“I was just about to add that part. But you know what? Anything goes.”
“Anything except allowing myself to shift tomorrow. That would put a monkey wrench in your wedding, having a wolf at your side as maid of honor.”
“I’m sure stranger things have happened at the Happy Hearts Wedding Chapel.”
“True. Angel, you really should have told me about Vincent before, you know.”
“And ruin the surprise? I wish I could have seen your face when you realized what he was.” She saw the scowl on my face and leaned into my shoulders. “Cheer up. I still love ya.”
“Whatever.”
“By the way, are the rumors true? I hear that vamp sex is out of this world.”
“So is shifter sex, but I’m sure I don’t have to confirm that for you, Miss Angel Kessler, soon to be Angel ‘Misses-Bear-Shifter-Wife’ Voltaire.” I pulled her in for a hug. “Forget about my vampire shenanigans for a minute. You’re getting married! I’m so happy for you, love. And I’m thrilled that we get to spend some time together for the next couple of days.”
“Awww, thanks honey. Hey, come over to my suite so you can see the dress!”
“It’s here?”
“Of course. The bellhop helped me get everything to my room before I saw you coming out of Vincent’s place.”
“Sweet. Let’s go.” I got to my feet and pulled her to stand up. “Wait. Before we get too carried away. Do you mind if I skip out on dinner tonight? I’m so beat, and the jetlag is really wreaking havoc on my … on everything, solid judgment included.”
She studied me carefully. “This is about Vincent, isn’t it?”
“Not really—”
“You can’t avoid him all weekend.”
“I know. I promise I won’t. Just tonight. Tomorrow, I’ll be all chipper and friendly.”
“Oh all right.”
I grinned, finally looking forward to some girl-time with my bestie. “I’ll make it up to you. Tonight, I plan to make you so shit-faced drunk, you’ll wake up tomorrow thinking you had male stripper ass all night.”
“That’s what I call a Vegas bachelorette party, baby! Let’s make it memorable.”
We went to her suite, which was the door opposite to mine.
Great.
I was off the hook tonight.
The less interaction with Mr. Lovervamp, the better.
9
Vincent
I wasn’t sure what to expect at breakfast on Saturday morning. As requested, my staff opened up the hospitality suite on the floor, and a generous selection of hot and cold breakfast options were already available. Coffee was all I needed this morning, but with all the guests I met at dinner last night, nothing would go to waste. I’d met about forty people. Roughly half were bear shifters from Axe’s motorcycle club, and the rest were humans from Angel’s family. It appeared that I was the only vampire in the bridal party, and Sonya was the only wolf shifter. Everyone was at dinner except for Sonya, who was clearly avoiding me.
Not that I could blame her. We had both crossed a line into a forbidden zone. Still, it didn’t matter if sleeping with her was just a one-time thing—which I already doubted. What mattered was that she viewed our interaction as taboo.
Because it was.
Heads rolled whenever our species came together. I’d seen that reality firsthand over the centuries. Not that I was afraid of bucking trends, but I had to think of Sonya too. I knew nothing about her, or of her dynamics with her pack, and to be honest, this type of off-the-rails thinking was way too premature. I needed to let things be.
Axe was the first to show up as I sat to have coffee.
“Morning, Fangs,” Axe greeted me with the nickname he had been calling me since we became friends fifteen years ago to the day.
“Good morning, Fluffy.” I was the only person who got away with calling him by that nickname.
“How was your room?”
“Fucking sweet. I slept like a baby bear,” he joked.
“Good to hear, Goldilocks.”
“Don’t be surprised if my bed’s missing when I check out of the suite, Moneybags.”
“You like it that much?”
“I had the best night’s sleep in a long time.”
“The secret is those individual pocket coils. That’s what my procurement director keeps telling me, anyway. How about I have one just like it shipped to the clubhouse? Think of it as a wedding gift.”
“I don’t know, man… You’ve already splurged on us enough this weekend.”
“I’m the best man. It comes with the territory. Plus, I’ve never heard you rave about much of anything since I’ve known you, except for Angel … and now this bed. Come on. I insist.”
“Well … sure, okay.” He grinned. “Only because you’re loaded. Thanks, Fangs.”
“My pleasure.”
“All that sleep made me hungry. Let me at some of this food.” He stepped over to the hot food table, and began to fill his plate with a mountain of pancakes and sausage.
“You must be excited about later.”
“More like nervous as hell, but don’t mention that to Angel.”
“Ahhh, the jitters,” I remarked, thinking fondly of the last time I’d indulged in a wedding. “Take it from me. It’ll pass.”
“Oh, I’m not nervous about the wedding.”
“No?”
“Maybe a little, but it’s this Halloween wedding in Vegas thing that has my bear on edge. Don’t get me wrong. I’d do anything for Angel, but fuck, some of the stuff I saw when we were out on the Strip last night made our clubhouse shindigs look like Sunday school.”
“No doubt.” I checked my watch. “Just be sure not to let yourself shift for sixteen hours, five minutes and … twenty seconds roughly.”
He chuckled, putting his plate on the kitchen island to slap me on the back. “That’s why you’re the best man, Vincent. You’re perfect for keeping track of shit like that.”
“At your service, old friend. I’ve even got a cage ready in the hotel storage, just in case.”
“Seriously?”
“No man. I’m kidding. What do I look like, a zookeeper?”
He reared back with laughter.
“We should have a plan for what to do if you or your buddies change to your bears.”
“We’re covered, I think.”
I finished my coffee and got to my feet. “Good. You worry about that part, and I’ll handle the wedding details. Don’t stress out about it at all. Everything’s set for today. The bridal events manager of the hotel assured me the ballroom is decorated to Angel’s exact requirements. Our tuxedos from the tailor are in my suite, and…” I tapped the breast pocket of my suit. “I’ve got the rings right here.”
“Awesome. The ladies will be busy this morning.”
“Nice. That means we can have that round of golf after all.”
“And a couple hours of high-stakes gambling. I can’t miss watching you rake it in at the high rollers tables. You wear a mean poker face.”
Angel and Sonya walked in together just then. Both were wearing sunglasses.
“Good morning, ladies,” I greeted them.
“What so good about it?” Angel groaned.
“Don’t mind the bride-to-be, guys,” Sonya informed us, making a point not to look directly at me. “She’s still a little hungover.”
Axe smiled. “She’ll get over it. I’m sure it beats the pre-wedding nerves.”
“Probably.” Sonya tilted her head in thought. “Isn’t it bad luck for the bride and groom to see each other on their wedding day?”
“Luck? We’ve screwed Luck right up the ass, and with his own damn horseshoe. We’re getting married on Halloween.” Axe had a playful look in his eye, which was a good sign. It meant he was comfortable with Sonya. “So Sonya, I didn’t get to tell you this … I love the fact that the woman I’m about to marry has a best friend like you.”
“That’s sweet. How do you mean?”
“That’s right,” she agreed. “I’m a badass she-bitch, and I can hold my liquor.” She lifted both hands with her fingers in the rocker sign of the horns. When she remembered that I was in the room, she lowered her hands and cleared her throat, resuming her formality, as if she didn’t know how to act around me.
Angel found the closest sofa and slumped down into it. “Somebody get me some coffee. Stat. I can barely see straight. And some aspirin. And whatever hangover remedy you know of. I’ve got a full day and no time for this … this…” she rested her head back and pulled her fall jacket over her face.
“I’ll get the aspirin,” Sonya announced, and left.
Axe filled a mug of coffee and took it to her. “Looks like you ladies went all out last night for the bachelorette party.”
“Hi honey,” Angel purred, then groaned again. “Trust me, you don’t want to know. I feel like crap.”
He sat beside her and pulled her into his lap, kissing the top of her head. “What happens in Vegas, dot dot dot,” he teased.
I headed for the door to return to my room for a few things. “I’ll be back, you two. Golf is in twenty, Axe.”
“We’ll be here.”
Sonya was in the hallway when I stepped outside. I stood in the doorway.
“Had a good evening?”
She nodded. “I did. Are you going to let me pass?”
“Eventually. I thought you might want to talk. You know, clear the air so there isn’t all this tension between us.”
“Uh, nope. We don’t need to talk. Step aside before I move you myself.”
“You like rough play, don’t you, Sonya? I figured you had a kinky side.”
“Too bad you won’t ever get to find out.”
“I believe I like those odds. After all, I recall you mentioning that you and I were ‘never gonna happen.’ Your words, by the way, and spoken an hour before you got … frisky with me.”
She didn’t like that one bit. Her face flushed, her eyes narrowed, her pulse began to race, and then she let out a low, menacing, bone-chilling snarl.
I stood my ground. “I’m not easily intimidated, pretty little wolf. And don’t pretend you didn’t enjoy what we did.”
“Let. Me. Pass… Please.”
Axe opened the door behind me. “Everything all right out here?”
“It’s fine,” she told him. “I was just bringing the aspirin to Angel.”
“Good, because howling like that ain’t too smart. Not on a floor full of bear shifters. Okay, dollface?”
I stepped aside and let her go in.
“Just tell vamp boy here to leave me the hell alone,” she grunted.
After she had disappeared inside, Axe looked back at her, and then turned to me again. “Wait a second … no way. You and Sonya … knocked boots? Whoa. I’d never have guessed, but then again, who am I to judge?” He laughed. “Vegas, right? On a fucking full moon. Nothing should surprise me.”
I left it alone. “Let’s get that golf game started soon, Fluffy. I’ll be in my suite when you’re ready.”
10
Sonya
Fourteen hours left.
Fifteen, tops.
Yes, I was counting down the hours to this scandalous fiasco of an interaction between Vincent and me.
I didn’t have to deal with him for at least five of those hours, while Angel and I were at the spa, or when it came time to help get her into her wedding dress. Maybe eight hours, if I could keep any conversation between us strictly professional during the wedding ceremony, at the reception, and for an hour or so of the rest of the night, as we were also going to attend the hotel’s costume party tonight. My rental car was already down in the underground parking, so by late tonight, I’d be all packed up. If I were smart, I’d get far away from here and start the ten-hour trek to Rock Springs tonight.
Angel begged me for two more hours to sleep off her hangover, and of course, I agreed. We would definitely have to skip the massages, and get them to double up the hair and makeup girls as they worked on us, but that was no problem with me. I could use some extra winks too. After Axe had taken her back to his room to rest, I refilled on coffee in the hospitality suite.
“Did you lose something?”
Vincent was back. I spun around to remind him to keep his distance, and saw the earring he held out between his thumb and forefinger. My hand swung up to my right ear. Crap. That was my earring. Instinctively, I reached over to my left ear too. Dammit, it was gone too.
“Yes, it’s mine. Thanks for noticing it … I didn’t realize they’d fallen off. Did you find the other side too?”
“No, but I can look. We’d better make sure now, before housekeeping comes up. Wait, are you sure you didn’t misplace it in your room, or somewhere else yesterday?”
“I’m not sure.” I thought back. “I really don’t know. The last time I saw them both on me was at airport arrivals. Shit.”
“Let me ask my driver to look inside the limo. You check your room, and I’ll go back and search mine. Housekeeping can hold off on vacuuming until tomorrow.”
“I could have lost it last night at all the clubs Angel and I went to for her bachelorette party.”
“True, but let’s take a look around here first, and figure out the rest if it’s not on the floor.”
“Okay.”
We parted ways and went to our respective suites to look. My earrings weren’t family heirlooms or anything, but they were my go-to favorites. I could wear these anywhere. The round aquamarine gemstone was encrusted with diamonds on the perimeter and mounted on white gold studs. They went with pretty much everything in my closet. This sucked. The first place I checked was the sofa, then my bed, and the bathroom. No luck. I went back to check around my pillows, and to be thorough, I pulled all the sheets back. Nothing. I was sliding the sofa to one side when someone knocked on my door.
I pulled it open. Vincent was standing there with the second earring.
“You found it! Thanks so much.”
“Thank my driver. He had found it last night, and sent me a text to let me know, but I only just looked at my phone. Sorry for the confusion.”
“It’s okay,” I told him, unable to look away from his eyes. They were so sincere. “Don’t be sorry. You just saved me a few hours of turning this city upside down … so thanks again.”
He leaned to one side, and glanced behind me at the chaos I’d just created in the living room. “Need some help getting your sofa back in place?”
Maybe gratitude came over me, or lust, or both, when I gripped the collar of his polo shirt, popped up on my tiptoes and kissed him hungrily. So much for staying away.
11
Vincent
I didn’t expect Sonya to kiss me after all those warnings for me to stay away, but deep down, I wasn’t surprised. The chemistry between us was overpowering. It was a wonder she had resisted me all of last night.
Sonya smirked playfully into the kiss. “We should probably get out of the doorway,” she said, still kissing me as I backed her up inside.
My hands roamed down to her ass. I was already hard just thinking about her perfect body beneath these clothes.
“Maybe we shouldn’t,” I suggested, only to relieve myself of the burden of regret later. Not on my part, but hers.
I pulled out of the kiss slightly, watching for her reaction. She was resolute, and the return of her lips to mine was enough for me. She took my hands and spread my palms on her ass again. I was instantly aroused. I pulled her body into mine, enjoying the way she ground her hips into my crotch. I wasn’t sure what had changed her mind about me, but at the moment, I didn’t care.
Running a hand up her thigh, I reached between us and deftly flicked open the buttons of her jeans, and lowered her zipper. Her kiss was fierce, magnetic. Still, I managed to pull away and drop to my knees. I wasn’t letting thi
s chance to taste her slip by me for a second time. I peeled the denim down past her hips and knees, taking her sexy black and red lace panties along with them. Looking up into her face, I grazed my tongue against her mound, lost in the sound of her moan.
All these clothes were getting in the way, but I made do. Parting her knees, my tongue traveled along her folds, exploring, tasting her sweet wetness as she swayed into my mouth, already giddy with need. Sonya found a way to kick off her flat shoes. She arched her back and dragged off one leg of the jeans completely. Before I knew it, she slung her clothing-free leg over my shoulder to give me more access. Pleased by her eagerness, I clutched her inner thighs and lapped at her folds.
I moved my focus to her sensitive bud, then slid two fingers into her warm, wet center. She ran her hand through my hair, gasping loudly as she rode my fingers hard. She was so wet, and when she groaned out a long, breathy moan, I picked up the pace staring up at the abandon on her gorgeous face. Her jaw relaxed, her head tilted back to display her slender neck, and the pulse point of her carotid artery had me mesmerized. I took a long breath, thankful that I built up enough self-control over the years to resist the urge to sink my fangs into that very neck.
Not long after, Sonya pressed her eyes shut and cried out. She was coming. She shook through her first climax, moaning, panting, gasping for air as my engorged cock began to envy my fingers. I wanted to be inside her again, to feel her tightness seized around my shaft when I made her come again. While she caught her breath, I picked her up and carried her to the bedroom. Standing at the side of the bed, I lowered her across its width and got in bed beside her. Sonya held me tight around the chest, teasing my neck and earlobe, driving me close to insanity. I pushed off the bed and removed her clothes piece by piece, then dragged my shirt over my head and removed my golf slacks and boxers.
Eyes half-lidded and brimming over with seduction, she parted her legs, purring like a kitten, calling for me to take her. I got between her legs, and her lips found mine again, kissing me so fiercely our teeth crashed against each other. Groaning into her mouth and aware of my throbbing cock pressed against her heat, I pulled her legs around my waist and held on to her ass cheeks. I buried deep inside her in one wild, powerful thrust that made her gasp.
Bruised MC Bear (Beartooth Brotherhood MC Book 3) Page 20
