Dual Embrace: 3 (Shadowpeak Wolves) (26 page)

“I stayed on the estate. I was perfectly safe.”

“What if whoever is harassing Laney decides to attack? You’re too vulnerable. I’ve made up my mind. You do not leave the house without letting us know.”

“You bastard, you promised not to smother me, not to treat me like this.”

Brynn cursed as she glared at Cain. Her large, enraged werewolf mate merely stared back at her.

“That was before, this is now. You are my world and I will not lose you. If that means offending your pride then so be it.”

Betrayal surged through her as she turned and limped from the room.

“I thought you knew better than to treat her like that,” Brynn snapped at Cain. “You try to smother her and she’ll run.”

“When I thought she could protect herself it was different. But now she’s as helpless as a human.”

Cain strode for the door.

“Where are you going?” Brynn called.

“To talk some sense into her.”

“She is not helpless, you idiot. Just because someone can’t change into a freaky wolf doesn’t make them weak.”

Cain glared over at Brynn. “You’re a demon. You, I don’t have to worry about, but her…”

“You don’t have to worry about me either. Because I’m leaving.”

They both stared over at Dusty. She was pale, her eyes glassy with tears. It was a hit to his gut, bringing him out of his fear-fueled fury.

Oh God, what had he done?

“I’m not good enough for you. Not now. I get it. You don’t have to fight.”

Remorse grabbed him, making him want to puke. He’d let his concern override his good judgment. He’d spoken out of fear. He was a fool. “Not good enough? What are you talking about?”

“I don’t want to be a burden. So I’m going.”

“Dusty, I didn’t mean that. God, you could never be a burden.” He was an idiot. “Dusty, baby, I overreacted, I’m sorry—”

“Sorry doesn’t cut it. You overreacted, and you’ll probably do it again. I’m weak. I can’t be trusted to take care of myself. How can you live with someone like that?”

“You’re my mate,” Cain growled.

“Yeah, but you’re smothering me. I just… I need some space. For a while.”

“Dusty—”

Brynn grabbed his arm, holding him back. He shook his head as Cain snarled in fury.

“Enough,” Dusty yelled. “Stop being idiots, you’re not angry at each other.”

“We’re not?” Brynn asked silkily. “He is ruining everything. I’m coming with you.”

Rage raced through Cain, even as he knew it was the best solution. Much as he wanted to hold her to him, he knew he’d lose her. He had to give her some space, when that was the last thing he wanted to do.

If he couldn’t watch over her, there was only one man he trusted with the job.

“I want to be alone.”

“No, you don’t, hellcat.”

Dusty looked at them both, her shoulders slumping.

“Okay, baby. You go and you think. I’m sorry. I was wrong. It won’t happen again.”

She just stared at him. There was no anger, no disbelief.

There was nothing.

And that terrified him.

Dusty sat on her porch stairs looking out into the forest, a glass of whiskey in her hand. Brynn sat down beside her.

“You know, we’re better off without him,” he commented.

“What?” she asked, startled.

“Cain. We’re better off now. Without him. He was cramping our style. Ordering us around, making us do things we didn’t want to. He’s a narrow-minded, arrogant jerk.”

“Like you ever do anything you don’t want to do. And he wasn’t a jerk. Some of his orders, well…” She squirmed, remembering her reactions to some of Cain’s dictates.

“But he’s a dictatorial bastard. I mean, where does he get off worrying about you? Demanding to know where you are. You and me, we’re free spirits. We’re not answerable to anyone. Especially some ass who thinks he should take care of us. Like we need it.”

“Sometimes we do,” she said quietly. “And you know he has his reasons. He thinks that he failed to protect that human girl, Kelly, and now that I’m without the wolf’s strength he’s gone into overprotective mode. He’s a dominant male werewolf. It’s instinct to look after those he cares about.” She looked over at him, sighing. “I know what you’re doing, you know. You’re not very subtle.”

“Subtlety doesn’t work on you, hellcat.”

“He was being an ass.”

“When isn’t he?”

She slammed her fist down against the wooden stairs. “This is serious, damn you. You can’t treat it as a joke.”

He turned and stared at her. There was no humor on his face. “I know it’s no joke, but do you? I have lived for over a thousand years and never come close to finding what I’ve found with the two of you. I can’t lose this. Believe me, I take the fact that you are both acting like complete asses very seriously.”

“He hurt me. He went back on a promise.”

“He’s terrified, Dusty. Can’t you see that?”

“That doesn’t give him the right to treat me like a child. He knows how much I detest that.”

“No, it doesn’t. But can you blame him? Really? If he were human, wouldn’t you worry over him? Have you never done or said something stupid in the heat of the moment, Dusty? He spoke out of fear. He regrets it now. Once he saw you were all right, he calmed down. He knew he’d been a fool. Has he not given you time and understanding to deal with your past?

“Do you know how hard it is for both of us not to wrap you up in cotton wool? You are something I never thought I would have, Dusty. You’re my home, and I know Cain feels the same way. We’re both going against our nature, biting our tongues and fighting back our natural instincts to stop from smothering you. So Cain lost it a bit. He was worried. I am tired of tiptoeing around you for fear you’ll take offense at my caring for you. Get over it.”

Dusty’s jaw dropped as he disappeared after that statement. Rotten demon. It made fighting damn hard when the other person poofed into thin air.

“You better not be standing around, watching me,” she yelled as she stood and limped into the cabin. Tough love was the last thing she’d been expecting from Brynn. She’d been looking for some sympathy, some understanding. She was entitled to her righteous anger.

Wasn’t she?

She poured herself another drink. But it sat on the counter untouched as she thought over Brynn’s words. Was she failing to give Cain what he’d given to her in spades? Probably. Why was he even with her? How many times had he held back the wolf’s natural instincts to protect his mate to give her the freedom she was always spouting off about?

But that didn’t give him the right to treat her like a cub. He shouldn’t have tried to control her.

But then she shouldn’t have stormed off in a huff at the first hurdle he’d thrown her way.

“Urgh, I am not apologizing to him,” she said grumpily, certain Brynn was there.

Brynn appeared on the other side of the room.

“I never expected you to, my own,” he told her. “But you do have a fiery temper to match your—”

“Don’t say it,” she snarled. “Well, are you going to come with me or not?” she asked, moving toward the door. Suddenly he was behind her, holding her close.

“Actually, I thought you could come first, then me.” She shivered at the promise in his voice.

“I thought you wanted me to kiss and make up.”

“I do. With me first.”

Dusty shivered as his lips brushed the sensitive skin of her neck. She tried to turn but he held her still.

“Strip, my own,” he ordered. She shivered and attempted to move again. He slapped her butt.

“Hey,” she gasped. “What’s that about?”

“That’s about you not doing as you’re told. Now strip.”

Dusty’s mind ran wild. She wasn’t used to dominance from Brynn. But already her insides were stirring, moisture coating her panties. She stripped off her clothes, knowing he was behind her, watching.

Naked, she stood and waited, impatience surging through her veins.

“Hands behind your head.”

Dusty glanced over her shoulder at Brynn. A stinging slap landed on her bottom again and pleasure surged through her veins.

“You’re going to end up with a very red bottom if you keep this up, hellcat.”

“What are you doing?” she asked, amazed at how breathless she was. Those sharp slaps made her clit tingle. She raised her arms and linked them behind her head.

“I’m taking charge. Did you think Cain was the only one who could take command of your pleasure?”

“No,” she panted as he walked around her, studying her. “But normally you’re not so, ahh, obvious about it.”

“This is what I require from you tonight,” he said seriously, standing in front of her now. “This is your punishment for running away.”

“You ran with me. You stopped Cain from following me.”

He nodded. “And yet all I wanted to do was haul your ass back, tie you to our bed and fuck you into oblivion. Until you didn’t have the energy to move. I think I’ll do that now. Part your legs.”

She almost missed his order—her brain stuck on
fuck you into oblivion
.

She drew her legs apart.

“Are you wet, my own?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm.” He knelt before her, spreading her pussy lips to stare at her. Dusty bit her lip to stop herself from begging. She wanted him to touch her, lick her, anything to ease the ache.

“Absolutely beautiful,” he murmured before swiping his tongue through her. Dusty threw her head back, letting out a whimper as he withdrew after that single swipe.

“Brynn,” she begged when he stood. He grinned and shook his head.

“Oh no, my own, you don’t get off that easily.” He chuckled, running a cool finger over her chest and around her breasts.

“These breasts tempt me every day. Sometimes I wish you’d keep them uncovered so I could watch them bobbing around, the nipples hard and peaked. Other times I want them completely covered, hidden, a present just waiting for me to unwrap.”

He kissed one nipple then the other before cupping both breasts and flicking his thumbs over them. It took every ounce of control she had to stand there, her arms still clasped behind her head as sweet ecstasy coursed through her body. She wanted to jump him, to touch him, to love him.

“Let me move.”

“No.”

“Brynn—”

He moved away briefly, returning with a dining chair. Placing it in front of her, he stood back and smiled at her wickedly.

“Lean forward and rest your palms on the seat of the chair.”

She stared at him suspiciously.

“You wanted to move.”

She growled. “That’s not what I meant.”

He merely raised an eyebrow and waited. Dusty leaned forward and did as he asked, blushing slightly. Her backside and pussy were more exposed, open to his touch.

Two heavy smacks landed on her bottom.

“Ow,” she complained, even though the pain soon morphed into a deep pleasure.

“That’s for taking so long to obey me. Now spread your legs wider.”

She did as she was told, almost sobbing in relief as his hand cupped her mound, one finger pulsing against her clit. It wasn’t enough to bring her off though.

“Brynn, let me come.”

“Oh no, you don’t come until I say so.” His hand slapped her bottom, spanking her until her butt stung.

“What was that for?” She tossed her head back, peering over her shoulder at him.

He shrugged nonchalantly. “Just because I wanted to. Your ass looks so pretty when it’s pink.”

“Pervert.”

“Oh yes.”

“I don’t suppose you have any toys, my own?”

“No,” she squeaked.

He sighed and shook his head as though horribly disappointed in her. “Of course not. Well, we’ll just have to make do until we get back home.”

Home. Their home.

“Now, now, don’t go getting all tense or I’ll have to spank you some more. We’ll go home soon. Then we can all play. But for now…”

He thrust two fingers into her sheath. Her nerve endings sizzled. Dusty thrust back, unable to keep still.

“I need to come. Now.”

“No. You’re not in charge of when you come, my own. Not this time.”

She cried out as he parted her ass. One finger, lubricated with her own juices, slowly invaded her bottom.

“Brynn.”

“Shh, my own, just relax and let me play a little. It’s just one little finger. You can take me.”

Dusty curled her fingers around the edge of the seat, glad for its support, certain she’d be unable to stand without it. His finger seemed huge inside her, brushing over nerve endings she hadn’t even realized existed.

“Ahh, how sexy you look, my own, taking my finger into your ass.”

She dropped her head, breathing deeply.