Claiming Valeria

by Rebecca Rivard

  Rui waited until he was seated before turning back. Merry was looking up at him, her small brow furrowed.

  He gave her a smile and tousled her hair. “How’s my princesa?”

  “Good.” She relaxed and smiled back.

  He took a seat on Valeria’s other side and dropped a kiss on her lips. “Don’t look so worried—I can handle him. And I’m damn tired of him sniffing around you.”

  “So? Let him sniff. I told you we’re through.”

  “Sim? Then you won’t mind staying away from him from now on.” A growled order, and although she’d already been doing just that, she wasn’t going to let him get away with it—unless she was accorded the same rights.

  “I will when you stop letting Beatriz crawl all over you.”

  He had the grace to wince. “Sorry. I told her I’m courting you. I thought everyone knew.”

  “Oh, she knows,” Valeria muttered.

  “Well, you’re the only one I want,” he said and took her mouth for another kiss, this one deep and unabashedly possessive.

  She knew it was for Petros’s benefit—a dominant staking his claim—but heat curled through her, slow and delicious. When he lifted his head, she blinked at him, dazed.

  He brushed the backs of his fingers over her cheek. “You have stars in your eyes,” he murmured before releasing her and turning to greet the others at the table.

  Meanwhile, Beatriz had paused nearby and was regarding Valeria with narrowed eyes. Then, with a toss of her head, she took the empty seat next to Sabela, which happened to be directly across from Rui.

  Valeria’s mouth flattened. She wasn’t a jealous person, but it wasn’t easy knowing that Beatriz—and half the unmated females in the dining hall—had had Rui too.

  Rui squeezed her thigh. When she glanced at him, his smile was rueful. The fact that he’d noticed she was upset and was offering reassurance went a long way to soothing her. She brushed her lips over his—staking her own claim—and turned her attention to her food.

  The talk turned to Dion and Cleia. The two rulers had announced their intention to split their time between the Rock Run base and the sun fae. Now the women speculated as to how that would work, the discussion taking place across several tables.

  “Lord Dion said they would spend half their time here and half there,” Sabela pointed out. “He won’t let her sleep alone, that’s for sure.”

  A passing male overheard her and said, “The queen will follow the alpha’s lead. Now that they’re mated, he’s in charge.”

  The women hooted him down—Cleia might be crazy in love with Dion but everyone knew she obeyed him only when it suited her. Dion might not like it, but he clearly was just as much in love with her. It promised for an interesting life together.

  And by the Goddess, Valeria envied them.

  Beatriz shot her a sly look. “When Lord Dion is with the sun fae,” she said, “someone has to lead in his place. That would be Rui. He’s more than ready. In fact, he looks ready for anything…” She trailed off suggestively.

  Every head at the table swiveled in Valeria’s direction. She remained stubbornly silent, her gaze on her plate. But beneath the table, her fingers sprouted claws.

  “Obrigado,” Rui said coolly. “I’ll do my best to serve the clan and my alpha. As I’m sure we all will.”

  At his hard stare, Beatriz colored and dropped her gaze. “Yes, of course.”

  The other fada murmured agreement. Sabela steered the talk to what they could do to welcome the queen into the clan. “It’s our turn to throw a party,” she said.

  The idea spread across the dining hall and soon the whole clan was throwing out suggestions. Valeria forced herself to join in the planning. She was damned if she’d let Beatriz get under her skin.

  After dinner, Rui escorted Merry and her back to their apartment. For once, he didn’t ask to be invited in, and she was surprised at her disappointment.

  But he explained that Luis was expecting him. “We’re meeting to go over things so we’re ready for Dion’s return. Thank Deus he’s due back tomorrow.”

  Merry tugged at his shirt. “Would you read to me, Tio? I have a new book.”

  He crouched down so he was at her level. “Not tonight, princesa—I have some business to take care of. But I promise I will tomorrow. Okay?”

  Her lips pressed into a pout. “Okay. But don’t forget.”

  “I won’t. Now kiss me good night and then go inside so I can talk to your mama.”

  “’Night, Tio Rui.” She twined her thin arms around his neck and planted a smacking kiss on his cheek before obediently trotting into the apartment.

  Rui rose back up, shut the door and drew Valeria toward him. She went willingly. He set his big shoulders against the wall and pulled her between his legs, tipping her toward him so that she had to set her hands on his chest to keep her balance. His breath whispered over her lips and then he was kissing her, light and sweet.

  Her head spun, and she melted against him.

  He drew a breath and enclosed her in his arms, deepening the kiss until the only thing she knew was him: the hard wall of muscles beneath her hands, his cock hard against her stomach, his spicy scent and the way his heart was pounding as hard as hers beneath her palms.

  When he lifted his head, his eyes were heavy-lidded with arousal. “I can come back later, after Merry’s in bed.”

  And just like that, she gave in. “All right.”

  He looked briefly stunned, and then he gave one of his rare smiles. “Give me two hours. Maybe less.” He gave her a last, hard kiss and strode off.

  Valeria let her head fall back against the wall. The old Rui was definitely back.

  Sabela poked her head out her apartment. “He’s gone?” She inhaled slowly, then quirked a brow. “Someone’s antsy.”

  Valeria scrubbed her hands over her face and pushed off the wall. “It’s just me and Merry, if that’s what you mean,” she said, ignoring the second comment.

  “Too bad. But I have reinforcements.” Sabela came the rest of the way into the hall and held up a bottle of merlot.

  Valeria grinned. “Is that for me?”

  “You and your best friend.” Sabela followed her into the apartment. When Merry bounced off the couch to greet her, she handed Valeria the wine so she could swing Merry into the air. “Guess what? A certain little girl is at my mother’s, asking to see you.”

  “Katie?” Merry’s face lit up.

  “You got it.”

  Katie was Sabela’s niece and an adorable three-year-old who idolized Merry. Merry, in turn, loved playing mother with her.

  Merry turned to Valeria. “Go ahead,” she said, “but be back by eight thirty.” She followed Merry into the hall, watching until she disappeared into Sabela’s parents’ apartment.

  When she returned, Sabela had the wine open. She handed Valeria a glass and lowered herself gracefully onto the couch, folding her long legs beneath her.

  “That was one hot kiss,” Sabela remarked with a grin.

  “Which one?” Valeria shot back and they both chuckled. Valeria twisted the wine glass in her fingers. “Go ahead. Tell me I’m a fool. That he’s just going to hurt me again. We both saw him with Beatriz tonight.”

  Her friend took a sip of wine. “I might have said that a month ago.”

  “You did,” Valeria pointed out dryly.

  “Whatever.” Sabela flicked her crimson nails. “But I have to admit, he’s making an effort. Rodolfo says he’s training as hard as any of the cadets. And if he’s drinking, no one’s seen it. You weren’t facing him and Beatriz, I was. I couldn’t hear them, but it was clear he was telling her to back off.”

  “That’s what he told me.” She took a sip of the merlot. “We haven’t done anything other than kiss.”

  “How do you feel about that?”

  “I don’t know,” she burst out. “Sometimes I want more so badly it hurts. He looks at me in that dark, brooding way until my skin feels too tight and I
just want to shove him down on the couch and have my way with him. So yeah, I’m frustrated.” She expelled a breath. “He’s coming back—later, after Merry’s in bed.”

  Sabela regarded her over the top of her glass. “Face it, amiga, he’s your mate. Maybe it’s time to stop fighting it. He wants you. He’s not going to give up, and no other man’s going to touch you with his scent all over you. But you don’t have to make it easy. Take him back, but on your terms.”

  “Which are—?”

  “Well, for one thing, he’d better be faithful this time or you’ll break every bone in his body.”

  “Damn straight,” Valeria said and they both chuckled and clinked glasses.

  “Now,” Sabela said with a disparaging glance at Valeria’s tank top and shorts. “Let’s take a look in your closet. By the time I’m through with you, the man’s going to be on his knees, begging you to take him back.”

  “But—”

  “No buts. You don’t have to say yes tonight. You just want him praying to everything he holds holy that you will.”

  Valeria considered that. Then her lips curved slowly up. “On his knees begging, huh?”

  * * *

  “Perfeito.” Sabela stepped back with a satisfied nod. “You look beautiful.”

  Valeria regarded herself in the mirror. Sabela had ferreted out her one black dress, picked up on a whim a few months ago when she’d decided to start dating again. The dress was a cotton knit that dipped low in the back, with straps that crossed over her shoulders and came around to hold up a heart-shaped bodice. Sabela had helped her weave her hair into a thick braid that fell over one shoulder and talked her into using scarlet lipstick.

  She looked good. The dress’s bodice exposed a tasteful amount of cleavage before nipping in at the waist and smoothing over her hips to end at mid-thigh. Her cheeks had a slight flush, the lipstick set off her full mouth and she could see those stars in her eyes again.

  “Well?” Sabela demanded.

  “You’re right. I do look—”

  “Damn hot,” her friend finished with a wicked grin.

  “Obrigada.” Valeria pulled Sabela into a tight hug. “For everything.”

  “No problem. I just wish I could be here when Rui sees you. He won’t know what hit him.”

  After that, all she had to do was wait for Rui to return. Sabela helped her put Merry to bed, then left, leaving Valeria to spend the next half hour moving restlessly around the apartment: washing the dishes from Merry’s bedtime snack, returning a few scattered toys to the box in the sala, plumping the pillows on the couch.

  This was it. Rui had been patient, something she knew didn’t come easy to him. She loved that he’d spent the past month taking things slowly—courting her, as he’d promised. That as much as anything had convinced her that he was serious about winning her back. The mate bond was more proof: it wouldn’t be rejuvenating if he wasn’t ready for that kind of commitment. The bond was a mystical, hard-to-explain linking of two souls, entwined with fate and slightly different for each pair, but it couldn’t come into full flower unless it was right for both of them.

  When the knock came on her door, a flutter went up her spine. Placing a hand on her abdomen, she took a deep, steadying breath before grasping the doorknob with firm fingers. She pulled open the door and there he was, big and dark and gorgeous in a forest green button-up shirt and black jeans.

  “Hello, querida.” He regarded her unsmilingly.

  Her heart thumped in her chest, hard and slow. “Hello.”

  He took in the black dress with hooded eyes. For a few seconds he said nothing as his gaze traveled from her head to her toes. Then he gave a heartfelt shake of his head.

  “Damn. Sometimes I forget how beautiful you are.”

  Her lips curved. Rui was never going to give her pretty words, but it was just as good knowing you’d made a man all but swallow his tongue.

  He glanced past her. “Merry’s in bed?” When she said yes, he placed a hand on the doorjamb, his bicep bulging in the arm beside her head. “Invite me in.” He showed her a small white box topped by a gold bow. “I brought you something.”

  She glanced at the box, then back at his face. He still wasn’t smiling. Instead his expression was almost stern, but with an undertone of vulnerability that made her throat stop up.

  She reached for his hand and drew him inside. He matched her, step for step, his gaze never leaving hers as he nudged the door shut with his foot. And then her back was against the door with him staring down at her with smoldering green eyes. His hand went to her braid. He smoothed his fingers down the thick rope of hair to where the tip curled over her breast. Her nipples hardened against the thin cotton of her dress.

  He smiled, a knowing uptick of his lips that did funny things to her stomach. “I’m going to kiss you,” he murmured, his mouth a breath away from hers.

  “Sim,” she whispered, mesmerized.

  He placed his hands on either side of her head and slowly, carefully, brought his mouth to hers, tasting her as if she were the most special, delicious treat. Their tongues twined. His body crowded hers against the door. She grasped his shoulders and kissed him back, drowning in his scent, his taste, the feel of his hard muscles against her breasts and thighs.

  When he lifted his head, they were both breathing hard. Valeria understood that what came next had already been agreed to by them both, but she hadn’t forgotten Sabela’s advice: You don’t have to make it easy. Take him back, but on your terms.

  His hands were still on the door. She ducked under them and sent him a smile over her shoulder. “How about some coffee?”

  He blew out a breath. “That would be nice, thank you.”

  He placed the box on the coffee table and took a seat on the couch where he could watch as she moved about the kitchen. Neither of them spoke. A month ago, Valeria might have been unnerved by the charged atmosphere, but suddenly she was completely calm. He might be a male and several notches dominant to her, but in this, she was the one in control. That was the gift of his courtship. Even now, if she said no, he’d leave. He might not be happy about it, but he would leave.

  She finished the coffee and then brought in two cups along with a plate filled with small fruit tarts from the clan bakery. Rui helped himself to one, washing it down with coffee before setting the cup on the low table.

  “Obrigado, querida. I needed that.” He sat back with a sigh and rested his head on the couch back. “It’s been a long day.”

  She frowned at the exhaustion shadowing his face. “You’re pushing yourself too hard.”

  He lifted a shoulder. “It won’t kill me. But it’s not the physical stuff—it’s some of the other warriors. Not Luis or Rodolfo, thank Deus. But a few of the younger men are having a hard time accepting that I’m second again.”

  “It’s been two years.”

  “Nobody knows that better than me. And sim, I know it’s my fault I lost their respect.” He rubbed a hand over his face. “I just don’t want it to come to a challenge.”

  She bit her lip. “It won’t, will it?” A dominance challenge wasn’t supposed to be to the death, but things could go wrong.

  “I don’t think so. I took on a couple of the most dominant in hand-to-hand combat today. They’re not going to be challenging me in a hurry.” He raised his arms in a long, bone-cracking stretch. The hem of his shirt lifted, exposing his abdomen.

  She murmured something, her gaze on all that smooth brown skin. Maybe he was pushing himself too hard, but she couldn’t argue with the results. One hand came to his stomach, idly scratching the firm ridge of muscles. A line of black hair disappeared into his jeans.

  He stilled, and she jerked her eyes back to his face. He was gazing back at her, a smile on his lips. Suddenly he didn’t look so tired after all.

  He crooked a finger at her. “Come here, boneca.”

  Her body recognized that husky tone. Her nipples hardened and a lush heat filled her belly. But she heard again
Sabela’s words: On his knees begging.

  She concentrated on setting her cup on the table.

  “Come here,” he repeated.

  She moved closer and he traced a finger over her collarbone. “Valeria.”

  Her thighs clenched at that low, seductive growl. She swallowed. “Yes?”

  This close she could see the flecks of gold in his deep green eyes, feel the heat radiating off his body. She found herself inhaling slowly, taking in his wild male spice, the scent still familiar after all this time.

  He moved his hand to her breast, rubbing a knuckle over one hard crest. “No more running, hm?”

  “No,” she agreed.

  His big hand covered her breast, squeezing gently. “Say it, Valeria. Tell me what you want.”

  And suddenly, she didn’t want to make him beg. She just wanted him. That was all she’d ever wanted.

  She moistened her lips. His eyes darkened as they followed the movement of her tongue. She thought he might say something but he waited patiently, his fingers massaging her breast.

  She slid her fingers down the outside of his forearm. “I want you.”

  “Yeah?” Both his hands cupped her breasts now. He continued the slow, almost-hypnotic massage. Sensation slid up and down her spine, pricks of heat and light and pleasure.

  “But,” some instinct for self-preservation made her add, “that doesn’t mean I’m agreeing to the mate claim.”

  “No?” His brow lifted. “I can make you want me.” He pinched her nipples.

  Her reply was half-laugh, half-moan. “You already have.”

  “So what do you mean, you’re not agreeing to the claim?”

  “That I’m not making any promises. I have to be sure this time.” She glanced away. “You…you broke my heart. Not just with Cleia, but with all the women after you came back. I can’t go through that again. I won’t go through that again.”

  He stilled. “Ah, querida. I wish I had words to tell you how sorry I am. I won’t ask you to forgive me. Not yet. But I swear it will never happen again. That from this day forward there will be no one but you. Can you believe that at least?”

  She moved her hands in a helpless gesture. “I’m trying.”