Break Her

by Jenika Snow

  Evernight Publishing ®

  www.evernightpublishing.com

  Copyright© 2015 Jenika Snow & Sam Crescent

  ISBN: 978-1-926950-01-3

  Cover Artist: Jay Aheer

  Editor: Karyn White

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  BREAK HER

  Romance on the Go TM

  Jenika Snow & Sam Crescent

  Copyright © 2015

  Prologue

  Odessa was of age now, and Garrison wanted her. He stood in the doorway of her father’s home, his alpha, and the man he watched over as his enforcer. Garrison wasn’t an easy or gentle male. He couldn’t be with the life he led. If he failed their alpha could be taken away, and it would be Garrison’s fault.

  “Garrison, I’m surprised to see you here.” The alpha of their lion pride, Yosef, nodded to Garrison. The scent of strength came from the older male, and it had Garrison’s lion coming to attention, prepared to lay his life down for him.

  He wasn’t going to beat around the bush about this, because Garrison wasn’t that type of male. “I’ve come to ask for your daughter’s hand in a mating, alpha.” Garrison was a large man, stronger than anyone else in the pride. He had to be brutal at all costs. But standing in front of Yosef, asking him for the hand of Yosef’s eighteen-year-old daughter, Odessa, had nerves swamping Garrison. He wasn’t used to this feeling, wasn’t used to being on edge about a female. But this wasn’t just any female. This was Odessa, the only female he’d ever wanted for more than one night. He wanted her to be the mother of his young, to be his mate until they were old and took their last breath.

  “You want my daughter as yours?” Yosef asked.

  Garrison nodded. “I do, sir. I want her as mine, and only mine.”

  Yosef was silent for a moment. “It’s her choice, Garrison. I want Odessa to be able to choose who she is mated with.”

  Garrison gritted his teeth, knowing Yosef had every right to make that declaration, but he’d hoped their alpha would just give Odessa to him, as so many of their pride members had done. But he didn’t argue, and instead nodded at his alpha.

  “Odessa, come here,” Yosef said, his focus staying on Garrison. “I’ll present her your offer, and although I believe you’d be a very good mate to her, Odessa needs to be able to choose who she wants to spend her life with.”

  “I understand,” Garrison said. He was older than Odessa, but being lion shifters they were naturally more mature at younger ages, and ready for mating earlier than humans. But would Odessa want a mate that was an enforcer, and killed people with his bare hands?

  She came out of the backroom, her hair damp from a clear shower, and her clothes loose around her curvy body. Instantly his body tightened, and his lion rose. The truth was he loved her, had loved her since he’d first realized he wanted her as his mate. The time had passed from then until now, and his emotions had grown right along with it. It was strange for a brutal male like him to care so deeply for a female that probably hadn’t thought twice about him, and who was probably frightened of how he lived his life. But he’d never been surer of anything than he was of wanting Odessa as his mate.

  “Yes,” she said softly, her eyes wide as she looked between her father and him.

  “Odessa,” her father said, “You know Garrison?”

  She nodded and licked her lips. “I do, of course.”

  The space between them became tense, and his nerves grew even more pronounced.

  “Odessa,” Garrison said, took a step toward her, but stopped. He looked at their alpha, saw Yosef nod and move back a step, and that was Garrison’s cue to proceed with his offer.

  “Yes,” she said softly again.

  “I’ve come to offer a mating with you.”

  She was silent for a moment, looked at her father, and then turned her focus back to him. “A mating? With you?” Her eyes got impossibly wider.

  He clenched his jaw at the shock in her voice. “Yes, a mating with me.”

  She still didn’t respond, and after several seconds passed he exhaled.

  “I understand your reservations—”

  “I’m only eighteen,” she said.

  “Yes, I am aware of your age.”

  “Isn’t that too young for you?”

  Okay, his lion was rising up at the challenge. There was no doubt she was a strong female, and that was one of the reasons he wanted her as his mate. He didn’t want a female that was a shrinking violet. He needed a female just as strong-willed as he was. “You’re eighteen, and in shifter terms plenty old to mate.” Of course she knew this. Every pride member knew this well. “And in regards to our age, I don’t think that should factor into anything.” Yes, he was in his thirties, but he was experienced in life, and strong enough to protect her. “I think I am a worthy male to take your hand in a mating.”

  She swallowed, rubbed her hands on her lounge pants, and kept looking between her father and him.

  “This is your choice, Odessa. I will not force a mating,” her father said, and Garrison wished Yosef was more traditional and knew that having his daughter with Garrison was the best.

  “I’ll protect you and make sure you never want for anything.” He straightened his shoulders. “I’ll be a good mate, Odessa, a strong male.” He felt like he was begging, but the truth was he wanted her like he wanted to breathe. He’d never admit that, of course, because the fear he put in others was what helped keep this pride safe.

  “I…” she said, licked her lips, and took a step back. “I can’t do this. I can’t mate with you, Garrison.” And then she turned and left him standing there, feeling like a fucking fool. His lion was pacing beneath the surface, wanting out, wanting to go after her and claim her regardless.

  “I’m sorry, Garrison, but it’s her choice,” Yosef said again.

  Garrison just nodded, turned, and let himself out. Once outside he scanned the surroundings. He needed to run, needed to let his animal out and get the frustration free. He moved toward the tree line, took a deep breath, and using all his energy slammed his fist into the nearest tree trunk. The bark crunched beneath the force. He looked over his shoulder, saw Odessa staring at him through her bedroom window, and he felt like a bastard. She was too good for him, but he still wanted her, still loved her even though he shouldn’t.

  He wouldn’t let her walk away that easily, not even if she ran forever. He’d chase her. Garrison would always go after her.

  Chapter One

  Two years later

  Odessa stared across the council room at her father. As the leader of their pride he was the strongest, the most feared alpha, and because of that she was also revered as someone every lion within their pride needed to respect. After her mother had died in childbirth her father raised Odessa, but Yosef Pryce, her dad, and also her alpha, had been hard around the edges. Maybe she should have been born a male, because her father surely brought her up to not take shit from anyone, to hold her own, and to kick ass if the time came. But she liked the fact she stood up for herself, and wasn’t some shrinking violet that all males could walk over.

  “He’s watching you again,” her best friend Sashi, who’d been by her side since Odessa was five years old, said in a low voice.

  Odessa already knew Garrison was watching her, but she chose to ignore him. The hairs on the ba
ck of her neck stood on end, and she slowly let her gaze land on Garrison Black, her father’s enforcer, and a lion shifter who was feared not only by her entire pride, but also by anyone who heard his name.

  She stared at him, saw he watched her like he always did, and she hated the way her body tightened, heated, and became aroused. There was something about the much older lion shifter, something dangerous, violent … deadly. She’d seen the thirty-two year old enforcer in action when a threat had come into their little shifter town years ago. Garrison had killed the man who’d tried to kill her father, assassinate their alpha, the man she loved more than life itself.

  Garrison had been brutal, unforgiving, and she, both her lion and human parts, grew wet as she watched him slice the other male’s neck, clenched her hands as she saw him roar out in pleasure as blood covered the ground, and wanted to desperately go up to him and rub her body against his much bigger, harder one.

  She shook her head, felt her entire body become alight with desire, and saw several residents in their town turn her way and give her strange looks. Of course they sensed her arousal and probably thought she was some kind of deviant for even feeling this way during a council meeting.

  Garrison didn’t smile, didn’t even move, but he did watch her still. Odessa had no doubts he saw the effect he had on her, and the way his pupils dilated told her the lion was enjoying this, even if he was hard as stone.

  After the meeting ended Odessa walked out with Sashi. “I’m going to go for a run, get all this energy out, and the fact Garrison is getting under my skin.” She hadn’t meant to say the last bit out loud, but she had, and now the look Sashi gave her had her groaning out loud. “Forget I said anything.”

  “He’s been after you since you came of age and he could claim you,” Sashi said, but her focus was on the group of young lions who were congregated near the trees.

  “Why don’t you go over there and make yourself known? Maybe one of them can chase you.” Odessa teased, but she really did need to run, to get out in the woods and just be with nature.

  She parted ways with Sashi, watching as her friend did go over to the group of lions and start flirting. Sashi was an open book, very outgoing, and the opposite of Odessa. She turned way, moved toward the tree line, and once she couldn’t see anyone she ran. She didn’t shift, didn’t bother getting naked and allowing her lioness free. She just let her human side eat up the distance, let herself run over fallen logs, past the trees, and into the opening where a small brook was, and then she finally slowed and breathed in and out.

  She was a good few miles from the center of town. Odessa sat on one of the fallen logs, stared up at the sky, and after a few seconds breathed out slowly as her heart resumed a normal pace. Her thoughts went to Garrison.

  The truth was she did want Garrison, wanted him to be the alpha she’d witnessed so many times, wanted to be his mate even. She’d wanted him from the moment she knew what lust was and saw him beating a man who had abused one of their pride females. The guy had been drunk and slapped the female around, and when Garrison had found out he’d beaten the man to the point people had to carry his unconscious body out. Odessa had been hiding in the woods, witnessed the whole thing, and had felt her animal rise up, wanting him to take her right then and there. She’d only been seventeen, hadn’t even known what real lust was, but seeing Garrison had opened up so many wicked things in her.

  Garrison didn’t hold anything back, didn’t care what anyone said. And when he’d come knocking on her father’s door when she’d turned eighteen, she knew, just knew that giving herself to a male like him would be her downfall, and so when he’d offered her a mating two years ago she’d turned him down.

  She’d been brought up to be strong, to not let anyone tell her any different. She’d kicked the asses of her fair share of boys who had teased her. But Garrison was different, and he wanted her, still did all these years later. Garrison frightened her, made her aware of how very feminine she was. She’d denied him that mating, thinking he’d move on, even if she’d hated that idea. But being mated to a male like Garrison meant he’d surely control her, make her a submissive female, and that was not something she could accept. Odessa wanted an alpha showing her how a real male claimed a female, but Garrison was a breed all of his own. Despite her need to hold her dominance, something her father taught her while growing up, a darker part of her wanted to let go to a point. She’d been in control her whole life, and giving herself to Garrison fully did have its temptations.

  He wasn’t the cookie cutter type of male who was part of the pride. He was quiet, calculating, deadly, and was exactly how she’d want her mate to be.

  She just knew, though, giving herself to Garrison would mean he’d be the one in control. She didn’t know if that was something she could do to herself.

  Closing her eyes, she pictured him, unable to stop herself. His dark hair was the color of coal, cut short to his head, and slightly disheveled. His eyes were dark green, the same color of the moss growing around the lake in their town. And his body, God, his body had her hot and needy. She was ashamed to admit all of that, but only to herself, that she’d touched herself while thinking of him naked. Even though she’d turned him down, he was determined to have her.

  Over the years she’d felt her resolve to stay away and keep him back crumble because she did want him desperately. He’d never backed off from her, never found another mate. It was becoming harder to stay away, because the truth was she was afraid of wanting to be with him as much as she did.

  “Just give yourself to him. What’s the worst that could happen?” she said to herself, soft, low, and already answering her own question in her head.

  Because he isn’t a male who will let you be free, let you be yourself. He’s a male who will control you, not only in the bedroom, but will control every aspect of your life, and that’s not what you want.

  And then she heard the sound of a twig snap. Odessa stood and turned, searching the tree line, but didn’t pick anything up, not even with her lion senses. And then, coming out from behind one of the trees, all stealthy, just like the enforcer he was, came Garrison. He was dressed in all black, his dark t-shirt and dark cargo pants making him seem like he should be hiding in the darkness, waiting to attack. And that was his job, to protect everyone in the pride, especially her father, at any cost.

  “Garrison,” she said without surprise in her voice, but all breathy, like she’d been anticipating this meeting.

  “Odessa,” he said in that deep, slightly serrated voice of his. He took a step forward.

  “Why are you following me?” She swallowed as he moved closer. He didn’t speak right away, didn’t even blink. His body was corded with muscles, and he was so tall, so much taller than any of the other males in the pride.

  “You ran from me, Odessa, two years ago, and I let you, because I wanted you to have time to realize you want me, too.” He moved closer still. “I’ve tried to stay away, gone on missions to ensure that, to give you time to come to understand that you are mine, no matter what.”

  “You have to stop, Garrison. I told you I didn’t want this. It’s been two years, yet you refuse to mate with anyone else.” Yes, it had been years since she’d said she didn’t want a mating, but a part of her felt differently now. Of course she didn’t tell him that, couldn’t find the words. He still watched her, still followed her. She took a step back, feeling her heart pound fast and hard in her chest.

  “And you think a male like me will stop when I want a female, when I want something as much as I want you?” he said with a growl in his voice. “I’ve never wanted a female as a mate, Odessa, not until you. You denying me hasn’t changed that.”

  “Garrison, you’ve just watched me, and haven’t said anything since then.” She swallowed. “This can’t be healthy.” The tree stopped her retreat. He still moved forward, and when only a foot separated them and she scented his masculinity, she shivered.

  “I took missions that were far
away from the pride, Odessa. It was the only way I could have control, the only way I could stop myself from going after you and making you see that we are made for each other.”

  She gripped the bark of the tree until pain lanced up her hands and through her arms.

  “You run from me, yet I can scent your arousal, even now.” He inhaled deeply, placed a hand on the tree by her head, and she held her breath. “You can keep running from me, but for how long, Odessa?” He lowered his gaze to her lips. “Even those two years ago I scented your arousal, knew you wanted me. I let you deny me, let you run.”

  She breathed in and out fast. “You should find a female who actually wants you, who wants the kind of control you want to lay down.” Of course a part of her was lying, because they both knew she was wet between her thighs, and aroused for this male. Back then she might have relied on her self-control and been stubborn about it, but over the last two years she’d grown needier for Garrison.

  He smirked, the first form of amusement she’d ever seen on him, but then again it wasn’t humorous at all, but dark, slightly sadistic, and she felt the tendrils of arousal grow even more.

  “I want you, Odessa, and I’ve made no secret of that.” He lowered his gaze to her lips. “I haven’t been with a female since coming to your father’s house and asking you to mate with me. I haven’t even wanted one for the last two years, baby.”

  A small sound left her at that admission.

  “And although you say you don’t want this, I know you do, and I’ll have you.” He smoothed a finger over her bottom lip, his other hand still by her head. “You know about me, know I won’t stop until I have what I want, and what I want is you, Odessa.” He leaned in another inch until she smelled his breath. It was warm, slightly spicy, like he’d eaten something with cinnamon in it. “You have no idea how much I want you, how hard it’s been to stay away.”