by Avery Gale
Chapter Three
Kenya was relieved she hadn’t stalled too long showering. She’d barely gotten the conditioner rinsed from her long hair when the water shut off. After Bronx left her alone, she’d quickly stepped back out of the enclosure to set her hearing aids on the counter. The small devices fit so far down in her ear canal, most people didn’t realize she was wearing them. Goddess knows she didn’t have enough money to replace them, so letting the small devices get wet wasn’t an option.
Drying with a warm towel was pure ecstasy. Once she managed to get her own apartment, she was going to look for a warming rack. What a joke. I’ll be lucky to afford towels. It seemed to take forever to comb the tangles from her hair. She usually kept the long locks in braids to avoid tangles and make it easier for her to tuck under a cap, but she’d been running late tonight and left the long strands to trail down her back. The second night she’d been forced to live on the street, Kenya discovered how vulnerable she was if someone grabbed one of the roped braids. She’d narrowly escaped and never forgot the lesson.
She shook her head when she saw a plain white shirt draped over the foot of the enormous bed. Looking around the large room while pulling on the shirt, Kenya was surprised the décor wasn’t more masculine. Various shades of blue were accented by a soft rose and glittering silver. It was easy to see the room was designed as a place of relaxation. She wondered what lay behind the door in what she’d first thought was a bay window. The tray ceiling and crown moldings were stunning, the details accented by subtle lighting she suspected were designed to lend ambiance to the entire space.
Taking a deep breath, Kenya started down the hall. The wide plank flooring was cool beneath her bare feet, and she wished she had a pair of socks. Rounding the corner, Kenya gasped.
“Your kitchen is huge. How many people eat here? Do you cook for them, or do you have a caterer?” The questions tumbled out before she could pull them back, and she was relieved when she heard Bronx chuckle from where he stood in front of the stove. He was slowly stirring a pot, his eyes moving over her in a slow caress Kenya felt all the way to her core.
Bronx’s low riding jeans were zipped, with the top button open, drawing her eyes to the dark trail of hair arrowing south. His feet were bare below the frayed hem of his jeans. There was something incredibly sexy about the way he was dressed, and she hoped he wouldn’t notice her staring.
“You keep looking at me like that, Cheŕ, and I’m going to set the soup aside for a few hours.”
Hours? Holy cats!
“Sorry, you… well, you surprised me. I wasn’t expecting you to be… umm, cooking… without… well, dressed like that.” She gave a quick wave intended to take him in from head to toe, but her eyes paused when she noticed the sizeable bulge pressing relentlessly against the straining zipper of his jeans. Holy hailstones, the man was huge. Kenya had fantasized about him too many times to count, but now she wasn’t convinced he’d even fit.
Just my rotten luck… a hot guy thinks I’m his mate, and I’m not experienced enough to give him what he’ll want. I swear if my mother wasn’t already dead, I’d do her in myself for getting me into this pickle.
They’d moved so many times when she was in primary school, truancy officials threatened to put her in protective custody. When a school official’s complaints started to sound serious, her mother would pack them up in the middle of the night, and they’d be two hundred miles down the road by the time school started the next day. If her mother was simply tired of her current male companion, they’d flee during the day while he was at work. Her childhood had been filled with so much upheaval, Kenya often wondered what it would be like to know where you would be living a month from now. What it would be like to have a real Christmas tree and be confident Santa would know where to find you.
Blinking, Kenya pulled herself back to the moment and realized Bronx had moved so close, she could feel his body heat moving like a sensual breeze over her bare skin. He smelled so good, her body unconsciously leaned forward as she pulled in a deep breath.
“Fuck me, Cheŕ, I was going to wait to kiss you, but everything about you is firebombing my good intentions.”
He picked her up as though she weighed nothing and set her on the cool marble countertop. When she gasped, he moved in, taking advantage of the opening, his lips sealing over hers and his tongue moving against her own. Mint and a hot summer night—she’d never tasted anything or anyone else like it. His kiss was as sweet as it was demanding, and she wondered if any other man would light her up as quickly as this one had.
“Stop thinking and feel. Give yourself to me, Cheŕ. Let me show you how perfect we are for each other.” His lips pulled back from hers, pressing butterfly kisses along the edge of her jaw before moving to whisper in her ear, “Relax and put yourself in my care for the next ten minutes, then we’ll eat and talk.”
Feeling his body heating hers, Kenya tried to neutralize the way her body was responding but knew she’d lost the battle when his hand slipped between the front placket of the shirt to cup her bare breast. Her entire body heated with desire when he rolled her aching nipple between his fingers. Moaning, Kenya arched her back, pushing the tight nub deeper into his hand.
Walking down the hall, Kenya looked forward to finding out what smelled so delicious. Now, thoughts of food were the furthest thing from her mind. She’d read about people spontaneously combusting but always assumed it was a myth perpetuated by annoyed parents trying to control unruly children. She needed to rethink her assessment… later.
Bronx gave her nipple a firm pinch before pulling his hand from her shirt. The tight bud throbbed for several seconds before the heat was replaced by the sudden chill from the loss of his touch. It wasn’t until her body stopped vibrating with need Kenya noticed the pendant was pulsing in time with her rapidly beating heart.
Lifting her from the counter, Bronx set Kenya on her feet, holding her until he knew she wasn’t going to collapse into a heap.
“Let’s eat before the soup is cold. I want to hear all about you, but first, I want to know you’ve had a good meal.”
As she watched him ladle the thick soup into bowls, her stomach growled—loudly. She felt her cheeks heat with embarrassment, but his soft laughter made her feel better.
“Don’t ever be embarrassed about being hungry, Cheŕ. I have an appetite as big as Texas, and my siblings put me to shame.”
Bronx knew he’d lost Kenya when she sipped from the spoon and groaned happily. She mopped up the last of her soup with a thick slice of buttered sourdough bread and gave him a sheepish grin. Getting to his feet, he refilled her bowl, set it in front of her before nodding.
“When was the last time you ate a good meal, Kenya?” He knew from the way she refused to meet his gaze, he wasn’t going to like the answer.
“I haven’t really had enough money to eat full meals. Tuition costs doubled this year, so I am trying to save money to return to school someday. I’m cutting back everywhere I can.”
Bronx was too stunned to respond for several long seconds. He wanted to reassure her money would no longer be an issue but knew it was too soon. The last thing she needed was to feel as though he was taking over her life. He didn’t know much about her and could only imagine what she’d been forced to give up as she’d tried to make things work.
“I want you to promise you’ll tell me when you’re hungry, Cheŕ. I’ll never be too busy to feed you.” He saw her eyes widen in surprise before they softened with a look of gratitude. Bronx knew he would never forget this moment or the sense of relief he felt move over him—an emotion he knew came from Kenya. Great Goddess, when was the last time a woman he’d taken out had given him even the smallest hint she appreciated the effort he’d put into a dinner date?
“I don’t want to get spoiled. It will be too hard to go back to my life if I get used to all this luxury.” He knew she’d tried to make it sound as though she was joking, but it was a wasted effort.
“Ar
e you related to Lisa Star?” Bronx deliberately asked the question without any preamble, hoping her reaction would give her away if she tried to lie. He wasn’t sure what he’d expected, but he felt like a first-class ass when her pale green eyes filled with tears. She set her spoon down without finishing her second bowl of soup, making him want to howl in frustration. Damn it all to hell, why hadn’t he kept his mouth shut? Scooting his chair back, he pulled her to her feet and led her into the living room. When she tried to take a small chair as far from his lounger as possible, Bronx chuckled and shook his head.
“No, Cheŕ, you’ll sit with me. I want you close. It will help us bond during our conversation.” She stiffened when he pulled her down on his lap, positioning her, so she was sitting sideways, her bare legs draped over the arm of the chair. Placing his hand atop her thigh, he almost laughed out loud at the way her eyes widened. He slowly caressed her upper leg with his thumb, brushing close enough to the sensitive crease at the top of her leg, the touch sent goosebumps racing over her soft skin.
“Talk to me, Kenya. Tell me why mentioning my mother’s college friend brought tears to your eyes.” He didn’t force her to look at him, but he wouldn’t usually allow her to hide by looking into the distance.
“Lisa Star was my mother. She died a few months ago.” Her answer was spoken softly, but he appreciated the fact she’d been so direct.
“Did she know her friend died in a car accident?”
“I’m not sure. It was always hard to know what was real and what was her imagination. My mom was fun, but she was also the most irresponsible person I’ve ever known. I don’t know if she was aware of your parents’ deaths… I…”
Bronx knew when someone was holding back important information—he’d had plenty of experience dealing with siblings, employees, and customers. Drawing on a reserve of patience he hadn’t known he had, he decided to use another tactic.
“Without moving, I want you to show me how you hide in plain sight.” Almost immediately, he felt a surge of electricity warming her as the pendant against his chest rose off the surface of his skin. What the hell? He blinked, and she was gone—well, he could still feel her slight weight on his lap, but she’d disappeared from sight. “Amazing. You are going to drive me crazy just like Charlotte does, Austin.” He chuckled when she faded back into view, her head cocked to the side in question.
“My sister-in-law, Charlotte, can shimmer out of sight. It’s similar to what you just did, but she has trouble maintaining it for any length of time. She is also a healer. A word of caution—if she gets her hands on you, she’s going to take on any pain or illness you’re dealing with, then heal herself in record time. She will also know more about you than you might be ready to share, so consider yourself warned.”
“That must be exhausting.”
Bronx was impressed with Kenya’s observation. There were so many people who would take advantage of Charlotte if they understood how powerful her gift was, but the entire Adler family made it their personal mission to shield her as much as they could.
“I’m not sure who suffers more, Charlotte or my oldest brother, Austin, because he is as protective as they come. The other issue with her magical ability is when Charlotte gets nervous, she shimmers into a mist.” He couldn’t hold back his chuckle. He’d seen his sweet sister-in-law dig herself into a hole more than once by disappearing when she thought her Dom was upset with her. “She also forgets how difficult the illusion is for her to maintain over an extended period.” Fading back into view always seemed to coincide with the peak of Austin’s frustration. I swear to the great Goddess, Charlotte’s timing is as bad as it comes.
“While your magic is comparable, I suspect it requires more skill because you mimic the appearance of things around you. It’s truly remarkable.” It explained why Kenya had been able to disappear from view with regular cameras but remained a shadow on the one infrared he’d installed near the door of his main office.
The petite beauty’s attention was focused on her hands, which were currently twisting in her lap. Nervous energy edged with exhaustion and worry swirled around her, and Bronx was anxious to get this discussion over, as well. He had other plans for his mate—plans that included exploring how perfectly her sweet body responded to his touch. Damn, she’d nearly gone up in flames earlier in the kitchen.
Knowing she burned bright when he’d tightened the pressure on her tightly peaked nipple made him more than a little anxious to further explore their connection. He hadn’t planned to use magic to get the information he wanted, but it was obvious she was as anxious to share as he was to learn why she’d targeted his businesses.
Bronx suspected he knew but needed confirmation from her. Hell, the pendant around his neck hadn’t stopped vibrating since the first time he’d touched her. The damned thing had still moved in slow pulses against his chest while he’d been down the hall, using the guest bathroom to shower. The movements reminded him of a tuning fork, vibrating at different frequencies depending on her proximity. Using two fingers, Bronx raised her chin as he turned her heart-shaped face, so they were eye to eye.
“Tell me why you chose my businesses to break into. There had to be others that would have better suited your needs.” Her eyes widened. She might be surprised he’d been so direct, but there wasn’t going to be anything she could do to resist answering honestly. The magic of a compelling voice was nearly impossible to resist unless you were also a compeller.
“I had to find you, and… well, the… pendant.”
It was obvious she was fighting against the compelling magic he’d used, but he could save her the effort. Resisting required tremendous concentration and a high level of skill, and there were very few magicals who could do it successfully. Bronx could count on one hand the number of people he’d encountered who shared the skill.
He’d always known how fortunate he was to have three very distinct magical gifts. Being a shifter was fun, and he enjoyed being able to run in the moonlight, but he’d never considered it a skill since it was simply something he’d been able to do since puberty. Nonmagicals struggled with acne while he and his brothers battled spontaneous shifts until their bodies learned to control the balance between their human and wolf. Time travel was more developed, and he’d spent a lot of time learning the importance of observing but not affecting even the slightest change.
It was the use of his compelling voice that challenged him the most. Using it appropriately had been one of the hardest lessons of his youth. The ethics involved were something he and Austin discussed with their parents many times over the years since they’d both been blessed with the gift. There had been a lot of late-night conversations revolving around the consequences of their poor decisions.
Smiling to himself, Bronx remembered how appalled his mother had been to discover he’d used the magical gift on dates. Hell, he’d had more sexual encounters in high school than most men had when they graduated from college. It was one of the few times he could remember his mother being so angry, she’d raised her voice. Holy hell, she’d been off the chart pissed. Her screaming had shaken him to his core. Perhaps it wasn’t her finest parenting moment, but in hindsight, he realized how effective… and necessary, it had been.
“Why did you have to find me, Kenya?” Leaning his forehead against hers, Bronx gave her a sly smile. “Tell me all of it, Cheŕ. I’ll know if you lie, and I want to remind you, deceiving by omission is still lying.” He wanted to smile when he felt her sag against him. She wouldn’t be able to lie, but there was a part of her still fighting to hide her secret.
Chapter Four
“I need your pendant.” Kenya’s simple statement answered one question and begged a dozen more. Bronx knew there was a lot more to the story, so he waited. She pulled in a deep breath and sighed. Damned if he didn’t almost feel sorry for her. Whatever she was going to say was a secret she desperately wanted to protect, but compelling magic made it impossible for her to keep the information to herself. “Wh
en my mom first gave the pendant to me, she told me the magic would be exponentially stronger when the two halves were reunited.”
“How did you know I had the other half?” His mother hadn’t given him much information before she died, but once he dug himself out of the overwhelming grief, Bronx started researching the origins of the strange symbol and the fables surrounding it.
“I didn’t. I spent months reading my mother’s old journals. Unfortunately, I started reading the most recent ones, those she’d been writing in before she died. Reading the books in reverse order meant it took me a long time to get to her college days.” Kenya rolled her eyes, and he wondered if she was more frustrated with herself or her mother. “The first time I visited your dealership, I knew I was in the right place. You were busy filming a commercial and didn’t notice me. I picked up a clipboard, and everyone assumed I was part of the crew.”
“How did you cover your scent? It would have been impossible for me to overlook you if you’d ever been close enough for me to recognize you as my mate.”
“I stayed upwind. My mom and I encountered shifters as we moved around the country, so I knew enough to minimize the risk. I didn’t want you to be able to recognize me when I… stole the pendant.”
The words were whispered so quietly, Bronx wouldn’t have heard her without the enhanced hearing of a shifter. Bronx forced back his frustration. Knowing she’d intended to steal the pendant was frustrating, but it was also pathetically lame.
“Please don’t be angry. I only wanted the enhanced magic to get a place to live and to fix my hearing… and maybe pay my tuition for a couple of semesters.”
“Don’t worry about a place to live, Cheŕ. I know you aren’t convinced, but you are my mate, and I take care of what’s mine. Seeing to your safety became my number one priority the moment I recognized you.” He gave her several long seconds to process what he’d said before addressing the next issue. Shifting her slight frame, so their cheeks were pressed together, he smiled when she gasped. With his lips brushing over the shell of her ear, Bronx asked, “How much do you know about the mating process, Kenya?” He felt the shiver move through her—was it a reaction to the question or the feel of his warm breath moving over the sensitive skin behind her ear? Pressing his tongue flat against her soft skin, he was gratified to feel her pulse kick up.
