Purrks of the Job: Paranormal Ex-SEAL Surprise Pregnancy Mafia Romance (Chicago Catastrophe)

by Anya Nowlan

  “We shouldn’t be doing this,” she whispered, tossing his shirt in the corn, the fabric catching on the stalks at the perimeter of the little circle they’d created for themselves.

  “This is exactly what we should be doing,” he growled in response, the purr in his voice making her knees go weak.

  Sweat glistened on his hard pecks as his chest heaved up and down, to say nothing of the six-pack she realized she wanted to run her tongue over. She stepped forward, running her fingers over his collarbones and then his wide shoulders, in awe of how someone could look this perfect.

  He was all hard planes and muscle, mixed with powerful, colorful tattoos. She hadn’t been close enough to marvel at them before, but the full sleeves turned into swirling patterns and designs on his chest that she bet continued on his back. She would have been a happy woman just to explore his body for hours.

  The fact that he was supposed to be the most vile and repulsive man in the world for her at the moment seemed to escape her mind.

  River knelt down in front of her, reaching up to grab hold of what was left of her dress. With one hard yank, he pulled it down, making her gasp and letting the fabric fall around her ankles.

  With a low purr, he roughly kissed up her thighs, his stubble dragging across her skin. Everything inside her pulsed with need and urgency as she looked down at River’s tongue swirling against the inside of her thigh. Her head fell back as he got closer and closer to her sex, liquid heat pooling in the pit of her stomach, her hands scruffing his hair.

  “Is that what you want, kitten?” he asked, grinning up at her.

  The “Yes,” wouldn’t quite tumble over her lips, but the way she pressed him down lower must have been answer enough.

  Kate pushed out her knee, stopping River’s mouth in its track, even though she enjoyed every movement his mouth made. He gazed up at her with blazing eyes as she used her foot to push him backwards until he fell on his back, coming up to rest on his elbows.

  “This is what I want,” she said, hovering over him.

  Kate grinned, enjoying the sight of him on the ground, looking up at her with pure lust. She was in control, and she was ready to take what she wanted.

  Have I lost my mind? she briefly considered as she crawled on top of him, letting her body do the thinking for her.

  Logic and reason turned to alien concepts as River’s hands roamed across her body, squeezing her ass and running up her sides before he unclasped her bra and threw it to the side. Sitting up straight with Kate kneeling on top of him, he buried his head in her chest, roughly kissing her breasts before focusing on the nipples, worrying them with his tongue and teeth until they ached with pleasure.

  Kate bucked in his lap, feeling his erection pulse against her clit as her fingers dug into his shoulders. She ground her body against his, loving the way his cock pulsed even through his jeans.

  “I think you’re forgetting who’s in control here,” he said, nipping at her breasts.

  “Oh, I know perfectly well,” she snapped back.

  With a growl, River pushed himself up, with her still wrapped around him. Soft lips found hers as Kate’s feet hit the ground, the dirt underneath her toes reminding her where they were. Somehow, she had managed to forget. The corn rustled softly all around them, swallowing up their sighs and moans.

  Two pairs of hands flew to fumble with the front of River’s jeans as their tongues twisted, eager and unrelenting. With the button undone, River hurriedly peeled off his jeans before grabbing her by the waist and setting her down on his discarded t-shirt.

  Her heart started to pound at the sight of his naked body, rippling and tensing as he lowered himself onto her. She grabbed his neck, urging him to move faster, the throb between her legs making her impatient.

  She couldn’t wait any longer. It was time to blow off some steam, to release this pent-up energy that had been brewing between them. It had gone from anger, to rage, to lust in a matter of seconds, and she couldn’t help but love it.

  River let out a guttural sound as he tore away her panties and moved his body between her legs, his weight pressing her further into the cool soil at her back. There was no time for gentleness as Kate gripped his shaft and guided it towards her wet entrance, anticipation bubbling inside and threatening to overflow.

  “I’ve wanted to do this since the moment I met you,” River growled as the tip of his cock slowly pressed inside her.

  She clenched around him without thinking, knowing his thick cock was going to split her open just the way she needed it.

  “Shut up and fuck me already,” she replied, catching a fistful of his hair and pulling his mouth onto hers.

  The sound River made was somewhere between a chuckle and a snarl. But the man did as he was told, filling her up until the sensation bordered on pain and sweat broke out on her brow. The intensity of him was indescribable, making her gasp for air as he stretched her thin.

  “Yes,” Kate hissed, her nails digging into his thighs as he started to move, slow and deep.

  He didn’t waste any time. Within a few thrusts, he was picking up speed, pounding into her. Kate’s body thrashed under River’s as she fought to have every piece of him, to have his skin under her fingernails and his tongue in her mouth.

  Their hips crashed together, his mouth alternating between sucking on her nipples and biting her neck. It was too much yet not enough as electricity surged through her veins, slowly but surely pushing her towards ecstasy.

  So full, so overwhelmed, so consumed…

  Just right.

  The last remnants of any thoughts left her mind as he relentlessly slammed into her, hitting that spot that made her head spin and her insides constrict. A scream tore out of Kate’s throat as she went tumbling over the edge of sanity, convulsing under this mountain of a man she just couldn’t get away from.

  And in that moment, she didn’t want to.

  Sixteen

  River

  With one final glance at the cornfield from his rearview mirror, River pulled back onto the highway. Kate was in the passenger seat, clad in his t-shirt and little else. Somehow, she still managed to look regal, even when she was pantsless and her hair was full of tangles.

  My Ice Queen, he thought with a small smirk.

  River’s mind was crowded with images of Kate’s naked body and the way it responded to his touch. When she cut loose, she really cut loose. He hadn’t seen it coming, but it was one surprise he definitely did not mind.

  That was amazing. Even better than I imagined, and I’ve been thinking about it a lot.

  His skin was still humming, crackling with the residual charge of their electric release. All he wanted to do was reach out and take her hand, but the warm and passionate side of Kate had disappeared almost as soon as they left the field.

  It was like the moment she put on his shirt, she remembered everything that had made her dislike him to begin with. Now, she was busy staring out the window and avoiding his gaze.

  The thought of her regretting what happened between them stung, making his tiger writhe against his skin. They had shared something special, there was no denying it. He had been with his share of women, both within relationships and outside of them, and the experiences hadn’t even been comparable to what he felt when he was with Kate.

  She’s one of a kind, that’s for sure.

  Her scent, now irrevocably mixed with his, filled the car, teasing him with thoughts of making her his, again. Even though he knew he could never fully possess someone as wild and independent as Kate, he couldn’t help but want to try.

  That was part of her charm, really. She could give him a run for his money, and there weren’t many people around that could, especially not humans.

  Mine, something deep inside River rumbled as he stole another glance at her, busy disentangling a leaf from her hair with a pout on her lips.

  They were still a little raw from their savage session in the field. He didn’t mind the sight of her plump red lips o
ne bit.

  Suddenly, the gravity of the situation hit him. She was his now, wasn’t she? Overcome with the way she made him feel, he had claimed her without even thinking about it.

  As a tiger in heat, having sex with Kate had marked her as his mate. There were no ifs or buts about it. She was his, all his.

  My mate.

  An icy clump fell into the pit of his stomach. This whole trip had been about putting his heat, and what it implied, behind him. And now he’d done the exact opposite, with a woman he could never hope to tie down.

  She’s supposed to be a mark, not my mate.

  It was odd to think the woman sitting next to him was now irreversibly bonded to him and she didn’t even know it. River would have to keep it that way. Things were complicated enough as they were, there didn’t need to be an additional layer of weird over the whole situation.

  It would be unfair to burden her with this information, especially seeing as she was technically still his prisoner and even though her attitude towards him had mellowed slightly, she was still certainly looking for her way out. As soon as he turned his back on her, she was ready to bolt, he could read it from her body language.

  In fact, seeing as she seemed to be wrestling with some residual and completely unnecessary shame right about now, he was willing to bet that she was more motivated than ever to get away from him now.

  A growl rumbled in the back of his throat as he considered the absurdity of it all. Being a tiger shifter had many perks, but the way they procreated was not one of them. They only had their period of heat, which lasted for a couple of weeks, to find a partner to bond to, while most other shifters had all the time in the world to find their mates.

  Which is why arranged pairings were so common in the world of tiger shifters. Many families used it as an opportunity to strengthen business ties between them and other powerful families. River thought of the practice as old-fashioned at best.

  Everyone should be able to choose who they want to spend their life and have children with, which was why he had decided to hide his heat from people altogether.

  It was easier that way. If his father found out his eldest son was letting the opportunity to have cubs slip away, there was no knowing what he’d do. The last thing River needed in his life was a fight with Dornan Royce on top of the mess with the Crimson Claws.

  His father was not what he wanted to be thinking about now, as the quiet in the car was growing uncomfortable. Even insults would be preferable to Kate’s silence.

  What’s going on in that head of hers? Is she as confused as I am?

  The pull he felt towards her was even stronger now that he had a taste of the fire hidden inside. There was only one way to find out what was going through her mind, and that was to ask her. Even if he might not like her response, it was better than holding onto false hope that she might now see him in a different light than when they first met.

  “Are you going to talk to me?”

  Kate turned towards him, the shape of her supple breasts clearly outlined through his white t-shirt. He hoped she didn’t catch the way the sight made him gulp. She didn’t need to know how even the thought of running his tongue over her pink nipples set his insides on fire.

  “I think we’re both insane.”

  River couldn’t help but laugh. There was truth to that, no doubt about it. Not killing Kate when he had the chance was the first sign of his impaired judgment. Marking her as his mate when she wanted as little to do with him as possible was just another symptom of losing his common sense.

  With a woman like Kate around, who wouldn’t go a little crazy?

  Yet he didn’t find them giving into the attraction between them insane. It complicated things, even more than they already were, but it was bound to happen sooner or later. The chemistry between them was too intense.

  Even though it wasn’t the best, most rational decision he’d ever made, he wouldn’t change it for anything.

  “I don’t find it funny,” she remarked, crossing her arms.

  “Oh, come on, you weren’t this worried when you were kissing me.”

  “I wasn’t thinking straight. Let’s forget it ever happened.”

  I don’t think I could even if I wanted to…

  Kate’s words were harsh, but there was something in her eyes that told him she might not entirely mean it. Control was obviously very important to her, and losing it with him must have thrown her for a loop.

  He decided that if maintaining their romp in the field was just a bout of temporary insanity helped her feel better, so be it. It wasn’t his place to argue with her about her feelings.

  “You can forget about it if you’d like. I’m keeping it all right up here,” he grinned, tapping a finger on his temple.

  Kate gave him an annoyed eye-roll, but he could swear there was just the barest hint of a smile on her lips.

  Maybe the Ice Queen is melting after all.

  River gave a few attempts at keeping the conversation going, but Kate kept giving her non-answers. Finally, she grew tired of him altogether and turned on the radio while giving him a pointed look.

  “Katie, what am I going to do with you?” he muttered with a smirk and a smile, trying to keep his eyes on the road.

  Yet beneath her surly attitude, River sensed some hesitance or uncertainty. The way she snuck some glances at him from the corner of her eye when she thought he wasn’t looking confirmed as much.

  Space. We both need a bit of space. Which won’t exactly happen, considering that I’ve kidnapped her.

  Their little game of looking at each other but not really continued until the Chicago skyline erupted in front of them, glittering under the soft colors of the setting sun. Kate let out a sigh, scrunching her nose a little at the sight.

  “Didn’t think I’d be here again so soon,” she grumbled under her breath. “Where are you taking me?”

  “My house.”

  The reply tumbled out of his mouth even before he could give her question some thought. It was where he took meetings and there was always security milling around, not to mention Dyson’s ever more frequent unannounced visits. Keeping Kate there would be awkward at best, and damn near catastrophic at worst, but where else was he going to put her?

  He needed to keep an eye on her and he couldn’t hide the fact she was still alive forever. In fact, maybe it would be better if everyone knew right away. River narrowed his eyes, mulling the possibility over. The sun was setting and he didn’t have a lot of time left before they hit Chicago.

  Trying to keep Kate a secret would only make it more suspicious. Having managed to convince her he didn’t kill her because he wanted her to work for him, convincing the rest of the Crimson Claws couldn’t be that difficult.

  There would be grumblings, someone might even dare say something to his face, but ultimately he was the leader and what he said went. And he had to admit, having her close, sleeping in the room next to his sounded like a good idea in more ways than one.

  I could get used to waking up to her trying to kill me in my sleep, he thought with a muted chuckle.

  The city looked exactly the same as they rolled in, which felt odd, as he wasn’t the same as when he had left. Meeting Kate had turned everything upside down and he had a feeling things wouldn’t go back to normal for him for a while.

  If ever.

  Whether that was a good or a bad thing, he wasn’t sure yet.

  Speeding down familiar streets, he found himself eager to take Kate home. Even though she didn’t know she was technically now his mate, he knew, and his instincts to have her near and to share himself with her were growing stronger by the minute. He wanted her comfortable and safe, and preferably never too far from him.

  Kate kept her eyes on the road, looking at every street sign they passed, plotting who knows what in that pretty little head of hers as River maneuvered through busy traffic towards Hyde Park. His neighborhood came into view soon after, familiar houses flitting past as he started to slow d
own.

  “This is where you live?” Kate asked somewhat incredulously.

  River pulled up to a large townhouse and slowed the car down, cocking a brow at her.

  “What, you were expecting an underground dungeon?”

  Kate shrugged her shoulders, tugging at the hem of the t-shirt she was wearing.

  “Maybe.”

  The air was crisp and chilly as they stepped outside and rushed up the steps, with Kate being especially in a hurry to get inside, seeing as River’s shirt barely covered that amazing ass of hers. She wasn’t one for modesty, but River had noticed she got cold easily from the way she had kept fidgeting with the temperature controls of his Camaro.

  Following Kate to the entrance, he could smell his brother’s presence immediately. River pushed the front door open, annoyed he would have to deal with Dyson right off the bat. He would much rather have Kate all to himself for a little while longer, instead of having to explain why she was still alive to people whose business it barely was.

  There was a murmur of voices coming from the living area, halting River’s steps as soon as he stepped inside. More familiar smells hit his nose as he rounded the corner, gesturing for Kate to stay behind him and out of sight.

  In the middle of the spacious living room was Dyson, surrounded by Axe, Talon and Mac, all lieutenants of the Crimson Claws. The tension in the room was palpable. As soon as River made himself seen, all the men looked immediately uncomfortable, with the notable exception of Dyson.

  In the midst of all that had happened, River had forgotten to let his brother know he was on his way back to Chicago.

  I wonder what this little meeting is about.

  “River! Back already,” Dyson exclaimed with a toothy smile, striding over to him.

  “Weren’t expecting me, little brother? Do you want to explain what you’re doing in my house?”

  Now what have you been up to while I was away…

  “I thought you’d let us know how your hunt was going, that’s all.”