Strength of an Assassin [Assassins Inc. 3] (The Stormy Glenn ManLove Collection)

by Stormy Glenn

  Chapter Twelve

  Henry

  I knew Samson wasn’t thrilled with the plan that Stone had come up with, but I was. I wanted Gene to pay for what he had done to me, but I didn’t necessarily want the man dead.

  Well, I kind of did, but that was simply my own misery talking.

  More importantly, I was going home to see my parents. They might not know I was coming, but I knew they would be thrilled to see me, once they got over their shock, anyway.

  I hoped my mother didn’t faint.

  I couldn’t imagine what they were going through, thinking I was dead.

  Yet another crime to lay at Gene’s feet.

  The beta-in-training had a lot to answer for.

  I knew no matter what, Samson would ensure that Gene paid for the things he did. I hoped that this little visit to Alpha Darby’s would ensure that Samson didn’t have Gene’s death on his hands. As much as it should be, this wasn’t a kill sanctioned by the shifter council.

  Although, with as much time as Sinclair spent on the phone before we left, I could be wrong.

  “Henry?”

  I glanced up from drying my hair when Samson walked into our room. We were due to leave soon, and I had just gotten out of the shower. I refused to show up to see my parents unless I was freshly showered. I had spent too much of the last couple of months living in filth.

  I was becoming neurotic about being clean.

  My eyebrows rose when Samson walked over and knelt in front of me. “I’d like to ask you to do something for me before we head to your old pride.”

  “Whatever it is…”

  “Just listen to me.”

  I set the towel on the bed next to me and gave my mate my full attention.

  “I’d like you to join my pride.”

  I waited for him to say more.

  There had to be more.

  He didn’t say anything.

  “Okay,” I finally said.

  “Okay?”

  I nodded.

  Samson’s brow furrowed, almost as if he didn’t understand my answer. “You don’t want to know why?”

  I shook my head. “I don’t need to know why. This is something you asked of me, and if I can give it to you, I will.”

  That’s what mates did.

  I couldn’t read Samson’s expression, but I had no trouble understanding what was going on a moment later when I was lifted, moved up the bed, and then pressed into the mattress by Samson’s bigger body as the man came down over top of me.

  The tears that swam in his ice-blue eyes were a surprise.

  “You are so perfect,” Samson whispered. “You accept everything I want without question.”

  Duh.

  He was my mate.

  “I have never done anything in this life to deserve you, but I’ll fight the devil himself to keep you.”

  I smiled as I looked up into Samson’s intense eyes. I reached up and stroked my hand over the side of his face. “You don’t have to fight anyone for me, Samson. I’m yours.”

  I had no idea the violent response my words would garner. Samson growled as he crushed our lips together, capturing mine in a brutal kiss that curled my toes. I groaned as I spread my arms and legs, then wrapped both around my mate.

  The man was rock hard against me, his entire body.

  Every glorious inch.

  Something possessive and scorching ignited in Samson’s ice-blue eyes. His touch was feather light, worshipping as it moved gently across my skin. The awe in his expression took my breath away.

  “You’re mine, Henry,” he whispered before pressing a kiss against my skin. “I’ll love you until the day I die.”

  I gasped at Samson’s words. I knew mates fell for each other quickly, but I never truly thought to hear those words.

  “Samson.” I slid my hand along the rough stubble on his jawline. “I love you, too, Samson.”

  Samson let out a small whimper. Before I could draw in a breath, his lips covered mine once again, the man pressing his tongue in to explore and conquer. I melted into his embrace, my body tingling with need.

  “Clothes,” I murmured against his lips.

  I was more dressed for the occasion than he was…or undressed in my case. His needed to go.

  My eyes widened when Samson scrambled back to stand at the end of the bed. Fabric tore as he ripped his clothes away.

  I was in awe of his strength.

  I was thrilled by his loss of control.

  By the time Samson’s naked body covered mine, I was ready to scream. The desire to feel every inch of the man’s large, muscular body pressing me down into the mattress rode me hard.

  Samson trailed his hand painfully slow down my side before moving it around to grab my ass. “Need you, baby. Need to feel you wrapped around me. Spread your legs.”

  Was he serious?

  I was supposed to move?

  To function?

  My brains had melted out my ears.

  I blinked in surprise when Samson pushed my legs apart. Apparently, he was serious. I dug my fingers into his shoulders, holding on just a bit tighter. I shook every time Samson touched me.

  I was coming apart.

  “Samson!” I cried out when a thick finger breached my ass and began to move.

  “What do you need, baby?” He instantly stilled and hovered over top of me.

  “You.”

  Samson pushed his finger into my ass again, grabbing my cock at the same time. I cried out and bucked, unsure if I wanted to push back against the invasion thrusting into my ass or drive my cock through the fist slowly driving me out of my mind.

  “Keep your arms wrapped around my neck, baby.”

  I shot Samson a worried look as I did as directed.

  He was giving orders again.

  What part of melted brain didn’t he get?

  “There you go,” Samson crooned as he pushed a second finger deep inside of my ass, and then a third, thrusting them in and out, spreading them, rubbing against my sweet spot.

  My head fell back, the intense burning warring with the pleasure shooting through my body at lightning speed. I almost couldn’t keep up with the exquisite sensations flooding my system, one right after another.

  “Look at you,” Samson whispered hoarsely. “Look how sexy you are.”

  Looking deep into Samson’s blue eyes, I could believe what the man was saying to me. There was no way Samson could look at me with such burning intensity without there being some truth behind his words.

  I kept one arm wrapped around Samson’s neck. With the other one, I reached up and cupped the side of his face, drawing the man’s lips down to mine. His hot breath blew across my face as our lips met. The kiss was surprisingly sweet considering how erotic every other touch between us was.

  “I need to be yours,” I whispered against his lips. “Claim me again, Samson. Make me yours.”

  “You are mine,” Samson replied as his eyes bored into mine. “You will always be mine.”

  I inhaled sharply when Samson pulled his fingers out of my ass. I felt hollow, empty. I almost cried out in protest until I was lifted and turned, then settled on my hands and knees. Samson grabbed the nape of my neck with one large hand, pressing my head down toward the mattress. With his other hand, he lifted my ass into the air.

  It was not a dignified position.

  “Sam—oh god!” I bit into the blanket as the head of Samson’s cock pushed against my tight ring of muscles. He slowly eased his thick length inside of my ass, stretching me until pleasure held me immobile.

  I might have whimpered.

  I had an excuse. I was pretty sure I had died and gone to heaven. I changed my mind a moment later when Samson lifted me, pulling me back until my back was flush with his chest. I slid down, Samson’s rock-hard cock impaling me inch by glorious inch.

  “God, baby,” Samson whispered in my ear, “the way you feel wrapped around my cock.”

  The body at my back shook as if it took every
ounce of Samson’s control not to move.

  While I appreciated the man’s restraint… “Samson, please.” I clenched my inner muscles, digging my fingers into the arm wrapped around me. “Move.”

  “Is that what my mate wants?” The sensual growl in Samson’s voice rolled through me, followed quickly by pure ecstasy as the man thrust up, driving his cock just that much deeper into my ass.

  I hissed as I spread my legs, settling across Samson’s thighs even more. The only things holding me up were the hand wrapped around my chest and the cock in my ass.

  I dropped my head back onto Samson’s shoulder, tilting it to one side. I moaned as my insides clenched and my muscles locked into place. I was impatient as I waited for the panther to bite me, claim me.

  Samson didn’t disappoint. He sucked and licked erotically at the tender skin of my neck. The sensation only made my cock harder, throbbing more.

  Samson tightened his arm around my waist, holding me close to him as he moved his hips, thrusting harder and deeper. He wrapped his other hand around my cock and stroked me from root to tip again.

  “You’re going to come for me, aren’t you, baby.” It wasn’t a question. It was a statement of pure fact. The man was confident in his statement because he knew I couldn’t resist his touch.

  Samson’s hips continued to move, driving his cock in and out of my ass, filling me, stretching me, until I was ready to do anything the man wanted.

  I let out a moan. “Samson.”

  “That’s it, baby,” Samson encouraged. “Come on my cock.”

  I screamed as Samson sank his teeth into my shoulder. My world went white hot. I couldn’t stop the boiling pressure that tightened my body. The hard, piercing pleasure and pain were too much for me to take for long.

  I was insane with the burning ecstasy spearing through my body at an alarming rate. I moved against Samson, urging the man on until his thrusts were powerful strokes inside of me. Samson fucked me hard and fast, the man groaning, praising, groaning more.

  When I climaxed, I wailed, my inner muscles tightening on Samson’s shaft even further, my ass milking the cock possessing me until I heard Samson’s shattered groans and felt the hard, spurting jets of cum filling me.

  My orgasm shuddered through me, over and over. My muscles clenched on Samson’s cock as the man’s knot expanded inside of me, making Samson jerk until he fell against me, gasping, boneless.

  Samson gently rolled us to our sides, his arms keeping me held close, trapped as much as the knot in my ass. His lips caressed my temple before he whispered, “Mine.”

  It was enough.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Samson

  I chuckled at the wide-eyed look on my mate’s face once the connection between the pride members kicked in. “Feels weird, doesn’t it?”

  He should know this.

  “It never felt like this when I officially joined Alpha Darby’s pride.”

  “You didn’t feel the connection to the others in your pride?”

  Henry shook his head. “Not like this.”

  His eyes grew even rounder when he turned to look at Sinclair. “Oh shit, you are the alpha.”

  Sinclair rolled his eyes. “I still don’t understand why you all think that.”

  “Because it’s true,” Henry insisted. “I can feel it. You’re the strongest out of all of us.”

  “I still think you all are crazy, but whatever. We don’t have time to argue about it right now. We need to get to your former alpha’s house.”

  “Yeah.” Henry sighed. “I guess he’s not my alpha anymore, is he?”

  He rubbed the back of his neck as he lifted his gaze to me. I could see a bit of sadness in his eyes, but also an excitement as if he was looking forward to his new pride.

  I held out my hand, then smiled when Henry walked right into my arms. There had been no hesitation. If anything, he seemed to breathe a little better once my arms were around him.

  I pressed my lips to the top of his head.

  “No matter what, we’ll always have each other.”

  I knew everyone in the room could hear me.

  I just didn’t care.

  “We have your back, Henry,” Sinclair said. “You’re pride now, and that means something to us.”

  Henry nodded. “It’s not that. You’ve all been very welcoming. It’s just…”

  I could hazard a guess. “Makes you a little sad to be leaving your old pride?”

  Henry nodded again.

  “Just because you’re part of our pride now doesn’t mean you can’t visit, Henry,” Sinclair said. “That’s your birth pride. You will always feel a connection to them, and I’m sure Alpha Darby will have no problem with you visiting whenever you want to.”

  Sinclair pinned his gaze on me “You just have to inform him if you plan to take your mate with you.”

  “Oh, I couldn’t go without Samson,” Henry quickly said. “That would be wrong.”

  I couldn’t have kept the grin off my face if someone had offered me a million dollars. Henry already thought of us as a team.

  I couldn’t ask for more than that.

  “We really need to get going.” I gently grabbed Henry’s arm and steered him toward the door. “It’s half a day’s drive to Alpha Darby’s territory.”

  Henry’s eyebrows rose. “We’re that close?”

  “Honey, that isn’t close. It’s almost four hundred miles away.”

  “Then how are we going to get there in half a day?”

  I sent a glare to the tall man standing next to Sinclair’s wheelchair. “Stone’s driving.”

  Stone drove like a bat out of hell. How he still had a license, I would never know.

  That was assuming he had a license.

  I wasn’t sure I wanted to know the truth.

  Getting on the road was easy enough. Knowing we had at least a six-hour ride ahead of us, not so much. The SUV was a big vehicle, but not that big. I was able to commandeer the middle back seat for Henry and me simply because I got to it first. With Stone driving, it only made sense that Sinclair would have the front passenger seat. That left the way back for Shade, Bob, and Stryker.

  I smirked when Stryker glared at me. I was pretty sure it wasn’t because it was a tight fit.

  Bob was talking.

  I had to admit I was a little surprised we were all going. I thought for sure someone would have stayed home, even if it was just to man the phones.

  I wasn’t going to argue, though. We needed the backup. The more, the better. Not only were we going into another alpha’s territory, but this alpha was pissed at me.

  We were also walking into an unknown situation. Alpha Darby said he wouldn’t say anything to anyone about us coming, but nothing remained secret forever. People would learn of our arrival sooner or later.

  I was hoping for later.

  The knot that began to form in the pit of my stomach when we left the estate made me want to turn right back around and take my mate home. This trip wasn’t going to be as easy as everyone thought. I just knew it. I could feel it.

  I tightened my arms around Henry. I was good at what I did. All of us were. I was just afraid we weren’t going to be good enough to keep my mate safe.

  I knew we needed to confront Gene so that his alpha could take him out, but I couldn’t help feeling as though we were driving right to our doom.

  This sucked.

  I slouched in the seat and stretched my legs out as far as they would go. I pulled Henry into the curve of my body and closed my eyes, resting my cheek on the top of his head. We had a ways to go before we were even out of panther territory.

  I was taking a nap.

  * * * *

  “Samson.”

  “Shhh, baby.” I patted the hand on my chest without opening my eyes. “I’m trying to catch a little sleep before we get there.”

  “We are there,” Henry said. “You’ve been asleep for hours.”

  I popped my eyes open and sat up, glancin
g around. “We’re here?”

  Already?

  I rubbed my hands over my face. It felt as though I had just closed my eyes.

  “You slept a long time, Samson.” Henry smoothed his hands over my chest, then moved them up to my neck and my cheek. “Are you feeling okay?”

  “Oh yeah, I’m fine, baby.” I smiled as I leaned in and pressed a kiss to Henry’s lips. “I guess I’m just catching up on the sleep I didn’t get while in the pits.”

  It had been nearly impossible to sleep while I was being held captive. I never knew if someone was going to come for me or not. I had been on edge the entire time I was there, waiting, watching.

  “How close are we?”

  Sinclair glanced back from the front seat. “We just entered the city limits.”

  “The alpha’s house is just through town,” Henry said. “He has an estate a few blocks past Main Street. It’s up on a hill.”

  I wasn’t too keen on being so closer to the center of town, but having a place up on the hill sounded like a good idea.

  “Maybe once this is all over, you can show me around town.”

  Henry beamed up at me. “I’d like that.”

  I hoped I could get Alpha Darby’s permission.

  The ride through town was uneventful.

  And quick.

  There just wasn’t much to the place.

  “Are there a lot of humans here, Henry?”

  “I’d say the ratio is about fifty-fifty between humans and shifters.”

  “And they all live here okay?” No one I saw walking down the sidewalks seemed to be having any issues with anyone else.

  “Alpha Darby’s family pretty much owns everything not nailed down. He made it a requirement of anyone moving into the city limits that you had to accept shifters and humans alike.”

  That was actually a pretty good idea. I just didn’t know how feasible it was. People—both human and shifter—tended to hide their darker thoughts if they felt they weren’t accepted.

  Gene was a perfect example of that.

  “Henry, was Gene born here or did he move here?”

  That might explain it.

  “He was born here. His parents moved away years ago, but he decided to stay on because he had the opportunity to become a beta here.”