LILLY
"Her name is Nicole Mills. She's the only current mating nominee—the one who would've been inevitably chosen by pack vote."
"So, your year was almost up—that's all they give you right? Twelve months to find your own bride, and then the pack chooses."
He nodded.
"Cutting it close to the deadline, Kade."
"I was busy."
"What made you think of me?"
He carefully put down the fork. His hazel gaze pinned hers. "I've thought of you often, Lilly. Ever since I had the privilege of being Saul's student. I wanted you then. I want you more now."
The possessive growl in his voice zapped her right to her toes. If she'd had panties on, they would've been wet. Instead, the moisture slicked her inner thighs. Whew. Lilly sipped her wine. She'd been attracted to Kade back then, too. But those desires had made her feel ashamed, disloyal. Saul had noticed, and they'd talked through it.
Saul believed in communicating, no matter how difficult the topic. It was one of the ways he was more beta than alpha. Afterwards, she'd seduced him to prove that her body and her heart belonged to him—and to him alone.
Now, she was going to mate with Kade, and she knew their relationship would be different. For one, it would have passion. The kind of broken-furniture-bruised-body passion she wanted oh so badly. It surprised her to realize he might be the only other man since Saul's passing who could keep her attention—and keep her in line.
"What's the point of this?" she said, waving her hand over the table. "You don't have to woo me."
His eyes went wild for a moment, making her heart stutter. She squeezed her thighs together. God, he was so fucking hot.
"Let's go," he said his voice a low growl.
Lilly abandoned all pretense of eating and pretending she wanted the wine when all she really wanted was him. She tucked her clutch under her arm. Kade got out of the booth, and she wiggled out behind him, accepting the crook of his arm. He tossed a couple of $100 bills onto the table.
He didn't speak to her as they went up the narrow staircase that led to the building's lobby, and then through the double glass doors. He obviously hadn't used the valet service because he strolled down the block to a parking garage. He entered the walkway and took her up a set of concrete stairs, and then they strode across the mostly empty lot.
"We can pick up your car tomorrow," he said.
"I took a cab."
He stopped and stared at her; she stared serenely back.
"You expected us to mate tonight," he said, the possessiveness in his voice skimmed along her spine, made her muscles contract.
"Yes."
"You're gonna be work, aren't you?" He sounded exactly like Saul had when she'd done something of which he approved. He'd never asked her to control her impulsiveness, only that she either enjoy it or pay the consequence for it. Usually she did both.
Kade threaded his fingers through hers and tugged her forward. They crossed the lot to a lone silver car parked at angle in the corner. She whistled. "Aston Martin. Nice."
She curled her fingers under the passenger door handle, but he enchained her wrist and gently pulled her away.
"Bend over the hood and flip up your dress." He let go of her and stepped back.
His rough command made Lilly's stomach quiver, but she placed her clutch onto the sleek roof and sauntered to the hood. She grabbed the edge of her dress and hiked it above her hips … leaning over until her breasts grazed the smooth surface of the hood.
Her concession to exercise was thirty minutes of yoga in the mornings and walking around her neighborhood in the evenings. She wasn't one to curb her appetites. If she felt like a Ben & Jerry's pint at three a.m., she went for it.
Her ass was being assessed at this very moment by Kade. She could almost felt the heat of his stare caress her buttocks. God, she was in so much trouble. As she quivered under his thorough study of her naked backside, she wondered what kind of price she would pay for choosing him.
The anticipation buzzed through her like she'd mainlined caffeine. She fully expected the slap of his hand against her buttock any second, instead she felt him slide a finger into her pussy.
"You're so wet," he said thickly. "Move back. Place your palms on the car and lift up that beautiful ass."
She did as she was told, her body prickling with awareness. He'd barely touched her, and yet she was dripping for him. The thrill of being out in a public place, the potential to be seen, to get caught, just made her feel even hotter. It appealed to her nature, the spontaneity Kade offered. His domination of her—that was another turn-on.
He smacked her, hard, and the sweet pain of the blow traveled straight to her very core. She wasn't ashamed of her moan or of the way her thighs quivered. He spanked her again, and she shuddered, her pussy convulsing.
A couple more swats and she would come.
He was breathing hard, his control ragged—she could hear it in his voice, feel it in the trembling fingers her drew across the welts he'd left on her skin.
He reached between her legs and began to rub her clit. His finger worked her as his other hand came down against her quivering ass.
Again.
Again.
Oh, God.
The orgasm burst, a thousand bright sensations overwhelming her. It was as though she'd fallen into the sun. She clutched at the car as she came, moaning as his palm cupped her slick womanhood, soothing her sweetly ravaged flesh.
"Lilly," he whispered, dropping his head to her spine and shuddering. "Lilly."
***|***|***
LILLY
Lilly wasn't too surprised when he drove them to the nearest hotel, a glass-and-chrome multi-story that catered to the business class. He said nothing, but his impatience crackled around him. The elevator ride was short, and then he was dragging her down the hallway and into a suite. She barely had time to register the sunken living room or gleaming bar.
Kade was a man on a mission.
She let him yank her toward the bedroom.
He snapped on one lamp then turned. "Take off the dress," he said tightly, "leave the heels and jewelry."