Page 30 of Jace’s Mate (East Coast Territory #1)

Anikka blinked. “He never wanted me to leave the house,” she admitted quietly.

“Uncle Wilton hated me going out—especially alone. Even going to the grocery store was a fight. But he wasn’t exactly detail-oriented.

No specific rules. Just control.” She chewed on her lip, thinking.

“He’s not… smart enough to pull off something complicated. ”

Jace’s voice was low, deadly calm. “Then someone else is pulling the strings. Someone with resources—and a reason to keep her from me.”

They all knew what that meant.

“I’ll dig into his financials,” Megin said, already moving. “See where the money’s coming from.” He was gone a heartbeat later.

Ciaran clapped his hands, focus sharp. “I’ll keep searching for his current location. Once we get a ping, we’ll have eyes on him 24/7—cameras, audio, everything.” He followed Megin out the door.

That left Ragnor.

He turned to Anikka. “Anything else? Something your uncle said? Visitors he spoke with? Or maybe comments from the other guards?”

Anikka closed her eyes, reaching back through the fog of all those years. But the memories were scattered—fleeting. “He avoided me, mostly. Unless I was cooking, I was invisible.” Then she opened her eyes and looked at Jace. “But I’ll keep thinking. If anything comes back, I’ll tell you.”

“Thank you,” he murmured, brushing her cheek with the backs of his fingers. The heat of it shot straight through her. Her breath caught. Her thoughts tangled.

Ragnor snorted. “You two are officially useless,” he muttered, then made his exit.

“I need you alone for several hours,” Jace growled under his breath.

Anikka’s eyes twinkled. “I think I need that too.”

He groaned and closed his eyes. “Don’t say things like that, Anikka.”

But it was too late. Her body swayed toward his like metal to a magnet, and he caught her with a low growl.

“Why are you allowed to say whatever you want,” she murmured against his chest, “but I’m not?”

“Because I’m supposed to have control.”

She leaned back just enough to meet his eyes. “Do you?”

“Not even close.”

She smiled. “Then I don’t feel so bad.”

Whatever restraint he had left snapped. With one swift motion, he lifted her into his arms and strode toward the hallway.

“Is this another moment like the field this morning?” she asked, holding on to his shoulders. “Because I don’t want another rejection, Jace.”

“I didn’t reject you.” He hit the elevator button with his elbow. “I just didn’t want our first time to be in the dirt.” He looked down at her. “You deserve better than that.”

She studied his face, heart thudding. “You could’ve said something.”

He met her eyes, the honesty in his voice disarming. “At that moment, I couldn’t speak. I wanted you too much.”

The elevator doors closed behind them. With a soft thud, he pressed her against the mirrored wall, breathing hard.

“And right now?” she whispered.

“I still want you too much.”

The elevator couldn’t rise fast enough.

Her hands were already tearing at his shirt, nails scraping bare skin. He hissed her name through clenched teeth, but didn’t stop her. Didn’t want to.

When the doors finally opened, he didn’t make it to the bed. He didn’t even try.

Not this time. Maybe not next time either.

Now that they were alone, and this wasn’t her first time, he didn’t have to hold back.

“You’re mine!” he growled, his inner wolf vacillating between a growl and a purr as, with one hand, he reached up and ripped her shirt off.

Thankfully, she wasn’t wearing a bra and her breasts were even more beautiful in this light than they’d been in the conference room earlier.

Not that he’d actually examined them too closely.

That time had been too frantic, the need too close to exploding.

He wanted to howl with frustration when he noticed her jeans and sneakers, but thankfully, Anikka’s need was just as strong. She was simultaneously kicking off her shoes while releasing the button and zipper on her jeans, pushing them down along with her cotton panties.

Finally, she was completely naked. Meanwhile, Jace had only unzipped and released his shaft, too overwhelmed by the sight of Anikka naked, her soft, full breasts dancing with her jerky movements. He couldn’t hold back. And he didn’t want to.

“Jace!” she whispered, stepping into his arms. She took over from his hand and he hadn’t even realized he’d been stroking himself.

But when her fingers wrapped around his shaft, he nearly lost his balance.

Somehow, he finally made it to the end of the bed and laid her down.

Before he could do anything more, Jace spread her legs and… thrust into her.

At that point, feeling her soft heat surround his shaft, he roared with pleasure, his head thrown back as he gripped her hips, thrusting deep into her core.

When he opened his eyes and looked down, Jace was fascinated by the sight of his mate, Anikka, splayed out beneath him.

Her arms were wide, her hands fisting the comforter on his bed while her back arched, urging him deeper.

Then he started thrusting, one hand gripping her hips to hold her in place while his other hand reached up, cupping her breasts, pinching her nipples, then smoothing over the extended tips.

Over and over again, with every thrust, he pinched her nipple, then soothed it while he pulled out.

The erotic sight of his previously prim Anikka in the throes of abandonment was so hot, his head spun with dizzying desire.

With the hand that had been teasing her breast, he moved down to the juncture of her thighs.

With the pad of his thumb, he rubbed that sensitive nub.

Anikka gasped at the intimate touch, then grabbed his wrist with one hand.

Jace thought that she was going to pull his hand away, which wasn’t going to happen, but instead, she moaned…

then pressed his thumb against that nub in a different way.

Jace watched, taking in every detail and trying to memorize what she liked, what her body needed.

But the image of her directing him, showing him what she liked, was too damn hot!

He nearly exploded and…when he felt her body start to shudder, he released his control and climaxed right along with her.

The sensation of her inner muscles pulling, tugging at his shaft was the hottest thing he’d ever experienced!

Moments later, he nearly collapsed on top of her. Bracing his arms around her, he stared down at her, breathing heavily as he enjoyed the last few shudders of pleasure.

He’d thought that the moment was over. Jace thought that he could move to her side and spend a few minutes lazily running his hands over her soft skin, talk to her and enjoy a few moments of peace.

That was before Anikka turned her head and stared right into his eyes. The smile she gave him felt like an electric current right to his shaft. Within moments, he was hard and more than ready all over again.

Anikka was just as surprised as he was, but he didn’t have the ability to explain that her smile had done that to him.

Instead, he lifted her up, still intimately connected to her, and he climbed fully onto the bed.

When he was in the center, slowly, he leaned back, settling her so that she was straddling him.

“Your pleasure, love,” he groaned, pushing a pillow behind his head. This allowed him to take in all of her. Watching the connection of their bodies, her swollen pink folds wrapped around his erection! Every part of her was lovely, but that spot…he loved it. Hell, he loved her!

Before he could analyze that thought, Anikka distracted him by shifting experimentally.

He looked up, noticed that her eyes were closed, her head tilted back slightly as she explored this new position.

He’d thought she’d looked glorious moments before?

Anikka on her back, her body spread wide for his visual delight was nothing compared to Anikka straddling him as she discovered her own pleasure!

Hell, he was about to climax again already!