With her body cradled against his, a single word echoed clearly in her head:
No
. Hell no. She wasn’t going to go on a run with him. He wasn’t going to just flash a smile and charm her into doing what he wanted. She refused to become just another floozy fan out to get her one night in, only to be brushed off the next morning. She didn’t want to be just another notch on his bedpost. Being with him was painful. Resisting him was painful.
So she was done. No running with him, no playing with him, no grabbing, groping, fondling, and especially no screwing.
But her voice betrayed her. “Okay.” The word came out a squeak and if Charlie had held herself rigid before, she was practically a statue now. His thumb brushed gently across the crest of one breast. God, stop before she came undone in his arms…
“You won’t regret tonight. You won’t regret staying.”
She let a growl slip free. “I’m not staying. I agreed to run. One run. Then I’m gone.”
He didn’t seem put off. Instead, he placed a butterfly-soft kiss on one shoulder. “Maybe, maybe not, dollface. Who knows what tonight will bring. Maybe our run will evolve into something a little more…passionate.” His lips curved against her skin, wicked.
A flutter of want surged to the surface, tingling in her stomach, and she was quick to suffocate that feeling with a burst of sudden anger. She ripped herself out of his grasp and spun on him, jabbing him in the chest with her fingertip. Hard. And the bastard didn’t even have the good grace to wince.
“You’d better watch who you’re calling dollface, you…you…jerk!” Oh, god, that felt so
good
! She’d been dealing with the band’s shenanigans for too long now, but ultimately, they were the ones who signed her paychecks, so she had never allowed herself the treat of going off on any of them, even for a simple insult. It felt so amazing, just to unleash it for once. She wanted to skip and jump and—
“…Jerk? What are you, fifteen?”
She narrowed her eyes. “Don’t start with me, Alexander. I’m officially off the payroll and I’m free to say whatever I damn well please.”
He closed the small distance between them in one fluid move, lowering his face to hers, their lips so close that she could feel the heat of his breath as he let out a low growl. “Would you care to repeat that, sweeting? Because the way I see it, if you’re off the payroll, then I don’t have to keep a respectable distance from you for fear of sexual harassment…” His hand cupped her shoulder, sliding warm fingers down her arm.
She flushed with heat, a mix of arousal and embarrassment flowing through her, setting her veins on fire. Her hands formed fists at her sides. The arrogant bastard! He assumed just because he was hot, just because he was the kind of guy that sent her wolf howling her approval, that he could have her if he only crooked a finger? Well, he’d been crooking since the first day she’d hired on and she’d yet to do anything other than turn her nose up and walk away. Why did he think tonight would be any different?
“You self-important egotist. Payroll or not, there’s no way I’d be attracted enough to fall for any of your autocratic charm. So take a hike,
sweeting
.” Feeling accomplished from the release of several years of pent up frustration, Charlie spun away. She was done. Done with him, done with the band. Done.
She only managed to take a single step before his fingers curled around her arm, a rock hard grip that jerked her back. Biting back a gasp, she turned to stare up into Zane’s fiery eyes. Within the golden depths lurked anger, frustration, and desire and her heart caught in her chest. The laid-back, confident leader was gone and in his place was an alpha—a seriously pissed alpha.
“No way, huh? Wanna put your money where your mouth is?” His words sliced through the air like knives. Hard. Daring.
A nervous chuckle worked up her throat. “Very funny, Zane. Now why don’t you let me go? Once I’m gone, tomorrow you’ll be able to have a nice laugh about this evening.”
“Does it look like I’m laughing?” The grip on her arm tightened a fraction and a tremble worked through her, rattling her to the bone. Warmth seeped through her, despite wishing that she didn’t react like this to him every goddamn time. He stepped forward, into her, and she backed up. In a moment, he had her pinned with her back against the wall, his eyes gleaming with a brilliant intensity. She felt like prey about to be devoured by the predator, but this predator was intent on toying with her first.
Her brain skipped ahead, working in overdrive, blowing circuits and fuses left and right and in that moment, nothing else mattered except for Zane. She wanted to reach up and kiss him, to feel the velvet touch of his lips against hers—and at the same time, she wanted him to back the hell up. She needed room to breathe!
“I’ve wanted to do this for so long, Charlie… So long. Now what’s holding me back from taking you? What’s keeping me from making you mine?” His rumbling voice sent tiny chills tracing down her spine, chills that wormed their way to start the furnace in her belly. “All these years and you can’t tell me you don’t feel it. This…yearning. I know you do; I can see it in your eyes.”
A spark of protest bubbled in the back of her throat. She squirmed against him, trying to find her freedom. His eyes, usually so mellow, now made her want to scratch and claw to get away from the frantic, fluttering feelings she had bursting to reality, screaming at her to do something, anything.
He pulled away, just by an inch. “So that’s it, then? You’re not attracted to me?” His words were slightly mocking, but all she could do was look up at him. “I couldn’t do anything to keep you? All right. I’ll make you a deal. Let’s play a little game…”
His hands skimmed down her sides, teasing. “Don’t react to my touch and I’ll let you go. But if you react, even just the tiniest bit, then I win and you have to stay. You’ll give me until the end of this tour to figure out just what I’m going to do with you…” His lips quirked.
“But—I—No…”
“Shh.” She stiffened as Zane lowered his lips to hers, closing the distance between them in one fell swoop, but god… She couldn’t bite back the soft growl that escaped her throat even as she tried to hold still, tried to resist the feeling of his lips gliding over hers, his tongue teasing, exploring, enticing even as his hands skimmed down her sides, cupping her ass and pressing her flush against him.
She wasn’t going to respond. She was going to stay still and wait for this to be over.
Wasn’t going to respond…
Wasn’t going to…
Damn it…
She knew the exact moment that her precious resistance snapped like a dry twig under a wolf’s paw. The self-satisfied growl that escaped Zane’s throat was the only noise he made as he deepened the kiss, intent on eating her whole. Her heart pattered against her ribcage as she broke away. She pulled her face from his, trying to catch her breath. The only thing holding her up was his hands on her bottom. Otherwise, she’d probably be a puddle on the floor.
“Zane, I—”
He pressed two fingertips against her lips to shush her, his smile wickedly angelic. “No words. You’re mine for the rest of the tour, but more importantly, you’re mine for the rest of the night. What do you say, sweeting? Ready for that run?”
Chapter Three
Zane’s head reeled. She tasted better than he’d ever dreamed—and he’d dreamed about this for years. Sweet like nectar with a tinge of ripe blueberries, he could’ve lost himself in her mouth. He held her in his arms despite her taut muscles, tensed by his touch, but her steely eyes had darkened even as she broke the kiss. She was so beautiful that it physically hurt.
And she was
his
.
His wolf reared its head, dominant, wanting to claim her, mark her so that no other male could lay his hands on her. He took a sharp breath in, letting it back out through his nose. He wanted to, but he knew better. She didn’t want to be claimed—not yet, anyway. But he’d sway her. Someday, somehow.
He released her, stepping away, a smile on his face. Oh, she’d come around. It might take a little time, but Zane was no stranger to hard work. He’d grown up on the slum side of town, his family raising their pack in poverty. He’d moved out at sixteen after a fight with his mother and worked two jobs just to make ends meet. High Velocity had been nothing more than a pipe dream back then, but when the band really took off, he’d thanked the big guy upstairs for the blessing.
“Come on,” he murmured, catching her hand in his and giving a tug and together they wound back through the halls, meeting up with a small cluster of people.
A burly guy with tattoos of fierce tigers spiraling in sleeves down his arms caught sight of them and shuffled over. Conner—wasn’t that the name of the guy taking over Charlie’s spot? The man offered an easygoing smile, jerking his chin in the universal man-nod. “Hey, Char, thought you were leaving for the evening?”
Zane’s gaze cut to Charlie, who merely shrugged. “Plans changed, but I’m off the clock. Don’t worry, you’re still in charge.” She paused. “Everything smooth?”
“Smooth as silk. I’ve got it under control,” he assured her. They exchanged a few more words before Conner strode back off.
Zane watched him go, then turned to Charlie, a serious expression on his face. “That’s your replacement?” She met his gaze boldly with a nod and he couldn’t help but smirk. “Parker’s right. His ass isn’t nearly as nice as yours.”
She rolled her eyes and he pulled her along, heading towards the now-empty stage. He and the guys had staked out a large section of forest for tonight’s run the day they’d arrived in the city and Zane knew that they’d be on their way there. It was still early enough that he and Charlie could catch a ride, but… As much as he longed to run with his pack, he didn’t want to share Charlie with them. Maybe next time, but not tonight.
A little further and then they were alone in the silence of the stadium. Zane flashed a quick smile and with her hand still snared in his, he pulled her towards him. She made a soft sound as he stole a kiss, then spun away with the grace of a deer.
He closed his eyes, willing his wolf to rise. There was a shimmer of magic and the crackle of bone, then in Zane’s place was a large white wolf, sprinting off across the stadium, his tail flagging through the air.
He stopped several yards away, turning to look over his shoulder at the slender woman standing where he’d left her. With a quirk to his head, he dropped low in a bow, giving a yip for good measure. He focused on a sentence, aiming it at her, knowing she’d hear it. While as wolves, they shared a sort of mental connection, a bond that allowed them to push thoughts and images towards one another.
Come on, Char, you know you wanna.
Teasing. Playful.
He watched her resistance crumble, the call of a run too tempting. She took one step forward, her back arching as the change overtook her swiftly. And damn, she was beautiful, a lean black wolf with a rusty sheen, the very ends of her plush fur curling gently at the tips. Her muscles bunched beneath her coat as she bounded his way, then whizzed past him into the stands.
He let out a joyous sound and bolted after her. His long strides ate up the cement floor as he stretched out in a full-out run. He grazed her side, nipping at her ear, then twisted and ran in the other direction. She sprung after him, two silent sprites doing an intricate dance that only they knew. All Zane felt in this moment was simplicity, happiness.
With each move that they made, they fell into a semblance of normality. Charlie’s gait became bouncy as she flagged her tail, nipping at his scruff with careful teeth. He leaped clean over the top of her and she was hot on his heels once again. This went on for what seemed like a wonderful eternity.
She dropped down in a play-bow, her long tail wagging. Even under the harsh fluorescents of the stadium, she was beautiful. Her tongue lolled out of her mouth and her eyes, which had brightened to vivid blue with the change, gleamed with an ornery sparkle. Teasing him.
Zane paused. This was the first time he’d ever seen her play. Hell, this was the first time he’d ever actually run with her, side by side. Despite being a part of Elysium, she’d always kept herself distant, as if she preferred solitude over the joy packlife could bring.
He liked this side of her. It made her shine like the brightest star in the sky and in that moment, his heart clenched. He wanted her more than he’d ever wanted her before, all those years of yearning after her, all those years of her cool, confident rejections and the way he’d licked his pride. When deep down, this meant more to him than just a casual fling.
He wanted her, by his side.
She yipped, breaking through his thoughts. With a wolfy grin thrown over her shoulder, she took off again and this time, Zane didn’t waste any time chasing her. They made a lap around the stadium, then made it two. His shoulder bumped against hers and the force of their movement sent her stumbling. Zane plowed her over and they rolled across the ground.
They wrestled for a moment, soft growls and pants escaping them. She met him move for move: Strong, capable, confident. Zane rolled her to her back, his paws on either side of her neck. Yet, as she relaxed beneath him, she was soft. Feminine. She stared up at him and their eyes locked. His tail never stilled and she nibbled at his jaw like a puppy might, her own tail brushing the ground.
His.
And Zane decided right then and there that he’d keep her. No matter what the cost, he’d keep her, through the tour and every day after. She’d come around.