Blissful Agony

by Rivers, Brandy L

  “Really?”

  She nodded.

  He cleared his throat, a smile dancing on his face. “So, the best shower is in my bathroom. Come on.” He got up and led her through his room, keeping his eyes forward, not looking at her.

  She wanted to squeeze his hand and assure Clint that she wasn’t afraid to be around him.

  His bedroom reminded her of the forest. Greens, browns. Natural lighting, open feel. Her body relaxed further.

  Clint opened the bathroom door with a glance her direction. “Let me get you those clothes.”

  He turned his back and she started the water as he brought the sweats and shirt. She took them, gazing into his eyes.

  Her imagination went wild when he licked his bottom lip while staring at her mouth. She wanted to strip him down and pull him in the shower with her. Blushing, she glanced away, closing her eyes.

  The door shut quietly, and her heart sank. Not ready, she reminded herself. Clint seemed to know it. Relief is what she should be feeling, instead it was disappointment—in herself.

  * * * *

  Axel stewed as he glared at Ava, hating the emotions she evoked. He loved her, but was terrified she would turn against him, and tear him down. For years he’d tested her, and a week before he planned to claim her, she chose a beautiful boy. Sixteen fucking years old at the damned time.

  Fucking wasted chances. Should have claimed the bitch instead of driving her to turn to a runty teenager—one who didn’t touch her for fear of Axel.

  If Ava hadn’t been so captivated by Clint, and so pissed he wouldn’t touch her, Axel would have killed him. Instead, he did everything in his power to break Clint, then finally killed him. Or so he thought. His goal had been to punish Ava for turning the boy. The little shit did a damned fine job of torturing her by ignoring her obvious interest.

  But now they knew the runt wasn’t dead.

  She’d seemingly regretted how they dealt with Clint and it broke Axel’s faith in her ability to be the perfect mate. Her hard edges had softened in areas and sharpened in others. He was never sure of her loyalty even though she’d never failed to complete a mission, until today.

  A mission that would never have happened without the video Anthony sent. He was one of the HARP leaders who had run into trouble with their recruiters in the area. The organization had two sides. Humans who hunted Others, promoting fear of the supernatural among mortals. And the Other side, full of hybrids who were sent after those human hunters, to ensure they saw the dangerous side of Others.

  Apparently, HARP had already replaced the hunter recruiter, but they wanted Axel to take over recruiting hybrids.

  The damned video proved Clint was not only alive, but dominant. Axel had watched as hope lit Ava’s eyes when she whispered that runt’s name.

  Clearly he hadn't broken the shithead, nor had he killed the fucker. Now it was time to rectify that oversight.

  Axel rejected the idea she could want Clint. She was his, untouched or not. So he concocted a plan forcing Ava to destroy the boy she'd claimed, or bring him in so Axel could have the pleasure.

  And Ava—Axel might lose her because Clint hadn’t cowered before her as he had in the past. Instead he’d nearly taken her life.

  Everything shifted into perspective. He’d been foolish to let her suffer without her mate bond. Of course she would question the pull when he constantly rebelled against it. Once Ava proved her loyalty, he would lay claim to her.

  That fucking runt was the reason he hadn't done it sooner. If she had lasted another full moon, he would have mated her properly.

  After seeing Clint shift into half-beast, he realized Clint was indeed dominant. Maybe more so than himself. Clint had every reason to tear the pack from Axel and claim Ava, his beautiful, sadistic wolf. He’d no doubt want her now that he could control her.

  Before Clint had a chance to wrest the pack from him, Axel planned to crush the shit. In front of Ava. Then he would finally take his mate and teach her a lesson about respect. First, she needed to survive him pulling the twisted metal from her chest.

  Oh, Clint will die by my hand.

  * * * *

  Clint paced the living room, hands shoved in pockets to hide his erection. She’d looked at him like she wanted to devour him.

  Until she’d turned away.

  He didn’t blame her.

  No, he understood perfectly. She was tempted, but had so much fear to overcome.

  With a sigh, he slumped into a chair and closed his eyes. He jumped when his phone rang. Robert’s number flashed on the screen. “Hi.”

  “You didn’t answer her phone.”

  “She’s awake. Sorry. She’s showering, then I’m taking her to her house to change.” Clint paused, squeezing his eyes shut. “Afterward, we’re going on a date.” Clint rubbed at his chest, expecting some snide remark.

  “Good, but stay in Edenton. I talked to Slater. Someone will keep an eye on both of you. Later, I’d be more at ease if you convinced her to stay at your house, right across from me.”

  He blinked, slowly processing the suggestion. “I’ll ask, but Robert, whatever is in her past has left her skittish. I won’t demand she stay here.”

  “Try. I bet she will.”

  Clint let out a frustrated sigh. “Why do you want me with her? I thought you weren’t real keen on me.”

  Robert took a slow breath. “She’s different around you. And as much as I don’t get your—interests, I can’t exactly hold them against you.”

  Clint couldn’t contain the smirk, but he bit his tongue. Robert also had an unconventional relationship, but it made the three of them happy. Who was he to judge?

  “Besides,” Robert continued, “you seem to understand her on a level I never have.”

  “I’ve seen victims, Robert. I’ve been a victim. We all deal with our memories differently.”

  “Another reason you can help her better than I can.”

  And sometimes, a victim doesn’t want help, preferring to bury their pain and find another way to cope.

  “I’ll do what I can, and let you know what she decides. Maybe her staying with you would be best. I mean, if my old pack is after me, I don’t want her in danger.”

  “She’ll be fine. She is a Silver Council healer. In many ways, my sister is the strongest person I know.”

  Clint shook his head, not that Robert could see over the phone. “Dude, you don’t know what my old pack is capable of.”

  “Unfortunately, I do. In Edenton, it’s not going to be an issue.”

  “How can you possibly know that?”

  “We have files on most packs, and most Others for that matter. Elm Wood has been a known problem for a long time, well before you came on the scene, Clint.”

  He didn’t understand, but went with it. As much as he wanted Emily in his home, he wanted her there by her choice, preferably when he wasn’t on someone’s hit list. “Okay. I’ll trust you.”

  “About Emily too?” Robert asked, a smug note in his tone.

  He rubbed his chest. There were so many things in his own past that scared the hell out of him. He didn’t understand why Robert wanted Emily with him, much less why Emily would want to stay, especially with his old pack looming.

  He drew a deep breath and looked up at the ceiling. “I’ll leave it up to her.”

  “We’ll talk later,” Robert replied before hanging up.

  “Leave what to me?” Emily asked.

  He shot to his feet, turning toward her with his mouth hanging open. A whole new temptation stood before him. Her in loose clothes—his clothes—and damp from the shower, made him want to snuggle up on the couch with her. The craving was new, something he’d never experienced before meeting Emily.

  Didn’t change his fear of hurting her. He sucked in a breath and let it out with a glance at the door. “Wouldn’t you feel safer with someone else, someone not being hunted by a psychotic pack?”

  She crossed her arms over her chest. “You don’t wan
t to go out with me tonight?”

  “I do.” He slumped back into the seat. “Look, I’m worried. Mostly about those sadistic mutts getting their hands on you.”

  “I’m not defenseless. I may not be Liz, but I can take care of myself. So, I’ll ask again, will you take me out tonight?” The heat in her eyes raced through him. He nodded dumbly, unable to resist if she truly wanted to spend time with him. Her lips quirked into a grin. “Then take me home so I can get ready.”

  He sat up straighter, his dick doing the same. The edge to her tone and her new confidence awakened his desire, drowning out the insecurities.

  “I like this side of you,” he purred as he pushed himself to his feet and moved past her to open the door.

  “Me too,” she whispered.

  * * * *

  Memories threatened to encroach on the short drive to her apartment. Emily stared out the window, forcing her breath to be slow and steady.

  Her worst nightmare, the bane of her existence, was dead and gone. Now beside her was his exact opposite, someone who stirred all the emotions and longing she imagined were normal when falling for a man.

  “What’s wrong?” Clint asked softly.

  She shook her head, wanting to forget everything that terrified her and live firmly in the present. Sighing, she turned to Clint. “How do you stop unwanted memories from filling your head?”

  “Fill it with the opposite.”

  She’d heard rumors about how he liked pain, all pain. Overheard one of the other werewolves snickering about what a freak he was in the bedroom. From his stay in the clinic, she knew his body definitely responded to pain as if it were pleasurable. Not to mention he often begged her to lift her no-sparring order.

  Fascinated, and terribly curious, she asked, “Why do you like pain?”

  He shifted in his seat as he pulled up to her place. After he shut off the car, he closed his eyes. “My old pack made me do things. The alpha and his second abused their alpha voice ability. Subject to their control, my body would obey, no matter how much my mind fought. Now, my pain drowns out the suffering I caused when I wasn’t strong enough to ignore their orders.”

  His kink began to make sense. “It really is therapeutic then, to get hurt in a sparring match? Or when a woman—do they really beat you?”

  A laugh exploded from his lips. “No. Not like that.” He didn’t look at her. “I’d be fine with that, but I like being hit. Scratched. Bitten. I like toys that sting. Especially when I’m tied up.”

  “Do you not like to touch?”

  He rubbed at his chest, staring straight ahead. “I do, occasionally. Though sometimes, if my hands aren’t bound, I find myself in memories and freak out.” He glanced over and away.

  She reached out to take his hand. His breath caught as he looked over.

  Emily took a shallow breath and opened up, wanting him to know she understood. “My brother abused me for years. Raped me too.”

  He met her gaze, no sign of pity on his face. An open, honest expression stared back. “James, right? Did Robert know?”

  His acceptance soothed her. She shook her head. “Robert didn’t know, until recently. But yes, James. My twin.” A shudder rocked through her. “It started early, before I’d learned that kind of touching was wrong. Maybe if I’d told Robert, even Liz, they would have stopped it. I was afraid. Ashamed. Stupid.”

  Clint gently squeezed her hand, offering a soft smile. “You’re not stupid. As for your brother, he was supposed to take care of you. Not hurt you. It’s hard, especially when someone you should be able to trust takes advantage.”

  “Very true.”

  Hope filled his eyes as he watched her. “You aren’t afraid of my past?”

  “You didn’t submit to her will today. You’re stronger than you realize.”

  He ducked his gaze and whispered, “I hope so.”

  “Come inside. You’ll take me out, and after, um—you don’t mind slow, do you?”

  “Taking things slow?” His brow arched, a trace of a smile playing over his lips.

  “You’re the first man I’ve ever attempted to let down my guard with. There are going to be times I’ll have to stop, regroup, rethink, but I want to try. I can’t be what I heard Liz was for you, or the other women in town. I don’t want to be a casual encounter.” Her breath caught, but she needed to get this off her chest. “I’m not ready to go to bed with you yet, but when I do, I’ll need control. I’ll also need us to be exclusive.” She looked away with a heavy sigh. As far as she’d heard, he didn’t do relationships and her request might be too much to hope for.

  Amusement danced through his eyes. “Emily, I’m in no rush. And there is no other woman I want. You have all of my attention. As for control, it’s yours. My situation was different, but the same in some ways. I’ve been where you are. I get it. Maybe that’s the draw between us. We both have shit to deal with from our past. We can work through it together.”

  “Even if I don’t want to talk about what happened?”

  He nodded. “Even if you never say another word about it. If you need to talk, I’m all ears, but I’ve never found talking through my own hell to be helpful.”

  “Come on inside, Clint. I’ll get ready quickly. Then we can have a night of fun at In 2 Deep.”

  * * * *

  A smirk formed on his lips before they climbed out of the car. She hurried up the walkway. Smiling over her shoulder, she rushed to open the door.

  Once inside, he took a look around. The space was decorated in cool, refreshing colors. A sense of calm flowed through him.

  “I’ll be a few.” She disappeared down the hall.

  He went to the bookshelf. Fantasy and paranormal books lined her shelves. His smile spread with each book he pulled out. Every single one had a strong woman on the cover.

  Maybe it was time to stop walking on eggshells around Emily. She flirted on her terms, and she opened up on her own. Hell, she chose to be blunt about the possibilities and her hesitations.

  “Ready?” Emily asked.

  He turned around to find her inches away, a smile on her lips as her eyes traveled up from his lower regions.

  His brow arched. “Were you checking out my ass?”

  She shrugged, wetting her lips. “You do have a nice one.”

  “I was thinking the same about you while you were trying to run me into the grave.” Though he had a feeling he’d be thinking it again as soon as she turned around in those skinny jeans.

  One corner of her lips jerked up. “I was trying to give you a taste of what you like, without damaging your arm.”

  “It worked.”

  “Come on. You can buy me a drink.”

  “How about dinner?”

  “That too, if you insist.”

  “I’m going to need food. I imagine after that run, you must be hungry too.”

  She nodded. “Definitely.”

  “Are you a vegetarian?”

  Light danced through her eyes, she shook her head. “I like a juicy steak.”

  He smiled. “May I take you to Maxwell Steakhouse?”

  “No, but I’ll take you. Then you can buy me drinks at In 2 Deep.”

  He blushed, but didn’t argue. “All right.”

  Chapter 4

  “Pathetic,” Axel hissed as he stalked around Ava’s bed. The metal was still lodged in her chest. By some miracle, Clint had missed her heart, but the pulmonary artery had been nearly destroyed. The damage healed in minutes, unfortunately around the metal.

  Fear pumped through her as she stared at the ceiling, holding in the whimpers of pain that wanted to escape. Every beat of her heart sent a piercing sensation through her chest. Every breath agonizing. She refused to complain, especially in front of Axel.

  Bastard was gloating. She didn’t blame him. In a moment of weakness, she’d admitted her admiration for Clint. In response, he’d sent her to drag him back to the pack where Axel would destroy him. Instead, she offered Clint revenge, but he’d tri
ed to kill her. She couldn’t understand why he blamed her, rather than Axel.

  “It has to come out,” her alpha warned.

  She nodded, afraid to speak because she’d start screaming and might never stop.

  He stopped circling and moved to her side with an evil glint in the black, bottomless pits that were his eyes. One corner of his mouth jerked up as he placed a hand on her chest.

  Her stomach rolled. At one point, she’d wanted nothing more than to mate with him. Before she’d learned he was the worst kind of predator. He enjoyed tearing down his prey, bringing them to their knees, and bending them to his cruel will. Axel had unknowingly done her a great favor by refusing their mate bond.

  After years of trying to prove she could be whatever Axel needed, she had finally realized that would never happen. She walked into his base of operations and found him thrusting into the latest recruit.

  He gave Ava a cruel smile as he took a handful of blond hair and yanked the girl up to fondle her tits. “I know you want this, Ava, but mating would make us both weak. And you, so desperate to fuck anything. Tsk, tsk.”

  The girl cried out as her body writhed in pleasure. He shoved her to the table and pulled out, coming on her back.

  “More,” the girl begged, wiggling her ass at him. He slapped her hard and she moaned.

  “Later. Right now, I have business to attend. Leave.” He pulled his pants up, fastening them as he walked around the table to look into Ava’s eyes.

  The girl pulled her clothes into place and ran out of the room.

  Axel’s voice reverberated through the room. “Any wolf who touches you will die a slow, agonizing death. If you need to get off, you can do it yourself, or find a mortal. You’re mine, and no other beast will touch you.”

  Refusing to cry, Ava nodded. No words left her tongue as she stared at him, her heart breaking.