by Morgan Fox
He was in love with Megan Shaw. Maybe he always had been, and had he been anything but an arrogant fool all those years ago, he never would have thought otherwise. Never would have questioned her loyalty to him. The reflection of adoration that shone in her eyes should’ve told him everything he needed to know about her feelings for him and, looking back, it had.
The mating bond between them had been so overwhelming it had actually frightened him, and that was the reason he ran and the reason he offered his best friend the woman that should have been his and his alone.
What a fucking idiot, he inwardly scolded himself.
At that time in his life, he hadn’t wanted to need someone as much as his instincts told him he needed Megan. She was a vital part of him, and since the moment their eyes had locked, he had known deep in his soul that she belonged with him. Now, he only had to figure out how to win her trust, and maybe with a little help from the heavens, she would fall in love with him, too.
Chapter Eleven
They had driven for hours, and Megan could tell by the direction they were heading that Dominic was taking her back to McCarthy Ranch. Dallas was only a few hours west and currently the safest place for them to go, especially now that Reyes’s home was off-limits to her. Fist clenched tight in her lap, she inwardly screamed, the nerve of that man. Who did Nolan Rodale think he was storming into Reyes’s home like he owned the place, tossing insults around like he was the ruler of all? The arrogant, pompous pig was definitely off her Christmas list.
Breathing deeply, she understood that, regardless of what had transpired at Reyes’s home, for some reason the idea of not having more alone time with either Dominic or Reyes was unsettling. She had just started to enjoy their company, and for the first time, she and Dominic weren’t fighting or bickering at each other. Instead, he held her like a man who held his lover, a tight grip around her, securing her firmly to his side. He seemed unwilling to release her, and that was okay with her because that was truly the last thing she wanted him to do.
Even though they had slept together twice, she knew better than to assume he wanted more from her than sex. He was merely easing her mind after Reyes’s father had been so cold to her. So, she would take Dominic’s comforting embrace and enjoy it while it lasted.
The powerful security his arms offered did strange things to her belly, twisting and flipping it about like a young girl’s on her first date. Odd that she would feel this for Dominic after knowing him for so long. Then again, did she really know this man? Everything she had once thought about him seemed skewed and incorrect. He cared about her. That much was obvious. Not to mention, she could sense the connection between them brewing and charging with more and more energy.
Sadly, she considered that it was just the mating instinct chipping away at them, making them feel more impressionable than they otherwise would be. Was this what her gut was sensing? She was on shaky ground when it came to Dominic. Shit, she was on shaky ground pretty much with everything in her life.
Dominic’s dark gaze filled Megan’s mind as she tried harder to pretend his exotic scent wasn’t surrounding her, invading her nostrils and alarming her senses. This might not be the best time for them to sort out their one-night stand and a threesome desk fuck, but she couldn’t stop her heart from racing. Closing her eyes, she wished she could resist the temptation and find the control her body needed to withstand him, unless there was more to be found between them.
Her eyes opened wide, startled by her thoughts. Did she want more? Did he? Could he?
She tried to concentrate even harder to ignore the presence of his magnificent body as it lingered beside her like a welcoming burst of sunlight on a cold, frigid day. It was useless. He was too much for her to simply disregard, and that meant he already had control, total and complete mastery over her, and strangely she wasn’t concerned in the slightest that he possessed so much of her.
As if reading her mind, Dominic said, “I think we should talk.” His voice sounded thick with tension.
Swallowing down the thump in her throat, feigning ignorance, she asked, “About what?”
“About us…Reyes,” Dominic said, and blew out a heavy sigh, casting a glance her way.
Her heart revved up for a moment and then sank quickly to her stomach. “Look, Dominic, maybe it was a mistake we slept together.” It wasn’t for me, but maybe it was for you. Stop. Protect your heart…
“Sweetheart, we didn’t do much sleeping last I remember, and for someone who claims to hate me, you did a lousy job of showing it while you were sucking my cock.”
She gasped, appalled that he would resort to such a comment. Wasn’t Dominic trying to protect her from a cold-hearted bastard already? Well, who was protecting her from Dominic? “Leave it to you to be an asshole about this.” She folded her arms over her chest and stared out the side window, anger swirling in her belly.
Dominic growled, and she inclined her head to see tension around his eyes and mouth that showed a deep level of frustration and anxiety. He sighed. “I’m really trying hard not to be,” he said. “When it comes to you…I just never know what to say. You make me crazy, Megan.”
She didn’t know what to say because she didn’t really know what he meant. Why did she make him crazy? Since when was he at a loss for words when it came to insulting her or digging at her? He never was.
“Do you love Reyes?”
Startled by his question, her heart jumped into her throat. She hadn’t really thought about her sentiments concerning Reyes since she’d hopped into Dominic’s truck. Talking about Reyes with Dominic suddenly felt wrong. Why would it? For whatever reason, she possessed feelings of guilt, like she had betrayed Dominic by making love with Reyes.
Swallowing hard, she confessed, “I care about him.”
“Do you love him?”
Do I love him? Her hands twisted in her lap as if wringing water from a towel. I think I am in love with him, but how can I be sure when my heart is telling me to love you, too? “I don’t know.”
“If you ask me, I think you do.”
She wanted to rebut his words and deny them to the bitter end, not because they weren’t true, but because she didn’t want to lose him, didn’t want to see him hurt. “Dominic—”
“Megan,” he quickly said, distracting her from our own thoughts. “How do you feel about me? Do you still hate me?”
“No,” she retorted immediately. She didn’t. She’d never hated him. Well, maybe for a little while, but he’d deserved no less from her then. He’d made her feel inadequate, unworthy. “I don’t hate you.”
There was a small silence as Dominic pulled off the road and into a rest stop a few miles from the last turn to reach McCarthy Ranch. His voice was shaky as he asked, “Could you ever care for me? Really and truly care for me as much as you care for Reyes?”
Her chest tight, her body warming, she admitted with heartfelt longing and all-consuming clarity, “I already do.” Her need to reveal her heart was just as paramount as her need to breathe.
Dominic moved so quickly that she only had time to blink as he cupped the back of her head and he pulled her effortlessly into his lap, causing her to straddle him. In seconds, his mouth covered hers. She instantly wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him close. He kissed her hard, his tongue gluttonous, and she kissed him back in the same pleasure-starved manner. He explored her body with wild hands, touching her breasts, nipples, and waist. He cupped her ass, pressing her throbbing pussy against his hard erection.
Of their own accord, her hips rocked back and forth, gliding up and down his swollen cock that struggled beneath the fabric of his pants. Heat gathered between her legs as his rough jeans scraped against the soft mound of her cunt. She was incredibly turned on and aroused by his power and possession. Amazed by his strength and desire, she thought she might actually come just fucking him through his clothing.
With her tongue wedged deep into his mouth, her phone rang, startling her out of her hungered
passion for Dominic. He growled, and she giggled.
The signature ringtone designated specifically for her alpha told her who the caller was without having to glance at the phone. “Sorry, but it’s Sebastian.”
He nipped at her lips. “There will come a day when you take me over his calls…I hope.”
Kissing him back, she conceded, “That day is already here.” She spoke in a hushed tone. “If it wasn’t for Brie’s pregnancy or our Lilly situation, I wouldn’t even considering answering.”
She kissed him one last time before flipping open her phone. “Sebastian?”
“Are you all right? Reyes called and told me what happened with his father.” The concern in his voice warmed her.
“Yes, Dominic’s with me.” She gazed into Dominic’s sensual but devious eyes.
His stern voice was low, almost a whisper as Sebastian repeated, “Again I ask, are you all right?”
Suppressing her need to laugh, she continued to gaze deeply into Dominic’s hypnotic eyes. “Yes, Sebastian, I’m in good hands.”
Dominic smirked, flicking open several buttons on her shirt, pulling her breasts free to massage and suck on her sensitive mounds and nipples. Then he moved his lips to the hollow of her neck and began kissing her throat, shoulders, and the valley between her breasts, licking and circling her nipples once more.
Oh, God in heaven.
“Megan, are you still there?” Sebastian’s authoritative voice boomed through the phone loud enough to cause even Dominic’s brow to arch.
“Yes, I’m sorry. I’m just a little distracted.” She pressed her lips together in a tight line as Dominic cupped her ass. He pressed her down and bucked his hips, rubbing her sensitive pussy over his engorged crotch.
“I see,” he said suspiciously. “Where exactly are you?”
As if being caught making out on the living room sofa by her father, she froze, and Dominic quickly snatched the phone from her hand. “Sebastian, we’re heading your way, but I’ve got a stop to make first, and then we’ll pop on over so Megan can check on Brie. We’ll also give you the latest on Lilly.” Glancing at Megan, he said, “She paid me a visit last night.”
“She what?” Megan snapped, and her eyes filled with worry. Why hadn’t he told her? Heat flooded her face, and she felt the overwhelming need to kick his ass.
Dominic ignored her. “Anyway, give us a few hours and we’ll be there.”
“Great. I’ll set the table for two more,” Sebastian said, sounding pleased that he and Megan were on their way.
“Make it three,” Dominic corrected. “If I know Reyes, he’s following close behind.” He closed the phone and threw it to the passenger floorboard, not waiting for Sebastian’s reply.
Scowling at him, she vehemently asked, “Were you ever going to tell me about your encounter with the nefarious Lilly?”
He shrugged. “What difference does it make?”
Scowling deeper, she smacked him on his shoulder. “It makes every difference in the world to me.”
He sighed hard, rolling his eyes at her. “Okay, so after you left, she sort of attacked me.”
Instantly, her hands went to his cheeks, tenderly framing his face, holding him as if to inspect him for damage. “What happened, Dominic?”
His chin flicked up, one hand at the nape of her neck, the other cradling the back of her head. He pulled her close and kissed her hard. “I want you there when I talk with Sebastian, then you’ll hear everything, but right now, I want you and only you. I don’t want to think about the hell we’ll be facing with Lilly or any other dangers we might end up dealing with tomorrow.” He kissed her again. This time the kiss included the soft burning caresses of their dueling lips and tongues. He kissed her that way until she moaned. He cupped her face in his unyielding hands, zeroing in on her heated gaze. “Right now the only thing that matters is that I’m in love with you and I have been since the day I met you. I was too damn stupid to see it then, but I’m not going to let another moment elapse between us without you knowing how I feel. You’re all I want, Red. You’re all I’ll ever need. I’m so sorry I allowed my fear of commitment to stop me from having you when I should’ve. Claiming you as my mate should’ve been my priority. I love you, and even if you don’t return my feelings, it will never change my desire for you.”
On a gasp, her hand covered her mouth. “Dominic—”
“I know. It’s sudden, and I should explain why I sent Jonah after you because once you learn the reason you may never want to speak to me again. Before I make love to you, I need to come clean.”
Her eyes widened. Even though she thought she already understood him better than anyone else ever could, she knew she needed to hear his explanation. She nodded. “Go on.”
Without hesitation, he began, “It’s obvious to me now that I deliberately sabotaged our chance to be together. I knew once Jonah used his sexual wiles on you, there was no way you could resist, but I had hoped you’d…” He stopped himself as if he didn’t want to upset her with whatever he was about to say. “All I had to do was pretend you didn’t matter to me, and believe it or not, it was the hardest thing I ever had to do.”
She tensed in his arms, but he held her more firmly when she shuddered in response to his confession.
“When Jonah was able to capture your heart so easily I thought that what I felt for you wasn’t real, that I’d been tricked by the mating instinct.” He chuckled. “I was pretty pissed at you for not fighting for me. I had hoped you’d see that I was your mate and decline Jonah’s offer. I realized sending Jonah to you was the biggest mistake of my life, but I feared rejection, Megan. I feared that I’d give you my heart and you would never give me yours in return. I was training to be an alpha leader. How would it look if emotions ruled over me?”
She snorted in annoyance. “You let ego dictate your decision to be with me or not?”
He gave a shameful nod. “I did, and I’ve suffered so much because of my decision. You’ll never know how sorry I am for what I did. I wanted to hate you for not fighting for me. I wanted to hate Jonah for making you fall in love with him, for making it so easy for you to forget me.”
For a long moment, she just stared at him, her brows pinched tight until she could no longer hold back her need to laugh at their ridiculous and similar situations.
“Why are you laughing?” Dominic asked as if she had just insulted the size of his cock, which was truly nothing to laugh at.
She covered her mouth again, but this time it was as if the action was the only thing that would help stop her from giggling. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t help it. All these years I thought it was me. I thought the fear I felt was one-sided. I thought that you rejected me.”
“What? You did?”
She wet her dry lips. “When you didn’t want me and instead sent Jonah after me, I thought the instinct to be with you wasn’t real. I’ve never trusted my heart since because I figured I was a lycan anomaly and the instinct didn’t work for me…that it was a lie. That was the day I decided that I’d rather have love than some stupid, false mating bond.”
His wide-eyed and open-mouthed expression of surprise could’ve been a spitting image to how she was feeling inside in this surreal, dreamlike moment. “You spent all those years with Jonah,” he finally said.
Nodding, she said plainly, “I did, but it was just physical and a friendship I desperately needed. I thought that I could force love, that in time we might become so enamored with each other we’d fall miraculously in love, but it never happened.”
Dominic’s eyes rounded, the whites of his eyes revealing his shock. “So you never loved Jonah?” The pleading desperation in his voice had her heart fluttering in her chest.
She shook her head. “No. I never loved Jonah. I thought I did, but it’s nothing compared to the way I feel when I’m with you.” She placed her hand on his square jaw, running the pad of her thumb over his full bottom lip. “Even without the mating instinct, Dominic, I’m head over heels
for you, babe. I’ve dreamed about you almost each and every night since I met you. How could I ever forget the man I’ve always loved?”
The bestial growl that ripped from his chest made her wet and wild. Her legs and heart quivered simultaneously. The power behind his kiss robbed her of breath. She circled her arms around his neck as he deepened the kiss. His tongue mingled with hers, tasting the red-hot fire that burned inside him. Desire never felt so consuming, so wonderful.
“Wait,” he groaned, his eyes searching deep into hers.
Gasping for air, she froze in his arms, her lips raw from his hungry kisses.
“What about Reyes?”
Her brow furrowed. “Are you sure you want to talk about this now?”
“Yes,” he told her. “I need to know where I stand.”
“Well, I’m kind of confused about that. You see, somehow you both are my mates. I’ve known it since the moment you both walked into my life. Even though I didn’t want to admit it. I could feel it deep down into my soul, and the bond was confirmed the moment you both kissed me. You two will forever be a part of me.” Her voice began to shake. “The thought of being without either of you is like being torn into pieces.” Tears stung the backs of her eyes as emotions overwhelmed. She was tired of fighting the need to be with them. She now knew what she wanted and would do just about anything to have it.
“I won’t be happy sharing you, Megan.” The fierce tone of his voice was a declaration of war he intended to wage on anyone who dared try to possess her as he did.
Racing thoughts pummeled inside her mind. How could she ask him to be faithful to her when she was clearly going to be committed to two men? The selfish need churned in her belly. “I wouldn’t be happy sharing you either, Dominic.”
“I don’t have a choice, do I?” he asked her. She knew he already held the answer before she even acknowledged his question.
She shook her head. “I don’t see how I have a choice either.”