Craving Her Mates (My Wicked Mates Book 1) Read online

  “It’s a small world, Detective.” He was drawn to her pain, needing more than anything to make it stop. The hunger burned within him and he was fairly sure he would find the same fire in her eyes.

  He tilted her chin up so she met his gaze. “You can call me whatever you wish.” He bent down, and his lips met hers in a crushing kiss. Nothing like the chaste kisses she gave him at Inferno, but the soul-bending kind that left his cock straining against his khakis. His instinct was to fold underneath her and let her lead, but this time was different. She needed something else. And he was going to give it to her.

  A whimper escaped her lips, and she softened against him. The salty flavor of tears met his lips, and his eyes flew open. She watched him as he kissed her.

  “Natalia,” he breathed. “How long will we dance around this?”

  “What do you mean?” Her brow scrunched slightly with the question.

  “One hour was all it took to know who you were. There are no masks here. No walls to hide behind. Only us. Only now.”

  “I…”

  “Let me give you what you need.”

  Her laugh was bitter. “How the hell would you know what I need?”

  Ryder considered her. “To start with, you need to get out of those clothes. You’re covered in blood.”

  “And I suppose you have a handy shower just ready for me to climb into?”

  He took her hand and led her to a door toward the back of the office. Opening it, he revealed a fully functioning bathroom. “I work from home. Let me take care of you.”

  She shook her head. “I can do it.”

  “I know you can, but you shouldn’t have to.”

  He reached out and tugged at her suit jacket, easing the garment from her shoulders. Her eyes were closed tight, her breathing shallow.

  “Tell me your safe word, Natalia.”

  “Mmmm.” She started, and her eyes flew open. “Marshmallow.”

  God. She hadn’t said the word aloud in so long.

  Cage. Oh God. Tears blurred her vision and she blinked them angrily away.

  “Good.” He signaled toward her arms. “Up.”

  She complied, raising them up and before she could change her mind, he removed the soiled camisole, flinging it into a heap on the floor.

  “Sit, please.” He pointed to a chair, and she sank down, wary.

  “Color?”

  She smiled. “Green.”

  “Good. I see we remember the rules, at least. I need your boots, Natalia. It’s the only way the jeans come off.” He smiled at her lightly and tugged, the first boot coming off. She lowered her foot and raised the second one, her gaze never leaving his face.

  “You’re a smartass, you know that?”

  Good. He wanted her to participate in this…this seduction of her spirit. This was what he’d wanted from the moment she’d first touched him with her presence. The gift of serving her. Of making her happy in small ways.

  “Only with people I care about. Now, please…”

  He divested her of her socks and helped her stand. His finger on the snap of her jeans, he popped it open and slid the zipper down. Her breath caught, and he watched her nipples pebble beneath the thin taupe lace of her bra.

  “You have a beautiful body, Natalia.”

  “No…” She turned her face down, and her hair spilled around her shoulders, hiding her from view.

  “Natalia…” Ryder knelt on the floor, lowering her jeans. He held her hand as she stepped out of them, her dainty feet scrunching in the carpet.

  He rose and slid his hands around her waist, letting his fingers trace the scars he knew would be there. Her reaction today only confirmed his suspicions. She had endured so much, and he had waited so long to show her how he truly felt. The bra clasp was no match for him, and as he pulled the lace from her body, he bent down and kissed each breast, letting his lips guide him further down to the elastic edge of her matching panties.

  He gazed up at her and pressed a kiss to her mound. Her fingers slid through his hair, and she groaned. He slipped his fingers between her thighs and edged beneath the elastic and the damp fabric of her panties. His erection was becoming painful, but this was about her. Her acceptance of her beauty as a woman. As a Domme.

  “Tell me what you want, Natalia.”

  “I want a bath.”

  He hooked his fingers into the undergarment and slid the panties down her long legs, once again holding her hand so she could step out of them.

  “Good. Come with me.”

  ***

  Ryder led her into the bathroom. The cold tile on her bare feet made her shiver. He noticed and brought her to stand on a small area rug as he bent over and switched on the taps to the bathtub. The tub filled quickly, and he steadied her as she climbed in.

  The water was warm and enveloped her like a cocoon as she settled into the tub. “Thank you.”

  “It’s my pleasure.”

  She didn’t understand what was happening here, but in her heart it felt right. To be here with him was a balm to her soul.

  He knelt next to the tub. “Let me wash you.”

  Heat infused her and she took a deep breath. “I can do it.”

  “Let me. Please. Just lay back and let me take care of you.”

  A deep sigh reverberated through her and she nodded.

  “Good. Lean forward and close your eyes.” She heard a squeak and a sprayer come on, and then it was all about his fingers touching her scalp and running through her hair. The scent of sweet-smelling shampoo rent the air as he worked her hair into a lather, and with every smooth motion of his fingers, the ice around her heart began to crack a little bit more.

  He rinsed her and began to wash her with a large sponge, exploring her flesh in all of its imperfections. His gaze met hers as he touched her, the warmth in them nearly her undoing. Every hill and valley, curve, and hollow received his ministrations. Tears she didn’t know were inside of her slid down her face. She was humbled by the gift he gave her.

  When the last of the soap was gone, and her skin was purified from the day’s horror, only then did he release the water. Ryder stood and gathered up a towel, enveloping her in its warmth as she emerged shivering from the draining tub.

  He opened another door and led her into a bedroom. “I work from my home.”

  She nodded. “I had a doctor years ago that did that. He was good. But he didn’t understand.”

  “Not everyone can.” He closed the door behind them and removed the towel, placing it on top of a small hamper. “Your beast knows me.”

  “Yes.” She swallowed her eyes following his every move.

  “What are you?”

  “It’s hard to explain.”

  Naked, Natalia’s flesh tightened with goosebumps, her nipples hardening into small rosy buds. Her hair hung down in wet strips, and he went in search of a brush.

  “Let me brush your hair.” He picked up a hairbrush from the dresser and joined her, running his fingers down the side of her face.

  “Yes.”

  ***

  She sat down on the bed and he followed, running the brush down the long tangles of her wet hair. Stroke after stroke, he worked her until she swayed against him, a rag doll to this touch.

  “God, Ryder…”

  He placed the brush on the bed and captured her lips with his own, tasting her. She was intoxicating. Cinnamon and vanilla all swirled together in a spicy scent all her own.

  His lips moved over her, easing her back against the bedding. “Why are you doing this?” she rasped.

  “To give you pleasure.”

  Lower and lower he went until his lips pressed against the rounded swell of her belly and finally the thatch of hair at the apex of her thighs.

  “Open for me, Natalia.”

  “I…” She tried to squirm away, but Ryder held her firmly in place. After a moment the muscles in her thighs relaxed and her legs parted, providing him entrance.

  The fresh scent of her washed over
him, and he delved between her thighs, pressing kisses against the folds of her sex. He opened her legs wider and slid his tongue inside of her pussy, penetrating her. Her arousal spilled over his tongue, sweet and luscious against his lips.

  “Oh, God. Ryder…”

  “Tell me what you desire.” He pressed a kiss to the inside of her thigh.

  “Fuck me. With your mouth then with your cock.”

  Still clothed, Ryder smiled. “Your wish is my command, Mistress.” He unbuttoned his shirt, sliding it off and onto the floor. In moments, his pants and undergarments had joined the shirt, leaving him nude, his cock ready and able to take command.

  He dove back in, dragging her close to the edge of the bed. His lips and tongue licked and sucked her tender pink flesh until she was writhing beneath him. Ryder flicked her erect clit with his tongue and Natalia began to buck against him. At that moment, he slid two of his fingers inside of her, fucking her as she climaxed all over his hand.

  ***

  Her heart was going to come out of her chest. Her body still clenching from her release, she groaned as he moved away from her but smiled as she heard the telltale sound of a foil wrapper. Cock in hand, Ryder walked back toward the bed as he rolled the condom over his erection.

  Her cat mewled, arching her back.

  Mate. She purred. Natalia wasn’t sure she agreed, but whatever spell he was working on her was well…working.

  “I want you inside me. Now.”

  “You have only to ask…”

  His hair tousled and the steady gaze of his liquid brown eyes made her weak. She opened her legs, and he slid between them, the tip of his cock nudging her entrance.

  “So many years I’ve waited to please you,” he whispered against her breast. He took her right nipple between his teeth and nipped her slightly, causing another flood of arousal between her thighs.

  She arched her back, groaning as his lips claimed the left one, making stars appear behind her eyes as he brushed his cock up toward her sensitive clit.

  He moved then, piercing her with his cock, filling her hard and fast. He stretched her wide, all of the empty places gone as he began to move.

  Emotions whirled behind his eyes. “I want to watch you as I take you. Because next time it will be you taking me.”

  “Ryder…” His words made her weak.

  “No. Right now, in this, we take each other.” He thrust hard into her, splaying her wide, claiming every inch of her pussy as his own. Then he withdrew. “Come.”

  She blinked and scrambled up, following him as he moved off the bed. The afternoon light shone through the drapes, and she tried in vain to keep her back pointed away from him so he wouldn’t see her scars. Her imperfection.

  “Come here. Please, Mistress.”

  “I don’t know why you’re calling me that here. You are the one in control.”

  He shook his head. “No. It’s always been you. I’m merely guiding you where you need to go. Now, please turn around.”

  Her legs wouldn’t work. Panic slid in between her desire, and she froze, shaking her head. “I can’t.”

  “Let me help you.” Ryder moved behind her, placing a kiss on her left shoulder. He worked silently down the ravaged landscape of her flesh, each kiss making her whole. His cock slid between her legs, and his hands caressed her breasts and belly, moving lower until they reached her pussy. Light as a feather, he brushed against the tuft of her mound, making her wiggle against him.

  “That tickles.”

  “Good. Now, how about this?” He eased her forward toward the bed, spreading her legs wide. “Hold on.”

  Her cat rubbed against her skin, eager for him to fill her. She almost spoke, but bit her lip instead.

  She bent over the mattress just in time for him to surge inside of her once again, only this time he filled her and paused, letting his weight sink in.

  “You are beautiful. You are the Goddess of my world and have been since the day I met you. Never let me see you doubt yourself again.” With that he began to fuck her, his cock a piston inside her pussy.

  His lips trailed down every scar, licking and caressing them until he could concentrate on nothing else but his cock and her imminent release. Her pussy constricted against him, and he groaned, reaching underneath her body to pleasure her clit.

  “Come for me, Natalia. Mistress. I need to feel you come on my cock.” He wished he’d forgone the condom but it was too soon for that. Her energy pooled around her and he wicked it away like moisture into a towel. All of her pain. The worry. The sorrow. But especially her pleasure.

  Natalia shuddered beneath him, grinding her body into the root of his cock, taking him deep. “Fuck me. Hard. Grab my hair and bury my face in the bed.”

  A fist full of her mane, he pushed her face down to the mattress. He drove his cock into her over and over, fucking and filling her until she collapsed with a keening wail, her body twitching and spasming around him.

  His release exploded behind his eyes, his hips jerking uncontrollably as the fire that was her seared him, body and soul.

  But she wasn’t done with him. Not by a long shot.

  Smiling, she peered back at him through a curtain of her hair. “Come here.”

  He eased up, withdrawing himself from her sheath, and joined her on the bed. Moments later she was straddling him, his eyes wide.

  “Mistress.”

  “Mmmm.” She moved over his softened member and licked a trail from nipple to nipple, teasing him with her teeth.

  That’s when she felt it. The need to mark him. It was primal. He was hers and she wanted the world to know. Just the thought of it slickened her folds again and she could feel the cat shining in her eyes.

  “I need you again.”

  “Are you sure?”

  His cock stirred beneath her and she gyrated against him.

  “Oh, yes.”

  Eyes bright, he met her gaze. “By all means then.” He gripped her hips and she guided his now erect cock back where it belonged.

  She sank down on him with a sigh. This time she watched him as she moved and she felt the lick of power as it flitted over his skin.

  Her mate was more than a mere human, that much she was certain so she broached the question a second time.

  “What are you?”

  Ryder glanced away. “A topic for another time, I think.” He arched up grinding the root of his cock into her clit, almost throwing her off balance.

  “Oh…naughty.” She growled and began to thrust herself against him.

  This time there was no condom to get in the way and she felt him. Every inch of virile male. And he was hers. She was still tender from their first bout of lovemaking but the lingering edge of pain added to the pleasure with every stroke.

  Heat sparked between them and she rode him. His hands cupped her breasts, pinching and manipulating them until her first orgasm ricocheted through her body like wildfire.

  “Oh.”

  He opened his mouth, gasping, his flesh glowing as she shuddered against him. His cock pulsed within her and she groaned.

  Never had she felt as free as when she was in his arms.

  Then he moved beneath her, capturing her body and rolling her onto her back.

  A growl slipped from her lips.

  “I thought you might be shifter.” He responded with an amused grin. “That’s something to explore, isn’t it?”

  “I think so.” She wrapped her legs around his hips and draw him in deeper.

  Ryder grunted, the light still flickering in his eyes.

  “Mmmm.” He drove himself harder and she threw back her head, her teeth lengthening.

  Over and over he pounded into her and as the stars burst from her core, she buried her face against the topmost part of his shoulder and sank her teeth into his flesh.

  He shouted, shuddering against her as he found his own release, his flesh alight with energy.

  She disengaged from his shoulder, the taste of his blood on her lips.
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  Hers.

  Her cat purred her contentment and Natalia relaxed her legs. Pulling out, he gave her a sleepy smile and left the bed.

  Moments later, he returned, two washcloths in hand.

  Ryder gently cleaned her and then himself and she had to force herself not to become aroused yet again as he climbed back into bed with her.

  Was this how shifters mated?

  She supposed so. But damn.

  “I can hear the thoughts whirring around in there. Sleep.” He tugged blankets over them both and spooned her from behind. His cock twitched but they ignored it, happy, at last, to be held in his arms. Sated, she traced a finger down his arm and let sleep drag her down. Tomorrow would be another day.

  Chapter Six

  Cage scrunched his eyes shut, the evening news blaring in the background. Why he watched it, he didn’t know, but it felt better having the noise instead of the silence that had pervaded his life since Natalia had gone. The club was quiet tonight, and those that were downstairs were subdued and nervous. A murderer was in their midst, and the horrific scene at Shambles yesterday was leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.

  Just coming back from a run, he shifted back from his wolf form and walked naked across his living room floor. He had a special entrance built to make his comings and goings less conspicuous. If he didn’t run the fury out of his system, he was a miserable bastard and he didn’t want to do that to the folks at the club.

  He glanced up to watch the footage of the police crawling over the scene like ants. Ridiculous. The lot of them. He dressed and moved into his office, still distracted by what he imagined was happening at Shambles.

  He couldn’t stop thinking of Natalia and the last time they’d spent together in his home. She’d been angry with him. Probably for some dumbass comment he’d made. She had been facing the stove, and he could sense her irritation as she stabbed at the eggs with the spatula. Breakfast was one of the things he most enjoyed about their days off together, but that day something had gotten under her skin. It had been building up to either a fight or a bout of hot make up sex for a few weeks.