Claiming Her Mates Complete Series Collection

by Dia Cole

  Havana

  As I closed the door to the playroom, I was overcome by a mixture of giddiness and apprehension. What have I done?

  Probably just got myself fired, my subconscious answered.

  I don’t know what had come over me. Scratch that. I knew exactly what came over me. From the moment I’d walked into the playroom I’d sensed Nathan watching me through the glass. I’d tried to ignore the sensation, telling myself that the rich businessman had much more important things to do than watch me play with his daughter for hours. But somewhere deep inside I knew he was watching, and I wanted him to know that I knew.

  But I could’ve been a bit subtler. My face warmed as I thought of how I’d seductively applied my lipstick and adjusted myself in the mirror. Yeah, I’d pushed it a little far, but I’d never been known for being discreet.

  My heels clicked loudly on the marble floor. Am I getting close to the dining room? I looked around at a gold vase sitting on an antique-looking table. The hallway was lined with closed doors none of which offered a clue as to what room lay inside. Damn, I probably should’ve gone with Mrs. Pierce when I had the chance. I took a deep inhale hoping the scent of food would lead the way. There wasn’t anything other than a hint of furniture polish in the air. I stopped to listen. No sound of clinking dishes or silverware. Deciding my only option was checking the rooms, I pulled open the closest door.

  Inside was a large masculine bedroom outfitted in mahogany furniture and a massive four-poster canopy bed. The dark bedding was pulled back on one side, giving me a tempting glimpse of burgundy silk sheets. I’ll bet those feel like heaven to sleep on.

  The warm earthy scent of sandalwood hanging in the air told me this room had to be Nathan’s. Sunlight from a large picture window winked off a cluster of metal photo frames lined up on the dresser across from the bed. Is one of those photos of the late Mrs. Steele? I was dying to know what she’d looked like.

  My conscience told me to walk away, but a reckless curiosity came over me. With a quick look down the hall to make sure no one was around, I stepped into the room and inspected the photos.

  They were all of Mira. There were photos of her lying on a blanket as an infant, crawling, standing up, eating a messy ice cream cone, and finally beaming for the camera in what looked like a fairly recent photo. Aww. He clearly adores his daughter. But what about her mother?

  I scanned the photos again not finding any evidence of the mystery woman. Lying near the back of the dresser was a gold pocket watch attached to a chain. Intrigued, I picked it up and used my thumbnail to open it. The timepiece wasn’t working, but attached to the inside was a tattered photo of an attractive man and a woman with their arms around a young boy. The child’s silver-streaked hair was a dead giveaway. It has to be Nathan and his parents. I wondered if they were still alive or had died like his wife.

  It seemed kind of odd that he didn’t have a photo of her, but then again people grieved in different ways. Maybe keeping a photo would be too painful for him? Or maybe he’d moved on with another woman who didn’t want a visual reminder of his late spouse. Wondering what kind of woman he’d date, I stared at the bed. What would it be like to make love in that bed? Unable to help myself, I walked over to one of the posts and fingered the silk tassels holding back the burgundy canopy.

  “Looking for something, Ms. James?”

  The sound of Nathan’s voice made me freeze like a squirrel in a spotlight. Oh no! This looks bad. Really bad. Trying to keep my composure, I stammered, “I-I was looking for the dining room.”

  “I can assure you, you won’t find it in my bedroom.” The censure in his voice tightened my stomach into double knots.

  I slowly turned to find Nathan standing in the doorway. Holy hell. The sight of his rugged face, combed back silver-streaked hair, and beautiful golden eyes made my mouth go dry. I couldn’t help giving him a once—then a twice—over.

  He looked good enough to eat in a navy pinstripe suit he’d paired with a crisp white dress shirt and Italian wingtip shoes. The shoes alone must’ve cost more money than I’d make in a week. I moistened my lips. “I got lost.”

  “Clearly,” he said, his golden gaze narrowing. He stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. “I don’t tolerate thieves in my home.”

  What? He thinks I’m trying to steal from him? “I know what this may look like, but I promise you, I’m not a thief.”

  He strode over and grabbed my hand.

  My stomach dropped to the floor when I realized I still held the pocket watch. “I-I was just admiring it.” Shit. I’m definitely getting fired now.

  Nathan yanked the watch out of my hand and set it back on the dresser. “Do you know how thieves are punished where I come from?”

  My heart pounded so hard I thought it might explode. “N-no.”

  He moved so fast. I blinked and he appeared in front of me, his face only inches away from mine. His golden eyes seemed to glow with an unearthly light. The deep amber color was at once mesmerizing and frightening. “We tie them up and beat them,” he growled. He reached around me and tore free the canopy tie.

  Stunned and unable to process what was happening, I just stood there as he tied my hands to his bedpost. “What are you doing?”

  “Punishing you.”

  “What? You can’t do this,” I sputtered.

  “Would you rather I call the police and report what you did?”

  I straightened my spine and glared at him. “There’s nothing to report. I didn’t take anything. I’m not a thief!”

  Ignoring me, he opened a closet door on the far side of the room and disappeared inside.

  Damn it. I tugged on the canopy tie trying to loosen it. It was impossible to undo with my hands bound. “Let me go,” I demanded when Nathan reemerged.

  “I will, when you’ve atoned for your actions.” He held a leather belt in his right hand.

  “You’re not planning on spanking me, are you?” I asked, incredulous.

  He said nothing as he marched toward me with an almost predatory look on his face.

  Oh, God, he is. A million emotions hit me at once. Disbelief. Confusion. Anger. And an arousal so savage it stole my breath. I fought hard against the unexpected reaction. “If you lay a hand on me, I’ll—”

  “You’ll what? Press charges? Who do you think the authorities will believe, the new nanny with a questionable background, or me?”

  He has a point, damn it.

  “Take your punishment and we’ll forget this ever happened.” His deep voice seemed to stroke my skin like warm velvet.

  I shook my head, but the gesture seemed weak even to me. “You can’t do this.”

  “I can and I will,” he said, raising the belt.

  I shivered with a mixture of indignation and excitement. For years I’d played a femdom at the club, but the idea of a dom-sub situation had never actually turned me on. Until now. The sight of him closing in on me with his rugged face drawn tight and his beautiful lips pressed together made me pant. God, how I wanted him to punish me. Punish me hard. I tried twisting around to look at him, but he put his hands on my hips forcing me to face the bedpost.

  “Don’t move,” he ordered, his voice ringing with a strange tone that made my head throb.

  All of a sudden it was as if my muscles locked. What’s this? My heart beat faster as I found myself frozen in place. I was helpless. Vulnerable. Totally out of control of the situation and a crazy part of me loved every second of it.

  He reached down and slowly drew up the hem of my skirt. The heat from his hand seemed to sear my skin.

  Unable to help myself, I let out a breathless moan.

  As the fabric of my skirt moved higher and higher, his breathing hitched.

  I gasped, sensing that he was as turned on as I was. The feeling of the air hitting my thighs and then my ass made me tremble.

  Finally, I was bared to his gaze.

  He let out a sharp inhale.

  Shaking with arous
al, I stood there wondering what Nathan thought of my sexy new G-string. The little number had barely enough sheer red fabric to cover my crotch, but I loved how feminine and sexy it made me feel.

  Nathan didn’t move for what felt like a full minute. The longer he stood there, the more the anticipation built. Suddenly, I couldn’t wait for him to act. I craved his punishment because some part of me knew that pleasure would come with the pain. My nipples grew hard and my G-string dampened.

  “Are you ready for your punishment?” Nathan asked, his voice rough, almost feral-sounding.

  Unable to speak, I nodded.

  “Who’s in charge here?”

  “You are, sir,” I moaned. Years of role-play had taught me the proper way to respond to a dom. I closed my eyes submitting to this. To him.

  “Good. Then you’ve learned your lesson.” He pulled my skirt down and untied my hands. “Now, let’s forget this ever happened.”

  “W-what?”

  “Forget everything that happened since I walked into the room,” he ordered, his voice reverberating inside my mind like a gong.

  Flinching in pain from a sudden headache, I blinked up at Nathan in confusion. What’s going on? What happened? Just a second ago he was standing in the doorway and now his massive body loomed over mine. I glanced down at my hands. They were raised up in front of my body. Odd. Feeling ridiculous, I lowered them down to my waist. Strangely enough, the area around my wrists was red.

  Nathan scowled down at me. “From now on my bedroom is off-limits, do you understand?”

  Dazed, I stared up into his beautiful eyes.

  Damn. I didn’t remember him being so tall. He had to be over six-four. And muscular too. His suits must be tailor-made to fit across that broad chest.

  As he stood staring at me without saying anything, my knees began to shake. Trying to get control of my body, I took a deep breath, inhaling his mouthwatering scent—sandalwood mixed with something else—something that was Nathan alone. God, he smells freaking amazing. My blood heated and every cell in my body came alive. In that moment, I wanted more than anything for him to grab me, throw me down on his fabulous bed, and have his wicked way with me. I had to fist my hands to stop from reaching out and touching him. What’s come over me? Why am I suddenly so turned on? And how can he stand there looking completely unaffected while I’m coming apart inside?

  He folded his arms across his chest, his expression cold. “I said, do you understand?”

  “Yes,” I squeaked. Oh man. I can’t believe he found me inside his bedroom. Thank God he didn’t jump to the wrong conclusion and think I was trying to rob him or something.

  “Now would you like to stand here all afternoon, or would you like me to show you to the dining room?”

  Feeling completely off-kilter, I nodded. “The dining room.”

  He pursed his way too kissable lips. “Before we go, let’s get one thing straight.”

  A sinking feeling gripped me. Here it comes. He’s totally going to fire me.

  He cleared his throat. “I was willing to overlook your lack of formal education and childcare experience when I hired you, Ms. James. However, I expect you to comport yourself with dignity and respect at all times. Do you understand?”

  The censure in his gaze made me wish the floor would swallow me up. “Yes, sir.”

  “I’m entrusting you with the care of my daughter. I expect that you will teach her proper behavior and serve as a role model.”

  I nodded. “Of course, sir.”

  “Then you will understand if I request you act and dress more appropriately.”

  “What’s wrong with this?” I looked down at myself. You could barely see any cleavage and my skirt actually covered most of my thighs.

  It was probably my imagination, but his gaze seemed to heat as he scanned my body. Clearing his throat, he said, “Slacks would be better suited for playtime, wouldn’t you agree?”

  Slacks? As in pants? I owned a few pairs of jeans, but that was it. Looks like I was going shopping after work today. “Certainly,” I said, forcing a smile.

  “And I noted you were late this morning.”

  I winced. Adjusting to the morning schedule after years of working nights had been rough. “It won’t happen again,” I promised.

  “Excellent,” he said with a tight smile that lessened the sting of his reprimand and immediately fired off my hormones again. “This way.” He motioned down the hallway and set off at a pace that had me struggling to keep up with him.

  “You have a beautiful home,” I said to break the silence.

  He made a noncommittal noise.

  I tried again. “Have you lived here long?”

  “No.”

  Well, this is going well. Deciding it’d be best if I just kept my mouth shut, I followed him down the hallway in silence. Damn, even the view of his back was mouthwatering. It wasn’t fair. It’d be a hell of a lot easier if Nathan weren’t so…compelling. What is it about him? It wasn’t just his looks. I’d met and danced for more attractive men and none of them had turned me into warm pudding like he did. Maybe it’s the cologne?

  Unconsciously, I leaned over and sniffed in his direction. Just my luck he turned and caught me mid-inhale. “Are you feeling all right, Ms. James?”

  “Right as rain,” I said hoping against hope my face wasn’t the exact same color as my skirt.

  He stopped at a set of closed double doors. “I’ve notice that you’ve developed a wonderful rapport with Mira. It is for that reason I hope we have a long and close professional relationship with one another.” He emphasized the word professional.

  I wasn’t the smartest bulb in the pack, but his message was clearly received. “I hope for that as well,” I said with fake brightness.

  “Good,” he said, pulling open the double doors to reveal an elegant dining room. “After you, Ms. James.”

  6

  Nathan

  That first lunch with Vana and Mira had been agonizing. With no recollection of me tying her to my bedpost, Vana’s focus was on the soufflé Mrs. Pierce had prepared.

  If only I could’ve wiped away my own memories of our encounter so easily. It’d taken every shred of willpower I had not to leap the length of the dining room table, snatch the beautiful female, and carry her back to my room to finish what we’d started.

  Thank the fates for Mira’s presence. She’d accidentally knocked her glass over and getting a lapful of ice water had temporarily cooled the fire in my blood.

  Honestly, I don’t know what possessed me to tie Vana up in the first place. Initially, I’d been shocked and angered that she’d dared invade my space. Decades of living with Tasha, who’d barge into my room any time she liked, made me protective of what little privacy I had. Then, when I’d found Vana holding the only keepsake I had of my father’s, I’d seen red. I’d spent years keeping that pocket watch safe from Tasha who surely would’ve destroyed it like she’d destroyed everything of my parents’.

  As soon as I’d scented Vana’s shame and then her indignation that I’d accused her of stealing. I knew she hadn’t been trying to take it, but I couldn’t stop myself from wanting to teach her a lesson. And since I was being wholly truthful, the darkest part of me wanted to see how she’d respond to being tied up.

  And she’d responded beautifully. Fuck! It’d been weeks since our encounter in my bedroom and the heady scent of her desire was still branded into every cell of my body.

  Over and over my mind played out the memory of her submitting to me. She’d looked incredible with her lips parted and her eyes glazed over with passion. And seeing her in those little red panties. Damn the fates. I’d never be the same. Fantasies of me spanking her gorgeous round ass in those panties haunted my dreams. And I had to admit my attraction to her wasn’t just sexual.

  My lunches with her and Mira had quickly become the highlight of my days. As I spent time with the beautiful nanny, I found her to be charming, witty, and kind. In addition to sharing my lov
e of all genres of movies, she was curious about other cultures. I’d never thought much of my visits to the different Lykos factions all over the world, but she found the stories of my travels fascinating. Soon, I found myself bringing her gifts, trinkets really, from the places I’d visited. Seeing her face light up with joy filled me with a kind of masculine pride I knew was dangerous.

  Even more dangerous were my growing feelings for her. As I spent yet another morning watching her and Mira through the two-way mirror in my study, I gripped the hair tie Vana had left in the playroom the day before. Like a lovesick fool, I lifted the elastic piece of fabric to my nose and inhaled her intoxicating scent.

  “For fate’s sake, brother. You need to stop this,” Ty declared, seeming to materialize from the shadows in the far corner of the room.

  I jumped in surprise, dropping the hair tie to the floor. “Damn it, Ty. Why can’t you knock on the door like a normal person?”

  The Alpha male gave me a sardonic look. “Because I’m not a normal person. I’m a goddamn Lykos Alpha male and so are you. Not that you’re acting like it. Shit. Every time I visit you, you’re mooning over the female. This isn’t healthy. Hell, at this point, you need to break out of those silver cuffs, screw her, and get her out of your system.”

  If only. I scowled at Ty. “You know that isn’t an option.” I can’t break my oath.

  He returned my glare. “Neither is letting your responsibilities as the Winterhaven ambassador suffer. Don’t think that my mother hasn’t noticed you’ve canceled a third of your scheduled faction visits this month.”

  I stiffened. “I’ve been busy working on the Moon Valley accord.”

  “You can lie to the rest of the world if you want, brother, but you can’t lie to me.”

  I bared my teeth at him. “Back off.”

  “Or what? Are you going to attack me?”

  I let out a sigh. “No. Of course not.” Ty was the only family I had other than Mira and despite him aggravating the hell out of me, I loved him like he was blood.