Josh

by Dana Archer

  Mira had a moment to ponder where Josh had gotten the strength to toss a three hundred-pound male around before he rammed his fist into Aron’s face. Bone cracked. She cringed.

  A sense of déjà vu swept over her. The last time Josh had stood up for her, Devin had clawed his face. She couldn’t let Josh get hurt because of her a second time.

  She ran forward. The onlookers parted without prompting. Respect rose at the sight that met her. Josh held his own against Aron, a millennium-old shifter. Both males rolled across the floor as they tried to gain the upper hand. Punches flew. Blood sprayed. The blur of bodies reminded her of a no-holds-barred shifter fight minus the claws.

  Movement caught her eye, yanking her attention from the fight. Jazz wove through the crowd on the opposite side of the tussling males, a pitcher of beer in each hand, then dumped the contents on their heads.

  They jerked apart, foaming amber liquid soaking their shirts, and mirrored each other’s pose—hands flattened on the ground and scowls on their faces. They looked ready to restart the brawl at the slightest wrong move.

  Mira grinned, despite the tenseness of the situation. Josh, bloody from the fight, turned her on. Big time. Not a reaction he’d understand, but true nonetheless. She swept her gaze over him, thoroughly enjoying the way his wet shirt molded his muscles. He had a body worthy of a lover’s attention.

  A spark of jealousy flamed to life knowing there were women in the bar who’d gotten to enjoy what she hadn’t, including Jazz, her dearest friend. Instead of allowing the emotion to take root, Mira embraced her response to seeing him crouched and aggressive, ready to defend her honor.

  She continued her slow perusal from the expanse of his chest to his stubble-covered jaw. His lifted lip and narrowed eyes warned her Aron had broken their truce and ended her chance to visually worship Josh.

  She glanced at Aron at the same time he turned his head to look at her. The corner of his mouth lifted in a smile she suspected women melted under.

  He inspected her the same way she had Josh, head to toe, as if she were the prize he’d won. His smile faded on a deep inhale. He groaned, no doubt scenting her arousal, and stark hunger flared in his eyes as he focused on her breasts.

  Oh no, she refused to let the obnoxious male think her desire was for him.

  She ran forward and slipped on the wet floor. Josh caught her before she fell and steadied her with an arm around her waist. She glanced over her shoulder to make sure Aron didn’t plan on restarting the fight. The warning in Aron’s expression was clear—don’t touch his rival. Too bad. She hadn’t cared about what he wanted for centuries.

  Aron turned his glower on Josh. She held her breath while both males stared at each other. Finally, Aron shoved from his spot on the floor and plucked some human’s beer from his hands. With his gaze still on Josh, Aron drank, then turned away, conceding the prize—her—to Josh.

  It felt like a victory, but she guessed Aron had only done so to avoid another fight in front of humans. Still, she refused to pass up the opportunity to properly thank Josh for defending her.

  She faced him. Blood trickled from his split lip and a cut along his temple, mixing with the sweat glistening on his skin. Seeing the wounds dimmed the lust as concern took over. Nothing appeared broken nor did he appear to be in pain.

  Thank goodness.

  The dusting of dark hair covering his jawline drew her attention to the cleft in his chin. She’d always been fascinated by the little dip. Unable to resist, she ran her thumb over the bone. Electricity whipped down her spine and ignited her nerve endings. Her clothes rubbed against her sensitive skin. She wanted to rip them off and press her naked body against the hard ridges of Josh’s stomach. To avoid doing exactly that, she focused on his mouth.

  For months, she’d hungered for a taste of him. With Josh’s intent blue eyes focused on hers, she couldn’t understand why she’d resisted him. His scent drew her closer. She leaned in, and Josh’s warm breath bathed her face, filling her lungs. The natural urge to submit rode her hard, another thing Josh wouldn’t understand. It didn’t stop her instincts from rising. She wanted to worship his body and beg him to take her any way he wanted.

  Josh pressed his thumbs into her skin and rubbed small circles over her hipbone.

  She mimicked the caress on his biceps. The subtle vibrations under her fingertips betrayed how much he enjoyed her touch, yet despite her silent invitation, he didn’t kiss her. Hoping to entice him, she leaned closer. She licked the drops of blood off his lower lip, taking in his unique flavor and healing the wounds along the tender flesh.

  Josh groaned. He dug his hands into her hair. With a rough tug on the locks, he forced her to lean back and open to him. She did, and he slipped inside. No hesitation. He commanded the kiss and explored her mouth with the deep unquenchable hunger she’d sensed growing in him over these past couple of months. Every day, the lust burned a little hotter.

  Her limbs trembled. The needs he ignited threatened to consume her, but they’d be bliss. Utter ecstasy without constraints. Each swipe of his tongue over her cheeks and teeth fanned the fire. He banded an arm around her waist and tugged their bodies together. Her breath escaped in a whoosh, an exhale he greedily swallowed.

  The tight press of their bodies left no room to misunderstand Josh’s reaction to her. She rubbed against him, trying to show him without words she’d give him anything. A shudder ran through him in answer. His kiss turned wicked. Each groan and rolling thrust of his tongue encouraged her.

  She slipped her hands under his shirt. The hot, sweat-slickened skin under her fingertips teased her with promises. She tightened her grip on him and pulled him closer. It wasn’t enough. She wanted him inside her, filling her up, and giving her what no male ever had.

  Submit to him. Here. Now. Her thought or her cats’? She wasn’t sure and didn’t care. She wanted Josh more than anything else in the world. Giving in to her primal instincts, she went lax in his arms.

  As if he’d been waiting for her acceptance, he lifted her relaxed body and pressed her more fully against him. Excitement thrummed through her.

  Desperate for the bliss she knew he’d deliver, she slid her hand between them and popped the top button of his jeans. He grabbed her wrist. Confused by his refusal, she eased back. Josh’s face filled her vision. The desire stamped there didn’t support his actions. She opened her mouth to ask why he’d stopped her but snapped it closed as the catcalls and hoots of the crowd around them finally registered through her lust-induced fog.

  He grinned, and she offered him a matching smile, albeit a shaky one. Suddenly shy with all the humans whistling and cheering them on, she couldn’t manage a real one.

  “You taste good.”

  The simple words rocked her and filled her with happiness. “So do you.”

  “You like to make a big entrance. Don’t you, cousin?”

  Kade’s voice boomed over the murmurs of the crowd and the classic rock playing in the background. He strode toward them, his displeasure rolling off him. With his gaze locked on to her, she knew exactly what caused his bad mood.

  She raised her chin. Let him be mad. It was simply a kiss, one she didn’t regret.

  Kade stopped in front of them, hands clenched at his sides. He glanced between each of them before settling on Aron. “Why would you start a fight with someone under my protection? You know I can’t let this go unpunished.”

  “Don’t blame this on me.” Aron pointed at Josh. “He started it. I was simply trying to enjoy my beer.”

  Josh offered a hand to her. She took it, and he pulled her to her feet. Both Aron and Kade followed the simple gesture as if they’d never seen a person do such a gentlemanly thing before, but she knew exactly what put the livid glint in their eyes. She had allowed a male whom they considered a lower pride member to help her instead of reaching for them. A slap in the face to both of them.

  She stepped closer to Josh, and he laid his palm over her lower back. The subtle show of o
wnership wouldn’t go unnoticed, nor would her acceptance of it. Yeah, she was in for a stern lecture. At the moment, she didn’t care.

  She smirked and focused on Aron. “I disagree. You were the one looking for a fight. You always were a showoff.” She motioned toward the empty booth in the far corner. “Why don’t we get a table in the back? I’m sure Aron will want to visit for a few minutes before he goes home.”

  Aron dismissed the couple of human women who’d descended on him to offer their version of comfort with a wave of his hand. He inclined his head. “I agree. It’s a tad loud for conversation, but I can promise I won’t be leaving anytime soon, sweet Mira. So, don’t you worry. I have plans.” He grinned, showing off a hint of fang. “And you’re a part of them.”

  Curiosity showed on Kade’s face. “Is that right?”

  Aron nodded and casually looped his arm around Jazz. “Oh, yes. My wandering days are over.”

  Josh called out a drink order to one of the waitresses and led Mira forward before she could comment. She and Jazz slid in to one side of the booth. Josh claimed the spot next to her, but Kade and Aron glared at each other, neither taking a seat. Coiled muscles and narrowed eyes marked their silent battle of superiority.

  “Must we play this game?” Jazz turned her attention to Aron. “We know you’re a big, bad dominant, but Rafe has told me you want no business leading the pride. So don’t pretend to challenge Kade. Either sit down or get out.”

  Mira smiled. She loved her friend’s frankness.

  Aron chuckled. “Of course, little female.”

  Once Aron took his seat, Kade leaned close, one hand on the cushion next to Aron’s head, the other on the table. “Unlike some of our previous homes, we are too integrated with humans to give in to dominance scuffles all the time. Decide now, cousin. Accept me as your pride leader or fight me. We can set up the ceremonial challenge for the next full moon.”

  Aron inclined his head. “Jasmine is correct. I want no part of leadership. Never have, never will. That has not changed in the years I’ve been away.”

  Kade’s nod eased the tension in the air around them. “Good. Care to tell me why you’ve decided to return to the family after all these years?”

  Aron sat up taller, as if working up the courage to make his announcement. Since he’d already told her why he’d made the trip, she didn’t understand his hesitation.

  “I learned of the Council’s order for Mira so I’ve come to reclaim what is rightfully mine.”

  “No.” She fought the wave of sadness and rage his words brought. “Too much time has passed.”

  Aron propped his elbows on the tabletop and leveled a hard glare on her. She shivered under the look, her instincts warning her she wouldn’t like his next words.

  “I’ve heard rumblings that the Council elders have already chosen your mate if you fail to follow their order.”

  She waited for him to tell her who. All he did was stare at her. Finally, she conceded, matching his pose so only a few inches separated them. She embraced the anger brought on by seeing Aron. It was better than the churning in her gut. “Who?”

  “Micah, Edmund’s great-great nephew and second-eldest son to the Krisban pride leader.”

  At the mention of Edmund’s name, she closed her eyes against the memories of that horrible night. She didn’t want to relive them. They pushed at her anyway, demanding her acknowledgment. Her pulse raced, and the tightness in her chest made it hard to drag in air.

  Josh rubbed circles on her upper thigh. She focused on the sensation. The horrors faded into the recesses of her mind. The memories weren’t gone. She’d never be free of them, but Josh’s presence made them bearable.

  “So, my dear Mira, am I right? Wouldn’t you rather be mine than tie yourself to a male whom I’ve been told could be a mirror image of your dead mate?”

  “He was not my mate. Not in the goddesses’ eyes, and that’s all that counts.”

  “Tell that to Devin, then. Didn’t he pay for your sin? Killing your mate?”

  She dropped her hands to her lap. The guilt of her actions, of what Devin had endured, choked her as much as the memories of what Edmund had done to her. Josh laid his fingertips over her knuckles. His comfort and support were clear. She wrapped both around her.

  “Edmund was my rapist, not my mate. Do not refer to him in such a way again. And yes, Devin took my punishment. Doing so was not an admission of guilt. It was an act of love so I wouldn’t suffer.”

  “Answer my question instead of arguing semantics. Wouldn’t you rather be mine than belong to Micah?” Aron pressed.

  She let her breath escape in a long rush. “No. Of course I don’t want any member of the Krisban pride, but that doesn’t mean I’d welcome you. Our binding didn’t happen when it should’ve, and it won’t now. So take your offer and shove it where the sun doesn’t shine.”

  Jazz stifled a laugh, but no sign of amusement showed on Aron’s face. Mira couldn’t put a name to what she saw reflected in his eyes. Regret, maybe? She wasn’t sure. The contacts he wore hid what little she could’ve garnered.

  “Just because Royal females can be mated sooner than single shifters doesn’t mean it should ever happen. In my eyes, you were a child, Mira. You were ignorant of the ways of lovers, which is how it should have been.” Sharpened points of his claws emerged from his fingertips. “Edmund hurt you, physically and emotionally. He stole your innocence. I gave you the time you needed to heal the wound he inflicted upon you.”

  Time? He’d given her time, all right. Fifteen years she’d waited for him to come to her…after Devin had been released from his thirty-year sentence. Then, after Aron sent word of his denouncement, she went on with her life.

  The shame his abandonment caused no longer mattered. The past couldn’t be changed. Only the future counted, and Aron had no claim to hers.

  “Don’t pretend to be a martyr. If you’d truly wanted me, nothing would’ve stopped you from mating me. We are a stubborn species. Once we set our sights on what we consider ours, we don’t relent until we get it.” Mira leaned forward so he had a perfect view of her cleavage. With his gaze focused there, she sneered. “And you will never catch me.”

  Aron studied her. Trying to determine if she lied? She didn’t know. Didn’t care. Silence stretched. Finally, he focused on her lips. He licked his. “I’ve come to the conclusion that not claiming you might have been a mistake. This is my chance to find out.”

  She opened her mouth to tell him off. He held up a single finger. She sat back to enjoy the moment. Aron groveling was a fantasy come true.

  “Do not be so quick to turn me away. Have you forgotten the visit your sire received?”

  She blanched and slumped in her seat. Although she felt Josh’s gaze on her, she couldn’t speak of the cursed blessing that had ruined her life.

  “Explain,” Josh ordered.

  When it became apparent nobody else wanted to speak of the prophecy, she glanced up. Aron’s gaze met hers. The neutral mask he wore didn’t give her any clue to his feelings. He’d never told her how he felt to be chosen—cursed, as she had. Apparently, he wouldn’t today, either.

  “Several of our goddesses appeared before Mira’s father on the day of her birth. They told him Mira’s offspring would someday lead us into a new era.” Aron looked at Josh. “And he chose me to be Mira’s future mate.”

  “What the—”

  “Enough.” Kade dipped his head to hide his glowing eyes. “This is not the place to discuss our family’s issues.”

  Aron winked at her, all evidence of his serious mood gone. He faced Kade, a big grin on his face. “So…as a member of your pride, I officially request your permission to court Mira as my mate.”

  “Granted.”

  Her mouth dropped open. “How could you?”

  Kade shrugged. “You have to pick one of us, and Aron’s offer saves me from having to mate you myself. Honestly, this is the best news I’ve heard in a while.” He faced Aron. “Wel
come home, cousin. I’ve recently purchased some properties close to mine. You’re welcome to pick one.”

  Mira glanced between Aron and Kade. She had no words. A sense of helplessness seized her, leaving her trembling inside.

  Jazz, who’d been silently watching them, clicked her tongue. She waggled her finger at both males, a move Mira had seen her friend use on her kids. “You are both insensitive jerks! You’re treating Mira like she’s some neglected dog in need of a new owner. She’s a person who happens to have her own wants and desires. You have no right to force her to pick between men who don’t love her.”

  Kade sighed. “Mating has nothing to do with love. I’m happy Rafe and Devin found it, but the bond is all about breeding. If we find a female who can tempt us to take her, it’s enough to keep us coming back for more. And Mira?” He tipped his chin in her direction. “I don’t know of any male who isn’t drawn to her.”

  “Three hundred years that wretched prophecy has hung over my head.” She focused on Josh’s deep-blue eyes, the color of the sky right before a storm, and told him the truth. “It turned me into a prize to be fought for. It’s the reason Edmund attacked me and why I’ve been harassed by hopeful males since. But none of my suitors wanted me. They wanted to be the one who got to knock me up.”

  When Josh only stared at her with guarded eyes, she gave him a little shake. “Do you understand now? I’m nothing more than an incubator. The ultimate prize.”

  With that, she shoved at his shoulders until he got the hint and slid out of the booth.

  He grabbed her hand. “Mira, wait.”

  Mira shrugged out of his grip and stormed away. It took every ounce of dignity she had left not to run. Tears she couldn’t give in to burned her eyes. A couple of minutes, that was all she had to wait. Once she got to her car, she could let them fall.

  Each step she took aggravated her inner animals. They wanted to go back to Josh. She ignored their annoyed growls. They always wanted to go back to him. She pushed her way to the front door and slipped outside. The noose on her chest eased some.

  Eyes closed, she took a deep breath, needing to clear her lungs of the lingering scents from the bar. A whiff of rage drifted on the breeze. She scanned the street looking for the source. A human female with pure hatred stamped on her face stood several feet away.