“Yes, Matt is my half-brother. He’s one of the geniuses of my family, you know?” Frankie eyed Enzo. “The first of our family to graduate college, and he works at a tech startup that’s going to go big. Pure smarts. Unlike my other good-for-nothing brothers.”
“Frankie,” Enzo warned. “You shouldn’t talk that away about…our other brothers.”
Frankie’s teasing eyes sparkled. “Well, we do have that one brother who’s practically a convict.”
“He was never charged,” Enzo said as he gritted his teeth. “Only arrested.”
“Anyway, Jade,” she said, giving the younger woman a pat on the shoulder. “You’re in good hands with Matt, and if he doesn’t treat you right, he’ll answer to me.” Frankie looked back at Sebastian. “So, a table for you two?”
Zac swallowed a gulp. “I’ll go wait in the car, boss,” he said as he walked away.
“Just one,” Sebastian said gruffly. “That one,” he said, pointing to the table directly behind Jade.
“Of course. Just a moment,” Frankie signaled to one of the waiters. “All right, Mr. Creed. Go ahead and sit down. One of my servers will bring you a menu.”
Sebastian gave Enzo one last glare and then walked to his table.
Frankie placed her hands on her hips and leaned down to stare at Jade straight in the eyes. “The way that man looks at you, Jade…” She sighed and shook her head. “You are in big trouble. Remember what they say about apex predators: don’t show him your back and for God’s sake, don’t run.” She whipped around and headed to the host’s station, where a group was waiting for their table.
Jade’s hands curled into fists. How dare he? How could he just walk in here and think he could interrupt her fake date?
“Careful, Jade, I can see the steam rising out of your ears,” Meredith said into the comm.
“Is he really sitting behind us?”
“Oh yeah,” Enzo answered, glancing behind Jade. “And it looks could kill…well, let’s say I’d be dead ten times over by now.”
“I think this isn’t working out the way we wanted,” Lara whispered.
“Shush…it’s all going exactly as planned,” Meredith said.
“How?” Jade grumbled. “He’s supposed to back off and leave me alone. Now he’s practically sitting in our laps.”
“The night isn’t over yet, Jade,” the other Lycan assured her.
“Don’t remind me,” Jade said wryly.
Thankfully, their antipasti arrived, and Jade dug into the delicious cheese and proscuitto plate, trying to ignore the fact that Sebastian’s eyes were boring a hole into her head.
“Enzo,” Meredith whispered. “You have to make it look more convincing. You should hold her hand or kiss her or something.”
“What? Are you crazy?” Enzo exclaimed. “This guy looks like he could tear me in half right now. I don’t want to die yet.”
“Pussy,” Meredith huffed. “Jade, start flirting! You guys look like you’re attending a funeral, not a hot, romantic date.”
Flirting? How was she supposed to do that? “Um, so, Matt…tell me about the company you work for.” Enzo looked like he was a deer in headlights. Oh, shoot a monkey! That’s right, she couldn’t ask him about his job! He probably didn’t even know the first thing about computers. “I mean, tell me about the restaurant! Your family owns it, right?”
Enzo looked relieved. “Uh, yeah…my grandparents moved to America from Italy and started it. The first one’s in Jersey and my Nonna Gianna, that’s my grandma’s cousin, runs the kitchen there while my brother Dante works the one here.”
“Sounds great,” Jade said nonchalantly, taking a sip of the Chianti their server just poured into her glass. The cool liquid went down her throat and a warm feeling pooled in her belly. “How does your family manage to run both restaurants?”
“Well, Frankie still is general manager of both restaurants. She splits her time between the two. I run…I mean, my brother Enzo runs things here when she’s gone. Rafe, my youngest brother and I help out on the weekends when it’s packed,” Enzo explained.
“Blah blah blah,” Meredith interjected. “Are you guys gonna get it on or what?”
“We are not making out!” Jade hissed and downed the rest of her wine. “He’s still there, right?”
“Oh yeah,” Enzo said, tugging at his shirt’s collar. “And it looks like he’s done just watching.”
“What?” Jade felt the shadow looming over her. Slowly, she looked up and saw Sebastian standing by their table. He had his arms crossed and a scowl directed right at her.
“Care to tell me what game you’re playing?”
She gave him a venomous stare, poured herself another glass of Chianti, and chugged it down as delicately as she could. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Sebastian grabbed the comm unit from her ear, and threw it on the table then gave her a pointed look.
“Well, I’m done poking this bear,” Enzo shrugged as he stood up. “Good luck, buddy,” he said to Sebastian as he walked away.
“Abort! Abort!” Meredith shouted from across the room as she and Lara stood up from the booth and scampered towards the rear exit.
“Traitors,” Jade said to no one in particular. She made a grab for the bottle of wine, but Sebastian snatched it away.
“I think we’re done here,” he said. “Get up. I’m taking you home.”
“But we haven’t paid,” she replied.
“I’m sure Enzo can put it on his tab. Let’s go.”
Jade shot him an annoyed look. How the fudge did he figure out that was Enzo and not Matt? She huffed and pushed back on her chair, the wood scraping loudly against the floor. “I’m perfectly fine getting home on my own.”
A large hand wrapped around her arm. “You’re not getting away from me this time, darlin’.” Sebastian tugged her towards the exit.
“Have a good evening, Mr. Creed. Jade,” Frankie said as they left Muccino’s. Pleading eyes sent to the Lupa did nothing, and Jade found herself being dragged out the door.
“Will you please stop manhandling me?” Jade demanded as soon as they were outside.
“Only if you promise you won’t run away again.”
“Fine. I won’t.”
Sebastian released her arm, sending her a warning glare. “Don’t move from that spot.” He took his phone out of his pocket and dialed.
She considered making a run for it, but the Lupa’s warning rang in her head. Still, the nerve of this man! And where were her friends? Shouldn’t they be coming to her rescue? Maybe they didn’t love her, after all. She’d give them a piece of her mind tomorrow.
A sleek black car pulled up in front of them, and Zac got out of the driver’s seat. “Here you go, boss.”
“Thanks, Zac,” Sebastian said. “Open the door for the lady, would you?”
“No prob.” The young man walked over to the other side and pulled the passenger side seat open.
Jade stomped over to the car and glared at Zac. “I hope you’re happy with yourself.”
“Just followin’ the boss’ orders, Doc,” he shrugged.
With a huff, Jade got into the passenger side seat and angrily clicked her seatbelt into place. Sebastian spoke to Zac and then slid into the seat beside her. Without a word or glance at her, he drove away from Muccino’s.
“Where are we going?” she finally asked.
“I’m taking you home, where you can stay out of trouble,” he said gruffly.
“I wasn’t in any kind of trouble!” Jade protested.
“Then what was that all about? You never go out, not even to dinner or with your girlfriends, and now you’ve had three dates in a row?”
“Who I go out with is none of your business!” she sneered.
“You’re a virgin. You can’t possibly know what those men want from you,” he said through gritted teeth.
“And what if I told you I wasn’t a virgin anymore?”
The car suddenly s
topped with a loud screech. His hands gripped the steering wheel, and then his head slowly swung towards her. “Who the fuck is he?” Sebastian bellowed, his gray eyes turning to stone. “Who touched you?”
The interior of the two-seater sports car was already compact, yet Jade felt the air inside constrict. The anger from Sebastian was palpable, making it hard to breathe. “I haven’t…I didn’t…” She shook her head.
Sebastian visibly relaxed and Jade felt the tension ease. “Not that anything’s going to happen anytime soon with you always around,” she grumbled, sinking back into her seat.
“What are you talking about?”
“Nothing!” she said petulantly.
Sebastian continued driving and, after a few minutes, they stopped in front of her apartment building. Jade unbuckled her seatbelt and stormed out of the car, heading straight through the doors.
The doorman greeted her good evening, but she ignored him. She thought she had gotten rid of Sebastian, but he quickly caught up with her as she entered the elevator.
She seethed, pressing herself against the wall, trying to get as far away from him as possible. Why the hell was he following her?
As soon as the doors opened, she marched out, ignoring Sebastian as he called her name.
“Just wait, Jade!” Sebastian’s boots stomped on the hardwood floors as he overtook her, blocking her front door.
“I’m here at home where no one can harm me! I’d say your job is done for the day!” She pushed against him, not that it did anything.
“Stop, Jade. Stop!” he bellowed. “Now, tell me what’s going on with you. What was tonight all about? Why was your friend coaching you on the comm?”
“Coaching me?”
“That’s what they were doing, right? I could hear them, you know. Your friends weren’t being subtle, and I know when I’m being watched.”
She frowned. Did he hear the comm unit from that far away? “If you must know, they were helping me.”
“Helping you get laid?” he said, his jaw tensing.
“Helping me get rid of you!” She looked up at him, her eyes blazing with anger. “You’ve been interfering with my dates—”
“You mean saving you from those losers?” he retorted. “Really, Jade? That asshole Daniel and then that slimy French guy?”
Jade felt the mortification course through her veins, her cheeks flaming. “So, I’ve made some questionable choices! That doesn’t give you the right to judge me or make me feel small or worthless, just because I can’t get a guy to…!” She fought the tears threatening to spill, swallowing down the great big lump forming in her throat.
Sebastian’s face changed from anger to shock. “No,” he shook his head, running his fingers through his hair. “Fuck! Jade, that’s not…you’re not worthless!” He pushed her against the door, trapping her with his arms. “You’re not, Jade. Absolutely. Not. Worthless. You’re worth more than any treasure in this world.”
“Then why did you…” No, she couldn’t take it anymore. He was too much, too overpowering. His scent seemed to envelop her, clinging to her, and it was making her dizzy. She tried to wiggle away from him, but he was too big, too strong. “You didn’t want to be my first, but I can’t have anyone else?” Anger bubbled up inside her. What was his game? Did he get some sick enjoyment from humiliating her? “What kind of thinking is that? That you get to screw whoever you want but I can’t—”
“I haven’t been with anyone else!” he roared. “Not since you.”
“Well, good for you! I’m sure this job’s been keeping you busy, but don’t worry, I won’t be inconveniencing you for much longer!”
“I mean I haven’t even looked at another woman since Liam Henney showed me your picture the night before we rescued you!”
Jade’s jaw dropped, the shock from his confession making her freeze. That was weeks ago! Had he really not been with anyone else? “Then why?”
“Why what?”
“Why did you run away from me in the greenhouse? When you found out I was a virgin? Were you repulsed by the thought of touching me—”
Sebastian pushed his body against her, and something hard and warm poked at her stomach. “Does this feel like I’m repulsed? Goddammit, woman, I’ve had a near permanent hard-on since I met you, and I can’t get it to go away.”
Jade didn’t think she could be more shocked. Or aroused. Sebastian’s rock hard body pinning her against the wall, his cock pressing insistently at her, it was too much. Desire pooled in her belly, making her nipples hard and wetness gush between her legs. “Sebastian,” she said in a low voice, her eyes dropping.
“Don’t say my name like that, darlin’,” he whispered as he bent his head. “Or I won’t be able to hold myself back.”
His lips were close to her ear she could feel his hot breath. She looked up at him, first into his steely eyes and then to his mouth.
With groan, he bent his head down and pressed his mouth against hers. She eagerly accepted his kiss, opening up to him so he could dip his tongue into her mouth. He tasted even more delicious than she remembered, and oh so warm and masculine. Teeth nipped at her bottom lips, sucking back. He was devouring her, consuming her, and Lord knows she wanted it.
He pulled away, and she whimpered at the loss. He groaned, thumping his forehead against the door.
“Sebastian…please…” She slid her hands up his hard chest. “I want you to be my first,” she confessed. “It doesn’t have to mean anything afterwards. I swear I don’t need a relationship.”
***
The Beast roared inside him, and he pulled away from her.
Jade was offering herself to him, no strings attached. Wasn’t that the perfect arrangement for a man like him? Have his fill, get what he wanted, and then leave without any consequences.
Sebastian looked down at her, ready to walk away. The blush on her cheeks made her look even more beautiful and innocent. If only it were someone else. But not her. He shouldn’t be anyone’s first. He was too rough, too jaded. He should say no.
“Yes,” he said against his better judgement. He brushed a strand of hair away from her forehead, running his fingers down her smooth cheek to her jaw and down to her collarbones.
“Do you want to come in?” she asked, looking up at him with expectant eyes.
He nodded, unable to say another word. Jade twisted around, grabbed her keys from her purse and opened the door. She walked in, taking his hand.
Sebastian looked around Jade’s apartment, taking in everything at once. It was neat, not overly feminine, but not too cold either. The decor was very homey, with a large central living and dining area and an open kitchen in one corner. An entire wall was lined with bookshelves, filled with probably close to a hundred books. On the opposite wall was a door that probably led to the bedroom.
Jade stepped out of her shoes, then padded to the living room, placing her purse on the coffee table. She turned around, looking up at him with her light green eyes.
He closed the distance between them in a few strides. Gently, he gathered Jade into his arms, lifting her up and wrapping her legs around him. Fuck, he could feel the heat of her core through their layers of clothing. Her sweet scent shot desire straight to his crotch, making his cock strain even harder against his jeans. With a grunt, he settled them down on her couch, making Jade straddle him.
“Are we going to have sex on the couch?” she asked, her brows wrinkling.
“No,” he said with a small smile. “Not yet. Not tonight.”
“But I thought—”
Sebastian silenced her with a kiss, his beard scratching at her delicate skin as his lips sipped from hers. “Your first time will be special,” he said, staring deep into her eyes. “I don’t want you to think about what happened tonight or any other night before this. I’m going to make you forget about what I did and how I made you feel like nothing.”
“Then what are you…oh!” Her eyes rolled back as Sebastian spread her knees and shifted her
hips, so the bulge under his jeans hit her in the right spot. Her scent was mixed with something else, something he couldn’t identify but was probably all her, and it went straight to his brain.
“Tonight’s just a little preview, darlin’,” he drawled. “Just so you know what you’re getting into and to give you a chance to change your mind.”
“I won’t,” she said, frowning at him.
“Still…” He buried his hand in her hair and pulled her to him for another kiss. Her sweet, lush mouth opened up to him, warm and delicious. She sighed against him, pressing her curves against him. His hand crawled up her ribcage, pulling her dress down to release her breasts. He palmed one soft tit, the hard nipple pressing against his palm.
“Sebastian,” she cried out, her hands planting on his shoulders as she arched into him. He shoved his other hand under her skirt. His fingers slipped between then, tracing the seam of her pussy through the damp, silky panties. “Please, please,” she moaned. Glittering green eyes looked at him, pleading. “I’ve never…had an orgasm.”
“Fuck,” he groaned. “Never?”
She shook her head, her cheeks heating.
“Don’t be embarrassed, darlin’,” he cooed. “That’s nothing to be ashamed of.” She was completely untouched, innocent, and he would be the one to give her the first taste of pleasure. He wanted to make sure it was memorable. Picking her up like she weighed nothing, he laid her back down on the couch cushions, then took off his leather jacket. It was getting way too hot in here.
Her eyes looked at him appreciatively as he sat there in his white t-shirt. Her gaze moved across his broad shoulders, over his muscled arms, lingering on the tattoos that covered his left arm.
“Just lay back and relax, Jade,” he said, flashing her a wicked smile. He positioned himself between her legs, spreading her knees and pushing the skirt up around her waist. Her white silk panties were soaked through, the wet spot in front growing. She smelled delicious, and it took all his energy not to rip her panties away. Sebastian hooked his fingers over the waistband and pulled the fabric down, exposing her perfect, pink cunt.
“Sebastian!” she cried out as he pressed his lips against her. She squirmed under him as he made a meal out of her, kissing and licking her wet nether lips. Her scent filled his nostrils, and her taste on his tongue and in his mouth were driving him crazy. He rubbed his cock against the couch cushions, trying to relieve the ache.
Taming the Beast Page 13
