Four Days (Seven Series #4)

by Dannika Dark

  He trailed petal-soft kisses up my jaw until his heated breath touched my ear. “Unlatch your bra so I can see all of you. Open your legs to me and I’ll make this feel good.”

  “You already are,” I said, ending the last word with a moan as his fingers stroked in a sensual rhythm.

  I released the front latch on my thin bra, allowing the fabric to fall away. My dark nipples puckered as the air in the cab grew cooler.

  He moaned and shifted in his seat. I could sense his lust and found it curious he was so willing to give me pleasure without seeking his own. I surrendered myself to the fever, lifting my hips.

  A growl rose from him and he pushed up my skirt. “Pull down your panties for me,” he whispered. “Just a little bit.”

  When I did, his fingers quickly returned and I reached up, locking my arms around his neck. Goodness… Lorenzo was a man who knew his way around a woman’s body. The look in his eyes was indulgent as he bent forward and sucked on my right nipple. I watched him from my semi-reclined seat, uncertain of where this was leading.

  He licked my breast and looked up at me like a predator as he did it. “You’re sweeter than honey.”

  His thumb rolled in circles and a lick of pleasure shot through me. I gasped and my muscles tensed.

  Lorenzo pressed his warm lips against my neck. “All my wolf wants to do is please you, alpha female. Tell me you want more. I want to hear your wolf howl.” He lightly nipped my skin.

  “Yes, give me more.” I took his face in my hands and planted a kiss on his mouth. At first it was chaste. But as our lips grew lazy, his tongue forced its way in and deepened the kiss. His chest vibrated as a low growl rose.

  Lorenzo’s fingers quickened their pace and, my God, that man knew how to please a woman. Every movement, every slide and quick motion made it seem as if he could read my mind.

  A small gasp escaped my lips and he nibbled on them.

  “Put your mouth against my ear, Ivy. I want to hear the sound you make when you tremble beneath my touch.”

  He nestled his face in the crook of my neck and when I breathed against his ear, he nipped my shoulder.

  “Ah!” I said, bucking my hips.

  “Just like that,” he whispered, stroking me harder. “Hurry.”

  “Why hurry?” I panted.

  “Because if you take any longer, I’m going to have to take a walk and stroke myself until all the need for you is gone.”

  “Then take me.”

  He shook his head and looked at me in the eye. “Not like this. I’ll pleasure you anywhere you want me to, but the only place I’ll take you is in my bed.”

  “Why?” I asked, knitting my brows.

  “This isn’t the time for a conversation,” he bit out. Then his mouth all but swallowed up my breast as he moved from one to the other, kissing and licking me into a frenzy.

  I cupped his hand with mine.

  As soon as I began making noise, Lorenzo looked up. I stretched my legs and gripped the ends of his hair with my other hand. “You’re my alpha,” I gasped.

  Lorenzo released a roar, just as he had that night in bed.

  “Next time I want to get on my knees and taste you,” he growled.

  The erotic visual of an alpha on his knees with his mouth on my body sent chills up my arms. Pleasure licked through me like white lightning and I could ride it out no more. My muscles clenched when Lorenzo’s breathing became erratic, as if he were caught in the storm with me. A flush of heat touched my cheeks and I moaned softly as spikes of pleasure assailed me.

  Lorenzo moved closer. He wrapped his arm around me and I collapsed against the warmth of his body.

  “You’re an attentive alpha,” I said, out of breath.

  “How’s that?”

  “You must have sensed I was anxious.”

  He let out an exasperated sound and leaned forward to look at me. “That wasn’t about me taking care of your needs because I’m a Packmaster and I heed to the call of a woman seeking relief. That was about desire. It was about the way you sighed when you combed your fingers through your loose hair, and the hot look you flashed me. The one you hoped I wouldn’t notice. I crave you. Your body, your wisdom, and the smile you rarely show. I crave the soft whisper of your climax against my ear that’s meant only for me. This isn’t about Packmaster and bitch. This is about a man and a woman,” he said, his voice softening. “Other women bring out the wolf in me, but you, Ivy… you bring out the man.”

  “You need time away from me to think about what’s best for your pack.”

  As he spoke, he slowly latched my bra and fastened the buttons on my blouse. “I need time with you to decide what’s best for me.”

  “You haven’t come to a decision, Thunder?”

  He rubbed his nose against mine. “This is new to me. These feelings… I need time.”

  “You should know something. I won’t mate with a man who has room in his arms for another woman. I don’t care if he’s a Packmaster and that’s how he runs his house. If you asked me to be in your pack—hypothetically, of course—then it would be as your mate and not one of your groupies. Rebecca would have to leave.”

  His brows popped up. “Would she now?”

  “Yes. And not because she’s a threat, but she’s a venomous woman and I’m sure she’s not the only person bringing your pack down. I also won’t allow any woman who has known you intimately to live under the same roof. It would be disrespectful. You must consider these things if you want to pursue me. This would not only be a dramatic change in your life, but also for your pack.”

  “Sweet little Ivy would rule with an iron fist.”

  “No, just a silver cane.”

  He laughed and it was full-bodied, making me want to curl up closer beside him. Lorenzo had a strong chest, so warm and protective. I took in his smell, touched his soft hair, and then closed my eyes when he pulled me tighter. Some of the windows were fogged and his heart was still racing.

  After a deep breath, he placed a tender kiss on my forehead. “I don’t think either of us can make any promises until we return home. This trip could change your life.”

  “It could also change yours.”

  He paused thoughtfully. “Would you like to let your wolf run? I can find a stretch of land.”

  “No. I can’t delay this visit any longer. I need to see Lakota.”

  ***

  Lorenzo drove straight to Cognito without a wink of sleep. We stopped several times to stretch our legs and get something to eat, and by the time we arrived, he needed rest. I also needed to get my head together, as I was anxious about what might happen. Would they let me see him? I still hadn’t decided if I thought it was a good idea to tell Lakota who I was. All I wanted was to kiss him just once, to tell my sweet little man how proud I was.

  The heavy drapes in our hotel room blocked out the sun, but daylight still intruded through the crevices. I didn’t like how quiet the room felt—how sterile. It made me homesick for my pack.

  “Come lie beside me,” Lorenzo said, wearily patting his hand on the bedspread.

  I kicked off my shoes and crawled onto the bed, curling up along his right side.

  “What are you thinking about?” he asked, his eyes closing.

  Tears escaped through my lashes and trickled onto his bare chest. “I miss the life I could have had. Sometimes I wonder how that girl would have done raising a child when she was only a child herself. I would have loved him, but I don’t think he would have been happy living in my father’s pack. Austin wouldn’t have taken me in with a child, so maybe things worked out for the best.”

  “Hmm,” was all he replied.

  “In quiet moments, I sometimes think about what it would have been like to be a mother. I dream about reading him stories before bedtime and wiping away tears when he’s skinned his knee. That must seem trivial to you.”

  “It’s not too late. You’re his mother, and you can take him home.”

  Part of that idea nestled in
my heart and flooded my mind with an entire lifetime of future memories. His first girlfriend. His first car. Seeing his adolescent face smiling as he ran out the door and shifted into his wolf.

  “I know what I want, but I struggle with doing what’s right. I haven’t figured that part out yet. I need to see him. I need to speak with his parents.”

  Lorenzo’s eyes were closed when I looked up, but he wasn’t asleep. His right hand diligently worked to unravel my braid behind my back.

  “How come you don’t have children?” I asked him. “You have an established pack, money, and all the things a Packmaster secures before he starts a family.”

  His chest rose with a deep breath and then he sighed. “That requires a mate.”

  I lifted my head and rested my chin on his chest, touching his face with my fingers. “Have you ever been in love?”

  Lorenzo shook his head.

  “Me either.”

  His lashes slowly pried apart so I could see his dark eyes glittering down at me.

  Then I felt his heart pounding against his chest, and I moved my palm over it. “Someday this heart will beat for someone other than yourself. It might even hurt, but you’ll do anything to keep them safe. That’s how I feel with Lakota. I sometimes wonder how I could possibly have room to love someone else when my whole heart belongs to him.”

  He swallowed thickly. “And what have you decided?”

  A smile touched my lips. “That the heart isn’t comparable to the driver’s seat of a car, where only one person steers it. Maybe it’s more like a house, and letting people in won’t require someone else to leave. Shared space, different kinds of love… I don’t know. That’s a terrible analogy.”

  He touched my cheek with a soft stroke. “You’re the most remarkable woman I’ve ever met, and I’m not a man of soft words.”

  “You’re certainly a man of soft kisses.”

  He chuckled as he continued to untangle my braid. “My wolf admires you. I would have never thought such a delicate woman could fight so bravely against Fox’s men. You have quiet strength. It’s something my grandmother talked about when I was a young and boisterous child. She said that Thunder and Lightning were two spirit brothers who lived in the heavens. Lightning was the quiet one who was bright and quick, while Thunder did nothing but growl and frighten people.”

  I smiled. “She was a wise woman.”

  His brows slanted. “I was convinced that Thunder and Lightning were one and the same. She said Lightning was the more dangerous of the two—he would strike without warning, and no one would suspect it because they were too busy fearing Thunder.” After a shallow sigh, he thoughtfully looked up at the ceiling. “I’d still like to believe they’re one and the same, but maybe I can never be Lightning. After she passed, I tempered my aggressive nature, but deep down, I’ve always been Thunder.”

  I traced my fingers over his lips. “I am in awe of you.”

  His dark brows furrowed. “Of me?”

  “Yes, of you, Lorenzo Church. I’ve never met a man who was so contemplative in private and decisive in public. You’re like a coin with two sides. Don’t be conflicted about the man you are. Your grandmother would have been proud, and she told you stories to help you make better decisions in your life, not to change who you are. I like the man beneath me, the one who bellows when he’s upset and has so much power that he doesn’t know what to do with it. Just be willing to bend. When you cut a small stick from a tree, it bends because it’s still alive. It’s only the dead stick that’s been lying on the ground that will break with little effort; so as long as you have a heart and a conscience, you’ll make the right choices.”

  Lorenzo rolled on top of me, his long hair creating a veil. “Can I shift?”

  “Here?”

  “My wolf demands to protect you and I have no choice but to comply.”

  My chest squeezed. That was something only mates did. Our wolves often compelled us to do things, and guarding another’s life was considered a great honor.

  “Kiss me first,” I whispered.

  He settled his weight on top of me and his lips met mine. I grazed my fingers along his cheekbones, and then he rubbed noses with me.

  “What if he howls?” I asked worriedly.

  Lorenzo chuckled softly. “This is a Breed hotel and the floor is ours. If anyone complains, then I’ll take care of it. Order room service if you get hungry, but sleep. You’ll need your rest.”

  “And if I want to go out?”

  He reached up and pulled his hair back, settling beside me. “Then my wolf goes with you. But I don’t want you to meet with your son unless I shift back. Where else would you go?”

  “I’ve never been to Cognito. I might want to walk around. When I get restless, I like to walk. It helps me think, and I prefer to be outside where I can breathe in fresh air.”

  He pressed his lips tightly before responding. “Only in the daytime. Once it nears dark, you come back. Do you understand? Rogues come out at night and mostly hang around bars. This is the Breed district, so if you want to go in any of the shops and eat, my wolf will be allowed. There are symbols on the windows and doors to let you know. If they have a policy against animals, then find another shop. I won’t leave your side; do you understand?”

  “I promise. You’re not as sheltering as I thought you’d be.”

  His hand smoothed down the flat of my stomach and rested there. “I’ve seen you fight. A warrior doesn’t need to be sheltered, only guarded.”

  In a fluid movement, Lorenzo shifted into his wolf. I ran my fingers through his soft grey fur, and in return, he licked my face. I gazed deep into his brown eyes, waiting for the light to flicker out so I knew when Lorenzo had gone to sleep and let the wolf take over.

  Thunder turned in a circle, eyeing his surroundings, and then settled next to me, placing his head across my stomach.

  Chapter 23

  “Christ! You should keep him on a leash,” a man exclaimed when I emerged from the elevator.

  Lorenzo’s wolf, whom I was now calling Thunder, growled at the tall man in a navy-blue suit.

  “This is a Packmaster,” I said. “You should show some respect. And no one leashes a Shifter.”

  He loosened the knot in his blue tie. A Shifter would never suggest leashing another, even one who wasn’t a wolf. He must have been a different Breed, or perhaps he was just an imbecile.

  “Well, can you move your mutt? This is a hotel, not a zoo.”

  Thunder stalked toward the man sedately. When he reached him, he did something unexpected. Thunder opened his wide jaws and clamped them around the stranger’s crotch, causing the man’s eyes to widen with fear. One of his teeth had punctured the fabric.

  “I suggest you apologize,” I said, uncertain if Lorenzo had awoken, or if his wolf understood human words.

  After a hard swallow, the man offered an apology. I smiled and grabbed Thunder by a handful of hair and led him away.

  “Now was that necessary?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.

  Thunder made a high-pitched sound and snorted. Clearly he thought it was.

  We moved through an elegant lobby like nothing I’d ever seen. I marveled at the crystal chandeliers sparkling overhead, the champagne-colored rug in the sitting area, and a marble fountain near the center of the room. Lorenzo had reserved the room and spared no expense in selecting the finest hotel in the city. I stole a piece of chocolate from a bowl sitting on the front desk and the man smiled, his eyes briefly flicking down to Lorenzo before he looked away.

  “Let us know if you need anything, Mrs. Church.”

  “Oh, I’m not—”

  Thunder abruptly barked and interrupted me. I waved at the man before we moved through the revolving doors.

  Fresh snow blanketed the ground, and I tucked my left hand inside the pocket of my brown suede coat. The jacket reached my knees, so it was my favorite to wear during snow days. My brown boots left thick footprints in the patches of snow where no one e
lse had walked. Most people were inside the shops along the street, and not many cars were about. In fenced-off spaces, it looked like six inches had fallen, and ice covered the tree limbs.

  I kept a slow pace, enjoying a chance to stretch my muscles and explore a new city. Unlike Austin, the buildings had history and character—some appearing to be several hundred years old. Others looked like they’d been built yesterday. Apartment buildings were nestled between some of the businesses, and as Lorenzo had said, special symbols marked the doors of Breed-owned shops.

  The air didn’t smell as clean as it did down south. Instead, it was a mixture of snow, oil, and spices from some of the restaurants I passed by. Vampires seemed unaffected by the cold; many of them wore nothing but cotton shirts and pants. They were easy to spot because of their unblemished skin, so unnaturally perfect. Unlike in human folklore, Vampires didn’t disintegrate in sunlight. They simply found it uncomfortable as their pupils were fully dilated and natural light hurt their eyes. Some of the older ones had learned to tolerate it better, but modern sunglasses were a welcomed convenience.

  “Why didn’t anyone tell me places like this existed?” I asked Thunder.

  He trotted beside me, taking in different scents as we continued our adventure. Each time a stranger walked by, he’d growl and press himself against me.

  In Oklahoma, the Breed side of town consisted of nothing but two streets. All I’d ever seen were Shifters, so moving to Austin had been a culture shock because of the diversity. But I’d never seen anything like this before.

  When my feet tired and I could no longer feel my nose, I entered a small shop and ordered a few hot dogs. I gave a couple to Thunder and relaxed at a small table, watching customers go in and out. Thunder sat beside me with his head on my lap. I had to thump him on the nose because he kept putting his muzzle beneath my shirt and licking my stomach.

  The bell jingled and a woman hustled in, her raven-colored hair flying behind her. “Brrr!” she said in a loud voice. “It’s cold out there today!” Her foot flew out and she almost slipped from the wet ice on her boot. “Oh shit,” she murmured, grabbing the edge of the counter.