by E A Price
“Seriously, it’s fine.”
“You haven’t got another man coming round have you?” he accused in a harsh tone.
She didn’t even bother to answer; she just rolled her eyes and pouted.
He hooked a finger under her chin, forcing her to look up at him and into his amber laced eyes. “Listen to me.” The steely dominance in his voice was startling, and sent her nether regions almost into convulsions. “I want to be here.” He took a deep, steadying breath. “I love you, Lucie, and I have since the moment I met you.”
She sucked in a breath at his unexpected admission. She had hoped that, at least, she might get a ‘let’s be friends who sleep together’ speech. She just assumed that down the line, after doing that for about five years, she would blackmail him – or perhaps tie him down and sexually torture him - before she finally got the L-word.
“I love you, too,” she gushed.
He leaned in for a kiss but jerked away when she slapped his arm. “What the fuck?”
“If you love me, then why in hell’s mini golf course have you been running from me?” Her hedgehog was all for swooning directly into his big, strong arms, but Lucie had a little more reserve – just a little, though. Not too much.
He smirked at her choice of words before sobering.
“Sweetheart, I’m an asshole.”
“Okkaaaayyyyyyy.” Not the reaction she was expecting; she assumed he was going somewhere with this.
“Even before the whole Maroni blowout, I was an asshole. I’m moody and angry all the time; I turn into a dick at the drop of a dime, and I have trouble controlling my rage. I’ve taken anger management classes so often I know them better than the teacher does. Added to all that I have fucking night terrors where I wake up trying to strangle people or trying to shoot the wall. Would you inflict me on a person you love? I just thought I would make you miserable.”
Ugh, he was insufferable! “Do you really think I haven’t been miserable this past year?”
“I kept thinking that you’d find someone better than me, and they’d make you happy,” he said distastefully, as if the idea of that ever happening was akin to eating a burger made out of worms.
“Well, I haven’t found anyone else and I never well. I’m miserable without you, so I might as well be miserable with you – not that I think I will be.”
He looked at her ruefully. “No, I don’t think you will be either.”
Wow, he was full of surprises. First of all he threw her the L-word without any prompting, and now he was admitting that being together wouldn’t be on par with the Titanic sinking. “What made you change your mind?”
Cutter began stroking her hair. “The other day, when you woke me from my dream, all the pain, and anger, I just let it go as soon as I saw you. And when you sleep beside me, I don’t dream. These past couple of days, in spite of everything, I actually woke up feeling happy. I want you to be my mate, and I want you to know I’m not lying when I say that I fell in love with you when I met you. I haven’t even looked at another woman this past year.”
Lucie frowned. “But, aren’t you forgetting someone?”
Cutter raised his eyebrows.
“The peacock shifter,” she said, hoping to keep all emotion out of her voice. Which was no easy feat when her mind and hedgehog automatically reached for the word hussy instead of peacock.
His face darkened, and she immediately felt chagrin at bringing it up and ruining the moment. She started to climb off the bed, and his arms wrapped around her, pulling her onto his lap. He clutched her tightly and possessively.
“Uh-uh, sweetheart; I’ve been trying to explain about that ever since it happened. Now, you are finally going to sit still and listen.” He rubbed his thumbs in circles over her ass trying not to snicker at her pout. “Nothing happened with that girl.”
She stared at him for a few beats. “Aaaaannnnddd?”
“And?” He looked at her genuinely perplexed.
Lucie’s eyes flashed black to her little beast. “Really? After putting me through the ringer about Rick and Xander, that’s all I get?”
“Fine,” he growled. “I got really drunk and she made sure I got home. I don’t remember the night, but I know I didn’t have sex with her. I haven’t been with anyone else since I met you. You are the best sex of my life, and I love you. Happy now?!”
“Yes,” she answered, mollified, completely unmoved by his surly tone. “I haven’t been with anyone either since I met you.”
“Thank fuck for that,” he exclaimed, letting his head drop onto her shoulder. “I want to spend at least the next two days with you naked, and I just don’t have time on my schedule to hunt down and kill any asshole who dared touch you. Not that I wouldn’t have. Besides I did a pretty good job of scaring them away from you.”
“Scaring who away?”
“The assholes that dared to covet what is mine,” he told her proudly.
Lucie didn’t know whether to hug him or slap him. No wonder the guys who had tried to get close to her over the past year now actively ran when they saw her. They must have been terrified that Cutter was planning to come after then. Of all the… Oh, what was the point in arguing? His possessiveness was actually a turn-on. She nuzzled his neck. “Mmmm, you’re my big, bad wolf.”
“I can’t promise things will be easy with me. I can’t promise I won’t hurt you. I can’t promise…”
She raised her fingers to his lips. “I’ll settle for a promise to love me and to always put the toilet seat down. As for the rest, we’ll fudge it as we go along.”
“Fudge,” he muttered. “You’re just trying to turn me on.”
“I don’t have to try,” she cooed.
“No, you don’t.”
With a roar, he flipped her onto her back. He stood at the edge of the bed as she wriggled about. She settled down and leaned up on her elbows. He looked pensive and uncertain, almost like he didn’t know what to say. Luckily, he had a mate who was rarely lost for words.
“Are you going to stand there all day enjoying the view? Or are you going to get over here and bond with me? Of course, if you don’t think you’re up to it because of your wounds…”
“Well, that sounds like a challenge.” Cutter gave her a wide, toothy grin. His face was etched with hungry desire. Her hedgehog trembled in delight.
Within seconds he was out of his clothes and crawling up the bed; her t-shirt was but ribbons as he sliced it away from her body. She panted and gasped as he sensually attacked her; his hands and mouth were everywhere, licking, sucking, massaging – barely an inch of her escaped his onslaught. She writhed and clutched at the bedcovers as her pleasure curled tighter and tighter, desperately seeking release. And just when it was in reach…
He stopped. Holy cow – he was such a son of a mother frogging tease! Disappointed, she started unraveling.
“Don’t stop,” she begged, breathlessly.
He chuckled and nipped her thigh with his sharpened teeth. “Sweetheart, we have all night. No need to rush. I want this to be special.”
“There’s every need to rush,” she grumbled. Her climax tucked her tail between her legs and started skulking away.
He spent a few minutes massaging her legs, running his fingers over her skin. It was a peaceful kind of pleasure, as opposed to the earth-moving kind she experienced from an orgasm. It was actually kind of nice. She relaxed and watched him, enjoying seeing his large, dark hands, manipulating her creamy skin. His hands worked their way up to her breasts, kneading them lightly, not enough to make her come, but enough to give her satisfaction.
By the time he had finished and was settling between her legs, her eyes were closed, and she was virtually purring. But, feeling his throbbing manhood pressing against her clit was enough to reignite the fire within.
“Are you ready for me?” he asked smugly.
“I’m always ready.”
“I love you.”
“Me oooooohhhh!”
He thrus
t inside her, and she let out a wailing moan. Lord, she hoped the people in the room next door didn’t think she was dying. Could you die from too many orgasms? Only one way to find out.
He didn’t stop until he was fully sheathed, and when he was he took her mouth in a greedy kiss, swallowing the moans and whimpers she let out as she adjusted to his size. She wrapped her arms around him as he rocked inside her, filling her over and over.
She tilted her hips and pushed against him, meeting his strokes and taking him deep – so deliciously deep – inside. He couldn’t hold back for long; his movements became more insistent and driven by his beast, by his need to claim her, he began driving himself inside her passionately. It was too much, the feel of him inside her, the way he rubbed her sweet spot, and the way he grazed her clit – it was all too much.
“You’re mine,” he growled as his pulled her against him, roughly impaling her.
“Yes!” she squeaked as she shuddered around him.
“Say it!”
“Yours, all yours,” she whimpered.
Cutter threw back his head and roared, “Mine.”
He forced himself inside her almost violently, and she screamed his name as the orgasm tore through her body like lightening. His fangs sliced through her neck, and she pushed her teeth into his. Her little beast howled in joy as he finally became her mate. Their intertwined bodies throbbed and pulsed, as the mate bond formed and they felt each other’s love and desire.
Satiated, she lay back on the bed and sighed as her mate licked the wound on her neck lazily. Proudly, she ran her fingers over the little bite marks she had left on his neck and giggled as he let out a rumbling snarl. They wouldn’t be quite as obvious as the mark he had left on her, but she didn’t care. She knew he was hers, and that was all that mattered.
Mine.
Epilogue
One week later
Lucie ran her hand over her fiancé’s ass.
“What are you doing? People can see us,” Cutter grumbled, more than a little embarrassed.
She leaned up onto her tippy-toes and brushed her lips over his. “Oh, lighten up, they’re all grown-ups. No doubt they’ve seen men being fondled before. Besides, how am I supposed to keep my hands off this ass, it’s divine!”
Cutter groaned as all his so-called friends burst into laughter. Bastards. Just wait until they had mates who worshiped their bodies.
Lucie batted her eyelashes over her enormous blue eyes, as her lips curled up sweetly. Oh, never mind fondling his butt, if she kept looking at him like that he might just drag her down to the floor and have his delightfully wicked way with her right then and there.
Cutter wasn’t known for being demonstrative when it came to women. Actually, he’d never even kissed a woman in public before Lucie. The furthest he could manage was hand holding with his ex-wife. His aversion to public displays of affection was one of many things that Annie couldn’t stand about him. Looking back, it really wasn’t a surprise that they didn’t stay together for very long, or that Annie was still wary of him when he came to visit. Thankfully, she seemed to be thawing, though. That was thanks to Lucie.
On their week off from work, he had taken Lucie to visit his son. Cutter practically puffed out his chest as he remembered seeing them coloring pictures together. Although, he wasn’t exactly pleased that, under Lucie’s influence, Dean seemed to love pink now. That was something he better grow out of. Lucie had been delighted to meet Dean, and his pup had taken to her quickly. Even Annie had warmed to Lucie and told Cutter he was lucky to have her. He wasn’t going to argue with that. Of course, after meeting Dean, Lucie had a soft gleam in her eye and Cutter was a bit concerned about what that meant. He would worry about that later.
Not much had happened at the Agency while they were away. Other than Dale being arrested for stealing drugs from the medical bay. Apparently the arrest was pretty welcome after being caught by Helga. The she-bear caught him trying to pilfer some pills and she went berserk. Dale admitted that he had been trying to steal some since he arrived there. His father had cut him off, and he needed extra money; he was planning on selling them. He also admitted to drugging Cutter the night they met the peacock shifter twins. It certainly explained why he couldn’t remember anything. Dale wanted him to have a good time, but he was kind of heavy with the dosage. Cutter wanted to tear him apart for almost ruining things with Lucie, but, his little mate was teaching him the art of forgiveness, so he guessed he would only beat Dale to a pulp if he ever saw him again – much more civilized than killing.
Primrose took a leave of absence from the Agency; they weren’t sure if she was coming back, but she actually seemed happy – which was creepy and odd – but they wished her well. To compensate for her absence, Isis was transferred to the Alpha team. After the time she spent diabolically scheming to get a place on the team – back when Erin first arrived - it was kind of a welcome surprise when she got there for doing nothing.
Weirdly enough, the money that appeared in Cutter’s account was his. It had nothing to do with the case. His mom won the lottery! She gave all her kids two hundred grand. Her bank made a mistake when transferring the money and sent it in two batches. His mom was peeved that Cutter never called her back about it; apparently she left him twelve phone messages about it. But, Cutter checked his answer phone as frequently as he threw on an apron and baked cupcakes – so, never. The money was a welcome surprise though. He put half in a college fund for Dean and the rest was being put toward the new house they were planning on buying. Or a new car. Or a cruise to the Mediterranean. They hadn’t decided.
At the insistence of his wolf, and to the surprise of his friends, he pulled Lucie up for a lingering and passionate kiss. She moaned into his mouth, and his wolf almost purred at the feel of her pressed up against him. Okay, so the floor might be a bit too public – no need for anyone else to get a look at her heavenly body – but could they make it out to their car?
“Hey, look who’s back!” called Avery happily.
Wes, Wayne, Lake, and Diaz – who he was trying not to think of as a scumbag – all called out hellos.
Cutter grunted as Lucie broke their lip-locked state to turn and see. He almost pouted. Surely what they were doing was more interesting?
Grudgingly, he looked up to find his polar bear boss, Gunner, and his human mate, Erin grinning at him. Heat dusted his cheeks. He didn’t know why – it’s not like he was doing anything wrong – but he suddenly felt a little self-conscious.
Gunner and Erin were holding hands and sporting matching looks of contentment. Gunner nodded at him and gave Lucie a speculative look, before maneuvering Erin onto a chair. Erin shook her head as he virtually lifted her up. Previously, Cutter had almost found Gunner’s protectiveness of his mate, and his need to be near her, insane, but now, he totally got it. His wolf was practically pawing the ground when he didn’t know exactly where Lucie was. He didn’t even like her going to the bathroom on her own, but he found out the hard way that women didn’t like men going into the ladies room. That ostrich shifter had a mean right hook.
Ignoring the delighted look on Erin’s face, Cutter slipped an arm around Lucie’s waist, and she snaked one hand into his back pocket rubbing her fingers over his ass. Okay, yeah, he had to admit he had a pretty fine ass. Could he blame her for wanting to touch it?
Lucie and Avery started grilling Erin about the honeymoon, who in turn responded by turning bright red and giggling. Apparently it had been a very good honeymoon.
“You’re back,” said Cutter to Gunner.
“Yep.”
“Good time?”
The polar bear smirked. “Yep. So, you and Lucie?”
“Yep. Drink?”
“Sure.”
Cutter nodded. That was the end of the honeymoon discussion as far as they were concerned. “Erin, drink?” he offered.
Erin put a spare hand against a heated cheek; the other was enveloped in her mate’s big paw. “Just mineral water for me.”
Gunner nodded and squeezed her hand.
Lucie’s eyes widened excitedly. “Oh my god! You’re pregnant!”
Erin looked a little flustered while Gunner beamed proudly.
“How did you know?” she croaked.
Lucie jumped up and down. “Lucky guess, congratulations!”
Avery and Lucie hugged her while the men gave Gunner some hefty back slaps and, to Avery’s aggravation, told him well done.
“Shouldn’t Erin get a well done, too?” she asked peevishly.
“Good point,” agreed Diaz. He moved to hug Erin but almost ignited under Gunner’s heated glare and stopped. Gunner repositioned himself, so his arm was wrapped around his mate.
Lucie started asking Erin dozens of questions about the baby. When was it due, had they thought about names, how were they decorating the nursery… Erin was flushed but happy with all the attention she was getting. Cutter, on the other hand, listened to all her questions with alarm, and almost considered bolting when Lucie gave him a hungry look.
But she just rolled her eyes and laughed. “Don’t worry, stud. I’m not quite ready for us to have a baby yet either.”
Cutter let out a long breath, and everyone laughed. Their revelry halted when Gunner’s phone started chirruping and, with a sigh, he answered it.
“Hey, Jessie, how come you’re working?... Aha… I’m sorry… yeah, I’m back… it’s okay… no, Jessie, it’s fine… where is it?”
Erin’s face fell as she realized he was being called to work, and Gunner gave her an apologetic look.
“Sure, Jessie, and, by the way, Erin’s pregnant.”
Everyone present could hear the squeals of the excited squirrel shifter.
Gunner chuckled into the phone. “Okay, I will, don’t work too late.” He hung up and kissed Erin’s temple. “I gotta go, babe, I had a call. And Jessie says congratulations.”
Erin looked up at him beseechingly. “Must you? It’s our last night before we have to go back to work.”
Gunner opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by the heavy tread of stiletto boots and an irritated, shrill voice.