by Tia Didmon
She clutched his arms, trying desperately not to be affected by his masculine scent and his powerful body.
Brock’s hand slid down her back to cup her ass. “Your mind is telling you that there is some way you can get out of this. Your body, however, gave in the moment you saw me.”
Everything in her screamed to tell him he had no idea what he was talking about. Call him a bastard for putting her in this position. She couldn’t open her mouth because it would all be a lie.
He put his lips to her ear. “Are you going to fight me, Jane? Female cougars don’t let their males walk all over them. They won’t let a male close to them until they are ready.”
“I’m not a cougar,” she hissed.
He nipped her ear. “Yet.”
Heat bloomed in her core. Her clothing, so perfectly tailored, felt hot and confining. She resisted the urge to pull them from her body and rub herself against him. Every cell in her yearned for what he offered. If she gave in, she would get the one person she loved killed. She shoved him hard. “You can’t make me betray her!”
Brock stilled. She could see his cougar shining through his eyes. She felt exposed, naked, as if he could see her fears. Her weakness. With their bodies apart she was able to breathe away the intense arousal.
His eyes returned to their natural color. “Who are you betraying by being with me?”
Jane had made an unforgivable error. “I can’t.”
Brock stepped closer.
Jane backed up, holding up her hand. “Please don’t. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I took precautions.”
Brock huffed. “Kallan’s serum was supposed to combat the mating, wasn’t it?”
Jane flipped her hand between them. “This was never supposed to happen. I thought I was preventing myself from being attracted to you. I never considered being yours or anybody else’s mate.”
“You knew you had the mating hormone.”
“Yes, but lots of women test positive for it, yet have no effect when exposed,” she said, regretting the comment instantly.
Brock growled. “You know he is testing for it? You know how? Where? You condone this?”
Jane sighed. “Kevin says there is so few of you he wants to see if he can boost your numbers.”
Brock’s fingers flexed, she saw claws pierce his fingers before retracting. “You believe we are an endangered species?”
Jane felt the tension between them like a vise on her chest. “Yes... I mean, you are, right?”
Brock’s fists clenched at his side. “No, Jane. There were territorial wars years ago. All the non-predatory and few predatory species were wiped out. We realized that if we continued, we were next. We have rebuilt our numbers. Most shifter species are thriving. No thanks to Kallan.”
Jane frowned. “Then why do you have no females? He says that females aren’t born in the shifter races because they are close to extinction.’
Brock huffed. “That’s typical Kallan bullshit. In the early history of our species we did have female shifters born but as your population increased, fewer females were born to us. We believe Mother Nature seeks a balance. We communicate with other lairs. It is the same with all the shifter species.”
Jane couldn’t listen to any more. Her whole world was crumbling. “You don’t know me. You don’t know what I’ve done.”
“Racheal said those same words. You know what she did.”
“If what you say is true, she was forced. I willingly completed every assignment given to me.”
Brock stepped closer. “Did you?”
Jane attempted to step back but her spine flattened against the wall. “I did.”
“And the matter that Kevin is holding your sister’s life in his hands, has nothing to do with your compliance.”
Jane felt her eyes burn. “No.” She heard the lie in her own voice.
Brock was pushing her on purpose. He could feel her armor slipping. The woman, his mate, just beneath the surface, begging him to set her free. She couldn’t understand how much he needed her. Couldn’t comprehend the long runs in the forest, searching, longing for the one that would complete you. The consequences if you failed in your hunt. “You’re lying.”
Jane gave him a grim look. “If you believe that, you should back off.”
Brock pressed against her, aggressively. His erection, digging into her hip. “I’m not backing down, Jane. Ever.”
Fear flashed in her eyes. “I have to protect her.”
“You’re mine. That means she is family. WE will protect her.”
Jane shook her head. “You can’t... help her.”
Brock loosened his grip. “Racheal was at the forefront of Kallan’s research for four years. She will not only help Carla, she won’t turn her into something she isn’t meant to be.”
Jane looked away, sheepishly. It was the first time Brock felt her retreat.
Brock tipped her head up. “If you don’t want to talk about your sister, why don’t you tell me why you’re really here.”
Jane startled. “What?”
Brock raised one eyebrow. “Do you actually think we believe Kallan’s deal was legit? That he just wanted the serum Racheal made? If that was the case, he would have asked for it right after Cortez stole it. He is looking for something else. The closer I got to Texas, the more men Kallan sent to infiltrate this place.”
Her breathing became uneven.
Brock leaned closer. “Is he looking for the Bunker?’
Jane’s brow furrowed. “What bunker?”
Brock looked between her mesmerizing green eyes. Fleck’s of gold emphasized the vibrant green color. It was all Brock could do to refraining from kissing her again. “You tell me what Kallan sent you here for and I will tell you.”
She took a long time to decide. She gave a single nod. “Brian Marksmen has some information on Kevin that he want’s back. Before you ask. I have no idea what it is. He only learned of its existence recently. He want’s me to find it and retrieve it.”
Brock snarled. “So, you came here with the intention of gaining my trust and betraying me.”
Jane didn’t flinch. “Yes, It’s what I do.”
Brock pulled her aggressively against his body. Her eyes widened. She actually believed he could hurt her. His mouth slammed down on hers. He wasn’t gentle. His tongue demanded entrance. She moaned into his mouth, her hands clutching at his sides before he let her up for a breath. “How many men have fallen into your trap, Jane? How many get a taste of that spectacular body before you rip their heart out?”
His eyes flashed, daring her to lie.
“I’ve been on dozens of missions. I’ve never failed, but I’ve never had sex with any of them. Expectation is always better than reality,” she said.
Brock put his hand around the back of her neck. “Not this time, princess.”
Jane needed to stop him. She wasn’t sure if the compound she had taken had worn off or if he was simply to potent but her temperature was rising. Her mind knew the consequences of leading him on. Her body wasn’t on board with letting him go.
His lips were demanding and soft as they coaxed her to respond. She was fighting her body’s response and losing badly. She shuddered as he pulled the blouse from her skirt so he could slide his hand underneath and touch her.
Nothing had prepared her for the sensation of Brock’s fingers caressing tiny circles over her skin. Is he writing his name? It felt like it and she had the feeling it was something he would do. He was honest about his actions, he wanted her.
She moaned when his hand undid her skirt, slipping under the waistband of her underwear to cup her heat. He parted the soft slick flesh, gently massaging the tiny bud that throbbed at his fingertips. The tiny strokes sent flicks of fire racing through her bloodstream. She pressed against him, attempting to extinguish the volcano erupting between them.
When she was on the brink of release, drowning in erotic desire, he pulled back. “No!” she gasped.
He brought his
fingers to his mouth, licking each one clean before her eyes. She didn’t think he could be sexier. She’d been wrong. He started unbuttoning his shirt. “Take your clothes off, Jane.”
She stared at him, watching his cat rise in his eyes. It was scary and exhilarating seeing the animal’s need for her. She shivered in excitement. Her body tightened when a smile played across his lips. He knew she couldn’t say no. Not at that moment. He would pay the ultimate price for his lust. Hers would be worse.
He undid his pants, letting them fall to the floor. He was far more defined than she had thought, with muscles in places she didn’t know existed. He stepped out of his trousers, fisting his cock. She watched his fingers slide over the velvet head, wishing she was on her knees looking up at him with her mouth on him. Where did that thought come from? She never had thoughts like that. Especially ones where she was submissive. There was only one way to deal with this. “We need to get a few things straight.”
Brock’s eyebrow went up. “Do we?” He squeezed his cock, allowing a bit of pre-cum to run from the head.
Her pussy clenched. She was running out of time. She forced a calm into her voice she didn’t feel. “I will have sex with you while we are here, but when we leave the ranch, the deal is off.”
Brock walked up to her. He took her hand and placed it on his cock, guiding her hand up and down his shaft. “You think you’ll have had enough of me. Your mate, in such a short amount of time?”
No. “I don’t know what’s going on between us but I can’t give you what you’re looking for.”
Brock’s hands started to undo the pearl buttons of her blouse. “That’s the thing, Jane. You don’t know what I’m looking for.”
Jane admitted that was true. Kevin had usually sent her on assignment with all the information she would need on her mark. This time she had been completely unprepared. Almost as if she had been set up to fail but why would Kevin want that? “I...”
“Stop negotiating, Jane. It won’t do any good.”
Jane lost herself in the excitement of his lips on hers. She had told him the truth. Whether he chose to accept, it was on him.
He slipped her silk blouse off her shoulders. It fell in a wisp to the floor. Her skirt was next. She stepped out of it, preparing to take off her heels.
“Leave them on,” Brock said in a guttural tone.
His body was taut, bulging as he looked at her. She could see the predator now and she was the prey. Only she wanted to be devoured.
Her hands roamed over his back, feeling steel cords flex under his skin.
His hands moved to the white lace bra, massaging her breasts through the material. He moved her back until her spine hit the wall. His lips kissed and nipped the skin at her neck, making her desperate for more.
His mouth seemed to be everywhere as he unclasped her bra, letting it slip to the floor. The cool air was a shock to her hard nipples, peaking them further. Jolts of pleasure bordering on pain ripped through her chest as he pinched the erect pink buds. She arched her back, thrusting the ample mounds in his face, encouraging his foray. She gasped loudly when he sucked one into his mouth, swirling it over his rough tongue aggressively.
His leg nudged her thighs apart so he could slip his hand under the lace of her thong. He massaged her clit gently, continuing to split his time between her equally sensitive breasts until she was begging him for more.
His masterful tongue made its way to her neck, nipping her earlobe, causing a rush of liquid to coat his hands. “Tell me you need me to take you. Hard against this wall. Right now.”
Jane’s fingers dug into his back. “Yes.”
He slipped a finger inside her, pushing deep.
“Oh God, yes!” she panted.
He added another finger. Stretching her. “Tell me you want me to fuck you so hard you beg me to stop.”
“Yes. Stop talking! Start fucking!”
He turned her around so fast she splayed her hands on the wall to keep her balance. “You’re mine.”
He pushed into her, stopping when he broke her thin barrier. “Shit. I didn’t think...”
The sting of pain subsided quickly, leaving her in a sea of heat and arousal. “Don’t stop!”
He pulled back slowly before pushing into her again. His mouth was against her ear. “That’s the last time I ever hurt you.”
The slow friction was driving her insane. When he reached over and started to massage her breasts as he pumped her from behind, she couldn’t take it anymore. “Please do something.”
He picked up the rhythm, thrusting harder. Deeper. Her fingers clawed the wall, scratching the paint in desperation.
He grabbed her hips, pulling her back to him to meet each hard thrust. Still it wasn’t enough until he growled and bit her shoulder.
“Brock!” She screamed as she came, clamping down on him hard.
He moaned before he ejaculated hard inside her. She felt something within her move. Wild. Predatory. Then it was gone.
She stood completely still, trying to figure out what happened. The sex she could deal with. That other force. It felt unstoppable, and it only wanted one thing. Brock.
Brock’s hands gently turned her around to face him. “You should have told me you were a virgin.”
“It was my choice,” she said harshly.
“If my taking you too rough isn’t what’s upsetting you. What is?”
Jane stared at him for a moment. Trust was a difficult thing when you betrayed every person you met. “There was a moment when I felt... as if I was two people. It’s hard to describe.”
“Not two people. Two beings. Your cat was reaching for mine. Her consciousness is still forming. She doesn’t know who and what she is yet.”
Jane stiffened. “I don’t have a cat. Your bite can’t work that fast.”
Brock’s face looked sad. She had to combat the urge to comfort him. “Once you were in the same room with me. You started the transformation.”
“How?”
“You’re right. Naturally the transformation doesn’t start this quickly but Kevin injects women with an accelerant so as soon as you were exposed to me it started.”
“You think Kevin knew I was your mate?”
“Not necessarily mine but a mate. Yes.”
Jane let reality sink in. Betrayal was second nature in her world so there was only one thing to do. “How do I get Carla out?”
Jane watched his eyes roam over her body. It was clear he liked what he saw. He was already hard again. She wanted to tell him that a real relationship wasn’t possible. Even if she could get Carla safe, she would be on the run for the rest of her life. She didn’t dare hope there was a way to keep Brock. Hope had been a far worse master than Kevin Kallan ever could.
Brock’s hands slipped down to her buttocks, he squeezed them firmly. “We are going to find that bunker.”
Jane slipped her arms around his neck. “What’s the bunker?”
“Sarah thinks it’s a bomb shelter located on one of the Marksmen properties.”
Jane’s mind raced. “You think this is where Brian is keeping the information he had on Kevin?”
Brock shrugged. “If you had a secret safe room and you had damning information on one of the most ruthless men in the world, where would you keep it?”
“How does that help us get Carla away from Kevin?”
“You are going to negotiate a trade. That’s what you do isn’t it?”
“You think he will go for that?”
“If the information is as explicit as we believe it is, he will.”
Jane considered his words. “It might work if the information is worth it to him. But he believes he is getting that information anyway with me here.”
“That information belonged to Sarah’s father. Now it’s hers. Besides it’s located on our property. He won’t be able to get to it.”
Jane stared at him for a long time. Tentacles of hope worming their way into her heart.
Brock kissed her l
ightly. “Trust me, Jane. Put a little faith in your mate. I know it’s a lot to ask.”
His hands skimmed over her ass to rest at the swell of her back.
She never had the chance to respond. Her body heated from his light kisses.
He growled in her ear. “I’m taking you to the bed. I’m going to make love to you the way I should have the first time.” He didn’t wait for a response. He picked her up and took her to the large four poster bed, laying her down gently. His hand roamed over her left leg until he came to her shiny black leather pumps. “I fucking love these. Love you screaming my name wearing nothing but these.” He placed the spike of one heel on the mattress, spreading her legs before doing the same with the other. He looked down at the most sensitive part of her. “I’m going to eat you alive.”
She felt a fresh gush of arousal as he positioned himself between her legs. His fingers, separated her slick flesh gently before his tongue slipped seductively through her folds. She clutched the sheet.
He seemed lost in the enjoyment of the moment, licking her like she was creme center of his favorite dessert. Growls of contentment vibrated against her sensitive flesh, pushing her arousal to painful levels.
She was mindless in her need for release. “Brock!”
His tongue stabbed deep, aggressive, over and over, pulling her juices from her body with each slick thrust. She came, shuddering as a tingling feeling spread over her skin.
He rose up, hitching one of her heels over his shoulder, sliding his cock between the lips off her pussy.
She squirmed under the overwhelming sensation.
“Tell me what you want Jane?” he said with complete control.
She hated that she was a bubbling mess while he seemed unaffected.
He put his cock at her entrance, barely entering her. Holding himself there, prolonging her torture. “Tell me.”
“God dammit, Brock. Fuck me before I get up and...”
He slammed into her.
Her dark comment died on her lips. Her body didn’t belong to her. Brock’s hard thrusts rocked her hips with every stroke, branding her as his.
She didn’t think he could get any larger, but she felt him swell. She came, taking him with her when she clamped down violently.
