Primal Instincts: Volume 2, page 6
The admission felt honest, but his eyes betrayed his words.
“Well, I guess I should get home,” I said, pushing my chair back. “I can call an Uber.”
Garrison was instantly on his feet, as though my movement caused a spring to poke him in the ass and launch him upward. He stepped over and held out his hand like he was going to help with my chair, but I beat him to the punch.
“Mason’s waitin’ for you out front,” Garrison noted, his hands falling to his sides. “He’ll take you home.”
I figured it was pointless to argue. And since Mason drove me home from there once before, it didn’t make me uncomfortable.
“And you?” I asked. “You’re gonna make it home okay?”
“If you’re askin’ if I’m gonna drive … absolutely not.”
I stood, taking my bag off the back of the chair.
“Thank you again,” I told him as I turned toward the door. When he didn’t move, I looked up into his face. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”
His eyes skimmed my face slowly, his voice deep and smooth when he said, “I really, really wanna kiss you right now, but I can’t.”
I didn’t know if it was the alcohol that gave him the courage to say that, but his statement sent a tingle down my spine.
“Why can’t you?”
“It’s complicated, darlin’.”
“Because of Creed?”
Garrison’s eyes implored me, but he didn’t respond.
“He’s playing chess with people’s lives.” I shook my head and looked down at my feet. “Sorry. I shouldn’t’ve said that.”
He tipped my chin up with his finger. “No, you’re right.”
I wasn’t sure what was going on or why Creed had sent me off on a date with someone else just when I thought he was trying to get closer, but here I was. And while it felt like a game to me, I wasn’t disappointed that I had the chance to spend an evening getting to know this man better.
“Well, if it’s any consolation,” I told Garrison, my voice huskier than before, “I really, really want you to kiss me right now.”
He leaned in, and for a moment, I thought he was going to, but he brushed his lips across my forehead, his hand caressing down the back of my head as he exhaled heavily.
The reverence in that gesture caused that balloon to start filling in my chest again and the butterflies to go haywire in my belly. Because I couldn’t resist, I hugged him back, sliding my arms around his waist and holding on tight. It was possibly my imagination, but he took a deep, cleansing breath and some of the tension in his body disappeared.
When he pulled back, I noticed his eyes had darkened. “I’ll see you in the mornin’.”
Because he said he couldn’t kiss me, I took matters into my own hands by going up on my toes and pressing a light kiss to his cheek. “I had a great time tonight.”
As I made my way to the Escalade waiting for me, I couldn’t stop wondering how many boundaries I intended to plow my way through.
8
Creed
“Has she called yet?”
I looked up from my iPad to see Hawk strolling toward me. My first thought was to ignore him. I wasn’t sure he deserved an answer. I’d been hoping he would hide out on his side of the suite, but I should’ve known he wouldn’t. I was still pissed at him for the stunts he’d pulled the past couple of weeks. Instigating his introduction to Journey, having coffee with her, taking her to dinner. He’d done all the things I wished I’d done.
And to pay him back for refusing to back down, I’d manipulated Journey and Garrison into going out tonight. It didn’t help that we were on the other side of the country from them, and there wasn’t a damn thing either of us could do to stop whatever might happen. It was nothing less than I deserved considering it was a knee-jerk reaction, one I damn sure hadn’t thought through clearly.
The lack of control was gut-wrenching. I didn’t expect it.
Then again, setting Journey and Garrison up hadn’t been intentional on my part. I did it partly out of spite for Hawk and partly as a test to see whether Garrison would betray me the way Hawk had. I hadn’t spent as much time with Journey as I would’ve liked since I first saw her, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t well aware of her appeal. There was something about her. It could’ve been her beauty or her charm, her quick smile, her witty remarks. Maybe it was her natural submissiveness that I was drawn to. Or it could’ve come from a darker place, such as she was off-limits because of who her fathers were or the fact that I knew who she was, but as far as she knew, this was all innocent and new.
As I said, I couldn’t explain it.
“Is this a test for her? Or for him?” Hawk asked when I didn’t answer.
“Neither,” I lied. “Maybe both.”
He nodded as though that made any sense at all. To him, it probably did since Hawk got me. He always had. That was part of his appeal for me. He didn’t require lengthy explanations for why I did what I did. He understood my motivations, and he’d learned to anticipate them over the years. It was probably one of the reasons he pushed me the way he did. I knew Hawk had better impulse control than he let on, but he pretended otherwise. If he were any other submissive, I would’ve gotten rid of him years ago.
But he wasn’t any other submissive, and while he pissed me off beyond measure, I couldn’t imagine my life without him. He was one of my best friends, my business partner. I might’ve questioned his motivations, but ultimately, I trusted him. He wouldn’t hurt me on purpose. Not where it counted.
“And if one or both of them fail?”
I glared at Hawk. I didn’t have an answer for that, and based on the quirk of his eyebrow, he knew that, too.
My cell phone buzzed with a text message from Journey.
— Do you want me to call now?
I looked over at Hawk. “Strip and kneel.”
“I’m not your fucking play toy, Creed,” he countered hotly.
He wasn’t, no. And to be fair, this wasn’t normal behavior for me, either.
“Fucking kneel,” I growled roughly, incited by his disrespect.
“What’s in it for me?”
“Not a goddamn thing. It’s not about you.”
His eyes narrowed, and I could see the defiance glittering there. But I also saw the yearning. Hawk had a deep-rooted need to be dominated. Not in the way traditional submissives needed, maybe, but he needed it all the same.
I pointed to a spot on the other side of the coffee table. “Don’t say a word.”
His forehead creased as though that might help him figure out what I was up to, but he stood to follow my orders. While he did, I pressed the on-screen prompt to dial Journey’s number. Because I wanted him to hear what she had to say, I put it on speaker and set the phone on my knee.
“Hey,” she said in that sexy rasp of hers.
“How was dinner?”
“It was … nice.”
“Nice?”
There was a brief pause. There was a rustle of blankets or something in the background.
“Journey?”
She sighed. “What do you want me to say, Creed? That I had a great time?”
I could hear her irritation, and it caused me to remain silent.
“Because I did. Really great, actually. I like Garrison. A lot. But I’m not a big fan of yours right this minute.”
My gaze shifted to Hawk. He was listening intently, his expression masked as he lowered to his knees. His hard body was tense, the muscles in his abdomen shifting flawlessly beneath skin adorned with ink. His cock wasn’t privy to his expression because, with each husky rasp of Journey’s voice, it stood up a little more.
“Garrison’s a likable guy,” I admitted. “But what did I do?”
“Don’t play dumb,” she huffed. “You manipulated us. I just don’t know what your angle is.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve got dads who are just like you,” she said firmly. “They can manipulate a situation the same way you did. You put us on the spot, and I wish I knew what was going on.”
Confused, I asked, “Why do you think anything is going on?”
The silence was deafening, and I wished I could see her face. I wanted to see that little purse of her lips when she was pondering something. I hadn’t seen it nearly enough, but it was a quirk I picked up on during the few conversations I’d had with her.
“You’re intentionally being obtuse, Creed. And I don’t think anything is going on; I know because when you’ve seen me with Hawk, you look … jealous. I thought maybe you were, which was, you know, kinda flattering. But now … after what happened this morning—”
I interrupted to force her to elaborate. “What happened this morning?”
“You know what happened,” she countered.
“Remind me.”
Journey sighed. “You made me masturbate to the sound of your voice.”
“I didn’t make you do anything.”
Her voice pitched a bit higher from her annoyance. “You know what I mean. No, you didn’t force me, but I did it to please you.”
If she only fucking knew what that confession did to me, she would shut her mouth right this fucking second. She would hang up the phone and refuse to take my calls, avoid me at all costs. Journey Zeplyn didn’t realize that she had sealed her fate by admitting she wanted to please me. That statement triggered my instinct to hunt. After all, we were all animals driven by the same primal instincts: chase, capture, conquer, and claim. I had relied on those instincts to keep me alive since I was a kid, but no one had brought them out quite the way she did. And right now, I was the hungry predator, and she was the prey I sought. Nothing and no one would stop me from pursuing her until I caught her.
“You did please me,” I assured her, my eyes locked on Hawk. He was no longer masking his expression. Probably because he couldn’t. As I said, he anticipated my reactions, which meant he recognized the hunger she’d ignited.
“Is it supposed to make me feel good when you praise me?”
I heard the sincere wonder in her tone, and my body responded to it. “You like when I praise you?”
“Yeah.”
“I like that you do things worthy of my praise,” I admitted, realizing exactly how that sounded. “Like when you changed in front of Garrison. You didn’t have to show me your tits, but you did.”
Her breaths grew heavier, raspier. “I’m not sure I did that to please you.”
“No?”
“I did it … I wanted to show you I can stand up for myself. Just because I like your dominance doesn’t mean I’m weak.”
I chuckled softly. “Hellcat, being submissive doesn’t make you weak. It makes you strong.”
A soft laugh sounded. “I’m not sure I would go that far.”
It looked like I had my work cut out for me. Journey had a natural inclination to submit, but she didn’t have the faintest idea that her submission kept her in complete control.
“Did it please you for me to go out with Garrison?”
I grinned, acknowledging the sassiness in her tone. “Depends.”
“On?”
“Did he kiss you goodnight?”
She was silent for a moment, and for every second, my guts twisted tightly.
“No. He was the perfect gentleman.”
I exhaled heavily, my relief potent.
“He said he wanted to, though.”
She was taunting me. I could hear it in her tone. “Did you want to kiss him?”
There wasn’t a second of hesitation in her resounding, “Yes.”
I felt my possessiveness surging to the surface. It felt ugly and dark but natural, all the same. “I thought you wanted to kiss Hawk.”
“Creed…” She exhaled roughly. “Is this a game to you? Are you trying to test me?”
I didn’t answer.
“Yes,” she blurted. “Yes, I want to kiss Hawk.”
Present tense.
“More than Garrison?”
“As of this minute, yes. I like Hawk. A lot. A whole lot more than I like you right now.”
I glared at Hawk as though he was forcing her to say these words. His expression was open and honest, filled with relief and wonder, even subjugated to me, naked and vulnerable as he knelt before me.
“You know what?” she said, frustration twining around each word. “Maybe we should table this conversation until you get back. You’ve got an angle, and I’m not particularly fond of it. I do not intend to be your plaything or inadvertently hurt Hawk or Garrison because of your agenda. Good night, Creed.”
She didn’t even give me a chance to respond, disconnecting the call.
I squeezed the phone tight enough to break as I stared at Hawk, every ounce of my frustration directed at him.
Journey wasn’t wrong. I was playing an angle; I just didn’t know what it was. I was testing Hawk and Garrison, but to what end? Did I want them to overstep? Was I hoping their interest in her would force my hand? I wanted her. There was no denying that. Hell, I wanted her more than I’d wanted anything in a long damn time. It scared the shit out of me, too, because I knew myself. I knew my darkness, my hunger. I lived with it on a daily basis.
I did it to please you.
I could hear her words like a whisper in my head. Yeah, I fucking wanted her. Now it was a matter of figuring out what to do with her when I got her. Because I would. As far as the animal prowling inside me was concerned, there was no other option.
I go to my feet. “Go to bed, Hawk.”
I turned toward my bedroom.
“Creed?”
I stopped and turned back to give him my full attention.
“Next time you command me to do something, you better be prepared to fight for it.”
My eyebrows rose from the challenge.
His eyes flashed with defiance and hatred, but they burned with need. “Because I’m done kneeling at your feet.”
“We’ll see about that.”
“Yeah.” He nodded, his expression resigned. “I guess we will.”
As I walked to my room, I realized Hawk believed what he was saying.
Problem was, I believed him, too.
9
Wednesday…
Journey
As I made my way into the office the next day, I realized there wasn’t the same spring in my step as there had been. I no longer felt anticipation and giddiness when I thought about the future. I felt resigned and forlorn.
I noticed it first when I went to select an outfit for today. Unlike yesterday when I’d felt invincible against the day ahead, today I felt the opposite. Which should’ve been evident in the drab gray slacks I paired with a white cashmere sweater. I didn’t even bother with heels, choosing flats instead. I hated flats because they drove home the fact that I was vertically challenged.
This was his fault.
Creed’s.
He had pushed me last night to the point I found myself defensive. That he glossed over what had happened, instead choosing to taunt me about Garrison and Hawk … well, that pissed me off. I didn’t like that he was using either of them against me. Or me against them. I wasn’t lying when I said I wished Garrison had kissed me or when I told him I liked Hawk. I did, and I didn’t see any reason to deny it. Creed clearly wanted to play games, which told me he wasn’t serious. And if he wasn’t, why should I be?
I wished I could say I didn’t feel guilty, but I did. I shouldn’t since this wasn’t my doing. I wasn’t purposely trying to land three different men. I was attracted to Creed. I was also drawn to his dominance. It spoke to a side of me I’d always suspected was there. He made me do things I didn’t know I was capable of. With his voice alone, he made me act out the fantasies I’d only ever written about. And if I was being brutally honest, I liked myself more when I was submitting to him.
And then there was Hawk. I liked how he made me feel when we were together. He was hot as hell with that mischievous smirk. I’d dreamed about that crooked grin and his pretty blue eyes more than once. He was witty and charming, and he seemed to understand me. And the kisses we had shared … no one had ever kissed me like that. He made me feel important. With him, it felt effortless, like we had a connection. I could talk to him and not worry about what I’d say. It was like we’d known each other forever and what we had was comfortable. And yes, I knew that didn’t make sense because I’d only known him for a week, but that didn’t change the fact that it was true.
And now Garrison, with his overabundance of charm and his handsome face. I sensed a vulnerability in him, and for whatever reason, I was drawn to it. I wanted to know his deepest, darkest secrets so I could replace all the negative with good. It was obvious someone had hurt him. I wanted to be the one to help him move on. Not necessarily be the one he moved on with, but I couldn’t deny I was attracted to him.
I sighed as I scanned my badge across the RFID reader. The light flashed green, and the lock disengaged, allowing me to pull the door open and step inside.
“Good morning, Kurt,” I greeted, forcing a smile I didn’t feel as I held up my badge for him to confirm it was my face.
“Morning, Journey,” he said, his eyebrows furrowing as he watched me. “Everything okay?”
I couldn’t help wondering whether Creed would’ve noticed that I wasn’t my usual cheery self the way Kurt did. Probably not, since he didn’t know me.
“All good,” I lied. “Just a little tired this morning.”
He smiled as I continued to the next set of doors.
I was greeted with the delicious scent of coffee beans and freshly baked pastries. I ignored both, even though caffeine might’ve gone a long way in kickstarting my day and improving my mood. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the energy to stand in line, and there wasn’t a sexy, overbearing biochemical engineer handy to let me skip to the front.
My thoughts drifted to dinner with Garrison last night. I hadn’t expected to have such a good time with him. Throughout the meal, I kept watching him, trying to decipher if he wished he could be anywhere else. Creed was the one who made him take me to dinner. He even set it all up. But the only time I saw Garrison uncomfortable was when I was asking questions about his past relationships.
