Quentin hit the down button on the wall. “What’s going on?”
His parents both turned to him.
“We’ve been discussing some things. We found a treatment facility.”
The elevator door opened, and they stepped inside.
“She’s gone to a treatment facility before,” Quentin pointed out. Several in fact.
“This one is in Switzerland,” his father said. “It has a very high success rate, especially with Americans.”
Quentin was still skeptical, but it was better than watching his sister die. “How much does it cost?” he asked.
“No more than the facilities here.”
Quentin sighed. His parents had spent so much money, trying to help his sister get sober. It wasn’t fair. “That’s something at least.”
His parents exchanged looks.
“Is this when you tell me there is a but?”
His father nodded. “A family member has to go and stay with her.”
“What for?”
“With foreign patients, they want someone to participate in therapy and work on what life will be like when they’re done. Also, they want someone there in case of emergencies.”
“That seems kind of weird.”
“They have a high success rate, so they must be doing something right.”
Quentin cursed. “How are you going to manage that?”
His parents owned a franchise of a very successful fast food restaurant chain. They needed to be here to run the business. It was too much for one person.
His mother shrugged. “We’ll manage somehow.”
He wasn’t sure if that was true.
ZANE FLIPPED THROUGH the channels on the television. Isabelle was asleep on top of him as the two of them lay on the couch. Night had fallen, and Zane had needed a change of scenery.
It was a shame they were in Vegas and couldn’t experience any of the things that tourists got to do. But having sex with his mate over and over was nothing to scoff at.
He turned his head and kissed her, inhaling at the same time. He loved how much she smelled like him. Mates always smelled a little like each other, but after a female’s heat, it was obvious who she belonged to. Or who she’d been with if she wasn’t in a relationship. It was as if the female’s pores had opened up and sucked the male’s scent into them.
Biology was a crazy thing, but he liked it. He lifted his free arm that held the remote and sniffed. He smelled like Isabelle, too, but not as much as she smelled like him. So, biology was a little sexist.
The good thing was, if—when—that fucker Bram showed up, there would be no mistaking that Isabelle was Zane’s. She wore his ring on her finger, his mark on her neck, and his scent on her body.
That was enough to tell any male to stay away. Unfortunately, from the way Isabelle had described him, it would probably only infuriate Bram into doing something drastic.
A crash sounded as a bedroom door opened and slammed against the wall. The woman who’d knocked on the door that morning appeared in the front hallway. She looked like she’d gotten run over by a truck. Her skirt was wrinkled, her blouse’s buttons didn’t line up, and her hair was a mess.
He realized now that she was probably from an escort service. At least someone was enjoying something Vegas had to offer.
“Are you okay?” he asked her.
She stopped to lean against the wall. “I have no idea.”
“Can I help you with anything?” He felt bad for the way he’d practically ignored her that morning. He’d been so hungry that all he was able to think about was food.
She looked at Isabelle sleeping and shook her head. “Don’t get up. But, if you had an ice pack, I’d take it.”
He pointed toward the kitchen behind him. “You can check, but I doubt it.” He frowned. “Are you hurt?”
She walked past him, saying, “Just my pussy. I didn’t think those two would ever stop fucking me.”
The door to the freezer opened and closed, and then she came back.
“Any luck?” he asked.
She shook her head. “I’ll find something.”
“Are you okay to drive? You look…” He couldn’t say like hell.
“Like crap? I know. I’ll be fine. I’m going to go home, take a long bath, and crash.” She looked toward Chase and Ranulf’s bedroom. “They’re both sleeping. Will you tell them my time was up and that I left?”
“Sure will. Sorry if they treated you badly,” he added as she walked to the door. He felt a little like he was responsible since it was his mate’s heat that had caused everyone’s hormones to multiply.
The woman turned and smiled at Zane. “Oh, they didn’t treat me badly at all. That was some of the best sex I’ve had in a long time. I would even do those two for free.” She winked, opened the door, and was gone.
Zane chuckled at her last comment. He thought about telling the two wolves what she’d said but decided their egos were big enough already. Besides, by the screams and moans he’d heard coming from the room earlier, they probably already knew.
Isabelle stirred in his arms and looked up at him with sleepy eyes. “How long have I been sleeping?”
Zane looked at the time. “About an hour.”
She laid her head back down. “No wonder I’m still tired.”
“How are you feeling? Is it time to go back in the bedroom?”
“I’m okay for right now. It’s weird. I can tell another wave is coming, but I don’t know how to explain it. Either way, it’s not here yet. I just want to lie here and relax.”
He rubbed her back. “Sounds great to me.”
“Was it my imagination, or were you talking to someone?” Isabelle asked, changing the subject.
“Do you remember the woman at the door this morning?”
She didn’t answer.
“When our food came?”
“Oh, yeah.”
Zane grinned. His mate had been thinking about food, too, at that time. Didn’t she realize how perfect they were together?
“She was here for Ranulf and Chase. They hired her. She just left.”
Isabelle laughed. “They actually hired a prostitute?”
“Kind of smart, if you ask me. They don’t have to go searching for a one-night stand. And she’s a professional. She’s probably seen some weird shit we can’t even dream up. Way stranger than a hotel suite full of shifters having sex.”
Isabelle looked at him. “You’re so right.”
“Say that again. But wait until I get my phone. Just in case this is the only time you ever say it.”
She rolled her eyes and laid her head down again. “How much longer do you think we’ll be here?”
“I have no idea. But at least until your and Tegan’s heat ends. Why do you ask?”
She shrugged. “I just feel like it’s putting off the inevitable. I’m going to have to confront Bram sooner or later, and while I don’t want to, wouldn’t it be better to get it over with?”
Zane squeezed her, letting her know he was there for her. “I totally understand where you’re coming from. And who knows? Maybe our alphas will ask us to come back soon. But I don’t want you anywhere near him while you’re still in heat. If something happened and he tried…”
“To have sex with me?”
“If he tried to rape you. I don’t know if I could handle that, Isabelle. I don’t think you should have to either.”
She shuddered. “I don’t want to even think about it. And if he got me pregnant.”
She shuddered again, and Zane growled.
“Don’t even talk about a hypothetical baby of his inside you.” His voice came out stern, a little mean. He took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sound like a dick. Just…I can’t.” He took another breath. “Nobody—and I mean, nobody—is putting a baby in you but me.”
“Okay,” she said.
“Are you laughing?”
“No,” she denied, but Zane could hear it in her voice.
She met his eyes. “Not at all. I know it’s serious. But I can’t help but smile at your alpha attitude. All you need to do is pound your chest and throw me over your shoulder.”
He raised a brow. “Okay then. How would you feel if I had sex with another female and got her pregnant?”
Isabelle’s eyes darkened, and she scooted up his body to get in his face. “I would rip her face off. And, if you ever touch another woman the way you touch me, I will go full wolf on her ass. Not to mention, what I’d do to you.”
Zane tried really hard not to, but a grin burst from his face. “Hot damn, Isa. You’re fucking hot when you get all possessive.”
She narrowed her eyes at him.
He held up his hand with the remote. “Hey, I’m not going to do anything. I was just trying to prove a point.”
She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. “Okay. As long as you’re sure.”
“I’m sure.”
She moved back to her original spot. “And I see your point.”
He wished he could tell her that he’d been sure about her for two years, but he wasn’t certain if she was ready to hear that. Things were going well between them, but he was worried it was because of the situation they were in. He couldn’t deny that he liked her possessive, jealous attitude toward him, but what was going to happen when Bram was no longer a threat and she was no longer in heat? It could be the hormones talking. They were kind of in their own little world here, in Vegas. He wondered if she would still feel the same once reality set back in.
He supposed only time would tell. And he was going to try not to worry about it right now. Instead, he was going to enjoy his time with Isabelle, his mate.
Zane hugged Isabelle close and kissed her on the head.
If things didn’t work out between them, at least he would be able to say, We’ll always have Vegas.
“OH GOD, RIGHT there. Please, Reid, don’t stop.”
Tegan was on the bed with Reid behind her as they lay on their sides. He had her top leg under his arm and was slowly thrusting in and out of her.
She noticed that he really liked to take his time. He was methodical in his lovemaking, wringing every ounce of pleasure from her body.
She wrapped an arm behind her, around his neck. “Reid, please, I need you to come.” Her insides burned. She needed his seed to ease the pain.
This was the first time she’d gone through heat without any medication, and everything was amped up to a ten. She couldn’t believe how much more she felt things when she didn’t try to mask her symptoms.
Reid put his mouth against her ear. “Only after you do, Angel. I want to feel you squeeze me tight as I plant my seed inside you.”
Tegan moaned. She had to hand it to Reid. He was the best dirty-talker she’d ever been with. She could orgasm just from some of the things he said to her.
He slipped a hand between her legs and rubbed her clit.
“Oh God. I can’t…I can’t…I can’t handle it. It’s too much.”
Reid shoved his cock inside her, right against her cervix, and she exploded. As she came, so did Reid. She could feel his cum flooding her insides, but her orgasm made sure that her body tried to take in everything he gave her.
Reid pulled out of her body almost as hard and fast as he had pushed inside her, and his barbs triggered a second orgasm. Reid shoved his hand between her legs and pushed his fingers inside her.
“That’s right, Angel. Keep coming. I love feeling you throb around me.” He nuzzled her neck and then bit down, slowly increasing the pressure of his bite.
For someone who wasn’t sure how she’d feel or if she’d be mated, she loved when Reid marked her. It made her feel things she’d never felt before with anyone she’d dated in the past.
Slowly, her body stopped pulsating, and Reid let up on her neck. She let all the tension go from her muscles, and she relaxed back against him.
He slowly withdrew his hand from between her legs and brushed his fingers over her lips. She tentatively darted out her tongue and licked the tips of his fingers. He took his hand from her mouth, and she followed them with her eyes. She turned her head to watch him suck the rest of their lovemaking off with his own mouth.
He fell back on the bed, and she went with him.
His eyes were closed, and he seemed to be deep in thought.
Troubled by the stiffness in his body, she rolled over, so she faced him. “Are you okay?”
“Never better.”
“You don’t sound very convincing.”
She didn’t understand. What just happened that caused a sudden attitude change in Reid?
“I’m scared.”
This caused her alarm. Reid? Scared?
He was so logical about things. He analyzed situations and came up with solutions. She’d never seen him scared. Worried maybe. Concerned, of course. He wasn’t heartless; he just didn’t let emotions rule him normally.
She put a hand on his chest. “What’s wrong? I have never seen you scared before. Are you worried about Bram? Did you find something out the last time you got on your computer that you haven’t shared with the rest of us?”
Reid bunched up a pillow and put it under his head. He looked over at her. “No.” He shook his head. “I didn’t find out anything about Bram other than what we discovered this morning.”
Dante had called to tell them that Bram was out of jail. The bad thing was, nobody had been able to locate him. The good thing was, he hadn’t bought a plane ticket to Vegas either.
Tegan breathed a sigh of relief. As much as she tried to embrace Isabelle’s mantra that she was strong because she could have babies, she still felt vulnerable in her heat. She didn’t want Bram to hurt anyone because she wasn’t one hundred percent at her best.
She put her hand on Reid’s chest. “Why are you scared?” she whispered.
“I’m scared this isn’t going to last. I’m scared you’re going to change your mind. And I’m scared you’re going to regret everything we’ve done together.” He brushed a finger back and forth on the mark he’d left on her neck. “I know I’ve wanted you for a long time, but now that I have you, I realize exactly how much. I know I’m not your usual type. I analyze too much. I’m kind of a nerd. You’re so beautiful and wild and free. What if you decide you don’t want to be tied to me?”
“And what if you put a baby inside me?”
“That’s the worst part. I’m selfishly using a potential child to keep you tied to me.” He looked down at her belly. “Don’t get me wrong. I would love the little shifter like no other, and I would love to be a father, but it doesn’t make it right.”
“Oh, Reid.” She moved up his body and took his mouth.
He groaned and rolled toward her and cupped the back of her neck. He licked the seam of her lips, and she opened for him. Reid tilted her head, changing the angle of their kiss, and gently pushed his tongue into her mouth. He kissed like he made love. As if all his energy was focused on her.
Tegan pushed him on his back and climbed on top of him. She reached between them and grabbed on to his penis. She put his head against her entrance and gradually sank down on him. She slowly rotated her hips over his as they continued to kiss.
Reid moaned into her mouth, and she swallowed his sounds of pleasure.
Maybe sex wasn’t the answer he was looking for, but she wanted to show him that she wanted to have sex with him, not just because she was in heat. She didn’t need him right now. She wanted him.
She broke their kiss and sat up, still riding him.
Reid brought his hands up and touched her all over. Her face, her mouth, her shoulders, her breasts, her stomach, and her hips.
When she felt like he’d gotten his fill, she got on her knees, dragging him out of her.
Reid gasped. “Wh—”
She stopped him from saying anything more by taking him in her mouth. She tasted herself on him, but that
didn’t bother her. She loved knowing it was her juices that were all over him. Her scent, her taste…her mate.
As she sucked Reid’s impressive cock to the back of her throat, she realized that she hadn’t gone down on him yet and vice versa. They had so many more things to explore with each other, and it only ramped her up more.
Tegan had always liked sex. Males, females, shifters, humans. She’d slept with a couple of vampires before Vaughn and Naya got together and changed the two species dynamic with each other. She’d liked the naughtiness of it all.
Reid was right about her being wilder than him, but that didn’t make her better or anything.
She tasted pre-cum from Reid, so she released his shaft from her mouth. It popped out from between her lips, and he grunted. She saw another drop appear, and she sipped it like he was fine wine. To her, he was better.
She felt him throbbing under her hand, and despite all their previous sex in the last half a day, she knew he wouldn’t last much longer. She just had to decide how she wanted him to finish. It was tempting to ride him again, but they’d had plenty of him coming inside her, and there would be more of that until her heat was over.
She could take him into her mouth and swallow, but that had been done before. She wanted to show him how much she wanted all of him in a different way.
She sucked just his head into her mouth as she used her fist to pump him. He barked out a groan, and right before he came, she took her mouth away and stroked him until he finished on his beautiful stomach.
She kept her grip on him as she licked up all his seed from his abdomen. She placed kisses on his belly in between swallowing his drops. When she had cleaned him up, she sucked on his tip once more to make sure she hadn’t missed anything.
He hissed and jerked but didn’t push her away from what had to be his now-sensitive penis. She kissed his tip and released him from her grip. She slid back up his body and rested her head on his shoulder.
Neither of them said anything for a few seconds.
“That was…wow. I have no words.”
She smiled and kissed his chest. “You’re welcome.” She shifted, so she could get up on one elbow and look at him in the face. “You didn’t force me into anything. You didn’t trick me into anything either. I’m here with you because I want to be. I wouldn’t have mated you just because of my heat. I could have easily told you to bring me the medicine.” She ran her fingers through his auburn locks. “I think my heat just sped up the process of our courtship. A couple of days ago, you were my friend, and now, you’re my mate.” She held his face in her hand. “But I have no regrets.” She placed a gentle kiss on his lips. “And, if we have a child together, it would make my year. So, no more beating yourself up. No more being scared. I love you, and I’m not going anywhere.”
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