The Big Billionaire

by Lexi Aurora

  Grabbing the tattered remains of her shirt, I pull her onto the table along with me and continue to kiss her, making a trail down the side of her neck. She moans appreciatively, tearing her shirt the remainder of the way off. My eyes bulge at the way her breasts heave with every breath she takes, her nipples standing out in a pleasant contrast to the rest of her breasts. Lowering my head to her chest, I take a nipple between my lips and flick my tongue against the eager little bud. Ebony arches into me, her nails sinking into the flesh of my back.

  She drags her hands down, curling her fingers in the waistband of my pajamas. I draw away, and she looks at me with a sly smile before slipping them down my hips. My manhood springs free immediately, bobbing embarrassingly in the open air. Her mouth falls agape, and I briefly wonder if she’s put off in some way.

  “What a big boy,” she murmurs, gripping me in her hand. I simply stutter in response as she begins to move her hand up and down my length. She licks her lips, and before I can even fully enjoy the sensation of her hand on me, she’s pulling away to shimmy out of her shorts.

  “Someone’s in a hurry,” I whisper, my hand taking the place of hers and stroking languidly. She chuckles, pinning me back against the table before shifting to lower herself on top of me. Any other retorts I may have posed fly out the window, and I squeeze my eyes shut as she settles against my hips. She’s tight, tighter than I could have imagined. The sensation is nearly overwhelming, but when she begins to bounce up and down on me, I’m almost blubbering in pleasure.

  A soft hiss pulls itself from her lips, and she moves more quickly, her hips hitting mine in perfect time. Her nails sink into my shoulders as she braces herself to get the best possible angle.

  “Ebony, I’m… I’m,” I begin to sputter, and she smiles warmly before pressing her lips to mine. I buck up a final time, spilling my seed deep inside her as her inner walls flex around me. Her grip on me is as tight as a vice, and her eyes squeeze shut as she revels in the sensations of her own orgasm. Soft whimpers sound in the back of her throat, and when we’re both spent, she nearly collapses on top of me.

  “Mmm, baby. That was so good,” she says, seeming content to remain where she is for the time being. However, after a moment she rises up to look at the clock. Her eyes widen in alarm, and she quickly leaps off of me and makes an effort to clean herself up as best as she can. I watch with a slight frown, not wanting her to leave so soon, but realizing I have no way to stop her. It’s not as if this meant we were in a relationship now; she’s made it clear how she feels about her boyfriend.

  Ebony offers me a final nervous smile, lips curled shyly as she makes her way to the door. I offer her my jacket, considering the state of her now non-existent shirt. She waves me off, snickering as she brushes a hand through her hair.

  “No one’s gonna be out in the woods to see me. Don’t worry about me, Jasper. You’ve done your part,” Ebony responds, reaching out to touch my cheek. There’s a certain glimmer of longing in her eye, but before I can reach out to her in turn, she steps away.

  “I can walk you home,” I offer, but she doesn’t slow her strides towards my door.

  “That’s not necessary, baby. I’ll be alright. I’ll see you around town, alright? Bye, now,” she calls out, slipping out the door. I watch her go with pursed lips, knowing I should respect her privacy enough to simply let her go.

  However, with the state she’d shown up in the night before, I’m worried about her well-being. Whistling for Blue, I grab my hunting rifle from its usual place and make my way out the door.

  If I play my cards right, she won’t even know I’m with her. I just want to know she’s safe. That’s all.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  After tracking Ebony for a few yards, I lose sight of her, much to my consternation. Blue doesn’t seem to lose her scent, however, leading me deeper and deeper into the woods. A sudden howl echoes through the forest, frighteningly nearby. I crouch low to the ground, glancing through the bushes to see a black wolf darting through the underbrush. Where there’s one wolf, there are usually more, so I’m thankful I brought my gun. From the looks of it, the little one has already gotten in a tussle with something.

  Blue seems intent upon trailing the little black wolf, and as much as I try to get him back on Ebony’s trail, he’s set in his ways. You can’t take the hunt out of a hound. Breathing a sigh, I trail behind the canines as quietly as possible. As the wolf breaks into a clearing, Blue and I hang back in the treeline.

  “Come on, Blue, we’ve lost her. Let’s head home,” I whisper. My little buddy ignores me altogether, a growl rumbling in his throat as another, larger wolf steps into the clearing. It’s a pale shade of silvery grey, and as soon as it spots the black wolf, the two begin to snap at each other. I grab Blue by the collar, trying to drag him away as the fight intensifies. All I can reason is that the little wolf is a loner, and the silver fella isn’t happy to see it in his territory. Just the same, it’s a good place for Blue and I to make our escape.

  At least, it would be if Blue didn’t lurch forward, into the clearing and towards the two wolves. My shout of protest dies on my lips as he rushes towards them. The silver wolf notices him immediately, but the other seems to want little more than to flee. It’s the least of my concerns, however. Fear rises up within me as the silver alpha turns his sights on my furry little friend. The two snarl and latch on to each other, saliva and blood flecking from Blue’s mouth as he sinks his teeth into the wolf’s hide.

  “Blue!” I cry out, bursting out into the clearing and firing a warning shot into the sky. The alpha tosses my hound to the side like some kind of rag doll, and Blue hits the ground in a heap. My heart leaps into my throat as I aim at the damn hellbeast, but I can’t get a good shot as the silver wolf rushes towards me. I fire blindly, crying out in agony as the wolf takes me down. He looms on top of me, foaming at the mouth as his remarkably intelligent eyes meet my own.

  I’m certain I’ve never seen such hate in a creature’s eyes before. It’s like this thing has some sort of grudge against me, some specific reason for wanting me dead. I’ve never had such issues with the wildlife before, but this may be the first and last time.

  Struggling to keep the alpha from tearing out my throat, I thrust my gun between us. He takes it in his teeth, trying desperately to yank it from my grip. All at once, however, a howl sounds that seems more like a war cry. The little black wolf barrels forward, slamming into the side of the other. They roll off of me, locked in their own fight as I struggle to get to my feet and rush towards Blue. He lays still on the ground, his mouth hanging open as he softly pants. There’s blood pouring from his hide, and tears pool in my eyes as I reach out to touch a hand to my plucky little hound’s side.

  “Blue,” I choke out, startled by the sound of a sudden scream. Cocking my gun, I turn towards the wolves, only to see the small black furred female had disappeared. In her place, beneath the silver alpha wolf, lay the woman I so adored. I’m not quite sure how I’d lost track of her, or how she’d managed to get herself in such a position, but I aim my gun at the silver wolf and fire a shot into his side. Ebony screams fearfully again, presumably from the sound of the shot. I drop my gun, lurching towards her in spite of my desire to scoop Blue up and turn tail.

  “Ebony, what are you doing here? Get outta here, go get help,” I plead with her, noticing that her injuries seem…somewhat strange. Not in the sense of what caused them, but moreso their specific positions on her body. It seems like she carries much the same wounds that my little wolf defender had carried, but…that doesn’t make any sense.

  “You don’t understand, Jasper. I’ll never be free. He’ll never let me go. You get out of here, save yourself! Maybe if he kills me, he’ll finally be happy,” she sobs hysterically. I can’t begin to fathom what she possibly means, but when the implication of her words hits me, it’s with all the force of a freight train.

  “You mean–,” I begin, cut short by the sound of a gun cocking. I wheel aro
und, eyes wide as I see the figure aiming a gun directly at my head. Malek’s side bleeds heavily, the wound directly in the spot where I had shot the silver alpha wolf. The pieces slowly begin to fall into place, and my mouth hangs agape as I realize the severity of the situation.

  These weren’t just any wolves. These just weren’t any humans, either. They were some strange mix of the two, something that, in the eyes of God, simply shouldn’t be. Yet, here they stand. The intelligence in the wolf’s icy blue eyes suddenly makes sense, the sheer hatred I had seen reflected back at me. Now, that creature, whatever he may be, is aiming my own hunting rifle upon me. It seems like he’s all too ready to blow my brains out of my skull, a maniacal expression in his eyes.

  “Oh, Jasper. You couldn’t just leave well enough alone. I knew, ever since I saw you in town with my wandering mate, that she had eyes for you. Seems she hasn’t yet gotten the idea that she belongs to me. It’s a pity. I had hoped to train her into obedience, but you can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” he rants, a wicked grin spreading across his face.

  “Malek, please. Just let him go! He didn’t do anything! You know that I’m the one you want. J-Jasper won’t tell anyone what he’s seen. Tell him, Jasper! He’ll let you go,” Ebony groaned urgently, the wounds that littered her body oozing blood at an alarming rate. I reach out to her, but Malek clears his throat to get our attention.

  “As much as I’d like to believe your little boyfriend can keep his big mouth shut, I see it in his eyes. He wants you as badly as you want him. The two of you have each other, now, aren’t you fortunate? You finally got to live together, and at this rate, you’ll die together,” he rasps out. Fear grips my body, but as I glance to Ebony, I can only think of her wellbeing. If there’s any chance she’ll escape this situation with her life, I’ll take full advantage of that opportunity.

  “Come on, now, Malek. There’s no sense in killing both of us. If she wants me, wouldn’t it be easier to… just knock me out of the picture? You can keep your mate, she can keep her life, and…well, no one will even notice that I’m gone. People in town will just figure I’ve moved on. You have nothing to lose by killing me. You have everything to lose by killing Ebony,” I say with as much confidence as I can muster. It’s all I can do not to wet myself, but I have to remain strong.

  Malek seems to consider my words, gesturing for Ebony to step closer to him. She resists, turning pleading eyes upon me. I give her a gentle nudge, offering her a sad smile. I want her to know that no matter how this ends, I don’t blame her.

  “You don’t have to do this,” she whispers urgently, reaching a hand out towards me. I deflect her, pushing her towards Malek with more urgency.

  “She… she can still be tamed. She won’t stray when you take me out of the picture. She’ll… she’ll know better. Won’t you, Ebony?” I prompt, and she chokes out a sob, refusing to answer. “Won’t you, Ebony?” I repeat more harshly, as much as it kills me to speak harshly to her. It’s for her own good. If she gets out of this alive, maybe there’s a chance she’ll manage to free herself from this foul creature’s grasp.

  “It would be a waste to try and find another mate, especially considering the luck it took to find this one,” Malek muses aloud. Ebony’s sobs grow more intense, and he whips around to slap her across the face. She hits the ground, clutching her cheek as she stares up at him. “He’s right, you know. Maybe after losing your little toy, you’ll finally learn your lesson. No one can love you like I do, Ebony. I’m the only one who can understand you. You’re a freak, a monster. Just like me. Even he can see that,” Malek taunts, and anger coils up inside me like a snake ready to strike.

  I take a step towards them, and Malek turns the gun towards me again. The barrel is aimed right between my eyes, and I have no doubt that one shot will be all he needs.

  “Ebony…you’re no monster. I… I love–” I begin. Then, he pulls the trigger.

  EPILOGUE

  “Is he alright? I swear, he gets out when he knows it’ll worry me the most,” I announce, emerging from the front door of my cabin. I wrap an arm around Ebony’s shoulder, grimacing as the wound on my shoulder is agitated. The wound still aches, as if the exchange had taken place mere days before.

  I could still see the barrel of his own gun leveled between my eyes, the wolf shifter’s finger moving towards the trigger with the intent to kill. I had been sure I was at the end of my life, though I couldn’t help feeling as if my life had only just begun. If it meant Ebony would escape with her life, however, my sacrifice was one with purpose. In my last moments, I only wished that I could see Blue one last time, and offer the dog some comfort in his final moments.

  When the male wolf shifter had been thrown off of his feet, both Ebony and I alike were startled. It wasn’t clear, initially, who or what had come to their aid. The gun was knocked off kilter just enough to miss my head, the bullet instead finding purchase in my shoulder. The pain was nearly enough to drop me to my knees, but Ebony quickly rushed over to me to offer some support. The sounds of a savage snarling as well as cries of pain echoed through the clearing, and I could only wonder if some other little critter had delayed the inevitable. However, when I lay eyes upon a familiar blue tick coat, I knew that my little buddy had come through for me, just as he always had. The hound sank his teeth repeatedly into Malek’s skin, tearing through his human flesh and leaving gaping wounds in his wake.

  Blue had never been a dog to turn a harsh glance upon anyone, much less growl at them. In that moment, however, he was out for blood.

  Malek managed to free himself of the hound’s grip, but I had already grabbed my trusty rifle from where it had been dropped on the ground. The one purebred human among the group leveled the gun towards Malek, and with the tables turned, it hadn’t taken longer than a moment for the evil man to flee.

  Since that day, they hadn’t seen hide nor hair of the blue-eyed wolf shifter. Immediately after he escaped, I had scooped up my trusty hound in spite of the painful wound in my shoulder. We had made our way to town, which was a feat in and of itself. There had been some question as to whether Blue would make it through the night; he’d lost a lot of blood and that last bit of exertion had nearly taken it out of him. Jackson, for all his lack of true veterinary training, managed to patch the dog up well enough. Blue wasn’t planning to give up, not as long as he had his people to take care of.

  Those days were in the past, however. It was pretty obvious that no one in town would believe their story, unless Ebony were to up and prove the existence of shifters by example. I had my suspicions that they’d send her off to some lab for testing, or worse, if they found out about her true nature. As it stood, I wasn’t willing to give up the woman I had only just managed to call my own. We worried, still, if Malek would return for us. Ebony worried more than anyone, still feeling guilty for the part she had played in the entire incident. However, me and Blue wouldn’t let her feel bad for long.

  “You really think he’s gone for good?” Ebony inquires quietly, watching with some amusement dancing in her gaze as that same squirrel shuffles back down the tree to taunt their beloved hound. Blue barks loudly and obnoxiously, enough to echo through the woods all around them. Smirking, I draw Ebony closer and pull her in for a kiss. Their lips meet tenderly, and the ring on her finger glints in the sunlight as she tangles a hand in his hair.

  “I think so. Malek was a bona fide psycho, but he didn’t seem to be an idiot. He knows he won’t be as lucky to get out alive again, if he does show his face. If that happens, well…we’ll just have to be ready for him,” I assure my bride-to-be. She smiles serenely, glancing back out towards the forest. The haunted look that she used to wear while staring deep into those woods is absent now, hopefully gone forever. I wonder what she’s thinking, when suddenly she bursts into laughter. She clutches her stomach lightly, shaking her head in what appears to be disbelief.

  “I can’t believe you were enough of a fool to want to marry me. After all the trouble I put y
ou through? I must be the luckiest woman on the planet,” she says, eyes alight with amusement. I roll my eyes, lacing his fingers with her own. I glance down at the tiny diamond on her finger, what little I could afford with the meager amount of money I make.

  “I can’t believe you were enough of a fool to accept the proposal. With that piddly little ring… I mean, hell,” I rant. Ebony continues to laugh, brushing her hand against the stubble on his grizzled cheek.

  “Well, I’m not marrying you for the ring. I’m marrying you because I love you, you dope,” she declares, her expression sincere. After a moment, the expression shifts to a more devious one. “If not for love, because of that big weapon you’re packing, and I don’t mean your hunting rifle,” she teases, licking her lips salaciously as she rakes her eyes up and down his body. While they’re still healing somewhat, the sex has been a bit sparse, their intimate encounters few and far between.

  “Well, I haven’t had the chance to hit the firing range lately,” I respond. I’m hoping she’ll take the hint, but my beautiful lover seems lost in thought. Her expression is distant, and abruptly she reaches out to take her man by the hand.