by Day, Vella
Dirk devoured her mouth again and plowed in. Bolts of electricity shot up her spine as he continued his delicious sexual assault. Once he’d broken through her natural barrier, the urge to join him in the thrusting took over. Her mind blanked and she lifted her hips.
He grunted. She groaned. Their kiss deepened as if they wanted to match their tongue movement to the rhythm of their joining. He slid in and out with ease now, and with each thrust, her body heated with desire. The tension in every cell escalated until she wanted to burst. Her fingernails scraped on his shoulders, and she threw her head back groaning so loud she didn’t recognize her own voice.
“I’m so close, sweetheart.”
The ride was about to end. She gave in to all her urges and blanked her thoughts against everything but the smell of his skin, the texture of his pliable muscles, and the lust coursing through her. Her tight sheath widened and contracted, involuntarily pressing around his large shaft.
As she arched her back, wave upon wave of indescribable need claimed her. Her lower body pulsed and her nipples tingled. She bucked as his hot seed pummeled her back wall. His unleashed growl came close to scaring her, but she held on tight and let the ecstasy wash over her.
His penis throbbed within her, and her belly tightened. Sweat beaded on her body. She’d never been more elated in her life. This had been right.
Dirk kissed her forehead and rolled over, taking her with him. She raised her head and watched the smile reach his eyes.
He wiped the hair from her face. “You were amazing. Did I hurt you much?” The glimmer in his eyes dimmed.
“Only a little, at first.”
“As much as I want to stay inside you, I need to let you rest.” He eased her off him.
Flecks of blood dotted the sheets. “I think I ruined the bedding.” Blood was hard to wash out.
“That makes two of us. I’ll be right back.” He ducked into the bathroom. Water ran. He returned with a wet towel. “I meant I ruined you, but that means I get to keep you.” He tapped her nose.
Could this man be any sweeter?
“How about we sleep in my bed?” he said. “We’ll change the sheets in here, tomorrow.”
“Okay.” She reached to gather her sleepwear when he placed a hand on her shoulder.
“Would you mind staying naked?”
The decadent act appealed to her. “I’d love to.”
#
Clay rolled around in bed and even plastered a hand over his ear to stop the grunts and moans of ecstasy from filtering into his brain, but nothing worked. Three times he’d half shifted, but he controlled his body by concentrating on something other than Elena. His cock was still rock hard, and he couldn’t keep the hair from sprouting. This damned mating stuff sucked. Unless he made love with her, he’d be plagued for the rest of his life with this strong yearning.
From the way both Elena and Dirk looked all goopy-eyed at each other, those two would be together a long time. So where did that leave him?
Horny.
Alone.
He could be a jerk and claim her, but she wasn’t ready to love two men. Her strict Catholic upbringing forbade it. Even if he showed her a lot of happy triads, she might not be convinced.
Still, he worried about her. She was vulnerable and scared. After being housed in a cage for two weeks and sold in a human trafficking scheme, it might take years of counseling for her to cope. She’d been freed only a few hours ago and already Dirk was sticking his dick in her.
Christ. What had his friend been thinking? He should have turned her down. If Elena hadn’t been their mate, he would have ripped Dirk right out of her bed. However, when the time came for her to lose her virginity, no one was more tender or kinder than Dirk. Personally, Clay had never bedded a virgin and honestly never wanted to. The responsibility was huge.
He rolled over and buried his face in his pillow. Damn. He wanted her, but she’d never allow herself to be with two men at the same time.
Fuck me. His timing sucked.
There were plenty of happy couples in ménage relationships, but Elena wouldn’t have hung out with any of them. His only choice was to be friendly and comforting but keep his cock as far away from her as possible.
Good luck with that, buddy.
#
The next morning, Elena rolled over, and it took a moment to realize she wasn’t in the guest room. Dirk wasn’t in the bed, either. After falling asleep the moment Dirk hugged her, she hadn’t had time to reflect on what happened between them. Now she let her mind wander, but her stinging vagina demanded some attention.
“Ugh.” She sat up and decided a shower was necessary before she relived the glory of their union. She stood and glanced down at her naked legs. “Whoops.” Her pants and T-shirt were in her room.
Not comfortable with walking down the hallway naked with Clay around, she checked out Dirk’s bathroom. She figured he wouldn’t mind if she used his shower. His razor, toothpaste, floss, and mouthwash sat on the granite counter. She ran her fingers over each item and thought about him getting ready in the morning. A sense of pride infused her. She still found it hard to believe her first real experience was with such a wonderful man.
Soft voices filtered into the room. Both men were up. Once she turned on the water, she wrapped her hair in a towel to keep from getting it wet and stepped under the warm stream. The moment she rubbed the soap on her tits, they pebbled. She closed her eyes and pictured what Dirk would do to them if he were here.
Until the glass door slid open, it hadn’t registered that he’d stepped into the bathroom.
“Good morning, sunshine.”
Without thinking, she covered her tits and mound.
He laughed. “I think it’s a little too late to be shy.”
“I guess that’s true, but I don’t feel comfortable being naked.” In the light, every flaw showed.
He slipped off his shoes, unzipped his pants, and stepped out of them. The man didn’t wear underwear. Yikes. Lust shot through her. What was wrong with her?
“I can help with that.” He grinned and tossed off his shirt.
“Huh?”
“I can help desensitize you.”
“What does that mean?” She liked the sound of it, but wanted to make sure he wasn’t expecting them to have sex. She was too sore.
He walked into the shower and turned her to face the running water but kept her far enough back so that the spray dropped in front of her. He reached around her, wrapped one arm around her waist, and pumped the soap dispenser with the other.
“This is what I mean.” He rubbed her breasts with the soap, and his slippery touch excited her.
“This probably isn’t such a good idea.” She twisted in his arms to speak face-to-face. His penis slapped her belly. “Oh, definitely not a good idea.”
He dropped back his head and laughed. The sound was one she could hear hundreds of times and never be tired of it. “Don’t worry. I know you need a break. Ignore him. He’s here to get clean, too.”
Her bold side surfaced. “Can I help?”
He groaned. “Your kind of help will get you in trouble.”
The devil on her shoulder made her reach out and grab his erection. The slick water allowed pumping her fist easy. “Maybe I need to see if he tastes any different from last night.”
Dirk clasped her shoulders. “Who are you? Yesterday, you were this shy little filly, and today you’re wonderfully brazen.”
She liked that analogy. She shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve decided to just do what feels right.” And forget about her upbringing for another day. She’d already sinned.
He drew her to his chest. “I like the feels right part.”
He leaned over and kissed her like it was their first time. His soft lips and passionate embrace rippled down to her toes. If only she were a foot taller, everything would line up so well.
Dirk stepped back, his breaths coming out faster. “I can’t be with you and not want to make love. I thi
nk we need to just wash and get out.”
Speechless over his declaration, she pumped soap into her palm. She thought about turning her back as she cleaned between her legs, but he might construe her action as insulting. If this relationship was going to work, she needed to get over her inhibitions.
Dirk kept his gaze off her body as he quickly washed. Before she finished rinsing, he stepped out of the shower and toweled off.
“I came in to say breakfast was ready, but then I got distracted.”
“Uh-huh.”
Animals had good hearing. He must have been aware she was in the shower—naked. She shut off the water and stepped out. This time, she proudly faced him.
His eyes squeezed shut for a moment. He exhaled. “I got your yoga pants and top from your bedroom. They’re on the bed.”
“Thanks.”
He nodded then he left.
Amused by his reaction, she hurriedly dressed in the outfit he’d brought and dashed out of his bedroom into hers to change into something more suitable. She didn’t need Clay to see her nipples.
The smell of bacon, eggs, and coffee permeated the hallway. Boy, was she hungry. She changed as fast as she could, then rushed into the main room. Dirk was already seated at the table, and Clay was at the center island. He picked up a pile of scrambled eggs and placed it on the table.
“Have a seat.”
She glanced at him. Did he know what transpired last night? He probably would be upset if he did. With her back to Clay, she glanced to Dirk and mouthed, does he know?
Dirk must have telepathed something to Clay because he turned around. “Elena, just so you know. There’s nothing secret between the three of us. Nor should there ever be.”
Uh-oh. She decided to test him. “You’re okay with me having been intimate with Dirk?”
“More than okay.” He grinned. “Remember when I said you are our mate?”
The words tumbled around in her brain. She did remember but dismissed the concept of loving two men.
“Don’t get me wrong. I like you, but I believe in committing to one man at a time.”
“I understand.”
While he said nothing more, she didn’t believe the conversation was over. Dirk poured her juice, and Clay brought over the bacon and toast.
Dirk waved his glass. “Let’s eat.”
She was halfway through breakfast when Clay leaned back in his seat. “I don’t want to upset you, but can you tell us about your time in the warehouse?”
The image of that horrid place surfaced. The mold, the filth, and the darkness made her flesh crawl. As if the confining cage and horrible food weren’t bad enough, the memories of being cuffed and blindfolded when they transported her to that strip club made her gag. She pushed her plate away. “It was terrible.”
Clay leaned on his elbows. “If we find out where they held you, we might be able to save other girls. What can you remember? No detail is too small.”
She blew out a breath and clasped her hands together to keep them from trembling. “It was dark.”
Dirk sat next to her and placed a comforting hand on her leg. “Were there any windows?”
“Two small ones, high up.”
“You’re doing good, sweetheart. What else?”
“It smelled of mold.” Instinctively, she wrinkled her nose and her stomach churned.
She closed her eyes for a moment and the image of that hulking guard emerged. He liked to shove her when she had to go to the bathroom. She never sat on the toilet because there was no seat. That and the fact roaches lived in the corner.
“Anything else? Like a chemical smell perhaps?”
She tried to block out the mold and the sweet stench of roach bodies. “I’m sorry. I smelled so bad… I didn’t detect anything other than the dampness and rusty metal.” No use describing the other horrors.
“How big was the space?” Dirk asked.
She tried to visualize the place. “The warehouse was metal and rectangular. Maybe the size of a high school gym.”
Dirk squeezed her thigh. “That’s real helpful.”
She opened her eyes and soaked in his excitement. “There were two doors in the middle of one side. One was a double garage door, like a loading bay, and the other was for people.”
Clay took a bite of his meal. “That’s a big help. When they transported you to the strip club, do you remember anything about the outside of the building?”
The tang of the gag still resided in her memory. “They blindfolded me, but I smelled salt in the air.”
“You might have been near the Gulf. Any sounds you recall?”
A shot of adrenaline plowed through her. “A train went by every night.” She smiled. “And cranes. I never saw them, but the chains clanged and squeaked during the day.”
“Excellent. Do you think if we drove around the seaport you might recognize the place?”
Her chest tightened and she shook her head. “I never saw the outside. But the day they brought in Cheryl and Barbie through the loading bay, I got a glimpse of the area. I could see cars driving by a couple of hundred feet away.”
Clay smiled. “Did you happen to notice what was across the street from the warehouse?”
Now she understood. She knew more than she thought. “There were more warehouses. The one across the way had red lettering on the sign, but the sun’s glare was too strong to read anything.”
“Your memory is good.”
She held up her fork. “This might not mean anything, but I can tell you about the people who came in and out of the warehouse.”
Clay’s eyes lit up. “Tell me.”
Her best description was of the Russian guard and the matron who gave her the clothes. “The day they came for us, the man who you gave the money to showed up at the warehouse. A lady came with him.”
Clay’s brows rose. “John Hood. Tell me about this woman.”
She described her the best way she could.
Dirk shoveled down his meal then pushed back his chair. “I’m going to check it out. I’ll videotape what I find. Maybe you can tell me if I have the right building.”
She was relieved she didn’t have to go back there. “I can try.”
Dirk leaned over and kissed her. “Clay will be your shopping guide today.”
While she needed shoes, only now did it occur to her that Dirk was walking straight into danger. Her heart seized.
Chapter Six
Clay tried to convince Dirk to let him go to the warehouse district instead.
No. I need to get out of here. It’s for Elena’s own good.
Last night had changed something in him. Dirk had slept with a lot of women, but none as special as Elena. Her level of trust turned him inside out. He never dwelled on how his father walked out on his mother and never returned, nor did he have the desire to find out what happened to the old man, but he did yearn for a family.
Other than Clay, he hadn’t allowed himself to get close to anyone. He loved women and enjoyed their bodies, but he hadn’t made a connection with any of them like he had with Elena. As much as he wanted to go slow, his body kept prodding him to speed up. Twice his fangs had extended and his bones had cracked, and twice he’d had to force his mind to the Colters to stop the change.
He almost regretted going into the bathroom this morning. He knew she was in there. He’d heard the shower running. What the fuck had he expected to find—Elena standing at the sink fully clothed? She must think he only wanted her for sex. Walking out of the bathroom wasn’t cool either, but he hadn’t trusted himself.
Dirk left and then relayed Elena’s description of the warehouse location to headquarters. The general asked if he needed help.
“I’m only there to find the right spot, not to capture a bunch of Colters.”
“See that you don’t stir up a mess.”
As he drove down Seaside Drive, he slowed to check out the area. The seaport was expansive and dotted with a ton of metal buildings. If there were two wi
ndows on one end of Elena’s warehouse, it was possible she was housed in a building attached to another. Shit. This wasn’t going to be easy.
Dirk drove up and down Seaside Drive until he spotted a building with red lettering. Across the road, set far back, was a lone warehouse that fit the description. He parked and got out with his camera phone in hand. Tourists wouldn’t come here, so he needed to be as discreet as possible. He videoed both the building across the street and the potential warehouse where Elena might have been held.
Unsure if she’d recognize the building from the side, he strode toward the warehouse for a better angle. While there were no fences or no trespassing signs, he didn’t want to attract attention by walking right up to it. Instead, he headed to an area a few buildings down. If he came in from the rear and took the picture from there, his chances of being spotted were slimmer.
As he inched closer, his senses shot to high alert. A werewolf was near. Many wolves, both good and bad, worked the docks, so he couldn’t conclude this one was a Colter. He slipped his camera phone in his pocket and acted as if he belonged there. Several vans were parked in front, and cranes sat two buildings over. A large tug was in dry dock.
He got within three feet of the side door and sensed a werewolf inside. He moved closer and tested the door. It was locked. Fuck.
Time to retreat. He stepped behind one of the vans and kept an eye on the exit believing the person would investigate his handle jiggling. While he waited, he emailed the video of the area to Clay. He’d show it to Elena. He also texted the werewolf’s presence.
Time seemed to slow the moment the door to the warehouse squeaked open. The werewolf would know another member of the clan was nearby, but hopefully he wouldn’t assume it was a member of the Pack. Best case scenario, he’d conclude Dirk belonged to Hood’s team.
As soon as the large man stuck out his head, Dirk snapped a picture and sent it to Clay. This guy could be her Russian guard. The question was if he worked alone. Colters often recruited humans to do their dirty jobs.
Drawing on his acting skills, he stepped from behind the van, looked up at the building, and shielded his eyes, hoping the mark would think he was there to check out the building.