Fiona marched down the darkened street. Joe had picked her up at her apartment, so now that Cade chased her date away, she didn’t have a ride. And since she was broke, she couldn’t call a cab. She’d have to walk the half mile home.
“Stupid... overbearing....” she mumbled, cursing Cade.
“You didn’t seem to mind me last night, kitten,” Cade answered, his voice tinged with anger. She stopped. He was so stealthy, she hadn’t heard him approach. Glancing over her shoulder, she caught sight of his handsome face in the streetlight.
“Don’t call me kitten,” she hissed. “You have no right to be so controlling of me.”
“Can you honestly say you like that man?” Cade asked, drawing closer to her. Fiona gripped her purse.
“It’s not a matter of what I think,” she said. “It’s what my father wanted.”
“Do you always do what daddy says?”
“Shut up,” she growled, hating her situation. Her life was out of her control and she couldn’t do anything about it. Seeing Cade, she knew that part of the thrill of their night together had been because she’d chosen to be reckless. So help her, he was still damned sexy and her body wanted her to be reckless again. His possessive show in the restaurant turned her on, even if she’d have preferred he didn’t tell the whole city that they’d fucked the night before. “You know nothing about anything in my life. And stop following me!”
“Mm, well,” his voice dipped, causing a ripple of pleasure to run up her spine, “if you’ll recall, kitten, I know a few things about some things.”
His hot gaze picked up the light, seeming to glow, as he purposefully looked over her body, lingering in all the right spots. She shivered. Cream pooled in between her thighs and her flesh tingled with desire for him. With just a look he could get her hotter than anyone she’d ever known.
“Damn,” he murmured, coming so close their chests touched. He caressed her cheek. “I love your smell when you’re aroused, kitten. I’ve been thinking of you all day.”
“What have you been thinking?” she asked, knowing she should push him away. Fiona couldn’t do it. He was a possessive, borderline psycho, and yet she couldn’t resist. Maybe she was a glutton for punishment in choosing the wrong kind of man. Though, when she looked into his green eyes, she instinctively knew he wasn’t like James. His smell wafted over her, as potent as before. Her body pulsed, each nerve taut with anticipation of being claimed.
“How much my cock aches to be buried inside you again. Of how tight you were around me.” Cade’s chest skimmed her nipples through their clothing as he took a deep breath. “Of how I want to fuck you and keep fucking you until you can’t walk.” Fiona’s knees weakened and she nearly collapsed. Cade caught her and held her up. Chuckling, he said, “Or perhaps longer.”
Fiona blushed. What was it about him that made her forget reason and sanity? Looking over his tight body, she knew the answer. She bit her lip, her mouth watering to taste him again, to drink down his release.
“Where?” she sighed, glancing around. Besides the restaurant down the street, most of the businesses were closed.
Cade grinned, rocking his hips into her as he touched her waist and held her close. “How picky are you tonight?”
Fiona felt the heat rising under her skin. Cade’s fingers worked along her black dress. “There’s an alley over there.”
Cade chucked. “Mm, I like you eager for me.”
Taking her hand, he led her into the darkness. Instantly, he pressed her up against the wall. She couldn’t see into the alley, but could make out the bricks at her back and the hard pavement under her feet. The light framed the entrance to the street so they could see out, but no one looking in could see them.
His mouth pressed against hers as he made love to her against the cool wall. Their hard breathing mingled as they kissed, his tongue warring with hers in passion. Their bodies were a frenzy of hands and hurried caresses. Cade pulled up her skirt as she fumbled with his zipper. Urgency overcame them and before she knew it, Fiona was lifted up against the wall. Her legs dangled along his waist as he held her by her thighs. She wrapped her arms around his neck.
His cock brushed her wet slit. Her body jerked in anticipation of that first thrust. Cade’s mouth unexpectedly lightened on hers.
“Tell me this is what you want,” he whispered and for a moment, she thought to see his hot eyes glowing like a cat’s from the darkness.
“Yes,” she answered just as softly, running her hands over his bulging muscles. He was so strong, holding her as if she weighed nothing. “This is what I want.”
His hips pressed into her, claiming her gently. Even after being together the night before, her body needed to stretch to fit him. He rocked, keeping a slow, easy pace.
“Ah, Cade,” she moaned, taking deep breaths. It was almost too much. His body felt too good and his cock was pressing along her sweet spot.
“That’s it, kitten, come for me.” He nibbled along her neck. “Ah, your tight body feels so good. I’m going to fuck you all night. I want you so bad.”
How could she hold off when his gruff voice was so persistent, so naughtily sexy as he continued to whisper dirty little words in her ear? Just as she almost came, he slowed his pace, keeping her on the edge of release. Cade growled in the back of his throat.
“Oh, please... please... please,” she groaned with each thrust. “Faster, please, faster.”
An unearthly roar sounded, just like the wild cats at the preserve. He began to pump hard and fast. His eyes glinted in the night, the yellow orbs glowing with an inhuman light. Fiona was shaken by the noise and the look in his eyes. She was about to push him away when an intense orgasm took over. Gasping, she came so hard she could barely breathe. The pleasure ripped through her body, hitting every nerve until it buzzed with warmth.
For a long moment, she stayed pinned against the wall, unable to move. Weakly, she hit Cade’s shoulder, her only defense. The sound of his growl echoed in her head. Humans didn’t make that kind of noise—at least not that she knew of. And his eyes...
“What...?” she asked, when she could finally manage to speak. His body slipped from hers. “What are you?”
His breathing only deepened, coming out in harsh pants. It was a primal, dangerous sound.
“What are you doing to me?” Fiona pushed him again. Her panties were torn off. She didn’t remember him doing it. Her skirt fell around her thighs. “I lose my mind when I’m around you. It’s your smell... but there’s... more than...”
Fiona shook her head, slipping past him as she stumbled her way from the darkness into the light.
“I don’t know what you are, Cade,” she whispered, “but I want you to leave me alone. Do you understand? Stop whatever it is you’re doing to me. Get out of my head. I don’t want you there.”
Fiona turned, running toward the street. Glancing over her shoulder, she was glad when he didn’t try to stop her.
Get out of my heart, Cade. I can’t be in love with you.
* * * *
“How exactly did you explain it to her?” Viktor asked, glancing sideways from where he lounged on his back in the long, open field. Grasses rolled all around them in the breeze, blocking out the distance from their place on the ground.
Cade didn’t answer. He couldn’t. Insects hummed and white clouds drifted overhead. The south field spread out around them and even in human form they didn’t mind being so close to nature. In fact, they preferred it.
“You didn’t explain it to her, did you?” Viktor laughed, turning his eyes back to the blade of grass he twined in his fingers.
Cade snarled in Viktor’s direction. His friend really wasn’t helping his bad mood. Viktor only laughed harder, completely unaffected by the dark sound.
“What?” Cade demanded. He hadn’t known Viktor a long time, but they’d become fast friends. Just like in mating, their instinct also told them who they could befriend and who they could trust. “I knew it the first moment I saw her. She should have as well.”
“What? When she first saw you as the lion she knew as King? You really expect her to fall in love with a cat?” Viktor shook his head. “Man, for someone so smart, you really don’t know too much about women.”
“What do you expect me to say? Hey, kitten, wanna see me change shape?” Cade rolled his eyes. “Please. She’d go runnin’ for the hills.”
“And you’d enjoy chasing her.” Viktor smirked.
Cade gave a small laugh at that. “Yeah, I would, too.”
“If she really is your mate like you say, you’re going to have to tell her sometime.”
“Can we just get her to accept me as a man before we work on me as a lion?” Cade took a deep breath. This whole wooing a mate thing wasn’t going as easy as he’d first expected. Sure, he’d gotten her marked, but what good was it if plain humans couldn’t sense the mark and if she herself didn’t accept or want it?
“Yeah, that’s probably a good plan.” Viktor nodded. “Let me make sure I’ve got this straight. So, you both had dinner and then you mated.”
“Ah.” Cade grimaced.
“What? You didn’t mate?”
“We didn’t have dinner. The first time, she was eating. There was an understanding when I walked through the door and looked at her. I paid. She got up and followed me. Then, we mated. The second time, she was eating with that man I told you about. Ah, I’m pretty sure I paid again. She was upset but then we reached an understanding. Then, we mated... again.” Cade sighed, his body heating with the memory of it. It had been two days since he interrupted her date and he hadn’t seen Fiona since. She’d been off work and he missed her terribly. Short of stalking her, he knew there was no way but to wait until she had another work shift if he wanted to see her. Not that he hadn’t done just a little bit of stalking. He was part cat, after all, and it was in his nature to guard what was his.
“But you did talk first,” Viktor insisted.
“Um, not really. The second time there was some yelling. Damn, she has a fiery temper.” Cade nodded in approval.
“Then afterwards you talked?”
“No, not really.”
“What did happen afterwards?” Viktor sighed, concentrating on the blade of grass in his hands.
“The first time I took her home.” Cade frowned. “The second time she took herself home. Why? What are you getting at? I told you we had an understanding. No words were needed.”
“You have been in the wild more than I realized,” Viktor said. “This isn’t a one-night stand. You have to tell her how you feel. You have to romance her. You have to listen to her when she talks.”
“I did listen. Her pheromones have been in my head and her body language said she wanted me—”
Viktor’s laughter cut him off. “Uh, yeah, you do realize she’s not a catshifter, don’t you? Women need actual words. I swear, you’ve been hanging with Mia too much.”
“There is nothing between Mia and me. She’s just a friend. You know we don’t mate with cats,” Cade defended.
“Whoa, someone’s a little touchy.”
Yeah, because I have a mate and a hard on and the two are not on speaking terms.
“Besides,” Cade said. “Eve can sense you just fine. Why should my mate be any different?”
“Yeah, now she can, but it wasn’t always like that. That bond had to grow. Listen, if you want my advice, go to Fiona. Be charming, attentive, but most importantly try and keep your hands off her.” Viktor smirked, as if really enjoying himself at Cade’s expense. “And tell her how you feel. If she really is your mate then she’ll accept what you are.”
“Thanks, Dr. Vik,” he drawled.
“Now, on to actual business,” Viktor said. “Some of the shifters have said they sense a new scent on the premises, but they can’t tell if it’s shifter or just a wild cat. Eve doesn’t have any new arrivals or incomings listed. If it’s a shifter, it’s possibly just a tramp. If it’s a cat, someone could’ve dropped it off on preserve property and run, leaving us to take care of it. Unfortunately, that happens a lot. Humans take wild cats as pets and then wonder why they can’t handle them or why they turn on their owners.”
Cade sighed. He knew all about the tendencies of humans. It was why Mia was so messed up. Her last owner had beaten her senseless. She’d grown up in captivity and didn’t know what a real lioness was supposed to be like. “I’ll see what I can find out.”
“Thanks,” Viktor said. “I’ll start in the north section tonight. Eve’s worried about the animal spreading disease to the rest of the cat population or even attacking one of the workers. Can’t say I blame her.”
“Yeah,” Cade agreed. “Tell Eve not to worry. Her new preserve security team is on the case.”
“She’ll worry anyway.” Viktor chuckled, rolling up to stand. He reached down to help Cade. “It’s what wives do.”
* * * *
“Fiona, darling!”
Fiona smiled at the enthusiastic greeting her mother gave her as she came through her parents’ front door. The woman had dark hair and pale, ageless skin. She always thought her mother looked like a fragile porcelain doll. Her pretty wardrobe certainly attested to the image.
The old Gregorian-style mansion sat high on a hill, overlooking the town below on one side and a long stretch of forest on the other. There was about seventy acres total, including the forest and a small stream in the woods. Six of those acres were the old gardens in the back. Several paths wound through them and Fiona had explored them often as a child with her older sister, Darcy.
The house was several thousand square feet with well over sixty-five separate rooms. A large marble staircase stretched before the front door in the reception area. The craftsmanship of the surrounding woodwork was just amazing—from paneling to some of the house’s original furniture. There were also some outbuildings, including an old coach house from the late nineteenth century that had been converted into a garage that housed her father’s classic cars. She used to tell Darcy that the 1950 Chevy Fastback Sedan was their long lost brother. The way their father babied the thing was borderline ridiculous.
To anyone looking in, she’d lived a fairy tale life. But it was all glitter and mirages. What couldn’t be seen were the security systems and the hidden guards who monitored every movement. Though handy when it came to cheating at hide and go seek, it was more than annoying when they were teenagers just trying to live a normal life. In the LaSalle household, normal really wasn’t a part of the everyday routine. Just walking in the front door made Fiona feel suffocated. It’s why she’d left. Darcy had stayed, making her their father’s favorite.
“Mom,” Fiona said, giving the woman a genuine hug. Teresa LaSalle could be a little flighty and was a hopeless socialite, but she had a kind heart and giving nature. Since she’d never really had a job, she spent most of her time volunteering and holding benefits for a local hospital, Mercy. “Oh, I’ve missed you!”
“Well, if you’d come home more often...” her father said behind her.
Fiona stiffened as her mother let go. She turned to her father and nodded, not greeting him as enthusiastically as she had her mother. “Dad.”
“Hmm.” He thrust a newspaper under his arm and looked her over. “You’ve lost weight.”
“Starving will do that to you,” Fiona quipped.
“Don’t be so dramatic,” Fredrick answered, his face blank.
“Oh, darling, if you need to eat you should just come home,” Teresa said, looking helplessly at her husband.
“Don’t worry about her, my love,” Fredrick said. “She’s exaggerating.”
At her father’s meaningful look, she said, “Yeah, I’m just in a foul mood. Ignore me. I’m eating plenty.”
Teresa smiled, completely put at ease. She was so trusting, Fiona almost felt bad that she and her father took advantage of her nature like they did—even if it was for her mother’s own peace of mind.
“So, Fiona, Joe tells me your date was interrupted,” Frederick said. Fiona cringed.
“Well, I’ll just leave you two alone to talk,” Teresa said, backing out of the reception hall. She looked uncomfortable at the sudden strained vibe in the room. Fiona wasn’t surprised by the woman’s retreat. Her mother had never been really strong when it came to her father. “Fiona, darling, come have tea with me when you’re finished. I’ve missed you so much and I miss our little talks. I want to hear all about your work at the wildlife rescue place. I think it’s so great that you volunteer there.”
“It’s a job, Mom,” Fiona answered, raising a brow in her father’s direction. He grimaced back.
“Oh, well, I didn’t realize. Still, I’d love to hear all about it.” Teresa smiled, unfazed.
“Sure, Mom,” Fiona said.
When Teresa was gone, Fredrick motioned his daughter to follow him. She did so, going past the marble staircase to the door at the end of the reception hall. It was her father’s office. Thick fur rugs lined the floor before a giant dark wood fireplace. Bookshelves were built so high a ladder had to be used to reach the top. Darcy had spent her entire life trying to read through the collection. Fiona hadn’t touched a one—except those which were required of her growing up.
“Is Darcy still in Europe?” Fiona asked, moving to an oversized leather chair before her father’s desk. She didn’t know why she felt the need to make small talk with him. As if delaying the inevitable conversation would make it easier in the long run.
Her father threw the paper on the thick piece of oak furniture and took a seat behind the desk. He studied her for a moment before nodding. “Yes, she is. Last I heard she was touring Tuscany.”
Lucky her.
“Oh.” Fiona knew she sounded unenthused. She glanced around the office, feeling very much like a little girl about to be yelled at. There was just something about her childhood home that made her forget every independence she’d learned as an adult.
“So, who’s this mystery man of yours?” Fredrick asked, leaning back in his chair, arms crossed.
Fiona didn’t answer.
“Joe told me everything, but I’d like to hear it from you.”
Fiona tried to read her father’s face, but it was impassable. It’s what made him such a great businessman. Unfortunately, she’d been trapped like this before. It was his way of getting her to confess things which he didn’t know and confirm the things he did. Only question was, how much did he know?
“His name is Cade,” Fiona said. “He’s just a friend.”
“He stormed in and declared you were his woman,” Fredrick stated bluntly. “I’d say this Cade believes you’re more than friends. Wonder what gave him that impression?”
“I’m not sure,” Fiona said.
“Hmm.”
“We only had one date.”
“Mm.” Her father’s eyes narrowed.
Fiona took a deep breath, knowing she was about to start babbling and confess everything—well, not everything. “He’s, ah, very nice.”
“I’m sure,” Fredrick said. Fiona was glad when he continued, saving her from embarrassing herself with a full confession of having had a one-night stand with a complete stranger. “Tell me, is it serious?”
“No.”
“Hmm.”
She really hated when her father hummed like that. “Are we done? Mother’s expecting me for tea.”
A slow smile curled the side of her father’s mouth. “You know, dear, someday you’ll understand my position.”
And someday, daddy dear, you might understand that your life is not mine. I want freedom. I want my own life. I like sleeping without guards pacing the halls. I like going and doing what I want without having a ‘family schedule’ to check in on first.
Fiona only nodded as she stood. Her body stiff, she walked out of his office in search of her mother in the back gardens for afternoon tea. The day was warm, but not so hot that it was uncomfortable. The back gardens were a little overgrown, but that only added to their rustic charm. Shrubs spilled over onto the pathways, creating hidden nooks that were perfect for escaping the nosy security guards.
Fiona had actually lost her virginity to her high school sweetheart in the back section of trees. It had been a horribly disappointing experience which only turned to a mortifying one when she was discovered sneaking back in by one of the guards. The jerk security director had called her father down. As if the dreadful sexual experience wasn’t bad enough, her father’s disappointed look had topped the evening off. It was that night when she knew she would never stay under her father’s thumb. Several years later, she’d moved out of his house and never looked back—until James’ betrayal forced her to.
“How was it?” her mother asked, glancing over her fine china cup. A small smile alighted on her lips as she studied her daughter. “Did he mention James?”
“Ahhh,” Fiona answered, the sound caught between a sigh and a groan. “Actually, he didn’t, which is surprising.”
“Mm, that’s good. I told him if he did, he’d be kicked out of our bedroom for a week.”
“Ugh, Mom.” Fiona rolled her eyes, only to stop and add, “Hey, why only a week?”
Her mother laughed. “Trust me, dear, that’s punishment enough.”
Replaying her groan, she repeated, “Ugh, Mom!”
Teresa smiled. “You know the problem is you’re just as stubborn as he is. When you get together, it’s a wonder either of you talk about anything productive. It’s like watching two bulls about to charge each other.”
Fiona laughed, taking a decorative seat across from her mother. The cushion underneath her was soft, contrasting the hard wrought iron at her back. An umbrella shaded the patio set. Automatically, Teresa leaned forward to pour her daughter a cup of tea. Fiona took it, adjusting her body to sit like a lady--a habit drilled into her head by her mother growing up.
“Mm,” Fiona nodded, taking a sip of the hot brew. “My favorite. Just a hint of the hot stuff.”
Her mother winked. “It’s like I told you, dear, what men don’t know, won’t hurt them. We women are allowed our little secrets.”
Fiona smiled. Her mother was cleverer than she sometimes gave her credit for.
“Besides, how do you think the tradition of afternoon teas have lasted so long?” Teresa laughed softly.
“Mom, can I ask you something?”
“A question that starts like that can’t be good.” Teresa set down her tea, instantly serious.
“Why’d you marry Dad?” Fiona always wondered how her parents got together. They never talked about it, except to say they met when they were young and fell instantly and madly in love. The fact that the hardheaded Fredrick still openly called his wife ‘my love’ after decades of marriage said a lot.
“Because I love him,” her mother answered. Fiona frowned slightly. Teresa took a deep breath. “Because the first moment I saw him I knew we were meant to be together. I just looked at him and I knew.”
“Just like that? And you’ve had no regrets?” Fiona thought of Cade. He’d been in her head, but she didn’t know what to do about it. At night, she dreamed of him, her body so hot she barely had to touch herself to orgasm. During the day, she caught herself searching the crowds for him. He wasn’t there, at least not that she saw. Sometimes she thought she felt him watching her, but if he was he never approached.
“Well, we’ve had our share of fights to be sure, but I have no regrets,” Teresa said. Fiona quirked a brow, wondering what her mother would consider a ‘fight.’ The mild-mannered woman hadn’t lifted her voice a day in her life. Teresa laughed. “What? We have.”
“Oh, really.” Fiona smirked. “When?”
“The last time was the day you moved out, Ms. Smarty Pants, if you must know.”
Fiona wiped the look off her face. “Anyway, as you were saying, you love him and have no regrets.”
“You tend to make things so complicated, just like your father.” Teresa shook her head and picked up her tea. “Sometimes, darling, life is what you want it to be. The women on our side of the family can just feel our soul mates. It’s an instinct inside us, a pull we can’t ignore. If you think you’ve found him, then why fight it? Life can be so short and so cruel. You have to grab the things you know you want and just hold tight no matter the cost. And, if you find your soul mate, then you grab onto him and never let go.”
“And if he doesn’t feel the same?”
“If he’s your soul mate, he will.”
Fiona studied her mother. “You’re deeper than you let on, you know.”
“What?” Teresa winked. “Did you think all I knew how to do was throw parties?”
She didn’t answer.
Teresa sighed, motioning her hand to the side. “Now, tell me what you think of my new lilies. Aren’t they beautiful? I just love lilies.”
Fiona dutifully turned her head, knowing her mother was ending the serious conversation. She eyed the pretty little white buds and nodded. Lily of the Valley was one of her favorites and her mother had always had a way with flowers. “Yeah, they really are beautiful.”