His mouth tensed into a line and for some reason he didn’t look happy about that as he took a deep breath. “No. You’re marked by me, that scent is strong, but your scent is still there under it. If the mating took, it would be totally replaced by mine.”
Mika didn’t know how to feel. Part of her was relieved. It meant that she could go home after Grady was out of heat so he wouldn’t resent and hate her, but another part of her grieved. She was going to lose him for sure. She carefully sat down on the bed, refusing to look at his face, as she reached for the firm, hard flesh pointing straight up his abdomen.
“I guess we don’t have to worry about deals anymore,” she said softly. “Now I know you’ll let me go when this is over.”
“Mika—”
“Don’t talk to me, Grady. I’m going to take care of you and you’re going to be silent until we’re released from this damn cage.”
“Mika, we need to—”
She licked her lips, bent and took Grady’s cock into her mouth. He groaned, whatever he was about to say lost as she worked him, sucking on him. She moved fast, nearly removing him totally from between her lips and then taking him as deep as she dared, lifted as she sucked hard, then pushed down again. The sounds Grady made were loud as he panted and groaned. She cupped his balls with her hand, feeling how hard and taut they were, drawn close to his body, and she knew he was going to come fast. The second she realized he was going to, she released him completely, straightening up, and wrapped her hand around his thick shaft to finish getting him off.
She watched Grady throw his head back, his body arching, and he snarled as he came. Her gaze lowered and she watched him shoot out his release with each hand motion she made, drawing it out until his body relaxed and he stopped spilling his semen. She released him and bent, grabbed the sheet off the floor, and dropped it over his lap as she stood, moving away.
“Now you don’t need me for a few hours.” She walked to the bars, gripped them, and stared out.
His breathing slowed within minutes. “Mika, we need to talk. We need to—”
“You need to shut up if you want me to touch you in two hours.” She lifted her wrist, twisting it to show off her watch. “That’s the deal, Grady. You keep silent and I’ll attend to you when you need me to.”
He sniffed and softly growled. She closed her eyes, pressing her forehead to the bars. She knew what he smelled and she recognized that damn growl. She was turned on, was always affected by the sight of his naked body and touching him, and he usually fucked her when he uttered that type of growl he’d just made.
“Come here, Mika. I can take care of you.”
She took a deep breath. “No thanks. I’m not in heat. I’m just fine, and again, shut up.”
“You can put your knees beside my shoulders and grip the wall and fit over my face,” he said softly. “I want to taste you, babe.”
Her eyes snapped open. “Damn you,” she spun, glaring at him. “You think I’m going to let any part of my body near your damn mouth again? You bit me and you left me bleeding, huddled in a room, terrified that you were going to come after me and kill me. You didn’t even give a shit enough to make sure I was alive.”
Something flashed in his eyes. “I knew you were fine and I smelled your terror so I left to give us both a chance to calm.”
“Fine. You stick with that bullshit excuse of why you abandoned me. Shut up, Grady. I really don’t want to talk to you.”
He watched her but he didn’t speak. She was stuck with Grady until his damn family released them.
Chapter Fourteen
Elroy was grim as he unlocked the cage door. Mika was in the far corner, definitely not going near the angry man. She thought about trying to run past him but knew, after three days of being locked up, that it wouldn’t work. She’d tried twice but one of Grady’s brothers always caught her before she made it to the stairs.
She had been fed four times a day but she also had to feed Grady. The stack of towels and hand towels they were given daily had been used to give her and Grady sponge baths from the sink. She’d bathed him, cared for him, and taken care of all of his needs. Every time he’d tried to talk to her, she’d threatened to stop. He’d watched her though, silently, hour after hour. She just wanted a real shower, fresh air, and to get the hell out of the cage.
The pack leader ignored Mika as he stepped into the cell, his full attention on his son. “How are you feeling?”
Grady was frowning at his father. “Fine.”
Elroy paused. “How are you feeling now that you’re out of heat?”
Surprise flashed through Mika as her gaze darted to Grady.
He shook his head. “I’m still in heat.”
Elroy’s eyes narrowed and then he looked at Mika. He returned his attention to his son. “I see.”
Grady stared at his father. “I want my chains removed.”
“No,” Mika instantly said. “If we stay locked up, he stays locked down.”
“You don’t give me orders,” Elroy told her. He reached in his pocket and withdrew a key. He stared into Grady’s eyes. “How much longer do you think you’ll need to be here so she can’t take off on you?”
“I’m not sure. I’ll let you know when I have this heat thing under control.”
Elroy bent, unlocking Grady’s wrists, staring at his son the entire time. “I’m going to leave the cage open and instead just lock the door to the basement so you can be more comfortable in the apartment down here.” He made a face. “You both need showers.”
Grady’s wrists were free. He moved his arms, wincing a little and sat up. “Thanks, Dad.”
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Elroy said softly. “I’m taking heavy shit upstairs so I hope you go out of heat soon.” He paused. “Am I clear?”
“Yes.” Grady’s legs were released and he sat up as Elroy straightened, moving away.
Elroy shot a glance at Mika. “Don’t try to escape. I have four guards set up around the house outside. You wouldn’t make it to the gate that separates the property from the street. Am I clear?”
“Don’t threaten her.” Grady stood up.
“Then make sure she stays where she’s needed and I won’t have to.” He softly growled at his son. “If you hadn’t totally made a mess of this, I wouldn’t have been involved at all.”
Grady sighed. “I know. I’m sorry.”
Elroy nodded and walked out of the cage. “Two days, Grady. That’s all you’ve got.”
Mika stared at Grady as he stretched his big, naked body. The sheet was on the floor where it had dropped the second he’d stood. He watched his father go and then slowly turned to face her. The look in his eyes scared her a little.
“Things have changed now, haven’t they, babe?” He moved, slowly inching closer.
“Yeah. You can wash your own ass now.”
His hands gripped the bars on either side of her, trapping her between them and his body, but he didn’t touch her. She looked up at his face since, if she looked down, she’d see more of him than she wanted to without that sheet.
“You can’t keep me quiet anymore with your threats to not touch me.” He inhaled slowly, lowering his head, turning it, and breathed in close to her neck. “We’re going to shower and then we’re going to talk.”
Mika swallowed the lump that formed in her throat. “We don’t have much to talk about. As soon as you don’t need me anymore you can get on with your life and I can get on with mine.”
His nose brushed her throat and she jumped, trying to move away from him but she had nowhere to go as her arm pressed against his where he gripped the bar, trapping her there.
“Let’s go shower.”
“You go right ahead. I’ll take one after you.”
Grady backed up a step, released the bars, and grabbed her forearm. “You don’t leave my sight. You could try to run from me again.”
She bit back a curse as he turned, tugging on her, and she was left with no choice but
to follow him. Her gaze dropped to his ass, watching the muscles flex there as he walked. The guy had a really nice ass. She forced her gaze away, refusing to look at him in that manner. He turned to a closed door she’d assumed was a storage closet and opened it. She was stunned when instead it opened into a large living area that was a living room divided by a long bar separating it from a small galley kitchen.
“It’s small but it works.” He led her around a couch to another closed door and pushed it open. He tugged her around his body and she found herself in a nice-sized bathroom.
“Strip,” he ordered her, releasing her arm. The door firmly closed behind them as he inched around her to turn on the water in the tub-shower combo.
“You shower first and I’ll wait here.”
He faced her, staring into her eyes. “If you don’t take of your clothes, I’ll do it. If you fight me, I’ll shred them so you don’t have anything to wear. Am I clear? Get your ass in the shower. We both need one.”
“Jerk,” she muttered, reaching for her shirt.
He chuckled, proving her title for him, and adjusted the water flow and temperature. She glanced at his bent ass and looked away. She was nervous as hell now that he was free. She wasn’t in control anymore and knew it. She also knew that it wouldn’t be her hands and mouth getting him off anymore now that he could take her any way he wanted her.
He silently watched her undress, his dark gaze taking in every inch. She cleared her throat. “Are there any razors around here?”
“Are you planning on trying to cut my throat?”
“No. I’d like to shave my legs before they look like yours.”
A chuckle escaped him. “I’m not going to complain.”
“I bet,” she shot back. “You prefer your women hairy at times.”
His grin died. “Get in the shower now, Mika.”
She had to brush against his side as she stepped over the tub rim. He turned and she glanced down as something brushed her hips, something firm and hot. He was aroused, his cock standing straight out, and she looked away, knowing for sure what was about to take place.
“You can’t do that,” she said softly.
“Do what?”
She backed up in the corner of the tub stall, watching him step in with her. There wasn’t that much space between them and she was trapped with the glass door in her way as he slid his side closed. He faced her, bigger than life, with the water hitting his back.
“You can’t fuck me, Grady.”
His lips twitched. “Watch me.” He reached for her.
She tensed. “Your father and brothers took my purse and wouldn’t give it to me. Do you want to know what was in there? My birth control pills, damn it. I haven’t been able to take them.”
His hands paused inches from her. Mika stared up at him while he studied her eyes.
“I’m telling you the truth.”
He inhaled slowly. “You’re not ovulating.”
“You can tell that too?”
His hands gripped her hips. “Yes.”
“Freak,” she grunted as he jerked her against his chest, her breasts smashed against his hot skin.
“Maybe so, but I’m the freak who is going to fuck you, babe.”
“I want to wash my hair.”
He released her hips after pushing her back a few inches. He moved, pressing his back to the side of the shower wall. “Hurry.”
She had to step next to him into the spray of water. He wouldn’t change places with her so she ignored him as she washed her hair and body. Her body brushed his and he growled at her a few times. She backed away from him when she was done. He moved into the spray of water, tipped his head back, and let water soak his long hair.
Her gaze flicked to his broad shoulders, his muscular arms, and to that wonderful chest of his. Then her gaze lowered since he wasn’t watching her. She wished he had a beer gut instead of a six pack. His cock was still standing up, full, and thick. She looked away, staring at the small window above her head that led to the outside world. There hadn’t been any windows in the other room but she realized it was too high and small for her to be able to use it to escape.
Grady turned off the water once he washed out the conditioner from his hair and handed her a towel. “Dry off fast. I’m going to go open up the bed.” His gaze locked with hers. “I want you out there in less than a minute.” He slung a towel around his waist and left the bathroom.
Mika was trembling. Most of the pack was going out of heat so Grady would too. Her time with him was limited, maybe a day or two left, then she’d be returning to California. He’d continue with his life and she’d go back to hers. It depressed her. She was in love with a guy who didn’t want her. She wasn’t a doormat and she refused to allow him to trample all over her.
The couch pulled out into a bed. Mika glanced at it and then Grady, who stood there at the end of it waiting for her.
“Drop the towel.”
She hesitated. “You said you wanted to talk to so let’s talk.”
“You’re stalling.”
“I’ll get you off but I don’t want to take a chance at getting pregnant.”
His eye color darkened. “You’re not ovulating. Trust me.”
“That’s the problem. I don’t.” She frowned at him. “I’m going home in a few days and we’ve already taken enough risks.” Him biting her flashed through her thoughts. “We got lucky so let’s not push it.”
“I wasn’t going to fuck Megan if that’s why you don’t want to climb into bed with me.” He took a step toward her. “I wanted to make it clear to her that I wouldn’t allow her to challenge you for me. Sometimes females do that to other females when a male takes a mate.”
“You owed me enough to not destroy my damn house and leave me there alone to face that shit. I was scared.”
Regret flashed on his face and then he took another step. “It was a mistake.”
“I know you never meant to bite me.”
“I meant about reacting that way and leaving you alone.” He took another step, closing the distance between them until only inches separated them. “If I could change it I would.” He paused. “I am talking about leaving you, not the biting part.”
“You can’t change it.”
She backed up and hit the wall. He was making her nervous as he stared down at her, so close she was afraid to take a deep breath and brush against him. She moved to the left, ducking away, and then lowered to her knees in front of him as he turned to face her.
His eyebrows shot up as he stared down at her. She reached for his towel. “I’ll do this for you but not more, Grady.” She tugged off the towel and his cock sprang up, no longer held down by a wet towel.
He softly growled at her. “You’re not calling the shots anymore, babe. I’m not tied down, at your mercy. Maybe I should chain you down to that damn cot and put you at my mercy for the next few days.”
Mika reached up with both hands. One of them curved around the thick shaft of his cock while her other hand cupped his balls. He sucked in air, passion gripping his features and his eyes turned an even darker color. She licked her lips and then opened them, her gaze dropping to focus on the part of him that she took into her mouth.
“Fuck,” Grady groaned. “That’s not fair.”
Love isn’t fair, she thought. If it were, you’d love me. She concentrated on his cock, on the feel of it against her tongue, on the soft groans and sighs he made as one of his hands brushed through her wet hair, gripping a handful of it, but not interfering with her as she moved her head to torment his cock with her mouth.
“Stop,” he ordered in a deep voice. “I want to finish inside you.”
Her hand tightened on his balls, holding him in place, as she moved faster on him, sucking a little harder, and she heard Grady hiss out a curse as he started to come in her mouth. She swallowed down each burst of his cum, taking all he had to give, and then released him when his hand released her hair. She refused to look up as she licke
d her lips and pulled back.
Hands gripped her upper arms and she gasped when Grady pulled her to her feet. She stared up into his face when he shook her a little. The frown on his face was a contradiction to his body’s response to what she’d just done to him.
“You really don’t want me inside you, do you?”
“I’m not willing to risk it.”
He softly growled at her but then released her as quickly as he’d grabbed her. “I—”
A knock sounded on the door. Grady turned his head. He bent, snatched his towel from the floor, and wrapped it around his waist as he stomped to the door. Mika glanced down to make sure her towel was still secure around her body. She looked up in time to see Grady jerk the door open wide to reveal Anton standing there. He looked furious.
“You’re playing games with her now? What the hell is wrong with you?” Anton snarled the words.
Grady snarled back. “Leave.”
Anton gave his brother a hard shove, sending Grady stumbling back into the living room and he entered the room to fix his full, dark gaze on Mika. His hands were fisted at his sides.
“Grady is out of heat. We all are.” He looked away from Mika to glare at Grady. “Just because you have a problem with humans doesn’t mean you can lie to her and toy with her. Father said you wanted a few more days to fuck her before you let her go. How could you do that to her?”
Mika’s shocked gaze jerked to Grady as he turned his head to look at her. She saw guilt there and anger. “You son of a bitch.”
“We need to talk, babe.” He faced her. “It’s not as bad as it sounds.” He shot a glare at Anton. “Leave us alone.”
“Don’t,” Mika pleaded, staring at Grady’s brother. “Can you get me out of here? Let me grab my clothes. I can be dressed in one minute.”
“No,” Grady said.
“Hurry,” Anton ordered at the same time.
Mika darted to the bathroom and her clothes. She dropped her towel the second she closed the door and quickly started to dress. Grady had lied to her about still being in heat. It hurt and shocked her but the fact that he’d lie shouldn’t have surprised her. In the other room she heard soft male voices, Grady and his brother, and they started to rise in an argument.