“It’s getting worse, isn’t it?” Reason’s tone softened. “You need help, Light. You can’t continue down this path without going completely crazy.”
I didn’t flinch at her bluntness. I respected it. That’s why she was my best friend, and I loved her like a sister. Our bond was formed from practically growing up together. Her family, a long line of lawyers, have handled all of our legal affairs for centuries.
“I’m already there, Reason.” I swallowed over the bitterness of being the only Credence born a sensory empath with the unlucky ability to feel the humans’ energy and emotions. “Storm thinks I can handle this meeting without her… but look at me.” I was sweating as if I just ran a marathon. My fingers were shaking like a junkie. And I was yelling like a deranged cast member from a reality show. “I won’t last five minutes in the presence of that detective. He’s pure evil.” I knew in a matter of seconds of being exposed to him I’d be over-whelmed by his energy, taking his feelings and losing mine.
Reason’s eyes widened with alarm. “Where is Storm? Is she with Knox?”
“She better not be.” As much as I was relieved that Storm was finally getting some from Knox Gunner, rock star hotness, now was not the time for being knee deep in hot and sweaty sex. We had major issues concerning a detective with a stick stuck up his ass sideways and the likelihood of me going straightjacket insane.
Storm wasn’t just my cousin, best friend, and business partner. She was my sanity check from the daily strain of keeping the barrage of human emotions from sending me to crazy land. I was tired of being a burden. I hated that I was born with the worst luck of all the members in the Credence family. I had the ability to sense all human emotions. The constant influx of feelings was overwhelming with no remedy to prevent them from completely making me crazy. My family had tried different methods to help. The only two that worked were dulling my senses with alcohol and Storm soothing me through our bond connection. A few sips of her emotions put my mind in a neutral, calm state.
Reason’s eyebrows furrowed. “Detective Burrows requested a meeting with both of you. It’s too damn late to cancel without arousing further suspicion.” She banged on her desk. “Damn it to hell. I can’t believe he actually found information on the dead reporter’s laptop, linking Credence O. to Celina’s death.”
I snorted. “You and I know that’s total bullshit. Someone is framing us.”
Reason arched a brow. “Can you be more specific? Your family has more enemies than friends.”
I couldn’t dispute her point. Despite my family’s wealth, we were considered outsiders among Others—wolf-shifters, vampires, and assorted supernatural beings who blended in, coexisting with humans—because of our Fae ancestry.
I leveled her with an irritated stare. “Lacie Gilden. Everyone in the coven knows the Gildens are ruthless.” And it didn’t help matters that they're our direct business competitors. A business that went to great lengths to steal our clients and employees. Lacie was a spiteful, bitter she-wolf who tried everything in her power to ruin our prestigious reputation as Credence “Other” Corporation. Secretly New York’s most sought after Other escort service providing over-the-top discreetness and exclusivity to our clients. Clients who included Other men with a preference for Other women, minus all the drama of unnecessary attachments. Our clients demanded the elite of beautiful Other women as arm candy when they were in town on business.
Reason stared in shock. “This is bad. I can't believe all of your contracts are gone—records documenting which client booked which escort, places, times, agreed-upon service fees… all gone!”
My jaw tensed thinking about all of the information that safe held. All going back centuries. Paper documentation was not my preferred method of doing business. But the contracts we had with our clients were arrangements dating back centuries, when paper ruled and a physically signed document was the only thing honored. A practice that was a recipe for disaster in the wrong hands.
“I don’t understand why Storm is not here yet,” Reason said flatly.
I rubbed my now-throbbing forehead. “She’ll be here.” At least, that’s what I hoped. I’d been calling her like a stalker and still no response, which was totally out of character.
Reason grabbed my hand, rubbing it gently. “Don’t worry. Once she gets here, she’ll do that weird Fae thing and fix you right up.”
“I can’t continue using her as my crutch,” I responded.
“And you can’t continue pretending you’re resigned to your fate. You’ll find a cure like Demi’s vision predicted.”
My mouth flattened at the mention of Demi, the daughter of the Coven High Priestess. Demi was adamant that the solution to my empath dilemma was a “Bringer of Death.” Due to her unreliable gift for predicting future events and erratic personality, her predictions almost never made sense. “I love your optimism, but there’s no magic Fae wand that’s going to save my ass.”
Reason wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. “It could be a man.”
I rolled my eyes. “That’s the last thing I need in my life right now. Besides, I’m on a no-sex lockdown.” It was hard in the beginning to give up something I loved—sex—but it became easier as the months went by. I didn’t need the drama of a man in my life. I was too complicated, too emotional, and definitely too unstable. Red flags that made the possibility of having a long-term relationship simply impossible. Red flags that enabled my habit of discarding men like disposable shavers. I loved sex… lots of it. And controlled the who, the when, and the how. Which was probably why one of my ex-lovers endearingly nicknamed me the “sex dictator” for my insistence on directing every lick, move, or touch. And like I told him, I wouldn’t have to if he wasn’t such a hopeless case in bed. Needless to say, he stormed out in a huff, leaving me to finish myself—quite well, I might add.
“Maybe that’s what you need right now, someone to take the edge off.”
I scoffed. “No offense, but I’m not interested in dating advice from someone who hasn’t had sex in years.”
She pursed her lips. “I’m not willing to settle.”
“What you really mean is you’re not willing to settle for getting married to some cold-hearted vampire your father picked.”
Reason was the black sheep in the family. Her mother a human. Her father a vampire. Her birth was a shame to her blueblood family who did everything in their power to ostracize her. Her saving grace was her father, a very powerful and ruthless man, who literally loved her more than life and did everything in his power to make her fit into the vampire world. But Reason wanted no part of it, totally ignoring his attempts, much to his embarrassment.
“Exactly. He’s so obsessed with marrying off his hybrid vampire daughter that he’s willing to make a pact with the devil. Besides, I don’t need a man. I’m happy being single.”
I rolled my eyes before saying, “Uh-huh.”
My head snapped around when I heard Tabitha, Reason’s administrative assistant, say in a whiny, little bitch voice, “You can’t all go in there!”
My body shivered with unease as I scooted back into my chair. My unease heightened when my body instantly went on high alert like a cornered animal. I watched with narrowed eyes as the door slammed open. Storm and Knox burst in, followed by four men. My unease increased tenfold when my eyes were drawn to the only man on Earth who simultaneously made my sex clench with lust and stomach roll with hatred—Ryker Alfero.
Why in the hell was he here?
His sea-green eyes darted to the empty bottle of tequila sitting in front of me. He snorted with distaste. “Oh, there she is, my beautiful drunk.” He held up two fingers. “How many fingers am I holding up?” he asked mockingly.
I gave him the middle finger. “One—now fuck off!”
Today, I refused to let him ruffle my feathers like he did at his gala the other night. This is Business Light, hyper-composed Light, fashionable, elegant, in-charge Light. Today, I deliberately chose to dress the part by wearing my best designer handiwork, a dainty grey petal-collar blouse, five-inch black studded heels, and black pants.
“Baby, your dirty little mouth is making me hot,” he growled.
He sauntered toward me with fire in his eyes. I refused to get up. His eyes locked on me, as he trapped me against the chair with his beefy arms.
His lips grazed the shell of my ear when he grumbled, “I would love to see what else your dirty little mouth can do.” With those few words, my body shivered as a surge of energy zipped into my body, unlocking something I didn’t understand. My brain started functioning with a clarity I hadn’t experienced in years. No warring emotions, just calmness.
Good God! This shouldn’t be happening, especially not with him. My heart and pulse raced as panic set in. The energy snapped like a rubber band and the dreaded, dark emotions came flooding back with a vengeance. Sweat broke out on my forehead. Perspiration trickled between my breasts.
“God. This is going to be a rough fucking ride.” My voice was hoarse and ragged.
“I’ll do my best to break you in slowly, submissive,” he hissed, his voice dripping with raw sex. He took my hand, clasping it tight when a jolt of electricity ran through both of us. His thumb caressed my hand.
My clit thumped against my panties as an erotic image flashed through my mind… me on all fours and those big hands all over my body while he fucked me from behind. A soft growl left Ryker’s lips when my tongue snaked out to wet my lips.
Shit! Shit! Shit! I was in serious trouble. “Let go.” I looked pointedly at our clasped hands. He squeezed it hard before releasing it.
“I guess you know each other…” Reason trailed off, looking between the two of us with an arched brow. I made no move to explain. Reason turned a curious gaze to Storm, who shrugged.
Reason suddenly cleared her throat. I glanced guiltily at her. Reason was staring at Ryker and me with a smile on her face, doing absolutely nothing to dismiss the question in her gaze.
I was beyond exasperated as I looked at Storm. “You’re late, cousin!”
“Hey, Light. I apologize for being late,” Storm muttered while looking at Knox dryly. “Something kept coming up.” She started to stroll toward me. Knox pulled her back, pinning her to his side.
I truly wanted to choke her for being late, but damn, the girl looked well fucked… and happier than I’ve ever seen her.
Knox nipped Storm’s neck. “Damn right. I can’t help it if my mate makes me rock hard.”
Storm slapped his arm. “Cut the shit, Knox.”
“Mate?” I raised a brow. “What the hell is going on?”
Casually, Ryker sat at the edge of Reason’s desk and stared at me. “He’s a wolf-shifter. Keep up, darling,” he stated dryly.
I considered him from head to toe and back again; to his hard lips, which looked like they rarely smiled; to the scar across his left eyebrow and the snake tattoo on the right side of his neck, which completed the “don’t fuck with me” aura. On second thought, he looked more like a Viking who should be carrying a bloody sword.
Storm responded with an over-exaggerated “Surprise!” and jazz hands.
Ignoring her completely, I shook my head with an uncharacteristic serious air. “And who are the three idiots?” I glared at the three hulking men standing by the door, staring at me in slack-jawed shock. “More members of the wild kingdom?” They were far from beast-like; in fact, all three were handsome, freakishly so. My gaze snapped to Ryker, who was staring at me with those intense green eyes in a way that shouldn’t make me want him, but did.
Ryker growled loud enough that Knox pushed Storm behind him protectively. “They’re my enforcers. Soar, Rip, and Jackal,” he continued with eyes locked on me, “and, darling, if you call me or my pack animals again, I won’t be responsible for the next thing I do to your pretty ass.”
I moaned like a porn star. “Like what? Bending me over and giving me a spanking because I’ve been a bad girl?” His mouth tightened. I bit back a smile, taking pleasure in ruffling his feathers. I dug in like the vicious witch I am. “Not that I mind a good spanking, but I would prefer my punishment from one of your enforcers. It seems I’m more woman than an Alpha like you can handle.” I sighed playfully while winking at them.
He looked at the empty bottle of tequila sitting in front of me. “They say you can’t judge a book by its cover, but in your case, what you see is exactly what you get. Isn’t that right, tequila sunrise?”
My smirk fell. “You ass.”
Ryker smiled, a slow lifting of perfect lips to reveal straight, white teeth. “When you play with the big dogs, you might get bit.”
I was ready with my smart comeback, when one of his enforcers stepped forward, grabbing my hand. “I’m Rip,” he crowed with teeth flashing. His piercing blue eyes stared at me with interest. Too much for my liking. There was way too much confidence in his golden surfer guy swagger. He looked like something right out of a fashion magazine.
“Really?” I rolled my eyes, removing my hand from his. “My panties will not be dropping for the likes of you, golden boy.”
He upped the wattage of his smile. “I like her.”
A throat cleared and the tightly muscled guy with jet-black hair cropped in a buzz-cut pushed away from the door. He smiled, flashing a dimple as he studied me leisurely but thoroughly. “I’m Jackal.” He waved his hand over his shoulder and noted dismissively. “That’s Soar.” Soar ran his hand over his chestnut short-cropped hair as his mouth curled downward.
Rip puffed his chest, smiling flirtatiously. “So, Lightning, are you single?”
“Rip.” Ryker’s voice was harsh.
I laughed at his bold flirting. I heard through the Other rumor mill about Ryker’s new enforcers. They didn’t look as deadly as Others made them out to be, but looks were sometimes deceiving. I glanced at Ryker, who was glaring at Rip with murder in his eyes.
“Nice to meet you three.” I leaned closer to Rip. “And I’m very single.”
His smile widened as his blue eyes left me and moved to where Ryker sat at the edge of the desk.
I looked at Storm quickly. “Where’s Noah?”
Noah was Storm’s friend and an enforcer for the Alfero pack, Ryker’s pack, the largest and toughest New York wolf-shifter pack.