Savage Revenge (14 page)

There was a sharp knock on the door and she quickened her stride to answer it. Nate disappeared into another room, and she couldn’t fault his caution.

Opening the door a crack just in case, she was soon glad she did. The blood quickly left her head as she muttered a weak, “Jim.”

“Sage.” Her brother nodded and his gaze slid past her into the house. “You mind if I come in?”

Panic slammed into her, and her laugh was much too high. “Actually, you’d better not. I’m still fighting the flu. Can you believe it?”

Her big brother just stared at her, before folding his arms across his beefy chest.

“Really?”

“Yup. So what’s going on? Any reason you’ve come by this morning?”

“Do I need a reason to check on you?”

She bit her lip. “Umm…”

“All right. Let me put it this way. Your cell phone has gone to voicemail for the last thirty-six hours and your landline doesn’t even ring.”

Crap
. Her cell phone was in a bazillion little pieces and her home line was cut.

“I have no idea on the landline, I’ll check into that. But I dropped my cell in the toilet. Right after puking. It was so—”

“Gross. Enough said.” Jim lifted his hand and grimaced. “You sure everything’s okay?”

“Besides this flu business, yeah I’m good.” She shoved a curl behind her ear. “How about I call you in a few days and we can have dinner.”

“All right.” His gaze slid beyond her again, and she had a moment’s panic that Nate had come into the foyer.

“Well you know where to reach me if you need me, Sagey.”

“Yup. I sure do.”

When her brother still seemed hesitant to leave, she began to shut the door on him and made a gagging noise.

“Sorry to rush you, Jim, but I think I may be about to get sick again.”

He didn’t protest this time when she slammed the door completely. She pressed her forehead against the cool frame and groaned.

Crap
.

She finally lifted her head, turned around, and found Nate standing in the hall behind her.

“Who was that?”

Shit. How much had he heard? Swallowing hard, she gave a stiff shrug. “No one.”

“I can smell another alpha, Sage.” He approached with slow deliberation, his gaze burning with icy rage. “Who the hell were you talking to? A lover? A fiancé?”

“No.” Was he insane? What the hell? “I told you I’m a virgin.”

“You could’ve been lying. Maybe it was a way to—”

“Just stop, Nate.” She slapped her palm on his chest to stop his advance. “He was my brother. Okay?
My brother
.”

His gaze probed hers, and the intensity in his stare unnerved her.

“Your brother is an alpha? Somehow you failed to mention that.”

Yeah, maybe she should’ve divulged that bit of information. Her heart thumped harder in her chest, and she forced a laugh.

“I thought I did.” Lie.

“No.”

“Well, we didn’t really ever talk about him besides in passing, and I didn’t think it was all that relevant.” No, she knew how relevant it was, which was why she’d kept her mouth shut.

He was silent a moment. “It’s pretty damn relevant, Sage, and I think you know it.”

“Fine, I did. Maybe I didn’t tell you because I know you alphas can get a little competitive.”

“It’s not just a competitive thing. You’re the sister of an alpha.”

“As we’ve just established. What’s your point?”

“My point is why didn’t you tell him about me?” He covered her hand that was still on his chest with his own. “It should’ve been instinctive. Almost duty for you.”

“Look. Maybe
because
he’s my brother I don’t bend so easily to the rules. I don’t respond well to getting pushed around.”

He gave a soft laugh, but there wasn’t a lot of amusement in it. “Not big on authority, are you, Curls? I called it from the start.”

Her heart thudded at his proximity. “No, I’m not. So really, you shouldn’t try and boss me around.”

“Maybe you’d like it if I did.”

Running a tongue over her dry lips, she murmured, “You do remember I shot you?”

“Yeah, I do.” His gaze lowered to her mouth. “I owe you.”

“I hope you don’t mean a bullet.”

“Not a bullet. I’ll take my revenge in a different way.” His lips brushed against hers once and she lowered her lashes as heat warmed her belly. “Much more sensual ways.”

He kissed her again. The touch still gentle, even as his tongue slid past her lips to tease hers.

She leaned into the kiss. Eager to taste and explore him as well. Each little stroke of his tongue, the way he sucked on hers, expanded that fireball growing in her belly.

He lifted his head and touched her cheek with two fingers. “I want to take you upstairs.”

“To my bedroom?” She glanced at him up through her lashes and her pulse quickened. “Does this mean you’ll do it?”

“
Do it
. Damn, you amuse me.” He touched her bottom lip and she could feel how sensitive and swollen it still was. “I want to be your first lover. If you haven’t changed your mind.”

Hot and cold rushed through her as his words registered. The flesh between her legs began to tingle as images of what would follow if she said yes flashed through her mind. Her heart had just accelerated to a ridiculously fast pace that was almost frightening.

Her mouth went bone dry, and she could barely force out the words, “I haven’t.”

Smoldering heat and something close to triumph flickered in his eyes.

“Good.” He slid his hand from her cheek down to catch her hand, threading their fingers together. “Come.”

Chapter Thirteen

Nathan led her up the stairs, pushing aside the sharp prick of guilt.

This morning he’d still been convinced bedding her would be a bad idea, and yet now here he was leading her up the stairs to her bedroom.

While he wanted her with a need that was almost painful, his motives weren’t completely pure.

Just this morning he’d offered her her freedom, but now things were different. Sage wasn’t just a random shifter girl—she was the sister of an alpha.

Nathan might have her support now, but that was a very delicate line. One she’d probably easily be swayed back over to support her brother.

After how intimate they’d been this morning, the idea of her answering to another alpha made something dark rise inside him.

His inner wolf demanded her alliance. Her unwavering support.

You’re an asshole
. Maybe, but he was an asshole determined to not only survive this experience, but prove his innocence.

Sage had chosen to help him now on her own merit. While sex between them would bring pleasure, it would also help cement her trust in him.

Because she must trust him far more than he realized if she was willing to give him her virginity.

Just thinking those words sent another spike of shame through him.

“You’re sure about this?” He glanced over his shoulder, knowing her answer would be the same.

“Absolutely.” The excitement and sparkle of desire in her eyes reassured him as easily as her words. “I almost want to take notes. Make sure I’m getting it right in my books.”

“If you’re making a living at it, then clearly you’re getting it right,” he replied wryly as they reached the top of the stairs and shook his head. “You must have a hell of an imagination, Sage.”

“You have no idea.”

It made a little more sense now that she was a virgin. Her brother was an alpha. When she’d said he was overly protective and wanted her to be mated first, he’d been skeptical.

But being the sister or daughter of an alpha meant she was highly desired and sought after. She could be given as a gift to a loyal beta in the pack. Or often she would be used as a pawn to unite packs. Marrying her off to another alpha could be strictly a political move. Just as his marriage to Alicia would’ve been.

They reached her room and he gestured for her to step in ahead of him.

Once he had followed in after her, he closed the door. The click seemed loud and final, and she almost seemed to flinch.

Her gaze darted to the bed and he didn’t imagine the way she swallowed hard now.

“So, umm, how do you want to do this? Should I take off my clothes right away?” She spoke unnaturally fast as she reached for the buttons that ran down the length of her cotton dress. “Are you a lights-on, lights-off kind of guy—not that it matters, I suppose, being that it’s morn—”

“Sage. Take a breath.” He closed the space between them and cupped her face in both hands. “Let me take care of this, okay? Just let yourself feel. Instinct will guide you.”

She nodded, and even though the tension in her body visibly eased, he still wasn’t sure if she was breathing.

He stroked a curl off her forehead. “Does your brother have intentions for you to mate with someone, Sage?”

Her nose wrinkled. “It’s looking that way, and I’m not happy about that.”

His jaw clenched, and he pushed aside the surprising jealousy that stabbed through him.

“Are you sure you don’t want to save yourself—”

“For the guy my brother chooses for me? Umm, yeah, pretty darn sure, Nate.” She covered his hand with her own and tilted her cheek into his palm. “I want my first time—maybe first ten times—to be with a man I choose. Someone I’m attracted to and feel chemistry with.”

“And you feel that with me?”

“Seriously?” Her words softened. “You even need to ask?”

No. She all but melted when he touched her. He allowed a slight smile. “Are you nervous?”

“Extremely,” she whispered. “And excited.”

Damn, it was almost as if she were about to go on a carnival ride, not have sex for the first time.

He dipped his head and caught her mouth in a slow, thorough kiss.

It had been different touching her today, knowing just how innocent she was. How much of a bastard he was for taking that innocence.

But clearly she had no qualms about doing this, and if it wasn’t him it would be some other guy. Someone like Leaf. Or ultimately the potential mate her brother had picked out. The idea filled him with irritation and anger, and he had no way to explain it.

Only that when Sage clung to him like this—kissed him back so sweetly—he didn’t like the notion that he could easily be replaced by someone else at this moment.

Maybe it was because she believed in his innocence. Or maybe because she was more innocent than people saw on the surface, and so pretty she drew second and third glances. Or maybe it was just as simple as him having the pent-up urge to fuck. Right now all that mattered was Sage. Kissing her. Touching her. Being inside her.

He walked them backward to the bed and then broke the kiss as he sat down on the edge of the mattress. She stood before him, her body visibly trembling.

With steady hands, he reached out and undid the top button on her dress. The curve of her breast cleared his line of vision and he moved his fingers deftly now to reveal more.

When he had the whole dress unbuttoned, he slid it off her shoulders so that it crumpled to the ground in a heap of floral cotton.

Beneath her dress she wore a matching purple bra and panty set. Sheer in some spots and satin looking in others. It only helped accentuate all her generous curves.

Ah hell, just staring at her had his blood quickening and his dick growing harder.

She started to reach for her bra, but he brushed her hand away. He wanted that pleasure himself. It was almost like unwrapping a present, and he never thought of sex so romantically.

The last woman he’d been with was Alicia. The sex between them had been decent, but in no way mind-blowing. She’d been an arranged fiancée, not a choice, but a political move.

For a moment, his thoughts slid back to that night. Alicia’s eyes bright with maniacal glee, and the way she’d curled her lips back in a laugh and blood had dripped from her teeth.

A chill swept through him, and mentally he’d stepped into another place. Had left the woman standing before him.

Until Sage murmured, “That bad, huh? I guess I should’ve worn the black lingerie set?”

Blinking away the memory, he cursed himself for allowing the dark thoughts into his head at this moment. To interrupt this sweet, sensual moment.

“You’re perfect, Sage.” And God, yes she was. Needing the distraction of her body more than ever, he slid his fingers beneath her bra and unfastened it.

He tugged it from her breasts and let it fall to the ground.

“Not a damn thing wrong with you.” He cupped her breasts in his hands and stroked the large, round pink tips with his thumb.

She made a sigh of pleasure and shifted her stance in front of him.

Wanting to hear her sigh again, he lowered his head and placed a kiss on each tip. They tightened against his lips and she reached out to grasp his head, pull him closer.

She was definitely acting on instinct now. He hid a smile as he drew one nipple into his mouth and sucked.

“Oh wow. When you do that…” Her fingers tightened over his head and her back arched. “Just, please don’t stop.”

How was she still talking? She seemed remarkably good at doing that. He continued to suck and lightly nibble one nipple, but released her other breast from his hand so that he could trail his fingers down the small curve of her belly. When he reached his intended destination, he feathered them over the satin-covered cleft between her legs.

She sucked in a breath and tried to close her thighs against his hand.

“Relax, sweetheart. Just allow yourself to feel.”

Nodding just barely, she relaxed her thighs again. He pressed a finger inside her slightly, dragging the fabric with it, until he felt the damp heat there.

His chest tightened and his dick twitched with need. He removed his finger and then grasped the sides of her panties, tugging them slowly down her hips.

She immediately tensed and he gave her bottom a light swat. “Relax, I’ve already seen this part of you, remember?”

Her eyes went round, before they crinkled as she laughed. The tension in her body visibly eased. “Thanks for the reminder. It’s just, you weren’t so close when you saw me naked before.”