Blaze, page 31
“I told you I would wait until you told me you were ready.” Finn’s words are warm and sound like they’re full of love, but it doesn’t match what I’m feeling.
He reaches into his jacket and withdraws a box. A black velvet box. Panic gives way to hope, which gives way to acceptance, and I know a stupid smile is painted across my face because of the way Finn’s lips turn up at the corner.
My wolf has happy little feet, tapping in my brain, ready to explode. But I let Finn speak.
“Putting my own pride aside and maybe running the risk of you rejecting me again.” Finn stops himself from letting the full laugh out. “Well, I know this isn’t a modern piece, but Dinah told me it was the right one for the dress you’re wearing. When we were in Ireland, Ma and Da sat me down and gave me this one and another. They said it was only right that you be the next wolf in our line to wear this.” He drops down to one knee, opening the box. “Kathleen, would you do me the honor of being my mate and becoming my wife?”
The box opens to a beautiful Victorian-era piece, the hanging tulip shapes of the diamonds wrapping around the edge of the collar. A similarly shaped diamond ring sits in the center of the box.
Delicately, I reach out and touch the center stones.
“Is that a yes?” His voice catches in his throat.
I raise my eyes from the box to him. “Of course it is.”
He rises to his feet and closes the box with a click before pulling me into his arms and kissing me.
A small eruption breaks out behind Finn, startling me.
I poke my head around Finn to find Cade, Thalia, Deacon, Thalia’s father, Darren, and the Alloways — Judah, Ezra, and Dinah — clapping. Okay, but who knew they were coming, and when did they walk in? Cash and O’Connel are trying to look inconspicuous off to the side, but Cash has his cellphone camera pointed at us. Live feed to Ireland?
Finn turns to look and gives a nod of his head. I grab hold of his jacket sleeve and don’t let go.
Deacon’s footsteps echo across the gallery as he comes closer. He offers his hand out for the box and holds it for Finn.
If it weren’t for the diamonds reflecting the light, I wouldn’t have noticed Finn’s hands shaking ever so slightly as he lifts the collar from the box.
He steps behind me, holding the collar before me.
Unlike with the collars he’s placed around my neck before, Finn waits for me to pull my hair out of the way. The weight of the stones resting across my collarbones is better than I anticipated. Finn returns in front of me and takes the ring from the box. I raise my left hand for him, and Finn slides the ring in place. It’s a perfect fit, but with how clean the pieces are, despite their ages, I can tell he had them cleaned and fitted. Finn thinks of everything.
Our mate, my wolf reminds me. Ours.
Deacon closes the case and tucks it into his jacket pocket before patting Finn on the shoulder. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you,” Finn and I answer in unison.
Shaking his head, Deacon walks away, and despite muttering, we hear him say, “They’ve got to stop doing that. It’s weird as fuck.”
My wolf preens, forcing me to lean against Finn, the separation from him too much to bear.
“When I get you back to the hotel tonight, I’m going to peel you out of this dress. Then, I’m going to fuck you until you won’t be able to walk straight tomorrow. And when you’ve thought you have had enough, I’m going to sink my teeth into your shoulder and fix our mating bond,” Finn whispers an intense promise.
My family — our family — swarms us, and we’re quick to hug everyone.
Constantly flitting attention between the family members approaching me and then back again to Finn, I’m torn.
Dinah’s arms are still wrapped around me when the curator tells me we’re ready for the opening to begin.
Exhaustion set in an hour ago. I don’t think I’ve gone farther than four inches from Finn’s side. There have been hundreds of congratulations, questions about my art pieces, and commentary about how strong I must be.
“You can safeword, faolan,” Finn whispers in my ear. “Say the word and I’ll get you out of here.”
“Red,” I whine. “Please, red.”
Finn takes his jacket off and wraps it around my shoulders. He drapes his arm across me, holding it in place as he leads me through the crowd. Cade eyes us as we approach, and without breaking his conversation, Finn and Cade share a brief nod.
Millie from Corinth Security catches up to us at a rear door, and between her and Finn, I’m escorted to an SUV.
Morning light and the distant sound of sirens wake me. I’ve never been suited for city life. Darren’s apartment was a necessary evil. But these sirens echo differently, and last night comes back slowly. I remember the car ride but nothing beyond that. Stretching, I move toward Finn’s warmth.
His large hands drag me to him before I even open my eyes.
“Good morning, faolan,” he whispers. “I love you.”
“I love you,” I answer and open my eyes.
Finn draws a ragged breath. “I’m never going to take you saying that for granted.”
He runs his fingers into my hair and, with his hand behind my head, pulls me up to kiss him. It’s tender, sweet, and loving.
None of what I want. Okay, well, the loving is fine. But nothing about me wants tender and sweet.
I bite his bottom lip.
A happy little grumble comes from him. “Well, that wasn’t the plan for the morning.”
With a big sigh, I pout.
“I wouldn’t expect you to brat any less.” Finn rubs his nose against mine. “I don’t like how empty your shoulder looks without my mark.”
I force myself to break out of my response. Pressing the tip of my nose against him, I draw a deep breath, inhaling his scent. “I don’t like that either.” I exhale before looking up at him. “I don’t like that for either of us.”
“Good,” Finn growls.
The dominance that comes with that sound sends warmth through me. Involuntarily, my core clenches in response.
Ours. My wolf pushes forward the desire to nibble at Finn’s lip.
I embrace her and bite gently at his bottom lip.
The reward, a deep kiss, leads to me being rolled onto my back with Finn’s legs pushing mine apart. Wetness and warmth flood my core, and I’m ready for him.
He pushes off the bed, and I whine. Softening my cheeks and raising my eyebrows, I part my lips just a little bit. The puppy eyes didn’t work on him before but maybe now.
Finn wets his lips. “Well, now that’s a first.”
I wiggle my butt against the bed.
“Never have I ever had puppy eyes work on me.” Finn gets off the bed anyway, heading toward the bathroom.
Water runs for a minute before he comes back with two fluffy towels and the ice bucket.
“After I fuck you, make you come, and mark you as my own, I’m planning on living in that tight cunt for an hour or maybe a day. So, I figure it’s best to keep the bed clean and be ready to wipe up the blood. Would hate to let people think we’d murdered someone in here,” Finn explains, setting the items on the nightstand.
I roll aside so he can put a towel behind my shoulders.
Once it’s situated, Finn pounces. He’s over the top of me and kissing me deeply like he never left. This is the primal and animalistic side I haven’t seen since heat. The way he first looked at me from the door, like he couldn’t wait to devour me. It’s the same now.
Finn wets his bottom lip and lowers himself down, resting on his elbows above me. The tip of his cock nudges against my clit, and little flutters of anticipation roll through my body.
I arch my back, pushing my tits against his chest. Our lips meet, and Finn’s tongue slides into my mouth. I moan into the kiss, which is invitation enough.
The familiar feeling of being stretched to fit his cock is a welcome one. Powerful thrusts and the anticipation of what comes next mean we’ve only just begun, but I’m already racing for the finish line.
“Finn,” I whimper. “So much.”
“Good.” He smirks, the corners of his lips pulling up before he kisses first my cheek and then down my neck.
His weight over the top of me, covering me while his cock claims my pussy, is more than I can stand. My pussy clenches down hard, and Finn snarls. It silences my moaning.
Ours, my wolf encourages.
Every part of me is on fire. I’m lost in the desire, the orgasm, and now the unyielding instinct to bite. My canines elongate, and it’s a strange feeling, one I’m used to when it comes time to shift, but this, claiming our mate, is the only other time we’re supposed to experience it. And the first time, lost in the haze of my heat, doesn’t feel real. This I’ll always remember.
My wolf keeps pushing me to fulfill what we both want. Bite. Bite. Bite.
And I do.
I pierce Finn’s skin, and I don’t stop biting until I know the mark is going to take. I’ve connected us at the deepest point. I hold him in my mouth, anchoring us together as my orgasm subsides.
Finn’s thrusts come to a stop, and that’s when I’m overwhelmed by the blinding white pain of Finn’s teeth. He’s probably been anchored to me as long as I have to him. But the pain is only catching up with me now that I’m not overwhelmed by the instincts of my wolf.
I relax my jaw. The rich copper flavor in my mouth isn’t my favorite, but it’s a necessary evil.
Clean it, my wolf demands. Happy and healthy bonds. We have to take care of him, she growls at me.
Despite the towels and plenty of options to clean his wound, my wolf is right. I run my tongue over the first of the puncture marks left by my fangs.
Letting my shoulder free, Finn does the same. The warm flat of his tongue finds a rhythm with my own, and we lie together in silence, linked by his cock and then through our bond.
Clean. My wolf assesses the work we’ve done, and I turn my head aside in submission to him.
After a few more languid strokes of his tongue, Finn comes to a stop as well.
He draws a deep breath and sighs. “I knew I missed the feeling of our bond, but my memory didn’t hold because this is better than I remember.”
The bond, his soul wrapped in mine, the connection of our wolves without us, is so much stronger this time.
I focus on it, letting it roll through me. Every ounce of every feeling causes me to shudder.
Ours. My wolf is dancing inside to the happiness of our heartbeat, keeping time with the throbbing of his cock inside me.
Chapter 56
Finn
Lena has gone from reluctance to our relationship, our bond, and our future together to militarizing the bond against me.
We’ve done six of these short question sessions. And between each one, Lena takes the opportunity to push lust into the bond. I adjust my seat in the chair again, waiting for the next reporters to show up. The raging hard-on is making it nearly impossible to sit still next to her.
“Faolan,” I caution her. “I will not hesitate to punish you if you keep this up.”
“Keep what up?” Lena plays coy.
I pull her hand off the table where she’s tracing the weave of the tablecloth and bring it to rest on the strained fabric of my trousers.
She bites her lips together, squeezing the bulge.
Getting closer to her, I whisper in her ear, “Keep it up, Kathleen. You’re still in trouble for Ireland. I can just keep adding to that punishment.”
“How could I possibly still be in trouble for Ireland?” Lena looks at me, her eyes locking on mine.
Raising an eyebrow, I shake my head. “You literally fled the country. You think that little bit . . .”
She sighs and looks away.
I draw her face back to me. “Am I being unfair, faolan?”
“No.” Lena pouts.
“No, what?” I challenge.
“No, Sir,” Lena answers.
First, I remove her hand from my lap, and then I run my hand up into her hair and pull her close enough so I can kiss her temple. “Good girl, faolan.”
Pulling through the gate at the pack house without a reporter in sight is a welcome relief.
“Yay, they’re gone.” The sound of Lena’s excitement is dampened by jet lag but reflects what we’re all feeling on some level or another.
By the time we park the SUV in the driveway and climb out, all our wolves are on the edge of excitement. I half expected Cade to shift into The Leviathan before he closed the driver’s door.
“Yeah, I’m going for a run.” Cade stretches out, immediately confirming my suspicion.
Before I can answer, Lena pipes up, “Food first.”
“Suit yourself,” Cade says, holding his hand out to Thalia. “Food or run?”
Thalia doesn’t say anything but places her hand in his and then, with the other, waves over the top of her head toward us.
Trudging into the house, Lena yawns, and stress leaves our bond. “I love home.”
“I love you,” I counter, following her to the kitchen.
She moves to the fridge and rifles through it, and I look over her shoulder at the contents.
“Ugh. It’s all ingredients,” she groans, “Why do we live in a place that doesn’t have a food delivery service available?”
“Come, faolan, I’ll cook.” I guide her around the counter, and she plops down on the stool, watching me.
It takes me a few minutes to get started, finding all the ingredients in the fridge to make the salmon she seemed to like so much during her heat.
I steal glances at Lena, who looks around the house like she hasn’t seen it in a long time rather than just the few days we were in DC. Worry is etched in deep lines on her forehead, and an unsettledness filters through the bond.
“Ten?” I prompt.
“Oh, uhm.” Lena pauses. “I don’t have anything to do anymore. Like I know I’m still Alpha Female, and there are things I can do to alleviate Cade’s stress, but the paintings are done, school is on hold until January. I’m on a sabbatical with the lab. Which, I guess I can start working on the plans and contacting vendors for that. But it’s just so weird going from having had a full life of things to do and places to be to this?”
“One.” I end the count down. “You’ve had a lot going on. It’s already November, and it’ll be Solstice and Christmas before you know it.” I can tell by the way she wobbles her head that she’s considering what I’m saying. “There’s a lot for you to do, but maybe it’s time to give yourself some peace and quiet. Paint for fun, spend time with your wolf, enjoy being who you are, not what you think you’re supposed to be doing.”
“Okay,” she concedes.
“Well, that and there’s still some of your punishment from Ireland to finish.” I fight back the smile at what’s in store for her.
“Do I get a hint at what to expect?” Lena says quietly.
Mischievously, I raise an eyebrow at her. “Well, I can’t wait to see you spread out across the table.”
Lena cocks her head to the side, trying to decode what I’m saying.
“Don’t be so concerned,” I assure her. “You’ll like it.”
Lena
When Finn said he had an appointment today, a tattoo shop did not come to mind. Further than that, my tattoo artist’s shop didn’t come to mind.
Finn holds open the door to the brick building, and the rock music, busy, bright walls, and art are a familiar greeting.
“Congratulations.” Cash greets us from behind the counter.
Looking at Finn and back at Cash, I’m trying to get clued in, but nothing gives it away.
I question the Irishman I assumed was returning home after the gallery opening. “What are you doing here?”
“I mean, I’ve a lot of friends in the industry, so when Finn mentioned who did your work, it was a pleasant surprise for everybody. Great excuse to visit.” He laughs, looking between the two of us. “You ready for today?”
I shrug. “I think I’m just along for the ride.”
When he frowns, I know there’s something I haven’t been informed of. I groan and turn to look at Finn. This is the more punishment he was thinking of? It clicks. ‘Spread across a tattoo the table’ was not what I anticipated at all.
“Will you show her before she gets sassy?” Finn asks.
“She has no idea? You just had me design something for her and . . . didn’t even consult her? That’s messed up, Finn.” When Cash motions to me during his angry protest, he growls, getting protective. “But you had no say in this? He’s not forcing you to?”
Finn clears his throat.
Rolling my eyes, I nod. “Let’s see the designs, Cash. I trust Finn, but let’s take a look. And see if I have notes we can adjust, maybe. It’s not like we aren’t in the shop of the woman who knows my style. She can help get it right if we need to.”
Cash grumbles, “I’m not tattooing anything you don’t love.”
“Wouldn’t ask you to,” I offer in appeasement.
Cash opens his tablet and shows me the pieces he drew up.
I’m not surprised to see a striking gryphon for my left hip. Beautiful water lilies, sweet peas, and orchids dance in and out among filigree and sacred geometry. The piece will literally start on the opposite hip from my ribs and shoulder piece. Starting at the same height, it will hit the tender part of my flank, run out the wide part of my hip onto my ass, then down, forward, missing my knee. It’ll wrap around the back of my calf, ending just shy of my sock line. It’s . . . perfect. I couldn’t have designed it better myself. But those tender areas are going to be pure hell.
“I love it.” I nod to Cash. “I don’t even have notes. I couldn’t have designed it better myself.”
My heart beats hard, and I squirm. It’s a lot to do in one sitting.
Funneling the feelings, I turn to look at Finn. “I understand this is punishment, and that’s fine, but really? I didn’t even get a chance to hydrate for this.”
