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  “All over, but most recently in the desert. It was… I’m glad to be stateside again.”

  “I bet.” I didn’t even want to think about the harrowing things he’d likely seen and done. “Since you’ve never been here, I guess you don’t know much about the shifter community.”

  “No. I’ve mostly been out of the country for the last few years, so I don’t even know much about the shifter community back home.”

  Surely it would be safe to tell him my name then.

  He frowned. “What’s wrong?”

  I was usually better at masking my feelings, but he had me all stirred up. “Nothing. I just… since you’re not from here, I was thinking… My name is Storm.”

  He cranked the engine as he turned to look at me. “That suits you.”

  “It does?”

  “Yes. I’m guessing tonight isn’t the first time you’ve shown up out of nowhere and derailed anything in your path.”

  Heat filled my face. “I can’t say you’re wrong.”

  “And these curls are…” He reached out and touched my hair, which often looked like a storm had passed through it. I leaned into his touch and sighed. He pulled away far too quickly. “Tell me where we’re going.”

  If I were with someone who knew me, I would go to the best hotel in town, but since it was five hundred a night for their smallest room, I chose a still nice, but less prestigious, option. A few minutes later, Jax pulled up in front of the hotel. He intended to drop me off and go park, but I shook my head. “Let the valet get it. It’ll go on the bill.”

  “I really can’t let you—”

  “I’ve had a good year at work. Let’s treat ourselves.” All my years were good, but he didn’t need to know that.

  He narrowed his eyes and studied me in a way that made me shiver. “You’re awfully bossy for someone who claims to want to be controlled.”

  “Maybe you can take care of that once we’re upstairs.”

  He grabbed my wrist, gripping me firmly enough that I’d have to struggle to get free. “There’s no question I can handle you. I may not be experienced with all the toys and equipment they use at Tooth and Claw, but I assure you, I know how to make a person do what I say.”

  My mouth opened and closed, but no words came out.

  “Get out of the car and go check us in while I park.”

  “Yes, sir,” I replied in a deliberately breathless voice.

  “Don’t get sassy with me. I’ll make you regret it.”

  Dear God, the way Jax could go from gentle and accommodating to controlling was going to be the death of me. A really fucking good death.

  I slid from the car and waved off the valet who was headed our way. Forcing myself not to look back, I entered the hotel, but before I approached the registration desk, I pulled out my phone and sent a quick message to our family chat, letting my brothers know I’d left the club for the evening and would not be home tonight. I assured them I was perfectly safe and told them that if they bothered me, I would find a way to make them pay. I would catch hell for this tomorrow, but I already knew Jax would be worth whatever imperious lecture King forced me to sit through.

  Jax was waiting by the elevators when I stepped away from reception with our room card. As I walked his way, he pressed the call button, and the elevator door slid open.

  “Which floor?” he asked as we stepped inside.

  “Eighth.”

  He tapped the right button, and the door slid closed, trapping us together. It wasn’t a long ride, but he watched me the whole time like he was ready to devour me. By the time the elevator dinged to let us know we’d reached our floor, my cock ached, and I was gripping the railing so hard my knuckles were white.

  Jax grinned when my wobbly legs made me fall against him. “This is going to be a very fun evening.”

  “Um… yeah. It… it is.” I was already wishing he wasn’t just in town temporarily.

  He took the envelope that held our key, laid a hand against my lower back, and steered me in the right direction. “I love how easy it is to render you speechless, especially considering you were quite talkative back at the club.”

  I was practically floating as we walked to the room. The last few times I’d been with a man had been enjoyable, but I had felt somewhat distant from the proceedings.

  The Doms I played with knew what they wanted, and so did I. We satisfied each other’s needs, but they never could have made me fall apart with only a heated glance. The sexual tension between me and Jax was stronger than anything I’d felt in a long time.

  I’d been more carefree in my late teens and early twenties, but after my father died and King took over the family empire, we made a lot of enemies. My brothers were right to be concerned about me. There were people out to hurt my family, and many of them thought my brother Shadow and I were easy targets because we weren’t alphas or Doms.

  Shadow didn’t go out much. He’d been through hell as a teenager before we adopted him. He was still recovering, but I was no fucking target. Still, a willingness to stand up for myself didn’t equal the physical strength my other brothers possessed. Jax wasn’t a threat though. I knew that, and my wolf did too, so I was going to let myself go. I deserved to revel in pleasure at least for one night.

  2

  Jax

  I slid the key card into the door, waited for the green light, and then motioned for Storm to enter ahead of me. My gaze fell to his round ass, shown off so well in tight gray dress pants. I was going to enjoy stripping him, working him over, reducing him to cries and moans, too far gone to respond with sassy comments. I could give him the roughness he craved, and maybe, if the job interview I had in the morning worked out, I could see him again and try out some new things with him. I was already certain that one night wasn’t going to be enough to quench my thirst for him.

  I closed the door behind me, intending to make my usual check of the room’s possible exits before telling Storm exactly what I expected of him tonight, but this wasn’t a simple hotel room. It was a large suite with a separate living room and bedroom and a bath nearly as large as my bedroom back in Boston. From the soft carpet that began a few feet past the door to the upholstered sofa by the picture window that looked out onto the city, everything screamed luxury. The room looked like one where I’d rescue a diplomat or a wealthy asset, not one I’d stay in myself.

  “Do you like the room?” Storm asked, sounding concerned.

  “It’s very nice, just not the kind of place I’d usually stay. All we really need tonight is a bed, though the floor would do, or a wall would make a decent substitute.”

  Storm sucked in his breath, and my dick appreciated the sound. “The bed would be more comfortable, but I’m up for any or all of those options.”

  I studied him until color rose in his cheeks. “You asked for me to take charge, so I’ll decide where I’m going to have you and how.”

  Storm ran his teeth over his lower lip. “I did ask that, didn’t I?”

  I prowled toward him, holding his gaze. “You did.”

  His hazel eyes widened, and his lips parted with a soft moan. I loved how expressive he was. He made no attempt to hide his desire.

  “I like being told what to do, but I don’t surrender easily. My… job has forced me to learn to be more aggressive than I might be naturally.”

  It was more than his job. I was sure of that. Something about his life circumstances had caused him to learn to be assertive when he needed to be—not that it was a bad thing. I wanted to know more about Storm, though I knew I should respect his desire for privacy. He obviously had money and privilege. Should I recognize him? Was he someone famous? He’d said he worked at the club, but something had seemed off about that. He’d certainly known his way around. When he’d left me by the emergency door, I’d watched him closely enough to see that he’d gone into the supply room and then an office. Maybe he was friends with the owner, King Howler. He was the man I’d be interviewing with the next day. From what
my friend had told me, King was very wealthy and quite powerful. I’d done a cursory search to learn more about him, but he might as well have been a ghost for all the concrete information I could find. If I was offered the job, I had a hacker friend who could help me find out more, but I didn’t want to bother him if the situation didn’t feel right.

  “I can push past your resistance if that’s what you want. In fact, I’d enjoy it.”

  “I’d enjoy it too.”

  “Good. What’s your safeword?”

  “I’m really boring. I use ‘red’ to stop and ‘yellow’ to slow down.”

  I trailed my fingers down his arm. “There’s nothing boring about you.”

  He licked his lips. “Thank you.”

  I slid my fingers into his hair, loving that his loose curls were as soft as they looked. Then I let my hands slide free and trailed my fingers over his cheek and down his neck, relishing the warmth of his tanned skin. I’d spent most of the weeks since I’d left the army holed up at home. I felt directionless and out of step with everything. Then I’d seen Storm and felt a connection that pulled me to him. It was like I was waking up for the first time in weeks. “Strip for me.”

  Storm’s eyes widened.

  “Don’t make me wait.”

  He sank his teeth into his lower lip. The way he went from self-assured one moment to uncertain the next only made me want him more. I couldn’t wait to find out how responsive he’d be when I got my hands on him—or better yet, my cock inside him. My wolf growled, urging me to pick up the pace. If I let him have his way, he’d rip Storm’s clothes off and shove him down on the bed. But I’d promised Storm more than just a hookup, and I always delivered on my promises.

  I enjoyed power games, and I wanted to push this beautiful man until he let go and quit trying to control how I controlled him. I could force him to obey. I could break him if I wanted to, but I didn’t. I wanted to make him feel, to make him need. I wanted to work him over until he collapsed in an exhausted, fucked-out heap.

  Most of my recent encounters with men had been about the release of tension or the need to work off an adrenaline rush. In the army, there hadn’t often been time to indulge in games.

  Storm obeyed my command and peeled off his dress shirt, revealing tanned skin and a smattering of hair across his chest. He paused, looking up at me through his absurdly long lashes as he reached for the fastenings of his pants, and I had to slide my hand past my own waistband and rearrange myself as my cock grew fully hard.

  “Keep going.”

  He held my gaze for a few heartbeats before he popped the button and slid the zipper down very slowly. He knew how to tease. Was he pushing me intentionally, hoping I’d get rough with him, shove his pants down and push him to his knees? “How rough do you want me to be? I don’t want to go too far. I’ve been trained to be aggressive, to push until I get what I want, but I don’t want to go too far with you.”

  “Shifter special forces, huh? That’s so hot. I guess you could like, kill me eighteen different ways with a toothpick.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh. “Maybe not eighteen, but certainly a few. It’s easier to just use my hands though.”

  Storm grinned. “I’m not afraid to use my safeword. I’ll stop you if you go too far.”

  “Good. I expect you to. I don’t want you to be afraid of the fact that I know exactly how and where to touch you to control you.”

  Storm smiled. “I’m not afraid. Don’t treat me like I’m fragile. I get that from my family and anyone they approve of me being with.” He froze suddenly, and I guessed he’d revealed more than he meant to.

  “You don’t have to tell me anymore. You’re an adult. You asked me for what you wanted, and I’m going to give it to you and trust that you’ll stop me if you need to.”

  “Thank you for trusting me.”

  I was more determined than ever to give Storm what he craved. “Before we start, tell me what else you like.”

  “I like pain, so you can spank me hard. I like to be humiliated a little, like being called a slut or told I’m just there to be used, and sometimes I like to pretend I’m being forced.”

  It was as if he’d read my mind and found all my favorite jerk-off fantasies—ones I’d wanted to act on but never had. Pain. Humiliation. Force. All turned me on and made me come hard and fast.

  “But what I like most is being told what to do and expected to obey. I want to be able to get out of my head and let my responsibilities go.”

  I’d guessed that. Storm was a pleaser who was in desperate need of having his own needs met, even if those needs involved him obeying. What mattered was that this was about his fantasy. It was what he’d asked for. “I can give you that.”

  “Then do it.”

  I gripped his chin, forcing his head up and making him look at me. “I give the orders, and you obey them.”

  He groaned, and I slid my hand down to pinch his nipple, loving the startled sound he made. “More of that, please, sir.”

  Storm was baiting me with his sass, so I ignored it, knowing I could punish him for it later. “I want you naked. Now.”

  He pushed his pants over his hips, revealing silky black briefs that clung to him, leaving nothing to the imagination. I flexed my hands, fighting not to grow claws. My wolf wanted to shred that tiny garment so it fell right off him. I told the beast to be patient. This wasn’t a fucking race, even if it had been a while for us.

  Want. Take. Claim.

  No. That was… Claiming was for mates. This was just sex. It wasn’t… And yet, Storm seemed like he’d been made for me. And his scent. I’d never smelled anything more intriguing. Could he be my… No way. I was just imagining things because I was way too fucking horny. Storm was gorgeous, and he challenged me just the way I loved. That was it. There was no deeper reason for my reaction to him.

  He toed off his shoes and then pulled off his socks and pants, leaving him wearing nothing but those absurdly alluring briefs, which probably cost more than everything I was wearing. He held my gaze as he reached for them, hooking his fingers in the waistband.

  “Stop,” I commanded. He obeyed instantly, which sent a thrill through me. This was going to be such a good night. “I’ll take those off you myself.”

  “When are you going to undress?” he asked, letting his eyes roam up and down my body. “I want to see you.”

  And because he did, I was going to make him wait. “You will. But not yet.”

  “But I—”

  “Who’s in charge here?”

  “You are.”

  “That’s right. And I want you to stand there with your hands clasped behind your back and your eyes closed.”

  “I…”

  “Storm.”

  “Yes?”

  I stared at him, knowing that was all it would take.

  “I’m sorry. I’ll… I told you I’m not good at—”

  I tweaked his nipple hard enough to make him hiss. “Fuck.”

  Enjoying his reaction, I flicked my thumb over his other nipple, letting him sense the threat. “Are you going to be good?”

  “Yes, please. Yes… Do you want me to call you ‘Sir’?”

  “What does it mean to you to call me that?”

  Storm chewed his lip for a moment before answering. “It means I’m surrendering to you and you’re taking control, but you’re also taking care of me.”

  “Then yes, I want to be ‘Sir’ to you.”

  “Yes, Sir.” This time, there was no mockery in his breathless tone.

  I sank to my knees, and Storm gasped. I waited for him to protest again. When he remained silent for several seconds, I took hold of his briefs and tugged them down just enough to expose the tip of his cock. My wolf was so insistent that I take Storm now that I barely managed to keep my hands fully human.

  Storm’s underwear was as soft and silky as it had looked. It had to feel wonderful sliding over his cock. There was a damp spot on the front from his precum. I leaned forward
and ran my tongue over it. Damn. Even through the fabric, he tasted good.

  “J-jax?”

  I glanced up. Storm’s eyes were dark, his pupils blown, and we hadn’t even really started. He gave himself over to pleasure so easily. He was like a gift, one I wanted to be worthy of. I took a slow, deliberate breath, drawing in his rich scent of cinnamon and warmth, spice and comfort. The pleasure was so intense it made me dizzy.

  Take, my wolf insisted. I would take everything Storm offered. I couldn’t resist. He’d had me under his spell from the moment he’d met my gaze across the club. I pulled his briefs down farther, exposing his shaft.

  “Please,” he whispered.

  I nipped at his hips, and he whined sharply. “Be patient.”

  I pushed his briefs all the way off, and he stepped out of them. When I turned my attention back to his cock, the tip was damp, and he was hard and straining toward me, like he was begging to be touched. I circled my fingers around the base and then licked the precum that was about to drip from the slit. “Mmm, you taste so fucking good.”

  He whimpered, and the sound seemed to vibrate through me. I’d hardly touched him, and he was already making me feel more than I had in months, waking me up, making me feel alive again, needed again. I wanted him to feel like that too, so I took his cock deep into my mouth, dragging a groan from him.

  He tensed, and I was sure he wanted, needed to move. I sucked him harder, teasing his underside with my tongue. His hands came to my head, but I took hold of his wrists and pushed his arms back behind him. He whined and fought my grip. “Need to touch you. Need—”

  I pulled off his cock and growled. “Keep your hands behind you, or I will stop right now. Do you want to come tonight?”

  His eyes were huge. “I… yes… please.”

  “Then do as I say, and if you’re good, then I’ll let you. But don’t you dare come until I tell you to.”

  “I—”

  I slapped his thigh with my free hand. The cry he made was more like a howl from his wolf, and mine reacted, growling and pushing to be freed. I longed to release my wolf. How good would it feel to be wild, uncontrolled in a way I hadn’t been in years? It was too dangerous though. I’d been trained to be ruthless. My wolf had become a weapon, and I was afraid of what might happen if I gave him more freedom. If he took complete control…