Page 21 of Tempting Her Dragons (Embracing The Bond #10)

Chapter Twenty-One

Saphira

I tip back my head and look into his swirling eyes. “I’m sure,” I say firmly. He stares, gauging my sincerity.

“What is your word?” he asks.

“Collar.” He spins me to face the window and I gasp, my palms hitting the glass, his body flush with my back.

“I noticed you can’t see through the window from the outside,” he says, his hands resting beside my head.

“My brothers tempered the glass with their fire.” I thought it was unnecessary.

“Good, so I can fuck you against the window,” he whispers in my ear.

“Yes,” I groan, my heart speeding. His urgency and statement of not being gentle makes the heat rise.

“Unbutton your pants,” he says. My heart squeezes.

“I want you to do it,” I say, and he tenses.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, Maverick. I trust you.” I never thought I could trust a man as much as I do him and King. I know they wouldn’t hurt me.

He moves slowly, sliding his hands down the glass and hovering in front of me. He waits for any objections for a moment before opening my pants. It’s freeing. As my zipper lowers, I tremble, eager. He claims gentleness won’t be a part of our time together, but he’s being nothing but.

“Fuck, baby.” He pushes his hands inside my pants and slides his palms to my hips. He crouches, pulling as he lowers. “I love your ass.” He nips at my cheek and taps my ankle. “Lift.” I bit my lip as the leather is removed.

His fingertips glide up the back of my legs, teasing the inside of my thighs and outlining my panties. I clench my jaw when he slips a finger underneath the fabric.

“Maverick,” I grit out. He promised fast, but he’s holding back. “You don’t have to go slow.”

“I know,” he says. “Are you wet?”

“Of course,” I growl, and he chuckles.

“Not enough.” He fists the side of my underwear, ripping.

“Shit,” I moan as the cool air hits me, and the other side is subjected to the same treatment.

“Spread,” he demands, and I lean further against the glass, moving my feet apart. I feel the roughness of his jeans rub against my ankles as he slides between them. He’s so close I can feel his breath. I expect him to take away the fabric, but he uses one hand to grab the front and the other to pull on the back. “Hold still,” he says, and a tug-of-war starts.

“Oh my god,” I whisper as the fabric rubs through my lips. “Maverick.” He sucks on the skin of my ass, moving faster and faster. I can’t help the thrust of my hips, wanting more.

He bites. “Don’t move,” he rumbles, and I close my eyes.

“Yes, Sir.” I stop, fighting my need.

“That’s it,” he says. “Your pussy is soaked, baby.” He drags his teeth to my hip and sucks. “I want you to come, just like this.”

“I can’t,” I protest, needing his hands on me.

“You can,” he commands. “Come for your mate. For your Sir.”

“Fuck.” I drop my forehead to the window. He pulls the fabric up, rubbing harder, longer, back and forth.

“Such a sweet pussy,” he says softly. “Do you want my cock?”

“Yes, please,” I moan.

“Then you have to come,” he says.

“Sir.” The pressure is building, but I need him to fill me. He takes his mouth away, and I flex my fingers. “No.”

“You can have my mouth after you get there,” he says. “What a gorgeous view I have. Once you come on your panties, I’ll give you my cock. I can’t wait to feel that pussy around me. I bet it’s so tight and wet.”

“Maverick,” I whimper. I lift my head, staring without focusing on anything outside, the fire beginning to flow over me. I thought I had gained some experience with men. I thought sex was a basic act to relieve tension. Shifters thrive on touch, but I hadn’t. Being with my mates, I know I needed the right men to teach me how good it can be.

“Get there,” he rasps.

“Yes,” I cry as I reach for it. He moves his hands even faster as the wave of pleasure consumes me. It rolls hard and fast. Before it leaves me, Mav is up, and I hear his zipper lower.

“Tilt your hips,” he growls. He enters me with one thrust. “Fuck, yes.” He curls over me, his hand fisting my hair, and I push back, urging him to take me how he wants.

“Yes, Sir.” I submit to him, my body barely done with the orgasm, but knowing the heat will be built quickly.

“Meant for me,” he says, and his hand slaps the window beside mine. “This pussy belongs to me.”

“Yes,” I hiss.

“Fuck, I want to fill you with my come,” he says, and I contract. “Do you want babies?”

“Mav, yes.” I have always wanted a house full of children.

“Our babies,” he groans. “We will fill you up every day. I can’t wait to see you round with our child.” The thought turns me on even more. I’m sure there is a more appropriate time to discuss the idea of children, but his willingness to build a family with me makes the pleasure rise higher. “You like it.”

“I want that,” I confirm.

“Good, now milk my cock. Pull the come from it.”

“Jesus,” I cry. His dominance, words, and the stretch of his cock engage every sense. He speeds up, the angle hitting all the right spots. His hand pulls, and I drop my head back, my mouth open in ecstasy.

“My good girl,” he hums. “You want to give me everything.”

“I do, Sir. Everything.” His rhythm changes to short thrusts of his cock, grinding before every push.

It is overwhelming in its intensity, and I come. My mouth opens, my mind screaming his name, but no sound comes out. Maverick’s roar echoes around us as he fills me, his hips pistoning for a minute and then stopping all movement, holding deep inside.

We collapse, pressing against the cool glass, our bodies drained. Our breath creates a film in front of us. I open my eyes. I must have closed at one point and hastily see our reflections. Mav’s head is next to mine.

“Next time, we take all our clothes off,” I whisper, and a laugh bursts out of him.

“Alright, baby.” He slowly stands straight, pulling out, his hands at my waist. “Are you good?”

“Oh, yeah,” I sigh.

“Hold on.” He adjusts his clothes. “Let’s get cleaned up and go to bed.”

“Okay,” I say, completely devoid of energy. I squeal as he swings me into his arms, my chest pressed to his. I wrap my arms and legs around him and smile. I could get used to being carried around.

He takes me into the bathroom. “You go first.” I reluctantly leave his arms, and he kisses me softly and leaves.

I look in the mirror and almost don’t recognize the woman staring back. My hair is messy, I am without pants or underwear, but my top and bra are still on. My face is completely relaxed, and I am wearing a silly smile.

I shake my head and quickly use the toilet. After I wash my hands, I strip my remaining clothes and slip on my robe. I think about brushing my hair but decide against it. I like what his love did to it.

Love.

Do I love him? Is this love?

How can I love someone so quickly? I imagine my life without him. Without King. My heart aches at the thought. Before meeting them, I had serious doubts that I could love or want to be with a man forever. I didn’t want to get hurt, but living without them would be what would hurt me.

When I open the door, Mav is leaning against the wall. He glides his fingers over my jaw before walking into the bathroom. Shit, I almost swoon.

Butterflies erupt in my stomach, and my heart melts. With a giddy smile on my face, I take a running leap to the bed and bury my face in the pillow to try to muffle my giggles. Get it together, Saphira. I roll over, rip off my robe, and bundle under the covers.

The bond guides shifters to the right person or people and pushes the need to mate. It can’t make you love. I don’t know how the universe knows who will be the perfect mate for you, but I’m becoming more and more convinced of the magic of it.

I turn my head as Mav appears, completely naked. Yummy. He lifts the covers on his side and uses one hand to pull himself up.

“You want children?” I ask, and he pauses briefly, covering himself. I relax on my side.

“Yes.” He resumes his movement and rolls to face me. “I wasn’t sure that I would. When I think about the hell we went through, it might have been difficult to want to bring children into the world.”

“You changed your mind,” I assume.

“I want to be a father,” he says softly, playing with my fingers between us. “Even though I lost my parents, I remember the love they had for each other and me. Finding Roxanne, having another wonderful woman to love me. . .how could I not want to share that with my own children?”

“That’s beautiful,” I whisper. “I always dreamed of having a big family. I wish I had memories of my mom and dad, but my brothers have told me stories. When I came here, I was welcomed into this wild bunch of shifters and vampires. They may be loud and interfere in your life, but it is filled with love. I could call any of them, and they would drop everything to help me or just to listen. When Micah mated Daisy, she feared we would judge her because she is a coyote. Everyone had bad experiences with her species at some point. Micah was prepared to battle. We respect the bond, and he had been waiting so long for a mate that in the end, we opened our arms.” I scoot closer. “I hope you like it here. They will go to battle for you and for King, too. You make me happy, and they would never go against that.”

He laces our fingers. “I’m not used to being in the middle of a big group. I can withdraw a lot. I will adjust and come to love them. I would never ask you to leave them or this place. I see how much they care. You’ll have to be patient with me.”

“I understand.” I kiss his knuckles. “I’m glad you found me.”

“I am, too.” He lets go of my hand and wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me into his body. “I will always be grateful the universe gave us you.”

“Mav—” I stop, nervous.

“What’s wrong?” he asks. “You can tell me anything.”

“I don’t want to take you away from your home. From Roxanne.” They have acted as if it is decided that they will move here. “Of course I would love to live here with you, but you have found peace with Roxanne.”

“We have found peace,” he says softly. “Here we have found a woman who is meant to be ours. Mom has already told us that you are our home.”

“I don’t want her to be sad.” It would be difficult to leave my family, but I want them to be happy.

“Mom is not sad,” he assures me. “I think she will decide to move here. We don’t have to make a decision tonight. We can discuss it with King, but I know what he will say.”

“What?”

“Our place is by your side, wherever that is,” he rumbles. “Your family is extensive. They have built a haven for shifters. We’ve never had that, and we will learn how to fit in.”

“You’re sure?”

“Don’t worry. It will work out,” he says, and I nod.

I kiss his jaw and tuck my head in the crook of his neck. I’ve never felt so at peace with my dragon holding me close. There’s only one thing missing.

“I’m worried about King,” I say. “Do you think he’s getting some sleep?”

“He doesn’t sleep much. I’ll drag him home in the morning.”

I put my trust in his words, but I can’t help but wonder how he’s doing. I drift off with my thoughts filled with my fierce dragons.

“Babysit,” I snarl with my hands on my hips.

“Uh…” Sally looks at Roxanne. “Maybe that was the wrong choice of words.”

“Maybe,” I growl.

“She didn’t mean it that way,” Roxanne says quickly. “We thought you would like to spend some time together. We could get some coffee. Get you out of the house.”

I glare from Sally to Roxanne. They arrived when I was getting ready for the day. Maverick woke me with a kiss and breakfast. He planned to check on King and make him come home to get some sleep. Sally informed us that they could babysit me.

They are acting suspiciously. I look at Mav, wondering if he senses something off.

“I would appreciate you keeping her company,” he says, and my eyebrows shoot up. “Saph, I think it would be good for you to get out.”

“Are you planning on hunting the twin?” I ask.

“Of course, if we find where to start,” he says.

“Mmm…” I think they would kill him in a second if they knew where he was without me. “Okay, I won’t turn down coffee.”

He kisses my cheek. “I’ll let you know when I’m able to drag King home.”

“Please do,” I say as he opens the door. “Tell him to eat, too,” I demand.

“I will, baby.” He smiles softly and closes the door, and I wait until I hear his car leave the driveway. Turning to the two women, I ask, “What are you up to?”

“Nothing,” Sally denies too rapidly.

“Would your mother-in-law lie to you?” Roxanne asks, inflecting hurt in her voice.

“Yes,” I answer dryly.

“I am so ready for coffee,” Sally says.

“Lock up, Saphy. Let’s go,” Roxanne says, hurrying out the door.

Sally smiles brightly and follows.

I shake my head and secure the door. I skip down the steps and hop in the back of Roxanne’s truck. I watch them look at each other no less than five times as we drive toward town. The silence is thick in the vehicle.

“How long did you stay at the club?” I ask.

“A few hours after you left,” Sally says.

“What did they find out?” I ask, not sure I believe Maverick is going to bring King home.

“Not much.” Sally drums her fingers on the top of the window.

“Of course, we know he’s here,” Roxanne adds.

“Of course,” I repeat. “All those computers and surveillance, and no one figured out where he is.” I know it’s not as easy as that, but they should have narrowed down the areas to search.

“All those men talk big, but I think they aren’t as good as they think,” Sally says, laughing lightly.

“Uh-huh…” I tilt my head when they share another loaded look. “Where are we going?” I ask.

“We told you,” Sally scoffs. “Coffee.” I cross my arms and lean back. I’ll let this play out. I bet the guys are on the trail and want me protected, leaving me out. The rabbits are hiding the plan, my mates’ and theirs.

We stop in front of my favorite cute coffee shop. I hope Rach is working. She knows exactly what I order. They have a dozen chairs in front and several inside. I follow them across the small parking lot and to a table to the right of the door. We barely sit before a waitress takes our order. The ladies are on either side of me, my back to the door.

“Are you in love with my sons?” Roxanne asks, and I choke on the air. Maybe I’m wrong, and this is a way to get me away to grill me.

“I…uh…” I lick my lips. “I would rather tell them my feelings.”

“She is,” Sally says, wiggling her eyebrows.

“I see.” Roxanne smiles. “I see how you look at them and how they look at you.” She leans her arms on the table. “Those boys have been alone for too long, but I understand their anxieties. Have they told you everything?”

“We still have a lot to learn about each other,” I say, hesitating. “They have told me about their childhood and what happened.”

“Good. That’s good.” She pats my arm. “I was afraid they wouldn’t open up. They were little shits after they realized I wasn’t going to hurt them or leave them. Since then, they have been the best decision I have ever made. I love them as if I gave birth to them. All I have wanted is for them to be happy and their life filled with love.” She stops when they bring the coffee and continues after the waitress walks away. “You’ve had it tough.”

“I have,” I say, holding my cup. “We can relate to each other. It breaks my heart, the things they went through.”

“I still see them as little boys sometimes, tied together in that closet.” She sighs and takes a sip. “It’s been hard to push the images away. I can’t imagine the nightmares in their heads. Maverick would wake up screaming.” I press my hand to my mouth. “I couldn’t go to him. I tried the first few times, but he would curl into a ball next to Kingston. He wouldn’t allow me to comfort him. King was the only one he would let touch him. It was heartbreaking. They have relied on each other. I didn’t know if they would accept a mate. I am thankful they are both your mates. I think it would kill them to be separated.”

I swallow hard. “King told me about the rope.”

“Yes, the rope,” she whispers. “I hate that he still wears it. He refused to take it off. When they had been with me for two years, I asked him if he wanted me to cut it off for him. He yelled at me and stormed away. I can understand his attachment, but it’s not healthy.”

“Why does he wear it?” Sally asks.

“It is part of the rope that was tied around their wrists when they were kidnapped,” Roxanne informs her. I sip my coffee and watch Sally’s face drop.

“Shit,” Sally says. “They have been through it.”

“Unfortunately,” Roxanne agrees. “They have come a long way. I know they will find some peace with you.”

“I hope so.” I take a longer drink. “I trust them. I’m surprised. It happened quickly. I see their pain. They are good men. If they didn’t have you after their experience, I don’t want to think about the effect. They love you desperately, and I have lots of respect for you and what you did.”

“I appreciate it, Saphy. They gave me so much more than I gave them.” She curls her hand around her cup. “I was lonely. I haven’t found my mate, and I don’t know if I ever will. I had work and the farm. I had fun when I wanted to, but nothing serious. I didn’t have a family. My dad wasn’t much of one. My mom was beautiful and kind, but she let him walk all over her. He liked to party and drink too much. He had plenty of shifter friends, but they were the wrong kind. One night he convinced my mom to go out with them, which she normally wouldn’t do because she didn’t like any of them. Dad asked her to dance with his friend, she refused, and he insisted. She gave in and when his friend decided he wanted to touch her inappropriately, Dad got mad, even though he made her. A huge fight ensued. They took it outside. My mom tried to step between them and was pushed.” She drops her head. “Mom cracked her head on the side of the building. Instead of trying to save her, Dad tried to kill his friend only to get killed in the process. All those assholes let her lay in the dirt, bleeding, unconscious, and unable to shift. I was still a teenager and had to grow up quickly.” She turns her face toward the street.

“What happened to the men who did it?” I whisper, feeling her pain.

“I didn’t know until two days later what happened. I thought they left me and I was crushed. I looked for them but gave up. One of the men who was there felt guilty enough to come to the house. He let my mom die in the dirt behind a crappy bar. Once they realized she was dead, along with my dad, they buried them in the woods. They didn’t call the police or tell anyone, not that the human police should be involved. It would have revealed our world. No one cared about the kid they left at home. All of them had been to the house and knew of my existence. As the story unfolded, my heart shattered, but a rage took over. We were standing in the kitchen, and I grabbed a knife. He panicked and lunged for me. We were both surprised as it slid into his stomach. He was my first kill. We lived in the country, so I didn’t have neighbors or friends. I gave him the same treatment they gave my mom and buried him in the woods. The others disappeared, and I left the area. I decided that day to help those who were in my position. The women and children who were trapped or abused. I didn’t want anyone to feel such hopelessness I felt.

“Those boys gave me a purpose. It was the best day of my life when I brought them home. The first time they laughed in the house I had to leave the room and cry in my bedroom. I’ve never heard a sound so beautiful. It took three years. Before that, I would only get a smile out of them.” She turns wet eyes my way. “Seeing Mav look at you this morning was stunning. His face was soft and loving. I am so fucking happy they found you.”

“Roxanne,” Sally whispers. “I’m so sorry.”

“It made me who I am,” she replies.

“Fuck, I’m sorry for your loss,” I say.

“It was a long time ago,” she says. “I told you so you know how much they mean to me, and how grateful I am for you.”

“So you did bring me here for a heart-to-heart?”

“Well, not just a heart-to-heart,” she says.

“What?” I ask, narrowing my eyes.

“We may have peeked at the list of frequented locations of the twin,” Sally says.

“We came here for a stakeout,” Roxanne says. “Also, to tell you how grateful I am for your presence in our lives. You are kind and strong, perfect for my boys.”

I soften. “That’s so sweet.” I shake my head. “You could have told me.”

“We thought you would give the plan away,” she says.

“One look into Mav’s eyes and his complete hotness would trap you,” Sally says. She holds her palm out toward Roxanne. “Sorry, it’s just a fact.” Roxanne shrugs.

“I need another cup.” I scoot my chair back. “I’m going to say hello to my friend who works here and order. When I get back, we have to decide how we are going to proceed.”

“Of course, Saphy,” Roxanne says as I leave the table.

I knew they had ulterior motives. I open the door and let a woman pass through before entering. I spot Rach behind the counter as I navigate through the tables.

“Rach,” I call. She turns around to face me, and she smiles.

“I thought that was you,” she says, pressing her hands to the counter. “I was too busy to come out.”

“I figured,” I say. “Can I get another?” I set my empty cup down. “How have you been?”

“Good.” She reaches for a new cup. “I haven’t seen you for a couple of days.”

“Sorry I haven’t called.”

“I assumed you’ve been occupied with work and family.”

I lean over the counter. “I met my mates,” I whisper, and she freezes.

“Plural?” she asks, the scent of her coyote flooding with surprise.

“Yes. No one was more surprised than me,” I snort, and she makes my coffee.

“Do you like them?” she asks.

“Very much.”

She glances at my dreamy smile.

“That’s great.” She smiles but it’s almost brittle.

“I’m going to run to the restroom real quick,” I say. “I’ll have to come by another time and talk more.” She nods, and I weave through the shop toward the bathrooms in the back.

Rach had just started working here after I moved to the cabin. I didn’t have many girlfriends growing up, and I had no idea how to build a friendship. Maddy was a mom and friend. Micah is like a dad, yet we are friends. When I met Sally, it was instant kinship, as with all the shifters and vampires in the family.

I finish in the stall and find the one sink that works.

I wasn’t thinking. I wasn’t on guard. I didn’t think I would be in danger in a coffee shop.

I was wrong.

Being kidnapped is never fun.

I didn’t think I would have to go through it a second time.