“Do not cry, Adrianna,” he said when he felt the wetness from her face. “I told you, it was a long time ago.”
She sniffed. “And no one knew what caused their deaths?”
“They didn’t find anything conclusive. It was like … their hearts just stopped. The private investigator my grandfather hired said it might have been some unknown chemical from a nearby plant.”
“But you survived unscathed?”
He ran his hand through his hair. “Not quite. My hair turned this color permanently. Which is why the PI thought it might have been chemical related.” To this day, however, he still hadn’t found any substance that changed hair color permanently. He had tried to find out more about his family’s death, but was met with the same dead ends as the private investigator.
“Darius … I’m so sorry.” She reached up and ran her fingers through his hair, massaging his scalp. “I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t.” He grabbed her hand gently. “Do not pity me.”
Her mouth opened in shock. “I didn’t … this isn’t pity.” She lifted her head to meet his gaze. “You’re so strong, going through all that and still coming out on the other side.”
He came out alive, but he had been changed permanently. His wolf had changed, too. He had just learned to shift that summer before they left, but after that, it became unmanageable. He would black out at random times, waking up and realizing that he had shifted and his wolf took total control of their body. Anatoli had him locked up for weeks until he went back to normal. At least, learned to make it seem like he was normal. “I should have died with them. I shouldn’t have survived.”
“No!” She wrapped her arms tight around him. “I won’t have you saying such things. You were a boy. Maybe you were meant to survive.”
“We will never know,” he said.
“I’m sorry you lost your family,” she said in a quiet voice. “I feel terrible though. You wouldn’t be hurt if it wasn’t for me.”
“I would gladly be hurt a hundred times if it meant I could hold you like this. Every moment spent with you is worth any pain.” The confession came out of nowhere but he was glad he said it. Letting her think that he only wanted her body and didn’t care for her at all had been eating away at him.
“Are you feeling better?” Her hands ran over his stomach. “All healed up?”
“Yes. I’m feeling fine—” He stopped short when she slid her body over him, straddling his hips. “Adrianna?”
“My choice.” She slid the robe off her shoulders, baring herself to him. “This is my choice.”
He let out a grunt when she placed her hands on his abs and trailed her fingers up his chest, leaning down so she could press her lips to his for a slow, thoughtful kiss. God, she was sweeter than honey, than anything else he’d ever tasted.
Spreading her legs wider, she rocked her hips against him and mewled against his mouth. He grabbed the robe and pulled it off completely, leaving her naked. Her arousal perfumed the air, and he groaned as he could feel the heat of her core on his cock even through his jeans and underwear.
A surprised gasp escaped her lips when he flipped her over. Impatiently, he unbuttoned his fly and tugged his jeans down over his hips. His cock was fully hard and aching to be in her. But he wanted to feast on her delectable, curvy body first. He kissed her hard again, then trailed kisses lower, down to her bare breasts.
“Darius!” Her fingers grabbed at his hair when he took a nipple into his mouth. He sucked in deep as his other hand teased and pinched the other. A soft nip with his teeth had her squirming beneath him.
“Please,” she begged. “I need you. Inside me.”
“Not yet,” he whispered. “Just let me have another taste.” He moved lower, nipping and sucking at her delicate skin. When his head was between her thighs, he took in a deep breath, drowning in the scent of her. He pressed his mouth to her sex, spreading her juices all over with his tongue and lips. She bucked her hips at him, and he slid his tongue inside her tight pussy. God, she would feel incredible around his cock. He reached down to stroke himself to ease the ache while continuing to lave her with his tongue.
“Darius!” she cried out when his mouth found her clit. The bud was swollen and begging for his attention. He lashed at it with his tongue and she sobbed as her body shook with pleasure, her hands digging into his shoulders.
“Adrianna.” He shrugged his remaining clothes off, then pushed her knees apart as he positioned himself to take her. “I want you so bad.” Guiding his shaft, he pressed the tip of his cock against her entrance.
Her hands clung to his shoulders, her fingers like claws digging into his flesh as he began to move. She was so tight and warm, and even though her pussy was drenched, she still winced as he filled her.
“God. Adrianna. You’re so—ungh!” She squeezed around him and he thought he would lose it. He wasn’t ready yet. Wanted to give her pleasure. Make her moan. Make her scream his name.
He pulled her hair to force her head back, and he swooped down to give her a deep kiss. It was rough and wild, but she didn’t protest, instead moaned against his mouth. His tongue slipped into her mouth and he moved his hips to match the rhythm.
The feel of her around him was unlike anything he’d ever experienced before. Her lush body, her lips, her entire being was swallowing him whole, and he didn’t want it to stop.
He hooked his arms under her legs, then pulled her lower on the bed so he could put his feet on the ground for more leverage. She let out a loud yelp as he thrust hard into her, and her eyeballs rolled back.
“Oh God! Oh God!”
Her breasts bounced deliciously with each thrust, and when he changed the angle of his hips, she screamed his name and fisted her hands into the sheets above her. Wrapping her legs around his waist, he loomed over her, grabbing her wrists and pinning her to the bed so he could lean down and devour her succulent lips again.
She squeezed hard around him, pulsing around his cock as she orgasmed again. He let her ride it out, peaking and then bringing her down before slamming hard into her, pummeling into her furiously, demanding another orgasm from her. He didn’t stop until her body was shaking and she let out a pleasured whimper.
“Please, Darius,” she sobbed. “I can’t possibly come anymore …”
“No,” he growled. “You’ll be done when I say you are.”
He lifted her up and then bounced her body, impaling her on his cock. She clung to him, her hips pistoning up and down on him until her tight pussy pulsed around him and he felt her juices run down his cock and drench his thighs. He turned around and sat down on the bed so she straddled him.
“Move,” he ordered.
She obeyed, grinding her hips against his. Reaching down between them, he found her swollen clit and gave it a soft pinch. That sent her over the edge and he could feel her tightening around him again. He pumped his hips up at her, meeting her thrusts and when he felt that now-familiar fluttering of her pussy, he let go, roaring loudly as his cock pulsed and twitched and filled her with his seed. It felt like it went on forever, his heart racing and the blood pumping in his veins as pleasure coursed through him.
He felt physically and mentally drained, so he fell back on the bed. Adrianna collapsed on top of him, her breath coming in gasps. He stroked her back until her breathing evened, and he felt his cock go soft and slip out of her.
Neither moved for a few heartbeats, but eventually, she lifted her head up. “I should get ready.”
He checked the clock on the bedside table. “You can wait a few more minutes.”
“I—Darius!” She giggled when he rolled her over and pinned her down on the bed. “Don’t think this will stop me from getting out of bed.”
“I’m stronger than you,” he teased. She looked even more beautiful with the afterglow of their lovemaking clearly marked on her face.
“I wish I didn’t have to. I could stay in here with you all day.”
“Why don’t you?”
Her br
ows knitted together. “You know why. I still have this crisis to deal with.”
The explosion at the restaurant. He’d lost his mind and forgotten why she was here. “You have an entire suite outside,” he said. “Couldn’t you work from here? I promise to stay inside the bedroom.” He nipped at her lips. “Besides, you’re dealing with a lot today and you’ll surely be stressed out. And I know a great way to relieve your tensions.”
“Do you, now? I—Ooohhh, Darius!” she purred as he kissed her neck, dragging his lips along the delicate column. “I guess that’s not a bad idea.”
“It’s a fantastic idea.”
Chapter Sixteen
Staying in her suite was, indeed, a fantastic idea. For one thing, she had more privacy and she didn’t have to feel like a goldfish in a bowl while she sat in Emerson Communications’ meeting room. But, having Darius nearby actually helped her focus on her work and do what she needed to do to manage this crisis. His presence was soothing, even though he was just sitting on the couch a few feet away from her. Plus, as he said, he was able to help her relieve her stress. Three times.
Heat crept into her cheeks, thinking about all the sex in the last twelve hours. Even in her past relationships, it was never like this. She wondered if it was because Darius was a Lycan that she seemed extra frisky around him. And God, that body. He seemed amused that she found his rock-hard abs and muscled chest so attractive that she had to order him to put on a robe or else she wasn’t going to get any work done.
Speaking of work, it seemed like the crisis was mostly handled, though she still had to make a live appearance on a cable news network show tomorrow morning to reassure people that it was safe to go to their restaurants. Now that she had time to breathe, it was time to call her mother and tell her about what happened last night. It shouldn’t be a difficult call, but as a grown woman, it was still hard to concede to her parents that they were right all along.
“Mimma, how’s everything?” Frankie said as soon as she picked up.
“As well as it could be,” she said before rattling off the list of things she had accomplished, including setting up a trust for the families of those who had died in the accident.
“Excellent, I knew you could handle it.” The fierce pride in her mother’s voice was evident. “Now, is there anything else?”
She took a long, deep breath. “Yes.” She already knew how Frankie would react to the fact that she had waited a whole day to tell her that she was almost kidnapped. It didn’t make the ear-blasting she got sting less.
When Frankie finally calmed down, she said, “I’m so relieved you’re safe, Adrianna. And now I’m glad I followed my instincts and agreed to have Darius guard you.”
“Yeah, Mama, me too.” She glanced over at Darius, who was sitting on the couch, watching the muted TV. His robe had opened into a deep V, showing off his tattoos and those muscled pecs she enjoyed kissing and biting. Her eyes trailed down to the tantalizing view of his abs and the trail of hair that disappeared under the robe. He must have felt her stare because he turned his head, his cobalt eyes sending her a look that made her core clench.
“Adrianna? Adrianna? Are you there?”
“Yes! I’m here. I mean—” She crossed her legs, hoping that would ease the ache. “Was there anything else?”
“I think we’re good. I’m coming home the day after tomorrow,” she said. “And I have a surprise for you.”
“A surprise?”
“Yes, but I’m still arranging it. I’ll tell you once I’m back.”
“All right, Mama, I’ll talk to you then. Say hello to Uncle Dante.”
“I will. You be careful. Bye, mimma.”
When she heard the soft click of the receiver and the line went dead, she put the phone down on the table.
“Everything okay?” Darius’s hand landed gently on her back, making soothing circles.
“Yes. Actually, it went better than I thought,” she chuckled. “I half expected her to send an army down here.”
“You do not need an army. All you need is me.”
Do I ever.
“I’ve ordered dinner from room service,” he said. “I didn’t know what you wanted, so I ordered one of everything from the menu.”
Her stomach gurgled loudly at the thought of food. “Oh good, I’m starving.” Going through a PR crises must burn thousands of calories because she had eaten enough food for ten men today. Or maybe it was the sex …
He took her hand and pulled her up. “It’s past seven, and you’ve been working all day.”
“Well, not all day,” she teased. “So, what time will room service be here?”
“Twenty minutes?”
“So, what you’re saying is, we have time?”
He tugged the robe off his shoulders and let it fall to the floor.
Oh, madre de dio.
Shower sex had never been on her bucket list; in fact, it sounded uncomfortable and not enjoyable at all. But, as her body wracked with a second orgasm from Darius’s furious pounding into her while holding her against the wet tiles of her bathroom en suite, she was glad she’d experienced it before she left this earth, as well as the other pleasures he’d introduced her to for the last two days.
“Please, Darius, no more,” she whimpered, the spray of the rainfall shower blinding her vision.
“One more, Adrianna,” he said in between thrusts. “One more for me.”
She screamed his name, her voice echoing and bouncing off the walls. He captured her mouth to silence her, his mouth devouring hers as he pummeled harder into her, grunting as she felt his cock spasm, his warm, sticky come pumping into her.
When the pounding of her heartbeat slowed down—or was that his?—she unhooked her legs from him. He pulled out of her and set her down gently on the floor. “You did great.” He kissed the top of her head.
“Uh, thanks?” She gave him a teasing smile. “I’m going to feel that though,” she said, wincing as she tried to take a step forward. “I’m going to feel all of it.”
“You did not protest when I woke you up this morning,” he said. “Or late last night. Or that time before dinner. Or after room service left.”
“You’ve made your point,” she said with a laugh. “We should—” The sound of the doorbell interrupted her.
“Are you expecting anyone?”
“No.” It was early in the morning and the car wasn’t picking her up to take her to the TV station until later that day. “I should go check who it is.” She grabbed her robe as she exited the stall and headed out into the main suite.
“All right, all right! Hold your horses!” The bell continued to ring impatiently and she picked up her pace. She yanked the door open. “What the hell is the matter—Julianna? What are you doing here?”
Her sister stood on the other side of the door, hands on her hips, a frown creasing her forehead. “I’ve been calling you since I got into the city,” she said. “And I sent you a message this morning about me coming here. Didn’t you get it?”
“Uh …” She didn’t get to check her phone first thing this morning, as waking up with Darius’s head between her legs had proven to be a distraction. “Sorry. I’ve been busy.”
Julianna stepped past her and made her way into the suite. “Mama called last night and asked that I come here. Why didn’t you tell me someone tried to kidnap you? Or that Darius apparently showed up here and—” She stopped suddenly, her eyes narrowing.
“Julianna?”
She glanced around, as if looking for something.
“Julianna, wait!”
But her sister had already dashed toward the bedroom. She cursed loudly as she tried to catch her before she got to the door. “Wait, I—”
Julianna’s eyes were as big as frisbees, and understandably so, seeing as Darius came out of the bathroom wearing only a towel around his waist. She looked at the rumpled sheets on the bed, then at Darius, then back at Adrianna.
“I can explain,” she began.
“I wasn’t going to lie.” She looked to Darius helplessly.
“It’s not what you think,” he began. “We are—”
“I’d like to speak to my sister alone, please,” Julianna said, not even looking at him.
He flashed Adrianna a concerned look, but she nodded.
“Of course,” he said. “I’ll be outside.” He grabbed his discarded pants from the floor and headed outside.
Darius was barely out of earshot when Julianna started raving. “What. The. Hell!” she cried. “I can’t believe you’re fucking him! Is this some form of Stockholm syndrome where—”
“He’s not keeping me hostage,” she retorted. “And I know what I’m doing!”
“Know what you’re—” Julianna raised her hands in frustration. “Something’s not right with that guy! I know it.” There was a dangerous glint in her eyes. “He can’t stay here.”
“He’s here to protect me! Or don’t you remember Mama’s orders?”
“I mean,” Julianna began, “he can’t stay here in D.C.” She put her hands on her hips. “Tell me, when you spoke to Mama did you conveniently leave out the part where he didn’t have permission from Senator Burns to be in this territory?”
Dammit! She knew she should have secured permission from the Alpha as soon as Darius got here, but she had been too distracted. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Try me.”
She spun around, unable to stay in the same room with her sister at that moment. Marching out the door, she found Darius standing by the bedroom door.
“She’s right,” he said. “We have waited too long to ask for permission.”
“I could still ask him.”
“But there will be a price to pay,” he said. “And you know how politicians are.”
“True, but it would be worth it. I don’t want to be apart from you.”
“Be practical,” he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. “You’re headed back to Jersey tomorrow, right?”
Claiming the Alpha Page 12
