Her Lion Billionaire (5 page)

“I’m very sorry to interrupt you, Mr. Addington. The London office is on line three. It’s an emergency,” said a middle-aged woman in a conservative fashion. Her hair was pulled back into a bun. Black rimmed glasses. Severe black skirt suit that screamed she lived and died for bureaucracy.

Addington didn’t look happy. “Excuse me. Let me handle this so we can have an uninterrupted conversation afterward,” he said to Charlotte. He got up and snatched the receiver from the counter.

The woman acknowledged Charlotte with a nod and left.

Just how many people live in this apartment?
Charlotte wondered.
It seems Daniel’s daily life isn’t just fun and games. But, whatever. I don’t want to sign up for this.

She grabbed Silkie and plotted her escape. If she couldn’t reason with him, she’d just avoid him. Avoiding people was what she did best.

Charlotte saw her chicken had left a dropping on Daniel’s expensive sofa, and somehow it delighted her.
Hah. That’s what you get for kidnapping my pet. Good girl, Silkie!

She went to the room and put Silkie in her cage. She grabbed her purse and sneaked toward the foyer. Daniel must have bought more than one unit in this posh building, and the layout of the place rather confused her. She managed to find the way to the front door, but to her surprise, it was locked. There was no key in sight. Daniel had employed a sophisticated security system that required no actual key. She had to swipe a card and enter a password on the keypad, which she didn’t have.

Just peachy.

Charlotte looked around but there was no one in sight. Not even Daniel’s sister was around. Had Anika left while they were having dinner?

Suddenly, she heard a low growl.

Big animal. Beastly.

Lion?

She paused. Crap. She walked fast toward the foyer again, and before long, she was faced with the big beast himself. Lion. Male lion. Huge. And he didn’t seem very happy.

Somehow, she knew who he was. The very same lion she had seen in her vision.

Daniel.

She half-expected she’d get scared because she was facing a ferocious beast which was twice the size of a regular lion. She did get scared, but it was because he’d caught her sneaking out, not because he was a carnivorous six-hundred-pound animal.

Without thinking, she turned around and raced towards the guestroom. Lion Daniel was at her heels. He pawed at the door before she could slam it on him. She absentmindedly dropped Silkie’s cage, and it hit the floor with a loud clank. The bantam chicken shrieked and thrashed her wings on the bars. The cage door opened and Silkie jumped out, hopping over the lion and scampering out of the room.

Charlotte stepped backward and tripped over an ottoman. She fell, butt first, and sprawled on the floor. The lion stalked closer. Remembering something, she crammed her hand into her purse and yanked out a plastic bag. It contained fresh catnip that she had got for the landlord’s cat. She ripped the bag and scattered it in front of the lion’s face.

She’d seen Miss Muffin, the landlord’s pet cat, go nuts from it. Since a lion was in the feline family, she thought the herb would have an effect on Daniel.

The lion sniffed it and sneezed. He gave her a look as if to say, “What the hell?” He sneezed again, followed by a sound as if he was laughing—if a lion was capable of laughter.

The big beast before her began transforming into a human. Face, body, and the tail was the last to vanish.

Good lord, he was naked!

She knew good manners, but for some strange reason, she couldn’t look away.

“What do you think you’re doing, throwing catnip on me?” Daniel yanked her legs toward him.

Charlotte found herself pinned under his muscular body.

“Nothing to say?” egged Daniel.

“I thought catnip was cat’s weed,” she said quietly.

“You think I’d be affected by it?” he chortled. “Silly girl. Who do you think I am? A common cat?” He stroked her hair and cheek. “Why would I be distracted by a silly thing like catnip when I have a more delectable treat in front of me?”

Charlotte couldn’t tear her gaze from him. His eyes were so mesmerizing she couldn’t think about anything else.

“You tried to leave me again. How can I make you understand that you belong to me?” Daniel said ruefully. He brushed his thumb over her lips. “Maybe I should claim you right here, right now.”

Her heart beat quickened—racing. She was still in a daze from the sudden turn of events.

Daniel kissed her on the lips.

It was warm, sweet, gentle and comforting. This time, no vision or flashback accompanied the body contact, only the mellowing aftereffect of the kiss. She felt drunk.

He let out a low growl from his throat, a delighted growl of a beast conquering his prey. He deepened his kiss.

Charlotte wanted to melt instantly into his arms. The impact of his kiss caught her by surprise. Fevered heat rushed through her veins. For the first time in her life, she was consumed by full-blown arousal. Her body felt hot all over. Her nipples went hard. Her pussy contracted.

This man was wicked. Very, very wicked…

Daniel palmed her face and pried open her mouth with his tongue. He slid in. He kissed like he meant it. Body and soul. Demanding. He wouldn’t let go until he got what he wanted. He wanted her to surrender—a complete submission.

He paused to let her catch her breath. Then he kissed her again and again. And again.

Her whole body felt as if it had been engulfed by brimstone. All her fear and objection disappeared to be replaced by an insane need that she’d never indulged in her life.

She moistened. Her panties were damped by her arousal.

Daniel kissed her neck. She shivered.

“What’s wrong with me?” she muttered under her breath. “I feel so hot.”

“It’s a sign. Your body is ready to mate.” Daniel kissed her again, sealing her fate. “Because we are meant to be together.” He groped her all over. “You’re so addictive. Your scent is driving me mad.” His hand slid over her ass, kneading, groping her as if it would kill him if he didn’t.

He kissed her as he ripped her clothes off one by one. Charlotte couldn’t stop him. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to. The insane need had overridden all her logic.

Daniel tightened his hand on her breast as he marked her flesh with his teeth. The sensation muddied her mind. It wasn’t pain. It was… justified. She belonged to him—there was no use denying it. He pinched her nipple, rolling and tugging so each friction jolted an exquisite pleasure straight to her pussy.

She blinked. What he did to her reeled her into a deeper ecstasy.

A happy sigh escaped Daniel’s throat. Without a word, he pushed her on her stomach and mounted her from behind. He trailed butterfly kisses behind her ear, the side of her jaw, her neck. Every stroke of his tongue felt like a firebrand, searing her skin.

Charlotte closed her eyes. All could she think about was the strange feeling of his cock on her sex. Daniel had parted her thighs and situated himself between them. The blunt tip of his erection nudged her entrance. Waiting.

“You’re mine, Charlotte.” Daniel bit her shoulder and thrust himself in.

Her scream froze in her throat.

It hurt. But it felt so good, she didn’t know what to think. The only thing she could do was surrender, surrender to his mastering—his claiming.

His cock speared her open, forcing her to accept him whole. The penetration had ripped her last strand of sanity. She felt as if she’d been split in half. In a good way. And that was nerve-wrackingly good.

She clawed the hard surface of the floor as he eased himself and thrust deeper inside her. It felt so alien to have a cock in her. At the same, it felt so right. She was his woman. As it should be.

A growl of satisfaction escaped him. “Baby, you’re so tight.” He tugged and pushed, working his way in several times before he finally slammed home, burying himself balls-deep.

Charlotte bit her lower lip. The only thing she could think of was the sinful pleasure of the burrowing heat in her pussy. His cock throbbed in her depths.

“You okay?” he breathed out on her cheek.

“Yes.”

“Good.” He pulled his cock almost all the way out. Just before his cockhead left her opening, he thrust back in slowly, as if he wanted to relive the initial penetration.

She swooned from the sensation.

He did it again, slower than before. Her pussy desperately clenched on his granite-hard shaft, but he was too slick and too wet; the impact intensified the sensations tenfold. She couldn’t believe it. She’d never thought sex could be this good.

“Still okay?” Daniel whispered in her ear.

She nodded.

“Say it.”

“Yes.”

A low growl reverberated, too feral to be human. “Good.” He pulled and thrust. “You’re mine, baby.” His cock penetrated her so deeply, she felt him in places she never knew existed, pulsing and grinding, causing raw, spine-deep sensations of pleasure to explode from her depths.

Her train of thought dissipated when Daniel started to pick up his pace. He pulled out. Rammed in. Faster. Harder. He fucked her in a series of harsh strokes. Bursts of pleasure exploded one after another, making it hard for her to breathe.

Hot. It was wickedly mind-bending, unadulterated ecstasy.

Charlotte didn’t want to admit it, but she loved every bit of it.

Daniel nuzzled her neck as he pummeled like an incessant jackhammer, pounding her with short, rapid, ravenous thrusts. He palmed her ass, anchoring her still as he pistoned in and out faster, harder and rougher.

His breath labored. Hers too. An opera of whimpers of lust filled the room. Ecstasy climbed in a fevered pitch. Her body shuddered. She tensed. “Daniel… I…”

Daniel bucked and thrust harder.

She cried. “I…”

He slammed faster.

And then it hit her. She climaxed. Hard. Brilliant fireworks burst before her eyes. Exquisite pleasure consumed her whole while Daniel pounded repeatedly into her pussy and orgasmed. His breath seared her cheek. Sweat dripping. Juice gushing. Half-formed words rasped from his mouth as his cock spasmed, flooding her with his seed.

Her body quaked from head to toe as her mind swam to oblivion.

When she floated back to reality, the first thing she noticed was that Daniel’s cock was still hard inside her. His breath was labored and his body was sheathed with sweat.

“God, baby,” he panted in her ear. “You’re so good to me.”

Daniel eased himself out of her. She could feel the juice of their mating dripping on her thighs.

She rolled onto her back and drowned in the intensity of Daniel’s gaze. Acting on impulse, she reached up to him and pulled him closer. She kissed him ravenously. Daniel reciprocated. For long moments, they kissed and touched.

The loud sound of Silkie’s clucks reminded them that they were not alone in the room.

Daniel looked over his shoulder and laughed. “Are you feeling self-conscious that your pet is watching us doing it?”

Charlotte could only laugh.

“Let’s go to my room,” said Daniel. He lifted her from the floor and carried her in his arms.

Charlotte wrapped her arms around his neck. “Later,” she said to Silkie.

Chapter Five

The Gulfstream had touched down forty minutes before, but Charlotte still felt the effects of jetlag as the SUV merged onto the busy street. They headed to the hotel where Daniel had his meeting. It occurred to her that Daniel had no intention of letting her out of his sight. She would accompany him wherever he went.

Often, she searched for a feeling of resentment for being treated as if she were his property, but to her surprise, that feeling had disappeared.
Good lord, I’ve been brainwashed
. He’d bedded her once, and now she was thoroughly compliant.
Never underestimate the power of sex
, she thought ruefully.

“You’re so quiet since this morning,” Daniel noted. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

Daniel searched her eyes. “You sure? You look pale.”

Heat burned her face. “Well, whose fault is that? You didn’t let me sleep last night.”

Daniel had kept her awake until dawn, introducing her to the art of lovemaking. She felt sore and tired, but it was a pleasant experience. She was startled at the contentment that washed all over her. She was different. She was a woman now. Daniel had made her his woman.

Daniel laughed. “I’m sorry. How about you catch some sleep in our room while I attend the meeting.”

“Where are we going again?”

“Four Seasons.”

Half an hour later, Charlotte walked around on bare feet in the posh suite. The luggage had been brought in, but she didn’t feel like unpacking yet. Silkie clucked softly in her cage, wanting to be let out. Charlotte wouldn’t dream of it. She didn’t want her pet messing up the luxurious room.

The room was airy and very comfortable. Daniel had reserved the most expensive suite. From the window, she could see the magnificent view of Elliot Bay and Olympic Mountain. This was the first time she’d travelled out of state since childhood.

She sank down on the cozy chair in front of the fireplace and put her feet on the ottoman. She pulled out her phone and called her boss. She wanted to explain her absence. It turned out her boss had expected it. Moira said that Daniel had arranged beforehand that he’d take Charlotte away for a few days. Moira also congratulated her on her engagement and the business deal she’d brought to the company.

Charlotte pinched the bridge of her nose as she wondered just how much Daniel had told her boss. Engagement. She guessed when she slept with Daniel, their relationship has been elevated towards imminent marriage.

Lion’s mate.

That status bypassed the courtship, dating and engagement periods.

Yowza!

She wondered what Abby’s take on that would be. She was halfway dialing Abby’s number then decided against it. She wasn’t ready to answer her friend’s questions. Abby would surely bombard her with them. Like, how was it a dinner with Daniel had turned into marriage plan overnight?

Charlotte wasn’t sure herself.

She was a bit annoyed that Daniel had ignored her demands about taking it slow. Then, Daniel had given her his reason last night.

A week from now, the pride would hold a large gathering in London. Everyone belonging to the pride would show up. Daniel wanted to use the opportunity to announce that he’d taken a mate.

The event was very important for him. Once the alpha took a mate, others would have to stop proffering up their daughters as a potential mate—one thing that Daniel had disliked so much for all these years. She could understand his reasoning.

Furthermore, Daniel promised to make it up to her for being pushy. If she wanted him to take everything slow and easy, it had to be after the gathering.

Charlotte texted Abby instead of calling her directly. That way, she wouldn’t have to explain things too much. Feeling tired and groggy, Charlotte decided to take a long hot bath to unwind.

Daniel called and said he’d be late for dinner. He asked if she’d already had lunch. She hadn’t. He told her to order room service. So she did. After lunch, she took a little nap and woke up a few hours later. She took another shower and donned her favorite Dr. Who shirt and frayed pants. Daniel told her to make herself at home. At ten after seven, Daniel returned. He smiled when he saw her outfit.

“Who makes the best Doctor?” he asked.

“It’s gotta be David Tennant, of course.”

“What’s so good about him?”

“He’s the coolest guy ever.”

Daniel laughed.

“Do you watch the series?” Charlotte asked.

“A few minutes. I had my assistant summarize the premise for me.”

“Do you watch TV at all?”

“Some news. I don’t have much spare time.”

“What do you do most of the time?”

“Work. There are so many things to be done and so little time.”

Charlotte shouldn’t have been surprised. She’d read somewhere that Daniel was a renowned workaholic.

Daniel studied her outfit. “Change your clothes. I’ve invited some people for dinner.”

“Do I have to come?” She didn’t feel like meeting new people.

“Yes. I want to introduce you to my brother and a few people from the pride. Anika will be there also.”

She liked Anika. Daniel’s sister was an interesting person. She’d never met a lioness before. She wondered what Anika would look like in her own fur.

Charlotte chose a dress from the new wardrobe Daniel had bought her and went to change in the bathroom. As she peeled off her pants, Daniel came in leisurely. She didn’t know how he did it. She was sure she’d locked the door.

“Hello? A little privacy here?” she said, annoyed.

“I missed you.”

“Excuse me?”

“You’re all I think about all day. I couldn’t concentrate at all.” Daniel pulled her into him and kissed her like a starving man.

She felt lightheaded when he finally released her. Did he miss her that much? Suddenly, she was self-conscious about the state of her clothing. She was practically in her bra and underwear while Daniel was dressed in his impeccable business suit.

She withdrew from him. “I… umh…” She didn’t want Daniel to see her like this—an overweight woman.

But Daniel didn’t seem to care. “How many times must I tell you that you belong to me? Your body is mine now, and I will do anything within my power to make your heart fall for me as well. When you wake up in the morning, the first thing in your mind should be me, and the last thing before you go to sleep is me. I’m going to fill your head so much that you’ll be unable to think about anybody else but me. Do you understand our situation, Charlotte?”

Yikes.
“That is corny and flat-out creepy.”

A faint smirk blossomed at the corner of his mouth. Daniel stroked her hair and let strands curl on his long, tapered fingers. “Say what you will, but you and I are destined to be together—you
know
that. You
are
my mate, and I’ll
never
let you go. Don’t try to run because I’ll find you no matter what. That’s the end of this type of conversation.”

Daniel leaned so close to her face that Charlotte had no choice but to step back until she was pressed against the wall, trapped. He placed his palms on her sides, offering no escape. He took her hands and entwined his fingers with hers.

The reel of Daniel’s cinematic memories and dreams flashed in her mind, blinked and flared in staccato tempo. Her heartbeat raced. Daniel was the first person she’d ever helplessly fallen in love with. He didn’t only mess with her mind, he messed up her heart as well so that she wanted him as badly as she needed her next breath.

Daniel pulled her closer and leaned forward, brushing his lips on hers. “I think we have a few minutes for fun.”

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” she murmured.

“I think so.”

Her breath caught in her throat. His lips felt so warm, so inviting. High-octane lust seared within her. Her pussy clenched in deep, pulsing need. She moistened.

“Your scent is unbelievably irresistible,” he said. His intense gaze burned her in pure heat. A low growl escaped his throat. “You’re driving me crazy.” He kissed her. Soft. Brief. Butterfly kiss. More. Then another one.

A lick.

A longer kiss.

A nibble was followed by a coaxing kiss until she fully surrendered and let her mouth open. His tongue swept in. There was no rush, unlike the first time they were intimate. Daniel guided her slowly, as if they had all the time in the world.

Compelled by her own desire, Charlotte slowly reciprocated his kiss. Daniel let out a delighted noise in his throat.

“Charlotte.” He breathed out between the kisses. “That’s it, babe.” He kissed her. “You’re a fast learner.” The strained silky rasp of his voice made her spine tingle and her skin prick with untainted lust.

His praise made her drunk. The last remnants of her inhabitations faded away. She surrendered to the lust. To the instinct. She danced the mating dance. Became one. Loved as one.

Charlotte kissed him greedily. He groaned and mauled her back. He nibbled her bottom lip. Her upper lip. He plunged his tongue into her mouth, sweeping over her palate, over her teeth, plundering what she had to offer. She sighed happily when he nibbled the side of her jaw. Electric shivers twirled down her spine. She loved the way he licked her. Like fireworks on a summer night, morsels of delight exploded beneath her skin, painting her whole body with sparks of lust and bursting thrills. So good. So hot. So needy.

His hot breath seared her skin. Her toes curled in pleasure when he grazed and kissed her neck. She clawed his shoulders. The sensation was unbelievably wicked. She panted as Daniel slowly licked the hollow of her throat down to her shoulder blade and paused just before her cleavage. He swallowed hard, his eyes shifted up, demanding of her.

“Yes.” The sound of her own voice surprised her. She was growling like a starving beast. Hungry. In dire need of him.

Daniel tugged her hand and led her to the bed. He undid the hook of her bra as he raked over her body with a gaze full of hunger. He yanked her panties down, baring her naked body.

Her heartbeat turned erratic. Being naked in front of him was different. And the room was too bright. There was nowhere to hide. It left her feeling vulnerable. She moved her hands to cover her breasts and sex, but Daniel stopped her.

“You’re beautiful. There’s no need for you to be shy.”

Charlotte gazed down. She knew he meant it, but she couldn’t help it when she noticed from time to time that the difference between them was just too stark.

“Charlotte,” he called her. “Look at me.”

She dragged her eyes up to meet his.

“You’re my mate. There’s no one else in this world more pleasing to my eyes than you.” Daniel brushed his thumb over her lips. “You have to remember that.” He stroked her hair and kissed her again.

Her heart swelled with pride.
I’m the only one for him.
It sounded corny, but she was pleased by it.

Daniel fisted a handful of her strands and inhaled the scent of her hair. “I like it better when you wear your hair down like this. Beautiful and soft. Like silk.” He touched and kissed every inch of her skin he could get his hands on.

Charlotte trembled before him. Daniel made her feel safe and cherished.

“I love you,” he rasped, hands tightening around her breasts.

Her breath stalled in her throat. His palms enveloped her ample flesh in a perfect fit, as if that part of her body was made just for that very purpose. He squeezed her breasts, gently at first, and then it seemed he couldn’t help showing her how much power he had over her. Her skin felt feverish. He burned her outside in.

Daniel licked her lips while he plucked her nipples and rolled the hard nubs with his fingers.

The wicked sensation made her want to melt in an instant. Pleasure thrummed from her nipples straight to her core, making her pussy even wetter.

Daniel pushed her on her back, his eyes never leaving her. “I want to taste every inch of you.” He leaned down and took one nipple into his mouth.

Her heart pounded in her throat. Charlotte instinctively clawed his shoulders and writhed. God. The pleasure. So damnably good. He sucked her hard, trapping her sensitive bud between his tongue and the roof his mouth. Daniel circled his tongue over the peak of her nub. Every nerve in her body jolted alive as brimstones of lust consumed her from the inside out.

“Daniel!”

“Hmm?” he replied like a lazy cat. His pupils had turned golden, luminous. His tongue suddenly felt rough, like sandpaper.

Her breath halted in her chest. Was he going to transform?

He kept licking her skin then took the untouched nipple into his mouth. She arched in pleasure, and her head whipped back. Her voice froze in her throat. She gazed at the ceiling, but she could see the colors of ecstasy painted before her in vivid details.

With a contented growl, Daniel let go of her nipple. He sniffed her, buried his face in her cleavage and inhaled her scent by the lungful. “Sweet Charlotte.” Daniel groped her thighs. Then her pussy.