“Yes. For you.” She pulled at his hips. “Now, Braden. Now.”
In the next instant, he was inside her, buried deep. Neither of them moved. Their gazes locked.
Anything for you. At that moment, she realized, indeed, she’d do anything he asked.
Braden turned her, so her back was against the wall. He rested his palms just above her shoulders and slowly pushed his cock deeper.
She moaned at the feel of him, completely filling her. His smell filled her senses. His taste was on her mouth. She grasped his ass, pulling him closer, pressing her hips against him. “More.”
Even against her tight hold, he managed to pull back, then again pushed deep. Slow strokes. Back and forth. Over and over. “It’s never felt as good as it does with you, Alexa,” he ground out in a voice strangled by emotion.
She was in trouble here, because she felt the same. “Yes. Oh, yes.” Whether she liked it or not, agreed with his lifestyle or not, she couldn’t deny her feelings. But she also couldn’t fully admit them, at least not aloud, not yet. Instead, she confessed her physical need. “Faster, Braden.”
“Not this time.” He pulled almost all the way out of her pussy, then slowly pushed back in.
Alexa couldn’t take this. Her body needed to come. Now. This on-the-edge pleasure had her muscles and limbs shaking with a need so strong that she thought she’d go mad. Her nails dug into his hips. She undulated against him.
“Yeah. That’s right. Move against me.” He matched his rhythm to hers. Then he slowed the motion way down, again drawing out the pleasure.
Alexa whimpered.
“Soon, baby. Soon.” Braden plucked at her nipples and drew his tongue slowly down the length of her neck. “It’s going to be so good.”
She shivered. “Braden…” She teetered right on the edge of what felt like a massive orgasm, just beyond her reach.
At the sound of her voice, he slowed the movement of his hips even more. “Say my name again,” he whispered.
“Braden, please.” He was trying to kill her—kill her from want and need.
“Please what?” He licked at the delicate skin along her ear and circled his finger around her nipple. “Tell me.”
“Ah, oh. I need to…I need to come.”
“Me, too.” He nibbled at her earlobe. A growl, from deep in his chest, vibrated both their bodies. “So much that it hurts.”
“Then why are you torturing me? Us?”
Braden stilled his movements completely. His body protested. He wanted to fuck Alexa hard and fast, until his cock exploded inside her, and she shattered in his arms. But he wanted something else even more. “Stay with me. Promise. And I’ll finish this.”
Her hips moved against him, her body seeking fulfillment. “That’s sexual blackmail, Braden. I can’t think clearly right now.” Her teeth sank into his shoulder, then she licked the bite to soothe whatever mark she’d left.
He grabbed her wrists and pushed her more firmly against the wall. Studying her flushed features, he pumped her hard with each word. “Promise…me! Promise…me…or…I’ll…pull…out…now.”
She whimpered. Her head moved from side to side, and she cried out from the intensity of her need. “Yes, yes! All right. I promise.”
Braden didn’t care that he’d coerced the promise. He intended to hold her to it and make her never regret those words. He tightened his hold on her wrists and moved against her, quickly building his rhythm until he was fucking her like this was his last time.
“Yes, Braden. Yes!” Her leg tightened around his hip. Her fingers curled around his hands.
He continued thrusting, not letting up on her. He couldn’t. His control was gone. Nothing was going to stop him now.
“Yes. Oh, yes! Move, like…yes, like that. Don’t stop. Don’t—oh, that’s perfect.” She matched his motion, moving with him, against him, begging him for more with each hard thrust he delivered.
He was never letting this woman go. Never! Alexa was everything he’d ever wanted. Everything he needed. His grunts and groans filled his ears, as well as her mewls and squeaks of pleasure. The feel of their bodies merging, his cock moving deep and hard, then shallow and easy inside her tight pussy, took him to the heights of ecstasy. A low moan, that he wasn’t sure which of them uttered, wafted around him.
“Faster, Braden. Yes. Perfect…right there. Yes. A little harder now. A little…oh, oh, oh.”
He was about to come. He couldn’t hold out any longer. He released her wrists and pinched her nipples, tugging on the buds of flesh. “Come, Alexa,” he demanded. “Now!”
“Ah! Yes. I’m coming!” She screamed and dug her nails into his shoulders.
“Yeah. Oh, yeah!” He felt her pussy contract hard around him. His cock erupted, spilling his seed deep inside her. He roared out his pleasure, certain the whole compound must have heard him and not caring if they had.
He collapsed against her, surprised he was even able to remain upright, he felt so shaky.
Alexa breathed heavily against his shoulder. “That was…beyond great.”
“I give it an eight.”
Braden shoved Alexa behind him as he spun around. “What the—” He relaxed. Erik was leaning back against the closed door.
Alexa scrambled for her shirt.
“You took too long, and the auto-override opened the door. Good thing the place is mostly deserted, and it was just me on the other side.”
Braden reached for his pants. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“You’re kidding, right?”
“It would have been gentlemanly to do so,” Alexa said, pulling on the shirt. She stuck close to Braden’s side as he dressed.
“Yes. It would have been. Were you two headed somewhere or just looking for a little excitement?” He peered around Braden, and his gaze traveled down Alexa’s body. “Nice outfit.” He reached into his back pocket and extended a handkerchief to her. “You might want to, uh…”
As he zipped up, Braden glanced at her legs, following Erik’s gaze. His come was trailing down her thighs. “Shit.”
Alexa gasped and grabbed the handkerchief. She turned her back and cleaned herself up.
“We’re going to see Kam,” Braden answered, moving in front of Alexa to give her some privacy. “You want to tag along?”
Erik shrugged. “Sure.” He punched a button on the control panel. “Why not?”
* * * * *
Kam held Leila’s hand. “Get that thought out of your head. It’s impossible.”
“I know what I know. It took me a while to figure it out, but I’m right.”
He studied her features and sensed that she wasn’t going to change her opinion. She was too smart for her own good. But she was also off the mark. Not by much, but enough. Probably. He couldn’t stop the doubts that suddenly flooded through him. He had to get out of here and find the answers only he had access to.
“I need to tell Braden.” She took his pulse. A frown crossed her face. “It’s fast. Too fast.” Her eyes connected with his. “Wait. You…you knew. All along.”
He reached out for her wrist. “Leila, you don’t understand.”
She tugged against him, trying to get loose.
He saw her gaze shift to the security alarm and sensed her rising fear. “Calm down. It’s all right. It’s not what you think.”
* * * * *
Braden, Erik, and Alexa exited the elevator. She lagged behind looking around the sterile surroundings. This was the medical floor, Braden had said. It looked deserted. All white, silver, and clean smelling. Many rooms. Lots of glass.
“Only an eight, huh?” Braden asked Erik.
“Maybe an eight-five. Not bad, considering the location.”
“That macho rating shit is stupid, you know.” Though she’d have been much more upset if he’d rated her like a four. It was hard to get up a good head of steam with someone who thought she had ten potential.
“I don’t think I could handle a ten.”
> “She’s got it in her, you know. But you need to spank her for a ten.”
“How do you know I didn’t, before you got there?”
“When she reached for her shirt, I saw her ass. It wasn’t red or even pink. You should have turned her around and let me smack her butt a few times while you were fucking her. She’d have gone wild.”
“I didn’t know you were there.”
“My mistake.”
“Hey!” Alexa called out.
Braden grinned over his shoulder, but addressed his words to Erik. “Maybe we can arrange something.”
“Works for me.”
“Please stop talking about me like I’m not here. And if you’re thinking of another three-way, forget it.”
Both men stopped and turned. She walked to stand between them, glaring from one to the other as best she could, daring them to contradict her.
“So, you remember?” Braden asked.
“Yes, I remember. Most everything.” She felt her face flush.
“You’re really beautiful when you come, Alexa.” Erik leaned close and sniffed. “You smell like sex. If that could be bottled, we’d make a fortune.”
“Get your mind on something else, will you?” Though, the memory of these two pleasuring her, during the Initiation, made it hard for her to follow her own advice. And the thought of Erik spanking her, while Braden pumped his cock inside her, about made her come again right there.
Braden grinned, then did one of those weird hand signals like during the Initiation. While she was trying to figure out the gesture, he and Erik leaned in and gave her a loud, smacking kiss on each temple. Braden patted her butt, and Erik tickled her ribs.
She squealed, squirmed, and laughed so hard her stomach hurt. “Stop! Just because I’m not screaming about everything that happened doesn’t mean you two are free and clear of a well-deserved lecture.” Twisting away from them, she took off down the corridor.
Their laughter floated behind her, as she heard them take off after her.
“Left at the corner,” Braden called out. “And cover your ass!”
“You’re the one who gave me this to wear!” She flipped the back of the shirt up, mooning them, then turned the corner and ran smack into Leila. “Oof.” Both of them fell to the floor.
The men rounded the corner and stopped beside the tangle.
“Babe collision.”
Braden chuckled.
Alexa looked up at Erik. “Very funny. Help us up. I’m sorry, Leila. Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. Sorry. I should have been paying closer attention.” She glanced at Alexa’s outfit as she sat up. “You need clothes.”
Braden pulled Alexa to her feet.
“Thank you.” When Erik just stood there with his arms crossed, Alexa reached out for Leila. “What’s your problem?” she asked him.
He simply grunted.
Braden grasped Leila’s other arm, and they helped her to stand.
“Thanks.” Leila turned to Braden. “I need to talk to you in private. It’s important. Business.”
Alexa wondered what was up now. The serious look on Leila’s face worried her.
“All right,” Braden answered, with only a slight narrowing of his eyes. “Why don’t you two go visit with Kam,” he told her and Erik.
“Good idea.” Erik’s fingers curled around her arm. “You know where to find us.”
Alexa’s gaze shifted from Erik to Leila. They were avoiding each other, their own gazes set purposely elsewhere, as if afraid even to acknowledge the other’s presence. Something strange was going on between those two. Erik’s fingers tightened around her arm, and he practically dragged her down the corridor. “What’s with the attitude?”
“Leave it alone, Alexa.”
His lips pressed into a thin line. He was hurting. She saw it in his eyes. She covered his fingers with her other hand and squeezed. “I’m sorry.”
He stopped, and his surprised gaze met hers. “For what?”
“For whatever’s causing you pain.”
His cheeks reddened, and he started to pull away, but then his eyes softened. “Thank you.” He gently raised her hand and kissed the middle of her upturned palm. “That means a lot to me.”
* * * * *
Braden rubbed his chin. “That doesn’t make sense, Leila. Even if I wanted to believe it, which I don’t. If that were the case, he could have taken Alexa at any time. And I never would have been in the position I was.” Fear speared through him. This couldn’t be happening.
“I haven’t figured that part out yet. But Kam knows something. I swear he does. I saw it in his eyes when I mentioned it. He might even be in on it.”
“I won’t believe that.” Everything he’d ever believed would be a lie, if Leila’s suspicions were true.
“I don’t want to either. But can you afford to take the chance?”
No. He couldn’t afford to take the chance. Not when it involved Alexa, and maybe even the future of their world. Anything was possible, he supposed. But how could he find out the truth for sure? Worry took hold as he wondered how deep the deception might be. If there even was a deception…
“You have any ideas on how to handle this?” he asked, wanting her input.
“A trap.”
“What kind?”
“The ultimate kind.”
* * * * *
Erik’s vid-cell beeped. He grabbed it off his belt. “Talk to me.”
“Don’t let on that it’s me,” the voice on the other end replied. “Tell them that you’re wanted by The Council, then materialize into my quarters.”
Erik hesitated. “Um…” Too weird. What the hell was going on now? “All right.” He snapped the cell closed. “Council duty calls. I’ll see you two later.”
Kam and Alexa waved him off, barely acknowledging his words; they were so engrossed in conversation. He had hoped everything would calm down now that they had Alexa safe and sound. But something was definitely off.
Leila stepped into the room just before he materialized out. Their eyes met briefly. He felt all tangled up inside and didn’t know what to do about it. He wasn’t used to dealing with these sorts of feelings, and it irritated him. The best way he knew to handle it was not to handle it. Not yet.
Erik materialized out of medical and into Braden’s quarters. “What’s with all the secrecy?” He watched Braden pace back and forth.
“We might have a traitor in our fold, according to Leila.”
What else was new? Warriors were defecting in record numbers. They were all traitors as far as he was concerned. But the look on Braden’s face made him take the news more seriously. His stomach clenched. “Who?”
* * * * *
Alexa’s eyes narrowed. “What are you doing?” Kam kept glancing over her shoulder, a worried look on his face.
“Looking for Leila.”
“You heard her. She went to get some clothes for me. Do you need me to find someone? Are you in pain?”
“No.” Kam struggled to sit up on the side of the bed.
“Wait. What’s going on?”
“I need you to help me get out of here.”
“Why?” No one had detained him against his will. Why was he acting like a prisoner who needed to escape? Something strange was going on. He looked so agitated—desperate almost. “Kam?”
“Help me.” He stood up, but wobbled precariously.
Alexa steadied him. “You shouldn’t be walking. It’s too soon. Leila said you need at least another twenty-four hours to self-heal since the wound was so severe.”
“No choice. I need clothes and a transport-connector.”
“Kam, please tell me what’s going on!” She felt the need to run to Braden for help. This wasn’t normal.
“There’s no time to explain, Alexa. Leila could be back any minute.” He draped his arm around her shoulders. “Help me. In there.” He pointed to a door. “I can wear one of the medical uniforms. Anything is better than this healing-wrap g
arb I’m in now.”
She walked him into the supply room and watched the door as instructed while he dressed. She felt like an accomplice in a crime. “You have to tell me what’s going on. You’re scaring me.” She wanted to help him, but…
He grabbed a transport-connector from a cabinet. He cupped her cheek. “Don’t worry. And do what Braden says, Alexa. He’s a good man. Always remember, you’re dear to my heart.”
Then he was gone.
Chapter Eighteen
“Are you going to tell Alexa?” Erik asked. Worry spread through him. This was not good. He could picture Alexa’s explosive reaction.
Braden shook his head. “I don’t think so. Not the whole of our suspicions anyhow. This is a touchy subject. The less conflict, the better. We need to know now, without a lot of arguing back and forth. And Leila’s right. If he is a traitor, and is monitoring us, this will work. It’ll be his last chance at Alexa. He’s powerful though, Erik. He doesn’t flaunt it, but he is. We’ll need to be prepared.”
“What if Alexa refuses to be Branded?” It was a big step. A lifetime decision. And for someone new to the Warrior way of life, it could be traumatic.
“I don’t know. I’ll just have to convince her. There’s no other way. She’s mine, Erik. I’m not letting her go. And if this is the best way to ensure that, then it will happen. No matter what.”
Erik’s eyes narrowed, and an unexpected surge of protectiveness hit him. “Her own free will, Braden.” The intensity in his voice surprised him, but this was something he felt adamant about. Force of any kind, when it came to Alexa, didn’t sit well with him. She was special and deserved special treatment.
With a fire burning in his eyes, Braden stealthily approached. “Yes. Of course, Erik.” His stare growing hotter in intensity, he added, “I appreciate your concern for her, my friend, as long as that’s all it is.”
Erik raised his hands in mock surrender and backed off. “That’s all it is, Braden.” He knew Alexa wasn’t for him, so he had no intentions of challenging Braden for her. A strange ache started in the vicinity of his heart as his thoughts switched to another woman. If only…
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