* * *
“Are you sure you’re going to be okay?” Rosalie gave Bria a worried look.
“Yes,” Bria said. “The office is closing in, like, twenty minutes. I can handle twenty minutes on my own.”
Rosalie studied her for a few minutes. “It doesn’t seem fair to leave you alone just because I want to skip out early on a Friday. But I told my mom I would meet her at the mall before five and - ”
“I’ll be fine. Go, Rosalie.” Bria kept her hands clenched in a tight fist below the receptionist desk.
“Lincoln is still here but he’s holed up in his office and he wouldn’t be any help even if you had questions.” Rosalie pulled on a tendril of her hair. “But you have my cell phone so if there was an emergency…”
“I’m sure there won’t be an emergency at quarter to five on a Friday afternoon. The phone hasn’t even rung since three. You need to go before you’re late.”
“Are you sure you’re okay today?” Rosalie asked. “You’ve been really quiet all afternoon and you’re pale. The flu is going around but I thought shifters didn’t really get sick.”
“I’m not sick. Just a bit tired.”
Please leave. Oh God, please leave.
“Okay. Well, have a good weekend and I’ll see you on Monday, all right?”
“You bet.”
“Remember, just call me if you need any help.”
“I will. Bye, Rosalie.”
“Bye.”
The moment Rosalie was gone, Bria gripped her stomach and leaned over. She rocked back and forth for a few minutes before standing and walking to the kitchen. Lincoln’s door was closed. and she could hear the faint sound of his voice as he talked on the phone. She poured a glass of water and drank it all in three large gulps before gripping the counter tightly.
Ten more minutes, Bria, ten more minutes.
For the first time ever, her cycle had come early. She had refused to believe it at first, ignoring the ache in her belly and pelvis, but by three it was impossible to ignore.
She was in heat and in deep trouble.
Jace isn’t here, don’t worry.
Thank fucking God. Yesterday, after his meeting with Ava and Bishop, Jace had left the office again. But he’d shown up this morning at eight with donuts and coffee for the office. He’d spent the entire morning in his office with the door closed but she considered that an improvement over the last few days.
Luckily for her and her hey-why-don’t-I-come-early heat cycle, Jace had left at noon to show some houses and wouldn’t be back. She checked the clock on the microwave – eight minutes to five. All she had to do was get through the next eight minutes and then she could go home.
Where you’ll spend the next two days in agony.
She ignored the errant thought. Her hand shaking, she tucked a stray lock of hair back into her hair clip. She would worry about the next two days later. Right now, she still had eight minutes to get through, and she couldn’t forget that Lincoln was still in the building. Sure, he was in his office, but what if he left at the same time she did? What if she took one look at him and jumped on him? She needed to be fucked and her cat wouldn’t care who it was, just that they had a nice, thick cock to –
I don’t want that stupid lion. I want Jace. Give him to me, her cat suddenly hissed.
Yes, Jace. Fuck, she wanted him. Her pussy throbbed and liquid coated her panties as she imagined him with her right now. He would bend her over the table and fuck her until this horrible, all-consuming grip of need loosened. She could almost feel his cock pumping in and out, feel his fingers gripping her hips. Her fangs popped out and her nails lengthened to claws. She would claw him and bite him when he made her come and he wouldn’t -
“Hey, Bria? I’m going to head out. Have a great weekend and…”
Lincoln had joined her in the kitchen and her eyes widened in horror. She refused to turn around, hanging onto the edge of the counter like it was a lifeline as the scent of Lincoln’s lust drifted to her.
“Bria?”
“Good night, Lincoln.” She tried to sound bright and cheerful. “Have a – a great weekend.”
“Bria, let me help you.”
He was directly behind her now and she flinched when he pressed his hand against her lower back and rubbed slowly.
“No, thank you, I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine,” Lincoln said in a low voice. “Why on earth did you come to work during your heat cycle?”
“It – it’s early, but I’m fine, really.”
He rubbed her back again and she stiffened and tried to draw away. “Please don’t touch me.”
“I can help you, gorgeous.” He leaned forward and pressed his lips against her neck. “Let me.”
Get rid of him! Find Jace and take what belongs to us! Her cat was positively snarling at her.
Lincoln moved to her side and placed a possessive hand on the back of her neck. “Don’t you want to feel better, gorgeous?”
* * *
Jace studied the empty reception desk before glancing at his watch. It was just before five, so he was pretty certain Bria hadn’t left. He hadn’t needed to come back to the office after his last showing but he had anyway.
It wasn’t because he wanted to see Bria, he told himself. Nor was it because he wanted to try and convince her one last time to let him help her through her heat on Monday and Tuesday. His cock stirred in his pants as he thought of Bria alone in her house, touching herself and sliding a vibrator into that deliciously tight pussy.
What if it isn’t enough? What if she goes back to Trinity and finds someone else?
His tiger roared angrily at the thought and Jace winced. Maybe he could hang out at the nightclub and if Bria showed up then he could –
For fuck’s sake, Jace! What the hell is wrong with you? She doesn’t want your help, remember?
Yeah, he remembered. It was driving him crazy.
His tiger suddenly snarled. It had caught the now-familiar scent of Bria’s need, and it snarled again when it caught the scent of Lincoln’s lust as well. His tiger surged forward, making his pupils contract. He ran to the kitchen. He stopped in the doorway, his tiger howling at him to kill Lincoln, and watched as his best friend placed his hand on the back of Bria’s neck.
“Don’t you want to feel better, gorgeous?”
He stood frozen to the spot with his hands in tight fists. His tiger was shaking with anger and he controlled it fiercely as it tried to take over.
“No, thank you,” Bria whispered.
Lincoln’s fingers rubbed at her neck. “No one needs to know. I’ll be very discreet. I know you don’t have a boyfriend – do you really want to spend the next two days of your heat by yourself? Let me give you what you want.”
He leaned down to kiss her but before Jace could take even a step into the kitchen, Bria snarled. She shoved Lincoln away from her with a strength that belied her small size.
“I said no!” She growled at him before baring her fangs. “Stay away from me.”
“I’m just trying to help,” Lincoln said. “I promise I’m not -”
“Go home, Lincoln.”
Lincoln turned toward him, and Bria stiffened. She swung around to face the cupboards as Lincoln gave Jace an easy smile. “Hey, man. I was just talking with Bria about her -”
“I know what you’re talking to her about. She’s not interested, and you need to leave her alone.”
Lincoln studied Bria for a moment. “Bria, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend or upset you, I really just wanted to help.”
“I know.” She was still facing the cupboards. “Good night, Lincoln.”
Lincoln gave him a considering look that Jace ignored. The lion shifter strode from the kitchen. Jace waited until he heard the front door shut. “You said it never came early.”
“I – it never has before,” Bria whispered.
Every part of him was screaming to go to her. To lift her up on that counter and fuck her until
the thick blanket of her need had lessened. She was in agony. He could see it in the way she shook, and in the desperate way she clung to the counter.
We can take her now. She’s too far gone to say no, his tiger growled.
He clenched his hands into fists again. He wouldn’t do that to Bria. He couldn’t take advantage of her obvious need for him now that she was deep in her heat. She had refused him before, and to take her now when she couldn’t think clearly would make him the biggest dickhead on earth.
He blew his breath out in a harsh rush. “Go home. I’ll lock up.”
She nodded, still facing the cupboards, and he made himself leave the kitchen and walk to his office. He shut the door. It would be better for the both of them if they didn’t see each other again before she left.
* * *
The moment she heard Jace’s door close, Bria bolted for reception. She put the phones on night and shut down her computer. She had to try twice, thanks to her madly-shaking hands. Her cat yowled miserably. It didn’t want to go home to her apartment and her vibrator. It wanted Jace’s hard flesh and his wet, hot tongue. She clenched her hands into fists and walked toward the front door.
Leave, Bria. Just be strong and leave.
Instead of leaving, she reached out and flipped the open sign to close before locking the door. She walked to Jace’s office and opened the door without knocking. Her cat meowed happily as she stepped into the room. He was sitting at his desk with his hands clenched into tight fists. She couldn’t stop her soft purring when he looked up at her.
They stared silently at each other as the seconds ticked by.
She cleared her throat, trying not to cry as pain and need pulsed in her belly. “I just – I wanted to tell you that I won’t need Monday and Tuesday off after all.”
He gave her a sympathetic look and she bit her inner cheek to stop herself from begging him to help her.
If you weren’t going to beg, why did you come in here? Her cat snarled.
“Will you help me, Jace?” She whispered.
He didn’t reply, and she couldn’t bite back her moan of dismay. “I’m sorry. I’ll go.”
She reached for the door handle and her cat purred in triumph when Jace said, “Lock the door, Bria.”
Her hands shaking violently, she turned the lock before giving him a silent, pleading look. He stood and walked to the small couch. “Come here.”
Purring loudly, she ran to him as he reached for the buckle on his belt. She shimmied out of her jeans and panties and left them on the floor. He kicked off his shoes and removed his pants, socks and briefs. Already erect, he sat on the couch and she licked her lips in anticipation as he patted his lap. She straddled him eagerly, high-pitched trills of excitement spilling from her lips, as he cupped the back of her neck and guided her down onto his dick.
“Oh God,” she moaned when he entered her. “Oh God, it feels so good.”
She bounced on him, purring loudly as he tugged her shirt over her head. He leaned forward and kissed between her breasts before unhooking her bra and pulling it away from her body. She continued to bounce as he held her hips and watched her naked frame ride him.
“Christ, you are so fucking hot, Bria.”
“You. Too.” She panted. “Naked, want you naked.”
He yanked off his tie and unbuttoned his shirt. Her hips still moving in fast, tight circles, she helped him out of his shirt before tracing his chest with her nails. He moaned, and she sank her claws into his flesh as her orgasm hit her in a sweet rush of bliss.
“So good,” she groaned. She leaned forward and licked at the puncture wounds as he pulled the clip out of her hair and dropped it to the floor. He wrapped her hair in one big fist and tugged firmly.
“Again?”
“Yes, please,” she moaned. “Again, and again, and again.”
He lifted her without pulling out and she hooked her legs around his hips as he carried her toward his desk.
“You’re so damn strong.” Her voice was thick with desire and he grunted when she bit him on the shoulder.
“Gentle, Bria.”
She licked the bleeding bite mark. “I’m sorry.”
He set her on the desk and pushed her back until she was resting on her elbows. He stared at where they were connected and she mewled with need.
“I’ve wanted to fuck you on my desk since the day you started working for me,” he confessed.
“Then fuck me,” she snarled.
He grinned and wrapped one large hand around the back of her neck. He pulled her into a sitting position as he pumped back and forth and kissed her hard. She returned his kisses frantically, gasping and moaning into his mouth as he thrust into her wet, tight pussy.
“You’re allowed to come twice more and then we need to leave. We can’t run the risk of someone catching us.”
“No,” she whined. Embarrassed but unable to stop, she clutched at his thick neck. “No, I – I can’t go through this alone. Please don’t make me.”
“I won’t, but we can’t stay at the office. We’ll go back to my place, all right?”
She nodded and then moaned when he started to fuck her with hard, impatient strokes. She was on the verge of another orgasm when he stopped. She hissed in anger and he flinched when she bit his chest. His hand tightened in her hair and he pulled her head away.
She licked his blood from her lips and growled at him. “Don’t stop!”
“Why did you say no to Lincoln?”
She thrust her hips against him and he pushed her back onto his desk, pinning her smaller body down with his large one and capturing her wrists before she could claw his back.
“Please fuck me, Jace.” Her anger turned to pleading.
“I will, baby. But first you have to tell me why you refused Lincoln.” He moved his pelvis lightly, just enough to make her purr, and then stopped.
“Fuck me!” She dug her heels into his lower back. “You fuck me right now, Jace!”
“Soon,” he said.
She writhed against him, trying to force him to move before finally snapping, “I don’t want Lincoln, I want you!”
* * *
Jace’s tiger roared happily when Bria admitted she didn’t want Lincoln. He pressed a kiss against her mouth. “I want you too.”
He released her wrists and propped himself up above her. He fucked her roughly, not caring when his coffee mug slid off the desk and shattered on the floor. She was making desperate cries of need, and he growled and arched his back when her claws tore into the smooth skin of his back.
She came all over his thick cock and it took all of his willpower to not come deep inside of her when her pussy squeezed around him. He was determined to make a better impression this time so that she would be ready and needy for him every time she was in heat. But fuck, it had never been this difficult to hold back his own orgasm before.
He pulled out of her and flipped her to her stomach on the desk, shoving her legs apart and lifting her hips before sliding his cock deep into her warmth. She arched her back and he pressed his hand against the back of her neck, pinning her upper body to the desk as he thrust back and forth. Her nails tore deep grooves into his desk as she panted and thrust her ass against his pelvis.
When she came for the second time, screaming his name and shuddering around him, he hurriedly pulled out of her before he could give in to his own pulsing need to come. He backed away as she shoved herself up from the desk and grinned wickedly. “I want more.”
“I said two, Bria. Now we need to go.”
She traced the claw marks on his desk before giving him an adorable pout. “Just one more. Pretty please?”
“At home. Get dressed.”
He started to dress, growling his displeasure when Bria hopped up on his desk and slid her hand between her thighs. Purring, she rubbed at her clit and he cursed under his breath before dropping his shirt to the floor again.
“Bria,” he warned as he walked toward her, “we need to go.”
“I know,” she panted. “Just let me give myself another and then we’ll go. I won’t make it to your place if I don’t.”
He dropped to his knees in front of her and she gave a soft yowl of delight before draping her legs over his shoulders. He buried his face between her thighs and she clutched at his head, arching her back as he sucked firmly on her swollen clit. She rocked against his face, meowing and purring in that hoarse voice that made his tiger nearly insane with need.
When she came, he licked away her cream before sucking and licking at her clit again. He wasn’t entirely certain one orgasm would be enough to prevent her from attacking him in the car. He needed to completely satisfy her before they left the office. She crowed with pleasure and cupped her own breasts, pulling on her nipples before tightening her thighs around his head.
Twenty minutes and three orgasms later, he sat back on his heels and stared up at her. “Better?”
“Yes,” she purred. “Thank you, Jace.”
“You’re welcome, baby.” He stood and caught her by the shoulders when she started to lay back on his desk. “Get dressed. We need to leave.”
“Right,” she said dreamily. “Back to your house.”
She grabbed him and kissed him on the mouth before licking his lips and cheeks clean. “Will you fuck me when we get home?”
He nodded, and she purred happily. “Lots and lots of fucking, right?”
A small grin crept across his face. God, she was insatiable, and he fucking loved it. “Yeah, baby, lots of fucking.”
* * *
Jace untied Bria’s wrists from the bedpost and rubbed the marks on her wrists before massaging her hands. He had been forced to use his tie to restrain her in an effort to keep her from completely ripping his back to shreds. He picked up the glass of juice he had brought from the kitchen before sitting her up. She leaned naked against the headboard and smiled hazily at him.
It was Saturday afternoon and Bria’s heat showed no signs of slowing down. He handed her the glass. “Drink this.”
She drank obligingly and then purred when he picked up the plate of raw meat from the nightstand. “Are you hungry?”
Bria and the Tiger (The Shifters Series Book 5) Page 12
