Claiming Their Cat (15 page)

“Come for me, Cat, ‘cause I still have a surprise for you.”

What? Nothing could
get
better than this. Her core contracted as sweet,
hot
pleasure
rolled up her spine. She threw her head back as waves of ecstasy exploded through her.
And then she felt it, the beads pull
ing
from her ass, each one caressing sensitive tissue.
The
sensation
fed her orgasm, sent her even higher.

“Yes,” she hissed as she rode out her orgasm.

The beads clattered to the floor, and Rio gripped her hips. She felt his cock swell right before his seed
shot
against her womb. “Fuck yeah,” he bellowed as he ground into her.

Cat loved it
hard
and fast,
s
omething she was sure no other
man
could do
.

Rio pulled out of her, and she
immediately
turned and sat on the cold, hard tile.
“You wear me out.”

He sat beside her. “No, you
wear
me out. How’s your
leg
?”

“Fine.” At that moment, Cat2 did
a flip
, and her
belly
jumped.

“I saw that,” he said. “Amazing.”

Yeah, it was.
A precious life grew inside her; a life that she had
purposely
conceived to use against Alvarez.
Pushing those thoughts aside, she asked, “You want to feel?”

“Sure.”

She took his
big
hand and placed it on her tummy. It didn’t take long for Cat2 to
kick
. It felt weird at the same time that it felt right. Rio was destroying all the thoughts she had about killers for hire. He wasn’t some mean-ass
brute
who abused women—pregnant women.
Cat wanted to hate him; she really did.

“I’ve still haven’t tasted your pussy.”

Okay, that was unexpected.

“After you have the baby, I want you bare.”

“What?”

Rio
pulled her into his lap, her back to his chest, and grabbed a
flexible
showerhead. He sprayed the warm
stream
on her privates. Even that caused her pussy to
contract
.
When she was totally wet down there, h
e wet her hair and then applied shampoo. His
muscular
fingers kneaded her scalp. Her eyes fluttered closed. “I
want
your pussy
bare
,
as in no hair. I’m sure we can find someplace that does
private
waxes.”

What did he say?
Pussy bare.
“Then I want you bare as in no hair
, too
.”

He stopped moving his fingers on her scalp, and a shudder ran through him. She grinned wishing she could see his face.

“I’m sure some men do, but I’m not going to be one of them
.
”

“Why? I’ll do it if you will.”

She wiggled her
head
to get his fingers moving again.

“Women shave their legs and their underarms. I’m just asking you to add one more
spot
.”

“Well, men shave their faces, and some shave their heads.
I’m just asking you for one more
spot
.” This conversation was getting ridiculous, but she had to admit being exposed did have some appeal.

“Okay, if I shave my head, will you shave your pussy?”

That would never do. She loved everything about his hair, the color, the length, the shine, the body.
Really, what’s not to love?
“Please don’t shave your head.”

“Okay, but will you
shave
your pussy for me. Please.”

A killer asking ‘please.’ That had to be a first. “I’ll think about it.” She had to
have
the baby, and she
still
had
to be
here.

“Take all the time you need.”

Time was the one thing she didn’t have. Rio stood up and edged her under the rain head. She leaned her head back and rinsed out the shampoo. Holding her steady, he grabbed the conditioner. He worked that in too, and then helped her rinse.

“We need to get you out of here before you turn into a prune.”

“Just dry me off and throw me in the bed.”

He helped her out, dried her off with a big, fluffy towel, and sat her on the toilet seat. “Can you stay awake long enough for me to dry your hair
?
”

“I can’t make any promises other than I’ll give it my best shot.”

Rio somehow managed to
negotiate
a brush through her hair without pulling out any of it, and it was so soothing, her eyes crossed as she
tried
to stay awake.
Maybe beautician traits ran in his family. The fact that he
owned
a
hairdryer
was a surprise.
Probably left by one of his previous lovers. Hell, she didn’t want to think about all the beautiful women he’d been with.

When her hair was dry, he scooped her up and deposited her in the bed.
“Let me change your bandage.”

“You can do whatever you want to do as long as you don’t wake me up.”

“Hmmm. I don’t think you can sleep through what I have in mind.”

She grinned. “I’m sure.”

Cat barely felt the bandage come off, but she did
feel
something being dabbed on it. “That hurts, you know.”

“Sorry.”

When he was finished, he said, “I have three surprises for you, but I think you’ll only be awake for the first one.”

“I’m game…if I can go to sleep.”

“Just close your eyes and I’ll be right back.’

“That I can do”

She knew he went back
into
the bathroom, but she didn’t care. Sleep. She needed sleep. Cat rolled her head to the
side
when he picked up her leg and rubbed body lotion on it. “Where did you get the lotion?”

“You’ll have to thank grandmother for the shampoo, conditioner,
hairdryer
, brush, and body lotion.”

“Don’t let me forget it.” Ila was a blessing.

Rio worked her calf and then the bottom of her feet being protective of her toes. Her bones melted into the mattress.

The last thought she had was…he’s too
good
to me.

Cat was asleep
by the time he got to her belly. He placed his palm on her stomach hoping for some
movement
and
at the same time,
hoping her
child
would
let
her sleep for a little while. After pulling the covers over her, he left her to
rest
and hoped his dick would take a break. Caressing her had made him
excruciatingly
hard.

Rio pulled a beer from the fridge and punched in Draco’s
number
. It would take him a day or two to
put
a team on Cat’s family—or
kill
a boyfriend. Hell, she may have a
husband
for all he knew.
Nah
.
Cat and infidelity—
his gut told him
that would never happen.

“Rio, it’s about time you called.”

“Well, the sun hasn’t been
down
that long? Besides, I had to
retrieve
Cat.”

“She ran from you?”

“Yep, into the woods.
I don’t think she’ll ever do that again. Anyway, what did you
find
at Lucy’s?”

“Well, it was surprising,
to say the least
.”

“And what does that mean? Did you get the letter?”

“No. No letter.”

“Why didn’t you freeze her and find the letter?”

”I couldn’t, man
.
”

“Why?”

“Lucy’s my
mate
, and I can’t use that or
compulsion
on her. I can’t even get into her mind.”

Rio’s heart stopped beating. “What? That can’t be. I wouldn’t
wish
you
on my worst enemy.”

“Thanks, Rio.”

“Sorry, but you know, you’re not a person I’d recommend to my friends, and not because you’re a vampire. You just don’t have those settling down genes.”

“And you do?”

“Yes. I put my
mate
first.”

“So do I.”

Rio had a hard time believing that. Draco was the most self-centered, self-serving person he knew. “Where is Lucy?”

“Lucy is sitting across from me in my home. Her eyes are spitting daggers at me.”

“I’ll
bet
. She probably blames me t
o
o.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Did you at least get rid of the riffraff around your house? Lucy shouldn’t be exposed to all that sex and feeding and strangers running around naked.”

“I know.
I sent everyone away except for the hired help, and I actually have clothes on.”

That might be a first
. “Let me talk to her.”

Draco hesitated.

“I just want to ask her if she’s okay.”

Rio heard shuffling on the phone.

“Hey Rio,”
said
Lucy. “Are you a werewolf?”

“Afraid so. Listen Lucy, I never meant for this to happen. I just want to
protect
Cat’s family if she has any.”

“Tell this moron I’m not his stupid mate and to let me go home.”

“I don’t know if you’re his
mate
or not, but Draco has never lied to me. I’ll talk to him and see what I can do.”

Draco got on the phone.
“Rio, don’t tell me how to handle my mate.”

“
Y
ou can’t kidnap her.”

“Really?
So
if
your Cat wants to
leave
, you’ll
let
her?”

“No, that’s different. Cat’s life is in danger. Lucy’s is not.”

Draco told Rio about the burglars. Rio was relieved that it had nothing to do with Alvarez. “Let me talk to Lucy.”

“What, Rio?” asked Lucy.

“You should stay with Draco so the person who wants Cat can’t find you.”

“I have a fucking clinic to operate. I can’t sit
here
all day while he sleeps and then
stay
up all night because he’s up. I don’t
want
a man in my life. Now, get me out of here.”

Rio understood her frustration. Mating with humans was a one sided
thing
in the beginning and humans didn’t care for it. “Trust me, Lucy. Your
life
is more
important
than your business.”

“No, hell no, it’s not.
I’ve worked hard to get where I am. I’m not going to put it on hold because you
think
I may be in trouble.
”

“Let me speak to Draco again.”
He felt like a Ping-Pong ball bouncing between them.

“Have you figured out a way to help me, man?” asked Draco.

“Yep. Let her
go—.
”

“Now, wait a minute.”

“Hear me out. I’ll
send
a security
detail
to look after her during the day, and during the night, you can—court her.”

“Really?
This is your
grand
plan?”

“Lucy’s my friend. She doesn’t
want
to be controlled. As her mate, you’re gonna have to respect that. Just tell
her that you
’ll take her home
if
she’ll—I don’t know—let you
date
her. Hey man, I don’t claim to know how this mating shit works.”

“So, do you love Cat?”

Love. What did he know about love?
He cared for her like he did Ila and Creed.
He’d
lay
his life down for her, wanted to be with her every waking and sleeping hour, wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. “Yeah, I love her.”

“But does she love you?”

“No, I don’t think so, at least not yet. Humans
are
not driven by the beast inside. I think it’s a different natural
process
.”

“Okay, I’ll give it a try, but I reserve the right to
go
all caveman if I have to. So, how’s your
mate
?”

“Stubborn as hell.”

Draco laughed. “Mine too. That must be a
trait
for mates.”

“Let me make some calls, and I’ll have someone at her office tomorrow morning.”

“Thanks. I
guess
we’re even now.”

“Best news I’ve heard all day.”

Rio closed his phone.
He wouldn’t let Cat go even after he killed Alvarez. He needed to figure out how to make her stay with him of her own free will.
He felt like a snake telling Draco what to do when he wouldn’t do that himself with Cat. Rio made several phone calls and hired two werewolves to sit on Lucy from sunup to sundown.
Hopefully Rio could kill Alvarez
,
or Draco could woo Lucy before the hired men actually had to kill somebody.

Rio decided to go for a run. His wolf needed to expend some energy. After checking on Cat, he walked to the edge of the woods and shed his clothes. He wasn’t worried about Cat venturing out at night. Whatever had happened to her had put a
major
fear in her. He shifted and then stretched his back. Life was so much sharper as a wolf—the smell, the vision. God it felt
good
. His
beast
took over and bolted to a run. He scented a deer about a hundred yards to his left and a rabbit
hole
about fifty feet to his right. Normally, he’d let his other half
hunt
, but Rio decided he couldn’t allow that
luxury
tonight.

His wolf circled back to where his clothes were and shifted. A fine sheen of sweat covered Rio’s
human
body
. Time for a swim.
He ran buck-naked and dived into the lake.
Even if Cat were watching, she wouldn’t have seen him shift.
After cooling down, Rio decided not to bother with putting his clothes on.
He intended to make love to little Cat again, and clothes would just slow him down.