Ridin' Red (2 page)

She cupped her wet breasts, which were heavy and achy
and in dire need of being sucked and licked. Slowly she pulled and tugged at
both nipples, a moan tumbling forth from her parted lips. Her hands were no substitute
for the rough and callused hands of a man. They’d have to do. She rested back
against the cool shower tile, one hand cupping her breast and the other moving
down slowly to cup her pussy and tease over her clit. Her labia was swollen,
and she was wet.

Fire speared through her, and the only way to assuage
the need was to plunge two fingers knuckles deep into her aching, weeping pussy
and fuck herself. It wasn’t going to take long for her to come at all. Her
inner muscles were already clamping down on her fingers and drawing them in
deep. Soon she was dreaming it was Luc touching her and bringing her to the
edge. That imagery pulled her straight into a much needed orgasm, and she came
hard, screaming his name as it echoed through the small room.

It wasn’t enough, yet it had to be. There was no more
Luc and Ana. Not wanting to dredge up any other old memories of him, she
quickly showered then got out, and pulling on a fluffy hotel robe, she exited
the bathroom. The nice thing that Cinda had done for them was make it possible
that they could still live in some ease. She owed her some thanks, for truly
she hadn’t had to do even that. She dressed and then pulled back the covers,
grabbed her book and was about to settle into the bed to read when there was a knock
at the door.

Chapter Two

Who on earth could that possibly be?

“Just a second,” she called out.

What if something had happened to Dru? As much as Dru
pissed her off, she didn’t want anything to happen to her. She hurried to the
door, unlocked it and jerked it open. Her eyes widened, and she stood there
with her mouth agape.

“Hello, Red.”

Still she couldn’t find her speech. Her fantasy come
to life stood in the doorway. The pet name he’d given her flowed like honey off
his tongue.

“Going to let me in?”

“No!” She proceeded to shut the door, and he stopped
it with his booted foot.

“Come now, Red, let me in…”

“Leave, Luc. We have nothing to say to one another
that hasn’t already been said.”

“Is that any way to treat an old friend?”

“Friends? Is that what we are?”
Why does he have to
look and smell so good? Why is he here?

“We were more than friends once, Red.”

“I seem to recall you’re the reason that ended. Now
please, just go.” He didn’t budge, and she let out a sound of frustration.
They’d be at this all night; he was as stubborn as hell. She held the door
open. “Come in and say what you want, then go.”

“Thank you, Red.”

“Don’t thank me just yet. I may just fucking kick you
in the balls as retribution.” He entered the suite, and she closed the door,
turning to watch him warily.

“I’d more than deserve that.”

“Get to talking, Lucien.”

“Since our encounter at the club, you haven’t been far
from my mind.”

She gave a small sniff. “The fuck you say.”

He held up his hand. “Please let me finish.”

She sighed and crossed her arms over her chest,
focusing her eyes on the lamp just behind his shoulder. Never him. If she
looked at him, all would be lost. Just being this close to him had her heart
racing. It was so loud she marveled that he couldn’t hear it.

“Finish, please. I was just about to read and turn in
for the night.” Damn, she sounded so exciting.

“The Ana I knew didn’t turn in early.”

“You never really knew me, Lucien.”

“Fair enough. I want to remedy that. Let me get to
know you.”

She brought her eyes to his quickly. “You’ve got to be
fucking kidding me, Lucien Wolf.” That was when she noticed he’d taken
advantage of her not looking at him and was now only inches from her. She
stepped back until she was forced against the door.

“You smell so good, Red.” He wasn’t touching her yet,
his hands on either side of her head on the door. His lips inches from hers,
his warmth emitting from him, the unique scent that was his wafted about, and
she groaned. He put his nose to the pulse at her throat, and she whimpered.

“Stop…” It sounded weak even to her ears.

“You just came, Red. I can smell it on you. Fuck, too
bad I wasn’t here.”

Those words galvanized her into action, and she pushed
against his chest. Of course, he was resistant and didn’t budge. The heat of
his skin through his black t-shirt seared her. She drew her hands away and
fast.

He grabbed one of her hands and placed it back on his
chest over his heart and held it there all the while his ice-colored gaze held
hers. He made her feel so small in comparison. At 6’6” he dwarfed her.

“I don’t have time for games, Lucien. Stop this. Whatever
this is, you need to stop it.”

“Feel my heart, Ana, my sweet.” His heart beat
strongly beneath her fingers, the cadence mesmerizing.

“Luc—” he cut her off.

“No, listen. It was a mistake to make you leave. I
tried to stay away, but seeing you a few weeks ago just brought to light that I
shouldn’t have ever let you go.”

“How did you find me?”

“Cinda told me where you were. I asked her, though it
took a bit of cajoling. She didn’t understand how I even knew you.”

“I kept my time with you my secret. I didn’t share it
with anyone, least of all Cinda. She and I, if you haven’t noticed, aren’t
close. Though that little problem is mostly by my design and Drusilla’s,” she
half-muttered to herself.

“Listen, Red, I know I don’t deserve to ask you this,
but I want another chance.”

“I’m not the same person, Lucien. You said it
yourself. There is no going back.”

“I’m not asking to go back, baby girl. I’m asking to
go forward.” He cupped her cheek, and then stroked his fingertip along her
earlobe. She shivered. It was his signature move with her and in the next
moment his hands were at her throat. He used his thumbs to stroke up and down
both sides of her neck as he held her. She bit her lip in reaction. The years
slipped away, and she was a submissive to his master again. There was a time
when she’d have done anything he asked. Had that changed? It was a question she
didn’t know the answer to, least not yet. Part of her wanted to tell him to
leave, to never come back. The other part of her wanted to hold on tight to him
and never let him go.

“Luc, some things we are never meant to go back to.”
All the while what ran through her head was not looking him in the eyes. There
was something about his gaze that seemed to capture her soul.

“Look at me, baby.” Fuck, a command. An order that she
was hard pressed to refuse. He had to know she was in his thrall when she did
it. Perhaps this time it wouldn’t happen. It had been long enough that his
spell couldn’t be woven again.

Raising her gaze to his, she was lost. “See me, Red,
really see me.” Feral, animalistic, all the things she’d craved for so long.
She blinked as the image of a large, black wolf loomed before. She gasped and
struggled to get out of his grasp. No surprise that she couldn’t, but that
didn’t stop her from crying out and struggling against him.

“Ana, stop! I won’t hurt you.” He shook her by her
arms. She grabbed him by his forearms.

“Let me go! Oh my god, just let me go!” She was
shivering, her whole body shaking with fear and emotion.

“Red, please … if you’ve never listened to me, do it
now. I won’t hurt you. I know this is a fucking sucky way to reveal who I am to
you. I should have done it years ago.”

“You’re fucking right you should’ve! You’re a fucking
werewolf! How is that even fucking possible?”

“Yes, I’m a werewolf. There are many creatures of
legend walking about and hidden from humans. Anastasia, I won’t hurt you.”
Something in his voice calmed her, and she believed him.

“Why?” One word, but it held her heart in it.

“You’re my mate.”

“Mate, Lucien?” Most would have thought it an odd
choice of words. She didn’t. She’d always sensed that Lucien was different
somehow. There were other beings out there, other than humans. Her sister
Drusilla always told her she was silly to fill her head with such nonsense from
books.

“Yes, my mate, you’re my mate,” he repeated yet again.

“Tell me, do you often shun your mates?” She couldn’t
resist that jab at him. He’d hurt her, and she was going to let him know it.
Letting him get away with that would never do.

He winced. “I was young, stupid, and very scared of
the responsibilities that were laid at my feet.”

“You, afraid?” She frowned. “Impossible.”

He chuckled. “I assure you, Red, I’ve been afraid.”

“I can’t accept this, Lucien. I have a lot of stuff
going on.”

“Do you mean your continuing to be under your sister’s
thumb?”

“What I do is no longer a concern of yours. I’m sure
you’ll be able to find another mate.” Her words were meant to hurt him. They
had the desired effect as she watched him grimace, and he took his hands from
her body and stood back.

“I know this is a lot to throw at you, all at once.”

“You think?” She pushed away from the door and opened
it. “You need to go, Lucien. There is nothing for you here.” She wrapped her
arms around herself, bereft, cold, and definitely at a loss.

For a moment it looked as if he would defy what she
asked and then he growled and yanked the door open. “Anastasia, if you change
your mind you know where to find me. I’ll be at the club. I’ve already spoken
with Doc Fairee, so you’d be allowed there again as my guest.”

“You’ll be waiting forever, Luc. I won’t step foot in
that place again.”

To Lucien’s credit, he didn’t say anything more; he
closed the door behind him and left.

Chapter Three

Lucien left Anastasia’s hotel room and entered the
dark hotel parking structure more determined than ever to make her his and
Bruno’s mate. When he’d told her to leave and never come back it had been
because he thought he was saving her. He wasn’t human, and he wasn’t quite
animal. To live between both realms of existence had been hard for him. He
hadn’t come to terms with it, and telling her to go was what he’d thought best.

He’d been very inaccurate in his thinking. The laws
and physics of his attraction to her hadn’t just been lust. It had been so much
more, a melding of souls. In having sex with her before, he’d bound her to him,
starting the ritual of mating that must be completed. Having had sex with her,
his DNA and hers had bonded, sealing their fate. She was his more than she’d
ever realize. He’d been looking for ways to stop the process all this time.

It was the one thing he’d hope to be able to give her.
There was no way scientifically possible to stop their bonding. It was irrevocable,
just as his bond was with Bruno. Their need for a mate to consummate into their
relationship was fast approaching. The pain that all three would go through the
closer they got to that date was going to be hard to cover up, if they didn’t
spend that time together.

He got into his black SUV and leaned his head back on
the car seat, closing his eyes. When the sound of a throat clearing broke
through his silence, he didn’t open his eyes.

“Did you talk to her? Is she willing?” Bruno Hunter
questioned in hushed tones as if there were someone in the darkened structure
that could hear them.

It would be actually quite funny if the situation
wasn’t so serious.

“Yes, I saw her, and no, she isn’t willing.” He rubbed
his hand over his face. He needed to think.

“We need her.”

“Yes, we need her Bruno.” Even to himself he sounded
gruff. Turning his head, he gave Bruno his full attention.

“I more than anyone realize how much we need her,
Bruno. I set this in motion, and I will make it right. I promise.” He wasn’t
sure how he could promise anything, but he did it just the same. As much as Ana
held his heart, so did Bruno. He’d do anything for the both of them.

The first time he’d met Bruno it had been at the club
when he’d hired on to be the bartender. Lucien had a hard and fast rule of not
dating anyone he worked with. Playing with them? That was another story. His
dealing with Bruno had started as a tryst. He hadn’t wanted to get close to
anyone after Ana. Before he knew it, Bruno had snuck into his bed and then his
heart. The sex between them was explosive, as they were both alpha males and
that streak couldn’t be tamped down.

“You’re tense, Luc. Let me release some of that
tension for you.”

Lucien knew full well what that meant. He’d give him a
blowjob, one that was quick and fast, meant to satisfy him in this moment and
get him through to the next. Bruno brought his hands down and undid the zipper
of Lucien’s jeans. He freed Lucien’s thick cock from the confines of those
pants and groaned.