Page 25

CHAPTER 25 - ASTRA

T alk about a surprise. I wasn’t expecting this. A candle, cupcake, candy bars, can of Coke, a note, and a phone. No men in sight. Hmm. They were probably around somewhere, ready to pounce on me and lavish me with kisses, feed me, get me in the mood with the sexy candle atmosphere.

Sentry Ben stood in the corner of The Eye, where he took me, a secretive smile playing on his lips. Rushed me out of the cafeteria before I finished my dinner, more like it. Under a strict no-ask-questions policy, I thought I was up for a beat down for a hot minute there.

“This yours?” I lifted the phone, an inkling of what was going down scratching at the back of my mind.

He pulled out his lighter, flicked a flame, and lit the candle. “I know nothing.” He stepped outside the room, whipped out a cigarette, igniting that and indulging in it, giving me privacy.

That could only mean one thing. I flipped the note open to read the multiple styles of handwriting from each of my men.

A little something to show how special our Supergal is to us. She’s sweet like candy and cupcakes, bright like the flame, and smells as edible as the candle scent. And a Coke fiend.

Tor, obviously. Edible as a candle. Debatable. I checked the label. Salted caramel scent. Mmm, I was going to smell delicious.

Don’t think this is our only surprise, Sunset. Our girl deserves to be spoiled. You’re going to need all that sugar for what we’ve got planned.

Knoxe’s writing. I recognized it from his reports. H.O.T. They were probably going to fuck me into oblivion, and I was here for it. I swiped some frosting and licked it from my finger as I read White Lightning’s section.

Your next surprise awaits, Songbird. Come when you’re finished. We’ll be waiting. Wearing only red bows and ready to make music with you.

OMG. I never expected anything that raunchy from Pascal!!! My shy man had surprises galore. I bought them all a Lindt Easter Bunny one year and tied the red ribbon with the gold bell on their cocks. Sounded like we had a helluva lot of fun planned for tonight. The perfect ending for our three-day breather.

The phone rang on the dot at 7:30PM, and I folded the note and slid it into the breast pocket of my prison shirt. My hands shook as I lifted the phone and pressed the answer button.

“Hello.” I didn’t identify myself in case it was a ploy.

“I miss your voice, Little One.” Raze’s rumble vibrated through the phone.

“My w—” I cut off his nickname. Incognito and all that. “My man! Have you all been conspiring again?”

I wanted to know which of my men to give an extra special thanks to.

“Absolutely,” he rumbled, and I gripped the phone hard, not wanting to let go. “Your criminals are full of tricks.”

Were they ever. And I loved them for it. I didn’t want them any other way. Morally gray men breaking the rules all the way.

“How long have I got with you?” I sniffed back happy tears, throwing Ben a thumbs up when he glanced over his shoulder.

He smiled, pressed a hand over his stomach, bowed, and stood up and took a drag of his smoke. I was giving him a smacker on the cheek after this for being so kind to me and protecting my team.

“Thirty minutes, so make them count,” Raze informed me.

“The classic thirty or the dirty thirty?” I crushed my thighs together at the idea of the second one.

“Trust my Little Horny Beast to think of the latter,” Raze teased me back.

“How about a fifty/fifty split?” I proposed, half teasing.

“You’re still an animal.” Raze’s delicious tone went to all the right places, and I didn’t think a time split might be possible.

“Okay. Let’s get all the boring stuff out of the way,” I suggested, leaning back in my chair.

“Fine with me.” I heard the crackle of fire in the background, my mind winding back to nights spent by it, Raze stroking me, and us making love. “How are you? I miss you very much. My bed is cold without you.”

I held back the whimper wanting to fly free. “Miss you too. With all my heart.” My voice came out weak. “I’m doing well as can be expected. I’m worried about you.”

“Don’t be,” he assured. “I’ve been driving Liv and Dash mad with ideas to expand the sanctuary.”

I laughed, enjoying listening to his gruffness.

“Heather and Steele have been over every second night for cards and beers,” he added with a smile in his voice. “And they bring Steele’s little daughter.”

My whimper slipped free. We used to play a lot of cards at night in the prison before lockdown. I was going to hug the werewolves so tightly when we caught up again, for their companionship in a difficult transition.

I sniff-laughed. “Someone else likes to occupy their mind too.”

“Enough sad talk.” His voice cracked.

“Uh huh.”

“Are you eating, Little One?” Raze asked.

“No. I didn’t want to be rude.” Plenty of time to eat later. Better yet, paint my sexy men’s bodies with frosting and chocolate and lick it off them for organizing this gift.

“Eat your treats,” he urged, always looking out for my welfare.

“Which one?” I stroked the side of the phone in absence of doing it to him.

“I’d advise against the candle,” he teased. “You don’t want waxy teeth.”

“So sexy!” I played along.

“I’m guessing you’re planning some painting with the cupcake.” Hmm. My wolf knew me too well.

I belted out a laugh. “How did you know?”

His long hum stirred a fire that went dormant. “I’m a good guesser.”

I shifted the can away. “I’ll save the Coke for later, since you’re a huge fan of them.” He rumbled his pleasure at me. “That leaves candy.”

“Mars bar?” Raze enquired like he set this all up.

“Yes, sir.” I dragged the bar to me and tore off the end of the wrapper with my teeth since I didn’t have two hands to do it. “I’m surprised you’re letting me eat this.”

“I want you to eat whatever makes you happy,” he rumbled, kicking up my smile again.

With my neat little trick, I might be able to heal any damage from the sugar.

“Thank you, my man. I love you.” I took my first bite and moaned.

Raze’s rumble picked up speed and volume. I loved pleasing him. “I hear you’re coming for a visit after Christmas.”

“Absolutely,” I replied. “I’m sorry I can’t come on the actual holiday. I’ll spend a day or two with my family. Dad’s coming with me. It’s going to be a wild day in the Nomical family.”

“I’m pleased to hear that your pack is reuniting.” He sounded it too.

“We’re all coming to see you,” I told him. “So make room in your bed, get lots of beer, some ice for the ice box, and we’ll fish and feast.”

“Very good.” His chest thundered so loudly I barely heard him.

Australian Christmas was in summer, so no fireplace, unfortunately. We’d make do with other toys.

“I’m counting down the days, Little One.” There was some rustling on his end and a beep, and I assumed he put me on speaker to check his calendar. “Eighty-one days.”

One day without him was agonizing. How would I survive that many?

“Are you eating?” he reminded me.

I buried that depressing thought for now and indulged in my second bite, moaning again, knowing how much the sound did it for his wolf. “Mmm-hmm.”

“Good.” It sounded like he got up from his chair to add another log to the fire by the clunk of wood on cast iron. “I’ll make sure we have a holiday to remember.”

“I can’t wait, my man.” Eighty-one days would fly by. I’d bury myself in missions and laboratory work now that I managed the lab, since my former boss died in an attack by Devon and Eduardo. I’d not overlook a clue. We’d find those bastards, lock them up, and throw away the key.

“What else have you been up to?” Raze’s deep grit warmed me from head to toe.

“My men have been spoiling me to cheer me up,” I told him.

“That pleases me to hear. Wish I had three men to cheer me up.” I giggled at his joke.

“I can’t imagine you as a pampered princess.” I enjoyed our banter.

“Why not? I’ll have you know I enjoy a deep hair conditioning treatment.”

“On your chest!” I snorted.

“Oh, you are asking for a spanking, my little brat,” he growled, and I loved the drop in his voice.

“Pity I’m not in my cell,” I said. “I’d roll on my belly and let one of my men take your place.”

He thundered a longer growl. “That will be happening at Christmas.”

“Mmm. Yes, please.” I couldn’t wipe the smile from my face in anticipation of us all being together again. One. A pack. My harem.

“And what have you been up to?” I switched topics. “Besides conditioning your crotch hair?”

He let out a long laugh that encouraged my fire higher. “Brat.”

“You love it.”

“I do,” he admitted. “We had a fortunate find yesterday.”

I sat up straighter at his admission. “Yeah? Sounds like our luck is changing for the better with the bone witch’s curse.”

“It is.” I heard his boots clonk on wood, and I imagined my massive wolf reclined on his sofa, his long legs almost spilling off the coffee table. “We caught Theresa Sanchez campaigning other Guild members for their votes in an upcoming Councilor election in exchange for her support of their schemes.”

“Dirty rat!” I snatched my candy back and sank my teeth into it, pretending I was a wolf tearing into her throat.

“My vicious Little One is a goanna protecting her young.” I loved it when he compared me to the animals he revered.

“What else? Did you arrest her? Is she on trial?’ I wanted the lowdown.

I pictured her prissy face shedding crocodile tears and begging for forgiveness that I prayed never came. A resentful fire surpassed my glowing one for Raze and scorched my insides. That witch denied my appeal and advocated for her creepy rapist nephews.

“She’s being stored with friends,” Raze said. “And that is all I can say right now until we lock down officials willing to punish them and not take bribes.”

I tapped my nose. “Gotcha! Can I tell the others?”

“Not in those walls,” Raze said.

“I’m so pleased you’re making progress.”

“Things are certainly looking promising.” My heart lightened at his words after a year and a half of hell. “Tomorrow we’re onto another lead.”

“This gives me hope.” Hope of reuniting with him sooner than Christmas. Of us seeing the back of this prison. To my men and me living life on our terms.

“Me too, Little One.” The resentful fire died at his buoyant words.”

Ben knocked on the window and gestured to his watch.

Crap. “Ten minutes left,” I warned my wolf. “How shall we spend it?”

“We didn’t split it fifty-fifty,” he said. “So I guess it’s sixty-forty.”

I grinned. “Dirty, it is!”

His deep laughter exploded the fire in my belly. “What are you wearing?”

Oh, Raze was the best at phone sex. “A sexy Cosplay outfit of the Venomous Viper. It’s a leather skirt, boots, and a bodice.”

My wolf let out a long hum. “No cape?”

“Pffft.” I got a bit sassy and schooled him on superhero know-how. “The villains grab capes and choke you or trip you.”

“Tell me more.” Damn. That rumble went right to my core. “Laces, buttons or a zipper on the bodice? I want to know how to undress you.”

Good questions. “Zipper. It’s faster for when the Venomous Viper gets a call-out to save some hapless victim.”

“I don’t like zippers,” Raze growled. “I tear them.” Not for this Guardian’s uniform he didn’t.

“Tear mine, and I’ll spank your ass.”

“I love it when you talk dirty, Little One.” And the rest of the conversation descended into pure smut.