My wolf stirred at the thought of having Cash all to myself. Besides the time he’d caught me falling and flown me back to Maximus's, I’d never been alone with him.
Mine, she whispered in the back of my head.
That’s not possible, I thought back to her. I already had, somehow, two mates. Three just seemed selfish.
“That sounds perfect,” I said. After being paraded around the house meeting all of Cash’s servants, and then being put on the spot and having to stand up in front of all those intimidating dragons, I was ready for something less stressful.
Gripping my hand, Cash started up the stairs with me one step behind. I admired the hard plains of his back as we climbed, the muscles subtly apparent under his dress shirt. My wolf must be confused. Sure, Cash had flirted with me a little, and he’d protected me. But that was because I was the Silver Shifter, not because he felt anything more for me. I was here on official business, for completely political reasons. He’d introduced me to the Dragon Council, not his mother.
Still, warmth climbed my arm from our linked hands, growing with each step we took. He pushed open a door and gave me that arrogant, irresistible smile as we stepped back into his opulent condo. We were in a short hallway with heavy rugs lain along the hardwood floor. For a second, I hesitated halfway through the door. Our eyes met, and the warmth that had built inside me pulsed hotter. The smile dropped from Cash’s full lips, and his fingertips grazed my waist.
“Ariana,” he said, his voice low in his throat, his eyes dropping to my mouth. My name sounded delicious on his tongue, his accent caressing each syllable sensually.
“Yes?”
Mine, my wolf growled, more insistent this time. She was salivating to claim him.
“Do you want to see the bedrooms?” he asked.
I gulped at the thought. On the one hand, hell yes, I wanted to see his bedroom. On the other hand… My two mates were standing on the other side of the condo, waiting for me outside a silent elevator.
My wolf growled, this time at me, irritated by my resistance to her claims.
Cash’s hand slid from my waist to my lower back, and he urged me through the door and into the hallway. “These are my guest rooms,” he said, opening a door on either side of the hallway. Each was large but furnished with personal items that he explained briefly—a painting of his ancestral lands, a bust of an alpha somewhere in his lineage, and figures of East Indian gods carved from marble and ebony.
“And my bedroom,” he said, his voice dropping even lower.
I’d never seen this side of Cash, all the usual teasing gone. He was both relaxed and intense, and I didn’t know exactly how to react. He opened the door and stepped inside, and after a brief hesitation, I stepped in after him. The luxurious softness of the carpet absorbed our footsteps as he slid his arm around my waist and led me around the spacious room. It was similar to the rest of the place but both larger and more luxurious, with so many of his trinkets and decorations that it was one item short of being cluttered.
A huge bed dominated the room, the mahogany frame and brocade spread making it look more like a king’s bed than an alpha’s. But then again, I guessed being an alpha was pretty much the same thing. We stood staring at it for a minute, heat coursing between us.
“That’s a big bed,” I said after a pause.
“There’s a lot to do in it,” he said, his throaty voice caressing my nerve endings.
The animal pull I had towards him was blocked by my human brain as it latched onto those words. A lot to do in the bed. He’d probably done lots in it, too, and with lots of women. Between his looks and his money, I could be pretty certain he never spent a single night alone.
And there was my wolf again, growling with fierce jealousy.
“I’m sure there is,” I said, pulling away from him a bit.
Cash smirked at me. “Want to see the rest of the place?”
“How much more is there?”
“If you’re not too tired, there’s just one more thing I want to show you.”
“What’s that?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
“You’ll see.”
I tried not to let my irritation show as I followed him back to the stairs. We took them down to the next floor, then climbed back into the elevator. I imagined Maximus up there, watching the numbers rise, then stop, then fall again, without returning to his floor. He was probably going nuts up there. Knowing him, he’d already come looking for me and was freaking out that he hadn’t found me. Part of me felt guilty, but another part thought, good. He had to know that I couldn’t stand his constant hovering. I appreciated his protectiveness, but I needed freedom, too.
We stepped out of the elevator into an enormous garage lit by bright overhead lights that glinted off the glossy hoods of a dozen sleek, luxury cars.
Cash hurried into the garage, nearly skipping, and threw his arms wide. “Meet my babies,” he said with a grin.
“Do they have names?” I asked, unable to keep from smiling back at him.
“Would you expect anything less?” he said, running his fingertips lovingly over the gleaming surface of a vintage yellow Mustang. “This is Sally, named for the Al Green song.”
“What about this one?” I asked, my hand hovering above a cherry-red Corvette.
“That’s Prince,” he said, crossing his arms and smiling proudly. “My little red Corvette.”
I couldn’t help but admire the way his biceps bulged when he stood like that, lord of all these sexy machines.
“Can we ride in one?” I asked.
“I thought you’d never ask,” he said, his smile growing broader. He darted past me, giving my backside a playful swat on the way.
I jumped and let out a little squawk. “Hey!”
Cash shot me a grin over his shoulder as he lay his palm on a glass case. “Pick one.”
I pointed at a gleaming black Ferrari, something I’d only ever seen on TV.
A red light came on inside the case, and a second later, it popped open. He pocketed one of the keys from inside and strode toward me, his face lit with excitement. It was contagious, and I found myself running over and sliding into the passenger seat before he’d reached the car. It was so low to the ground I had to duck to get in, but my legs had plenty of room. I lay back on the reclined leather seat, running my fingers along the supple material.
“You’re not going to let me be a gentleman?” Cash asked, arching an eyebrow as he slid in behind the wheel. “I would have gotten your door.”
“Maybe tomorrow,” I said. “After meeting your council, I think I’ve had enough of gentlemen for today.”
Cash laughed and revved the engine. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
As the garage door lifted, he maneuvered the little car between the others and out through the gate that lifted to let us onto the street.
“Maximus is going to kill me,” I said, but I was already glad I’d gotten away. Just for a while, I wanted a taste of freedom, a moment to make my own choices and not be treated like something precious and fragile.
“You’re perfectly safe with me,” Cash said with a smug smile. “Probably safer than with him. A dragon can take a wolf any day.”
“True,” I said slowly. Besides, sneaking out in a fast car with a sexy man seemed like the perfect way to let Maximus know that he couldn’t make every decision for me. I’d told him, but it hadn’t sunk in. Maybe I had to show him. I knew he was doing it with good intentions, but it was smothering my spirit.
“How fast does this thing go?” I asked, running my hands along the dash.
Cash shot me a surprised look. “Really?”
“Really what?”
“You want to find out how fast it goes?”
“You don’t know?” I blinked in surprise.
“Oh, I know,” he said. “But it’s more fun to see for yourself.”
“I guess for a guy who flies, this isn’t very exciting.”
“If you don’t want to, that�
�s okay. I understand. It’s not for everyone.”
I sat up straighter and adjusted the seat back. “You can’t dangle that in front of me and then take it away,” I protested. “I can’t fly. I’m a wolf. So show me how fast it goes.”
A slow smile spread across his lips. “How fast do you want to go?”
I bit at the corner of my lip for a second while I thought. “I don’t know,” I said. “I’ve never been in a car like this.”
“Buckle up,” he said. “And get ready for Maximus to kill us both.”
The car slid forward almost silently on the street, and at first, I could barely tell we were going fast. The engine began to purr as we streaked forward, the buildings blurring past.
“What if we get pulled over?” I asked as he wove in and out of traffic.
“Don’t worry about it,” he said. “There’s a dragon on the force who takes care of me.”
We shot past a handful of cars and suddenly, we were on a bridge. The city sparkled around us, but for a second, I felt like we were airborne as we shot across. My heart leapt, and I turned to Cash. “Can we put the top down?”
He laughed and shook his head. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”
Soon, we were out of the city, and the traffic became more scarce.
“Now?” I asked. “Come on, I’ve never ridden in a convertible. Where’s the fun if we don’t have the top down?”
Cash laughed and pushed a button, and the top retracted above us. The cool night air rushed past, and I laughed, grabbing at my silver hair as it whipped around me. Cash pushed the Ferrari faster, zipping along the road, the tires hugging the turns.
“This fast enough for you?” he said, yelling so I could hear him over the growl of the engine and the wind. I could feel the vibration of the motor through me, charging my blood.
“Not even close!” I yelled as we shot over a small hill and dipped again. My stomach bottomed out and a little whoop escaped my lips.
Cash laughed, shifting gears and pushing us faster.
I felt a sudden tug, and realized it was Maximus contacting me through our pack bond. If he could see me now…
Cash was right. He’d kill us both.
But I wasn’t going to let that stop me. I pushed down my shield, letting Maximus in. I didn’t know exactly what he could and couldn’t see through the bond, but at least he would know I was safe and happy right now. Letting him in was an unexpected relief, too. I suddenly felt as if he was with me, another of my mates riding along beside me. In a way, he was here. I let him all the way in, welcoming him. I only wished Owen could be here, too.
The car growled as it climbed a steeper hill. I hugged my arms around myself, my heart pounding with anticipation. When we crested the hill, it was even better than I’d expected.
The road lay before us, the yellow lines winding down the long slope below. Cash shot me a grin, and we began to drop. My stomach lurched again, and I threw up my hands and whooped like I was on a roller coaster as we gained speed, dropping faster and faster until I felt like we really were flying. We zipped around a curve, coming up on a pair of tail lights so fast I let out a little scream.
Cash steered around them, but a pair of headlights flashed into our eyes. I gripped the dash, fear and exhilaration jolting through me. We veered back into our lane, streaking by the other car as it blared its horn. Laughter burst from me and filled the night. I’d never felt so alive, so invincible. So free.
“Faster,” I shouted, reaching over and grabbing Cash’s knee, pressing it down on the gas.
He was laughing, too, the sound beautiful as it mixed with mine. Inside, my wolf was baying her approval. For the first time I could remember, even if it was only for this moment, no one was asking anything of me. I didn’t have to be the best fighter. I didn’t have to be someone’s savior. I didn’t have to be afraid of the next moment.
And then suddenly, we were flying around a curve that was so sharp the tires were spinning. The car was spinning. Cash swore and twisted the wheel, pushing into the turn. We shot across a stretch of grass and through a wire fence. The Ferrari slid to a stop, and for a second, the night was silent around us. Then I started laughing.
“It’s not funny,” Cash growled. “This is my favorite car.”
I couldn’t stop, though. Adrenaline barreled through me. Cash jumped out of the car, and a second later, he was opening my door and pulling me out.
“You’re crazy, you know that?” he said.
My wolf was alive, writhing inside my skin, howling to be released. She wanted to run free and wild, but this was my time. My night to run free and wild.
I threw my arms around his neck and pressed my lips to his, hard. Cash grabbed my face between both hands, crushing his mouth to mine. He pushed me back against the car, his hips grinding into mine. I could feel his hardness biting into me, and in that moment, I needed him like I’d never needed anything in my life.
I wrapped my legs around his waist, and his arm circled my back, crushing my hips down on his. My wolf howled for more, shuddering through my body, fighting for control.
No, I told her. My turn.
I grabbed the front of his shirt with both hands and yanked it open, barely hearing the buttons plinking against the metal hood. His brown skin shone in the moonlight, his nipples instantly hardening when the chill in the air hit them. My hands greedily reached for him, and I gasped at the infernal heat of his skin. My wolf snarled for more, and I raked my nails down the ridges of muscle that made up his abdomen, eliciting a growl of pain from him.
“Is that how you want to play?” Cash growled. He bent, slamming me down on the hood of the car.
A cry escaped me as he yanked me to the edge of the hood, and I pushed up onto my elbow, my other arm circling his neck. I bit at his lip, my wolf raging for me to claim him. He was mine, mine, mine.
He yanked at my pants, sliding the zipper down and slipping his hand inside. I arched up, opening my thighs and welcoming his long fingers as they drove into me.
“My god, you’re already wet,” he moaned into my neck, his lips burning across my skin. He pushed my jeans down, the cold air of the night sending a chill racing through my feverish body as he stepped between my thighs. The heat of the hood beneath me and the cold of the cool night swallowed me, and something inside me soared up, like I was more than a wolf, like I could fly alongside him, my third mate.
Suddenly, the head of his cock was pressing against my wetness. I gasped, brought back to the present moment, in the field, on the hood of his car, with a dragon alpha bending over me. I had not claimed him as my mate, but he was about to claim me in a different way, a way no one else ever had. I opened my mouth to tell him, but he spoke first.
“Ariana,” Cash growled. “You’re mine.”
“Is your dragon confused, too?” I asked, my legs trembling as I stared up at his chiseled features, barely visible in the night. It was enough. Enough to see all the fire and need in his eyes that matched my own.
“Hell no,” he said. “My dragon knows what’s his when he sees it.”
He thrust forward, forcing his cock inside me. I cried out, shocked by the sudden pain and the heat of him tearing into me. He answered with a cry of his own, mistaking my pain for something else. I hadn’t had time to tell him I’d never done this before, and now it was too late. Now I had.
He ground himself deeper until our hips connected, and then he paused, breathing hard. “I’ll wait,” he said, his lips skimming along my throat, his hips locked against mine but not moving.
I was still gasping with pain, but the longer he stayed there, his cock filling me but infuriatingly motionless inside me, the harder it became to stay still. My wolf was roaring with a furious need to claim this man, and my body was in agreement. As the pain subsided, frustration took its place. I wanted him to move. To go fast and wild like we had in the car. I squirmed under him, my nails raking across his back.
“Now,” I said. “I’m ready.”
Cash sucked in a breath and drew his hips back, then drove forward, filling me again. I gasped in pain, but this time, there was pleasure along with it. Gripping my thighs, he pulled my hips to the edge of the car and began thrusting into me rhythmically. I pushed up on my elbows, watching him, watching our bodies together. His muscles contracted and expanded, outlined beautifully in the moonlight, his hips flexing as he gave me every inch of him until I couldn’t bear it.
I lifted my arm, clamping it around his neck. “Let me claim you, too,” I said, snapping my teeth at his lip and catching it on the first try. He grunted in pain, but I didn’t release him. Instead, I bit down harder. The harder I bit, the harder he drove into me, growling as he slammed me against the hot metal of the car. When I tasted his blood, I released his lip, but he caught mine between his teeth before I could pull back.
He held my hips and pushed all the way in, grinding himself deeper into me. I winced as he reached my depths, but he held me pinned, his cock throbbing deep inside me. He gave my lip a quick, sharp bite, and sucked. The sensation shot straight to my clit, and I gasped, my walls clenching around him. He groaned with pleasure, the vibration spreading through my whole body. I arched up, crushing my clit against his pelvic bone. He groaned again, sucking harder, and suddenly, the shimmering waves of pleasure I’d felt with Owen came crashing over me, spreading through my body and lifting me up.
Cash drew back, resting his hands on the car beside me, and thrust into me one final time. Pleasure rocketed through my body and I cried out as his come flooded into me as hot as spurts of lava. For a minute neither of us moved, and the heat inside me began to cool. At last, Cash pushed himself upright and wiped his mouth.
“Remember when we said Maximus was going to kill us?” he asked, bending to pull up his pants and button them.
While he was occupied, I hopped off the hood of the car, trying not to show how much it hurt to sit up. “Let me worry about Maximus,” I said. “Tonight isn’t about him.”
“Damn right,” Cash said, pulling me close and pressing his lips to mine. “It’s about us. You’re my mate now, Ari.” He cradled my cheek in one hand, his palm warm against my skin.
Her Wolf: A Why Choose Urban Fantasy Romance (Silver Shifter Book 1) Page 10
