ome,” she cried out, feeling his tongue licking against the flesh clenched between his teeth as a rumbled growl vibrated against her back and at her ear.
His hips pounded against her rear, his cock shuttling hard and deep, caressing and stroking the oversensitized flesh of her pussy until she thought she would go mad with the sensations tearing through her.
“Please,” she moaned against his bicep, feeling it flex beneath her lips. “Please, fuck me hard. Harder.”
He growled, the pace increasing, the iron-hard flesh shafting inside her faster, harder, stroking and burning through flesh as the delicate tissue clenched and tightened around each thrust until she felt that inferno building inside her reaching a critical peak.
The hand gripping her hip slid between her thighs, finding the agonizingly swollen bud of her clit with the callused tips of his fingers.
That touch against live nerve endings screaming out for him shattered her. It began with a rapid-fire implosion that stole her breath. Ecstasy crashed in upon her senses, drawing her body tight as her teeth bit into the hard flesh of his bicep.
Lightning struck at her clit, speared into her pussy, then gathered in force to clench at her womb as it suddenly went from an internal influx of pure pleasure to a series of fiery explosions of such ecstatic fury that her sight blurred to a whitescape of brilliant, bursting light.
She was unaware how hard she bit into his bicep as she felt the internal detonations overtake her. She was only barely aware of his teeth penetrating the flesh at the bend of her neck and shoulder. Each sensation was just another white-hot burst of rapture shuddering through her body, jerking her in his grip as she felt the additional thickness of that added erection inside her, locking him inside her.
The feline Breed barb.
She could feel it locking into the area of her G-spot, rasping and caressing flesh so well hidden on a woman that it took a very experienced lover to find and caress it properly.
Nature had given the feline Breeds a little additional help there, just as it had in other areas. Several rapid-fire bursts of sensation struck at her sense as Rule locked inside her. They amplified the release ripping at her senses, sent her flying higher, until she was nothing but a creature of pure sensation. She wanted, needed, nothing but this pleasure.
This Breed possessing her.
She was lost and she knew it.
Gypsy could feel the imprint of that truth searing inside her soul. She was lost to him. There was no escaping him, because she knew, mating be damned, she would never be able to do without this pleasure again. And that terrified her. Because anything a woman couldn’t do without was guaranteed to destroy her when it was taken from her.
...
What the fuck had he done?
What the fuck was going on?
Son of a bitch.
Son of a bitch.
It was all he could do to hold his weight from her as he found they’d both collapsed to the floor of the shower. Warm water still flowed around them, though the heat that had filled it earlier was absent.
And he needed to get his ass off his mate and turn off the water before she became chilled.
The thought of that actually had him moving. Every instinct inside him warned him that protecting her, no matter how slight the danger or effect on her health, was of paramount importance.
What did she do to him?
This wasn’t Mating Heat. Mating Heat was the inability to be apart. It was the need to fuck, to procreate, no matter the obstacles.
This wasn’t Mating Heat. It was the animal’s response to the man’s automatic thoughts about a woman he was trying desperately not to love. And he’d already failed.
Forcing his muscles from the limpest stage they had likely ever known, Rule moved to his feet, quickly turned off the water, then knelt to help his mate from the shower tiles.
“Just go ’way,” she mumbled as he lifted her into his arms before placing her on the wide built-in shower seat and grabbing a towel.
She slumped against the corner, eyes closed, her long hair hanging in sodden ringlets around her face and dripping water down her breasts and on her thighs. Her head rested against the corner of the shower, the green of her eyes gleaming between her lowered lashes.
“Get dressed or something.” Her voice was still sleepy, lazy, no doubt the reason why she surprised him when her hand flashed out and jerked the towel from his grip.
This was a bad thing, he thought as she draped the material over her to cover her breasts and thighs. No one else, no matter who, no matter the circumstances, could have jerked that towel from him so easily. Never had he allowed his guard to drop to that point.
That didn’t excuse the fact that she had moved much more quickly, and with a precision no civilian could possess, to ensure that she acquired the towel from him. And she didn’t even notice the fact that she had moved so easily, and with a training he was certain she wouldn’t want revealed.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” The smell of her distrust was offensive.
Rule grimaced. The animal was still far too close to the surface, the pleasure of moments before still lingering too strongly within his senses.
“Let’s get you dried off, hotshot,” he told her, kneeling in front of her and taking the towel from her, despite the struggle she gave him.
Starting with her hair, he blotted the excess water from it gently, aware long moments later that she was growing frustrated with his ministrations. The long, water-heavy ringlets were particularly pretty, though. The straight effect she sometimes achieved was nice as well, but he was fond of the waves and little curls. Drying it too quickly, too roughly could cause the strands to frizz. He knew she wouldn’t like that. He’d never seen her hair frizzy or at any time less than silken and healthy looking.
“Rule, what the hell are you up to?” She was watching him with far more distrust than even moments before.
“I’ve just been drying your hair.” Finishing the last of the long curls, he brushed them gently behind her shoulder as he evaded her attempts to grab the towel back.
“Fine, you dried it.” She glared back at him. “Now give me the damned towel. I’ll dry myself.”
The scent of her distrust only grew and, even more disturbing, also a sense of fear as he’d continued attempting to dry her. Why would taking care of his luscious little mate cause her such distress?
Narrowing his eyes, Rule did as she asked, reached out and pulled another towel off the shelf on the outside wall to finish drying his own body.
Seconds later she found the strength in her legs, rose to her feet and quickly wrapped the towel around the slender curves he would have enjoyed watching a bit longer.
Tossing his own towel to the corner of the shower, he moved from the cubicle and headed to the bedroom. The scent of the continued distrust and that edge of fear had been joined by the hint of pain.
Dammit. She was tempting those crazy fucking animal genetics into surging free again. And that was something he’d prefer to ensure never happened again. Well, unless he was buried deep inside her again.
Pulling on a pair of jeans, he zipped them quickly, aware that his cock was still hard enough to ensure it wouldn’t be long before he was indeed buried inside her again.
Until then, he’d wait patiently.
It wasn’t long before she moved into the room, glancing at him nervously before moving to the dresser. There—his brow lifted as she found the drawer that held his shirts on the first try.
Lifting a dark gray T-shirt free from the top of the pile, she unfolded it, drew it over her head, then pushed her arms into the sleeves and let it fall over her body before dropping the towel.
Those animal genetics—
He normally cursed them; in this second, he was doing more than cursing them. The animal snapped inside him. A hint of a scent. The awareness of something not just right as his normally dependable senses failed him.
He’d come into this room week
s before, aware of the slightest scent that he should have recognized, only to have it elude him.
It wasn’t eluding him now.
“Where did you get the scent blocker the night you searched my room, mate?” he asked her softly. “And who provided it?”
CHAPTER 21
How had she given herself away?
Her gaze was locked with his, normal now, all evidence of the animal he shared his genetics with no longer present. But there was no way she could hide her response and she knew it. She was caught. She could feel it. She could see it in the flare of anger that lit his eyes and tightened his body.
“What are you talking about, Rule?” That didn’t mean she had to go down easy.
He’d already destroyed the plans she’d made for her life so many years ago. Nine years she’d spent vowing to avenge her brother’s murder and to make up for being the cause of it.
He chuckled.
It wasn’t a comfortable sound, she observed, watching him nervously. And she really wished he’d snap the band of his jeans and put on a damned shirt. Socks. Maybe some shoes too. That would definitely make her feel more comfortable. Though not in any less trouble, she was betting.
“You know.” Leaning against the dresser she’d just pulled a shirt from, he watched her curiously as he crossed his arms over his broad, naked chest. “Several weeks ago my room was gone through. A scent blocker was used, but what the intruder was unaware of is that the perspiration they left throughout the room wasn’t safe from detection when the room belongs to the intruder’s unmated mate.”
Unmated mate? It was all she could do not to roll her eyes, but she was pretty fucking tired. His bathroom sex had pretty much sapped what little energy she’d gained while she slept earlier.
“You’re reaching, Rule,” she breathed out roughly, certain there was really no getting out of this, at least without really lying to him, and that, she found suddenly distasteful.
A spy who couldn’t lie? Hell, wasn’t that one a first?
His gaze focused on her like a laser, brightening, the blue iris enlarging just enough to send her heart racing.
“Then,” he continued as though she hadn’t spoken, “when we picked up those tails last night, you knew exactly how to pull up the GPS on the Dragoon and evade whoever was following us. How did you know that, Gypsy? No one outside the enforcers who use those vehicles knows about the new systems that went in just before we left for the op in Window Rock. That, or the transponders and satellite phone trackers we carry. Especially no human civilian.”
She shrugged nonchalantly, rather enjoying the game he’d started. At least for the moment. She was certain that the time was coming, though, when he wasn’t going to allow her to deny her knowledge of where she’d gained her information for long. And God help her, she could only pray he didn’t get Jonas Wyatt involved with this.
“Someone must know about it,” she informed him, as though the subject were no more than amusing. “Because I had to have heard about it somewhere. Though it’s really not that dissimilar to the GPS and backup systems used by National Law Enforcement.”
“And how would you know about their GPS and backup systems?” He latched onto that immediately. “Last I heard, National was just as proprietary about their technical information as the Breeds are.”
“More so, actually.” She smiled. “I guess it’s all according to who you have as friends, Rule. I have a lot of friends. And remember, I do work part-time at the Navajo Covert Law Enforcement office.”
He actually grinned. Ducking his head for a moment, he stared at a point that could have been his bare feet. He was shaking his head, though, and that smile was flashing a bit more of the healthy canines at the side of his teeth than she found comfortable.
His head lifted enough to stare up at her through the veil of those thick, inky lashes. The gleam of those blue eyes, barely glimpsed for the long lashes, was entirely too wickedly sexy. It made her stomach kind of jump.
“Yeah, you have a lot of friends, baby,” he said softly, causing her heart to trip nervously. “And whoever the fuck trained you did a damned good job of it. Had any Breed other than Jonas questioned you, then I have no doubt you would have convinced them you were just the party girl you pretend to be. But no other Breed would have seen your response when you jerked that towel from my hand. And I know, only training can create the quickness you used in doing that. Just as only training could have taught you the move you used last night when Rhyzan made the mistake of touching you in that bar. And yes, one of the enforcers watching that little move described it perfectly as I was pulling in.”
Gypsy widened her eyes innocently. “That is one freaky Breed, Rule. You should keep him out of the general public if you really want to convince the public you’re harmless.”
“Is that what we’re trying to do?” he asked her.
“Isn’t it?” She kept her appearance amused, archly mocking, and prayed she could pawn off the racing of her heart and her nervousness on the simmering arousal still vibrating through her body.
“You’re not distracting me,” he warned her then. “You’re calm, giving all appearances of being slightly confused, a little nervous but game to play along. Damned good training, just as I said. But I’m probably the one person in the world you’re never going to be able to fool whenever you attempt to lie to me. I know your scent more intimately than any other Breed ever will, and I’ll catch that hint of deceit creeping out. You won’t have to say a word. I’ll know you’re preparing to deceive me before the words ever leave your mouth.”
Well, wasn’t he just damned sure of himself?
Gypsy moved across the room then, watching him warily, as though she were indeed just as confused and nervous as he indicated she was playing at. They both knew he was right, but nothing could hurt her, or him, if she didn’t admit to it.
“Look.” She gave a nervous little laugh that wasn’t entirely faked. “This has been really interesting, Rule, but I think I’d prefer you find another game to play.”
He tracked her with his eyes alone, but when she reached the door, a dark rumble suddenly filled the room, causing her to stop and stare back at him in surprise.
“You haven’t denied searching my room yet, mate,” he reminded her.
Gypsy cocked her hip, mimicked his stance with her arms crossing over her breasts and glared back at him.
“You didn’t ask if I had searched your room, Rule.” She stressed his name rather than using the title of mate in the mocking tone she wanted to use. “I did just that the first time you threw me to the bed and had your way with me, as soon as you left the room afterward. And I didn’t even need a scent blocker to do it nor did I have to break in, if you’ll recall. I don’t know what you think I was looking for, though. I wanted a drink of water, and wanted to know exactly where I could find the T-shirts when I needed one.” She plucked at the front of the gray shirt mockingly. “Is there anything more you want to know?”
“I want to know why, even while revealing that you did indeed go through my room that night, the scent of your lie is still pouring from your body?”
“What lie?” Distress filled her voice now. “What are you accusing me of, Rule?”
She knew damned well what he was accusing her of, and the very fact that he was so damned confident, and pushing a little more with each sentence out of his mouth, had her consciously battling her rising nerves.
“Jonas is looking for someone, Gypsy. An informant for a secretive sect of warriors located within the Nation that’s known to aid Breeds and humans attempting to escape and forever disappear from the Genetics Council. Finding that informant is imperative. It could be all that’s standing between life or death for Amber.”
She hated Breeds.
And she was beginning to hate this mating crap and didn’t even understand what it was. What she did know was that it was all she could do to keep from giving him what he wanted. She wanted to tell him the truth so damned bad she c
ould barely stand it.
“And do you think if I were this all-important informant that I would stand by silently and allow Amber to die?” That really bothered her. She would never stand for anyone who would watch that child suffer.
Uncrossing his arms, he straightened from his slouch position and stared back at her directly. “I believe you would question whoever you worked for, you would ask if they had what we needed and they would lie to you. You’re human, baby, you would have no idea when an experienced liar is lying to you.”
Her fists clenched as the anger she was trying to hold inside since he’d dared to infer she would allow anything to happen to Amber began to burn inside her.
“And you think I would just accept someone’s word if I were this sought-after informant?” she charged him, feeling her expression tighten, the tension beginning to ratchet through her. “Is that what you think, Rule?”
“I think you would trust your contact,” he breathed out wearily. “And your trust isn’t easy to acquire. But if they told you they couldn’t help Amber, then they’re lying, sweetheart. They’re hiding two individuals known to have been part of the experiment that created the drug that baby was injected with. Both of them had and most likely still have photographic memories, and both of them know exactly how to help her.”
“Then why not search for them?” Turning, she jerked open the door and went through it a second ahead of him as he attempted to catch her.
And she knew why he’d attempted to keep her in the bedroom then. Sitting on the other side of the door were his brother, Lawe; Lawe’s fiancée, Diane; and the Coyote female, Ashley.
Her gaze narrowed on them. They would have clearly heard the conversation in the other room.
“What are they doing here?” she asked succinctly, fighting to hold on to her temper as she turned to face Rule accusingly. “What are you pulling here, Rule?”
Ashley stepped forward, her expression concerned as she gripped the weapons strapped to both thighs with tense hands. “I asked Lawe and Diane to get me in to see you. You must not have heard the knock on the door. When you did not answer, I begged them to allow me into these rooms to await you.”
“Why?” This was her friend, yet Gypsy had learned over the years that those you trusted the most were often the ones most determined to deceive you.
Propping her hands on her hips, Ashley stared back at her with cool gray eyes now. “I can smell your distrust, Gypsy . . .”
“I really wish everyone would stop talking about my fucking smell,” she snapped, catching the amusement in Diane’s gaze and the suspicion in Lawe’s. “I’m getting really tired of hearing about it.”
“Fine,” Ashley harrumphed. “I cannot deny I overheard that conversation and your mate’s accusation that you are the one working with the Unknown. I don’t agree with him.” She flashed Rule a hard look. “But I had to speak with you before you learned something from someone you may not believe is your friend.” Distress darkened her eyes as a hint of uncertainty filled her expression. “Tell me, please, that you know that even if no other Breed believes this, I believe you are my friend and a friend to the Breed community. Please, Gypsy.” She glanced at Rule apologetically before turning back to her.
“What are you talking about now?” This was going to drive her crazy. Swiping back long strands of hair that had fallen over her shoulder, she faced the Coyote female angrily, wondering if there was even a reason to be angry with her.
“Please, Gypsy.” There was something so vulnerable, so desperate in Ashley’s gaze that Gypsy couldn’t lie about something so elemental.
“I believe you’re my friend, Ashley,” she answered, frowning, foreboding rising sharply inside her. “And you know I’ve always considered you my friend.”
“Ashley.” Rule stepped forward, his expression, his tone gentle as though he knew what was coming. “It’s okay. I promise. I’ll take care of this.”
Ashley’s lips thinned. “This is not the time for you to weaken yourself further with your mate, Commander,” she informed him as Gypsy watched Rule’s expression with narrowed eyes. “I believe, more so now than when I learned this information, that you are the wrong person to handle this matter.”
The way he rubbed at the back of his neck and grimaced, his gaze moving to his brother beseechingly as Lawe gave him a look that seemed to suggest he was crazy for asking for help, would have been endearing if she hadn’t been certain it would negatively impact her.
“I told you, Ashley—”
“And I told you, Commander.” Ashley straightened to military stiffness as she glared back at him. “You are the wrong choice. Please allow me to take care of this; as her friend, I demand the right to do so now.”
Rule grimaced. “I’ll take care of it, Ashley.”
“Overhearing a conversation you began convinces me otherwise,” Ashley snorted. “As it does Cassie. She urged me to come here this evening and take care of the matter. She and I both agree, your attempt to protect her is worthy of you and your feelings for her. But keeping this from her has not protected her. And now, it will only harm your place in her heart. So you may take it up with Cassie if you do not like it.”
The girl’s Russian accent gave her voice, even when angry, an almost charming cadence.
“Let’s just get this the hell over with,” Gypsy suggested as Rule appeared ready to deny Ashley the opportunity to discuss whatever it was with her, once again. “I’m hungry and I’m pissed off and I really just want to kick Breaker’s ass with a little privacy, if none of you care.”
“And here I wanted to sell tickets,” Lawe murmured.
“Well, doesn’t it just suck to be you?” Who was more surprised, she wondered, when she turned on the amused Breed fiercely.
Definitely, his fiancée, or mate?—she was amused, but surprised. Lawe Justice was more than just surprised, though. His gaze narrowed, became more blue, more mocking than ever before and just slightly warmer perhaps as he glanced at his brother.
“Let’s just get this the hell over with,” Gypsy snapped before turning and leading the way back to the bedroom. “Come on, Ashley, whatever you have to spill, just go ahead and spill so I can figure out what just happened to my damned life.”
It had gone to hell in a handbasket, that was exactly what was happening to it, and it was all Rule Breaker’s fault.
Every damned second of it.
“Gypsy, I’m sorry.” Ashley closed the bedroom door, facing her with a glimmer of sympathy in her eyes as Gypsy threw herself into the chair next to the bed, slouched against the back and watched her friend with something less than patience.
“Just say it, Ash,” she sighed, knowing she wasn’t going to like it. As she understood it, any time Cassie Sinclair was involved with anyone’s life, things just happened anyway. But it seemed to her that that applied to any Breed, not just that particular one.
“The day you were here for the meeting with Jonas, along with your parents.” Ashley didn’t shift nervously or appear in any way uncertain. She stood straight, spoke quietly.
“Yes. I remember.” Gypsy nodded, her fingers tightening where they rested against the arms of the chair. “What about it?”
“Do you remember how nervous your mother was about releasing her purse?”