Mafia Beasts: The Complete Series, page 10
I tore my gaze away from her scars. Even with them, she was gorgeous—the imperfections made her even more lovely. My palms itched to take a breast in each of them. To trace the scar across her stomach. I scanned down her abdomen to her rounded hips and shapely thighs. Nestled between them, perfectly trimmed curls hid her sex. I wanted to see it too.
“Come here, Emma.” I patted my desk’s surface.
Hesitantly, she approached, her jaw clenched, eyes averted. When she reached me, I tilted her chin up with the tip of my finger.
“You’re beautiful, love,” I said. “Don’t ever be ashamed of your scars. Bare your body before us with confidence. Own it.”
Her eyes lifted to mine, searching. Her lips parted as if to speak, but no words emerged. A frown creased her brow. After a moment, she nodded.
“Good. Now, sit here.” I moved away, giving her space. Lucas did the same and Cade adjusted his stance to more fully face her.
She hopped up on the desk and her long hair draped over her shoulders. Her pink nipples poked out from between the strands, teasing me. The arousal in the room was palpable.
I slyly glanced at Lucas. His hard features told me he was struggling to control his wolf. I wondered how far I could push before he snapped. We were about to find out.
To Emma, I said, “Now, spread your legs and touch yourself. I want you to come while we watch.”
She froze, that delightful blush blooming across her cheeks, neck, and chest. Her pink tongue darted nervously across her lips, and she closed her eyes. She skimmed her hands down her sides to her thighs and parted her legs. Planting one hand behind her for support, the other cupped her core. Her fingertips lightly caressed her folds before disappearing into her pussy.
The sweet scent of her arousal permeated the room. Lucas's shoulders tensed, briefly drawing my attention. The strained lines of his features told me he was struggling even more. His wolf was fighting to be released.
I glanced at Cade’s stony face. The Fae never gave away his emotions, but his eyes followed each stroke of Emma’s fingers and that told me all I needed to know.
She alternated between teasing her clit and plunging into her opening. Eyes closed, head back, it was as if we didn’t exist to her—or perhaps our girl was an exhibitionist at heart. Soft moans escaped her parted lips between panting breaths. She was a glorious sight to behold.
I lazily stroked my cock through the fabric of my trousers, enjoying the scene. She worked herself harder. Her legs trembled, and nipples pebbled. Emma bit down on her bottom lip, and her whole body shuddered as she orgasmed, and I almost came.
Fuck. This sweet thing was going to test even my control.
15
EMMA
I panted, trying to catch my breath after such a bone-melting orgasm. I wished I could enjoy the aftermath, but a bombardment of emotions and thoughts plagued me instead. Never had I been so turned on in my entire life and that scared the shit out of me. I was a grown woman. I thought I knew myself, what I liked, and how I liked it. Now, doubt tainted the endorphin rush.
Touching myself in front of these three men had given me such a high. I had no idea that was possible. Shame raced through me, warring with excitement, with the power. I’d held power over them for those few minutes. It was better than any other feeling.
The rare times I’d been horny enough to fuck a stranger in their car dimmed in comparison to what I’d just experienced. And they hadn’t even touched me. They’d only watched. Even Cade.
I was both terrified and curious to fully open my eyes, to look at them. What would I find on their faces? Lust? Disgust? Judgement?
Zane had called me beautiful. That had been difficult to hear, but, to my surprise, he wasn’t mocking me.
Most of all, I was afraid to look at Cade because he knew everything. This was his fault. He’d drawn those suppressed fantasies to the surface and now I couldn’t stop thinking about them. He’d unearthed dark, unknown desires. I couldn’t bury them again fast enough.
He’d also called me unattractive. I’d peeked at him through my lashes as I touched myself. His attention had been riveted on me; not once did he glance away. Liar. He wanted me as much as the poor wolf who was fixing to eat me.
I peeked through my eyelashes again. They stood across the room, but they were all gazing at my body. Zane’s dark eyes were black pools of desire. Lucas had half-shifted, claws tipped his fingers and his teeth appeared more canine than human. Cade stood still as stone.
I straightened, clamped my legs together and swung my hair forward to cover my nakedness and scars. This wasn’t me. I’d hidden my blemished body for years, and these three shouldn’t be the ones to change that or see my vulnerability. Humiliation burned through my veins. My short-lived thrill ride was at an end.
Cade startled me by suddenly blocking my view of Zane and Lucas. His large body acted as a shield, and I lifted my gaze to his grey eyes. Was he taking pity on me or… Right, he knew exactly what I was feeling. I fucking hated the Fae. Or maybe I just hated this one who didn’t respect any of my boundaries.
“Put this on.” He shoved my robe to my chest.
I quickly pulled it over my shoulders and tied it at the waist. The simple garment gave me a sense of protection and confidence.
“Now, come.” Cade moved aside, ushering me to the door.
Zane turned to Lucas and quietly murmured to him. I didn’t catch the words, but a moment later, the wolf took a swing at the vamp that connected with his jaw. Cade hurried me out the door.
The hall was empty except for the two of us and the hairs on the back of my neck prickled. I never wanted to be alone with this man again. There was nothing safe about him, even if it seemed like he’d just gotten me out of harm’s way.
I kept my mouth shut, and as much space between us as possible, as we walked to my bedroom. He opened the door, moving aside to let me pass. When he reached in to close it, his hand paused.
“You continue to be a good girl and Zane will reward you,” he said. “That’s how it works with him. So be a good pet.”
I whipped around to face him. “Don’t fucking tell me what to do.”
He smirked and shut the door. Apparently, getting a rise out of me had been his goal. I chided myself for falling for it. Bastard. I strode to the bathroom. I needed a shower to rinse away everything.
The shower didn’t help much. After getting past the horror of how I’d acted in front of those men and the humiliation that followed, I started worrying about my brother. How had he become so deeply involved with criminals? He was supposed to be going to school, getting an education so he could learn magic and survive on his own in this world.
Maybe he’d decided he needed to learn to protect himself from the hunters. He could have fallen in with dark witches to learn their spells. Was he training with Eclipse and these 5th Circle people? Perhaps his intentions weren’t nefarious at all—he was simply trying to learn to fight. To survive. Something I’d never had the chance to learn.
I’d do the same thing in his position. Hmm… No, the bosses certainly wouldn’t teach me how to kill them. I doubted that would be an option as a reward for being Zane’s little pet.
Scowling, I wiped the mirror free of steam, then went to work untangling my hair.
I could stay here and make assumptions all day long about what Orion was up to, but without seeing him in person, I’d never know for sure. Could I trust Zane to follow through on finding Orion now that I’d given him what he wanted? At least for the moment.
I paused with the brush halfway through my damp hair. Doubtful.
Two specific pieces of my situation grated my nerves. I needed to get to Orion and make sure he was safe. That was pretty much my entire life’s purpose—keeping him safe. But also, I was no man’s pet.
Same as Garrett, these rich assholes thought they could do anything to me. They thought they owned me. So far, I’d let them push me around, but not anymore. And a magically binding contract wasn’t going to stop me from doing whatever the fuck I wanted.
They might be hot, rich, and many women’s idea of a catch—for those who liked the egotistical, bad boy types—but they could go fuck themselves for all I cared.
I sighed. I’d forgotten to grab a change of clothes before showering. With a towel wrapped under my arms, I exited the bathroom. A dome-covered tray sat on the desk across the room. Maeve had brought breakfast while I’d been in the shower. Wonderful. I was famished.
I went to the dresser, pleased to find an assortment of new bras and panties, all in matching sets, which was more care than I ever took when selecting underwear. The silky and satiny fabrics felt luxurious under my fingertips. Was this all Maeve—or had the bosses…? I pushed that thought away, it didn’t matter, and chose a satin set in forest green.
Much to my dismay, the wardrobe still only held fancy dresses and a couple of cloaks, as if this were the Middle Ages or some shit. I wasn’t going to let the lack of functional attire deter me.
I was leaving. Tonight.
Maeve entered to bring my dinner. She set the tray on the desk and said, “The lords are away tonight, but they’d like you to take breakfast with them in the morning, miss.”
I hid a grin. Perfect. With them out of the house, my escape would be that much easier. “Okay,” I said.
She quirked a brow. “You’ll have breakfast with them? No argument this time?”
“That’s right.” I gave her my sweetest smile.
“Very good, miss. Have a good night.” She exited, leaving me alone to quickly eat before jumping into action.
The steak dinner was delicious, but I ate in record time, once more going over my plan. If only I had my wand, this would be so much easier, but I didn’t have the time to search a place this size. They could have stashed it anywhere—the office, Zane’s parlor, one of their bedrooms, or someplace I wouldn’t think to look for it. Plus, I couldn’t risk getting caught. Nope. I had to think like a human—without magic.
Standing from the desk, my belly full, I slipped into my rain boots, then grabbed the fur-lined cloak from the wardrobe. I took the steak knife and hid it in a pocket. It was better than nothing. No phone, no wand, and with only a general sense of direction, I was venturing into the unknown. My hope was to find a main road and hop a ride into Seattle.
I’d been less prepared than this and survived. I would do the same now because I refused to accept any other outcome. So far, stubbornness and persistence had gotten me what I wanted.
I tiptoed to the door and poked my head out. My captors had taken to leaving it unlocked so I could come and go to the library. Apparently, I’d earned a bit of their trust in my short time here.
The coast was clear, the hallway shrouded in darkness. This time I made sure there wasn’t a sleeping wolf at the threshold, then ventured out, quietly closing the door. Hugging the wall, I made it to the corner and paused. No one was in sight. I ventured along to the main landing in front of the library doors and halted again.
Voices and the thud of heavy boots echoed up the stairwell. My heart raced. I peered over the railing to find the second floor empty, which meant the sound was coming from the first floor.
On nearly silent footfalls, and taking shallow breaths, I cautiously descended to the main level. Since this was Penumbra Syndicate’s headquarters, I was sure they had security cameras, and someone would sound the alarm any moment.
My palms broke out in a cold sweat. I crouched next to the railing to listen for anyone nearby. A door slammed further down the wide hallway and giggling erupted, followed by whispers. Two women in skin-tight dresses murmured to each other as they came my way.
I eased further into the shadows then froze, holding my breath as my pulse whooshed in my ears. The women didn’t so much as glance around them. They disappeared into another corridor and their laughter faded.
I took one more look around the corner and was about to dart across to the main doors when a broad-framed man came into view. I thought he was also going to pass on by, but instead, he lingered by the front door. The bastard was blocking my exit. Shit.
He turned so I could see his face. It was the smug Fae who’d slapped my ass that first night. I narrowed my eyes, reaching into my pocket for the steak knife. This was one asshole I wouldn’t feel sorry about hurting.
The Fae paced in front of the door, his features drawn together like he was worried or deep in concentration. Either way, he was distracted. His magic had not yet found me and my fluctuating emotions. I sent up a silent thank you to whichever gods were protecting me tonight.
Steadying myself, I waited for him to turn his back to me once more, then I leapt into action. I quietly sprinted up behind him and drove the knife into the side of his thick neck. He let out a startled yelp. The blade lodged in deep, red blossomed and trickled to his shirt collar. I kneed him in the balls, and he went down hard.
With no other obstacles in my way, I opened the door and set off for the woods at a dead run. If the stupid bastard didn’t die, he’d soon sound the alarm. Or one of his fellow criminals would find him and then do it. Either way, I needed to get out of view of the mansion.
I passed through the rose garden, eerily blooming in winter, and passed my broken-down car before entering the tree line. Snow kicked up behind me and I realized they’d be able to easily follow my tracks. I needed to get out of these freaky woods as soon as possible. Snow never fell this thick in the Pacific Northwest, except at higher elevations, which this was not. I had a feeling as soon as I got away from here, I’d find rain-drenched streets with not a snowflake in sight. This place was unnatural.
A nearly full moon beamed down through the evergreens, creating patches of light reflected on the snow. At ground level, a dense fog was rolling in. I paid no attention to any of it as I ran. Seattle was east and I aimed generally in that direction. I had to come to a road sooner or later.
My lungs burned from sucking in the frigid air. My muscles grew warm and shaky as I pushed myself to the limits. I stumbled on a hidden rock. Catching myself on a tree trunk, I paused to catch my breath. My pulse thundered in my ears.
To my surprise, no crashing of a pursuit sounded behind me. If anything, the woods were unusually lacking in the small noises of nighttime creatures. A subtle breeze rustled the nearby limbs. Several branches creaked from the movement and a shiver ran up my spine. My scalp prickled.
A twig snapped and I spun in its direction. No one was there. Another cracking sound came from behind me, and I turned. The fog formed a thick layer across the snow, obscuring the ground.
I faced the direction I’d been heading and picked up my pace. It’s just a creepy forest, Emma, nothing more.
A creature howled at my left, and I jumped. Four sets of glowing red eyes appeared directly in my path. I stopped, then retreated. What were the chances of running into wolves in this part of the country? And why did they have red eyes?
My escape was cut off by a series of alarming growls—from all sides. I was surrounded. I scooped up a fallen branch, as it was the only weapon available, and held it high.
“Shoo, go away,” I said, brandishing the large stick. Another round of growls and snarls filled the air. I was in deep shit.
Spinning in a slow circle, I kept my attention on the creatures as more and more glowing eyes appeared through the fog and trees. One of them advanced, stepping into a beam of moonlight. My breath hitched.
It was massive, like a wolf shifter, covered in reddish black fur with a row of spikes along its spine. Saliva dripped from its mouth. The crimson glowing pupils flickered as if made of flame. A single word popped into my mind—Hellhounds.
I shook my head, trying to clear my vision. They were a myth. Were the shadows playing tricks on my eyes? The creature snarled, coming closer. This was no hallucination.
I swung the branch at the hound. The spikes on its back bristled along with the shorter fur. Two more slipped close to my sides, nipping and salivating. I tried to fend them off. One caught the end of the branch in its maw and jerked it from my grip. Defenseless, I gazed at the pack of demonic wolves as they closed in. My chest clenched as I realized this was how I’d die. Torn to pieces in the middle of a haunted forest. Would they drag my soul to the underworld?
The first hellhound caught my attention as it crouched, then it sprang into the air, sailing toward me. I braced myself for the impact and the pain that was sure to follow.
A blur of white crashed into the demon’s body, and they tumbled to the ground. I yelped and backed away. Two gigantic creatures wrestled in the snow. The rest of the hounds seemed to forget about me, their focus on the white wolf. On Lucas.
I scrambled behind a tree to hide. Crunching, snarls, and tearing sounds filled the night. I peeked out to find the hellhounds piled on Lucas, taking chunks out of him. But he didn’t slow. He savagely ripped out their throats with teeth and claws.
What felt like an eternity later, but was probably only a few minutes in reality, the gruesome noises abruptly stopped. Stomach in my throat, I dared to look. The snow was drenched in blood, hellhound bodies strewn over the space. Whirling grey fog hung heavy between them. In the middle stood the white wolf, panting, his fur matted with crimson.
Lucas’s golden eyes met mine. His hard gaze melted with relief, which quickly turned to exhaustion. He collapsed amid the bodies and lost his shifted form.
I took one step toward him then halted. He was my enemy as much as those hellhounds. I needed to run, to get to Orion. Zane and Cade couldn’t be far behind.
I turned around, only to pause and look back over my shoulder. Lucas’s human form lay bleeding, unconscious in the snow. I quieted my breathing and tried to listen for any sign of his friends. The forest was eerily silent once again.
Gritting my teeth, I started walking away. They’d be here soon to help him, I was sure of it. If I stayed, they’d catch me and never let me out of their sight again. This was probably my last chance to escape. Orion needed me. Yet… Lucas had just saved my life. There was no question in my mind that I’d be dead right now if not for him.
