“What time is it?” she breathed.
Tucker continued to stroke her back as he glanced toward the nightstand on the other side of her.
“Almost nine.”
“Shit.” She tried to sit up, only to be held in place when his arms tightened around her. “I can’t believe I slept so long.”
His lips brushed the curve of her ear. “It wasn’t long,” he teased. “In case you’ve forgotten, you spent most of the night seducing me.”
Excitement fluttered in her stomach, her toes curling as heat flowed through her veins.
It had been so terribly long since she had allowed herself to enjoy the pleasure of a male’s touch. Not since the death of her son.
Now she found it impossible to resist the melting pleasure as Tucker kissed a path of fire down the side of her neck.
“Yeah, right,” she muttered. “Is your bear always so insatiable?” she accused.
“No.” Lifting his head, he gazed down at her with fierce emotion that made her breath catch in her throat. “Only with you.”
“Tucker, I…I have to return to the compound before I’m missed.” The words tumbled from her lips as a jolt of panic raced through her.
Tucker tensed, then, with a deliberate motion, he lowered his head to allow his warm breath to tease the delicate skin of her neck. Jolts of pleasure shivered down her spine.
“Do they do a count each day?”
Unnerved by her reaction, she arched away from the potent heat of his caressing lips.
“No, it’s always random so we can’t anticipate when it will be done.” She wrinkled her nose. It always infuriated the Pack when the guards entered the compound and forced them to line up to be checked against the photo IDs the SAU kept on each shifter. It was not only a tedious waste of time, but also a painful reminder that they were prisoners. “But they usually do it at least once a month.”
“When was the last count?”
She shivered. The compound was so crowded, that the last lineup had been one of chaos and pain. The guards had herded them together like animals with cattle prods that had enough voltage to send a grown man to his knees.
“Just after the bears were forced into the compound.”
His grip tightened, and with relentless determination, he turned her in his arms to meet the blazing darkness of his eyes.
“Then you surely have a few days before they return,” he rasped, his hands gripping her hips and pressing her against the swollen jut of his arousal.
Dangerous temptation whispered through her mind, urging her to toss caution to the wind.
“You don’t have to deal with Holden,” she forced herself to say. She didn’t doubt for a second that the older wolf would be foaming at the mouth with fury when she finally returned. “Every hour that I’m gone is another hour where I’m pissing him off.”
“You don’t have to deal with him either.”
She arched her brows, startled by the lethal edge to his husky voice.
“What do you mean?”
He placed a hand against her cheek, his expression hard. Deep in his dark eyes, his bear watched her with patience that was different from a wolf. He wasn’t all fang and fury. He was slow and methodical and as relentless as an avalanche.
“Holden is no longer your Alpha,” he said.
“Tucker…”
“Your home is with the Unseen.” He leaned down until they were nose to nose. “You belong to me.”
Her heart faltered at the sheer certainty in his voice. “Tucker, I have to go back or they’ll punish everyone in the compound.” She had to halt to clear the lump from her throat. “Even the children.”
His black gaze blazed over her face. “We’ll figure something out.”
She lifted her hands to press them against his chest. It was so tempting to give in to his urgings. To simply believe that they could somehow be together.
But she’d spent a lifetime learning that fate was rarely kind.
Nicole shook her head in denial. “It’s not possible.”
“Anything is possible.” He bent his head and covered her mouth with a tempestuous kiss that stole her breath. He tasted of bear and male desire. A heady combination that made her entire body clench with an aching hunger. “Believe in me.”
She was far from convinced that he could perform a miracle, but he kissed her again, and she forgot to care. Instead, she lifted her arms to circle his neck, her lips parting in silent invitation.
Distantly, she was aware that Tucker’s Pack mates were up and about as they started the day, but she ignored the sounds that filtered through the window.
She wanted Tucker.
Even after a night of passion, she still ached to be in his arms.
“I have waited for you, my sweet,” he rasped against her lips. “Without even knowing what was missing from my life.”
Treacherous warmth flooded her heart. Dear Lord, how many nights had she cried herself to sleep because of the aching hollowness that haunted her? It’d been more than the loss of Bowe, although that was deep and seemingly bottomless. It was also the knowledge that the bed beside her was empty.
To the world, she had offered the fierce image of a mother consumed by her need for revenge. But inside…
Inside she had hidden the wounds that never healed.
Not until Tucker, a tiny voice whispered.
He was an unexpected gift that she intended to treasure. Even after she was forced to walk away.
She thrust aside the pain that sliced through her heart.
She wasn’t going to think about the loneliness of her future or the unbearable loss in her past. For now, she would accept the pleasure Tucker offered.
Nicole’s heart raced as his tongue slipped into her mouth. Arching against the hardness of his chest, she shoved her fingers into the thick satin of his hair.
She loved the feel of the white-gold strands.
Rolling on top of her, he groaned. Her wolf should have been outraged by the sense of being pinned. Tucker was not only twice her size, but he was a lethal predator who could rip out her throat before she could blink. Instead, she relished the feeling of being pressed into the mattress and the rough scrape of his hair against her skin.
Last night had been a gentle seduction. Today there was a raw craving that refused to be denied.
“Nicole…” He spread heated kisses over her face, his hands outlining the curve of her hips. “Tell me if I’m too rough.”
“You won’t hurt me,” she assured him in a voice thick with need. “I’m tougher than I look.”
A growl rumbled in his chest, his mouth trailing down her throat and over the upper curve of her breasts. Nicole’s toes curled, her wolf thoroughly approving of the ferocious hunger.
In response, his hands moved to cup her breasts so he could ravage them with his lips and tongue and just a hint of fang.
Nicole cried out in pleasure, her legs parting so he could settle between them. The blunt tip of his arousal pressed against her inner thigh. She trembled, craving the feeling of him deep inside of her.
“Now, Tucker,” she ordered.
He gave a chuffing laugh. “Patience,” he admonished, his mouth trailing over the soft swell of her stomach. His hands slipped beneath her hips so he could lift her to an easier angle for his seeking mouth.
“Yes,” she breathed, trembling beneath the onslaught of sensations.
He was wicked, skilled, and decadently beautiful.
And all hers.
How was she supposed to resist?
A soft moan was ripped from her throat as Tucker nibbled on the flesh of her inner thigh, his hands holding her still as she squirmed in pleasure.
His lips stroked ever higher, at last finding the very heart of her desire. She closed her eyes in appreciation, her fingers threading through his hair as he stroked his tongue across her clit.
Her pulse pounded and her soft pants filled the air. Her orgasm loomed as he continued his sensual attack. Ove
r and over he teased the tiny nub, obviously enjoying her muffled groans.
At last she tugged at his hair, hovering perilously close to the edge of pure bliss.
“Now, Tucker,” she begged, her voice barely recognizable.
His head lifted to meet her dazed gaze, his bear close to the surface.
“I could become addicted to your taste, my sweet.”
“I need you,” she whispered.
“Yes.”
Surging upward, he entered her with one smooth thrust.
Nicole sucked in a sharp breath, her hands sliding down the rigid muscles of his back as he set a swift, relentless pace that had them both soaring toward a shattering climax.
****
Tucker stepped into Rios’s cabin, impatiently raking back his still-damp hair.
He hadn’t wanted to leave the warm shower he’d been sharing with Nicole, but she’d made it clear that her patience was at an end. Either she got the list of employees from Rios, or she was headed back to the SAU facility.
It’d taken nearly a half hour of fast-talking to convince her to finish her shower while he went in search of the information. And even then he understood the clock was ticking.
If he didn’t return soon, she’d take off on her own.
But it wasn’t just her impatience that was driving his urgency to complete his self-imposed task.
Nicole had offered him her fragile trust by allowing him to go without her. A trust that he was determined to be worthy of, even if it meant infuriating his Pack mate.
Stretched on the leather sofa in front of the TV that was showing a replay of the soccer game, Rios surged to his feet. His dark hair was tousled, and his jaw shadowed with unshaven whiskers, proving he hadn’t been to bed yet.
“Hey, bear.” Wearing nothing but a loose pair of sweatpants, Rios stretched his arms over his head, his muscles rippling beneath his bronzed skin. “I expected you back before now.”
“I was busy.”
Dark eyes flared with feline amusement as Rios deliberately glanced toward the bite marks still visible on Tucker’s throat.
“Yeah, I can tell,” he taunted, no doubt hoping to embarrass his friend. Unfortunately for him, Tucker had deliberately chosen the cream, cable-knit sweater because the neckline was loose enough show the visible signs of Nicole’s possession. “Do you want to tell me about your little wolf?”
Tucker stepped forward, a hint of warning in his tone. “She’s not up for discussion. Not ever.”
Rios gave a low whistle. “Like that, is it?”
Tucker held his gaze. “It’s exactly like that.”
The jaguar moved forward to slap him on the back. “Congrats.” He gave a sudden burst of laughter. “At least, I think.”
Tucker ignored the sly dig. Rios might be a male who enjoyed spreading his affection far and wide, but eventually, he would meet his match and find himself longing to settle down.
It happened to all of them sooner or later.
“Tell me what’s happening here,” Tucker commanded.
Instantly, Rios was all business. “I managed to salvage the files we had downloaded, but I’m waiting for the green light from Sinclair before I try to tap into their system.”
Tucker arched a brow. “He’s at headquarters?”
“Yeah, got back a few hours ago from his meeting with his CDC contact, and as soon as I told him what was going on, he headed down to HQ.”
It didn’t surprise Tucker that the Alpha had taken off the second he learned there might be trouble. Even if Sinclair were exhausted from his trip to meet Mira, he would have demanded that he be the one to take the risk.
But, he didn’t like the fact that Sinclair hadn’t returned. How long did it take to find out what was going on with the computers?
“He’s still with them?” he asked.
Rios nodded. “He texted to say the purging was in response to Dr. Talbot’s disappearance.” The jaguar gave a humorless laugh. “They have to prepare for the potential investigation if word of their unsanctioned research reaches the ears of D.C.”
Tucker grimaced. The doctor was more than “disappeared.” The last he’d heard, the scientist had been suitably punished for his decision to use his own children in his sick experiments.
Of course, the SAU couldn’t know what the doctor had or had not shared with the shifters. And not everyone in Congress was pleased with the shadowy government agency. They had to worry that someone in authority might come nosing around.
“That makes sense.” Tucker folded his arms over his chest, not entirely reassured. “If he knows why there was a purge, then why isn’t he back?”
Rios shrugged. “He said a stranger arrived not long after he did, demanding to see Director Markham.”
Tucker felt a pang of surprise. The location of the headquarters was a tightly guarded secret. In fact, Tucker still didn’t know how Sinclair had managed to locate it. So any unexpected visitor would stir a lot of attention.
“Someone from the government?”
Rios gave a lift of his hands. “He didn’t know, but he had a feeling it was important.”
“Hmm.” Tucker briefly considered trying to call his friend, only to dismiss the urge. If Sinclair was in touch with Rios, then he had to be okay. And he wouldn’t thank Tucker for interrupting his investigation. Instead, Tucker turned his attention to the reason he’d sought out the jaguar. “I need a favor.”
“Does this have something to do with your pretty wolf?” Rios easily guessed.
“Yes.”
A wicked smile curved his lips. “Then ask.”
“SAU guards murdered her young son seven years ago,” he said bluntly. It wasn’t like there was any easy way to share the information.
All humor leeched from Rios’s face and his eyes flashed gold. Like most Unseen, the jaguar had lost several family members to the SAU.
“Fuck.”
Tucker nodded. “My thoughts exactly.”
“How can I help?”
Tucker felt a flare of warmth at Rios’s immediate offer of assistance. This was why he’d joined a Pack despite his loner nature. They were a true family, who supported one another while they worked to create a world where shifters could live without fear.
“Nicole managed to track down and dispose of two of the guards,” he said, his lips twisting at the enormous task it must have been for a female who was not only grieving, but locked in a compound to accomplish. “But she hasn’t been able to locate the actual shooter. She’s hoping she can use the employee database to identify him.”
“We can give it a try, but the bastards are smart enough to keep many of their employees off the main payroll. I assume they get paid in cash,” Rios said, heading toward one of the computers that were lined up on a long table. Once seated, he glanced over his shoulder as Tucker moved to stand directly behind him. “Where is she?”
Tucker sent his friend a tight smile. “I convinced her there would be an easier way.”
Rios arched a brow. “What’s that?”
Tucker’s smile widened. “You’re the computer expert. You tell me.”
“Christ. You don’t ask much.”
“That’s what friends are for, right?”
Rios turned back to the computers with a shake of his head.
“Friends are a pain in the ass,” he muttered, tapping on the keyboard to pull up the files they’d stolen from the SAU. “There should be some internal reports about the incident.”
“Murder,” Tucker corrected.
Rios continued to skim through the files. “What?”
“It wasn’t an incident, it was murder.”
“Got it,” Rios agreed.
There was a long silence, broken only by the soft hum of the electronics and Rios’s occasional click of the mouse.
Tucker was impatiently glancing toward the window, futilely wishing he had a view of his cabin. How long would Nicole wait? An hour? Fifteen minutes?
“Here.” Leanin
g forward, Rios studied the monitor with his brow furrowed. “It looks like they tried to keep all record of the guards involved from any news media. Even during the investigation they were referred to by initials.”
Tucker released a low growl. “There has to be something to identify them.”
“If it’s here, I’ll find it,” Rios swore in distracted tones. There were a few more clicks, then the jaguar abruptly stiffened. “Shit.”
“What is it?” Tucker grasped the back of Rios’s chair as he leaned over his friend’s shoulder.
“Those bastards.” Rios turned the monitor so Tucker had a clear view.
There was the sound of wood splintering as Tucker crushed the chair beneath his hands. In that second, he knew that the sight of the dead child lying in the snow stained with his blood would be forever seared into his mind.
The raw, aching regret he felt could be nothing compared to what Nicole lived with day after day, but it was enough to make his gut twist and bile rise to his throat.
“Tell me you have a name,” he said, his voice thick with fury.
Rios leaned to the side as the printer began to spit out sheets of paper.
“I not only have a name, I have an address.” The jaguar neatly placed the papers in a folder. “And get this…” He shoved the folder in Tucker’s hand. “It’s local.”
Opening the folder, Tucker studied the information that Rios had managed to pull out of the archives. Not only the guards involved, but those who had assisted in the cover-up.
A devious idea slowly began to form in the back of his mind.
It wouldn’t be easy to convince Nicole. In fact, he feared that he might cause her even more pain. But he had to try.
Turning, Tucker headed toward the door of the cabin, glancing over his shoulder to give his friend a small bow of his head.
“I owe you.”
“No, you don’t.” Rios rose to his feet, his expression somber. “Take care of your wolf.”
“Count on it.”
Chapter 6
Nicole was pacing the floor, wearing an oversized robe that threatened to trip her with every step.
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