Tiana let out a high pitched whine. Her pulse raced at his touch. Her finger fumbled on the button of her jeans. She needed to feel more.
Cameron nipped at her neck, but didn’t stop her. She shimmied her jeans and panties down, and grinned when she heard the matching sound of Cameron unzipping himself.
He pushed her jeans down an inch further so he could ease himself into her slit. She was hot and slick and ready for him. Another noise escaped her lips, sounding almost like his name.
He rocked his hips out and in, making her muscles contract down like springs about to jump.
She pushed back against him. She demanded more of him, more than the teasing thrusts gave her. She reached between them to cup his balls. She rolled the delicate sacs between her fingers.
Cameron sucked in a harsh breath and plunged deep into her. He filled her almost to the point of aching at that angle, but she didn’t care. She wanted the pain and the euphoria that would follow. He stilled and kept her motionless and stretched, longing for more.
Tiana’s breath caught just like Cameron’s had. She rolled him between her fingers again before dropping him. She braced her hands against the edge of the counter and shoved back. Her ample ass ground into his hipbones, and her nerves cried out with the new sensation. Her muscles gripped him tightly as she wobbled on her feet.
Cameron curved around her to hold her steady. “Come for me,” he whispered.
His voice, halfway between begging and a command, sent another great shiver down her spine. His lips were on her neck again, and his teeth nipped at her skin. She felt her body start to obey when he centered his palm over her mound and matched the friction of the lower halves. Her clit deliciously rubbed against his hand with each thrust of his cock.
“Come for me,” he said again, sounding strained.
Tiana let loose a wild cry. Her muscles clenched as she doubled over into his strong arms that were stilled wrapped around her for support. She combusted with him, reaching to level never attained before, and came crashing back down. The feelings were centered in her core, where he still shuddered against her.
A sudden shrill made him tense and then jump away from her. “It’s them.” He tugged at his pants and pulled out the ringing mobile phone.
“Just let it ring.” Tiana rolled her eyes. Was the person on the other line really important enough to cut into their time. Anger and annoyance rolled over her in waves and quickly replaced the desire of mere moments ago.
“Father,” Cameron answered. He pulled his pants on, and turned his back to her.
Tiana felt small. Small and ignored. Annoyance gave way to insecurity. Her own family had abandoned her, and now Cameron had showed that his family was important enough to interrupt an intimate moment. She knew where she ranked.
Luckily, he was turned away before the panic and anger took real hold. She wanted to stay with him, and tuck each other under the blankets after they exhausted themselves again. She wanted to curl up next to him and ignore the rest of the world. She wanted to yell at him for ignoring her.
“Yes. I announced some new changes to the committee today.” Cameron was saying into his mobile.
She knew they would never work. She couldn’t calm down enough for one person, and he was a Ross. The actions of his brother still left a bitter taste in her mouth. Cameron’s actions made her want to punch something. He shot apologetic glances in her direction, but they did nothing to calm her surging emotions.
She put her clothes back together while he paced on the phone. She padded softly back through the condo and summoned the elevator. Every part of her screamed to climb into bed and wait for him, and then screamed at her to run. How could she stay, if her own mind couldn’t make itself up?
She straightened her shoulders as the elevator opened silently. She’d taken what she wanted from him. That was the plan from the beginning, and she’d met that goal. Her teenage lust was sated, her adult desires were met. Now she could put Cameron Ross firmly behind her.
She just didn’t know why she hated herself for it.
Chapter Twelve
Cameron turned at the sound of his elevator opening. His father hadn’t started screaming yet, but he could hear the volume slowly increasing. Tiana stepped into the elevator, and he locked eyes with her as she reached for the down button.
He was torn. He needed to take control of his pack, and that involved seeing the conversation through with his parents. He knew his mother would join the call shortly; they never badgered their sons alone. He wanted to keep Tiana with him and explain himself.
The doors closed on Tiana, and the shouting truly began.
“You are only the leader by our will!”
“You gave the pack over to Colin when you retired. You and Mother left it to him. It wasn’t yours any more,” Cameron tried to remain calm.
“Claude and the others don’t see it that way.” His mother had picked up on another line.
“Claude and any who believe that way are no longer part of my pack. I made myself clear to them. They could choose my leadership, or they could leave the pack."
“You have no right to say that! The firm still belongs to me. Your brother was only entrusted to run the firm.”
His father still was unaware of the lack of control he now had over Cameron. Cam almost shivered at the freedom. “Actually, the firm belongs to me. I cashed out the trust fund, and bought enough shares for control. I’m sure you’ll find everything has been done thoroughly and without any loopholes. That’s one of the benefits of running a law firm, I suppose.”
“You’ll need one when the cops start calling you about that redhead’s rogue wolf.” His mother piped up again.
That gave Cam pause. He knew there was bad blood between the city’s pack because of a rogue wolf, which had turned out to be one of his brother’s friends. He hadn’t heard any new rumors, and certainly nothing from Tiana. How did they even know about Tiana?
A wave of red anger flowed through him. His wolf growled at the perceived threats. “I’m sorry, are you spying on me?”
His father said, “How else do you expect us to keep an eye on the family business? You’ve all but lost contact with us. We needed to know—"
“Know what, exactly? Who I was with?"
“You know she isn’t right for you, sweetie. Now, we know a girl, a cousin of Claude’s actually. She’ll help put everything right. Claude will even stay with the firm.” His mother’s sweet voice sounded sour in Cameron’s ears.
Chapter Thirteen
Tiana counted down the days until Xander and Stella returned from the magical fairytale fuckfest. She needed them home. She didn’t want to be in charge anymore.
The inane problems the rest of the wolves brought her made her want to punch things. She didn’t care if someone slighted the other at a card table. She didn’t think it mattered who was running through their woods, as long as it was one of the pack. They didn’t need to schedule time like toddlers were scheduled for naps.
Her phone buzzed again, and she nearly threw it across the room. She hadn’t even gotten up for the day, and she’d already fielded calls. Seeing Cameron’s name light up the screen was just the cherry on an already crappy cake. That would be call number thirty-something in two days.
Again, her phone buzzed and she had enough.Her teeth ground together when she snapped into the received. “What?”
“Tiana Faolin?” The man on the other end sounded unsure.
Tiana quickly checked the caller ID. It wasn’t Cameron. It was one of the pack’s contacts within the city police. Though not a werewolf himself, his sister had married into the Inferno Wolves. He helped out his extended family by passing along any shifter related tips. Werewolves drunk and stupid enough to be brought in by police were probably stupid enough to shift in the drunk tank with other humans. Xander would go bail them out and stick them in his cage until they sobered up.
“Sorry, I thought it was someone else,” Tiana apologized. “Who nee
ds to be picked up this time?”
“It’s not that, actually. You should know there was an attack tonight, and we’re not sure what happened. Some special unit has already come and gone. Weird folk, they were. They all looked alike. But it sounded like…like one of my sister’s friends, you know? I thought you might be interested to know about it.” The man sounded nervous.
“It’s okay. Frank, is it? Sandy is your sister, right?”
“Yeah, Frank and Sandy. That’s right. Listen, I can’t talk long. But I can give you the address if you want to check it out. I can meet you there in an hour. It’s still a closed scene, and I don’t know if those other guys are still around."
“Thank you, Frank. I’ll be there in an hour."
***
Tiana met Frank outside a small, rundown apartment building in a bad part of town. As fast as the city was growing, it was leaving the old parts in the dust. No one saw a reason to clear out the old buildings when they could just build brand new elsewhere.
Frank nodded to another cop and held up the yellow crime scene tape for Tiana to duck under. The little man was stubby and round in the way she pictured old detectives sitting at desks until they hit their retirement age, but he moved quickly. He kept glancing nervously at her, and rubbing his palms on his pants. She knew he knew what she was, but it didn’t make the suspicion any less hurtful.
Frank’s voice bubbled continuously, as it had since meeting. “I just couldn’t let this happen again, you know? If it was the same thing that happened before? Sandy says the girl is high up in your…group now, or whatever. I’m real sorry that happened to begin with. I didn’t hear anything about it until Sandy said."
“It’s okay, Frank. I appreciate you giving me a call now."
“I want to make things square. I see how upset it made Sandy. I don’t want anyone getting hurt over this thing. You guys are all right in my book if Sandy says, but us average joes need to stay safe. If you can help with that, please do."
“Thank you, Frank.” She knew he was just trying to help and explain himself, but his voice was grating on her nerves. She took a deep breath to calm herself. It would do no good to burn bridges with the local police.
She’d burned enough bridges for the time being, anyways.
Cameron’s face loomed large in her mind before she shook it away. She shouldn’t feel guilty. He was the one who left her hanging. She didn’t want to be with someone who would choose his parents over her.
Tiana glanced around the apartment. Three other units were in the building, none of them occupied. Frank said the attack happened up the street. A homeless woman was bitten by what she described as a large dog. The police thought she was speaking nonsense when the other agents showed up. By Frank’s description, they were Nephilim.
The Nephilim released the woman into their custody, and ordered the police to help search for the culprit. The woman told them the big dog ran into the apartment building, and that’s where the Nephilim found him. They’d taken him and the woman away, but left the police to hold the apartment until they returned.
Tiana scoffed at that. Like the local police would know what to look for. It’d been sheer luck that Frank was around to overhear, and recognize what a large dog could really mean. He called his sister Sandy, who told him to call Tiana immediately. The pack was still touchy about the rogue werewolf that attacked and turned Stella, even if it drove her into Xander’s arms. Rogues weren’t to be taken lightly.
The single-room apartment was a mess. No furniture, unless she counted the rugs and blankets piled in a corner. Nature books were piled messily near by. It was a sad state, as if the shifter could only look at pictures of nature and not experience it on his own.
She passed into the kitchen section of the studio. Cans of food sat empty on the countertop, looking as if a rough knife was used to pry them open. Tiana wondered if he was using his claws to get to the food.
Her heart ached for the man, even though she knew he needed to be stopped before he could hurt others. She knew what it was like to be abandoned by her family and friends. And lovers, she reminded herself wryly. Had this one been driven to fend for himself, too?
A creak of floorboards outside the studio jerked Tiana to a standing position. Frank responded by pulling his gun from his holster and pressing his bulk against the wall by the doorway. She motioned for him to relax, but he only shook his head. She had to admire the man’s instinct to protect, foolhardy as it was. She’d be better suited to protect him than the other way around.
Cameron shuffled around the corner with hands raised. Tiana scowled. “What are you doing here?”
“Who are you?” Frank demanded at the same time.
“It’s okay, Frank. He’s one of my kind,” Tiana motioned for him to lower his gun. No one needed to get shot tonight, even if she wouldn’t mind seeing Cameron with a few holes in his ego.
“Cameron Ross,” Cam held out his hand for Frank to shake.
Frank’s eyebrows lifted at the name, but he didn’t immediately take Cameron’s offered hand. He slowly holstered his gun and eyed Cameron up and down before hesitantly shaking. He rubbed sweaty palms on his pants again.
He looked bloated with words when his radio buzzed. He stepped out into the hall, and Tiana was amazed he could understand the garbled voice on the other end. He returned a moment later.
“My partner and I are being called away. Don’t mess anything up in here, okay? Those special agents have already been through here, and just told us to keep the place quiet. They’re on their way back, since we’re being called away. And don’t tell me anything I can’t take to another cop. Sandy tells me you have your own way of doing things, so get it done and keep it off the streets.” Frank beat a hasty retreat.
Cameron cocked his head and listened to Frank’s footsteps before speaking. “We heard there was a rogue wolf on the loose. One of yours, to be precise."
Tiana grimaced. She almost certainly knew who was included in his “we.” His parents would be able to buy off more cops, of course. “We heard the same thing. Only, our pack isn’t the one with a rogue problem."
“If you’re suggesting I’m following in my brother’s footsteps—"
“That’s exactly what I’m suggesting. Inferno Wolves have no rogues in our pack, now any we keep on a leash for random attacks."
“What are you saying?"
“I don’t know, Cam. Maybe you need to prove something to your parents. Maybe you need to prove you’re as tough as your brother.” She knew she was yelling, but she didn’t care. The entire building was empty. There was no need to be quiet.
“We had nothing to do with this.” Cameron sounded almost pleading for her belief. Something hardened in his voice when he spoke again. “If you can’t control your pack, that’s not your problem. You’re only the beta. You can’t be expected to hold a rogue in check."
“Oh, so now I’m incompetent?"
“Rogue shifters are difficult to hold in check even for pack leaders, according to my parents."
Tiana paced the small room rather than answer him. The tower of books near the stacked rugs and blankets caught her eye again. She nudged at the book pile, and it toppled over. The cover of one opened, and revealed handwriting scrawled on the inside cover. Tiana bent for a closer look, then sighed.
Property of Jedidiah Ross.
She picked the book up and nearly threw it at Cameron’s head. “You come in here with your accusations? Here’s your proof my pack had nothing to do with it. Look to your own before casting stones."
Cameron looked down, then back up at her, then down again. “Tiana, you have to believe me. I had no idea. I knew they didn’t like you, but—"
“You knew they had a grudge against us because your precious, insane brother didn’t get away with his grand scheme. And yet, you still believed them when they cast doubt on us? Leave me alone, Cameron. I want nothing to do with you.”
“Then make yourself scarce, sweetie,” a sickly swe
et voice called into the room.
Creaking floorboards announced the new arrivals. The woman was a statuesque beauty, and the man stood tall with gray wingtips in his hair. Tiana had seen pictures of them plastered on billboards advertising the Ross law firm. Her lip curled into a sneer.
“Time to leave, Cameron,” Jedidiah Ross said to his son.
Chapter Fourteen
Cameron froze when he heard his mother’s voice. Veronique Ross had never been a woman to trifle with, though his father was the one who was much freer with his hands. He had managed to keep contact with them to a minimum since taking control of the pack. He had avoided all conversation since they spoke days earlier.
He hadn’t wanted to believe they could be employing another rogue werewolf. He hadn’t believed they would stoop to such lengths to control him. He dropped the book in his hand like it was a poisonous snake. “What have you done?”
“We’re only trying to make you come to your senses, son.” Veronique’s purr sounded like a hairball caught in her throat. “You cannot shut us out. We are your parents, and still leaders in the pack.”
“No. You are no longer part of my pack. You may gather up those who left, but the ones who stayed are loyal to me.” Cameron stood firm.
“Your loyalty will mean little if they find your bitch was unleashing rogues on the city."
“His what?” Tiana’s tone was deadly quiet.
Cameron shifted his eyes to her before refocusing on his father. “That’s what this was about? Discrediting her, discrediting your own son, so you could gain more control? You should be ashamed of yourselves."
“We are ashamed,” his mother admitted. “Ashamed the our baby boy has turned so far from his family. We can still save him. He can unite the pack again with Claude's girl, and have many young pups to raise."
“Your brother always was the stronger one,” his father added as a jab.
Cameron felt Tiana move closer to him. The air crackled with the energy of four werewolves on the precipice of a shift. They would tear the building down if if came to a fight. He didn’t know if he was capable of ripping into his parents with powerful jaws, but he doubted his father had the same hesitation.
Cutthroat City Wolves Volume 1: BBW Werewolf Shifter Paranormal Romance Page 4