples, or to her clit.

  Emma speared both of her hands through his hair, pulling him closer to her chest as she arched forward. Still holding his head to her chest, she reached between his thighs and held his shaft. She sat down on him, filling herself with his cock as she screamed out.

  “Oh, Jace,” she called out.

  He wrapped his arms around her, keeping her still as her body adjusted to his size. He usually went down on her until she was dripping wet and worked over, ready to receive him. But not this time. Even without getting her ready for him, she was fucking drenched. The muscles of her hot, wet cunt trembled as they absorbed him.

  Her breasts heaved against his face. If he could die like this, it would be worth it. Surrounded by her scent, her body. He filled her. He adored her. His mate.

  She lifted herself, the tightness of her entrance rubbing his cock the perfect way to send lightning strikes of pleasure up his spine. Over and over, she raised her body and then slowly lowered herself onto him. It was a slow torture that he loved.

  “Fuck me,” she muttered into the top of his head.

  He let go of her breasts and ran his large hands down her back, each hand grabbing a handful of the ample globes of her ass. He spread her cheeks and thrust upwards, filling her over and over with his cock.

  “Play with your nipples,” he demanded as he pummeled her pussy.

  She reached up and used her thumb and forefingers to squeeze her nipples to the rhythm of him fucking her. She whimpered as he slanted his lips over hers, still pumping his hips up and down as she rode him with a wild abandon he’d never seen in her before. Pulling away from the kiss, she threw her head back, eyes closed. A focused look blanketed her face as their sweat-slicked bodies writhed against each other.

  Jace groaned and brushed his lips up the column of her neck, biting her chin as he fucked her. Deeper. Harder.

  Every muscle in his body began to tense. His orgasm was coming, but he wanted his mate to come with him. He reached down between the cheeks of her ass and started to rub one of his fingers around her puckered, tight hole.

  She let go of her tits and grabbed his shoulders, digging her nails into his flesh. A string of unintelligible words fell from her lips as her thrusts grew more erratic. When he felt the telltale trembles of her body before her orgasm, he pushed his finger into her ass and brought his knees up, flipping her over until Emma was on her back. Her hips were elevated on the beds of his upper thighs. From this angle, he could fuck her harder.

  Cock still pumping into her, he took his finger and pushed it into her ass up to the second knuckle. Instead of her body calming to a standstill when her orgasm hit, she moved against him and screamed his name over and over. Her hips rose to meet his as he penetrated her pussy and her ass. Her orgasm shoved him over the edge, the muscles of her slick entrance pressing and massaging his cock.

  With a splintering blast that stiffened his body, everything in the world but Emma disappeared. Her tight, warm cunt pulsed around his cock and he threw his head back and roared a feral, monstrous sound as he filled her womb with his hot seed.

  They panted and gasped, unable to speak as they recovered from their arduous love-making. It took everything inside of him not to collapse on top of her as the lasting flutters from her orgasm milked him of every ounce of strength he had left. He bucked into her, drawing out the sobs of pleasure that emanated from both of them.

  Pulling his semi-hard cock from her body, he rolled them over onto their sides and gathered her close to him. Emma bit his chest right above the claiming mark she’d given him. It sent a wave of heat down to his balls and filled out his body.

  He caressed his hand along her ribs, over the swell of her ass, and slapped the soft, supple flesh. He smiled as she jiggled beneath his hand. “Take your teeth to me again, and we won’t make it to breakfast.”

  Sighing, she rubbed her nose on his chest and laughed. “My goodness, man! I need at least ten minutes to recover. And a bottle of water.” She settled against him and took a deep breath. “Can I tell you so
mething?” Her voice hitched higher as if she were nervous.

  “Absolutely. Don’t ever be afraid to tell me anything. What is it?”

  Her heart beat faster in her chest. It bothered him. He couldn’t imagine what could make her feel like this, especially with him.

  “Umm…” She clicked her teeth together three times and shrugged. “I’ve never been into it, but I really liked the butt play. It was nice. Like really nice. I want to do that again. And try other things too.”

  Holy shit. Emma’s words played a scene in his mind that would haunt him until he came through on her interests. Her full, sexy, round ass in the air as he played with her tight hole, making her call his name. Making her hands reach out for shit that wasn’t even there so she could hold on as the orgasm took complete control of her. Hell. Yeah.

  Butt plugs. There weren’t any stores in New Rose that sold sex toys but damn-it, they were driving into Baltimore to buy as many butt plugs and whatever the hell else she wanted to use. He wouldn’t even consider sinking his dick into her ass until she was ready. Damn-it. He was going to be hard all damn day.

  “Get your brain out of your man-bits, Jace,” she said, swatting his chest and breaking the spell of her request. “I’m going to take that as a yes.”

  He huffed a breath. “That is a hell yes.”

  Emma laughed and sat up in bed. Looking down on him, she smiled and shook her head. Every smile just for him warmed his heart in more ways than he could express.

  “I love when you smile,” he said, reaching up to cup her face.

  She pushed her cheek into his large hand and then kissed his palm. “I’m going to take a shower.”

  “I can join—”

  “No, you can’t,” she interrupted. “I’m hungry. If you shower with me we’d be lucky to eat before Simon inhales everything.”

  Hungry. Emma was hungry, and he needed to feed her. And Simon’s greedy ass would eat everything on the table if they let him. He’d even taken to eating all the leftover gluten-free food Lily didn’t eat.

  Laying back in bed, Jace crossed his arms behind his head and watched as Emma walked to the bathroom. She grabbed a pair of panties and a bra from a drawer, and then looked over her shoulder to wink at him. The sound of her brushing her teeth as she hummed filled his head, and before she even started the shower, he was falling asleep.

  Jace didn’t know how long he slept, but the frantic sound of her running around the room startled him awake.

  She was already half-way dressed. For a moment, he thought the rush of her movements were to make it to breakfast before it was too late, but the way her hands shook as she reached for a shirt brought him clarity.

  “Babe,” he said, sitting up in bed. “What’s wrong?”

  Her eyes darted to him. “Nothing.” She pulled her lavender and gray shirt over her head, giving him a false smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m fine. Go on and take a shower. I’m going to walk over for breakfast.”

  Lies. She was lying to him. She wobbled on her feet, trying to put on socks as she walked toward the bedroom door.

  Emma was scared. And she was lying to him. She knew he could sense lies.

  He stood from the bed and moved toward her so fast that she gasped and tried to run for the door. The rise and fall of her shoulders increased as she looked up at him. The crisp scent of snow and burnt oranges wafted from her as she tried to put distance between them. Guilt and fear. Why did she smell like guilt and fear?

  “Please,” she said, a sob clogging her words. She licked her lips as she stared up at him, eyes full of unshed tears. “Just, give me some space.”

  “What happened?”

  She ran her hands over her face and pushed the dark mass of coils behind her ears. “Your brother… Samiyah has my dad. He said he wouldn’t hurt him if I came. He promised not to go after Lily if I came. He said that—” Cries punched through her lips and she wrapped her arms around her middle as if trying to keep herself together. “He said he just wants my blood and something of yours. I’m sorry, Jace. I can’t lose my daddy.”

  Jace tried to pull her closer to him, but she slapped his hands away and backed toward the door. “Emma. You do know he lies. He would kill you as soon as you left this property. And what the fuck made him think I wouldn’t find out? He had to know I would figure it out. It’s a setup.”

  Fire burned in his veins as he thought of whatever heinous plans his brother’s possessed form had in store for Emma. He would fucking kill Ronin, Samiyah, or whoever the fuck was in control.

  She shook her head, moving toward the door again, but Jace grabbed her arm and pulled her to him.

  “Get off,” she screamed. She struggled against him, beating at his chest and pushing him away.

  Something must have reminded her of what she’d been taught to defend herself. As hard as she could, Emma brought her foot down on his, and when the pain radiated out of his foot and through his ankle, it shot up his leg. Instinctively, his torso hitched forward so he could grab his foot. Emma clasped her hands together and brought her elbow up with as much force as she could and struck him in his neck.

  He gasped in a shock of air and grabbed his throat, but she hunkered inward and then used all of her force to shove her body against his.

  Butt ass naked, toes on fucking fire, and his breath caught in his lungs, Emma’s small frame rocketing against his pushed him off balance. He fell to the floor, and when he looked up at her in astonishment and lust— because damn-it, her knocking him on his ass like a full-figured, fierce, erotic goddess was sexy as shit— she pointed down at him.

  Panting, she shuffled back and forth on her feet as if trying to clamp down on the adrenaline raging through her body. “I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry, Jace. I can’t let my dad die because I didn’t come. You can’t stop me, and I don’t have time. I have to be there in less than an hour. Please forgive me.”

  Just as Jace got up off the floor, Emma turned around, opened the door, and ran straight into the wall that was Aiden.

  It didn’t take her long to recover from the surprise of seeing him in the doorway. “Aiden,” she said, voice a low warning as she squared her shoulders and widened her stance. “I will drop your ass if you get in my way.”

  A puzzled frown took over Aiden’s face. “Yeah, Emma,” he said, shaking his head as if her words amused him. “I like you a lot, and the only reason my brother is getting his ass up off the floor is that he loves and adores you. You’re like a sister to me. I’m used to Audra attacking me. I think I can—”

  Aiden’s words were cut short by Emma shoving the heel of her hand into his nose. Stunned, he fell against the door and looked at Emma like she was fucking insane.

  “Oh, my gosh. Baby, you’re bleeding,” Paige said, wide brown eyes peeking around the doorframe as she grabbed her mates arm to keep him from falling over. “Emma. Can you teach me that?”

  Okay. Jace thought himself a fool to ever underestimate Emma. They’d wrestled and played around before, but she’d never come at him like she wanted to hurt him. But he wouldn’t fault her. She was afraid and willing to do anything to save her daughter and her dad. He understood, but he would not let her run out of here like her ass was on fire and get herself killed.

  Jace grabbed Emma’s arm and was ready for her this time. As her hand shot around her torso to do whatever move she was prepared to do, he grabbed her fist and pulled her to him.

  Wrapping her in a tight embrace, he pinned her arms between them. “Stop. Emma, stop.” His voice was calm. He wanted to soothe her, but he knew it was pointless.

  She was a force right now; like a wounded animal that would kill to protect itself. A sob wrenched from her throat as she fought to free herself, and all Jace could do was hold her. There were no comforting words he could offer her. Nothing he could do to guarantee her father wouldn’t die today, because Jace was not letting her run off and into a trap. After a few moments, her entire body went limp as she screamed and cried.
She shook and promised him pain and retaliation if he didn’t let her go.

  “I thought it was my dad sending me a text, asking me to call when I got a moment alone. You were sleeping, so I called from the bathroom. I thought he was going to offer me a weird, violent type of advice. But Samiyah answered,” she said, looking up into his eyes. “That’s who he said he was. He’s going to kill my daddy, Jace,” Emma said, pushing her face into his chest to quell her cries. “I just lost my mom, and my grandfather died last year.” She looked up at him again, a mix of fear and something akin to hatred in her eyes. “I can’t lose my dad. If all he wants is blood and something of yours…”

  Emma would hate him forever if her father died, and right now, Jace was willing to take that chance.

  His heart ached for her. He needed to make this better, but there was nothing he could do. Shaun was a good man and a great father, and he would never want Emma to risk herself for him. Hell, her father just might try to kill him if he let Emma go.

  “Baby,” he said, loosening his hold. “Your father wouldn’t want you to do this. What do you think Samiyah wants with your blood and something of mine? He’s either trying to lure you in to kill you or—”

  “He’s trying to break your bond,” Paige said, moving away from Aiden as he looked on at Emma with caution. “He was going to try it with me. My memories are still coming back, and I remember him talking about breaking a mate’s bond. Maybe he found a way to do it. But you can’t let him.”

  Right here in his arms, Emma was falling apart. She was breaking, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it.

  “I’ll go,” Jace said.

  He would go and take whatever was coming for him. Jace knew that Samiyah had the power to bring down the Ghosts with his magic. No one was going to win in this. Someone was going to die today.

  “No.” Emma shook her head hard enough to send her tears flying from her face. “He said if he sees anyone but me he’ll kill my dad and then come after Lily.”

  Paige cleared her throat and stepped forward. Jace realized he was naked when she put her hand up to block out his dick from her vision.