Tiger Betrayed

by Tressie Lockwood

  “I am working.”

  He dumped her on their bed, and with lightning speed had her jeans unbuttoned and drawn down her thighs. The red thong existed because she wanted to feel sexy and because they finally fit again. At sight of them, Heath’s eyes glittered with lust. He stroked a finger over her mound and pressed against the material fast soaking with her juices. She moaned and shut her eyes, head dipping backward.

  “H-how is this working?”

  He spread her legs wider and hooked a finger on the edge of the thong to pull it aside, but he didn’t attempt to remove it just yet. “I’m taking care of my wife’s needs. That is part of my responsibilities.”

  Okay, she had to give him that.

  She opened her eyes to find he had bent forward and breathed deep. “Mm, you smell good, Deja. That musk drives me crazy. I want to eat you up.”

  She shivered. “Don’t call it musk. That sounds…wrong. Dirty.”

  He grinned and parted her folds with just two fingers. “You’re definitely dirty. Let me clean you up.”

  “Heath.”

  He ignored her protests and ran a long tongue over her clit. Her hips rose off the bed, almost without her provocation. She clutched at his head to drive him closer, and he sucked the tiny bud between his teeth. A keen of delight squeezed from her clenched teeth. Heath chuckled, allowing the rumble to stir her most sensitive spot.

  “I thought you wanted me to stop.”

  “You must be insane.”

  His tongue slid lower and laved at her flowing juices. She arched into the stroke and pumped to his mouth. A craving for him to delve inside came over her, a feeling she couldn’t resist. “In-inside,” she begged.

  He did her bidding, gliding his tongue up her channel as far as it would go. She rode harder, desperate to feel the slow build of an orgasm. The sensation held off.

  “Heath.”

  “Shh, baby.” He raised her knees and licked some more. She squirmed and whimpered. Her juices flowed faster. Heath locked his mouth over her opening and sucked. She cried out, but instead of letting her get the full experience all the way to completion, he drew back. A curse rose to her lips, and she glared at him. He chuckled. “You know me better than to leave you wanting, Deja.”

  He reared back and sat on his haunches. The shirt he wore lost buttons when he ripped it open and snatched it from his shoulders. She licked her lips, taking in the smooth, taut skin, browned under the Texas sun. A thin line of hair led to the band of his pants, and she willed him to get down there and let her see what he had for her.

  A raised eyebrow seemed to say “this?” when he pointed to the tent in his pants. She nodded and waited. The belt clinked coming undone, and the zipper tantalized her all the more with its descent. Catching her bottom lip between her teeth, she pushed up onto an elbow and stared at the revelation. Heath’s lowered jeans and boxers uncovered a stiff erection that sprang away from his body, ready for action. Eager, Deja dragged at her thong with one hand and tried to unbutton her blouse with the other. Heath stilled both. He raised her hands above her head and then pinned them together in a single massive palm. She squirmed to get free, but he brought his weight down and pinned her in place. When he trapped her that way, making it impossible to escape, her desires multiplied. He was her captor and she his willing slave. They played that way often, and she couldn’t get enough of it—or him.

  “Heath, let me go.”

  “Not until I’ve had my fill.”

  She glared into his eyes, and he raised inquisitive brows. The next second she forgot about his facial expression because he’d run a hand to her pussy. He cupped her mound, and she gasped. Fingers hooked around the edge of the thong again and dragged it to the side.

  “You’re not going to—” she managed just before he thrust into her. Thick and heavy, he plunged deep and rough. The sting took her pleasure off the charts. He filled her to capacity in those moments before her walls stretched around him. The muscles liked to fight the invasion at first, giving her greater pleasure and pain. Heath ground his dick as far as it would go, drew away, and plunged in again.

  Above her head, his hold on her wrists increased in pressure and dug into the bed. She pulled at the confinement, finding no room for movement. He straightened one of her legs so that he had to squeeze into her pussy and at the same time brought more of his weight down on top of her. The result made for a snugger fit and had her clenching her jaw. Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes, and in her core, the muscles coiled. Heath withdrew until just an inch of his cock penetrated her heat. Then he ground inside. Over and over he repeated the rhythm, taking her body without mercy.

  Beneath them, the bedsprings groaned, and above, the headboard thumped the wall. Heath nuzzled past her braids and found the skin at the base of her neck. He bit down, and she screamed. An orgasm ripped the last of her strength from her grasp, and she lay still, caught in its whirlwind. Not once did her husband slow his wonderful assault on her body. Not until the aftershocks of pleasure rocketed across every fiber of her being.

  Finding her hands free meant nothing since she didn’t have the ability to do more than lie there. Heath sat up and raised her hips. He drew her up his thighs toward his crotch and reentered her pussy. With her legs wrapped around his waist, he pumped deep into her sex. She moaned his name, her eyes too heavy to open more than slits. He stared down at her, the lust and love stark in his gaze. One last time, he drove in and then held still. Warmth spread through her belly, and she sighed in satisfaction.

  “Mm, that was incredible,” she murmured when he’d emptied himself.

  “Shh.” He pulled out and scooted back. Fingers thrust into her aching pussy, he bent low to flick his tongue across her clit. For the second time, she raised her hips. He let her buck as wild as she wanted, but he kept his fingers buried between her thighs and his tongue teasing her bud. Another orgasm crested her core and crashed over the edge to make her scream. Her husband locked lips over her clit and worked the small bit of flesh until she’d come not once but twice. Each time she did, he rose up to work just his fingers. When the sensitivity eased, he went at her again, strumming her body, guiding it, demanding orgasms. At the point of her exhaustion, he let up and lay at her side. She shut her eyes and waited until her heartbeat and breathing returned to normal.

  She stretched, unable to prevent the kitten’s purr. “That was worth waiting for.”

  “Of course. No one knows your body like I do.”

  “Arrogant, aren’t we?”

  He winked. She basked in his gaze, loving it when he looked at her like he did now. His attention never wavered, and sometimes she knew he stopped making love to her only to let her rest, not because he was done. Heath’s dominance turned her on like no other man ever had.

  She reached out and touched the stain of blood by his mouth. “You bit me.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

  “You felt threatened, didn’t you? Like someone was taking me away?”

  The color in his cheeks said she spoke the truth, but he didn’t confirm or deny it. He didn’t have to. Just as he knew her, she knew him. He’d once told her she was freer than him when it came to loving her, and his words made her wonder if he felt like a prisoner without escape. He appeared to enjoy himself.

  “No one is going to take me away from you, Heath,” she promised. “I can guarantee you that.”

  He stroked her cheek. “I’m not worried.”

  “I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  She sat up and ran a hand down his chest to his cock. The stiffness had already begun to increase, and this time, she would pleasure him. Just as she skimmed fingers over the broad length, a cell phone buzzed amid the clothing tossed on the floor.

  “Ignore it,” she demanded, giving his cock a squeeze.

  He groaned and shut his eyes a fraction of a second. “I can’t do that, honey. I’m sorry.” He brushed her hand away and sat up. She frowned
at his wide back as he searched for the phone. Damn whoever that is! Her pussy had already clenched to be filled again. Good shifter healing genes. Heath stabbed the connect button on his phone, which told her he didn’t appreciate the interruption any more than she did. “Hunter!”

  He paused to listen, and she lay on his back with a sigh. Excellent hearing allowed her to pick out Scott’s words without straining. “Boss, there’s been another murder. This time…uh…are you alone?”

  Heath stood up. Deja just caught herself from tumbling over the side of the bed.

  “Just a minute.”

  “What’s going on, Heath? Don’t shut me out.”

  He kissed the top of her head as if that settled things and strolled naked from the bedroom. She watched him go and bit her lip. There had been another murder? Why would Scott ask if Heath were alone—unless the victim was someone she knew and cared about?

  She scrambled off the bed and ran out to the living room. Heath was nowhere to be found. Did he go outside naked? Many of their people wandered about town freely in tiger form, but even as comfortable in their own bodies as they were, no one strolled around without clothing.

  Behind the house that Heath had had built, an area extended far into undeveloped land where the two of them could run when the need struck them. Staring out into the trees, she didn’t figure Heath had gone for exercise at a time like this. Then she remembered the emergency belt he kept on the hall table and went looking for it. The garment wasn’t exactly a belt. The specially made piece fit around his broad neck when in his animal form, and compartments held his cell phone, keys, and money. Finding clothing was left to wherever he ended up.

  She slammed the drawer closed, annoyed. He’d taken the belt, which meant he’d shifted and gone to investigate the murder. No doubt Scott would have clothing waiting for him.

  Deja ran back to the bedroom, jumped into the shower to wash off, and then dressed. She would pick up the girls from Coreen after she tracked down Heath. Ever since they mated and married, he was overprotective, and she wasn’t having it. Staying in the dark about what went on in the town did not sit right.

  A half hour later, she pulled up to the sheriff’s office in her minivan and switched off the engine. The slanted parking space allowed a good view of the other end of the street about a mile down and the hills beyond. Above them, the sun glowed a brilliant orange and hung low on the horizon. Sunset was not far off.

  She opened the office door expecting to find her husband, but instead, Scott sat behind his desk. “Scott, what are you doing here?”

  The grim expression on his handsome face did not bode well. “Hey, Deja.”

  “I thought you’d still be at the crime scene.”

  Surprise widened his eyes. “I…”

  “Where’s my husband?”

  The chair he’d been leaning back in thumped to the floor, and he stood up. “He’s taking care of business. You shouldn’t worry about it.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “It’s not your place.”

  She advanced on him and stabbed a finger in his chest. “I know you didn’t just tell me to know my place! Where do you think that is? In the house caring for my babies, in bed with my legs open and waiting to please my man?”

  Color stained his cheeks. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

  “No, of course not!” She stood her ground. “Where is he, and who was killed?”

  The set to his mouth said he wasn’t speaking. Scott might be young, but he was loyal to a fault. Whatever order Heath had given him to keep his mouth shut, he would, which pissed her off. She turned from him and yanked her phone from her pocket. Speed-dialing Heath did no good. The call clicked over to voicemail, but the moment she disconnected, the door opened, and Heath walked in. Strain around his eyes said things were serious. Deja made a snap decision right then. She stepped in front of him and wrapped her arms around his waist. Resting her head on his chest, she said nothing, and after a moment or two, he embraced her as well, dropping his chin to the top of her head. He needed support, not berating.

  “You okay?” she whispered.

  He grunted. “I have to go out of town for a little while.”

  She gasped and looked at him. “How long?”

  “I’m not sure.” He caressed her cheek. “I want you and the girls to stay with Dad and Coreen.”

  “I can take care of myself, Heath. I promise I won’t break curfew.”

  “Please.”

  “All right.” She sighed. “It’s someone I know, isn’t it?”

  His brows rose into his hairline, and he glared at Scott.

  “I swear, boss. I didn’t say a word.”

  “He didn’t,” Deja said.

  Heath led her to a chair and sat, pulling her onto his lap. “It’s no one close. You remember the woman who owned the shop Taavi Style?”

  Deja gasped. “Janet Taavi?”

  He nodded. “She was found dead in her store. One of her employees, a human who had the day off, went by this afternoon to pick up her check and found the place locked. Since Janet was not very trusting—or friendly—she didn’t have the key. She called her mate who came and picked up the scent, which meant…well, we know what it meant. Janet had been killed sometime during the night.”

  Deja shook her head in disbelief while her husband exchanged glances with Scott. She couldn’t believe this madness. Janet Taavi had been no friend of hers, but she did know the human woman had had a shifter mate who’d been killed a few years back and was left heartbroken and embittered. She acted like she hated all shifters, but both Ward and Heath had cleared her of wanting to cause any of them real harm. Why hurt her now? Did the killer hate everyone, human and shifter alike? None of it made a bit of sense.

  Heath sat her on her feet. “Come on. I’ll take you home to pack some things before I head out.”

  “You’re leaving tonight?”

  “I have to follow a lead.”

  She didn’t question what lead he meant figuring he wouldn’t bother answering. Instead, she sat in silence in the passenger seat of her minivan while he drove. His hands gripped the steering wheel so tight, the leather squeaked, and the set of his shoulders screamed tension. She wished they had time for her to give him a massage. If she could take away the burden of this mess, she would, but Heath’s strength to deal with it wouldn’t waiver. Somehow, they would pull through. In fact, she sat straighter, deciding the entire town would soon come out on the other side of the storm and be stronger for it.

  Heath took her hand in his and raised it to his lips. Warmth and love flooded her being. “Don’t worry.”

  She smiled. “I’m not. Everything’s going to be okay. You watch. The lead you’re following is going to direct you to the guy who did this. Then, you’ll be back here in time to see me kick Tina’s ass.”

  Rather than lighten his mood, her words seemed to bring further darkness to his expression. She squeezed his hand.

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have—”

  “It’s fine. You’re right. It’ll all work out. Now, let’s get you settled at Dad’s.”

  She agreed, and together they left the van and walked into their house. Already, she missed him and hoped he would be back soon. The loneliness she had been dealing with since this first began crept over her, and it was all she could do to keep it at bay.

  Chapter Four

  Deja stretched her hands over her head and rolled her shoulders. The stiff, sore muscles gave a little but not much. She’d been working out by following a kickboxing video, and Scott had promised to come by the house to give her some pointers on how to take Tina out if Ward didn’t find a way to overthrow her challenge. She knew from her mother-in-law that the alpha had spent the last three nights staying up late and combing the book he’d gotten from Tina, along with a few other ancient texts he’d been able to locate. On some level, she didn’t really believe this fight would happen, but she preferred to be prepared. That morning, when Coreen offered to t
ake the girls to get ice cream, Deja had jumped on the opportunity to get extra conditioning in.

  Sitting on the floor and extending to reach past her toes, she grunted as her hamstrings twanged in protest. When the cell phone next to her rang, she welcomed the interruption. Coreen’s name popped up on the display, and Deja grinned. She answered.

  “Don’t tell me they’re screaming because they want more ice cream and don’t want to come home,” she joked.

  The line crackled with a bad connection. “H-hello?” Coreen said. “Are you there, Deja?”

  “Coreen? I can’t hear you,” she shouted. “Why do you sound funny? What’s wrong?” A fist gripped Deja’s heart. She pulled the phone away from her face to look at the display. The connection held, but the crackling continued. “Coreen!”

  “We’re in trouble, Deja.”

  Bile rose in Deja’s throat. “Where are you?”

  Coreen started to say something, and then the line went dead. Deja screamed and pounded the redial button. The phone rang and rang then went to voicemail. She called again, running through the house to find her shoes. Peeling out of the driveway, she called Ward, who also didn’t answer. Next, she tried Joe, and shouted down the line when he answered, tears flooding her eyes.

  “Joe, something’s wrong. Something’s wrong! Coreen, the girls—please, help me. Where’s Ward?”

  “Slow down, Deja.” His calm voice drove her insane. “I can’t understand you. Ward is meeting with some…people right now.”

  She sucked in a deep breath and blew it out. The panic threatening to make her pass out did not lessen, but she could speak clearer. “I don’t care what the hell he’s doing. My babies are in trouble, and so is his wife. They went to that new ice cream shop outside Siberia. I’m not sure of the exact location, but I promise you I will find them.”

  “I’m at the edge of town. Pick me up. While I wait for you, I’ll call Ward. He’ll answer my call knowing I wouldn’t contact him unless it was urgent.” The line went dead, and she slammed her foot on the gas. Good luck to anyone who gets in my way.