by Leilani Love
“Oh my God, Brooke, he was insatiable. He took us both upstairs and I swear I passed out from the amount of times I came.” The girl, a brunette, giggled as she adjusted her breasts. “I can’t wait to see him again.”
The brunette’s friend smiled, looking around as if trying to spot him. “I hear he never sleeps with the same girl twice, Jamie. Do you have a plan to get his attention?”
Jamie licked her lips and smiled. “Well, I think tonight is the night we change that. Besides, I was hoping we could both…” She gave her friend a wink and they both giggled. Kassandra found herself trying not to vomit in her mouth. Were the pickings so slim that girls had no choice but to lower themselves to get a guy like that?
Kassandra knew Damien was handsome from the pictures she had found when researching him, but he was an ass for using women this way. At least she knew the quickest and easiest way to get his attention and find out what she needed to know. She wasn’t above sleeping with a man to get the information she wanted, but drugging him would be just as easy.
Her drink finished, she looked to the bar. Time for another one? When Robert looked in her direction and shot her a grin. Yep.
Walking to the bar a small smile on her lips, “I don’t recall ordering a double.” Kassandra said teasingly as she took the drink.
“True, but every good bartender should be able to anticipate what a customer needs.”
Kassandra laughed as she paid for the drink and raised it to him, “You’re right. A double sounds perfect.”
Robert nodded and she glanced at his wedding ring, “Your wife doesn’t mind you working at a bar with all these lovely…ladies?” Kassandra asked as she glanced at the young girl who walked past them in an outfit that was clearly made to display more than it covered.
Robert’s eyes glanced at the girls before turning back to her, “My wife knows that I love her and that only a boy would be tempted by something that could be had so easily.”
Unable to help herself, she grinned. “True. Your wife sounds like a smart lady and very lucky to have you.”
Before he could reply, a waitress motioned to him. “Excuse me,” he said walking away to help the waitress.
Kassandra spent the next hour studying the people in the bar. She began to wonder if Damien would show up. As she turned down another guy asking her to dance, she started to think about what she had learned so far about Damien and Hope. Hope spent most of her time bouncing back and forth between her brother and Lazzaro, while her brother at first seemed to be content to own The Lone Wolf. The fact that he seemed too content to live a life away from most of the supernatural community made her wonder why he would get involved with Dmitri.
The band started to set up and Kassandra couldn’t help but notice the change in the atmosphere of the bar. As the band started to play, Kassandra noticed more and more of the female patrons looking around as if they were all waiting for someone.
Suddenly Kassandra spotted Damien, standing near the front of the bar. He was turned slightly so she could only see his profile but having spent the last few weeks staring at pictures, she was pretty sure she would recognize him anywhere. Robert she noticed was laughing and clapped him on the back before he turned and left out the front door. Kassandra watched as one of the girls at the bar touched him on the arm and giggled. The look on her face was one of open invitation. Kassandra found herself annoyed as he leaned down and whispered something into the girl’s ear that had her nodding as she blushed.
Kassandra watched them until he excused himself and stepped away from the bar. When he turned in her direction, Kassandra thought the pictures of him didn’t quite do him justice. Being a shifter came with some perks including a heightened sense of sight. His dark, wavy hair was longer on top and cut short on the sides and back, he had the start of a five o’clock shadow framing his strong jaw. His eyes were a rich amber that continuously scanned the crowd as he made his way to the stage. Even if she didn’t know he was a wolf, she would definitely know he was a predator by his movements. Each step was graceful and he walked with a confidence that marked him clearly as a hunter. The people around him responded to it, even if they didn’t know why. His shirt fit his chest perfectly and she found herself wanting to touch him to see if his muscles were as defined as they looked. As she took him in, she couldn’t help but notice the tattoo that was peeking out from under his left sleeve as he walked.
Unable to tear her eyes from him, Kassandra watched, noticing how he took the time to say hello to everyone on his staff. The image she had of him was a happy-go-lucky player, so when he stopped to help a waitress with some drinks and clean the table for her, she found herself surprised. Kassandra took a moment to close her eyes and let the bar’s cool fans hit the back of her neck. Opening her eyes, she saw Damien staring at her, his carefree smile replaced with one of intense hunger.
CHAPTER 3
The vanilla-and-cherry scent hit Damien almost the second the fans kicked on, and he turned to see where the scent was coming from. His eyes fell on a tall blonde who was leaning against a table, a drink in her hand and her eyes closed. When she opened her sea-green eyes, they locked on his and he couldn’t help but growl in approval. She looked startled, and for just a moment he thought she looked guilty. It passed quickly and she blushed before coyly looking away.
After watching Hope’s experience with Warrick, Damien thought the idea of being able to find a life mate by scent was laughable. After all, the one whom they believed was to be the mate of his sister hadn’t only killed their parents, but had tried to arrange the death of him and Hope. But the second that lovely blonde’s unique scent hit him, his wolf came to the surface and he knew…this was the woman that he’d been waiting for.
He heard a throat clear next to him and looked to Sandy, his waitress, grinning at him. “Sorry, I’ll look at the schedule, but I don’t see a reason you can’t take the day off.”
Sandy smiled up and glanced over his shoulder. “Thanks, Damien.” Her smile got bigger. “Better be careful—that girl right there isn’t one of the ones you’d normally play with.”
Damien chuckled before winking at her. “Let’s hope not. I love the chase.” He watched as Sandy, in the required shorts and black tank top, walked away.
A quick glance over his shoulder and he saw her still sitting alone. Damien wanted nothing more than to go to her, but knew he first had to catch up with John and the band. The band announced their break and promised to return soon just as Damien got to the stage. “You sound great tonight.”
John, a human he’d met right after he opened the bar smiled at him. “Thanks man. Looks like it’s going to be another packed night.” He said as he scanned the crowd.
“They come for the music and the drinks,” Damien said as he motioned to the bartender to send them a round of beers as they walked off the dance floor. “We’re going to miss you guys when you’re on tour. Robert’s complaining about some of the bands that tried out today hoping to get your spot.”
When they got to a table, Sandy dropped off a round of beers for everyone and while he talked to John, he noticed the rest of the band had picked up their drinks and started flirting with the girls that were waiting for their attention. “Just don’t replace us permanently. The tour is only three weeks, then we’ll be back.”
Damien liked John, he worked hard on getting the band together. He was also a favorite among the females with his soulful dark eyes and dirty blond hair that hung past his shoulders. John had a collection of tattoos, one arm dedicated to his love of music.
A girl came up and put her hand on his arm and leaned up to whisper in John’s ear. John chuckled and looked back at Damien, “I’ll be back before the next set.”
Damien shot him a grin, he heard the girl mention something about wanting to show him her new tattoo, he nodded at his friend before John let her lead him away. Damien scanned the crowd and his wolf instantly found the leggy blonde, who was now giving her drink order to Sandy. She stood a
full head taller than Sandy. Her blonde hair was pulled back from her face and from this angle he wasn’t able to see how long it was. He bit back a groan noticing her full red lips, and the fact that her breasts would overfill his hands when he cupped them. He wished the table weren’t blocking his view of her hips, but he was happy he could see her long legs and her heeled black boots. He could almost feel those long legs wrapped around his waist, the heels of her boots digging into his back as he took her at the table.
The touch of a small hand on his right arm brought him back to the present, and he turned to see one of the girls from last night, her breasts nearly popping out of her low-cut shirt. She slid her hand up his chest. “Damien,” she purred, “I was hoping I would get to see you tonight. You left before I could wake you up properly.”
Normally this would be all it would take to get his attention, but his wolf and his body no longer cared about the eager woman. Instead he had to fight the urge to pull away from her touch. “Where else would I be but at my bar on the weekend?” Damien reached for his beer with his right arm, forcing the girl to release him.
The girl wasn’t about to give up and he noticed the calculating gleam in her eyes. She slowly ran her tongue along her lips. “I was hoping you would let me introduce you to my friend. She’s very excited to meet you.”
Her eyes went to his crotch. Damien couldn’t help but chuckle. “Maybe later. I have to go help Sandy get some drinks out.”
The girl’s lower lip stuck out in a pout and he apologized again before stepping away from her. His eyes went to Sandy and his mystery girl, who were still talking. When he got closer, she lifted her head, her eyes meeting his. He smiled at her, and when she smiled back, he felt his chest swell—along with another member of his body that was eager to make her acquaintance.
“Should I ask what had you two laughing so much or should I assume it’s at the expense of one of our male customers?” asked Damien.
“We were just discussing the wonderful pickup lines guys use, when I heard one ask her if she was missing a red cape, because she could be Red Riding Hood to his Big Bad Wolf.” Sandy’s voice was full of laughter. “I do hope you have better lines than that, boss.”
Damien shook his head, rubbing the back of his neck. His first instinct was to go find the guy and let him know the consequences of ever talking to her again. “I’d like to think I could come up with something a little better than that.”
He watched as she tilted her head sizing him up as she looked him over. She gave Sandy a smile before asking, “You must have heard him pick up one of the females here at the bar. Are they any better?”
Sandy laughed, shaking her head. “You know, usually they just fall at his feet. I don’t think he’s ever had to try.” Damien gave her a threatening look, which made her laugh harder. Sandy gave her a look before she announced, “I’ll be right back with your drink.”
Damien watched Sandy walk away before turning back to the girl at the table. “I should introduce myself. My name’s Damien,” he said, offering her his hand.
She licked her lips as she extended her hand to his. “You can call me Kat.”
Damien felt a blast of awareness the second his skin touched hers. His wolf almost howled from pleasure. He fought the urge to rub his body against hers, scenting her for the world to know before gently biting her and leaving his mating mark on her as his for all eternity. Her scent was distinctly human and they weren’t aware of his kind. He was going to have to win her first before he shared that part of himself with her.
“Kat, that’s an interesting name. What’s it short for?” Damien asked.
“Kassandra,” she replied, just as Sandy came by with their drinks.
“Thanks Sandy, charge her drinks to my account.” Damien said when he noticed Kassandra reaching for her wallet.
Damien watched Kassandra as she sipped her Jack and Coke, “So should I ask why a woman nicknamed Kat would come to a bar that is named Lone Wolf? Or should I assume that she’s looking for trouble?”
She leaned back, her lips curved in a playful smile. “I’m pretty sure I can handle any dog that decided he wanted to mess with me. And, well, you know how curious cats are.”
Chuckling, he looked her over, admiring her slightly slanted sea-green eyes. The shape of her eyes resembled that of a cat and he wondered if he could make her purr. “Of that I have no doubt.” The band started up again and Damien nodded his head to the dance floor, holding out his hand to her, “Care to see if you can teach this old dog some new tricks.”
When she didn’t reply Damien raised an eyebrow in challenge. She shook her head, taking his hand and let him lead her to the dance floor. He led her to the corner near the front so he could watch what was going on in the bar while dancing. His staff had been with him long enough that they didn’t usually need him, but he liked to keep an eye out in case a fight started or someone needed help.
Kassandra turned in his arms bringing her back against his chest as her hips moved to the music. Damien brought his hands to her hips to hold her lightly as he began to dance with her. Under his hands, he could feel her muscles as she rolled her hips. Her movement caused her shirt to ride up slightly and Damien fought the urge to run his hand up along her bared skin. Her cherry vanilla scent teased the animal within. He fought the urge to sink his teeth into her neck and give her the biting mark that would claim her as his.
CHAPTER 4
The feel of Damien’s breath on the back of her neck as they danced, made Kassandra shudder in pleasure. This wasn’t the first time she’d flirted with a guy too find out information. She’d just never had a physical reaction to one before. When his lips scraped her neck, she fought the urge to tilt her neck in submission. Her breath caught as he nipped at the base of her neck, and Kassandra forced herself not to give in to the delicious temptation.
After a few songs, she felt his mouth at her ear. “Why don’t we go get a few drinks?” he whispered.
She gave him a small nod, and he led her off the dance floor to a semiprivate corner booth.
“I’ll be right back,” he said. She watched him as he turned in the direction of the bar, smiling politely at everyone. As she watched him, she realized he was not what she had imagined. Damien picked up several empty cups and beer bottles and made a point to greet his customers.
Feeling eyes on her, she turned to see the lead singer of the band looking her way as he continued to sing up on stage. Curious by his intense stare, she nodded in his direction. She was surprised when he grinned down at her, giving her a wink before turning away and focusing back on the crowd.
A quick glance around the bar made her notice the singer wasn’t the only one watching her. The girl from earlier who’d flirted with Damien was definitely giving her a death glare. Kassandra wanted to laugh; after she got the information she wanted, the girl was welcome to him.
She looked toward the bar and saw Damien whispering in Sandy’s ear. Sandy smiled and nodded as he put drinks on her tray, then Damien looked up and his eyes met hers. Kassandra’s heart foolishly skipped a beat when he smiled at her. He was definitely dangerous.
Damien stayed behind the bar as Sandy walked over with two glasses. Sandy smiled apologetically as she placed them on the table. “Damien has to help out for a bit and wanted to make sure you had everything you needed.”
“Does he often help out behind the bar?”
Sandy shrugged. “He goes back there off and on to make sure the bartenders don’t get too far behind, plus he likes to make sure they get a break when needed.”
“He seems like a really nice boss,” Kassandra said, watching him as he laughed at something one of the guys said.
“He’s the best,” Sandy said with a big smile. Kassandra wondered if she was one of the females he’d slept with. “Do you need anything else? He shouldn’t be too long.”
“No. Thank you, this is perfect.” Sandy nodded, giving her one more smile before rushing off to take more drink orders.<
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Kassandra picked up her drink and watched Damien as he interacted with customers at the bar. When a beautiful curvy female leaned over and whispered something in his ear, making him smile— Kassandra was surprised when her dragon let out a low, menacing growl. She had to fight to keep her dragon buried deep inside her in order to keep its scent masked. If she let it come close to the surface, all the wolves inside the bar would know what she was and her cover would be blown. The fact that her dragon was reacting to the scene in front of her, told her that her dragon was way closer to the surface than it should be.
Looking away, she spotted the back door and the stairs that led up to the apartment. According to the girl at the hotel, that is where Damien supposedly took his overnight guests. She assumed that would also be where he kept his office. When she looked around earlier there were two possibilities downstairs, but based on the size of the bar, upstairs would give him more room. She hoped she could discover why Damien was meeting with Dmitri upstairs; otherwise she’d have to break into Damien’s house. That should be easy enough, since he spent pretty much all his nights at the bar.
Kassandra turned and smiled when she saw Damien approaching. His eyes locked onto hers and her breath caught. Was this what it felt like to be stalked by prey? His eyes never left her and his movement was determined. She knew if she ran now he would give chase, and she had a feeling he would like it. His lips curved in a slow smile and his eyes darkened, as if sensing her sudden urge to run.
As he slid onto the seat, Damien put his arm around the back of the booth and gently ran his fingers up her neck to the curve of her ear. The light touch caused a shudder to run down her spine. When he leaned close to her, she was aware of his breath on the side of her neck. Kassandra shuddered, feeling surrounded by him. “So what were you just thinking about when I walked up?” Damien asked, continuing to tease her sensitive skin.
