Marcus took slow steps toward her. He could see how close to the edge she was, see brief flashes of her wolf in her eyes—an indication that, at this moment, the animal’s emotions were heightening hers. He’d never before met anyone who was so closely gelled to their wolf. He could see now how it would be a curse at times.
His own wolf was pacing in distress, wanting to go to Roni and soothe her. He also wanted to rip apart the fucker who was responsible for her distress—and Marcus knew right then that both he and his wolf would kill for this female. Up close to her now, Marcus gently put his hand on her arm. “Roni? Look at me, sweetheart.”
Pausing midstride, she found Marcus standing before her, so masculine and solid and unnerving. He could help, she thought as her gaze settled on his unfairly erotic mouth. She had no idea what he was saying; she couldn’t concentrate on his words because all she could think about was having that mouth on hers again. Her wolf agreed. Yes, this male would give her what she needed—an outlet, a way to take the edge off her anger. But that would be using him like a human Valium, and Roni wasn’t comfortable with that. She forced her eyes away from his mouth and took a single step backward. “You need to go.”
Nothing in the world could have made him leave her. Even if Marcus had wanted to, his protective instincts wouldn’t have allowed it. What he wanted to do was hold her, but he knew Roni well enough to know that physical affection would simply make her uncomfortable. He didn’t know how to help her, and it was making him crazy—every instinct he had told him to do something. He covered the distance she’d created between them. “I’m staying, sweetheart.”
That slow, languid drawl was unintentionally seductive—he was there to comfort and calm her, Roni knew. But that wasn’t what she wanted right then, it wasn’t what her wolf wanted. Roni’s eyes once again settled on his mouth, remembering how talented and hungry it had been. She gave a quick shake of the head, hoping to shake off those thoughts. “Really, Marcus, you need to go.”
“Why?”
The truth burst out of her. “Because I like to fuck when I’m angry!”
Just like that, the atmosphere changed, thickened, and became charged with that same old sexual tension that never seemed far away.
“I know that’s not normal,” she continued. “I know most people like to be cuddled and all that stuff. Not me. No. I like to fuck—hard, fast, rough, and deep. In which case, you really need to go.” Or she’d use him, just like so many females had used him before, and then she’d hate herself for doing it because he wasn’t the shallow smooth-talker she’d thought he was. He knew he looked good and knew how to use that raw charisma to get what he wanted. But he wasn’t vain or arrogant or superficial. He had much more emotional depth than she’d given him credit for. He was . . . good.
He was also exciting her wolf with the hungry look on his face. Roni was no less affected by him; her nerve endings sprung to life as that lazy, hooded, sensual gaze fixed on hers—the hunter was awake again. “Don’t.”
His mouth curved. “What?”
“Don’t look at me like that.” She backed away.
“How am I looking at you?” He moved toward her, and she immediately backpedaled. Not wanting her to back away any farther, Marcus halted. So did she. And so they both stood there, caught in the grip of an escalating sexual tension that had them both fairly panting.
“Just go.” But he didn’t. He stayed totally still, his electric-blue eyes focused completely on her, glittering with a promise of sexual satisfaction she’d never experienced before. She felt her cautiousness slipping away, replaced by a need so fierce and hot it was frightening. It was also beginning to drown out the rage.
“I’m not going anywhere. Not just because I want you so badly I ache with it. But because if this is the only form of comfort you can take from me, that’s what I’ll give you.” A growl rumbled out of him as her tongue flicked out to lick over that bottom lip he wanted to bite. “Come here, Roni.”
She wanted to. Really, really wanted to. But using him would be wrong. Besides, the guy was living, breathing junk food—he’d taste good, he’d fill her up and leave her satisfied, but he’d also leave her wanting more, craving him again and again. To go to him now would be stupid and reckless. Still, it was so unbelievably tempting, especially when he was looking at her like that—like he could eat her up and lick every inch of her.
But would he continue looking at her like that if he saw her naked? Probably not. Marcus had been with countless beautiful females; she’d pale in comparison. Her wolf, however, was aloof to Roni’s human concerns—she pushed at Roni to go to him, to take what he offered.
“Come here,” Marcus repeated, sensing her uncertainty beginning to crumble. “I’ll give us both what we’ve wanted since day one.”
“I never said I wanted this. I don’t want this.”
“One thing I really like about you, Roni, is that you don’t bullshit. But you’re bullshitting me now. Why?”
Pinned in place by the dark heat in his eyes, she couldn’t lie. “I don’t want to be another female that uses you.”
She just about broke his heart with that. “Ah, sweetheart, that’s not how I see it.”
“My body . . . it’s not anything like what you’re used to.” It wasn’t all curves and soft skin. It was all battle scars and smooth muscle. It had never made her feel self-conscious or insecure before—she wasn’t vain. But with him . . . it was different somehow.
“You’ve shifted around me, remember. I’ve seen your body. And I want it. Now.”
Fuck it, she thought. Both moving at once, they collided; their bodies instantly locked together—desperate, frenzied, out of control. His mouth was greedy and demanding as it dominated hers, licking and biting and tasting. His tall, powerful body pressed her back against a tree, crowding her, trapping her. Rather than prickling her dominant instincts, it made her even more frantic for him; so frantic that she ripped at his T-shirt as she yanked it off—revealing a broad, hard chest covered in sleek, tanned skin.
“I have to be inside you.” In seconds, Marcus had her completely naked and pinned against the tree with her legs wrapped around his waist. No finesse, no preamble, no smooth words—he was simply too caught up in Roni, in the feel and scent of her. He retained just enough sanity to remember he needed to be sure she was ready for him.
Not the passive type, Roni tackled his fly, wanting him inside her more than she’d wanted anything in a long time. Then his cock was in her hand and he was groaning as she gripped him tight. She would have pumped him, but she couldn’t concentrate. The brief sting of his teeth on her nipple, the soothing flick of his tongue, the feel of sure, strong masculine hands roaming over her . . . it was too much sensation, but she wanted more. He gave her more, repeatedly pumping two calloused fingers inside her, sucking on her neglected nipple so hard it hurt, and fluttering his thumb over her clit, making it tingle and—
She exploded. He caught her cry with his mouth, swallowing it down. He only gave her a few seconds reprieve before positioning her to take his cock. She shifted in his arms, trying to impale herself on him. But his teeth locked around her shoulder in warning, and the shock of the dominant move made her freeze. As if to reward her, he thrust hard and she sucked in a breath. He was thick and long and he stretched her, causing the most delicious burn. One more forceful thrust and he was balls deep inside her.
Marcus groaned as her pussy clamped around his cock. “Fuck, you feel good.” He’d known she would, had known it would be good between them, but he hadn’t expected it to be this good, this powerful or primal. She’d have him addicted to her after this; his need for her would get worse, not better.
As he stared into her dazed eyes, Marcus felt a sharp tug in his chest. And he knew, he knew, that if he didn’t leave right then, there was a strong possibility he would cross that line from “simple, safe, and uncomplicated” and topple right into an emotional pit. It didn’t make sense, but there it was.
The smart thing to do would be to walk away—he wasn’t good at emotional intimacy, wasn’t built for it. But he couldn’t walk away from her. Not while this drive to have her, to take her so completely that all she’d feel and think of was him, was pumping through his system. “Now I’ve got you.” His wolf growled in satisfaction at that.
“Hard and fast,” panted Roni, sliding her hands over the solid bulk of his broad shoulders. “Slow won’t do it for me.”
“Good, because that’s the one thing I can’t give you right now.” He gripped her ass tight as he powered into her, knowing she could take it, loving the demanding prick of her claws. “That’s right, sweetheart, show me how much you want it.” Other times, Roni was reserved and distant. But here and now, she was open and honest in her responses; she didn’t hold back or hide what she wanted and felt. This was how he wanted her: open to him, accepting and unguarded.
Roni practically melted when his mouth latched onto her neck and suckled as he pounded into her harder, relentlessly, and so damn deep she felt him in her womb. God, no wonder females flocked to him. The guy knew exactly what he was doing, exactly where to touch, exactly how to use his cock. Reminded of how experienced he was, she couldn’t stop herself from slicing her claws into his back—leaving a temporary brand there for all the Zaras of the world to see. Oops.
Marcus’s gaze snapped to hers. “Marking me, sweetheart?”
Embarrassed by her lapse in control, she scowled. “Fuck you.”
He just smiled. “Then you won’t mind that I’m going to mark you.” When she shook her head in objection, he nodded. “Oh, yes, I am. See, sweetheart, I can bite you, I can spank you, and I can take you however I want you, because when I’m inside this pussy, it’s mine.”
“You bastard!” She punched his shoulders and beat at his back with her legs, but he just pinned her tighter against the tree as he continued ramming his cock in and out of her.
“I am going to mark you, Roni. Once with you isn’t going to be enough. I’m going to need this again and again.” When she shook her head once more, he growled. She snarled. He bit her lip. She nipped his chin. He squeezed her ass. She pressed her claws deep into his back. “You’re close, aren’t you, baby? I can feel your pussy getting tighter around me.” He shifted, adjusting his angle so that his cock brushed her G-spot with every harsh, merciless stroke.
Roni couldn’t take any more; an explosion of pure sensation shot through her, shattering her, tearing a scream from her throat. That was when he sank his teeth into the crook of her neck—the pleasure-pain drew out her orgasm, sending wave after wave of sheer bliss washing through her.
Marcus rammed into her one final time, and held still as he pulsed deep inside her, filling her with everything he had. “Fuck, Roni.” He rested his forehead against hers, breathing as hard as she was. Moments later, when he could finally move again, he slipped out of her and gently set her on her feet.
“You marked me,” she croaked.
“And you marked me.”
“I didn’t mean to.”
“Yes, you did.”
Yes, she had—and that scared the hell out of her.
Marcus watched her immediately begin rebuilding those walls around her. He gripped her chin. “Oh, no, you don’t. No clamming up, Roni. This will happen again; don’t deny it. You’re no coward.”
No, she wasn’t. There was no point in denying that it would happen again. What female in her right mind wouldn’t want it to happen again? “Okay. But we need the boundaries to be clear. As you may have noticed, despite being a dominant female, I’m not interested in being the dominant partner in bed. An active partner, yes, but not dominant. However, that doesn’t mean I’ll let you take the lead in any way, shape, or form outside of the bedroom.”
“Stop panicking, Roni,” he said gently. He picked up his ripped T-shirt and slid it on before fixing his fly. “I have no inclination to control you. You’re your own person, you have a mind—a mind I like—and you’re able to make your own decisions.” He watched in satisfaction as the tension left her shoulders. He knew his gaze was nothing short of territorial as it roamed over the delectable body she was quickly re-dressing. “You should probably know that I’m going to be pretty possessive with you.” It had been bad before, but it was going to be even worse now.
Roni was afraid that might work both ways. “Just remember that there’s a difference between being possessive and being controlling.” She expected him to bristle, like others had before him, but his expression actually softened as he came toward her.
“I don’t want to control you, Roni,” he assured her in a low, soothing voice, brushing his fingers through her hair. “But I’ll be damned if I’ll share you.”
“Fine. But the same goes for you.”
“I don’t want anyone else.”
She gave him a curt nod. “Okay.” Her voice had turned husky with arousal. Well, it was pretty hard to stay unruffled when she had a tower of raw masculinity looming over her, stealing her breath, and claiming to want no one but her.
A noise suddenly penetrated the silence. Someone was calling her name. Not just anyone: Nick. Each time he called out for her, his voice grew closer. “He’s going to shit a brick.”
A few moments later, Nick appeared out of the trees with Taryn and Trey. Abruptly her brother froze and his nostrils flared. Then he was charging at Marcus. “You son of a bitch!”
“Nick, no!” Roni and Trey both dove between them, bringing him to a halt mere feet away from the object of his anger. Marcus didn’t even flinch. He met Nick’s gaze head-on.
“I told you to keep your hands off my sister!”
“True,” allowed Marcus. “But I didn’t say that I would.”
“He’s not good for you, Roni,” insisted Nick. “You don’t want someone like him.”
“I don’t?”
Nick winced at that dangerously soft tone. Telling a dominant female what she wanted or what she thought was not good. Marcus almost felt bad for the guy. Actually, no, he didn’t.
“You might be my Alpha and my brother, but you’re not my damn keeper.”
Trey shoved Nick just hard enough to get his attention. “Walk away before you say something you can’t take back.”
Nick didn’t listen. “The guy’s a total slut!”
Roni’s wolf did not like anyone insulting Marcus. In fact, neither did Roni. “And you were a virgin when you met Shaya, were you?”
“No, he damn well wasn’t,” Taryn mumbled with a huff.
“He’s not what you need, Roni! For him, you’re just a little bit of fun until—”
“Enough,” snapped Marcus, stepping around Roni. “Say what you want about me, Axton, but don’t make out that I think that little of Roni.”
Nick dived at him. Once again, Roni and Trey stepped between them.
“I’m not the easy target you seem to think I am,” warned Marcus, his voice silky and menacing. “Push, and I’ll push back.” And his wolf would enjoy it. Maybe it wasn’t good to challenge Roni’s brother, but the guy would only respect strength.
“He marked her,” Trey pointed out. Nick stopped struggling, his eyes finding the mark at the crook of Roni’s neck. Marking was a sign of possessiveness, but it was also a sign that the male respected the female in question enough to leave that brand. “Marcus may have had a lot of sexual partners, but that doesn’t mean he’s an asshole. He’s never mistreated or deliberately hurt the females he’s been with; he just hasn’t shown them any commitment.”
Taryn arched a brow at Nick. “And neither did you, did you?”
“Because I was waiting for my mate.” At Taryn’s meaningful look, Nick sighed. His eyes once again found Marcus. “Hurt her, and I’ll—”
“Have to wait until Roni’s done emasculating me before you get your turn.”
Looking ever so slightly mollified, Nick turned to Roni. “I’ll be waiting in the car. Don’t be long.” He spun on his heel and disappeared through the t
rees.
Inhaling deeply, Taryn smiled. “For what it’s worth, I think you guys make a cute couple.” Then she was gone too, with an amused Trey at her side.
Marcus’s wolf finally relaxed. “That went well.”
Roni gawked. “Are you kidding me?”
“No blood was shed.”
“You would have fought him, wouldn’t you?”
“If I had to, yeah. I wouldn’t have been happy about it—he’s your brother. I don’t want to put you in an awkward position. But I don’t back down. It’s not in my nature.” He dabbed a kiss on her way-too-alluring mouth. “Your wolf’s calmer. How are you doing?”
She sighed. “Pissed, but I’m no longer interested in punching the shit out of that tree over there.”
“Once Rhett and Donovan find out who uploaded that video, I’ll hunt them down and I’ll deal with them.”
“We’ll hunt them down and deal with them,” she corrected. “Promise me something. Promise me you won’t watch it.” Maybe it was stupid, but she didn’t want him to see her that way—helpless, terrified.
Understanding why she’d ask that, Marcus cupped her neck. “Roni, I will never see you as weak.” She was far from it.
“Promise me.”
A part of him wanted to watch it, wanted to know what she’d been through. But he couldn’t deny her this, not when there was so much pain in her eyes. “I promise. And I won’t let the others watch it either.”
She swallowed hard. “Thank you.” His arms engulfed her, and she instinctively tensed, not really sure what to do with the contact. Her wolf settled, satisfied. Roni decided to follow her lead and allowed herself to relax. It strangely felt . . . good.
Marcus kissed the top of her head. “Come on, I’ll walk you to the car.”
“To flaunt this in front of Nick?”
“To remind him that I’m not going anywhere.” Smoothing his thumb over his mark, Marcus felt a sense of self-satisfaction he hadn’t experienced before. He held those dusky green eyes that always seemed to be filled with wariness. “And neither are you.”