by Milly Taiden
Her gaze strayed to his chest, watching the tightness of his abs and the rise and fall of his pecs. Desire flooded her system. She licked her lips and cleared her throat. “It doesn’t hurt much anymore.”
He wiped her hand so gently, she was shocked at the care he was having with her. “It’s a serious cut. I’m sorry I took you out there.”
Her gaze snapped up to his. “Don’t do that. I wanted to help.”
16
He pressed his lips into a thin line. “I brought you here to show you who I am as a person. To prove you have nothing to worry about and to spend time with you.”
After he applied ointment and wrapped her hand with a bandage, he tied the ends of the gauze.
She used the same bandaged hand and raised it to his face, cupping his jaw. “Listen to me very carefully,” she whispered, her voice raw. “You might have had other plans for how today was supposed to go, but what I saw, what we did, I wouldn’t change for the world.”
She scooted closer to him and grabbed his hand. “We found that baby and she’ll be okay. Nothing can compare to a more wonderful moment.” She leaned in and kissed him softly. “I saw enough of who you are as a person out there. You care, you give to those who need, and more importantly, you were selfless.”
“Don’t make me out to be something I’m not.”
She smiled softly. “I don’t need to. You are everything I said and more. And I want to keep getting to know you, Sebastian. Nothing will change that.”
“I want you, Harper. For me. Forever.”
She brushed her lips over his again. This time, he brought her hand up to his chest and held it there. “I can’t promise you forever. I don’t know. I need to be free to make that decision and your rules don’t give me that freedom.”
His eyes glowed with the power of his animal. “Understand, I will do everything I can to change your mind until you are mine.”
She grinned. “All’s fair in love and war?”
He tugged her closer, pushing her long, wet curls away from her face. “Yes. Everything.”
He kissed her hard. A kiss of passion and hunger. A claiming of the lips she couldn’t fight. She sighed and melted into his touch. Her body heated instantly. His tongue dove into her mouth, staking a claim and owning her with a few swipes. She sensed his need just as much as she sensed her own. It was building inside her, growing by leaps and bounds and making her mind thirst for more.
She moaned when he moved away from her lips, his teeth grazing her jaw and nibbling down her throat. Her pussy went slick with need. She tugged at the tie around her waist, pulling the robe open and giving her naked upper body to his view.
“Christ, Harper. You’re so fucking beautiful.”
She smiled at how amazed he sounded. Men told her she was pretty all the time, but he stared at her as if she were a goddess. And for that moment, she felt as powerful as one.
“Do you want me, Sebastian?”
He growled. The sound made her pussy clench. It was a harsh, animalistic noise she shouldn’t find to be a turn on, but did.
“You know I do. I want every inch of you to be mine. I want to claim you and fuck you so hard, you’ll know you’re only mine,” he snarled, his licks on her chest growing longer and rougher.
She whimpered and pushed her breast into his mouth. The first suck on her nipple made her moan. Legs spread, she let him feast on her breasts while he pressed his fingers into her wet crotch and at her clit.
“You want to be inside me, Sebastian? Deep and hard and fucking me for hours, right?”
He nipped her breast and let her nipple go with a pop. “I’m going to fuck you, baby. That’s the difference between wanting and doing. I’m going to shove this,” he grabbed her hand and wrapped it around his massive erection, “deep and hard into your tight pussy. I’m going to feel your legs wrap around my hips and I’m going to make you come hard. So fucking hard, you won’t know your name.”
“God, yes. Keep going,” she moaned. “Tell me more.”
He pushed her back on the bed, kissing and licking his way to her belly. “After I make you come and fuck you until your knees buckle, I’m going to come inside you, baby girl. Long and deep and I’m going to make sure you’re so full of cum, you’ll be dripping for days.”
She shoved the robe off and leaned all the way back on the bed. “And how are you going to start it all off?”
17
He licked his lips and met her gaze. “First, sweetheart, I’m going to taste you. I’ve been dreaming of doing this for longer than you can image. My mouth,” he said glancing down at her pussy. “On your sweet, slick folds. And my tongue twirling around your little clit.” He growled. “Fuck! I’m not waiting any longer, Harper. You’re mine. Tonight. Right now. Mine!”
He slid down, between her legs and groaned. Air rushed in and out of her lungs, keeping her barely able to function. She held her upper body up on her elbows, watching him.
Her heartbeat sped up the longer he stared at her wet panties. Then her heart stopped. His fingers curled around the lace and the soft sound of tearing filled the room. Good god. A moment later, cool air caressed her wet folds.
Her fingers were stiff from holding the blanket under her in a tight grip. She cleared her throat, calling his attention to her. He stopped staring at her sex and glanced up, his look full of hunger and fire. It made her heat from the inside. A man had never looked at her like he did at that moment. With ownership, possession, and raging lust.
It made her a bit giddy. And pushed any doubt out of her mind. She wanted him. Wanted this. Sebastian was the first and only man she’d ever felt this immediate desire and connection to.
“Sebastian…” She licked her bottom lip and clenched her teeth to keep from growling. If he stopped now, she might go crazy.
His lip curled into a sexy self-assured smile. “I bet, no, I know you’re fucking delicious.” He lowered his head and took a slow lick before she could process his words. “Mmm,” he growled into her slick heat. The vibration sent a wave of pleasure cascading through her. She dropped on the bed, holding the sheets in a white-knuckle grip.
“Holy fu—”
A loud growl took her breath away. She gasped. He licked her pussy and around her clit like one would an ice cream cone. His warm tongue felt bumpy, and each lick only made her shudder in need.
“God!”
Sebastian licked her repeatedly. He drew circles around her entrance, thrust his tongue in, and proceeded to fuck her with it. This man knew just how to use his mouth and tongue.
He sucked at her folds, licked her wetness and growled to make her lose control. He tightened his arms around her thighs to keep her from squeezing at his head. In and out. Holy mother of dirty bastards. He was priceless. No man should be this good at oral.
Harper released the blanket bunched in her fists, with a groan, and took hold of the soft strands of his hair with both hands. She ground her sex into his mouth, rocking her hips over his lips.
“More,” she moaned, her focus solely on the winding tension inside her.
He rubbed two digits on her dripping entrance, thrust the fingers inside, and fucked her. He flicked his tongue over her clit, licking small circles over the swollen nub. She gasped, the tension drawing much tighter inside her. Good god this was heaven. She whimpered, she was so close.
Harper screamed when a rush of pleasure traveled through her body. She panted air into her lungs, hoping to catch her breath.
He stood and took her breath away with the beauty of his physique. No, he wasn’t flawless and perfect. He had scars all over his body, but they didn’t make a difference to how sexy he was. Thick muscles corded his lower body and a long, hard cock pointed straight up between his legs.
“Get on your stomach,” his voice was a deep growl. The harsh tone only served to make her need rise all over again. It was clear he was having a hard time controlling himself. That need she saw in his eyes, that hunger, it drove her arousal and mad
e her feel powerful.
She flipped onto her stomach, lifted her ass into the air, and smiled over her shoulder at him. “Is this what you want?”
She watched him stroke the long length of his cock. Moisture gathered at the tip and he used it to lubricate himself. He stepped close behind her, gripped her hips and rubbed the head of his cock between her cheeks.
A soft pant left her throat.
He thrust forward, filling her in one quick glide. “Fuck, you’re so tight and hot.”
“God!” She dropped her head forward, her forehead resting on the sheets and her hands gripping the bedding.
How could she have been missing this all her life? She’d been with two men and had sex once with each. Neither did anything remotely this good or she might have done it again.
He withdrew, almost until he was completely out of her and slammed back in. She moaned, grasping the sheets tighter. His cock slid in and out of her pussy in quick fluid moves. His grip on her hips tightened. She could almost feel his claws digging into her skin. The bite of pain did nothing to take away from her enjoyment.
With each hard thrust into her, he pushed her closer to her climax. His moves increased in speed and became more forceful. Savageness took over his thrusts. He growled, dropped over her back, his moves still faster, harder, and with a growing desperation.
Bursts of heat rushed down her spine, through her body, and centered at her womb. His rough breaths and low growls sounded at the back of her neck, a harsh panting in sync with her own ragged breathing.
“Sebastian, I need…” She was ready to offer to have ten kids for him if he’d only make her come.
He kissed her shoulder, a slow flutter over her slick skin before flicking it with his tongue.
“You feel so fucking amazing, Harper. I knew you would.”
“Please,” she moaned, her pussy grasping tightly at his driving cock.
“You don’t need to beg, love. I know what you want, baby. I know what you need.” He licked her sweaty shoulder repeatedly, his raspy tongue adding to the over-sensitized feeling of her skin. “I’m going to give it to you right now, sweetheart.”
“Sebastian, I can’t…” she moaned. “I can’t wait anymore.”
“You’re so fucking perfect, Harper. For my mate.”
Her breath hitched and her orgasm rushed toward her so fast, she could taste it.
“And now you’re mine. My mate. Only mine. Always mine.” He embedded his sharp teeth into her shoulder, just as she bucked from the powerful orgasm that shoved her over the edge.
She screamed, shaking through waves of release. He was still biting her and grinding his cock into her pussy when flutters and aftershock slammed one after the other through her. His slick body stiffened above her back and hot semen filled her womb in long jerks. For timeless moments, he continued to come inside her. He licked at the bite and kissed the back of her neck.
Boneless and exhausted, she lay on her stomach huffing. He fell on the bed beside her and pulled her to him until she was draped half over him, her face resting on his chest. “You’re mine now, Harper.”
Oh god. What had she done?
18
The next day, the weather cleared enough that they could go walk the beach early in the morning. But once they got back to the house, he got a call that sent them packing and heading for the airport.
They’d been told things didn’t look good on the weather front. Apparently, another storm was headed their way. He didn’t want to the weather getting worse and having her in the house, he’d told her.
“What happens with the villagers now?” she asked Sebastian on the jet back over breakfast.
“I arranged for a medical crew to check on them. I also got my foundation involved. The villagers made a deal with me. They’ll move into some rental housing in the meantime. That’s safer than the shacks they live in. The foundation will handle it.”
She nodded, relief flooded her system. “Thank goodness. May I ask you something?”
He gave a quick nod. “Anything. Always.”
“I don’t mean to sound like a jerk, but why haven’t you done something about their living arrangements?” She frowned. Damn that sounded like an accusation and she didn’t intend for it to. “I mean, that village and those people are clearly important to you, but why let them live in those unsafe shacks?”
He sighed and put his coffee cup down. “I tried. Many times. Still try a few times a year. They’re very proud. They are only willing to live with what they can afford. It took hours of talking to one of their elders to get them to agree on the rental housing for a short period. The agreement is only until after the next storm. They’ll be gone as soon as they can get their shacks back up. That’s what they told me.”
Her shoulders slumped. “That’s hard. It must make it difficult for you knowing you can help and they won’t accept it.”
“You have no idea. I try to think of new ways to get them to take my help, but they refuse. The only thing I did come up with was a food market. Tania’s oldest son runs it. There, the villagers get discount prices on food and items they need. It allows me to feel like I am doing what I can.”
She grinned. “So they don’t know you’re paying regular price for the stuff they get really cheap, huh?”
He chuckled and shook his head. “If they did, they’d stop buying there.” He winked at her and glanced at her lips, making the heat in her veins rise again. “Let’s keep it our secret.”
Things were different between her and Sebastian. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but he was sweeter to her. Nicer. The intimacy level was new and she liked it. She’d never felt this close to any man before.
When they got to the castle, she was happy to drop her bag on the bed and go searching for Sarai. There were things she wanted to ask her about the ball. No sense in waiting. She was at the top of the stairs when she stopped to think of how she could find Sarai. Maybe Sebastian would know where she was.
Suddenly, a hard shove sent her falling down the stairs, her body lost all control as she hit something. Pain and complete darkness took over.
Sebastian heard the scream from his office. The bond between him and Harper might be new, but he sensed her pain the moment it happened. He rushed out of his office to find Kellen at the top of the stairs, his face full of concern.
Then he saw her. Harper was at the foot of the stairs, bleeding from the side of her head and multiple bruises were forming over her face and arms.
“Good lord,” Kellen yelled, rushing down the stairs. “What happened?”
Sebastian’s wolf howled in desperation over his mate being hurt. He knew she was critical. “Call the doctor and get him here immediately.”
He picked her up carefully. Though she was unconscious, he knew her body had been hurt and it tore him apart to see her that way. How did she fall? Did she slip?
Mrs. Patty came from the kitchen and Delilah and Sarai rushed from the second level. “What happened?” Sarai asked, agitated. Delilah seemed curious, but not overly concerned. She wasn’t the type of person to care what happened to anyone but herself. Ever.
“Is Ms. Burns okay?” Mrs. Patty wrung her hands.
“I don’t know. I’m taking her to my room,” Sebastian told them. “The doctor is on his way and can see her there.”
Fear became a vise that tightened around his heart with every second that passed. The doctor arrived what felt like an eternity later. Only Sebastian was in the room when he examined his woman. Nobody else would go near her until he found out how she got hurt.
Kellen left to review the security tapes and try to figure out what happened. He’d told Sebastian there was something he needed to tell him, but would wait until after the doctor saw Harper.
“Your Majesty,” the doctor said, after his team was gone from the room. “Your mate will be fine,” he sighed. He met Sebastian’s gaze. “She was lucky. She’s taking to the change and it is helping her heal.” He gave a shake of the
head and covered Harper with the blankets. “Had you not claimed her, she would have been in critical condition.”
Sebastian’s fear loosened the tight grip on his chest. “Could she have fallen?”
The doctor raised his brows. “Doubtful. The injuries she suffered could have only happened if she’d fallen with a lot of force. She’d have to have been pushed, hard, to end up in this position.”
The beast inside him pushed under his skin, wanting to be let out. To find whoever hurt his woman and to kill him with his bare hands. She was his. A kind, sweet soul who didn’t deserve to be lying in bed unconscious.
“How long before she comes to?”
“Though the change is helping, she’s still more human than shifter. That means it will be a few days. As her body changes at a cellular level, the bruises will disappear faster and her cuts and that head wound will heal.” The doctor put his tools away and walked with Sebastian to the bedroom door. “I suggest someone guard her. Just in case.”
The doctor knew she was his mate. That meant she was as important as Sebastian to the pack. Royalty. As king of the Roarhart pack, Sebastian knew he was important to the shifter nation. But now Harper was just as important, if not more. She was his mate. The woman who would give him an heir. The next king would be her child.
He sat there with Harper when Kellen returned, his features harsh and angry. “We have a problem.”
“What now?”
“The cameras facing her bedroom, the hallway and now the top of the stairs suffered an interruption. We have no video of yesterday or today. We’re back to square one with the snake and how she fell down the stairs.”
Fuck. He gripped the arms of the sofa chair he was sitting on. “This is ridiculous. Someone has to know something.”
“I’ll keep looking.” Kellen glanced at the bed and winced. “Those bruises look terrible.”
He nodded. “They’re actually slowly getting better. It’s just going to take time.”