by Ginna Moran
Just as Everett opens his mouth to respond, a chime sounds through the air. Everett pulls his com device from his pocket and rubs the back of his neck. “Bronx says not to. He wants you to stay here.”
“Then he can tell me his damn self!” I shout the words, knowing that he’s close enough to hear.
“Fuck, now he’s done it,” Jameson says.
No one tries to stop me as I stride to the door, though Jameson doesn’t follow me like Everett does. I glance over my shoulder to watch Jameson cross the room to where Mikkalo has decided to shut us out as well.
“Bronx! You better face me.” I strut down the long hallway and fling open every door along the way.
Everett slides in front of me, blocking my way. “If you think you might want to rip his heart out...”
I glower.
It’s enough that he steps aside. “You better come get Gwen, brother. I’m not getting in the middle.” Everett grabs my hand for a second, drawing my attention to him. “Try to take it easy on him. He’s under a lot of stress.”
“No fucking way am I now. He can’t just hide from me.”
Everett disappears, leaving me alone in the hallway. I know he wouldn’t abandon me if Bronx wasn’t close by, so I stride down the hall and continue to thrust doors open. I find Bronx sitting with his back to me on a bed. He doesn’t look at me, just slumps over with his elbows resting on his knees.
“Hurry up and get it out of your system, dandelion. I’d like to get some sleep.” Bronx keeps his voice low.
“What the hell is your problem?” I stand in the doorway, bracing against the frame. “First you make light of my feelings about being here. Then when I’m finally starting to feel okay, you come in and accuse us that we don’t care. And now you act like I’m the bad guy.”
Bronx straightens his shoulders but still doesn’t look at me. “This isn’t about you.”
I inch into the room and shut the door. “You’re right.”
“I’m doing everything I can to protect you and my brothers. Our region is at risk. People are dying. So, fucking sorry if I hurt your feelings or interrupted your good time. Kill me for wanting to keep the tension to a minimum during our stay.”
I suck in a breath, trying to keep my anger in check. “You’re such an ass. I came here to try to be here for you, but fuck, Bronx. You make it really hard.”
Sighing, he bows his head more. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to take my frustration out on you. I just feel like a complete failure that it has come to this. This is the last place I want you. You have every right to be upset that I put you in this position and haven’t done anything to retaliate for Corona’s wrongdoings. Zaire would have sentenced him to death.” Bronx flops back on the bed and stares at the ceiling. His voice comes out lowly as he tries to keep the conversation between us.
I shift my weight between my feet. “Zaire would have also turned me into a blood slave, so don’t compare yourself to him. I’m sure you have things in control. This just sucks.”
Bronx shakes his head. “That’s the thing. I don’t. I might have been first in line, but I never actually expected to step up in Zaire’s place. I hate it. I hate that I can’t figure things out or even plan things accordingly.”
I shuffle across the room and sit on the edge of the bed. “What are we even doing, Bronx? Is all of this even worth it? I don’t want you to feel like this. I don’t want to feel like this.”
Turning his head, he finally meets my gaze. “What do you mean?”
I wave my arm around. “This. Look at what this bullshit has done to us. I never wanted you to fight with your brothers or think you’re failing because of some psycho coven. I never wanted you to feel like you had to team up with a damn asshole because you worry you’re not powerful enough without the backing of other covens in your region. You are powerful. Your brothers are powerful. You got this, and even if you didn’t, we’re going to be fine. We don’t need this region. If anything, it needs us.”
He groans and stretches his arms over his head. “How do you always know what to say to make me feel better yet also like an asshole?”
I laugh and shake my head. “You do the latter by yourself.”
“I am sorry, Gwen. I’m just—”
“In serious need of some masturbation.” I grin as I say it. “At least, according to some horny bastard that thinks it helps chill him out and deal with stress.”
Bronx releases a loud laugh and reaches for me. I attempt to scramble away, but he catches me by my feet and yanks me to him. My back hits the bed, and he rolls on top of me. Tipping my head back, I avoid his kiss on purpose. He brushes his lips to my throat instead, trailing down to my clavicle. His fingers brush the hem of my long shirt and sneak underneath it.
I hum under my breath. “Sometimes I think you like to piss me off so that you can get me all worked up on purpose.”
“Exactly,” he murmurs, working his way lower. “That way I can take care of you how I want.”
“And how’s that exactly?”
Bronx releases a moan at the realization that Jameson failed to find me undergarments. I snatch his hand and stop him from trying to touch me. Pushing him off, I get on top of him and pin his arms above his head. He licks his lips, trailing his gaze to my hiked up shirt exposing my body to him.
“Nu-uh,” I whisper, bending down to kiss his throat. “You’re still in trouble.”
“Am I now?” His fangs peek out from under his lips, his prominent erection pressing into me. I’d lie if I said I didn’t enjoy making up with Bronx. His intensity ignites his passion so fervently that all I want is to make love to him.
I suck hard enough on his skin to leave a mark. “Mmmhmm. So much.”
With one hand, I reach for the hem of his shirt and pull it off. His eyes flash silver, and he arches his pelvis, teasing me through his pants.
“How are you going to punish me?” He grins at me, his sharp features finally softening. He takes our role-playing so seriously that I can’t help but continue to play along. He controls mostly everything in our coven and in his life that I know it’s a relief to give me control in moments like this.
I roll my body, teasing him more. “I have a few different things in mind depending on the offense.”
“What do I get for being a dumbass? I am sorry that I played down your feelings toward Corona. I didn’t mean for you to feel like everything he did to you was forgotten. I haven’t, and I won’t ever.” He breaks free of my hold to sit up and hugs me to him for a moment. “I hope you can forgive me.”
I bob my head. “Maybe if you do make him sleep in the basement.”
“He’s already there. I don’t care what Brooklyn thinks. He is beneath you. So is she.”
Closing the space, I kiss him, wanting so much to give him all my affection. “You’re in slightly less trouble now.”
He chuckles. “That’s too bad. I was looking forward to your kind of punishment.”
I push him back. “You still have several other offenses to pay for.”
A deep cross between a purr and a moan escapes his lips. “Don’t go easy on me.”
“I didn’t plan on it.”
I slide off of him and unfasten his pants. He raises his hips and lets me tug them down, leaving him in his boxer briefs. I kneel next to him, drinking in his rippling muscles. Shifting up, he tries to grab my hands to pull me back to him.
I wag my finger, chewing on my lip. “No touching yet.”
“That’s beyond punishment. That’s torture,” he says, leaning back to rest his hands behind his head.
“You just wait.” I smile and nestle between his legs, taking a moment to appreciate how hot he is lying in front of me. It’s easy to forget how tense our emotions run when he lets me do what I want.
Bronx never takes his eyes off me as I crawl forward and rest my hands on his waist, purposely digging my nails into his taut skin. I hold myself up on him as I bend down and use my teeth to tug his underwear over hi
s erection. I kiss his tip, and he releases a hot breath. Straightening up, I lick my lips and finish undressing him with my hands.
“I want nothing more than to make it up to you, Gwen,” he says, his voice coming out low, raspy.
“Don’t worry. You will.” I grin, loving how he tries to grab me again like it truly is torture that I keep space between us. “First, for interrupting my dinner before I was finished, you’re going to let me bite you.”
“Anywhere you want.” Clutching my hand, he tugs me on top of him, letting me straddle his body. His cock flexes in anticipation, and I scoot up to let it brush against my pelvis. I lace my fingers around him and rub his shaft as I meet his gaze.
“Anywhere, huh?” I push my body a bit higher to bring his cock to my clit. I let him feel what his closeness does to me, teasing him a bit more without letting him enter me.
“Mmmhmm.” He stretches out his arms and sinks into the bed, proving he’s serious.
I glide my tongue over my teeth. “I know the perfect spot to satiate my needs.”
Shifting up, I turn around to straddle him backwards. I purposely flash him in the process, easing my body onto his while squeezing his sides with my thighs. He props up and kisses my ass cheek, making me release a cross between a moan and a laugh.
“None of that now,” I tease, shaking my ass, trying so hard not to laugh. I’m nearly certain I’m more ridiculous than sexy. “You can look but no touching.”
“I think you underestimate my restraint.”
I reach between my legs and grab his hands to link my fingers through his. It’s a bit awkward, but I’m determined to tease him until he can’t handle it. He moans as I brush my lips over his hip, sucking and gliding my mouth over his pelvis and around his cock. His hands tighten around mine, and I hum in my throat, knowing that he wasn’t joking about his restraint. My closeness and teasing test him like crazy, and I love the hell out of it.
“I think here is the perfect spot for your punishment,” I say, tracing my tongue across his thigh in the same spot he asked me to bite him before.
“I’m ready,” he whispers, relaxing beneath me.
I take his cue and bite him hard enough to make him bleed. He releases the sexiest noise in existence and breaks my hold on his hands to grip onto my legs. The sweetness of his blood tantalizes me, and I suck harder, enjoying the tingles buzzing down my throat. Bronx sits up and hooks his arm around my legs, lifting my body just enough that he can kiss my clit. He draws his tongue over my heated skin, igniting my lust in a hot wave. I moan so loud that I’m sure the whole place can hear me.
Bronx leans back, lowering me so that I sit on his face, caging his head with my thighs. I ease my mouth from my bite mark and kiss my way to his balls. I gently suck them and draw my tongue around his shaft to lick up the length. I caress his tip with my tongue before sucking his cock in my mouth. He moans against my skin, the vibration feeling so incredibly good.
We work our mouths over each other, savoring our closeness.
“Don’t make me finish,” Bronx murmurs, using his finger to add to the pleasure he creates.
I slide my mouth away from him and rest my head on his hip. “Wasn’t planning to. You’re still in trouble.”
“Good,” he says.
Gripping the blankets, I relish the sensations Bronx creates with his lips and tongue. He takes his time enjoying me, using his fingers to help get me off. I squirm as the intensity builds and builds until I feel like I’m on the verge of exploding.
Bronx’s name comes out of my mouth with a moan as I orgasm. He holds me in place to keep me from flopping off him and slows down until my muscles stop their spasms. Nudging me down, he kisses my ass cheeks again, grazing his teeth along my skin.
“I could do that all day,” Bronx says, helping me roll off his muscular body and onto the bed. “You’re as sweet as your blood.”
I catch my breath, lying flat on my back, staring at the ceiling. This wasn’t exactly what I had planned to happen when I came storming in here but damn. “But you can’t.”
“Want to bet?” He shifts on top of me and rests his body between my legs, poking me with his boner to see how I react.
“I don’t need to bet. It’s part of your punishment,” I say, grinning.
His eyes flash silver. “That’s just punishing yourself.”
“Possibly.” I press my hands into his chest, stopping him from sinking into me though I really, really want him too. “And making you wait to enjoy the rest of me might also be a punishment to me.”
He play-growls.
I smile wider, reaching down to ease his cock away, letting it lump on my pelvis. “I wasn’t joking about you masturbating.”
Cocking his brow, he studies my face to see if I’m kidding. I don’t react, keeping my mouth in a tight line. I think he doesn’t realize how hot I found him the first and only time I caught him jerking off, especially when he did it while watching me.
“You like that, huh?” he asks, his voice deepening.
I shrug without saying anything.
He hums under his breath and pulls me up so that we sit facing each other. My legs rest over his, our bodies close enough to touch. Leaning in, he kisses me deeply, sliding his fingers through my hair. His tongue slips into my mouth, and I can’t resist scooting a bit closer.
“Start me off,” he murmurs, breaking from my mouth to kiss my jaw.
Instead of stroking him, I position his body to mine and rock forward with a loud ass moan. My plan to tease him totally backfires, and I lock my fingers to his shoulders, letting him pull me closer, digging his fingers into my ass cheeks. I gasp at the pressure of the position, all my ideas of teasing him gone with each thrust of his body.
“Mr. Royale.”
Bronx releases a guttural noise from his throat, and I screech at the man standing in the doorway. Mikkalo materializes behind him, yanking him out of the room. Something thuds against the wall, and the man yells out. Bronx lifts me off the bed with him, relocating me into the bathroom.
“Wait, please. Don’t hurt him.” The musical voice of a woman sounds through the air. “Gordon was announcing my arrival to Mr. Royale. I was under the impression he’d be alone and in need of some company.”
“Who sent you? Was it Corona?” Mikkalo asks.
“Ms. Anderson.”
What the hell? By Ms. Anderson, I know the woman means Brooklyn, because she’s the last female remaining since I killed Francisca. And damn it, if I’m not annoyed.
Mikkalo clears his throat. “Return to Ms. Anderson and tell her your company isn’t needed.”
“Perhaps I can join you?” the woman asks. “Or maybe your brothers?”
“No,” Mikkalo says.
“But, sir. Providing company to you or your brothers assures I get the transfer I need to be with the one I love,” she says.
I frown. “Are you fucking kidding me?”
Bronx presses his finger to my lips. “Try not to overreact. We’re not going to agree to her company. You know that.”
“That’s not it.”
“Then what?”
“The situation Brooklyn arranged with that woman is so messed up. She had to have known you guys wouldn’t have accepted the offer.” I slide past Bronx to peer through the crack in the door and into the bedroom. “Super cruel to give her hope like that.”
Jameson appears in my line of sight. “Brooklyn’s going to lose her damn head for this, Bronx. Our girl is upset enough.”
Bronx slides his hands around my waist. “I’ll talk to her.”
“She only did this shit to instigate Gwen. You know as well as I do that no coven would willingly transfer a female out of their household.” Jameson keeps his voice low. “I bet Brooklyn’s laughing her ass off at us. We can’t let her get away with this.”
“And what exactly do you expect us to do? Are you going to accept her company and bite her?” Bronx asks Jameson from over my shoulder.
“Fuck no.
Mikkalo and I already decided to share a room with Gwen for extra protection. I know how awful this place makes her feel.” Jameson meets my gaze. “I mean, if Gwen’s okay with it. You guys kind of look like you’re in the middle of something.”
I rub my lips together. “I’d like that, Jamie, but with the five of us. I don’t want you guys out of my sight now.”
“That’s a whole bunch of morning wood that will want you.”
I blush like crazy and shake my head. “As much as my curious side would like to explore that crazy-good time, my human side says going there under this roof isn’t going to happen. The last time we all...” My words trail off. I don’t need to remind them about our bonding biting session and how the asshole Barons crashed what was one of the best, sexiest moments of my life.
“Damn, Bronxy. We gotta get our girl out of here and get home already.” Jameson reaches through the crack and combs my hair behind my ear.
“Please! You have to let me.” The woman’s high-pitched voice makes Jameson wince and twist his mouth into a frown. “I need this. I swear you’ll have a good time, Mr. Royale.”
The woman starts full-on sobbing, and Mikkalo enters the room and tries to shut the door on her. She blocks his way, sticking her arm through the crack. She’s lucky Mikkalo isn’t some asshole, or she’d totally end up with a broken arm.
“Everett, do something,” Mikkalo says.
I can’t stand the woman crying, so I pull the door open wider. Bronx sticks to my back, and I’m pretty damn sure he’s not letting me go. Or maybe he’s using me as a shield to block his naked ass, not that he’s ever been shy about that kind of thing. Or maybe it was just for me. Maybe now because of me.
“Mr. Royale!” the woman shrieks, waving her arm at Bronx. “I’ll do anything. Please. I can take over where that little doll left off. I’m stronger than she is.”
Either Mikkalo loses focus or the woman is damn determined, because she manages to squeeze her way through the crack. She starts stripping right in front of us, throwing her dress to the floor. Shock freezes my guys in place. I realize they all watch me as I watch her. And holy shit. She’s been donating blood probably all of her adult life. Circular scars decorate her skin, darker than her tawny complexion. I can’t even tell how many times she’s been bitten.