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  “You gave every other guy a chance to spin you around the dance floor. I’m just looking for equal time.”

  I take Kotah’s hand and slide against his side. “Not interested. Buh-bye.”

  “You’d rather spend your night with a teenager? What I’m offering is all man.”

  I laugh. “And winning charm, right? Yeah, no. Sorry. I fail to see the appeal.”

  “Bitch.”

  “Says the drunken asshole.”

  He takes a swing and Kotah’s hand flies up in a blur. My wolf catches drunk guy’s fist and locks his hand mid-air. Kotah wolf growls long and low. Before the situation devolves, Brant, Jaxx, Lukas, and Doc form a wall, cutting Kotah and me off from trouble.

  Jaxx’s turquoise eyes practically glow with the ascension of his jaguar. “Back it up boys. By the stench of alcohol seeping from your cells, you’ve had a busy day. You should leave now. You’ve officially overstayed your welcome.”

  The Clint Black wannabe pulls his arm free from Kotah’s grip and flexes his fingers in and out. “We’ve overstayed our welcome? Listen blondie, we’re regulars and you folks have never stepped foot in here before tonight. It’s you who need to hit the road. Get out of our bar.”

  Brant chuckles, his broad shoulders blocking my view of everything happening on the other side of my protector wall. “Look, my man. Your cock got ahead of you and you overstepped. You propositioned our girl, she declined. End of. I’m ignoring the fact that you tried to hit her—mostly because it was so pathetic—but so far, no blood’s been shed. Take the win and move on.”

  “Listen to him, Drake,” a woman with a silver braid says from behind the bar. “Clear out for tonight. You haven’t finished paying off the damages from the last fight you started.”

  “Don’t worry, Clara. I got this.”

  “The only thing you’ve got is a choice to make, Drake,” Jaxx says, tilting his head toward the bartender. “Option one, you listen to the lady in charge, apologize to Calli, and leave with your body parts and pride intact. Option two, you keep waving your big dick in the air and you wake up tomorrow morning with your nose broken wearing one of these silk corset and skirt ensembles, and your picture plastered all over the internet. You pick.”

  “Fuck you, pretty boy.”

  Kotah shifts me off the dance floor and over to the bar as the first punch flies. The scuffle is short-lived. Brant secures drunk one. Jaxx secures drunk two. And Doc, Lukas, and the five FCO security officers fan out quick enough, and look menacing enough, to discourage any other locals from joining in.

  “Sorry about that,” the bartender says. “Drake and his boys should’ve been cut off an hour ago. My new girl got suckered in by Paul’s pretty face. Can I ask you to call off your boys and leave them in one piece? They’re not bad guys, just bad drunks.”

  I shrug. “Don’t kill them, guys.”

  Jaxx winks. “You got it, kitten.”

  I turn back to the bartender. “Okay, the drama is ending, everyone will remain in one piece, and your lovely establishment survived unscathed. Listen, as interesting as that wasn’t, I’m wondering about your rooms. I’m feeling a little ill from the testosterone poisoning and want to call it a night.”

  The woman looks from me to Kotah and smiles. “I’ve got six rooms, all vacant at the moment. Each has a washroom shared with the room on the opposite side of it. The sheets are clean. The water’s hot. The bar closes at one and will be noisy until then. Check out is eleven a.m.”

  I nod. “We’ll take them all. I believe Mr. Barron gave you his credit card to keep the tab open?”

  Clara nods. “An American Express Centurion. I never saw one before, but I checked and it’s good.”

  “I have no doubt, it is. Look, these are good guys. We’re not looking for any trouble, just a place to regroup for a few hours for a big day tomorrow.”

  Clara seems to consider that. “If you like, I’ll have a couple of the girls come in at nine to fix up some breakfast. That’ll be extra, but just to cover the groceries and their time.”

  “Perfect. Thank you.” I pick up the six pistol keychains she offers and turn back toward the tables. “Just put everything on Mr. Barron’s card.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  Brant

  “It’s taking everything I have not to rip the cocks off these human asshats.” I scowl at Jaxx as we do the drunk dick shuffle, my bear seriously offended. As a long-time player, I consider myself qualified in saying their man cards should be revoked. If there was a council or union of some kind for protecting the honor of dickdom, I’d be sending in my grievance.

  “Strike one, assess the mindset of the female you’re into, and only if she’s open to what you offer do you proceed.”

  Nope. Fucked that up.

  “Strike two, accept that rejection comes with the territory and if she’s clear on her decision, bow out with grace.”

  Not even a little.

  “Strike three, no matter how drunk you are or how badly you fuck up one and two, physical retaliation against the female is never—ever—an option. It’s automatic disqualification not only to dating but to being considered men.”

  “No argument, Bear.” Jaxx dumps flannel-guy onto the asphalt and pulls a set of keys from his jean jacket pocket. He clicks the fob, scoops up his heap of unconscious asshole, and we head across the parking lot toward the corresponding beep and flashing lights.

  Two loud kerclunks welcome these two bastards into the bed of the Dodge Ram. I check the saloon doors, happy to see Lukas and his guys have kept up their end and aren’t letting the good ole boys inside join our party.

  I hop into the driver’s seat and start things up.

  Jaxx points down the road the way we came earlier. “I saw a small church near the four corners of town. It had a lovely big bench out front. It’ll be dark by the time we get there. I say, we flash off their clothes, flash on the saloon girl costumes, take a few pics, and get out of Dodge.”

  I hit the indicator and let the rumble of the engine lead the way. “I like the way you think, jaguar.”

  The tires eat up the distance as my mind drifts to the secret project I pulled Jaxx into. We don’t get much time together away from the others, so I need to take advantage of the opportunity. “I made a call to a friend who oversees FCO expensing for the finance department. If Hawk’s amassing a fae army of gifted super-soldiers, under the guise of being the Black Knight, I plan to follow the money to where he’s hiding them.”

  Jaxx frowns. “Calli’s going to be pissed if we go behind her back intending to trip up Hawk.”

  “This isn’t about Calli. It’s about Hawk and him using his position on high to destroy people’s lives.”

  “And what if it’s not him? What if he could help us figure out who is behind this? The faster we round up the Calvary and circle the wagons, the better. I get that you don’t like the guy—I’m not a fan either—but a powerful fae enchantment chose him to round out our quint. That means something.”

  “Was confiding in you a mistake, Jaxx? If you go to Calli, she’ll go to Hawk, and my investigation is stomped out before I figure out where those kids are.”

  Jaxx frowns. “I’m not goin’ to anyone. I just want you to consider this from all angles.”

  “Tomorrow we’ll be at the Prime Palace. The fae registry will provide answers. Let’s keep things close to the vest for now and see what we find.”

  Jaxx rolls down the window and lets his hand ride the wave of the night air outside. “Fair enough. We’ll hold off until we have more intel. I just don’t believe a male who dedicates his entire life to the betterment of the fae can be the mastermind behind a Darkside plot. My gut says we’re missin’ the point.”

  Jaxx’s phone beeps and he pulls it out to check the text.

  “All good?”

  He finishes reading and thumbs a response. “Yeah, the wolf wants to get laid before facin’ his family.”

  “Smart kid. Not only the sex with Calli decis
ion but moving up the status of his guardian position before his Prime calling becomes official.”

  “Yeah. Calli rented out the rooms above the bar for the night and is takin’ care of business. We’re invited to the afterparty. She left our key with Lukas. We’re in The Stud room.”

  I snort. “Fuck yeah, we are. Was there any doubt?”

  Calli

  The Bronco, as our room is quaintly named, is simple, clean, and has a comfy bed. The shared bathroom is accessed through a little hallway that connects to The Stud, the adjoining room where I put Brant, Jaxx, and Hawk… assuming that when he comes back, he doesn’t claim a room for himself. Which, who are we kidding, he will.

  “There’s a little porch out here,” Kotah says, peering out the sliding-glass door. “The sun is almost completely set, but the sky is still lit up. Come see.”

  I join him, wrap my arm around his hips, and rest my cheek on his shoulder. The last of the sun’s fire is glowing orange behind a mass of green treetops. It feels right to stand in his arms as we watch the light dim on a long day.

  It already feels natural and it’s only been a week.

  What will life with these guys feel like in a year or over a lifetime? I catch myself and slow my mind down. Whenever I plan for a future, my world collapses, and the people I love are taken away. First, there were my parents, then my aunt, then Riley. Maybe I’m not meant to have a happily-ever-after. Maybe living in the moment is all I get.

  I press a kiss to Kotah’s jaw, and we watch as the sun sinks past the horizon. The sky swirls in pastel shades of pink, orange, and purple. It doesn’t seem real. Too perfect.

  Living in the moment is nice too. “It’s pretty here… is it much like where you grew up at the palace?”

  “I wasn’t raised at the palace,” he says. “My pack land in North Dakota is vast and densely forested with cave waterfalls and hot springs and wildlife in abundance. That is my home. I was brought to the palace to live with my parents after my sister and I were old enough to control our shifts and not embarrass them with our adolescence.”

  Embarrass them? My protective instincts kick in and I swear no one will ever make Kotah feel unworthy again. “Honestly, I’m sure you were happier there, living free to breathe in the fresh air. I can’t imagine you stuck in a palace. I know how drawn you are to the wilds of nature’s beauty.”

  “Speaking of nature’s beauty,” he says, turning, his gaze solidly toward me. “Thank you for this, Calli.”

  I tip my head back and brush my lips over his. “For getting naked with you? No sacrifice there.”

  He fingers deep into my hair. His raking touch sends sensation prickling over my scalp. “I meant for giving me the time to catch my breath before I face my father. But yes, for making a man of me before I do it, as well.”

  The most overpowering part of my new life isn’t that four incredible males are mine for the taking. It isn’t that I have a wild firebird burning inside me. It isn’t even that a magical species believe I am their reborn savior.

  No. The most overpowering part is the connection of skin-on-skin that zings through my cells whenever I touch one of them. It’s breathing in the scent of sexual anticipation. It’s knowing that if we get this right, this is forever, and none of us will ever be alone or wonder where we belong again.

  I am determined to get it right.

  “I love you, Calli,” Kotah says, for once, not ducking his dark, brown gaze. We’re almost the same height, so when he stares into my eyes, it feels like he sees behind all my barriers. “I know it’s fast and you’re dealing with too many new experiences to sort them all out, so I don’t expect you to say anything back. I simply want to express what is in my soul. I love you.”

  Oh, my sweet prince.

  I cup the smooth skin of his jaw and bring our mouths together. The sexual energy ebbing from him as he meets my kiss is indescribable.

  Unlike the heated frenzy of franticly fucking with Jaxx, Kotah moves slowly, savoring each touch, coaxing out the most succulent torture from me. His mouth. His tongue. His hands burrowing under my tank to splay against my heated skin. He makes my head spin.

  Our mouths glide together in a mutual meeting of want, testing, and tasting. Heat and hunger stir and build in me, igniting a slow burn low in my belly.

  My wolf is playful tonight.

  His earthy scent fills my senses and the binding of our mating connection tightens. I feel the wounds scarring his soul. The rejection. The judgment. He needs so much more from me than a kiss.

  “Kotah, do you trust me?”

  “With everything I am,” he breathes against my cheek.

  Oh, my heart. I undo his jeans and push them down his powerful thighs. He steps out of them, yanking his shirt over his head and tossing it to the floor. My clothes don’t last long either. In a tangle of groping hands and rucking garments, we stand together naked in seconds.

  “I could kiss your lips forever,” I whisper, hating to give up his mouth. I take his hand and guide him over to the bed, giving him a gentle push so he tips back and climbs onto the mattress. “But there are other parts of you needing attention.”

  I prowl up the bed on my hands and knees. Kotah’s gaze locks on the sway of my breasts and a low growl rips from his throat. He catches me watching him and his gaze skitters away as his cheeks flush.

  I straddle his hips and sit on his abdomen. Taking his hands, I bring them to cup the weight of my breasts. “Don’t be embarrassed about liking the girls. They like you, too.”

  His thumb brushes over the peaked point of my nipple and I show him the pressure I like for a gentle pinch and twist. His touch sends a zing of pleasure straight to my core. “They’re yours now, too. Don’t be shy. Get to know them.”

  We spend a few more minutes with him teasing the tight buds and me arching into his touch before I open my eyes and check on him. “You doing okay?”

  “You honor me, Chigua. I have been lavished with priceless gifts my entire life, but you are, by far, my most precious treasure.”

  I collapse forward to kiss him. “Okay, talk like that deserves a reward.” Lifting my hips, I slide to the side and wriggle down his thigh. “One thing you should know about me, Kotah. I love sucking cock. I hope you’re up for it.”

  A groan rasps from his throat when I drop my head and he tenses. “Calli… I don’t know how much… I mean, I want to be good at this, I just don’t…”

  My lips part over Kotah’s cock and I suck his shaft deep into my mouth.

  “Oh, sweet powers!”

  I chuckle. I made my prince utter an expletive. Well… it’s an expletive for him. Well-mannered and trained in social expectation, it seems I jolted him out of his comfort zone. Good. That’s what I was going for.

  The taste of him, sweet and salty, laces my tongue. I suction around his shaft and start a slow bob from the rounded head down toward the base of his pelvis.

  Kotah fists the covers and his abs start to clench. His skin is hot and smooth in my mouth, gliding over the solid shaft of his erection. I pause at the top of my stroke and swirl my tongue through the pearly cream weeping from his slit.

  “Calli…” He flexes forward, gripping into the back of my hair, urging me away from where I want to be. “I’m sorry. I’m not going to last. You should—”

  I refuse to lose out on sucking him off to release. I ignore his urging and double my efforts. When his breath hitches and his hips start convulsing, I devour him. Warm, salty cream hits my tongue and I groan as I swallow it down.

  Maybe it’s something to do with the mate marking or maybe it’s a wildling thing, but I swear his cum feeds my phoenix. My power surges inside me, the fiery animal within reeling in the pleasure of my mate’s pleasure. I suckle and swallow, licking every last drop Kotah gives me.

  “You taste good, my prince.”

  Kotah groans. “That’s not what I had in mind. I wanted to be inside you, Calli. I wanted—”

  I laugh and crawl higher on the
bed to lie with him. “You said you trust me, so have faith. All we did is take off the edge of adolescent anticipation. We have this room for the whole night. By dawn, you will be drained dry and so incredibly sexed the guys might have to carry you into your father’s compound.”

  His growl vibrates through me and makes my clit throb. “Yes. I want that. I want there to be no doubt that I’m yours and that you claimed me as your guardian.”

  I run my hand between his thighs and palm his balls. His cock twitches on his abdomen and stirs back to life. “Your orgasm isn’t an ending, Wolf, it’s a beginning. When I’m finished with you, no one will question that you are mine or that I am yours. I promise.”

  Kotah

  Calli is a marvel. I thought her captivating and beautiful before but when she looks up at me with affection in her eyes and her skin glistening in a light sheen of sweat we made with the friction of skin-to-skin, I’m at a loss.

  “I love you,” I say, my voice deep with affection. I know I keep saying it, but I can’t help myself. I press my hand over her stomach and caress a path up to meet the rising mounds of her breasts. She teased me earlier, but there’s no denying how much I covet her breasts.

  I cup them, kiss them, pay homage to the tight buds of her nipples with my mouth, my tongue. Her skin is soft and pliable beneath my cheeks and chin.

  Shifting to wolf for night runs and swimming in the natural pools has given me ample opportunity to inventory the female physique. Calli is different from any female I’ve seen. The she-wolves of my pack have hard, ridged stomachs and the small breasts of slender, muscled females.

  Calli is succulently soft, and full-bodied. Her breasts conform to my hold, her belly tender. I handle her breast the way she showed me and my wolf growls as her arousal blooms.