“Wherever I want,” Cain said. “Gotta leave a visible scar so you’re marked.”
“And then everyone who sees it will know I’m yours.”
“Yes,” Cain answered absently. He was still trying to decide if Angus was better served with a public mark or a private one.
“When does this happen?”
“Soon. I just have to get permission first.”
“Permission to mate?”
“Permission to stay here, with you.”
“You’re giving up your place in Liam’s pack.”
“It’s not safe for you there,” Cain said.
“You can’t keep me in a bubble forever.”
“I can try, human. I can try.”
Chapter 32
After everyone left the apartment and Jez went to the roof, Jinx turned to Gillian.
“You need to run.”
“I need more than that, but we can start there,” she said honestly.
He made a call to Vice, who promised to have wereguards posted and they got onto Jinx’s Harley and headed for the protected woods. He was surprised she’d waited this long without asking.
Despite all the danger hanging over them, this was another oddly playful run. She’d barely been able to contain herself, cut loose as soon as she got into the woods.
He followed her scent, deeply arousing, and he thought maybe he should turn around because there was no way he’d be able to resist her. But Brother Wolf drove him forward like they were on autopilot, unable to resist Gillian any more than he could a siren’s song.
When he got to the place where her scent was strongest, he couldn’t find her immediately. He hadn’t shifted yet, and he spun around looking for her, reluctant to call out and break the silence.
He sensed nothing nefarious, but he would always worry. Being what they were was fraught with peril. Nothing would change in this lifetime.
But mating with Gillian would make it worth it, no matter how much the thought made him pulse with fear.
“Gilly, come out and play,” he called quietly and she jumped him from behind. She flipped him. Straddled him. And her hand went to his throat again, a makeshift mating collar. His stomach tightened at the thought of that—at the thought that she still wanted that, despite everything she’d learned.
She was holding him down. He bucked up but it didn’t come close to throwing her off. She smiled a little, gripped his wrists and held them above his head.
“Now you’re just showing off,” he muttered.
“But I think you like it.” She ground against his erection and he bit back a groan. “I want to tie you up. Hold you down. Take you.”
“Gillian . . .” Why bother protesting? He let the tension go out of his arms and she slunk forward and began to kiss him, hard and sweet and, oh yeah, he could get used to this. Because, oddly enough, the ghosts that usually hovered had gone silent during this. And while they usually did leave him alone during intimate times, they’d gone away long before the intimacy had started.
But caring about the ghosts became of little importance when Gillian reached between their bodies and unzipped his jeans.
“I’m so glad you go commando,” she whispered.
So was he. And apparently, she’d taken to going the same route, because when she slid out of her shorts, her bare sex brushed his cock. Her shirt was long enough to cover them, which he preferred, because even though they were deep enough into the woods, he didn’t like the idea of anyone seeing her but him.
Jealous alpha male much?
“You know the rules, Gillian,” he told her. They couldn’t have sex this third time without bringing the wrath of the Elders on their heads. The third time had to be a true mating or they’d risk not being allowed to mate at all. And he didn’t see any of the mating chains out here, although he’d run to the house to get them, if she asked.
She didn’t, but continued to rub against him, kiss him, hold him down and he was arching against her, a howl rising inside his head.
“Got to let me protect you, Jinx,” she murmured against his cheek as she stroked against him.
“This isn’t fair.”
“I know. Never said I had to fight fair.”
Why was he even fighting this? She had the strength, speed . . . he knew she had the mental fortitude. “Why do you want to do this for me?” he asked finally and she stopped, looked surprised.
“Because I love you, wolf. And you love me.” She said it so simply and easily, it awed him. “That’s what it’s all about, right? I’ll protect you because I love you. You’d do the same to me. You have done the same for me.”
“You’re twenty-one. I’m like—”
“Old. You’re old,” she teased. And then she bent down again and kissed him, released his wrists and his hands went around her.
“I want to mate with you,” he said against her mouth.
“Yes,” she told him.
“You don’t understand—I want to mate with you—right here and now.”
“Oh.” Her eyes widened. “Then my answer is still yes.”
“Good.” He rolled her to the side and stood. “Wait here. Don’t move.”
“Try to stop me,” she told him.
He backed away because he didn’t want to take his eyes off her and he called for Vice who came running like a shot, his white wolf coming to a complete stop directly in front of Jinx. He shifted, asked, “Where’s the fire?”
“It’s ah . . .” In my fucking pants. “Can you keep the others away?”
“Because you don’t want them to know you’ve been beaten by a female again?”
“Because I’m going to mate with her, despite everything. If she’ll have me.”
Vice cocked a brow. “I’m the first to know?”
“Yeah.”
Vice smiled and tossed him a pair of handcuffs, because Vice wouldn’t be Vice without always carrying something of the sort. “Go get ’em, wolf.”
When Jinx came back minutes later, Gillian expected to see him dragging the heavy mating chains with him. Instead, he had a lone pair of handcuffs already attached to a wrist.
He leaped onto her and then rolled himself easily back under her. He was so graceful when he moved. She loved that he was strong enough to handle her. Because he was, no matter who won the wrestling match. He had the strength exactly where it counted.
“You didn’t change your mind, did you?” he asked.
“No. But I thought we needed chains. Special ones.”
“Fuck traditions. We’ll make our own, and Odin help anyone who tries to tell me that I’m not your mate,” Jinx growled, his eyes going lupine. “Go ahead and give me everything you’ve got.”
Jinx’s words were an immediate aphrodisiac—a dare, a promise, and she kissed him. His tongue lapped against hers, dueling for the last vestiges of domination he’d have tonight. And he was willing to be submissive for this—for her.
They were already both naked, needy and willing. His cock lay heavy and rigid against his belly and he reached down and stroked it a few times while watching her.
