Logan’s body responded whenever I took control—something a Chitah male was not used to, but it drove him wild. I slid to the floor between his legs and his entranced eyes dragged down to my mouth. With a swipe of my tongue, I wet my lips and continued running my hands up his thighs until my fingers curled around his shirt, slowly rolling the ends away from his stomach. Every move I made was dramatically slow, and I never looked away from the raw power pulsing in his eyes. It became foreplay, where the longer I held his gaze, the more aroused he became.
My lips kissed the soft patch of skin just below his navel and I smelled his skin and tasted his energy. Logan’s breathing grew heavy and his hand trembled when it touched my shoulder.
“Silver, stop.”
His words were caged.
I popped the button free on his black cargo pants and slowly pulled the zipper down. He grew thick beneath the fabric and I stroked him while trailing my kisses around his abs.
Logan gripped my hair and pulled me away. “I can’t control myself if you keep doing that.” His canines slid out and a primal gaze painted his face.
My tongue circled around the firm muscles on his stomach and he let out a ravenous moan.
My argument would not be in words, but actions.
I pulled the band down on his boxer briefs, revealing my first glimpse of him. Logan was beautiful, and my admiration stirred something prideful on his face. Some of his hair had pulled free from the ponytail, sliding in front of his eyes in thick strands.
I wrapped my fingers around his shaft. Every touch, every breath, every shift of my body against his would elicit a wild reaction in him. I looked up beneath my brows and we locked eyes.
Never stare at a man that way and not expect to feel swallowed up by his power.
Logan battled against his animal with every ounce of energy, gripping my hair to pull my head back. His breath was heavy, as if he’d run a mile. “I don’t know what will happen. I’ve never done this.”
And he hadn’t.
“Let me do this for you,” I whispered. “Technically it doesn’t break your rules; it’s not sex by your standard definition.”
Before he could argue, I wet my lips and his eyes followed the movement of my tongue. Most female Chitahs weren’t into this type of bedroom play for reasons I just didn’t understand.
A unique spotted pattern, the color of honey and sand, rippled across his stomach and arms—something that occurred when a Chitah’s emotions were heightened.
My eyes focused on his deadly fangs and we were both thinking the same thing.
“I trust you, Logan. I know you won’t hurt me. Let go and give yourself to me.”
I wrapped my mouth around the head of his shaft and Logan’s switch immediately flipped. The bright golden-amber color in his eyes was swallowed up by obsidian black. I’d never felt more powerful than having someone as deadly as Logan look at me with dark, sexual eyes—completely in my thrall.
The wild Logan that ran on instinct watched me and the air between us charged. I took him deeper, gripping him at the base while he loosened his hold and stroked his fingers possessively through my hair.
I quickened my motions, taking time to outline every ridge and line with my tongue. Logan’s fangs had slid all the way out and his entire body tensed. I felt his heart pounding when I stretched my arm out and placed my hand on his chest. The look of arousal on his face as I pleasured him was more exciting than I had imagined.
And yeah, I had imagined it.
Logan didn’t throw his head back or close his eyes. He watched so intensely that I got aroused. His nose twitched and he took in a deep breath.
Now Logan knew that I wanted him too.
Suddenly, his phone rang. It was Leo’s ringtone and his eyes flickered between black and gold. I released my grip and ran my hands all around his stomach, pulling down his shirt with a frustrated groan.
“Answer your phone,” I said with a chuckle, tucking him back inside his briefs. “It might be important.” If Leo was calling, it probably was.
Logan lifted his hips and reached in his back pocket. He turned the phone off, grabbed hold of my arms, and pulled me onto his lap.
I wasn’t sure if it was a relief or a curse that I was wearing jeans instead of a skirt as I straddled him. I waited for his words—ones that always melted me. Logan admired me with his hands, and the simple stroke of his thumb over my eyebrow felt more intimate than any other place he could have touched me. The way the backs of his fingers caressed my cheeks, how he outlined my mouth with his thumb, and then Logan softly kissed the scar on my neck. A deep and wonderful sound hummed in his chest.
He slapped my hip playfully. “I think you’ve broken enough rules for the evening. Come on, my female. It’s too late for you to be out and I want you safe at home.”
“Mmm, I like it when you call me that.”
Logan tensed and the rims of his eyes expanded. “Female… or my female?”
“Sorry, Logan. I know how important your customs are and I’m not trying to imply—”
His lips mashed against mine in a molten kiss and before he could slide his tongue in, he pulled back. “Imply all you want, my female.”
“Walk me to my car, Mr. Cross,” I said with a smile in my words.
***
Logan buckled me up in the cheap little car that Justus had recently purchased for me. And truly, it was cheap. I had refused to let him waste his money on something extravagant. Having Christian as my guard allowed me to zip around town and run errands—provided I kept Justus updated with my whereabouts. I still had to ask permission to use the car. I could never win with that man.
I hated to leave Logan in his condition, but better to leave before he scented my guilt. He wanted to do the honorable thing and court me properly, and I always seemed to be leading him down the path of temptation, like some kind of Pied Piper of Sex.
I dialed Page and waited for her answer.
“Hi, Silver. Are you in need of my services? Is everything okay?”
I laughed. “Yeah, just fine. Actually, I called to see how you were doing.” I cleared my throat. “I’m sorry we barged in like that; I didn’t know Justus was planning on stopping by.”
“Don’t be sorry. Look, I’m glad you called. I’m coming over in the morning to pick up my car, so let Mr. De Gradi know I’ll be there no later than nine.”
The back tires lost traction when the car turned a corner.
“Hello?”
“Sorry, Page. I’m listening. Are you sure that you don’t want us to come get you? It’s no trouble.”
I heard her clicking her tongue as if she were thinking. “I’d prefer a cab.”
“Why? That’s just a waste of money.”
“The wet spots on the road will freeze tonight and I’d rather you not risk your safety. I’ve had to deal with more accidents in the past day with clients. Not all Breeds heal as quickly. Shifters can only do it when they change into their animal, and a Shifter doesn’t go through the change until they’re an adult, so I get a lot of kids.”
“I guess you have been busy. Are you doing okay otherwise?”
I slowed at the intersection but my car continued sliding. I tapped the brake and turned into the skid, causing the car to straighten and grind to a halt. The tires spun in place, kicking up bits of ice in the back. “Shit.”
She sighed. “It’s—it’s fine. Nothing I can’t handle, and I think I have an important decision to make. Hello? Is something wrong?”
“Sorry for cutting you off but I need go.” Luckily, everyone in the city had the good sense to stay home so no one was around to hit me.
“Do you think your Ghuardian has jumpers? Hopefully my car battery hasn’t died from frostbite,” she said with a laugh.
“That man is a jumper.”
The tires were spinning in place, so I threw the car into neutral and unbuckled my seatbelt. “We’ll see you tomorrow, Page. Have a good one.”
“Take car
e.”
I shoved the phone in my purse and popped the door open, looking around. “Dammit,” I muttered. It might have been helpful if Justus had shown me how to maneuver a car on ice.
Then again, I drove a tin can with no traction.
The stinging wind bit my cheeks when I got out and decided to push the car. I’d seen it done in the movies; how hard could it be?
Car in neutral: check.
My door made an awful complaint when it closed and I walked like a penguin to the rear. Maybe if I rocked the car a few times and then threw it in reverse, it would make a difference.
I bumped my rear end against the trunk repeatedly until the car began rocking back and forth. This method seemed like a good idea since I didn’t think I could push the car with the shoes I had on. I felt like an ass, but since there was no one to bear witness, I had no qualms with embracing my assness.
My foot slipped and I hit the ice on my right shoulder. Without warning, the car began sliding backward.
I screamed, scrambling to get away from the tires.
Suddenly, a metal croak sounded. Christian stood at my feet, holding up the end of the car as if he were fluffing a blanket out for a picnic.
“Car trouble?”
After a few attempts, I managed to stand on my feet and wipe the sludge away from my face as he dropped the car. My jeans were wet, but I couldn’t do anything about that.
“Thanks, Christian. I thought I was about to get squashed like a bug.”
“Now wherever did you learn that technique? I don’t seem to remember them teaching that in defensive driving.”
“I got that from the offensive driving class,” I said, wiping my nose.
He stood very still in his long black trench coat, the edges flapping in the wind like a moth’s wings. The winter ensemble was for appearances since cold weather had no effect on a Vampire. His black liquid eyes settled on me, and a crooked smile animated his unshaven face. Christian loved his scruff, letting his whiskers spread down his neck like a man who just didn’t care.
“Let’s grab a bite,” he offered.
“I need to get this car out of the—”
Christian whirled around and pushed the car like it were a matchbox until it settled by the curb. He reached inside, pulled out my purse, and locked it up.
“I’ll not take no for an answer, lass, so don’t sit here and rabbit on. I can hear your stomach growling from blocks away. There’s Italian just up the road. It’s a beautiful night for a stroll, is it not?” he declared in a serious voice, spinning around with his arms outstretched.
It was out of character for him to be considerate. I hurled a sludgeball at his shoes and matched his pace.
“Always got to have the last word,” he accused.
“I didn’t say anything,” I pointed out. “I’ve only got five bucks on me, so I hope this is a cheap place.”
“Jaysus wept. Doesn’t Justus give you a fatter allowance than that?”
“I don’t see you much these days.” I tucked my hands into my coat pockets and blew out a frosty breath.
His shoes crunched on the ice with every step and he kept his chin tucked in. “I can’t stay shacked up in your underground bunker; it goes against my principles.”
“It was just a bed and a warm place, Christian.”
“It was a sweet gesture, to be sure, but I’m of little use if I’m not performing my duties to the fullest.”
“Yadda yadda,” I muttered.
“Your fella was a real joy to travel with. I thought you were a barrel of monkeys, but that one is the whole fecking zoo.”
“We’re here,” I said, glancing up at the neon light.
The Italian restaurant advertised they were family owned, and the moment we stepped inside, the spices made me salivate. My shoes squeaked on the linoleum floor and Christian gave me a dirty look.
A short man with a black mustache greeted us and I leaned forward to give him my order when Christian suddenly spoke up. “She’ll be having the spaghetti combo.”
“Do you have a few extra garlic cloves?” I asked. The cashier appeared confused and I slapped Christian on the back. “They’re for my friend.”
Dinner arrived quickly at our small table in the back. Christian set the warm breadsticks in the center and watched me stuff hot noodles into my mouth.
“I want to hear more about your trip,” I said, licking the pasta sauce from my fork. “You didn’t find out anything else?”
He scratched his jaw and looked out the window. “Just what you already know.”
“You’re not keeping anything from me, are you?”
Christian watched me closely and his voice softened. “You don’t have any desire to meet your da? He’s an interesting character.”
“Do you know how hard it was growing up without a father? Wasn’t he even curious about what I looked like? Now after everything I’ve found out, the only thing I feel is contempt. Regardless of whether Grady donated his sperm or his light, he’s not my father.” I sipped my lemon water through a white straw and pushed an ice cube around.
“After getting a look at Grady, the mystery of your ginger hair is not yet solved, lass.”
He was baiting me. When I was human, I had red hair. It didn’t come from my mother or her side of the family. Upon my creation as a Mage, my DNA shifted and I permanently acquired many physical traits of Samil, my Creator.
Christian laced his fingers and watched my reaction intently.
“I’m not that girl anymore, in case you haven’t noticed,” I said, flipping a strand of my black hair. “That’s in the past.”
“It was more fetching when it was long,” he muttered, sitting back.
“Logan likes it short.”
“Maybe he doesn’t want the competition; looks like Goldilocks is giving you a run for your money with his tresses.”
I took another bite of pasta. “Why don’t you order some food? You need to cram something into that big mouth of yours.”
Christian pulled a noodle from my plate and let it dangle from his mouth. “Ever seen Lady and the Tramp?”
“Well, if I’m the lady in this scenario, then I guess that makes you the tramp.”
I flipped the end of his noodle and it stuck to his face. A man at a nearby table lifted his head from a small book when he heard me laughing. Sometimes Christian needed to lighten up a little.
“You are a venomous child,” he said, dropping the noodle onto the table. “Now I know where you get that temper of yours from.”
I slammed my fork down. “Why are you baiting me on this? The only thing I want to know about Grady is his involvement, but anything personal I just don’t want to hear. Why do you continue to bring him up?”
Christian lowered his brows and they almost smothered his eyes. His open collar exposed his smooth and delicious neck. I remembered the intimacy of the blood sharing and felt myself flush as I looked away.
“Perhaps I think you’re being spiteful to a man without giving him a chance.”
“You’re my guard, not my therapist.”
He stood up and tossed a wad of money on the table, along with my car keys.
“I’ve taken out five juicers this week who tried to come after you. One of them planned to sell you on the black market for two hundred grand. Drive home safely.”
Chapter 7
The following day, Justus kept close watch of the security systems.
I thought about the way he acted around Page and wondered how serious he could be about a woman who wanted nothing to do with him. Justus liked to be in control and required a compliant woman. It’s why we butted heads so often, and those were the moments that he liked me the least. Page didn’t succumb to his gifts as a Charmer, and the peculiar thing was—he hadn’t even noticed.
Of that, I was certain.
Just after eight in the morning, a sensor alarm went off at the main entrance of our property. The cab driver dropped Page off and she hiked through the snow up
the private road. I watched on the monitor as Justus broke into a full run until he came within her sight. Then he slowed to a casual stroll.
Yeah, the man was smooth.
I went into the kitchen and made a pot of coffee.
The first thing I heard when the door opened was a dramatic sneeze.
“Page?”
She stood in the hallway, sapped out. Her bright red nose looked sore, and her brown eyes were sunken in and bloodshot. Especially the bruised one.
“You look awful.”
Justus glared at me and I shrugged.
“It’s just a cold,” she muttered in a stuffy voice.
Something I’d never have to experience again, thank God. I watched as she removed her coat in slow motion. Justus shook it out and hung it up neatly on a hook he’d installed that morning.
“Does coffee sound good? I’ve got some cocoa if you’d rather have that.”
“Coffee sounds fine,” she said in a monotone voice. “It hit me in the middle of the night and I didn’t get much sleep. I decided to… to…” She sneezed again and wiped her nose. “To pick up my car before it got worse.”
Justus stood helpless in the hall, a man who didn’t have a single cough drop in the house. A man who hadn’t had a cold in more than five centuries. “Learner, check if we have any soup.”
Luckily, that was one thing we did have. I put a pot of chicken noodle on the stove and brought her a cup of hot chocolate instead of the coffee. Page’s brown hair was unkempt and stuck up on one side. My guess would be that she crawled out of bed, got dressed, and came straight over.
“Here, try this. I put tiny marshmallows in it. Does your throat hurt?”
She held the brown mug and leaned against the wall in the dining room. “I just feel achy and tired. Once I’m back in my own bed, I’ll feel better.”
“The soup will take a few minutes to heat up,” I said. “Have a seat.”
All men have an unspoken rule: never sit at the head of the table that isn’t yours. Page had apparently never heard of this rule or didn’t care. She relaxed in Justus’s chair at the far end of the room in front of the painting, and I sat to her right. Not my usual spot, but it wasn’t a usual morning.
Gravity (Mageri Series: Book 4) Page 7