Zeno: #8 (Luna Lodge) (9 page)

He wanted to argue. Everything decent in him said that he should, but he couldn’t seem to form the words. Instead, he stood and grabbed the pillow from the couch. He waited as she placed the blanket back on the bed.

He’d sleep in his clothes, and it would all be fine.

She climbed onto the bed, her perfect ass pointed right at him.

A low predatory growl rumbled inside him. She stopped moving and looked over her shoulder to him. Heat rose up his face.

She turned back around and climbed into bed. She flipped the blanket open on the other side of the bed.

He hesitated. He knew she was calling to him, and his hybrid side wanted to go to his Vestal.

“Please,” she said quietly. “I feel better near you.”

All his defenses melted at her request. He kicked off his shoes and climbed into his side of the bed. As soon as he was under the covers, she let out a soft sigh.

“Goodnight,” she said, her voice already sounding as if she were drifting off to sleep.

“Night,” he said.

The steady rhythm of her breathing lulled him to sleep.

Chapter Eleven

Ava woke up warm and, to her surprise, aroused.

She wasn’t normally a morning person, and she had never been someone to wake up horny. Any yet there it was. Not a bad feeling, just not expected.

Not wanting to open her eyes and face the day, she snuggled into the nearby warmth. Her face pressed against very solid and warm skin.

Her eyes flew open as she tried to understand what was happening.

At some point in the night, she’d moved over to where Zeno slept. She’d wrapped herself against him. Pressing her chest against his side, one arms slung low across his stomach, she could feel the hairs that met his pants. Thankfully he still had his jeans on, or she would really have some explaining to do, especially since her leg seemed to have a mind of its own and was half way across him.

She shifted her body, trying to find a subtle way to untangle herself. She wouldn’t deny the strong draw of the hunky hybrid, but she couldn’t drape herself over the man in his sleep without him thinking less of her.

Her thigh brushed his hard length through his pants. It was only then she noticed his warm hand on her thigh. His rough palm ran up and down the back of her thigh, setting her already heightened senses afire.

Ava bit back the moan that threatened to come out. She took a shuddering breath and licked her lips.

The hand around her back pulled her closer, grinding her center against his side. Her breath came out in little puffs over his chest. Her nipples tightened to hard peaks against the solid chess pressing against her.

A low rumble started under her head. It was the same noise she’d heard several times before from him. Enticing. Arousing. The sound of it made her ache in a way she didn’t even know she could.

She looked up to find his bright eyes fixed on her.

“Zeno,” she breathed out.

His mouth pressed hard against her own, swallowing the yelp of surprise.

His kiss dominated her. All the thoughts previously in her head vanished as the warmth from his passionate kiss shot through her.

She moaned and wrapped an arm around his neck, pulling him deeper into the kiss. His tongue pressed into her mouth and wrestled her own for dominance. A war, but one of desire.

Unable to resist, Ava ran her hands over his exposed chest and back. The deep contours of his muscles made her ache to feel him moving over his and moving into her.

She let out a shuddered breath at the thought of Zeno pressing deep inside her, filling her.

She scraped her nails lightly down his back and loved the little rumble from his chest. There was something so very primal about the sound. It made her only want to hear it again.

She pulled her mouth away from his, panting. Not missing a beat, Zeno continued his work, kissing and sucking along the base of her neck. She arched her body toward him when he reached the sensitive spot behind her ear.

He returned to her mouth. This time the kisses were delivered with a slow, deliberate pace. It was maddening.

She moaned loudly when his hand pulled her shirt up and her chest met bare skin. Her hard nipples rubbed against his thick, hard muscles.

She pulled back to moan again when his hand pinched the peaks. The sweet tingle his touch brought left her even more aroused.

Her hand found his tight ass, and she squeezed it through his jeans. Frustration over the layers of clothing shot through her. She wrapped her legs around his body and ground herself hard against his length.

Zeno pulled his head back from her. The muscles in his neck strained as he struggled.

He looked down at her. His body tensed under her touch. The air cooled between them as he put some space between their bodies. Irritation and disappointment flared in her.

For a moment, she thought he might stop. She wouldn’t blame him. They’d only just met, and they were being hunted by her crazy ex, not to mention all the weirdness with him being a hybrid and her being, well, whatever the hell she was.

He rolled to the side. His hand slid off her breast. After a second, he slowly trailed his hand on a path down her stomach.

Heat burned her cheeks. Antonio had always remarked on the bit of excess fluff she had there.

She looked to Zeno, who only stared at her with lust. His bright amber eyes held nothing back.

Her breath caught in her throat as his hand slipped below her shorts and then under her panties. When his fingers brushed her folds, she knew he could feel how wet she was. How much she wanted him.

Zeno growled again. The deep guttural sound made her nipples harden until they were almost painful, and the little nub between her folds began to ache.

He slid his thick finger back and forth over her, each time brushing her clit. Ava fisted the sheets and arched into his touch.

“I got you,” he said quietly.

His words only stoked the flame inside her more.

In one smooth stroke, he pressed his finger deep inside. His thumb circled her clit as he did so. Her insides quivered, pleasure pulsing through her.

His finger continued to slide in and out, each time going slightly faster than before, but his thumb kept the same excruciating pace.

She opened her eyes and found Zeno watching her, his eyes fixed on her face.

He pulled out. She opened her mouth to protest but stopped when he slipped two fingers inside her.

Her eyes rolled back in her head as he pressed deep inside. The sensation of being filled by him excited her.

Zeno wiggled his fingers inside, pushing against the sides to make more room. More pleasure spiked through her, and she moaned. The sound came from the center of her. Her clit tingled under the low and deep sound.

“Do you like that, baby?” Zeno rumbled.

Ava licked her dry lips and nodded. With her eyes still closed, she reached out for him.

Her hand brushed his thick member through his pants. He cursed.

Suddenly his fingers were hammering into her. His thumb pressed hard against her clit, and she could feel her orgasm starting to crest, the waves pushing, ready for release.

She arched into his hand and cried out as she came hard against his fingers, squeezing and pulling them deeper inside.

Her body fell back against the bed, and she struggled for breath as Zeno pulled his fingers from her.

She took a few deep breaths, the pleasure still coursing through her, before she opened one eye.

“Now it’s your—” she began.

She stopped as the bathroom door clicked shut, and she was left staring at an empty bed.

Zeno gripped the counter hard, so hard the plastic creaked under the pressure.

He’d wanted her, wanted to finish what they started and bury himself deep inside her. To make her his like she should be.

He knew it. Ava was his. Every part of his hybrid senses said she was. The only problem was that she wasn’t a hybrid. She had no clue about the world she’d be walking into. Díaz was one thing, but the Horatius Group quite another. Taking her from one danger to an even worse danger was ridiculous.

Not only that, how could they even make a choice like that here?

He snapped on the cold water and splashed a little in his face.

He couldn’t do this now. There was too much riding on the mission. If Ava was still interested when they got back, he’d have no problem making sure she knew just how much he wanted her, as many times as she wanted.

For now, there was a job to be done. She needed to be protected, and the Horatius Group ping needed to be investigated.

His eyes slid down the mirror to the large bulge in his pants. It pressed painfully against his zipper. He went over to the shower and adjusted the water until only cold water poured down.

He kicked off his pants and stepped under the harsh spray. It ran down his chest and over his hot, throbbing cock. He winced as the icy water cooled both his body and his libido.

He brought his hand to his face to wipe the water away and breathed in deeply. Her smell lingered on his fingers. It took everything in him not to lick the taste of her off his fingers.

A groan ripped through him. This wasn’t going to work. There was no way he was getting her off his mind.

His hand gripped his hard shaft as he pictured her there on the bed, his fingers deep inside her as she panted and mewled for him to go on. The sounds she made had nearly put him over the edge before.

His cock throbbed at the thought.

He pictured himself inside her, her sweet pussy gripping him as he slid in and out, fucking her like he’d wanted to before, like he should have done before.

His hand sped up, rubbing the head of his cock. He leaned against the wall of the shower, his breathing now in short bursts.

He focused on her face as she came, the bright flush that filled her cheeks and the rhythmic way she pulled at his fingers.

He groaned loudly as his cock pulsed in his hand. He wanted desperately to be inside her. To make her his.

Drained, he flipped off the shower and toweled himself off.

He could hear Ava getting ready in the other room and cursed as his dick responded.

It was going to take everything in him not to follow what his lower half wanted, especially since his upper half wanted the same.

Chapter Twelve

Angry, Ava toweled off her body and slid the clothes from before back on. She still tingled with the amazing orgasm she’d had earlier, and that only pissed her off more.

He had the nerve to totally blow her mind and then ran when the big finale came up? Had he just pity fucked her? The thought made her stomach knot.

Her mind went to how hard he’d felt through his pants. She didn’t think there was a way to fake that. Zeno had wanted her. But for whatever reason, he didn’t want to be with her. Did he think she wasn’t good enough for him?

She stared at herself in the mirror. Sure, she had a little more fluff than many women her size. Maybe her breasts had a little more jiggle than socially acceptable, and her stomach wasn’t perfectly flat. Still, she liked the way she looked and so did plenty of other men.

Her thoughts returned to Zeno’s hard muscles. Maybe he was some workout freak that hated women with even a little extra weight.

Well, fuck him, then. She angrily swept her fingers through her hair. Antonio had been one controlling prick too many. No way in hell was she going back to that, even for a mind-blowing orgasm or two.

Fueled by her anger, she swung open the bathroom door and stomped out. She was surprised to find Val, Zeno and Apollo standing near the doorway between the two rooms.

“We’ve got to finish the job,” Apollo said as his gaze slid over to her.

It was clear they were being cautious with what they said.

Val pointed to the coffee table. “We brought you some breakfast,” she said with a smile. “Thought you might need it.” She winked and dipped away from the doorway. There was something unnerving about the way she talked, like she knew Ava’s secrets or something.

Ava walked to the couch and picked up the wrapped burrito. She took a bite and was surprised to find it filled with sausage and potatoes. More hungry than she even realized, she scarfed down the meal. She took several big gulps of the coffee and instantly felt better. It was amazing what a little caffeine could do.

Her gaze wandered over to where Zeno and Apollo spoke quietly in the door. As if sensing her eyes on him, Zeno turned to look at her and frowned before turning back to his conversation.

She narrowed her eyes at him. Mister perfect likely didn’t do caffeine. It didn’t fit his healthy ways. She took another big gulp just to show him how much she cared.

Outside it was a beautiful morning. The sun peeked out of the clouds, and the city below was already in full swing with people filling the bustling streets.

She glanced over to the clock and was surprised it was only eight. She thought for sure it must be later with how energetic she was feeling. Her eyes came back to where Zeno stood, the real reason for her energy.

Heat spread over her cheeks, and she turned away quickly before he noticed her staring again. The last thing she needed was him to say something.

She noticed a bit of blue just on the other side of the coffee table. She reached out and grabbed the backpack she’d brought with her yesterday.

Ava opened the bag. All the memories of the day before came flooding back. Her gaze landed on the stack of money. She had to get to Anita, had to warn her about Antonio and make sure she was safely away.

She zipped the bag and leaned back in her seat while she finished her coffee and devised a plan.

“After today we should have a better location on where that ping was coming from,” Apollo said quietly.

“The mission isn’t safe,” Zeno said again and shifted his feet in irritation. “We know there are Glycons in the area. It’s not safe for any of us.”

Apollo shook his head. “Titus was clear: we finish the job. If anything, the Glycons around mean we were right to come here and set things up, even if Díaz ends up having nothing to do with the Group.” He glanced in Ava’s direction for a second. “Titus is working on securing a ride home for her. Until then, you need keep her away from Díaz.”