Xan's Feisty Mate (4 page)

“I like the rocking chairs.” Her head tilted toward the twin rockers on one side of the porch. The other had a set of wicker chairs with a table between them. He liked both for different reasons. The porch wrapped around, with a deck off the master bedroom that had a hammock he liked to lay in at night that was big enough for two. He wondered if she’d enjoy lying out there with him, naked and looking at the stars.
Fuck!
He was becoming a damn pussy-whipped motherfucker. A grin split his lips.

“You know you look a little devious right now, right?”

Xan ignored her question as the truck pulled to a stop in front of the wide steps. Lyric waited for Rowan to come around to her door, and he popped open the door on the back driver’s side, sliding out with Breezy in his arms. He inhaled, scenting for any danger. Kellen’s bike pulled in behind them. He assumed Coti and Wyck returned to the Club to take care of Breezy’s car and his bike. Luckily he had another bike, a truck and a car, not to mention his favorite XV in his garage to choose from. The thought of letting Breezy drive one of them made him break out in a cold sweat. Not because he didn’t trust her, but fear for her life, and the fact they didn’t know who was out to get her.

He waited until they were safely in his home before setting her on her feet. The wound on her head already healing. “Come on, let’s get you cleaned up, and then we’ll talk. Y’all make yourself comfortable.”

Linking their fingers, he led a dazed Breezy down the hallway to the master suite. When she didn’t protest at the doorway, he continued into the large bathroom still naked. “Let’s get you cleaned first.” The bullet was itching to get out, but his wolf demanded he take care of their mate, even though they hadn’t formally claimed her yet.

“Um, I can take care of myself. I’ll just be a moment, or I can use another bathroom. Do you want me to tend...to your wound first?” She was adorable when she stammered, and blushed so prettily. He didn’t think she would with her experience, but he pushed the thoughts of other men with her out of his mind. Killing her previous lovers, men he’d never seen her with, wouldn’t endear her to him.

“I need to make sure you’re truly okay, bella mine.” It wasn’t a line. His wolf, as well the man, needed to look her over from head to toe. The coppery scent of her blood could be seen as well as smelled. They needed to wash the offense off her and ensure she was never injured again.

Breezy backed away from him. “Oh, no. I am not going to be another notch on your belt.”

His eyes widened. She thought he wanted her for a night or for a plaything. He’d have to prove that wasn’t the case, but not with a houseful of people. “Take a shower and get clean, I’ll shower across the hall, and after they leave, we will talk.” He stabbed his finger in her direction. “If you ever run off again, I swear by all that is holy, I’ll blister your ass so fucking hard you won’t be able to sit for a damn week without feeling the sting. Feel me?”

He didn’t wait to hear her reply, turning on his heel and stalking from the bathroom. The door to the ensuite shut behind him with a thud, letting him know she didn’t like his words, but he didn’t give a flying fuck. Her safety was his priority.

The lonely shower sucked as did the fact his dick was hard enough to drill holes in the wall, yet the only hole it wanted was across the hall. The image of a slicked up, naked Breezy had him reaching for the soap. He washed his hair and body quickly, knowing the people out in his living room would know he was jacking off, but had to release the pressure in his aching balls or he’d never be able to focus. It only took a few hard pumps, and the thought of Breezy on her knees with her lips wrapped around the head of his dick, to have him coming like a teenager. He grunted as streams of come flew out, and washed down the drain with the water. Quickly, he finished and dressed in record time. As he entered his bedroom he could hear the shower still running, and felt like a caged wolf. He paced the length of his room, wanting to knock down the door.

When the shower cut off, he barely contained his instinct to go in and help her dry off. He’d dressed in a pair of loose sweats and a white T-shirt. He wasn’t sure what Breezy would put on, so he grabbed a pair of leggings and a sweatshirt Lyric had left in the guest room. Knocking on the door he yelled, “I have something for you to put on that’s clean.”

He swore it sounded like she growled something about his whores’ leftovers, which made him laugh. “You and Lyric are about the same size, and since they’re leggings and a sweatshirt, they should work.” He made sure to keep his voice level. No sense in pissing her off any more. He’d have to let her know he’d never brought a woman to his home. Ever. When he fucked a woman, or she-wolf, it was always at her place, the club or somewhere else. He didn’t do morning afters, or lead them on. With Breezy it was different. She just didn’t know it yet.

The door jerked open a couple inches. He saw her wet head and his dark red towel wrapped around her chest. He felt like whining when she hid the rest of her body behind the door.

“Thank you.” She held her hand out.

Chapter Three

––––––––

B
reezy wanted to laugh at the surprise in Xan’s dark eyes. She loved how his eyes would shift from dark brown to alpha blue, depending on his mood. Right now, he was clearly puzzled as to why she wasn’t falling at his feet.

“I’ll be out in a few.” She shut the door, leaning on it with a quivering sigh.

Of course, she didn’t want him to see the scars crisscrossing her back thanks to mommy dearest. A shudder had her tightening the grip on the plush red towel. Everyone thought she always wore a corset or snug fitting tanks to look sexy, which she sorta did. But they also covered the scars that had never healed from the numerous beatings her dear, sweet, crazy ass of a mama had done before her father had figured out what was going on. Yeah, she definitely didn’t want to see what the perfect Xan, second to the alpha of the Iron Wolves, the man who could walk around buck-ass naked, would think of her and her scars. Nope, she would just keep him and all men from seeing her in the buff, along with everyone else. If he thought she was a whore, then so be it.

Well, that didn’t seem to be working as a deterrent any longer. She may need to come up with a boyfriend. Biting her lip she slipped into the clothing he’d given her, inhaling to make sure there were no other female scents on the items. God how she hated seeing the swinging door of women he’d screwed. Hated the stories of Kellen and him and their penchant for sharing their conquests, or the descriptions of women bouncing on their cocks. Not that she wouldn’t love to do that and so many other things to Xan’s impressive dick. Her face heated, while her nipples hardened at the image. Ignore him he’d said. She snorted. “It’s kinda hard to ignore a third leg poking into your ass.”

“You say something?” Xan yelled through the door.

Covering her face with her hands she looked into the mirror. Her eyes didn’t appear to be dilated, which was good. After the hit she took from the accident she worried she might have had a concussion. Werewolf genes were good. The knot on the side of her head had already shrunk to a small bump, the cut not needing stitches. The amount of blood that had washed down the drain would’ve been alarming had she been human. Her pale complexion she wrote off as aftereffects to the scare. “I said I’ll be out shortly.”

His husky laugh boomed through the door.

Not having time to properly dry her hair, she ran her fingers through the wet mass, then opened the door to find the object of her deepest fantasies sitting on the edge of his big king-sized bed. The dark wood furnishing drew her attention to the heavy posts at each end and she couldn’t help but think of the things she’d read in books about being tied up with her arms and legs attached to each end, spread eagle and at his mercy.

“Don’t look at the bed like that or we won’t make it out of this room,” he rumbled, voice deeper than normal.

“I’m sure you say that to all the girls.”

He chuckled. “You’re the first I’ve ever had here.”

She rolled her eyes. “Sure.”

Xan snagged her wrist. “I mean it. I would not lie to you.”

She turned her head, holding his gaze. “You’re being for real?”

Xan pulled her between his spread thighs. “I’ve no reason to lie. Besides the fact I never wanted to bring a woman into my home and give her false hopes, I liked to have a place to escape. This is it.” He waved his arm in a wide arc, the other he secured around her waist.

The height of the bed meant she was at eye level with him. His eyes flashed to blue, an indication he was having deep emotions. “I won’t disturb your space.”

He groaned, burying his nose in her wet hair. “Fuck me, you are going to drive me insane.”

“Too late for that.” She teased.

“Hmm, you think you’re funny.” He glanced at her breasts.

When she tried to cover the hardened tips, he grabbed both arms and held them by her side, his thighs tightened on hers. A wicked look entered his eyes, and then his head bent, his mouth with the sharp teeth latched onto one tip. Her back arched of its own accord, pushing forward.

“Oh, god.” She was glad his legs were holding her up.

He tugged, and then seeming impatient with the material in his way, pushed the sweatshirt up, latching onto her left breast. Her hand grabbed the back of his head, holding him to her. The sensation foreign, yet so damn erotic she was sure she was on the verge of coming. He switched to the right nipple, giving it the same treatment, biting and sucking, and licking in a torturous dance of his mouth, she didn’t know what to concentrate on.

The hand at her lower back moved up, and then his mouth was gone. Her eyes flew open, on the edge of coming when he turned her around. Breezy was confused, feeling at a total loss, until the sweatshirt was ripped in two. Xan’s growl and hot breath on her back had her crossing her arms over her front, desperately trying to hold the borrowed top in place.

Twisting in his grip to no avail, she let her chin drop to her chest. Shame filled her. She’d no longer need to make up a boyfriend.

“Who the fuck do I need to kill?”

She kept her lips clamped shut. The secret she’d kept for her entire life, one her father said was dirty laundry and not to be told to the pack.

Warm lips traced across her back, startling her. “Bella, answer me. I swear by all that is within me, I will hunt down the bastard who did this and gut him. I will cut off his nuts and feed them to him.”

A sob escaped. “She doesn’t have any nuts. I mean I don’t think she does, unless she’s cut them off someone and is wearing them around her neck as a trophy.” The last bit came out on a hysterical laugh.

He turned her back around, his big arms still controlling her, and placed her on one of his thighs. “Who is she? Why didn’t you heal?” Shifters healed from almost all wounds without a sign of injury unless silver was used, or the shifter was young.

Breezy looked into his blue eyes, the murderous intent clear. “My mother, and before you ask, I didn’t do anything to warrant them. I was a child and if she was in a mood, I got a lashing. If she didn’t get her way, I got a lashing. If the wind blew wrong I got...” He put his mouth over hers. Tears were tracking down her cheeks. The memories of all the times her mama would grab a switch, or belt, or whatever she wanted to beat her with, flashing before her eyes.

Xan’s minty breath filled her, his tongue licked inside her mouth, coaxing hers into a dance she’d imagined a thousand times.

A knock sounded on the closed door and Xan growled against her lips. “We’re fucking busy.”

“I don’t give a mother fuck. Get your ass out here. You best not be bumping uglies either, all the while I’m out here being a good guest, and not drinking your best bourbon.” Kellen yelled through the door, banging again as his booted feet gave a solid kick against the door for good measure.

“We will put a pin in this convo, and pick back up where we just left off.” Xan stood, placing her on the rug. “You’re gonna need another shirt. I hope Lyric didn’t like that one.” He smiled.

Breezy held the top in front of her. “I’ll replace it.” She couldn’t meet his eyes. God she didn’t want to see his pity.

“You’re so damn beautiful. If I could, I’d tell Kellen to go fuck himself, and rip every stitch of clothing from your body. Alas, he’d just barge in here, kick my ass, and then he’d see you naked. I’d then have to rip his eyes out, kick his ass, and then we’d start all over.” He shook his head.

Her mouth fell open. “Are you high, or just crazy?”

Xan looked puzzled. “Why? You think those little scars are ugly? Baby, those are nothing. They piss me off because someone dared to hurt you, but they don’t make you any less gorgeous.” He grabbed her hand and placed it over his dick, the large erection jumped under her fingers. “Believe me, I have wanted you for years, and seeing those faint silvery lines don’t change a damn thing.”

Those faint silvery lines he talked about, were over a dozen that crisscrossed her back in no apparent pattern. Some had faded to nothing over the years, but the deeper ones had stayed even after all the shifting. She hated them, and hated her mother. Her father had no clue what was happening to her, until he’d come home early from work one afternoon to find her stretched out on the picnic table, her back a mass of blood. Her mother stood over her with a bloody willow branch in her hand. She’d told her father Breezy had ran off into the woods and hidden without telling her where she was, hiding for hours and making her worried. When he’d knelt next to her, brushing her wet hair back from her face, she tried to lie and say her mother was being truthful. However, the pain was too immense. Usually she’d had hours to heal before he’d seen her, and she hid the abuse, like her mama had told her. But this time she’d looked into his amber eyes, eyes just like her own, and couldn’t lie to him.

Her mama’s growl, the expected feel of the switch coming down on her already bloody back never came. She’d closed her eyes, and heard her father’s deeper growl and had known he’d shifted. Although her mama was a female alpha, her father was still the alpha of their home. Her brothers had come home during the fight, but at seven she wasn’t strong enough to get up off the wooden table yet. She was sure if her dad hadn’t shown up, her mother would have killed her that day. Breezy still didn’t know what had set her off, or why she made her own mother hate her so. All she’d known, was she’d come home from school with a smile on her face, that was quickly erased. The rest of the day was a blur as both her brothers tended to her injuries and then it was just her, her dad, Shaw and Parker. Her brothers were both a few years older than her and were identical twins.