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Chapter Twenty

Sutton

“There’s somewhere I wanna take you,” Poe said when I handed over his drugs.

“Yeah? Where’s that?” I was too exhausted to deal with this creep and had to force myself to keep the repulsion out of my voice.

“We have a special event happening very soon. Something reserved for people who have proven themselves to be loyal.”

I fought to keep my expression neutral. This could be the break I needed, but I didn’t buy his bullshit about loyalty.

They’d literally just cut off Luke’s finger because they didn’t trust me—this was something else.

Maybe a way to inextricably tie me to whatever twisted shit they were a part of so I had no escape. “Does Tarrant know you’re inviting me?”

His lips twisted. “Don’t worry about Tarrant. Once he knows you can be trusted, things will change.”

“What things?”

“You don’t need to worry your cute little head about that either. Trust me to take care of this.” He looked kind of pissed off now.

Trust him? I wasn’t sure I’d met anyone more delusional in my life. I curled my lips in a soft smile. “Sorry. I’m just a bit nervous, I guess. So, what kind of an event are you taking me to?” I asked, doing my best to sound excited.

“It’s a surprise.”

My stomach churned. “Well, I’ll at least need to know the dress code. Is this thing dressy, casual, black tie? A girl needs to know these things,” I said and huffed a laugh.

He gripped the side of my throat, his hand sliding higher until he was cupping my face, and his eyes dipped to my lips. “Dress to kill, sweetness.”

I swallowed, and the sound was audible. “So dress and heels, the works?”

He nodded and leaned in. I wanted to jerk back, to shove him away, but I had to stand there and take it. I had to let him put his mouth on me and pretend I liked it.

While his hands roamed over me, I switched off; while his tongue invaded my mouth, I pretended I was somewhere else. I had to do this. For Luke and all the other people this asshole and his sick, twisted boss were hurting—and because Lucifer had commanded it.

Jagger was somewhere close, watching right now, and I imagined him fighting back his beast while this creep pawed at me.

His canines would be extended, his eyes red, every vein and tendon straining with his rage.

Knowing someone else was angry on my behalf helped as the seconds ticked by.

And after seeing what Kurgan lived with, the pain and longing inside him for his mate that he could never have, I knew what Jagger felt for me was something he had no control over, something no one would ever voluntarily ask for.

Jagger said it wasn’t the same for him, and the fact that he was staying back and not tearing Poe to shreds now, I guess, proved it.

When Poe lifted his head, I blinked up at him, coming back to myself, and he grinned, looking cocky as hell, obviously taking my faraway look as some kind of befuddled desire.

“Fuck, sweetness, love that look on you.” He cleared his throat and dragged his thumb over my lips. “Tarrant doesn’t like us fucking around with contractors, shit has gotten messy in the past, but once we bring you into the fold properly and his doubts are alleviated, we can be together.”

I wondered why he was being as restrained as he had been. Tarrant ran a tight ship; no fraternization with lowly members of the team, like me. Thank the goddess for that.

“The way you took care of me, healed me, no one’s ever done that.

I know now you want to be with me too. You’re mine, and I want everyone to know it,” he said, gripping my jaw tight.

“That’s why I get so angry when I see you with those hounds.

They act like you belong to them.” He shook his head and leaned in again.

“It’s making me fucking crazy, not getting a taste of you.

I want you in my bed, witch, and I will do whatever it takes to make that happen.

” He kissed me again, roughly, then with a growl lifted his head. “I have to go. Our buyer is waiting.”

I nodded. “Okay.”

“Get a nice dress,” he said. “And something sexy for underneath.”

I smiled and laughed again. “What’s your favorite color?”

“Red.”

Of course. How unimaginative. “What night is this event?”

“That’s a secret as well. Just make sure you get something ASAP, and be ready to drop whatever you’re doing when I call with a time.”

“Sounds good.”

He gave me another slimy head to toe, then left, getting in a car with Lars and taking off.

I quickly walked to mine, got in and, as agreed, headed straight for home. Jagger was worried someone could be watching, and after what Poe said, being seen with Jag now would blow this thing wide open.

Traffic was heavy, and it took me an extra twenty minutes to get home.

There was no sign of Jagger when I got out of my car, unlocked my door and headed upstairs. As soon as I reached my apartment I knew I wasn’t alone, though. The door wasn’t locked, but I wasn’t afraid, no, excitement burned through me.

I pushed it open. It was dark inside, but I felt his presence more deeply as soon as I walked in and shut the door behind me.

Maybe I should tell him to leave, but when Jagger pressed against my back in the darkness, his heavily muscled arms coming around me, I couldn’t do it.

Meeting with Poe, being forced to let him touch me, kiss me, I needed Jagger. I needed his scent and his warmth. I needed him to take it all away.

His lips moved over my throat. “I’m going to kill him, Sutton. I’m going to make him suffer.” He rubbed his face against mine, covering me with his scent, drowning out Poe’s.

I had to tell him about the event they had planned, but I didn’t want Jagger to stop touching me. I needed him more than I ever had.

He nipped my jaw, growling against my skin. “Please, baby. Please let me touch you.”

“Yes,” I said and covered his hand with mine, pushing if downward.

He shoved it down the front of my jeans and under my underwear, groaning when his fingers touched my bare flesh.

“Watching him touch you, smelling your fear while he put his fucking mouth on you, not being able to do anything to stop it, to protect you, almost drove me to insanity.”

His thick rough-skinned fingers brushed over my slickness, then slid deeper.

I stepped out, giving him better access to my body.

What I was doing for Rune and Lucifer was a risk.

I didn’t know what was going to happen to me tomorrow, let alone when I went to whatever nightmare Poe insisted I attend.

Yes, everything between me and Jag was messed up and confusing, but I realized I wanted this, for him to give me this, because tomorrow wasn’t promised.

Once upon a time, I thought I’d get a lifetime with Jagger, then I’d resigned myself to a life without a mate. Now I had no idea what my future held, so this, however long it lasted, wasn’t something I could turn away from, not now.

Yes, I would protect my heart.

But I wouldn’t turn him away.

I couldn’t even if I wanted to, not tonight.

“You feel so fucking perfect, sunshine.” His hand slid up under my shirt, and he shoved down the cup of my bra, covering my breast with his huge, hot hand while he teased my opening with the other.

“So tight, baby. That’s it, work your hips.

” He walked me forward toward the bed, then bent me over it.

I lifted my ass shamelessly as he positioned me on the bed, my hands and knees pressing against the mattress, then tugged my jeans and underwear down.

He stayed close behind me, his lips trailing down my back, then he toyed with my slick opening and, finally, slid his finger inside me, as deep as it would go.

I moaned. “Jagger.”

“Rock against my hand, sunshine. That’s it.”

I did as he said, fucking myself on that one, long, thick digit.

“More?” he asked raggedly.

I nodded. “Please.”

He slid all the way out, and when he pushed back in, he’d added a second finger. My pussy fluttered around the intrusion. Biting my lip, I pushed back against him, twisting my hips and trembling from the need building inside me.

“So fucking beautiful, baby. Your pussy stretching around my fingers, your honey sliding down those pretty thighs. Never seen anything more gorgeous, not in a thousand fucking years. Never seen anything more gorgeous as you working that hot fucking pussy for me.”

Every dirty, sweet, hot thing he said pushed me closer to the edge. I tried to move faster, but I was shaking too hard. It was as if Jag could read my mind; he hooked his arm around my waist, holding me immobile, then finger-fucked me fast and deep, hitting my G-spot over and over without mercy.

I fisted the sheets and cried out as my orgasm built like a crescendo inside me. Soon my arms gave out, and I buried my face in the covers and screamed, jerking and trembling as I came, for him, soaking my thighs even more.

“Fuck,” he snarled, then I heard the clink of his belt, and a moment later, the fat head of his cock was sliding against skin.

“Squeeze your thighs together, sunshine, squeeze them for me.” He hooked me around the waist, locking me to him.

“You’re not ready to take my cock, baby, but I gotta feel you around me. ”

Oh my gods. This was too fucking hot.

I squeezed my thighs around him as tight as I could, and he started thrusting between them while his mouth, his lips, moved over my neck, my shoulder, sucking gently.

“One day you’ll wear my mark, right here.

” He grazed his teeth over my skin, sending a shiver of need through me.

“The next time I have you like this, on your hands and knees, when all this fucking mess is over with…” I felt him shudder, and he licked along my throat to my ear.

“I’ll be sliding into this tight little pussy, Sutton. I’ll be fucking claiming what’s mine.”