Page 53 of Nicolette

My therapist told me that kids like myself grew to be one of two things, just like their parents or as far from them as possible. While I can see how that’s true, I think I landed somewhere in the middle. I wasn’t an addict of any kind, but I wasn’t walking on the right side of the law or keeping others from falling into the pit my mother did. We owned a goddam bar, for fuck’s sake, one I drank at every day. The difference being you’d never catch me drunk off my ass acting like a fool when I had people to take care of. That was where I went the whole ass other direction from my mother.

Merideth accused me last night of leading her on. If I was honest, it was not the first time I’d gotten that feedback. In my efforts to care for those around me, I was invested in people’s lives further than I should have, especially knowing I never wanted a wife. In the entire time I’d been part of this pride, I had never once participated in a female’s heat. I’d typically decline the request knowing I didn’t want that kind of attachment. However, I was down to fuck if it was quick, dirty, and had no emotions involved, which I’d thought I had made clear to Merideth but apparently not.

Yet here I was, making sure I looked my Sunday best to take out a woman I’d just met and fucked for four days. Correction, four days of the best fucking sex I’d ever had, not to mention how good it felt to lock her to me. Just thinking of it made me hard as a goddam rock in my jeans to the point I was worried I’d bruise my cock.

When we talked about how our felines felt about her last night, I’d admitted there was a change once Nine marked her. What I hadn’t really expressed was how fucking intense it was. The second their scent shifted with the completion of their mating, it was like a switch was flipped, and my tiger knew she was ours too. The overwhelming need to take her right then and there was a battle to resist, but I needed to understand this before moving forward. For a man who never wanted a significant other to suddenly change his tune and want a mate for life freaked me out as much as it had her when Nine explained things.

That was the main reason I wanted to take her out on at least one date before broaching the subject of us being more. Caring for her wellbeing would come before my cock every time, especially after what happened last night with Nine giving her a key. Dice had made the right call, telling her that if she didn’t want another marked mate, then okay, our feelings for her wouldn’t change just because we didn’t bite her. Granted, it would make things tricky with the twins, but we’d figure it the fuck out.

When I glanced at the clock, I saw it was seven, a fairly reasonable time for me to head to Nine’s and see if she was up. I knew that motherfucker got up at four to get a good workout in before starting the day. He needed something to take the edge off his lion, so he didn’t let that part of him influence how he dealt with issues. That fucking king of the jungle label was no joke when it came to his feline. The asshole was in charge and didn’t suffer fools lightly. Working out had been the best thing to manage that, but I’d already noticed that Nic seemed to be balancing that out too.

Pulling out my phone, I shot him a text, not wanting to walk in even though we all had keys to each other’s places.

Me: Hey, you up?

Pres Nine Lives: I’m awake but not up. Someone is rather cuddly in their sleep.

Me: I was going to take her to breakfast at Catsby, you cool with that?

Pres Nine Lives: She’s not awake yet, but I need to get up, so this works out.

Pres Nine Lives: For the record, I feel like you shouldn’t have to ask me that since you’re her mate too, but I appreciate it.

Me: This is new to all of us. Plus, I’m not her mate yet, and you are. I respect you too much, so, of course, I’d ask. Be over in a sec.

I stuffed my phone in my pocket and grabbed my leather jacket with our colors on the back and my crew patches on the front. We were fairly relaxed about it on our property, but the moment we left, our turf colors must be worn. Savage Pride controlled this side of the river, and people needed to know we were always patrolling and keeping tabs on what happened in our part of The Grid.

When I got to Nine’s door, it was already unlocked, and I let myself in. Seeing the space picked up and slightly more organized made me smile, knowing he’d done it for Nic. I had a feeling she was going to be a good influence on all of us in one way or another. Since the shower was running, I figured it was Nine, and when I didn’t see anyone in the main space of the apartment, I peeked into the bedroom. There, sprawled on her stomach, wearing nothing but her underwear, was the sexiest woman I’d ever laid eyes on.

Her dark brown hair was covering most of her face, but because she kept it on the shorter side, it left her neck exposed, begging for me to lick it before putting my mark on that perfect flesh. My tiger roared his approval of that idea and pushed me to act on it instead of waiting. I shoved him back, forcing him to be patient as I did this my way, and he could deal with it.

When Nine got up, he hadn’t bothered to pull the sheet up to cover her, so I got to visually devour her for a moment. Then it felt a little creepy, knowing she was still asleep and didn’t know I was there. I was about to call out to her, but an idea struck me that had my tiger and me grinning.

Shrugging out of my jacket, I hung it on one of the hooks that Nine had on the hall wall before entering the bedroom. I knelt on the bed and brushed my fingers along her foot and up her calf. She pulled away, letting out a little grunt of irritation, so the next time my touch was slightly firmer. When she didn’t pull away, I started to massage up her leg, then did the same for the other. As I reached the spot just under her sculpted ass cheek, she lifted her head and looked at me with a questioning look, but there was also an undercurrent of heat.

“Good morning, Nic.” I purred as I brushed my thumb over her covered pussy.

A smirk tugged at her lips. “If this is a foreshadowing of what my mornings are going to be like, then I’m so fucking down.”

“Is that so,” I commented, stroking her again, only this time, I pressed more firmly on her clit. “How fucking down are you?”

“What did you have in mind?” she questioned and tried to roll over, but I kept my hands planted on her thighs, keeping her right where she was.

“I know I said I wanted to take you out for breakfast, but I’m not sure I can wait that long. You see, I woke up this morning hungry for something they can’t give me in any restaurant,” I explained, slipping my thumb under the fabric blocking me.

A soft moan escaped her at my touch. “I’m sure someone would be willing to give you what you’re looking for.”

Pulling my hand away, I swatted her ass hard enough I knew it would sting, and the blush of color on her skin was a beautiful sight. “Nic, what did I tell you about talking like that?”

“You never said anything about me talking about who you’ve slept with, only who I have,” Nic pointed out, splitting hairs like the brat she was trying to be.

I repeated the action on her other cheek, making her gasp and arch her back, raising her ass to me. “If I were you, I’d be careful with that sassy mouth of yours, pet. It might not earn you what you’re hoping for.”

“Really? What do you think I’m hoping for?” she asked, looking over her shoulder at me with such a seductive smile I almost gave in.

Taking both hands, I kneaded her ass, teasing as I let my fingers brush alongside her pussy, but I didn’t give her what she wanted. “You’re hoping to entice me or enrage me enough that I just say fuck it and bang the shit out of you. The problem with that is I’m a man who loves the looong game,” I explained, drawing out the word to add to my point. “I get more satisfaction out of teasing you, knowing that I brought you right to the edge where you can taste it. However, I won’t let you come. I’ll leave you there knowing all day you’ll be wet and begging for me to finish the job. You’ll be able to think of nothing else until I provide that release for you, and that will only happen when I feel like you’ve earned it.”

As I talked, I continued to tease her, listening as her heartbeat sped up and her breathing quickened. Nic was just as excited about my plans for her as I was to set them in motion. I could smell her pheromones flooding the room, drawing me to her with their addictive scent.