by Leilani Love
CHAPTER 7
The clock chimed midnight at Damien’s house, just before the sound of the locked front door opened and the alarm beeping in warning echoed in his quiet house. He was surprised when he heard the rhythmic sound of it being disarmed. Damien waited in his office for his mysterious guest to show her lovely face. Who would have ever thought the Fates would pick a beautiful, skilled thief to be his mate? Those bitches definitely had a sense of humor when it came to him and his sister.
Inhaling deeply, Damien frowned, not detecting her vanilla cherry scent. He knew it was her in the front room. No one else would dare break into his home. As he waited in the office he listened to the sound of her footsteps as she approached the door, and held his breath.
The doorknob turned slowly, and the click of the lamp was loud in the room. Damien watched as Kassandra started to pick up papers, her brows furrowed in concentration and her red lips moving as she read the words. Damien had chosen a chair in the darkest corner of the room, which gave him a good view of the door and the desk.
Clearing his throat, he had to bite his lip to keep from smiling as she jumped and let out a small squeak of surprise. “Is there anything I can help you find?”
Damien watched her green eyes dart to the door and then to him. He could actually see her thinking about fleeing the room. Unable to help himself, he could feel his lips being pulled into a grin. “Are you scared, Kat?”
That got her attention. Kassandra stood up straighter, sparks flying from her eyes. She let out an unladylike snort as she gave him a hard look. “Is there a reason I should be scared of you?”
He stood up slowly. Damien licked his lips as his eyes roamed her body, from her heeled boots up to her pretty head. He could actually see her muscles tighten, as if at any moment she might spring for the door. He knew it was her pride that kept her in place.
When he stood before her, he placed both his hands on either side of her hips, effectively pinning her to the desk. “You drug me, go through everything in my office, and then decide to break into my house. You should be careful, my love. I might just start to take it personally.”
Being so close, he felt a small shudder run through her body. He took a deep breath and almost growled when he still couldn’t detect her scent. Damien dipped his head and ran his lips gently up along the column of her neck. His eyes narrowed when he could only detect the slightest hint of her scent. His mate was a mystery, and he found himself eager to unlock all her secrets.
Kassandra put her hands on his chest and gently pushed him. Damien gave her a bit of space, but kept himself firmly between her and the door. “Maybe I was just curious about the man I’d heard about. I heard he never sleeps with the same woman twice, and I wanted to know what the appeal was with sleeping with a dog.”
Damien winced. It was hard not to hear Hope laughing at him in the back of his head. “What would the curious Kat say if I told her all that changed when she walked into my bar?”
Kassandra raised an eyebrow and let out another snort of disbelief before her lips curved in a smirk. “I would say cats know better than to lay with dogs. That’s how they get fleas.”
With that she started to walk past him, as if she simply was going to walk through the front door. Damien reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her against him again. “You don’t really think you’re going to break into my house and walk right out without paying the price, do you?”
Her eyes snapped up, telling him that’s exactly what she thought. Damien could see her weighing her options. Tightening his grip on her wrist, he wrapped an arm around her waist. “You’ll not be escaping as easily as you think, my dear sweet Kat.”
Kasandra licked her lips, her eyes fixated on his mouth. He watched as her pink little tongue came out and innocently licked her lips causing his entire body to tighten. “You really aren’t stupid enough to think you can hold me against my will, are you?”
Damien chuckled as he put his forehead against hers. “I do love a challenge, but I was thinking about a compromise. One where we both get what we want.”
Kassandra tilted her head up to look him in the eye. Her eyes held a hint of mischief as her lips curved up in a smile that said he would never get what he wanted. Her voice barely a whisper, she asked, “What makes you think you’ve got something I want, Damien?”
He glanced down at the papers in her hand and raised an eyebrow. Kassandra looked guilty as a slow blush spread across her cheeks. “Fine,” she said, “what’s your proposal?”
“Spend the next forty-eight hours with me, and at the end of that time I’ll answer any questions you have and give you whatever you’re looking for.” Damien reached up and brushed a single strand of hair from her face.
Kassandra’s eyes widened in surprise before they narrowed at him. Her expressive face let him know whatever she was thinking she didn’t like. Damien wanted to kiss the small wrinkle that formed between her brows. “I’m not one of your barflies hoping to sleep with the owner to score some free drinks. I’ll never play the whore for you.”
Damien took a step back, keeping his eyes on her. “I’d never force myself on a woman and I promise you, my Kitty Kat, when I finally take you, you’ll be begging.” His voice was harsher than he intended, but only the lowest of men would abuse women and children. He was offended she would think so lowly of him.
After a long pause, Kasandra gave a short nod. “So what do you expect to happen during these days that I spend with you?”
He smiled at her, thinking it over. Damien was almost as surprised as she was when those words left his mouth, but he wasn’t about to take them back. He had a funny feeling this would be his one chance to change her low opinion of him. “You’ll be by my side, getting to know me while I get to know you.”
She shot him a look that said she thought he was crazy and leaned against the desk, studying him. “So what? I would spend my nights in your bed, you would take your showers with me, and we play twenty questions?”
“I didn’t plan on us showering together yet, but that sounds like a fantastic idea.” Damien took a step toward her, putting an end to the distance between them. “For every question you ask me, I promise to answer honestly. But, on that I’ll expect tit for tat. For every time you lie to me...”
“You’ll what? Spank me?”
An image came to him of her lying across his lap, her ass up in the air as he spanked those beautiful cheeks. He kept his eyes on hers, knowing if he looked down he would see where his cock was pushing against his zipper. If he kept reacting to her like this, he would forever have the teeth of his zipper imprinted on him. “That sounds like a great idea, but I thought maybe just a kiss to start. I would hate to break your spirit.”
Her raised eyebrow and look of disbelief was his only answer before she glanced at the door. “What’s to stop me from leaving right now? Or leaving as soon as you fall asleep?”
“Because if you do, you’ll probably never find what you’re looking for, plus…I doubt you want your picture plastered all over the news and Internet for being a thief.”
Indecision was written all over her face, and he leaned down to whisper in her ear, “Don’t be scared, Kat, I promise I’ll only bite after you ask.”
Her breath came in short little pants against his neck. “I’ll never ask you to bite me,” she whispered.
Lightly dragging his lips up and down her neck, he chuckled. “Stay with me and prove me wrong.” Her mouth opened and closed and he smiled. “Unless you know I’m right and you want to run away like a scared little Kitty Kat.”
Those words got her attention and she straightened up, pushing him away. “Fine, I’ll stay with you. But at the end of that time, I’m leaving and you’ll never see me again. Deal?”
With that she offered her his hand. As Damien glanced at the hand he raised an eyebrow, giving her a knowing look. He could hear his wolf howling in protest at the thought of their mate leaving. “Deal,” Damien spat out between gritted teeth
. He slid his hand behind the back of her neck, tilting her head. “That isn’t how we seal the deal,” he said before his lips came down to kiss hers in a hard, hungry kiss.
CHAPTER 8
Kassandra fought the urge to give in to the kiss. She placed her hand on his chest with the intention of pushing him away but when his tongue stroked hers, Kassandra’s fingers curled into his shirt. As he lightened his grip on her, the kiss became softer, teasing. When he finally broke the kiss, she couldn’t help but lean into him. Kassandra would need to watch herself. Losing herself to his charm wasn’t part of the plan.
Kasandra was tired from having masked her dragon’s scent before breaking into Damien’s house. She’d have to be careful not to wear herself thin trying to do the same for the next few days. As she leaned against the desk, she let out her human scent. Thankful he hadn’t seemed to notice thus far. “So am I going to be allowed to go get my clothes and toothbrush or am I to be your prisoner starting now?”
Damien slowly looked her over. “What makes you think you’ll be needing clothes?”
She shot him a look of contempt causing him to laugh. “If you insist on sleeping in clothes, you can borrow one of my shirts tonight. Tomorrow I’ll take you to your hotel to get your stuff and you can check out. No point in paying for a bed to sleep in when you’ll be in mine.”
She frowned, shaking her head. “I just need some clothes. I’m not staying here that long, so I’ll be keeping my hotel room.”
Kassandra didn’t want him in her hotel room. She frowned. Aithne would be worried when she didn’t hear from her tonight. She had left her phone in the hotel room, thinking she wouldn’t need it. Tomorrow morning, she’d need to send her queen a text before she sent in the cavalry.
“Are you hungry, Kat, or would you like to get to one of those joint steamy showers you mentioned earlier?” Damien asked, pulling her from her thoughts. His warm amber eyes were dancing with mischief.
She shook her head, trying not to laugh. “You know, I just washed my hair last night. I think I’m good for a few days.”
He stood up to his full height and shrugged. “Your loss,” he said with a wink, taking her hand and leading her out of his office. “Food it is. I hope you’re not a vegetarian. I picked up some great steaks today and thought I would cook them tonight.”
Unable to help herself, she grinned. “And if I said I was?”
He shrugged as he led her down the hall into a big open kitchen. “I would think what a pity, but I’m hopeful you’re not.”
Kassandra stood, admiring the kitchen. She was impressed with the marble countertops and could tell he spent a lot of time in this room. Kassandra debated for a minute as she watched him take two plates out of the fridge. As he pulled the foil off the first plate, she saw that there were two big steaks already seasoned and ready to go. “Cocky son of a…”
“I made a guess and was right,” Damien growled. “No need to bring my mother into this.”
Kassandra blushed. Damien didn’t know that she knew he was a wolf. From what she was able to find out, his mother was a seer and not a wolf. Since she wasn’t supposed to know anything about him, she felt compelled to ask, “What would your mother think of you kidnapping me?”
Without missing a beat, Damien unwrapped a plate filled with vegetables. Picking up both plates, he motioned to the sliding door and waited for her to open them for him. “I’m not kidnapping you, we made an arrangement so I wouldn’t turn you into the police.”
She made a sound of disbelief and heard his soft laughter as he followed her outside and put the plates on the table. He picked up his lighter fluid and started the fire, his back to her. “To be honest, my mother died when I was very young. But to answer your question, she would probably be more worried about why the Fates would bring a thief into my life more than anything.”
“I’m sorry about your loss,” Kassandra whispered. She watched him shrug as if dismissing her words. Despite his dismissal, she couldn’t help but notice the way his body had stiffened.
“You asked a question and I believe it’s my turn. Remember, if you lie, you have to kiss me.”
Kassandra laughed when he wiggled his eyebrows at her. She shook her head. “Fine, ask away.”
Damien sat down across from her on the patio furniture, his eyes never leaving hers. “Did you come to the bar to meet me or research me?”
“Research mainly, but to be honest I came prepared just in case.”
He nodded. His mouth opened as if to ask another question, but he stopped himself. His face was surprisingly blank and she fought the urge to ask him what he was thinking. She knew he’d be able to detect a lie, and that this tit for tat could get her in trouble quickly. She would just have to be really careful in how she worded her answers.
“I’m going to assume if I ask you what you were looking for, you’ll just lie to me. But I do want to point out it’s faster for you to just tell me,” Damien said as he got up to check the grill.
Kassandra said nothing as he put the steaks on the fire. Should she just come out and tell him the truth? That she was a dragon and her King was curious about the rumors circling Damien. That he had sent her to find out information on whether or not he was meeting with Dmitri and if he was, why?
Damien handed Kassandra the plate sitting himself across from her. Kassandra could feel his eyes on her as she cut her steak and took her first bite. Closing her eyes, she was surprised at the burst of flavor on her tongue. She moaned softly as she savored the taste.
When she opened her eyes, her lips parted in surprise at the hungry look on his face. She could almost make out the animal just below the surface and that sent a shiver down her spine. She wondered if his wolf’s coloring would be as dark as him. Clearing her throat, she gave him a small smile, “This is amazing.”
Damien gave her a smile at her compliment and she noticed the way his eyes stayed fixed to her lips, “Thank you.” He said giving her a wink, “See I’m more than a ruggedly handsome face.”
Unable to help herself she laughed, “Ruggedly handsome huh?”
He nodded taking a bite of his steak, a grin playing on his lips. After they finished eating their meal together, Kassandra followed him back into the house carrying her plate. Damien rinsed the plates putting them in the dishwasher. Kassandra walked around in the living room smiling when she saw pictures of him with the bartender Robert and a girl who, she assumed, was his sister. Chase, another of the King’s close guards and personal friend, had described her when he met her at Lazzaro’s. His description of her had been accurate, she looked like sunshine, and made Damien’s dark olive complexion and dark hair look even darker.
The sound of Damien’s boots echoed on the hardwood floor, and she turned slightly, smiling when he handed her a bottle of water. “Oh, I could have made us a drink since you cooked dinner.”
The corner of his mouth kicked up in a small smile. “I think for the next two days I’ll be cooking our meals and making our drinks.”
Laughing, she picked up a picture of Robert and a very pregnant woman. “Chicken,” she mumbled under her breath.
Damien stood close behind her, breathing softly on her neck. “That’s my bartender, Robert, and his wife, Alyssa. She’s due to give birth any day now. Depending on what time you came in, you might have met him last night.”
“He looks really happy,” Kassandra said before putting the picture down.
Damien’s hand slowly slid down her arm before taking her hand. “Why wouldn’t he be? He found his mate and he’s about to start his own minor league baseball team. His words, not mine.”
She grinned, putting the picture down and letting Damien gently pull her toward him. He led her up the stairs, toward his room, which was done in dark natural colors. Unlike in the bar, she couldn’t detect any other female scent. She took a seat in a chair in the corner of the room.
“What are you thinking is going to happen—me sleeping in your bed these next few nights?”
Kassandra asked as he walked over to his dresser.
When he turned to look at her, he had a plain white undershirt in his hand. His smile was truly wicked. “I don’t know,” he said, tossing her the shirt. “I just know I’m not willing to watch you walk away just yet. At least not with you thinking so low of me.”
Kassandra rolled her eyes. “I should tell the girls at your bar if they want your attention, to just be unavailable.”
His eyes narrowed and Kassandra could almost feel his anger. “There’s nothing between me and any of the girls at the bar. I’ve never made a promise to anybody, and when I do I’ll never break it.”
Kassandra shuddered at his words. His intensity made her breathless. Damien sat on the edge of his bed, unlaced his boots, and kicked them off. He stood, and Kat’s mouth went dry when his hand traveled to his belt. She cleared her throat and turned away.
Kassandra looked down at her own feet and unzipped her boots. Hearing a soft chuckle, she bit her cheek to keep from smiling when she heard him mumble, “Who’s the chicken now?”
Kassandra saw Damien’s back in the mirror’s reflection. She couldn’t look away as he removed his shirt, she wondered what it would feel like to caress his flexing muscles. Damien turned, his eyes instantly seeming to find her watching him. Her eyes fixated on the intricate tattoo pattern on his chest, which stretched halfway down his bicep. The design almost appeared to be Celtic or Scottish. She was curious if there was any significance to the pattern, or if he just wanted to give females something to fantasize about running their tongue along.
“If you keep looking at me like that, I won’t be responsible for what happens next,” Damien said, his voice husky.
Averting her eyes, Kassandra felt her cheeks heat up. The room was hot, and she got up to go to the bathroom for a moment of privacy. After she closed the door, Kassandra removed her clothes, folding them and putting them on the counter. Standing in her black lace bra and thong, she found herself staring at her reflection. Turning slightly, she couldn’t help but compare herself to the younger girls at the bar.