Catalina opened her mouth to read Cooper the riot act, but he pressed a finger against her lips and shook his head. “Think before you speak, Princess. Are the words you are about to utter going to get you what you want… will they move you closer to the satisfaction your body is screaming for?” He watched as she took a shuddering breath, trying to rein in her frustration and anger.
Although Cooper hadn’t lied to her, he was certainly guilty of deceiving her by omission—something he was sure she would point out in the future. Hell, if she was anything like his sister, she’d throw it in his face anytime it suited her. Cooper fought the urge to smile, thinking about all the spankings she would be getting in the future when she argued the point. He knew what it cost her to remain silent, and he rewarded her with a quick kiss.
“Wise choice, Princess.” His quick kiss to the tip of Cat’s nose seemed to surprise her, making him smile when her eyes widened at the unexpected gesture. “Darlin’, I have been looking forward to this for longer than I care to think about. It’s been too long since our last scene, and I think we both need this.”
Cat was strung tight and had been for months. Several members of her family had messaged him, expressing concern she was headed for an emotional crash, and he agreed. Catalina’s coping method of choice? Work. Cooper planned to show her there were other options, which might not be as lucrative, but they were damned well more fun.
Catalina fought the urge to tell Cooper to either get on with it, or she’d dig one of the BOBs out of her nightstand and take care of things herself. Thinking about how he would react made it damned difficult to keep a straight face. The spanking he’d given her in the garage and elevator wound her up so tight, she’d been a hot second away from spontaneous combustion before he stopped, leaving her struggling to regain her bearings.
Walking the short distance from the elevator to her door with Cooper’s fingers wreaking havoc in her core tested her concentration in a way nothing ever had. The man was lethal in so many ways, Catalina was beginning to think the great Goddess and Fate were toying with her. Maybe he wasn’t her mate but was put in her life to be the fire that tempered her steel. Doing a mental facepalm at her own wishful thinking, she refocused her attention on the man watching her with avid interest. Catalina wondered what Cooper had planned—his expression gave nothing away. Whatever he had in mind, she hoped it involved enough orgasms, she’d collapse from sheer exhaustion.
Doctors at the military hospital stressed the importance of following up with a counselor once she returned home, but Catalina knew the Agency she’d been working for wouldn’t appreciate her divulging the juicy details of her mission. Chatting up a perfect stranger without security clearance would paint a target on her back… a bigger one than she suspected was already there.
The man who’d ordered her kidnapping claimed she was carrying a list of suspected double agents. His intel was flawed, but not as much as everyone believed. Catalina received the list several days earlier than planned, and knowing how sensitive the information was, she’d destroyed the small slip of paper after committing the names to memory. When she was debriefed at the military hospital, Catalina gave the Agency she’d been working for everything she could remember. The interrogators suspected there were more names than she’d reported, but she’d hit a wall. The harder she tried to remember, the more agitated and frustrated she became.
One of the United States Diplomatic officials who’d insisted on sitting in on the interview suggested hypnosis, but she’d refused. One of the hazards of freelancing was protecting a myriad of secrets. Allowing an agent from one of the alphabet agencies she worked for the opportunity to poke around in her head was a mistake she wouldn’t make.
Cooper and Cam were the only people in Austin who knew how precarious the situation was, or so she’d thought until tonight. The knowing looks she’d gotten from Kent and Kyle West spoke volumes. Just the thought of the danger she might bring to her beloved hometown made her head spin.
A streak of fire blazed across both ass cheeks, pulling her back to the moment. Blinking several times, trying to clear the cobwebs from her muddled thinking, Cat wondered what the hell that awful shrieking noise was filling the air around her. Was that incessant keening coming from her? Fucking Freddie Fox and a hotrod, she couldn’t lose it now. Cooper already thought she was dancing on the outer rim of the sanity bell. She’d never get a damned orgasm if he believed she was some kind of emotional invalid.
Suck it up, Cat, you can do this. She could. She would. Fuck, why wasn’t her self-talk working? It was supposed to help. All the frick-fracking self-help books said positive self-encouragement could hold back the overwhelming waves of panic many PTSD victims experienced. Damn it all to hell, why are there black dots dancing in front of me, and what the fuck… are they getting bigger?
“Catalina.” Cooper’s voice sounded like a whip cracking beside her. Cat involuntarily recoiled before the warmth of his bare chest pressed against her, the soft hair teasing her nipples and providing a welcome distraction. When had he taken off his shirt? How long had she been traipsing around on her little mental field trip?
“It breaks my heart when you flinch away from my touch. My only regret about your rescue is not getting the chance to kill the bastards twice.” She knew he would have liked to torture her captors. He’d told her he would have loved the opportunity to make certain they understood how it felt to be brutalized before he sent them screaming into the depths of hell. Cat hoped the bastards’ souls ran into a brick wall of karma the next time they decided to incarnate.
After a few late-night drinks on the rooftop terrace, she and Asia decided it took four lifetimes of penance to make up for one life behaving like an asshat. Her sister hadn’t asked questions, and Cat appreciated her unconditional support. The night had been therapeutic on too many levels to mention. Catalina had been secretly celebrating Cam’s earlier call, letting her know Cooper was on his way home. Asia had been happy to join her, but from what little her older sister had said, she was in seriously hot water and not looking forward to answering to her husband, who stood silently in the shadows, watching over them.
Franklin Cordesi assured Catalina he was only there to provide an additional layer of security, but she suspected he was there to make certain his lovely wife didn’t try to make a break for it. Asia was a force of nature in both the courtroom and the boardroom. Corporate rivals called her the Adler Ice Princess for good reason. The Adler siblings liked Franklin, even though his introduction into the family had been questionable. Having been hired to seduce Asia’s sister, London, he’d found himself treating her like the younger sister he’d never had. In the end, he’d saved her life and set the stage for her to share her medical discoveries with the world.
“I swear to all things holy, I wish I could hear what you’re thinking.” Cooper shook his head as he held Catalina in his arms. Since returning to Austin, he’d started to hear bits and pieces but could never make out enough for all the pieces to fall into place. He’d spent several hours talking to Audric Stafford, surprised by how in-the-know the head of the Magic Council was about the world of espionage. Hell, the man’s intel concerning the countries Uncle Sam was worried about was better than the CIA’s, but the most valuable information had been much more personal. Audric’s only words of caution had been about protecting the beautiful woman pressing herself like a second skin against his chest.
“Catalina possesses magical gifts far more powerful than she knows. The Council of Magic has been monitoring her since she was a toddler, knowing the gifts would manifest suddenly. She is what we refer to as The Keeper of the Promises. The future of the magical world manifests itself every generation, and Catalina’s future will be filled with revelations. We wanted her to be prepared for their strength and the changes they would bring to her life. In the interest of transparency, you should know, her entire career as an agent was part of her training.” When Cooper started to argue, Audric shook his head.
“I didn’t say it was handed to her. Your agency recruited her for a reason—don’t ever underestimate the connection between the world of magic and government entities. They may not officially recognize us, but they are more than happy to utilize our power anytime they deem it useful.”
Cooper waited for Audric to continue, frustrated when the wizard’s phone distracted him. Before he walked away, Stafford leaned close and whispered, “Her kidnapping and rescue set things in motion. You’ll feel the shift in her energy. As your connection grows, so will your ability to hear her. Listen closely.”
The advice rolled through his mind as a surge of energy warmed him from the inside out. Cooper might not ever fully understand the way magic worked, but he damned well recognized the way it felt.
“It seems I’m not the only one who’s easily distracted.” Catalina’s voice was tinged with amusement and impatience, the latter giving him the perfect excuse to give her ass another heated caress.
“Point taken, Princess. My momentary lapse of attention is going to work in your favor this time.” He’d told her once how much he loved watching the way her pupils dilated when he deepened the timbre of his voice, explaining how her responsiveness kicked his need for her into high gear. Catalina had been surprised by his candor. Cooper’s entire adult life had centered on secrecy, making his openness even more significant.
She wasn’t sure what he had in mind but hoped like hell it involved the release her body was craving. The fire he stoked in her core was burning hot, despite what she knew was an outward appearance of calm. Years of working covert ops trained her to blank her expression, but her body’s response to this man was the equivalent of shouting her need from the rooftops.
Watching in disbelief as Cooper leaned down, hefting her over his shoulder, Cat squealed as he started walking down the short hall to the master bedroom. She jerked upward when he pushed a finger through her wet folds—evidently, the damned digit had a homing device—sliding in effortlessly.
“Watch your head, Cat. We wouldn’t want you to get a concussion.”
Oh yeah, she could only imagine how fun that would be to explain to the local emergency medical services. Austin was, for intents and purposes, a small town. The Adlers were well known, and an ambulance call to Adler Oil at this time of night would no doubt garner a lot of attention. Yeah, hard pass on that golden opportunity, thank you very much.
Cat’s breath caught when Cooper released her legs enough to allow her body to slide sensuously down his own. Before her feet were solidly on the floor, his voice rumbled from deep in his chest.
“All the way to your knees, Princess.”
She’d given him blow jobs several times, but something told her this time was going to be different. Settling on the pillow he dropped to the floor, Cat leaned back on her heels as Cooper pulled his belt from his waist and set it aside in plain sight. Everything the man did was calculated, and she knew this was no exception. The belt was a reminder of how quickly the entire scene could shift to something much more painful.
It took all her control to keep from shoving Cooper’s fingers aside so she could open his fly and pull his cock free. The outline of his erection was clearly defined by the soft, well-worn denim of the jeans he wore. The evidence of his arousal made her mouth water. Unconsciously licking her lips in anticipation, Cat didn’t try to hide her need.
“You look hungry, Princess. I have just the thing for you.” Pulling himself free, Cat watched as he stroked his length several times before threading his fingers through the long tresses of her hair. “The last time I saw you, your hair was flame red, Catalina. I like this much better. Rich chestnut, streaks of honey, and sunlight framing your face… it suits you perfectly.” When she tried to lean forward to lick the pearly drop of pre-cum at his tip, Cooper shook his head.
“We’ll go at my pace. Your pleasure belongs to me, Catalina. Your orgasms are mine to give or withhold.” He studied her, waiting for a reaction, but she knew he wouldn’t see anything but heated desire. She nodded her understanding, although she hadn’t been focused on his words. Hell, the way her gaze was locked on his cock should have probably made him uneasy. “Show me how much you want my cock, Catalina.”
Pushing himself closer, Cooper groaned out loud at the sight of the creamy white pearl at his tip, painting her kiss-swollen lips. Wrapping one hand around his base, she slipped the tip of her tongue into his slit, burrowing as far as possible in her effort to gather the last remnants of his natural lubricant, setting his entire body aflame. Before he could comment, she opened her mouth and sucked him all the way to the back of her throat. Cooper locked his knees and prayed he wouldn’t embarrass himself by coming faster than an Olympic downhill racer.
Catalina’s soft laughter moved through his mind, letting him know she’d been listening in on his thoughts. “I’m going to talk to your lovely sisters-in-law about blocking. Until then, I’ll monitor my thoughts anytime I’m not keeping you properly occupied. I think an extra-large vibrating butt plug might keep you from eavesdropping. What do you think, Princess?”
He doubted she would take his threat seriously, but she should. His club bag was well stocked and sitting on the floor of her walk-in closet. If he had his way, it wouldn’t be long before they had the entire floor to themselves. The remodeling project he was planning included a playroom to rival those of the best kink clubs in the world. He’d already secured the other apartments and cleared his plans with Austin.
Before her kidnapping, Catalina was actively involved in every aspect of the remodeling plans, but everything was put on hold while she recovered. After returning to Austin, he’d ramped up the schedule while Cat focused on her new business. Cooper hoped his mental review of the architect’s drawings would be enough distraction to keep him from succumbing to the temptation of her mouth. Lightning streaked up his spine, setting fire to a short fuse—yeah, that plan didn’t work for shit.
“Fucking hell, your mouth is devil-blessed, sweetheart.” The fingers he threaded through her hair tightened enough, she gasped around him. “It’s too good, Princess.” Pulling back, he shook his head at the annoyed look he watched flash in her eyes before it was masked. She loved pushing him past his limit, seizing power from him, topping from the bottom, but this was a power struggle he didn’t plan to lose. As difficult as it had been, Cooper found the strength to pull from her mouth, immediately missing the feel of her tongue bathing the underside of his cock.
“Up you go.” He didn’t wait for her to stand, preferring to lift her himself. “Get up on the bed, face down, ass up. Let your feet fall over the edge.” When she was in position, he slid her knees farther apart and gave her exposed pussy lips a quick slap. “Don’t move, sub. Your body is mine to enjoy, and I have a lot planned.” Taking two steps back, Cooper watched as cream eased from her vagina, coating the tender folds.
“I have a design project for you, my sweet sub. I want a pretty bauble that will keep these pretty pink folds open, something that will let me sit in the chair behind me and admire the view. Watching your pussy cream from my words alone will be one of my greatest pleasures.” Using the tip of his finger, Cooper traced a line along the sensitive crease at the top of her thigh. “Gold-plated titanium chain so you don’t break it when I do this.” Slapping the flat of his hand against her pussy, the blow sounded much harsher than it was, but her reaction was perfect.
“See? You couldn’t hold still.” Reaching beneath the mattress, Cooper pulled out the restraints he’d put into place before they left for Bronx’s lake house. Wrapping the straps around her thighs, he pulled the thick strips of nylon tight before securing the Velcro ends. “Much better. The view from here is spectacular.” Leaning down, Cooper pursed his lips and blew cool air over her exposed sex. This time, she shuddered but was unable to move her legs in spite of her desperate grasping the bed covering beneath her.
“More. Please. I need you to touch me, Cooper… Sir.”
“Valliant effort to save yourself, Princess, but it seems to have fallen a bit short.” Another slap to her bare cunt, this one sharper than the first, drew a cry from her lips. Cooper knew he hadn’t caused her any significant pain, but he certainly got her attention.
“I’m sorry, Sir. I wasn’t trying to be disrespectful. I’m desperate… and falling over the edge of control. There is a storm brewing, and I’m not sure I can stop the surge that’s coming. I need to release some of the power before it levels me.”
Cooper was stunned. The words were laced with a level of anguish far beyond sexual submission. He’d gotten the raw honesty he was seeking without pushing as hard as he’d feared he would be forced to. Slapping her bare folds again, he pushed two fingers through the flexing muscles of her opening until the calloused pads of his fingers pressed against her G-spot.
Hearing Catalina screaming his name as she shattered was the hottest thing in the world. Damn, he was going to have to be careful, or she was going to own him body and soul. Laughing at his own foolishness, Cooper wondered when he’d started lying to himself. The woman had owned him since the first moment they met. The smell of her release was sweet and made his cock so hard, he was afraid it would split apart.
Moving around the bed, he positioned himself in front of her and waited. When she came back to herself, he helped her up onto her elbows before pressing against her lips.
“Take me, Princess, make me come and swallow it all.” He noted an odd crackling sound surrounding them, reminding him of the powerful static electricity domes he loved as a kid. Watching the brightly colored lightning flicker beneath the glass as it followed his fingers had always fascinated him.
Cooper wasn’t sure how he knew something had changed, but the shift in Cat’s energy was undeniable. She sucked him into her throat and swallowed around him, the sensation so intense, he felt his head fall back as seed burst from his tip. The pulses so strong, each one bordered on painful. Brilliant bursts of color rained down behind his eyelids, and he found himself gasping for breath. Heat surged through his body as a flash of white-hot pain seared the inside of his thigh.
For several seconds, Cooper was sure his mind was imploding before the world around him slowly came back into blurry focus. His brain felt like it had exploded as black dots floated in front of his eyes, and his body felt so odd, he had no words to describe it. He’d never had an orgasm like this one—the release defied description. Finally regaining his senses, Cooper looked down to see guilt in Catalina’s eyes as she pressed the flat of her tongue against two small punctures on the inside of his thigh. Holy shit, she’d bitten him—they were mated.
Cooper hated seeing the remorse in her expression. Damn, she had to know this was something he not only expected but wanted. Fucking awesome was the first thought that came to mind, and he swore some of the tension drained from her back and shoulders. Everything he’d learned about shifters over the past several years reinforced the connection he felt to Catalina. This was a step in the right direction, but only one of several he hoped they’d share in the near future. He needed to clear this up right now.