by Lisa Oliver
“Lunch,” Ronan said, looking back over his shoulder. “Lunch or I won’t have any energy to do anything later.” Asaph nodded. He could organize food, especially with the promise of something better to come. Admittedly he didn’t want to move though. Not only were his leg muscles complaining as though he’d run a marathon, but he was totally entranced by the sight of Ronan in his tights and boots. Who the hell needed food when his whole body came alive from just looking at his mate?
“My God, you’ve got it bad,” Bronson said, slapping Asaph on the shoulder and breaking the spell. “Come on, your man said he wanted something to eat. Let’s go make it happen. I’m could eat a horse.”
It wasn’t until they were sitting in Ronan’s office that Bronson mentioned the newspaper articles. Asaph hadn’t had a chance to have a genuine chat with his friend since he’d mated Ronan, and he quickly filled Bronson in on the charity dinner, the episode with the photographer and the dance he had with Leticia. When he mentioned what Gordy had said about the Corsairs finances, Bronson growled.
“So this whole thing with Leticia was about money? Fuck, that must have been a blow to the ego.”
Asaph thought back over his relationship with the psychotic woman and shook his head. “I don’t think it was, at least not in the beginning. I could be an idiot for giving her the benefit of the doubt, but I think Leticia liked me well enough. I was the one who pursued her initially, not the other way around.” He sat for a moment, thinking about how his wolf had changed around the woman over time – perceiving a threat Asaph hadn’t been aware of.
“I’m not sure if this money thing is to do with her father, or if this was her idea,” he continued. “My wolf started getting antsy towards her about a month ago, and from what Gordy said, that’s when the Corsairs’ fortunes started to tank. Whether Corsairs thought her relationship with me could help him, or if she’s been in on this plot from the start, I don’t know. I mean, I’m blaming her for this civil suit, and leaking the information to the press, but what if she didn’t know about it until after the fact?”
“She had to know. She’s already tried the pregnancy angle, and you said her father stated he didn’t know about that until she told him.” Asaph nodded, thinking. He appreciated Bronson’s loyalty, but he still wasn’t sure. There was something about the whole scheme that didn’t seem to fit.
“What do we know about Rudy?” He asked. Asaph had always dismissed Rudy as an annoying hanger on; an unwelcome part of Leticia’s social group who was simply tolerated because his family always had money. After his father’s death, Rudy set himself up as an investment adviser and property manager, just like Asaph, but none of his deals were successful. That, combined with his knack of backing the wrong horse had quickly eaten through any money he’d inherited. Asaph always thought Rudy and Leticia were an item, although Leticia swore up and down it wasn’t so, and never had been. But if Corsairs and Rudy were working together now….
“No more than gossip, which I’m sure you already know,” Bronson said. “His father was well respected, worked hard and made a lot of money. The old man’s death was sudden, but not suspicious. Rudy cashed in on that reputation, but it only took six months for the business community to realize he was nothing like his father. His failures are well documented, and from all accounts his gambling debts are large enough to cause him concern, if he was blessed with any common sense at all. Why?”
“He’s got something to do with all of this, I’m freaking sure of it. There’s something we’re missing here; some connection between Rudy and Corsairs, or maybe Rudy and Leticia. I always wondered why she let him hang around so often, especially when she claimed to hate him. But I can’t think of any reason why he’d be after my money.”
“You’ve got a lot of it, Asaph, more than most. Worse, it’s new money,” Bronson snorted. “You stormed into town with a scowl on your face; rented the biggest office you could find, and got to work. Now you own more office space than you could ever use, plus a sizeable chunk of Orlando real estate. You have business holdings all over the world, and your company just keeps growing. You’re bound to have trodden on a few toes on your march to the top, and even if you hadn’t, success breeds contempt among the lazy and the greedy. Maybe this whole thing is because the likes of Rudy and Corsairs, who were born in this town, don’t like a newcomer turning up and showing them up.”
“Could it really be that simple?” Asaph wasn’t so sure. Orlando was a friendly place, and while the upper classes, like anywhere, could be standoffish, once he’d started making money his name opened doors and got him seats in restaurants. “Or is it more than an opportune thing. Maybe Rudy and Corsairs did go into some grand scheme, this mall Gordy told me about. Maybe they couldn’t get the backing they wanted because of the personal shit going on in their lives.”
“And then what? Corsairs figures you’re enamored with his daughter, and decides to start using your name in the hopes things will improve? I still don’t see why that would cause Leticia to start claiming she’s carrying your child; not if she’s as innocent in all this as you’d like to think.”
Asaph let out a long breath. “You’re probably right,” he said. “Hopefully, once they realize they’re not getting a cent of my money, they’ll back off and leave me and Ronan alone.” He rubbed the inside of his thighs. They were still aching. “Turns out we might not be as flexible as we thought we were,” he said with a grin.
“Speak for yourself,” Bronson lifted his chin. “I was doing just fine, could have gone on for hours. I’m sure the workout did me good.”
“Excellent,” Ronan’s voice came from the doorway. He’d thrown on a sweat shirt and was carrying a large tray. “We do these three times a week, sometimes more. You’re always welcome to join us, Bronson.”
Asaph laughed out loud at the look of panic on Bronson’s face. Yeah, he and his friend may be Alpha wolves, but trying to do the splits was not something he planned on doing again. Watching Ronan do it on the other hand…. Asaph took the tray and the three men settled down, chomping delicious stew. But no matter how tasty the food, the only thing Asaph could concentrate on was the pictures he conjured in his mind about watching Ronan work out naked. He couldn’t wait to take his mate home and see if a real life version of his fantasies were as good as his mind claimed they would be.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Vegas – three days later.
“Asaph, let me put my bag down…umph.” Nope. That wasn’t happening. Ronan managed to get his backpack off his arm before Asaph pulled him against his chest, hungry lips seeking his. Asaph was insatiable since the meeting at the lawyers. Lester Higgins was a nice, middle-aged man who knew his job, and Asaph trusted him. Reading the lies Leticia and her cronies wrote about an apparent marriage proposal, and the slurs made on Ronan’s character sent Asaph into a frenzy. It’d taken Ronan’s calm thinking to point out the single flaw in the well-rehearsed documents.
The date of the alleged proposal; the same night Ronan suffered through Asaph’s long-winded discussion on the investment business – in a room full of witnesses. Once Asaph understood there were more than enough people who could confirm where he actually was, plus confirmation of his restaurant booking, the rugged wolf shifter calmed down long enough to create a countersuit for libel and defamation of character. Asaph had Lester get in touch with Corsairs’ lawyer and threatened him with it. They hadn’t heard anything from them since.
“Five hours in that fucking plane smelling you and barely being able to touch you,” Asaph mumbled against his neck. “Two hours in the airport before that because the flight was delayed. You refused to join the mile-high club with me, what more do you expect? My cock’s freaking hurting here.” Asaph was tugging at his clothes, and Ronan let him. Asaph made some valid points; Ronan was just as horny but he wasn’t going to let Asaph get his own way completely.
“You’re already a gold-star member. It wasn’t anything special for you,” Ronan said, pulling at Asa
ph’s belt and getting it free. He unzipped Asaph’s pants and let them fall to the ground. Kneeling, he found Asaph’s shoes were off and Asaph lifted first one foot and then the other, so that his pants and socks could be removed. Ronan eyed Asaph’s cock and then looked up, sporting a cheeky grin. “I have no wish to join the ranks of the flight attendants who’ve amused you. Besides, that bathroom smelled disgusting.”
“I don’t want to think about that bathroom,” Asaph growled, cupping Ronan’s head and pulling him towards his groin. “Suck my dick and I’ll forgive you.” Ronan resisted, unwilling to show eagerness to his bossy mate, although he fully intended to have that piece of meat in his mouth within the next thirty seconds.
“You forgave me anyway,” he said. “You didn’t have much choice seeing as that flight attendant, Susie was it, was so freaking pleased to see you. Don’t tell me she wasn’t one of your regular stress relievers. The look on her face when you turned her down was classic.” Having had his say, Ronan leaned forward and gently licked the head of Asaph’s cock. Angry red and leaking, just the way he liked it. Horny mate was becoming one of his favorite flavors and the smell of Asaph’s arousal was enough to get Ronan’s own juices going. He let Asaph pull his mouth onto his dick, sucking down the flavor and moaning at the taste.
Ronan fumbled with his zipper. Asaph was already fucking his mouth; his hips jerking quickly as he pushed more and more of his length down Ronan’s throat. Unable to concentrate on anything else, Ronan relaxed his muscles, his head totally supported by Asaph’s hands. He was thankful his mate bothered to close the suite door before he attacked. He hadn’t bothered at Ronan’s office the day before; the new drinks delivery guy got an eyeful before he dashed out the door, dropping the receipts he was delivering as he went.
“Fuck it, yeah. Your mouth feels so good, don’t wanna pull out, but I want your ass more.” Ronan’s head was tilted sharply as Asaph pulled away, but instead of heading towards the bed, which was only ten to twenty feet away, Asaph dropped down onto the floor beside him. “You ready?”
Ronan wanted to laugh, but even he knew that was not something anyone should do with a horny Alpha. Instead he wiggled out of his pants, turned on his hands and knees, gratified by Asaph’s moan at the sight of his bare ass. But the lump that was suddenly pressing between his butt cheeks wasn’t Asaph’s cock. It was his nose, and this time it was Ronan’s turn to come up with some creative language and moan loudly as Asaph proceeded to check his ‘readiness’ with his tongue. Fiddlesticks, it felt so good; wickedly sensual and dirty all at the same time. Ronan palmed his own cock, but Asaph growled, knocking his hand away.
“Mine.”
“Get on with it then,” Ronan begged. Asaph hadn’t been the only one stuck on a five-hour flight. Ronan’s skin was tight, his cock and ass were leaking – he felt like he was going to fly apart and he needed….
That.
Asaph’s cock was suddenly filling him in one smooth move, forcing the air from Ronan’s lungs. Asaph draped his body over Ronan’s shorter frame and Ronan went from tight and anxious to warm and calm as everything about him was saturated with Asaph’s essence. At the end of the day, or a five-hour flight with a two-hour delay, this was where an omega was meant to be. Covered by his mate in every way; a cock dominating his insides, and Asaph’s teeth gently teasing his neck.
“Bite me,” he moaned as Asaph started to move, slowly at first, but soon picking up the pace. Every inward thrust teased Ronan’s prostate, but the pleasure Ronan was feeling went beyond the physical. He could sense Asaph’s possessiveness; the bigger man’s need to claim him an almost tangible force. Asaph’s lawyer suggested that he not respond to the allegations he was a nobody dancer and a gold digger to boot – but being powerless wasn’t something Asaph was used to. Ronan’s ass had taken some powerful poundings in the following three days, as Asaph tried to work out his frustration.
At least that’s what Ronan thought Asaph had been doing. But the strong hands caressing his hips and back, and the scorching lips on the back of his neck told a different story. Ronan wasn’t sure he should allow his heart to believe what Asaph felt for him went further than their mating bond, but when Asaph was buried deep inside him and both men were reduced to grunts, moans and slapping skin he couldn’t dismiss his heart so readily either.
“Soon,” Asaph grunted. Ronan was already there. Asaph’s hold on his dick was loose but the pounding on his butt was solid, rhythmic and getting faster. Ronan pushed back, wanting it, needing to feel Asaph spill inside of him.
“Yes,” Asaph yelled and seconds later Ronan felt sharp teeth pierce his mating mark, and his cock exploded. He could feel Asaph still spurting inside of him; his balls were turned inside out as they shot their contents onto the floor. If it hadn’t been for Asaph’s strong arm around his chest Ronan would have been a slumped mess on the carpet. His lungs heaved as he struggled to regain his breath. Who needed a work out, when he had his mate?
“You okay?” Asaph slumped onto his side pulling Ronan with him, his long tongue sending tingles through his body as Asaph cleaned the bite.
“Hmmm,” Ronan said, quickly scanning his body. “Tired. Aching in all the best ways and there’s a good chance I’ve got carpet burns on my knees.”
“A quick shift will take care of that.” Asaph’s head was resting on the floor, but it didn’t seem like he’d be letting go of Ronan anytime soon.
“In the hotel room? What if I get fur on the carpet?” Ronan hadn’t shifted in front of Asaph before and he wasn’t sure he wanted to. He was a very small wolf as were all omegas. Given the room’s navy blue carpet and soft furnishings, his white fur was going to show up like a neon sign.
“They’ll just think we smuggled in a dog. All the celebrities do it, why not the owners.”
“You own this hotel?”
“We do.”
Ronan should have guessed, what with the way the woman at the front desk damn near turned herself inside out trying to ensure Asaph and his fiancé would have everything they needed during their stay. At the time, Ronan thought it was because of the way Asaph looked, and the confident way he strolled through the building as though he owned it. He did. Ronan smothered a laugh and then the rest of what Asaph said hit him. He was half owner of this place too. He wondered if the woman at the front desk knew that. She was pretty dismissive of him when they checked in. Ronan mentally shrugged. He wouldn’t let the attitude of anyone upset him, especially someone who apparently worked for him. That thought made him want to laugh out loud.
“Well that means room service should be really quick then,” he said trying to wiggle out of Asaph’s arms. “I need two burgers with double cheese and bacon, hold the salad stuff, and a long hot bath.”
“I thought we could check out the bed,” Asaph said, although he did remove his arm, and Ronan sprung to his feet.
“That would make a change.” Ronan examined his knees. Sure enough, both of them were covered in red grazes. Sugar sticks. He was going to have to shift or his knees were going to be painful and they were meeting people for dinner in less than two hours. Shrugging off the remains of his shirt, Ronan thought of his wolf form, and felt the change come over him. When he opened his eyes, he found himself nose to nose with a much larger black wolf with icy blue eyes. Ronan held deathly still and let Asaph sniff him all over.
This was a defining moment for Ronan. He didn’t know what he’d do if Asaph’s animal half didn’t accept him. Not having shifted in front of any other wolf except his mother, he wasn’t sure of the proper etiquette involved. Was he allowed to sniff as well? He really wanted to. In his wolf form, Asaph’s scent was stronger, and power emanated from his fur. Ronan’s wolf was excited that his mate was paying attention to him, and it took all Ronan’s concentration not to prance around like a pup.
Then Asaph stepped back. He sank down onto his front legs, his back end and tail waving madly in the air. Even with his limited interaction with more of his kind, Rona
n understood the universal signal for playing, the classic play bow. He yipped quietly, and bounded towards Asaph, turning away at the last moment, running to hide behind the couch. Seconds later, Asaph was there, and Ronan ran again – this time dashing into the bedroom, and bounding over the bed.
Ronan didn’t know his mate had it in him – the ability to play. But in the limited floor space offered by the hotel suite, that’s what he and Asaph did. By the time Asaph cornered him and shifted back into his human form, Ronan was panting.
“Time to shift little mate.” Asaph’s eyes and tone were kinder than Ronan ever heard him use. “We need a shower, and we’re expected downstairs for dinner in half an hour. You’ll have to enjoy burgers and a bath another time.”
Shifting quickly, Ronan stepped forward, stopping Asaph from heading to the bathroom. Reaching up on tiptoes he kissed the corner of Asaph’s mouth. “Thank you,” he said. “You’re the only other wolf I’ve ever played with apart from my mom.”
“Next time we’ll do it in a park that I know of,” Asaph said, and he did look a lot more content. “Seems to have done us both some good.”
Ronan stole another kiss, his mind and wolf in total agreement.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Asaph suppressed yet another growl as Mario Bertillini laid his hand on Ronan’s arm for what must have been the tenth time that evening. He was forcing himself to remain polite, but with his wolf riding him so freaking hard it wasn’t easy. Mario was richer than Croesus, and didn’t need to sell the land Asaph was after. He’d indicated he was prepared to part with the parcel more than a year ago. In fact, it had been Mario that’d approached Asaph about it originally; when he’d heard that Asaph applied for building permits for his new hotel/casino. The days of making millions per week in Vegas were long gone, but Asaph had his eye on the long term. As a shifter, he could afford to. Mario’s tract was right next to his new development, and would make an excellent spot for additional parking, or if Asaph ever wanted to extend his operations.
