“No. Do you really have to do it, or just think you do? Are there any other options?”
“Yes. And no.”
“Then only you know what the right decision is for you.”
He kissed the side of her mouth. “Unfortunately, this impacts many people. People I care about.”
“I may not know you very well, Brayden, but I do not think you would do anything to hurt anyone you care about. It’s not in your nature.”
He glanced at her and squinted.
“I’m serious. You are very protective, and when you speak of your family, you have love in your eyes.”
He cupped her cheek and began kissing her. Longer, deeper, harder. His hand snuck under her top and ran up her back, making its way around the front and cupping her breast.
Underneath her, his cock hardened. They both moaned. There was the possessive and passionate man she knew. Releasing her lips a moment later, he gripped her waist tightly.
“You mean more to me than just sex, Willow. I want you to know this.”
She hadn’t expected to hear those words from him. Her eyes glistened, and the corners of her mouth curved up.
Oh.
She was ridiculously happy to hear him say that, and she’d worry about why later.
“Hey, we don’t have to do anything. I was just feeling insecure. Sorry.”
“No, you weren’t. I was distant, and you picked up on it intuitively.”
Her mouth fell open. “Okay, seriously, am I on some reality show?”
“What?” He laughed.
“Either you’re an AI prototype of the perfect man or I’m dreaming. Something’s going on here.”
He laughed. “I’ll take it as a compliment.”
She laid her head on his shoulder. Brayden was right, though. She had picked up on his emotional distance, except she’d made it all about her. It wasn’t like her to be so insecure, and while everyone had their moments, she usually kept hers in check.
Surprised again by her reaction to this man, she found herself unable to stop.
“So, do you want to share more about this situation?”
He shook his head. “I can’t. I’m sorry.” Taking her face in his hands, he gazed seriously into her eyes. “Willow, I found out yesterday that we’re heading back east in six days. I intend to spend all of them with you.”
She opened her mouth. Closed it. It wasn’t like she was counting the days, but if someone had asked, technically, it would give them two additional days together. But she wasn’t counting.
“There will be a day or two I am busy, but afterward, I want...no, I’ll need to see you.” He glanced across the room, his eyes looking haunted.
Now she was really beginning to wonder what he was involved with.
“Bray, I’m not sure...”
“I need you. For the next six days, Willow, I want you in my life. I’ve got some responsibilities to fulfill that are...difficult.”
She swallowed deeply and ran her fingers over his new stubble, wondering what he was getting himself into—or was already knee-deep in.
Some women liked bad boys, and while they were most certainly sexy, Willow preferred her bad boys in a romance novel, not in her bed. Had her initial instincts been right about Brayden and his friend?
“If this is something illegal, perhaps it’s best you don’t do it.”
He let out a dark laugh. “Oh, it’s far worse than illegal.”
She pulled back. “What do you mean?”
He shook his head.
“Are you going to hurt someone? Please tell me you’re not into bad things, Brayden.” She tried to move off his lap, but he held her tight, eyes boring into hers.
“Honestly, if I do this right, the only person getting hurt will be me. It’s so fucked up.”
He let out a breath and his eyes darkened as they ran over her body. She saw the moment he shut down. His eyelids dropped and his large hand ran over her forehead, across her hair, and gripped it.
“I am not the nice man you think I am, Willow.”
She sucked in a breath.
“You’re scaring me, Brayden.”
“Am I? Or are you excited?” Her core flared with heat, her panties becoming moist as his cock grew harder and larger beneath her. “Isn’t this what you wanted? To have me desire you, touch you, and taste you.”
Her breathing became ragged as he ran his tongue down her throat, stopping at her pulse.
“You have no need to fear me. I’ll never hurt you.”
He pulled her T-shirt off, exposing her favorite sexy bra. She was also wearing the matching panties and had shaved and dabbed perfume in all the right places.
His strong hands held her hip and back of her head. She loved his dominance.
“I thought about you wearing no panties today. You were very naughty texting me that.”
“Did you believe me?”
“It doesn’t matter,” he said, suddenly lifting her up and laying her on the sofa.
His strength never failed to surprise her. She gasped as he laid his large muscular frame over her.
“Now, I’m going to punish you for that tease.”
He sucked on her nipple and unzipped her jeans, pulling them free.
“Punish me?” she squeaked out, a flush of anticipation running through her body. Kneeling over her, he nodded then reached one hand behind him, ripping off his top.
Willow took a moment to enjoy the gift that was Brayden. His abdomen was tight and hard, with muscles that nearly defied nature. She reached out and ran her fingers across his soft olive skin and stopped as she saw the head of his cock peeking out. He grabbed her hand.
“You want that?” he asked as she licked her lips. She nodded, eager.
“I have some playing to do before you get it. As your punishment.”
He undid his jeans, and it sprung free. Her body clenched with a need so powerful, she burned.
“Bray, I...”
He grabbed her wrist again and pushed both her arms over her head. “Do I need to bind your hands?”
She swallowed. It was probably best. His body was layer upon layer of raw masculinity that she had to touch.
Free of his jeans, she noticed Brayden held something in his hand. He spread her natural juices around her pussy, and licking his fingers, he looked up at her, eyes dark with desire as she arched into him.
Her hands reached for him again.
“Last warning, or I’ll tie you up.”
She groaned. “Fuck me, Brayden. I need you inside me.”
He opened his hand. In his palm was a short string of large white pearls. She stared at them, then at him.
“I’m going to put these inside your nice, wet pussy,” he said, rubbing his hand along her thigh. “Relax, baby.” He dropped and began lapping at her, the feeling so intense and erotic she nearly came. He lifted his head and tapped her clit. “No. I’ll tell you when you can orgasm, Willow. Now relax and open for me.”
She gasped, the jolt and instruction stopping her.
Brayden lowered again and his fingers and tongue began moving around her folds, the delicious feeling causing all kinds of short circuits in her body and brain. Suddenly, she felt the foreign object enter her. It felt large but not uncomfortable. Just a pop and it was inside her. Her pussy contracted around it, wanting more.
“Yes, oh, good girl.” Brayden kept with the fingers and licking, then another one entered her. “Oh yes. God, Willow, so hot.”
Soon all five of the white pearls were inside her, filling her, every move she made creating waves of pleasure.
“Oh, my...” She groaned.
Brayden glanced up at her, running his tongue over her clit. “Next time, you will wear panties when you’re not with me, won’t you?”
He pinched a nipple and she groaned. “Brayden, please.”
“Oh, we are just getting started.”
He stood and her eyes widened. Where was he going? But he didn’t go far. He moved to her
side and gripped his cock. “Open your mouth, sweetheart.”
He slipped his cock in and pulled her hair into a tight bunch. She sucked on him, moving up and down his shaft. Every inch she moved stimulated the pearls within her, sending flares of ecstasy throughout her body.
“Oh God.”
Brayden held the base of his cock, pushing her head to go deeper. “Yes. God, Willow, that’s it.”
She was on the edge, so on the edge. Just when she thought she could handle no more, he surprised her again.
“Don’t come,” he reminded her, running a hand along her stomach, tweaking her clit, and lining his finger with her moisture only to lick it off. Her eyes begged his as he stared down at her with more desire than she’d seen in her life.
“God, you’re gorgeous,” he said, affection and lust filling his eyes. “You ready for more?”
She nodded. A sudden buzzing began within her, and she cried out, throwing her head back.
“Fuck, look at you.”
Pleasure flooded her body, short-circuiting her brain.
“Fuckfuckfuckfuck. Brayden!” she cried as he shoved his cock in her mouth again.
He reached and began circling her clit. “Come for me, Willow. Come now.”
As soon as permission was given, her body convulsed, arching into the pleasure of the vibration and stimulation from his fingers. She clenched, mouth flying open as powerful waves of pleasure blossomed through her. In complete surrender, she opened her eyes and watched as Brayden pumped his cock, spilling his seed into her mouth.
“My girl,” Brayden said, moving into position between her legs. Slowly he pulled the pearls out, one by one, and each time, she let out a pleasure-laced moan.
“Bray.”
Lying back, he pulled her on top of him and slid into her.
“Argh, fuck,” he exclaimed in surprise. “God, you feel so damn good.”
“I...”
“I’m going to fuck you hard, Willow. Are you okay with that?”
She nodded and he did. Hard and fast, he pounded into her, moving her with his hold on her hips. How he had the strength, she had no idea and didn’t care. It was exactly what she needed. Every damn inch of him with total and utter dominating power.
They both came again before collapsing.
Brayden kept one arm around her lower back as they breathed laboriously together. He lifted her chin and kissed her long and hard.
“Never,” he said darkly, “Never will I not want you, Willow. Remember, always.”
His lips landed back on hers, totally owning her.
She didn’t know what the proclamation meant, but she did know she’d be giving him those six days, without question.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Brayden pushed through the double swinging doors into the security briefing Craig was heading up.
Mutters of my lord greeted him.
As his senior team, he’d told them it wasn’t necessary when he was in his role as captain, but many of them had known him for centuries, so it had become habit as they’d worked their way up the ranks.
“Captain,” Craig nodded in greeting.
“Sorry I’m late,” he said unnecessarily. One thing he’d learned from his father was that respect was earned. He may be the royal prince and lead the warriors, but he believed in behaving in the manner you wished others to behave.
In this case, he was fifteen minutes late—fifteen minutes he’d lain staring at Willow while she slept looking like an absolute angel. He had known he was running late, but had found himself in an obsessive thought pattern. Was he using Willow as an excuse not to betray his brother with Kate, or was the thought of having sex with anyone but this human even more unthinkable than the queen’s request?
“I’ve just distributed the relocation strategy file you approved earlier tonight.”
He nodded and sat down, watching his team review it on their digital devices, fingers scrolling and heads nodding to no one in particular. For the next hour, Craig walked them through the plan, assessing challenges, and prepped the senior lieutenants so they could brief their own teams.
“Prince—ah, captain, you haven’t put your departure date in here,” Marcus said, lifting the device.
“No.” He paused, took a deep breath, and stood. “I’ll make the decision closer to the date.”
Craig looked at the male quickly then back at Brayden, keeping his face blank.
“We can work around that last minute,” Lance, one of the other four senior lieutenants in the room, said.
“Okay. Go brief your teams and let’s get this show on the road. Tom, can you update the operations team?” Craig asked.
The tall, dark-skinned male nodded, making a note on his device. His mate, Lucinda, oversaw the housekeeping and kitchen team, so it naturally, and often, landed on him.
Brayden looked around at the males. They’d all worked together for so long, this was like clockwork. Yet things felt different. Very few people knew about the king’s illness, but these males did. They hadn’t asked anything, as no well-trained soldier would. And they were highly trained and deadly machines, each with their own strengths and skills.
It wasn’t his decision to impart more knowledge about the king’s situation, and it served everyone to know as little as possible. While he was prince and captain, the fact remained that Vincent was king. For now.
However, as captain, he was empowered to share information to ensure the good mental health of his team. He knew these men had no problem with him stepping into the role of king one day—they all loved and respected him—but they also loved their king.
“One last thing,” he started. “This information stays inside this room, do you understand?” Single nods all round. “The treatment hasn’t delivered the results we hoped for. We’re returning home, not because the king has given up but to consider other options.”
“And for the fucking ball.” Craig smirked, breaking the tension.
“Hey, I like the ball!” Kurt proclaimed.
“For the chicks,” Tom teased, although it had been at one of the balls that he’d met his mate. That she was the sister of the Russos was something they were all cognizant of.
“Anyone know the theme yet?” Kurt asked.
“Victorian era.”
“Top hats and skirts big enough to fit under. Excellent,” someone else said.
“I prefer those little flapper dresses of the twenties.” Kurt shrugged.
“They’d look good on you.”
“Fuck off.”
Brayden smiled, happy the team was in good spirits. He nodded to Craig, who dismissed the team. “Okay, that’s a wrap.”
The room emptied out as Craig closed his laptop and pushed a few buttons to shut off the digital projection on the wall.
“Who’s organizing the jets?”
“I am,” he said, and continued packing up, putting his equipment and files in a black shoulder bag. He pushed a pen through a black loop, positioning it carefully.
“What’s up?” He knew Craig nearly as well as he knew himself. Something was off.
The male stood up to his full height and put his hands on his hips, considering him. Across the table, he stood nearly to Brayden’s height and width, but not quite. Still, he was a big male, and with those piercing green eyes and tribal tats, he most certainly wasn’t a metro man, as the humans called them.
No, Craig was all muscle and didn’t beat around the bush. When triggered, those fangs came out, and he was a mean-looking motherfucker. He was also strong as fuck. It was his loyalty and ability to lead that had secured his position as Brayden’s second in charge all those centuries ago.
That and their history. Not for the first time, Brayden wondered what Craig would be capable of if the guy had their potent royal blood. He still wouldn’t have the kind of power Brayden had, but he’d be a wrecking ball, that’s for sure.
“Not a fucking thing,” he replied. “You?”
They stared at each o
ther for a long moment. Craig was the only vampire on the planet he allowed to speak to him that way.
“Do you have your period or something?” Brayden put his jacket on and started walking toward the door. He sighed when the guy didn’t respond. “Ask me what you want to know, Craig.”
“You won’t fucking answer.”
“I will.”
“All right. Is she your mate?”
He froze.
“I rest my case.”
Brayden clutched the door handle.
“Forget it. I need your head back in the game, and before you kick my ass for that comment, you need to know something. You’re being watched.”
Dropping the handle, he turned, fury building in his veins. “I’m sorry, what? Who. Is. Watching. Me?”
Craig closed the space between them and stopped a few feet away. “They’re not just watching you, Brayden. They’re watching Vincent, Kate, and your girlfriend.”
He grabbed the guy by the front of his shirt and lifted him off the ground. Craig didn’t flinch.
“Why the fuck are you just telling me now? Who are they?” he growled, his eyes glowing with the power of the Moretti blood. When Craig glared at him, he released his grip and let him drop back to the floor. “Tell me.”
“Russo’s males,” he replied, tugging his black uniform back down. “One followed you after you left last night. I followed his port energy and found him standing outside Willow’s house as you went in.”
“What did he do?”
“Watched the house for a few minutes then left. He wasn’t aware I followed him.” Of course he wasn’t. Craig couldn’t be seen or traced if he didn’t want to.
“Why didn’t you arrest the fucker?”
“For what? Sightseeing? Protecting the prince?”
Brayden’s fangs made an appearance.
“You think I wouldn’t have acted should I had cause? Fuck you, Brayden.”
He looked into the eyes of his friend and retracted his fangs. Fuck, he’d been an asshole lately. He had a few good reasons though. One, he’d had to accept he would become king; two, the queen wanted him to fuck her so she could get pregnant; and three, he strongly suspected the human he was banging was his mate.
The Vampire Prince Page 10
