by Faith Gibson
“I don’t want to hurt you, Kat,” he groaned. She could tell he was holding back the way his neck was corded and his face was strained. If she didn’t know better, she would have thought he was in pain.
“You won’t. Please,” she begged, sinking her nails into his arms. Sex with other men had been to scratch an itch. What she and Julian were doing was something indescribable. She couldn’t find the exact words in her brain to explain what he was doing to her or what she needed from him, but it was like two auras of different colors swirling in a vortex until they were a new color. One brighter and more beautiful together than they were alone.
Julian wrapped his arms under her shoulders and thrust into her core so hard, she thought they were going to come off the bed. Kat locked her legs around his thighs and held on while he gave it to her the way she asked for. It didn’t take long for another orgasm to build. She’d never gotten off from penetration, but then she had known sex with Julian would be different. Better. His muttered curses only fueled her on, knowing it was her making him come apart the same way he was her. She had never been vocal in the bedroom, but she couldn’t silence the scream that left her throat when she tipped over the edge in a release like nothing she’d ever felt. Shouting his name, Kat’s vision swam and white sparks flashed behind her closed eyelids.
With a shout that almost caused hearing loss in her good ear, Julian’s own orgasm took over as he emptied his seed into her. His body shook as his erection pulsed. The look when he opened his eyes let her know he felt the connection. His breathing was labored, and all she could do was hold on as he continued to grip her shoulders tightly while coming down from his high. There was no way Kat could ever have sex with anyone else after that. As clichéd as it sounded in her head, Julian Stone had ruined her for all other men.
“Wow,” Kat whispered, grinning at Julian, once the intensity left his face. Until it had, she’d been afraid to move.
Julian rubbed their noses together before slanting his mouth across hers. He kept the kiss soft and quick. Rolling over to his side, he pulled at Kat’s body so she was also on her side facing him. “Did I hurt you?” he implored.
“No. You gave me exactly what I asked for.”
“Do you…” Julian hesitated to ask whatever was on his mind. It was odd seeing an alpha-type man falter.
“Do I what?”
“Do you always like it rough?” he asked softly, as if the gentle tone could soften her answer should he not like it. She understood why he hesitated to ask. No one wanted to hear about their partner’s previous sexual escapades. Her included. She had no desire to find out how many women Julian had gone through to become such a skilled lover.
“To be honest, no. I’m not that experienced, but the few men I’ve been with left something to be desired. With you, I felt…. I needed the deeper connection with you.”
Julian brushed a strand of hair off Kat’s face, pushing it behind her ear. “I understand,” he said. They lay together in silence with him touching her face and her tracing designs on his hip with her fingertips. Even with the federal government after her, Katherine had never felt so safe in her life. She’d also never felt like she was where she belonged. She often wished the Praters would have adopted her so she felt more a part of their family than she did. Once she left for college, she drifted away from the couple. Now, she was there with this man she’d only met a few times, yet she could already imagine herself in his life with his family.
Being his family. Kat wasn’t going to question why. She was going to enjoy each moment for what it was. In her twenty-five years, she’d seen things that were unexplainable. It’s one reason she wanted to become a reporter, to get to the bottom of things. To find out why people acted and reacted the way they did. Her actions around Julian were a mystery. She’d never felt drawn to someone so intensely. Something about him called to her on a level so deep, she doubted she’d ever be able to explain it. Did she need to? For once in her life, Katherine was going to go with her gut instinct to accept the attraction for what it was and not try to define why it was there.
“We should get cleaned up. Do you want to take a shower?”
Kat couldn’t breathe. Just like that, the blissful feeling was replaced with one of dread. Julian’s question was an innocent one. Well, maybe not innocent by the gleam in his eyes, but thinking about a shower brought back memories of having water poured onto her face, and she gripped his arm, squeezing as she began to hyperventilate.
“Kat, Sweetheart?” Julian’s voice was muffled over the sound of her heart thumping in her ears. Her mind was back in that hell hole, being held down by the female guard. “Kat!” Julian said with more force. She squeezed her eyes shut and thought about the way he’d made her come apart only moments ago. Julian’s mouth on her breast sucking hard at her nipple had her gasping. She dragged a deep breath in, exhaling when her lungs were finally full.
“That’s one way to take my mind off the bad stuff,” she muttered. “Sorry about that. I, uh, I don’t know that I’ll ever feel comfortable in a shower. Not after–”
“Shh. It is okay. I apologize for not thinking of that. Though, I will say I am going to miss making love to you up against the shower wall.”
“Man, you don’t play fair,” she teased, slapping him on the arm, glad he could turn the moment around to more enjoyable thoughts. Kat moved away from him to slide off the bed, but Julian gripped her firmly around her waist, keeping her close to him.
“The tub can be just as much fun. How about we take a bath, get cleaned up, and I will make that breakfast we forgot about,” he suggested, his breath warm against her ear.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“For?”
“Understanding. I didn’t mean to freak out on you, but I can’t promise it’s not going to happen again.”
“The sooner we get you a therapist the better. And you don’t have to thank me, Sweetheart. I told you, I am going to do everything in my power to see you through this.” Julian kissed her forehead before rolling off the bed, taking her with him.
Julian knew it was illogical, but he wanted to find the guard who tortured Katherine and kill the bitch even though he’d vowed to protect humans. But fuck if his heart didn’t ache for his mate. While they waited for the oversized tub to fill, Julian told Kat he’d be right back. He went into her bathroom and retrieved a bottle of soap bubbles he’d seen earlier. He could honestly say he’d never taken a bubble bath, but Kat obviously liked them since she had several bottles of the stuff with different scents. He chose lavender since he knew it to be relaxing. Once the tub was full, he stepped in and held out his hand for Kat, helping her step over the side.
Julian sat down and leaned against the porcelain, and Kat sank into the water with her back to his front. As much as he wanted to shower with his mate, lounging in the tub wasn’t so bad. With her head against his shoulder, he wrapped his arms around her narrow waist, resting his hands underneath her breasts while she played with the bubbles. His beast was sated for the moment, and Julian couldn’t imagine it getting much better than this even after they completed the bond. Kat was the other part to him he hadn’t realized was missing before they’d had sex. His fangs had popped out, and when he scraped them down her neck, he’d had to fight his beast not to sink them into her pale skin.
The only thing that could make his life better now was for Kat to receive therapy and for her mind to heal. That and a passel of kids. He hadn’t asked if she was on birth control because he knew she wouldn’t get pregnant until they had mated. Besides that, he doubted she had been given any type of medication while being held at FSM. He did wonder if it bothered her he hadn’t used a condom. He didn’t know how she felt about kids, but he would find out soon enough when she was around Sophia and Kaya. It was hard not to be excited when both females were close to giving birth.
“This is nice,” Kat said, rubbing her hand up and down his bare leg. “I didn’t peg you for a bubble bath kind of man.
”
“I saw all the bottles earlier and figured you had to be a bubble bath kind of woman, or you wouldn’t have all the different scents. I am secure enough in my malehood to admit I like it.” Julian kissed Kat’s temple, and she turned her face up for a real kiss. He kept it tame for now. They needed to relax for a bit then get some food in her stomach. If Julian had his way, he’d be feeding her every couple of hours until she put on some weight. He wanted her to be healthy both physically and mentally.
When the water started cooling off, Julian released the drain plug. Once there were only a few suds remaining, Julian turned on the faucet and used his hands to cup the water and rinse his mate. When they were both bubble free, he grabbed a towel from the rack and wrapped Kat up before doing the same to himself. Kat stared as he dried off, reaching out to run a finger down his arm where the muscles bunched under his skin. Julian grabbed her finger and kissed it before swatting her on the ass. “Go get dressed, Miss Fox. We have food to prepare.”
She grinned at him before padding out of the bathroom. Julian closed his eyes and sent up a silent prayer to the gods, thanking them for their help in getting her home. He dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, clothes he was still getting used to wearing. Kat met him in the hall wearing a simple dress that suited her more than Tessa’s jeans had, and he threaded their hands together as they made their way to the kitchen. The coffee machine had turned off, so Julian fixed a fresh pot while the oven heated. The purr of a car engine met his ears, and Julian recognized it as Nik’s Audi. “We have company,” he warned Kat.
She looked around, frowning. Two car doors slammed, then… “Three, two, one…” he counted down as the front door opened without a knock first. He was going to have to set some ground rules now that his mate was home. “We’re in the kitchen,” he called out. Kat was still frowning when Nik and Sophia found them.
“Hey, Katherine. It’s good to see you,” Sophia gushed. She walked up to Kat and pulled her into a warm embrace. “How are you doing?” she asked softly. “I’m Sophia, Nik’s ma… wife.”
“Mate, I know.”
“You do?” Sophia asked. Now she was the one frowning when she glanced over to Julian. He gave a small shake of his head, and she smiled in understanding. “We’re so glad Jules was able to get you out of that horrible place. Oh!” she exclaimed, grabbing her belly. “Sorry, Lydia’s playing soccer this morning.”
“Lydia? So you know it’s a girl?”
“That’s what they tell us. You want to feel her?” Sophia asked, reaching for Kat’s hand.
Julian searched his mate’s face for her reaction. When Katherine felt the baby kick, she grinned. “That is so cool. I can’t wait to be a mother,” she gushed. Realizing what she said, she jerked her head to look at Julian. He winked, letting her know they were on the same page. She visibly relaxed, and Nik came around the counter to where the coffee had finished brewing. Julian got breakfast in the oven while Nik poured everyone a drink.
“Just a dab of milk,” he instructed his brother.
“You don’t drink coffee,” Kat said.
“No, but you do,” he replied with another wink. Kat’s mouth formed a small O. Nik handed Katherine her mug and bowed his head much the same way Gregor had. He then passed Sophia her coffee before sipping his own, and Julian got a soda out of the fridge. “Breakfast will be ready in about thirty minutes. Let’s go sit in the living room until then.”
It didn’t surprise Julian when Sophia pulled Kat down on the sofa next to her. He and Nik let the females talk, and he filled his brother in on how his mate was faring. He kept an eye on her while Sophia talked animatedly about the baby. Every so often Kat would touch the back of her neck. He’d seen her do it a couple of times before, but now he was noticing it quite a bit. When he felt her getting irritated, he put his hand on Nik’s arm to quieten him. “Kat, are you okay? Is your neck bothering you?”
“I’m fine; it’s just itching like crazy. It has been for a few days, ever since… Holy shit. Do you think they injected me with something?”
Julian dropped to his knees beside the sofa. Kat turned so he could push her hair up and take a look. He reached out with his senses while touching the spot she indicated.
“Dammit. I think they injected a tracking device below your skin. We need to have this checked out. After breakfast, we will have Dante come take a look.”
“Uh, Brother, I think you’re going to need to take care of that shit now. We have company,” Nik said, peeking out the front window. “We’ll stall whoever is coming down the driveway while you get Katherine out of here. Go, now.”
“Come on, Sweetheart.” Julian pulled Kat to her feet and led her out the back door and across the lawn. “Do you trust me, Katherine?” Julian asked, praying she said yes.
“Yes, why?”
Julian picked her up and said, “Hold on tight.” As soon as she wrapped her arms around his neck, Julian took off running through the trees, faster than a normal man should be able to. He added it to the list of things he would have to explain. He followed the trail he’d created between his property and the back of Dante’s. In less than two minutes, Julian traveled several miles, getting his mate to his cousin’s house safely. When he slowed down, Kat’s eyes were wild. When she found her voice, she muttered, “Lucy, you got some ‘splainin’ to do.”
Chapter Sixteen
What the ever-loving hell? Kat knew she was awake, but she still couldn’t believe Julian not only carried her through several acres of woods, but he did it in less time than she could have driven it in her car. She didn’t have a chance to ask him how he’d been able to run so fast, because they were entering a home as nice as Julian’s without knocking first, and he was calling out to his cousin. “Dante, we need your help,” Julian said in a normal voice. He cocked his head to the side before saying, “Dammit, he isn’t home.” He pulled his phone out, calling someone – Dante, Kat presumed. “Hey, Brother, we have a problem. Kat has a tracker under her skin, and we need it removed.” Julian ran a finger down Kat’s face, and she leaned into the touch. As crazy as everything was, she wanted nothing more than to return to his house and climb back in bed.
“Okay, thanks.” Julian disconnected and redialed. “Jasper, is Trevor home?”
Jasper? Trevor? The only Trevor Katherine knew was Dante’s assistant, but since they were standing in the medical examiner’s home, it would make sense he was the Trevor Julian was referring to. He asked Jasper if Trevor was home. They must be roommates.
“Katherine has a tracker in her neck, and we need it removed. The Feds are at my home now. I brought her to Dante’s, but he and Isabelle have taken Connor shopping. We are going to borrow Dante’s car, and we will meet you there. Thank you, Brother,” Julian said. Kat was pretty sure Julian had told her Nikolas and Frey Hartley were his only brothers, but maybe she’d misheard. That or he called everyone brother.
Julian took Kat’s hand and led her to Dante’s garage. “Sweetheart, I hate to ask this of you, but it will be best if you lie down in the back seat so no one accidentally sees you.”
“I can do that,” she said. Julian helped her into the back before getting into the driver’s seat. The key was already in the ignition, so borrowing Dante’s car had been no problem. Kat wondered if her life would ever return to normal. She also wondered about Julian and his abilities. She’d read books about super humans, but those had been fiction. She’d also read that all fiction contained a grain of truth. Kat could imagine Julian being a super human. There was an animalistic grace in the way he moved, and the noises he made were definitely not human in nature. He was doing whatever it took to keep her safe and out of the hands of the Feds. If he had extraordinary powers, all the better.
“I am taking you to the hospital. Dante’s assistant, Trevor, is going to meet us there. He is–” Julian’s cell phone ringing cut off his words. “Nik. Dante was not home. We are headed to the hospital to meet Trevor. Thank you. I will be in touch.”
&n
bsp; “Julian?” Kat asked when he didn’t continue what he had been saying to her.
“That was Nik. He said the Feds were pissed, demanding to know where you were. He told them he had no idea what was going on, but they were welcome to search the house. When the tracker signal weakened, they left, both pissed and confused.”
“Is Trevor qualified to cut on my neck?”
“Yes, he is, but he is only going to get you ready. Dante is bringing Isabelle to us, and she will be doing the extraction.”
“Oh. Okay.” Katherine put her hand on the seat in front of her to keep from falling into the floorboard. Julian was driving fast and taking corners sharper than he should, but they were in a hurry.
When they arrived at the hospital, Julian said, “Stay here. I need to scan the area.” After several minutes, the door opened and Julian said, “Let’s go.” He held out his hand to her, and when he helped her to her feet, Jasper Jenkins, one of New Atlanta’s cops, was standing next to him, his eyes searching their surroundings. Julian and Jasper used their larger bodies as shields while they walked to a side door leading into the hospital. Once inside, they didn’t stop until they reached the morgue.
Trevor McKenzie, Dante’s quirky assistant, was waiting on them. “Let’s go back here,” he said, indicating a room farther back. Kat had never seen the inside of a morgue, but it was everything she would expect it to be. Cold and sterile, the room was filled with stainless steel tables on one side and square doors on the other where she assumed dead bodies rested behind them. While Trevor gathered supplies, Julian pulled Kat into his arms. She welcomed the warmth and the support. Jasper gave Trevor a quick kiss on his lips before nodding his head at them.
“I’m sorry you’re going through this ordeal,” Julian said, kissing her hair. The tender way he held and kissed her was contradictory to the feral way he’d fucked her.
Not as sorry as I am. “If I knew why I had been targeted…” Kat didn’t finish her thought, because it would have been a lie.
