The muscles on his chest were thick slabs and ridges of abs gave him the washboard appearance few guys ever developed. Thick thighs and bulging arms completed the body he must spend hours toning. She swept her gaze over him and seared the sight to her mind. Her body tingled, the first stirrings of arousal settling low in her belly. It seemed a little surreal to be here, in a hotel room with a man who could easily pass as a pagan sex god. But there was no denying it, not with the tender ache in her core or the small spots of reddened flesh as a reminder of what they’d shared.
She ran a hand over her neck then her shoulder. Both spots felt sensitized. She’d bet money that once she looked in a mirror she’d find a hickey there. She’d had a few guys deliver them when she’d been young and wild and her partners had been just as crazy with the new experiences. Young love. It’d been fun and exciting. None of those times came close to last night and no lover ever took her like Rafe had.
With slow, controlled movements, she climbed off the bed before she gave in to the urge to wake him up with her mouth on his cock. Her core clenched, reminding her of the unbearable emptiness. She wanted a cock inside her—Rafe’s cock. She shook the thought away. She was just horny. It was a natural reaction. She hadn’t had sex in years. She was a little deprived. That’s all.
She padded across the shadowed room to the bathroom, flicked the switch and cracked the door open. The sliver of light helped her see the room. She gathered her clothes, dug Rafe’s phone from his jeans pocket and retreated to the bathroom. A quick shower later, she dressed—minus her panties. She couldn’t bring herself to put them back on.
She leaned against the sink and turned on Rafe’s phone. The picture he had as a background caught her attention. Mesmerized, she stared at the group of the most beautiful people she’d ever seen. A man who looked like Rafe, but with shorter hair and a harder glint to his eyes, sat on a swing. It had to be Kade, Rafe’s twin, and the man watching over Mr. Wilkins’ house.
Next to him was a drop-dead gorgeous woman with hair dyed in sections of color. Patches of red, brown and gold were intermixed with strands of black. She wore sunglasses and so did the man with shorter hair dyed in the same unusual way standing behind her. The similarities between them made her think the two were twins. Another identical pair of men stood on the other side of Kade. They too had to be Rafe’s brothers. They had the same liquid gold eyes Rafe did.
Wow. Rafe’s family was a sight to behold. Her finger hovered over the photo album icon but she didn’t open it. She was curious about Rafe but wouldn’t stoop so low as to snoop into his personal things. Sleeping with him last night changed things. She might not know much about him but she’d entrusted him with her body. Invading his privacy now felt wrong. She could wait. Give him a chance. It was the right thing to do.
Knowing her kids would want to talk all about their sleepover and keep her on the line forever, she dialed Josh’s number since she still hadn’t talked to him. The call went to voicemail. She tried his parents and found out he was at the funeral parlor arranging Tony’s service.
Jazz ended the call and blinked back tears. She’d been so caught up in Rafe that she’d forgotten about Josh and the hell he was going through. Life was harsh sometimes. There was no escaping it, but she felt guilty for enjoying herself last night. She’d have to call him later, offer him support and a shoulder to lean on. He had his parents but they were suffering too. Josh needed a friend.
She pushed aside her sadness and dialed Mr. Wilkins’ number. It picked up on the first ring.
“Hello?”
Seth’s whisper sounded panicked. Her heart skipped a beat then pounded wildly.
“Seth, it’s me. Is everything okay?”
“No, Mom. I’m scared.”
“What’s wrong? Where are Levi and Mr. Wilkins?”
“Levi is here. We’re in the guest bedroom with the door locked and Mr. Wilkins is outside talking to a blond man.”
Her terror eased. It had to be Kade. Now Seth’s fear made sense. They didn’t like strangers, especially men. The only guys they ever felt relaxed around were Josh and Mr. Wilkins. She blew out a breath.
“It’s okay, kiddo. That’s Kade, he’s there to keep an eye on things because Mommy,” she paused and tried to think of something to say, “because Mommy stayed with a friend last night. It was late but I didn’t want to leave you guys alone.”
“Why him?” Seth squeaked.
“Ummm, because it’s his job to guard people. That’s what he does.”
“He’s really big, Mom. My cats are scared of him.”
Of course they were. She pinched her brow. “I know he’s big. So is his twin, Rafe.” She nibbled her lip as she picked her words carefully. “Rafe’s a really nice guy. I want you and Levi to meet him. I’ll bring him with me to pick you two up. Okay?”
“No!” Seth yelled. “He’ll hurt us.”
She heard Levi arguing with him in the background. A clunk reverberated over the line. She pulled the phone back with a grimace.
Levi got on and said, “Mom, don’t go near him. He’s dangerous.”
Out of the two, Levi was the one who acted older, seemed to have a better handle over his cats. His cautious warning struck a note of fear in her heart.
“Why not?”
“Because he’s like us.”
The phone slipped in her limp hold. She tightened her fingers before it fell from her grip. Her gaze darted to the bathroom door. With her heart knocking hard against her ribs, she ordered, “Explain yourself, Levi Sebastian.”
“He has cats inside him, like we do. More than one.”
She covered her mouth to hold the gasp in. If Kade was a shifter that meant Rafe was too. Oh god. I slept with a shifter.
“Mom? Are you okay?”
She shook her head to clear it. “Yeah, kiddo.” Dammit, she couldn’t focus. What the hell was she supposed to do now? “Has Kade done anything…bad?”
“No, but the dogs are scared. They’re all hiding under the picnic table.”
Indecision left her floundering. She stared at the door, thought about everything she and Rafe did together and couldn’t associate the man who’d loved her so tenderly with someone who could turn into an animal, someone who might be a threat to her kids. Her mind wandered back to Tony. The police claimed he’d been stabbed multiple times and Josh’s parents said his throat had been slashed. A knife could’ve caused those wounds, but so could claws.
Doubt crept into her mind. The inconsistencies that had bothered her the night they met came back. How he’d known where her car was parked or that she had twin boys. And… Shit, shit, shit. How had Rafe known where Mr. Wilkins’ house was in order to send his brother over there? She’d never told him and her neighbor’s number wasn’t listed in the phonebook. Rafe had to have investigated her and he’d been inside her house, he would’ve smelled her boys’ signature there. Oh god, oh god. How could she have been so foolish?
Was last night a ploy to keep her occupied, away from her kids so Kade could swoop in and steal them? But he hadn’t. They were still there. She ignored the voice, couldn’t take the chance. Maybe there was another brother waiting to grab Megan. They’d strike at once and take all three kids. Her heart raced. The possible scenarios danced across her mind, fed the worry.
She swallowed down bile. “Move as many pieces of furniture as you can in front of the door and make sure all the windows are locked.” It wouldn’t stop a shifter bent on getting to them but it was the best she could come up with. She wiped at the moisture on her cheek. “I’m going to call Josh and we’re going to come get you. Okay, kiddo? I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
“Okay, Mom. Love you.”
She ended the call and tried Josh’s number. It went to voicemail. She cursed and sent him a text. A minute later a vibration announced his answering message. She read it and let a shuddered breath escape. He was coming to pick her up. At least there was one person in the world she could trust.
; She laid the phone on the counter and blinked back tears. There wasn’t time for them. She’d made a horrible mistake last night. She’d given in to Rafe’s seduction, fallen for his damn lines. He was a liar, a player, not the honorable man she’d thought. If he was, he would’ve told her the truth. From the scent in her home, he would’ve known her kids were shifters, but he’d allowed her to think he was human, not a threat to her family. Dammit, he knew she worried about them. Was that why he’d sent his brother there, to watch over them?
She fisted her hair and tugged. Nothing made sense. God, she had to get away from Rafe, make sure her kids were all right. If they were, she’d feel stupid for allowing her paranoia to run rampant but she’d rather be a fool than endanger the two most important people in her life.
She wiped the tears away and stared at her image. Despite the puffy eyes and hollow expression, she looked like a woman who’d been well loved. With shaky fingers, she touched the edge of the hickey on her shoulder, then brushed over the tiny cuts. Four of them. It didn’t take much to imagine the fangs that no doubt made them. That was what the sharp pinch she’d felt when he’d kissed her there was. His fangs. Her fingers skimmed along the length on her throat. There was no mark, but it too was tender, achy.
A whimper escaped. She pressed her lips together to keep any more from coming out. She’d had a predator’s fangs against her neck. He could’ve ripped her throat out. But he hadn’t. She ignored that little voice in her heart that wanted to believe in Rafe. Just because he was good in bed and made her crazy with desire didn’t mean he was trustworthy. He could’ve told her the truth about what he was, but he hadn’t. No. She couldn’t blindly trust Rafe. It didn’t matter how he made her feel. She’d get away from him and think things through once she knew her kids were safe.
She turned the light off and carefully opened the door. Rafe’s steady breathing let her know he still slept. Without looking at the bed—she didn’t want to see him sprawled there looking sinful and tempting—she tiptoed across the room. She undid the lock, slipped out into the hallway and ran.
The lobby had a few people milling around. Nobody paid her much attention but she couldn’t shake the feeling that someone watched her. A piercing stare burned the spot between her shoulder blades, made the tiny hairs on her arms stand up. A cold lump of fear dropped in her belly.
She swung her head from one end of the lobby to their other. Nobody looked at her but her breath sawed past her lips. Her pulse sped. She was cornered, trapped. The undeniable sensation grew. Stumbling backward, she hit the wall.
Her gaze darted from each of the men in the room. Any of them could be a shifter. Look at how she’d messed up with Rafe. She didn’t know how to spot them from normal people.
The closest person to her was a skinny businessman, complete with suit and briefcase. He had a day planner out and an annoyed expression on his face. She dismissed him as a threat and moved to the next, an older white-haired man who sat with his wife on one of the ornate sofas. He had his arm around her shoulder while she chatted on a phone. No. They screamed tourist. The only other person in the room was a middle-aged man who waited to check out, a rolling suitcase at his feet. His eyes were glued to his phone. He didn’t strike her as a threat either. So why did her skin crawl?
A tall guy with a pair of sunglasses hooked into the neck of his polo shirt pushed away from the wall across the room. His chin-length brown hair had blond streaks with nearly white tips and wisps of gray. Darkly tanned skin with fine wrinkles and a lean body suggested he was an active, outdoorsy person. Khaki shorts and leather sandals completed his outfit. The overall image was that of a well-off, middle-aged man.
His face was model worthy—a perfectly slanted nose, full mouth and strong cheekbones—but his eyes chilled her. Dark brown, they should’ve looked welcoming but didn’t. They appeared cold. Empty. Then he blinked and warmth filled them. A smile spread and the stark expression disappeared.
Her heart knocked hard against her rib cage. It was the guy from last night, the one who’d saved her from falling. She’d recognize those eyes anywhere and she didn’t care how inviting his grin was now. He terrified her on a basic level she couldn’t explain, just as he’d done last night. The urge to run and hide was strong. She swallowed hard and pressed her back into the wall but there was nowhere to go. She was trapped between a potted plant and a grandfather clock.
He walked toward her with his gaze locked to hers. A hungry look slid over his face but it didn’t hold sexual interest, at least not a healthy kind. Demented. Sick. The words bounced in her head. She had to get out of here. The fear choked her. Real or not, she wanted to run and run and never stop, not until she was safe.
She stepped forward but he was suddenly there, invading her personal space. She jerked back. He leaned over her, palms to the wall over her head. His cologne drifted to her, something rich and musky that reminded her of fine cigars and whiskey. She choked on it, didn’t like how it filled her lungs.
“Hey, beautiful. Did your lover run out on you?”
She bent her head to meet those deadened brown eyes. Her stomach clenched. “No. He’s picking me up.”
The stranger raised a brow and turned his head toward the elevator. A smirk lifted one corner of his lips. He peered down at her and the smirk turned into a sneer. “So you spent the night alone? No one to warm your bed?”
She pushed against his chest, didn’t move him. “Move it, mister. I am not interested in talking to you.”
He grabbed her wrists, dragged her hands down his stomach and pressed them to the bulge in his pants. Mouth pressed to her ear, he whispered, “Talking isn’t what I want to do, little female.”
She gritted her teeth. She would not freak out. They were in public. Everything was fine. He couldn’t do anything to her with people only a few feet away. The rationalization gave her courage. “Move or I’ll scream.”
He licked her neck then rubbed his cheek against her flesh. “Is that a promise?”
With his grip directing her hands, he forced her to stroke his cock. Oh no. This wasn’t happening. She opened her mouth to yell for help but he swallowed her cry. He kissed her while he used her hands to stimulate him. She bucked and squirmed but her cries were muffled. And nobody came over.
She couldn’t believe this was happening. She dug her nails into his groin, squeezed his trapped shaft as hard as she could. He only groaned into her mouth and shoved his hips closer. Tears ran down her cheeks. Tremors shook her body. She didn’t know how to stop him. He was too strong.
“Get your fucking hands off her.” Josh’s bellowed order made the man kissing her pull back. He was panting hard but he did as Josh bade. He stepped away from her and held up his hands.
“We’ll finish that later, sweet thing. I’m patient. I’ll wait my turn to get between your thighs.”
Josh grabbed the guy’s shoulders and shoved him. The push knocked him over a chair. It tipped with him when he fell and landed on top of him. People gasped, some woman screamed but the man who’d forced himself on her grinned. His gaze locked to Josh.
Josh strode forward, leaned over the fallen chair. “Come near her again and you’ll regret it.” He pressed a booted foot to the man’s chest then leaned forward on the bent leg. The guy gasped. Josh smiled, pushed a little harder until the man groaned. “It’ll be your last damn mistake. Do you understand me?”
The guy chuckled and eyed Josh with the same heated lust he’d shown her. “Oh yeah. I understand. Consider your warning delivered.”
Josh gave him one last hard glare, reached back and grabbed her hand. A yank and she tumbled against him. He tucked her close and walked across the room, never taking his eyes off the sprawled man until the revolving door blocked him from view.
A light mist fell and the humidity in the air made it hard to breathe. Add in the terror still making her limbs shaky and she was close to a full-fledged anxiety attack. Josh squeezed her arm as they walked. The gentle reminder that she wa
sn’t alone calmed her. She stepped closer to him. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
His SUV was a welcome sight. It meant they’d be safe soon. He popped the locks, waited until she was inside before jogging around the car and getting in. He turned in his seat, one leg bent, and demanded, “What happened?”
She hadn’t mentioned anything in the text other than she needed him ASAP because really…what was she supposed to say? She wasn’t so sure she knew what was the truth and what was a lie. Everything had seemed so much clearer last night.
She glanced from Josh’s concerned face to the hotel. “Not now. We’ve got to get out of here. He might come out.” And beat the living hell out of Josh. Rafe struck her as the possessive type.
One corner of Josh’s mouth lifted. “That bastard’s not going to bother you while I’m here.”
“Not him.” Josh’s brows furrowed and she forced herself to add, “The man I spent the night with.”
Pain shown on Josh’s face first, but his features tightened and his nostrils flared. He leaned over and tipped her chin so she met his narrowed eyes. “Did he hurt you? Force you?” He snapped his teeth together. “I’ll kill the fucker.”
Panic rose. Her first instinct was to protect Rafe. She didn’t fight it. Josh looked capable of carrying out the threat and she wasn’t certain Rafe deserved it. Maybe the crazy part of her that wanted to throw herself back into his arms was right, but she couldn’t trust it. The risks were too great. She had to check on her kids first then worry about unraveling the truth.
“No, wait,” she held her hands up. “He didn’t hurt me.”
He rubbed his thumb over her jaw, a gentle caress meant to comfort. Guilt settled over her. The good guy she’d wanted to see in Rafe was really the one in front of her. She leaned into Josh’s touch but it didn’t warm her.
“Then what, Jazz? Did you wake up and have second thoughts?”
She turned her head to look at the lobby door. The guy who’d groped her stood under the awning with a phone pressed to his ear. He wasn’t looking their way but that didn’t mean he wasn’t watching them. Or maybe she was just being paranoid. She’d become suspicious of everyone’s actions over the last five years. And the one time she ignored that inner voice in the bar the other night, she’d ended up in bed with a shifter. A deliciously sinful shifter who made me writhe in pleasure.
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