Wicked Cravings

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Dante wouldn’t have guessed that Laurie had developed suicidal tendencies since they parted, but apparently she had. Why else would the odd female have repeatedly leaned across the table toward him at breakfast, trying to engage him in conversation? She had been careful not to touch him, but only barely. Anyone could tell that Jaime was close to snapping her in half, yet she persisted. He could have spent some time alone with her to try to figure out her game, but he knew that would be hard for Jaime, and he didn’t want to be around the confusing woman anyway.

When he and Jaime had returned from the animal sanctuary after he’d worked another shift with her, Laurie resumed her odd behavior throughout lunch and was doing it again now as they sat in the living area where most of the pack was congregated. Even though he wasn’t giving Laurie any encouragement, he could feel that the whole situation was hurting Jaime. When she hurt, he hurt.

His protective instincts were going crazy, and it had become automatic to pretty much curl himself around Jaime whenever Laurie was near, just like he was now on an armchair. One thing he wouldn’t allow the female to do was make his mate doubt his commitment to her. So whenever Laurie reached out to him, he drew back and avoided her touch. Whenever she spoke to him, he responded politely and then turned his attention to Jaime. At no point would he add to the hurt that his mate was already going through.

Burying his nose in the crook of her neck, he took that caramel-and-honeysuckle scent into his system. His dick twitched instantly. He licked at his claiming mark before whispering into her ear, “You’re too tense.” When he sucked the lobe into his mouth, a tremor ran through her and she squirmed in her seat, making him smile. He loved that he had such an immediate effect on her.

Quietly, she explained, “I’m just worried for Shaya.”

So was he. Taryn’s uncle Don, his mate, and Nick—as he was their Alpha—were due any minute now to visit Kye. “Originally I decided that if he ever ignored my warning and tried coming here again, I’d tell Trey everything. But it’s hard to not feel a twinge of sympathy for him.” Jaime nodded. “Maybe we should give the guy one last shot to do the right thing.”

“If he doesn’t, well, we’ll make sure he understands that this is his last visit.”

“Sounds fair.” Jaime sighed. “I still don’t like the idea of Shaya being in pain.” He pressed a calming kiss to her temple. Not that he thought it would truly work. Jaime was very protective of those she considered hers, and now that she was Beta female, they were all her wolves to look out for. As such, not much could soothe her right now.

“Hey, Dante, do you remember that time when you and I went ice-skating and I got a concussion after falling?”

He sighed inwardly. Laurie liked to talk about “old times” a lot, something that agitated the hell out of Jaime, who was now stiff in his arms. Ignoring Laurie, he curled himself even tighter around his mate. “You’re doing so much better than I would be if the situation was the other way around,” he said quietly.

“No, I’m not. I just know perfectly well that the best way to annoy an attention seeker is to not give them a reaction.” That wasn’t to say that Jaime didn’t often visualize cutting off the bitch’s air supply until she resembled a Smurf. And it would be so easy to do it now that Bitch Face had moved to the end of the sofa, putting herself within arm’s reach.

Laurie continued, “Do you remember how you picked me up and took me to—”

“It won’t work,” Greta told Laurie with a huff, gaining the attention of most in the room.

Laurie smiled nervously. “I’m sorry?”

“You want to cause a little rift between my Dante and Jaime. It won’t work. They’re solid.”

“I’d never hurt Dante like that.”

Dante almost laughed as snorts erupted from both Greta and Jaime, who gave each other looks that said, “Is this female for real?” Apparently, they were prepared to band together against a common foe.

“Don’t think I don’t know what you did to him all those years ago,” Greta snarled. “You and Blane deserve each other, in my opinion. You could never have made a good Beta female. That requires loyalty, you see. That’s something you don’t know anything about. Not like Jaime. No. Our Beta female could wipe the floor with you any day.”

Jaime exchanged a stunned look with Taryn, who was on the reclining end of the sofa, chuckling silently. “Thanks, Greta.”

“No problem, sweetheart.”

“She’ll be vile to me again when Bitch Face is gone,” Jaime whispered to Dante.

“Yep,” he agreed with a smile before reading the text message he’d just received from Ryan, who was guarding the gate. “They’re here.”

Wanting to give Shaya a warning so that she could be as prepared as possible, Jaime looked over to where she was seated next to Taryn and gave her a subtle nod. She responded with a tiny, but grateful, smile.

A few minutes later, Don entered the living area with Tia, Nick, and Nick’s Beta behind him.

Their eyes ran over everyone in the room as they smiled, and everyone exchanged polite greetings—

other than Nick and Shaya.

“Where’s my nephew?” Don gave Taryn a gentle kiss on her cheek and peered down at the sleeping baby in Shaya’s arms. His smile was filled with pride. “Look at the little guy. He’s so tiny.

Can I have a hold?”

“Sure.” Shaya carefully handed him to Taryn’s uncle.

“Meet Kye River Coleman,” Taryn told Don.

“His name suits him. I like it.”

“Give him here,” said Tia excitedly. Disgruntled, Don handed the baby to his mate. “Aw, he’s so gorgeous.”

“Don’t you be getting broody,” Don told Tia. “The girls are hard enough to deal with.” Nick shook Trey’s hand and gave Taryn a smile. “Congratulations.” Peeking at Kye, his brows arched. “Wow, he’s just Trey with Taryn’s hair.”

Tia nodded in agreement. “Want a hold?”

“Um—” But Tia was already placing Kye in his arms. A little awkwardly, Nick cradled the baby and a little smile surfaced.

He peered over at Shaya, and what passed between them was a longing so deep and so primal that it made Jaime hitch in a breath, bringing back a lot of memories. It had been pain and pleasure.

She had no idea how they’d both ignored it for so long. Jaime wondered if this moment might do to him what it had done to her and Dante: strip him of his defenses and doubts and give him a moment of pure clarity.

Apparently it did, because quickly Nick looked away and handed Kye over to Grace, who was waiting impatiently for her turn. “Um, I have some things I need to get done. Don, I’ll send an enforcer to pick you and Tia up in a couple of hours.” In other words, he needed to get out of there and away from Shaya fast.

Looking confused, Don said, “Okay.” Then the Alpha and his Beta were gone.

Tears immediately pooled in Shaya’s eyes, and it was a blow to Jaime’s gut. Using the distraction that Kye created, Shaya stealthily left the room.

“I need to go see she’s okay,” Jaime told Dante, who nodded and allowed her to stand.

When she found Shaya sitting on the edge of her bed sobbing her heart out, Jaime sat beside her and curled an arm around her. “Oh, honey, I’m so sorry.”

“I’m not entirely surprised that he left again without speaking a single word to me,” said Shaya through her tears. “I know why he can’t claim me. Nick’s in high demand with the females—I’d be challenged by a different one every five minutes if I tried to hold a position as Alpha female. I guess I just hoped that if fate had matched me up with an Alpha, then there was a reason for it, a way to still be bonded to him.”

“There still could be.”

“Yes, if he gave up his position as Alpha. I know that’s selfish for me to want that.” Jaime tightened her arm around her. “Hey, you have a right to be selfish when it concerns your mate.”

She sighed. “I guess I just thought that I’d be more important. It’s clear that I’m not.” Jaime was about to speak again when Taryn suddenly walked in. “Shaya? Shaya, what is it?” When her best friend didn’t respond, she crouched in front of her. “Shaya, talk.” Taking in a preparatory breath, she admitted, “I found my mate.” First Taryn looked relieved, thinking this should be good news. Then, expectedly, confusion crossed her face when she realized that it clearly wasn’t good for Shaya. “I don’t understand.”

“I found him, but I can’t have him.”

“You can’t have him? Why? And who is he?”

Shaya shook her head as if unable to speak the name.

“It’s the bastard who just left,” Jaime revealed for her.

Taryn gaped. “Noooooooo. How long have you known, Shaya? You knew at my mating ceremony,” she quickly surmised.

Shaya nodded, still avoiding eye contact.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“You know why. I want him to claim me because he wants to.” She shrugged. “He doesn’t.

He’s not going to claim me.”

Taryn shot to her feet and began pacing. “The son of a bitch is, believe me. I’ll make sure of it.”

Finally Shaya looked up. “And if the only reason Trey wanted to claim you was because someone else bullied him into it?”

Taryn paused briefly in her pacing. “Damn it, Shaya.”

“I understand why this is complicated for him, but I thought that maybe he’d give up his position. I can’t be his Alpha female. You know that.”

“You’d make a better leader than any of the females I’ve ever seen him with.”

“But I’m not an alpha, and nothing will change that.”

“Well, let me assure you, he’s banished from here. He does not set foot on our territory again.

And he can go shove his alliance up his arrogant ass.”

“That won’t be enough,” said Shaya quietly. “You’re mated to an Alpha, Taryn. You know how they work.”

It was obvious by Taryn’s pained expression that she knew where this conversation was heading. “So we’ll make it damn clear that he is not to go near you.”

“Are you going to stop him from going near any guy I decide to date?”

“He confronted Dominic when he thought he was dating Shaya,” Jaime told their Alpha. She didn’t want Shaya to leave any more than Taryn did, but this was about Shaya, not them. “He told him to break it off.”

Shaya sounded so tired and defeated when she spoke, yet there was steel in her words. She intended to make Taryn understand. “He wouldn’t even have to do that to every guy who’s interested.

After two or three times, the rest will make it a point to stay away from me unless they have a wish to piss Nick off.”

Taryn shook her head vehemently. “No, Shaya. If he doesn’t want to claim you, then he should stay out of your business.”

“But he won’t.”

“Shaya, please don’t ask me to sanction this.” It was a genuine plea from this very strong female who they all knew could order her friend to stay if she wanted. “I can’t.”

“It’s the only choice I have.”

“No, it’s not!”

Shaya got to her feet, her expression apologetic but determined. “If I want a life of my own, a connection with another guy, then yes, it is.”

Shaking her head again, Taryn stated in an unsteady voice, “You can’t leave. I need you here.

And what about Kye, huh? I picked you as his godmother, you can’t leave!”

“I don’t want to, but—”

There was a knock at the door followed by Trey speaking. “Taryn, what is it?” Clearly he’d felt his mate’s distress through their bond.

“Nothing. It’s nothing, I’ll be right out.”

Apparently, Trey didn’t accommodate “alone time” any better than Dante did, because he barged in. “Taryn?”

She turned to him, her lips wobbling. “Shaya’s going to leave.”

“What?”

Instead of elaborating, she dived at Shaya and wrapped her hands around her. “When?” whispered Taryn, tears streaming down her face just as they were streaming down Shaya’s.

“Not until after Jaime and Dante’s mating ceremony. I’d never miss that.” Even in this agony, the female was prepared to sit through a mating ceremony that wasn’t her own and be reminded of what she was missing out on. Jaime couldn’t allow that. “Shaya…”

“Don’t.” She gave Jaime a hard look over Taryn’s shoulder. “I would never be envious of you having that.”

Taryn’s shoulders shook as more tears flowed. “You deserve better than him. Fate is a bitch.”

“Yeah.” Shaya laughed shakily, hugging her friend even harder.

Jaime was close to crying herself, even though she wasn’t one who was prone to having emotional outbursts. Hearing Shaya’s pain, Jaime had to wonder if that was how Dante had felt when she denied him. She wished she could have told Nick to put Shaya first, to claim her and trust that together they could work through what came next. They would always be stronger together than apart.

So why wasn’t she practicing this herself?

Maybe Dante was right and the bond would help stabilize her wolf. Maybe he wasn’t.

Although her wolf recognized him as hers, she was constantly watchful and wary, perhaps recognizing that he was the biggest threat because he was the only one who could truly hurt them.

There was a chance that in time her wolf would come to recognize that Dante, despite the power he had over her emotions, was, in fact, a safety net. Of course there was a chance that she wouldn’t. But there was no chance at all as long as Jaime held back, was there? So maybe it was time to take that risk and stop hurting her mate.

Jaime turned to the fretting male beside her who obviously wanted to ease his mate’s pain and was frustrated that he had no idea how. “I think we should give them a minute alone.” Trey merely spared Jaime a tiny glance. Well, there was another way to get him moving. “Who has Kye?” Instantly he stiffened as his parental overprotectiveness took over and he had a need to know exactly where his son was.

“Go make sure he hasn’t woken yet,” Taryn told him. “He’ll be hungry soon.” Eventually he nodded and left the room. Taryn mouthed “thank you” to Jaime just before she, too, left the two best friends alone. There was someone that Jaime needed time alone with right now.

He wasn’t in the living area, which meant that he could only be in his office. As she swung the door open, an offensive scent hit her nose and she halted. Her wolf growled and flexed her claws.

“…I know, but like I said, you’ll have to come back when Jaime’s…Oh, there you are, baby.” The curved smile he gave her from his chair behind his desk was warm and had a hint of relief to it.

“O-oh, h-hi,” stammered Bitch Face nervously. It was wise of her to be nervous. Having heard Dante’s words, it wasn’t difficult to guess that Bitch Face had obviously hoped to get him alone.

Jaime loved him all the more for the fact that he’d been telling her to leave until—

Wait, she loved him. When the hell did that happen? Okay, it could be said that if they were mates, then it was only natural. But even between mates, love was something that grew over time. It wasn’t automatic. She was surprised that Dante hadn’t sensed it yet. God, she hoped he hadn’t. What greater power could a guy have over a woman than to know she loved him with everything she had when he didn’t love her back?

Or, at least, she was assuming that he didn’t love her back. If she wanted to know for sure, all she had to do was tap into their bond. But she didn’t. That would be the ultimate invasion of his privacy. Okay, fine, she didn’t look because she was a goddamn coward; she was scared to look and then find that he didn’t love her back. It was better to live in a delusional land where love didn’t enter the equation on either end.

Right now, Jaime really wasn’t emotionally equipped to deal with the female in front of her who, for whatever strange reason, wanted to come between her and Dante—which was so not going to happen. “Get out.” When Bitch Face went to speak, Jaime held up her hand. “I don’t want to hear it, I really don’t. Out.”

The female looked at Dante, clearly expecting him to intervene on her behalf, though he had no idea why. When he didn’t, she marched out of the room and slammed the door behind her. He felt his smile deepen as his gorgeous mate approached the desk, hands on her hips. Jaime in full-on Beta female mode was unbelievably hot.

“And the reason you were in your office alone with your ex-half-mate was what, exactly?”

“She came in here to talk about Greta. Apparently, the old woman is giving her a hard time, and she wanted to know if I’d deal with it.”

“That was just an excuse to talk to you. If you hadn’t been trying to make her leave, you’d be in deep shit for being alone with her.”

As much as he disliked that she was hurting with the jealousy he could feel running through her, he couldn’t deny that it turned him on. He leaned forward, resting his arms on his desk. “Come here.”

Jaime almost jumped. He hadn’t raised his voice or snapped at her, but his tone had made that subtle change from normal to deep and dominant.

“Come here.”

There it was again. It sent a bolt of electricity through her, making her clit tingle. But she simply arched a challenging brow at him.

“I want your taste in my mouth.”

Now that sounded interesting. Slowly she walked around his desk, as alert and aroused as her wolf. When she neared him, he reversed his chair slightly and gestured for her to stand between him and the desk. Then he shoved some of his files aside, causing some to fall to the floor. If he expected her to clean up that mess afterward, he was so wrong.

“Lie back.” When she didn’t, Dante wrapped his fist in her hair and yanked her face to his, taking her mouth with a force that made her instantly wet. Then he got rid of her T-shirt and bra, gripped her by the hips, and lifted her onto the desk. “I said, lie back. I want your taste in my mouth.” Finally she did as he’d asked. He removed her boots and peeled off her jeans and thong—all of which joined the rest of her clothes on the floor. He took a moment to drink in that amazing body that belonged to him and only him. He really was a lucky son of a bitch.

Curling his broad body over hers, Dante kissed her hard again, growling when she sucked his tongue into her mouth. He relished the moans she made as he kissed, licked, and nibbled his way down her body, pausing briefly to suck and bite each nipple. When he returned to his chair, he brought it closer to the desk. “Spread your legs for me.” Without a hint of defiance, she did.

At the sight of her pussy, a low, territorial growl rumbled out of him. He wanted it. Needed it.

It was his. It belonged only to him. He wanted to lick it, suck on it, drink from it, sink his tongue into it, bite it, fuck it…He was seriously at risk of becoming obsessed with it, if he wasn’t already. Her incredible, sinful scent assaulted him and was like a narcotic to both him and his wolf.

“Are you just going to stare all day or—” She broke off and gasped in outrage at the hard slap to her clit. “Oh you did not just spank—”

“Of course I did. I can do whatever I want to this pussy, baby. You’ll let me have it whenever I want, however I want. And if I want to spank it, I will.” Ignoring the curses that she spat at him, he slid his hands beneath her to cup her ass, then leaned down and lightly fluttered his tongue through her folds. Her intoxicating taste zinged through him, inciting and inflaming him. He needed it on his tongue, needed it in his mouth, needed it burned into his system.

Jaime bucked as his tongue finally got to work. Surprising her, each lick or stab of his tongue was unhurried, casual, like he had no objective at all and simply wanted to taste her. She tried moving her legs to hook them over his shoulders, but he must have thought she was attempting to pull away, because he growled warningly and it reverberated through her. God, a growl almost had her climaxing.

Soon she was shaking and squirming as her orgasm began to creep up on her, asking him to hurry up and fuck her, but the absolute bastard continued his leisurely movements. “Dante, seriously, I can’t take any more.” And she meant it. But it was like talking to a freaking wall because he was so completely absorbed in tasting her. Even when she bucked hard enough to get his attention and dislodge him, he simply grunted and returned to what he’d been doing. “I want to be fucked!” Nothing. Fine, if she wanted to distract him and get him as irritated as she was, she’d just have to play dirty, wouldn’t she.

Faking a bored tone, she asked, “Are you okay down there if I just make a few calls?” His response was a growl. “I was thinking we could order pizza. Maybe pepperoni.” Another growl. “By the way, which one of us smells like fish?” A louder growl and a nip. “Um, I hate to bother you again, but…when is this supposed to start feeling good?”

Instantly Jaime regretted that one, because instead of punching his cock punishingly inside her as she’d hoped, he abruptly sucked her clit between his lips so hard that she cried out. He sucked unrelentingly on her clit, occasionally nipping it or flicking it with his tongue before sucking it between his lips again.

Her inner muscles were clenching, wanting something inside her—which was obviously why Dante was doing this instead! He continued his assault until finally her body tensed and she came hard, quivering. When she was able to pry her eyes open, it was to see him staring down at her and licking his lips clean. Shit-stain.

“I’m going to fill you up and fuck you now,” he rumbled. And then he was going to fulfill that fantasy they had both been sharing for a while, but he wouldn’t mention that just yet.

Jaime didn’t like the wicked, lopsided “I know something you don’t” smile that surfaced on his face, but her intention to comment on it went straight out of the window when he unsnapped the button of his fly, lowered his zipper, and his cock sprang out. He spread her thighs wide, gripped her hips, and tugged her body toward him so that her ass was hanging off the desk. Jaime wrapped her legs around his waist and gasped at the feel of his cock probing her entrance.

“Ready?” In a sluggishly slow movement, Dante sank his cock inside that perfect pussy that was made only for him, filling her with every inch of him. Then, in a movement just as slow, he withdrew until only the head was inside. Any other time he would have given Jaime a series of slow thrusts just to tease her, but he wasn’t in the mood for playing. He needed to fuck her, needed to feel her come apart around him. Needed to hear her beg. Needed to know that his mate wanted him so much she would do this. Yes, she’d done it during their claiming, but that was because she’d been pretty delirious. “I’m going to fuck you so hard you can’t walk,” he promised her. “Just as soon as you beg for it.”

Jaime’s mouth fell open. “What?”

“You heard me. Beg for it.”

“Oh you sack of shit!” When she tried to lift her upper body from the desk, he brought his weight down on her, caging her there. She wasn’t sure whether he ignored her struggling or simply didn’t notice, but in any case, it galled her that her struggles came to nothing.

“Beg me, Jaime. Beg me, and I’ll fuck you as hard as you want.” She stopped writhing. “As hard as I want?” she echoed, suddenly not so averse to the idea. No matter how many times she told him she could take his roughness, he always held back a little. The only time he hadn’t was during their claiming, and she wanted it again.

“I’ll fuck you so hard you’ll think I hate you. Beg me, Jaime.” Now that did sound intriguing. After a moment of silence, she finally said, “Please fuck me.” She cried out as, with their gazes locked, he abruptly thrust forward and drove his entire length back into her. “Oh God,” she breathed as he began pounding into her with ruthless, intense, stretching thrusts that gave her that full, stuffed sensation she loved. His pace was frenzied, as though he couldn’t fuck her hard, fast, or deep enough. This was exactly how Jaime wanted him: barely restrained, poised on the brink of violence. The fact that she could drive him to the edge of his control thrilled her like nothing else.

“You’re so tight.” He lifted her leg and hooked it over his shoulder, allowing himself to go even deeper with each thrust. Growling, he sank his fingers into her soft, pliant breasts. “I love these.

And these pretty nipples.” He pinched the pert buds hard, knowing she loved it. “And you have the most gorgeous ass. I can’t wait to have my cock inside it.” Seeing that she was about to protest, he quickly stated, “It is going to happen, baby.”

“Maybe in your wet dreams, Popeye, but that’s all.”

Jaime gasped as he suddenly withdrew, brought her to her feet, spun her around, and then bent her over the desk. “What are you—”

“Don’t worry, baby, I’m not finished with this pussy yet.” Dante gripped her hands and placed them at the edges of the desk. “Keep them there.”

“This position stinks a little bit too much of complete submission for my liking,” she snapped indignantly.

“Really?”

She gasped again at the hard slap to her ass. “What the—?! Did you just spank me again?”

“Yep.”

She didn’t care for his blasé attitude. “Why?”

“I felt like it.”

Another sharp slap to her ass. Jaime growled her irritation. She wasn’t sure what irritated her more, that he was spanking her, or that she liked it. “Bending me over is one thing, Popeye. But smacking my ass is—”

“Not your ass, baby. My ass. I love the look of my handprints on it.” His wolf growled his approval at the sight of the handprints; he saw them as brands. “Whine all you want, but you like it, and you know you do.”

Jaime would have growled at his self-assured tone if at the same moment he wasn’t prying her feet apart with his and the head of his cock wasn’t thrusting against her clit. Thank God. She needed to come so badly—so much so that she was pushing back to take him inside her. Okay, she was trying to push back, but his big freaking body was as unmovable as a building.

“Want me to make you come?”

“Well, duh.”

“Then you know what to do.”

“Please.”

“Good girl.” With that, he slammed into her in a smooth, hard stroke. Then he was hammering into her so mercilessly it was animalistic.

Jaime was in absolute heaven. She had been lucky in that all her sexual partners had known exactly what they were doing in the bedroom. But Dante…Not one of them even came close, and not just because he was her mate. Everything about the way he fucked her—his pace, his intensity, his rough touch, his words, his dominant tone, the way he felt inside her—answered to every hunger and craving she had, driving her closer and closer to climaxing. “Dante, I need to come.” Dante tangled a hand in her hair and snatched her head back. “Come all over me, Jaime.” As if his harsh command acted as a trigger, a scream erupted from her throat as her body began to convulse and her muscles clamped around his cock. Unable to hold back, Dante growled her name as jets of come burst out of him and into his mate, filling her. Then it was as though every bit of energy he had abruptly vanished, and he sagged.

Burying his face into the crook of her neck, he inhaled deeply. His wolf growled, immediately noting something that took Dante’s fried brain a few more seconds to realize. “Your scent’s changed.”

“Huh?”

“So has mine. Our scents have mixed.”

Knowing he was wondering what had brought on the sudden development in their bond, she told him, “I decided that you were right.”

“I’m always right, baby. What am I right about this time?” He grunted when her elbow jabbed his chest.

“I decided it was time to drop the walls,” she said simply.

Surprised and relieved, Dante slid both arms underneath her and hugged her tight. Satisfaction roared through him with the knowledge that everyone would know from her scent that she was taken, was his. He knew she liked that it worked both ways. “No more keeping parts of yourself from me. I want all of you.” That reminded him of something.

When Jaime felt Dante sliding out of her body, a moan of complaint involuntarily left her. As she went to stand, a hand on her back stayed her.

“Don’t move.”

Whatever. It wasn’t like she’d be able to stand on her own steam yet anyway. That relaxed attitude changed somewhat when she felt a wet finger probing her ass. “What the—”

“Shh. Stay nice and still for me.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“Don’t tell me you didn’t see this coming, Jaime. You knew when I bent you over this desk what would happen next.”

She had known. In a state of extreme arousal, where her inhibitions weren’t important, she hadn’t wanted to fight it. Even now she didn’t want to, but she felt like she had to. She was a dominant female. Bending over so someone could ream her ass felt kind of weak.

But it wasn’t just someone, was it? It was her mate. He was the person who—though she very rarely admitted it—she belonged to in every sense. Naturally, he would want to claim every part of her, and she had to admit that she wanted him to. Throughout most of their relationship, she had fought him on one thing or another, had persistently held back from him. She’d told herself she wouldn’t any longer, and she’d meant it.

When Jaime went slack against the desk, Dante groaned. Christ, she was submitting. The sight made his wolf growl in approval. Leaning over, Dante kissed her shoulder and licked over one of the marks he’d left there. “That’s my good girl. It’ll feel so good, baby, I promise.” Jaime found herself moaning as, lubricated with what was presumably both his come and hers, a finger repeatedly thrust in and out of her ass. Soon there was another one. But it was when he slid in a third finger that it stung. If she was honest, though, she really couldn’t give a crap. The pleasure very much outweighed the dim pain that quickly became pure pleasure. The entire time, he whispered words of encouragement, told her how amazing she was and how hot it was that she’d submitted to him.

Dante loved those throaty moans she made. God, she was tight, and if she wasn’t his mate—the female made to take him—he’d think he’d never fit in there. When she was writhing and pushing back to counter his thrusts, he decided she was ready. Slowly he withdrew his fingers and replaced them with the head of his cock. As he’d expected, she tensed. “It’s okay, baby. Relax for me.” Jaime couldn’t help hissing as he began to push into her. She wasn’t so sure about this now.

“Dante—”

Feeling her anxiety, he smoothed a hand up and down her spine. “Shh. Remember, you were made to take me, Jaime—anywhere and everywhere. This ass is mine; let me have it, baby. Push out as I push in.” Dante was pretty sure that nothing could have made him look away from the sight of his cock sinking into her. He was surprised he didn’t come just watching it. “So fucking hot.” Finally, he was fully sheathed. “Baby, that feels amazing.”

Jaime had to agree with that. Once she’d begun to relax, her body had quickly adjusted and accommodated him. Now if only he would move a little…

“Ready, baby?”

“Uh-huh.” When he withdrew with a slow, smooth slide and then thrust forward, Jaime groaned. Again and again he did that, pulling more groans from her. Why had she been fighting him on this? Damn, she’d been missing out big time.

“God, baby, your ass is so tight. It looks like you shouldn’t be able to take me. But you can, because you were made for me. All for me.” He thrust forward, and she groaned again. “You like that, huh? What about this?” He punched his hips abruptly, and she cried out in pure pleasure. Picking up the pace slightly, he also hardened his thrusts, giving her what she wanted.

A loud knock on the door made them both freeze. When Jaime looked over and realized it was unlocked, her eyes widened. Shit. She expected Dante to quickly move and cover her up, but instead, he laid his weight on her, caging her against the desk, and put a finger to her lips.

“Who is it?” he asked, making sure he sounded grumpy and impatient. Unless he called “Come in,” no one ever simply walked inside other than Trey. But then, Trey wouldn’t have knocked in the first place.

“Me,” called Marcus. “I just wanted to ask a few questions about that call you had earlier with Josh.”

Of course Dante could tell Marcus that he’d answer his questions later. But this was kind of like a carnal dare. He had the urge to piston into Jaime and test whether she could remain silent. “Ask away.” Pinning her still by her hips, Dante gave her one hard thrust before speaking quietly into her ear. “You’ll have to be quiet, Jaime. If Marcus thinks anything sexual is going on in here, he’ll walk right in. Walk right in and see me claiming your ass.”

He was taunting her, Jaime knew. But he was also right. All shifters liked a little voyeurism, and there was no way Marcus would miss out on the chance to have a peek. She swallowed a gasp as Dante again drove his cock into her. Then he was pumping his hips and she was biting into her arm to muffle the cries she couldn’t hold back.

Meanwhile, he answered each of Marcus’s questions in a clear voice that didn’t hint at what he was doing to her. That pissed her off. Here she was striving to keep quiet, and he sounded about as animated as a broomstick. Hoping to even the playing field a little, Jaime clenched around his cock.

His words faded into a low growl, but he quickly recovered and continued his conversation. Oh yeah? Now she was absolutely determined to unsteady him—and irritate the cheeky fucker for starting this game.

Giving him a sideways glance, she whispered, “I’ll tell you who I’m fantasizing about if you tell me who you’re fantasizing about.” He stopped midsentence and dug his claws into her hips before speaking again. It was a warning she intended to ignore. “I have to take a shit.” His claws dug harder, breaking the skin, and the scent of blood drifted to her. Ha—like a little blood would stop her. “How about some role play? You can be Fred, I’ll be Daphne, and we’ll pretend Marcus is the Lake Monster coming to get us. What, too soon?” He growled low in his throat. Still the epitome of self-control, he continued talking. Fine. There was only one thing for it. She threw her head back and howled, “Scooby Dooby Doo!”

The crazy bitch, Dante thought as he stilled. Part of him wanted to laugh and part of him wanted to spank the life out of her.

“I didn’t realize Jaime was in there with you,” said Marcus.

“Well, yeah, I am,” she said. “Listen, is there any way you could wrap this up, because Dante’s got a big job to finish and he’s getting very anal about the details.”

“Sure. I’ll talk to you guys later.”

The second he was certain that Marcus was out of earshot, Dante slammed his cock into her ass, yanking a loud cry from her and cutting off her wicked giggle. “Think you’re funny, huh? Let’s hear you laugh now.” Growling, he folded over her and began pounding into her with deep, hard thrusts. His pace was relentless, giving her no mercy, no reprieve. How could he when he’d lost all control anyway? There were no games or jokes now. Only a desperate need to come.

He relished seeing her there beneath him, accepting the rough fucking he was giving her.

Snaking one hand underneath her, he speared two fingers into her pussy and she cried out. “I want you to come for me, Jaime. Right. Now.” He bit hard into her shoulder and groaned as her ass tightened around him. Feeling as her orgasm crashed into her and pure and utter bliss blasted through her, Dante couldn’t hold back any longer. One, twice, three times he rammed into her and came. And came. And came. And realized something that Jaime would probably never have told him, felt it.

Jaime loved him.

He realized something else, too. He loved her right back.