When she thought she could bear no more, it got better. The feline barb became erect, locked inside her and spilled Cabal’s release in spurt after spurt of liquid heat.
She was locked in a world of sensation, of pleasure. Her legs gripped his hips, her neck arched, and when the bite came, she exploded in a series of orgasms that stole her breath and shook her mind.
She was left holding on to him with a desperation she had never known in her life. Holding on to him to retain some semblance of order, some measure of security.
His arms around her, his flesh locked to hers, his body sheltering hers—he was her security. Her port in a storm that threatened to destroy her with the violence of the pleasure. She had sworn she would never depend on anyone, that no man would be the center of her universe, her port or her security.
Even Douglas hadn’t meant that much to her. He had never been imperative to her life, or to her pleasure. In this moment, awash with ecstasy, Cassa admitted, to herself at least, that Cabal was exactly that. Even without the mating heat, this man was imperative to her heart.
“Easy.” She heard his voice whispering at her ear, and only in that second did Cassa realize that she was crying.
Her head was buried against his shoulder, her arms locked around him, and she was losing her mind, because she was insane enough to let him realize what he meant to her.
He was a Breed. He wasn’t a normal male. He could sense, scent emotions. He would know what she refused to say. He could smell what she refused to feel. And right now, she was feeling plenty that she shouldn’t, that she had sworn she wouldn’t.
“I have you.” His lips pressed against her neck, his hands slid up her back, the calloused palms stroking over her flesh, soothing the tremors racing through her.
She didn’t want the comfort. She didn’t want to depend on this, didn’t want to look forward to it only to have it taken away from her later. Because it always went away. It never lasted for long.
She fought to steady her breathing as he slowly withdrew from her before lifting her in his arms and rising to his feet. Legs around his hips, her arms holding tight, Cassa rested her head on his shoulder as he carried her up the stairs to the huge bedroom above and the bed that still held their scent.
“You make me lazy,” he said softly as he laid her in the bed, then followed quickly, pulling the sheet and comforter over them as he drew her back into his arms.
“Yeah. Lazy.” The mockery in her voice fell far short of what it should have been. She hadn’t met a Breed yet that was anywhere close to lazy.
“You make me want to stay right here, Cassa, for as long as I can stay.”
His head settled into the pillow beside her as she turned to stare into the somber gaze directed at her.
“Why couldn’t you?” she asked. “Unless you have something to do that you don’t want me to be a part of.”
He continued to stare back at her silently, the gold flecks in his gaze brightening knowingly as he watched her.
“We’re mates,” she pointed out. “There should be nothing you do that I can’t be a part of.”
She had been saving that trump, hoping to use it at a time when it would actually work. She didn’t know all the specifics of Breed Law, but one thing she was damned sure of: If she didn’t want him endangering his life, then he was required to cease and desist at once, for a period of one year.
She would hate to pull that one on him; truth be told, she probably couldn’t bring herself to do it, unless he made the mistake of trying to take her out of her job.
“You know, I’ve always been aware of the fact that you knew how to play dirty,” he stated musingly, without anger.
He was actually pretty calm, surprisingly. Terrifyingly so perhaps.
Cassa arched a brow. “Play dirty? I merely stated that I should be a part of whatever you’re doing, however you’re doing it. How is that playing dirty?”
He snorted at the comment as he shifted to his side and propped himself up on an elbow. “We both know Breed Law.”
Her eyes widened. “Do you think I’m threatening you, Cabal?” She blinked for added effect. “I wouldn’t ever.”
“I was hoping you wouldn’t,” he drawled. “You seem like a very intelligent woman, Cassa. That’s why you’re going to stay out of this now that we’ve mated. I won’t risk you.”
She laughed. Right there in his face, amusement welled inside her until it erupted past her lips and left her shaking her head at his arrogance.
“Yeah. That’s exactly what I’m going to do,” she promised with all the sarcasm she could muster as she rose from the bed and jerked the wrinkled sheet from the bed to wrap around her naked body.
She didn’t care much for the frank male appreciation in his gaze at that moment. Nor did she care for the mockery that lingered in his expression.
“Cassa.” He didn’t bother to cover his nakedness, or his arousal, as he crawled over the bed. “This isn’t a joking matter. Whatever the hell is going on here is about to get f**king dangerous.”