"You don't frighten me in the least, Cass. Though sometimes, I am afraid for you."
She nodded. Sometimes, Cassie seemed to be a magnet for trouble, even more than she would normally be.
"Do you trust me, Jonas?"
And here was the kicker. "I trust you, Cass." He sighed. He did, though he didn't always follow the advice she gave him.
"Then don't berate Merinus for what was my fault," she warned him softly. "I told her a friend would call Kane, and that friend would be in dire need as well as important to all that we are."
"Enough, Cass." He laid his finger gently against her lips, amazed that there was no discomfort in that light touch. Mates normally found it entirely distasteful to touch anyone, in any way, of the opposite sex during the first stages of mating heat. "I know where this is going. It doesn't matter why Rachel came to me, or who played a part in it. I berate Merinus or she thinks she can make a habit of poking her nose in my business. It's that simple."
Cassie shook her head. "Nothing is ever so simple." She sighed. "No ill will come of berating her, but as you said, she will give a second thought to her actions for a while." Cassie stood slowly to her feet. "And really, Jonas, you don't want her to do that."
She didn't say anything more.
Turning, she ran up the stairs, leaving him to watch after her. He shook his head in resignation. He'd be damned if he couldn't have drained some of the frustration eating him alive if he could have tested his wits against Merinus's rapidly growing will.
Cassie paused at the top of the stairs, turned and frowned curiously. "Jonas?"
"Yeah, brat?" He rose to his feet and stared up at her with a patient scowl.
"Why did you tell Rachel she thought that while the cat was away the mouse would play?"
He didn't answer.
Stifling his curse, he turned on his heel, jerked open the door and raced to the Raider.
Damn her. He wouldn't allow it. He had no relief. There was no way to still the lust tearing at his guts and no way to ease the hunger eating at his soul. He would be damned if he would allow it.
She did it, she did it.
Rachel was still doing the little internal chant as she sat across from Jonas in the heli-jet hours later, the powerful motor flying them quickly to their destination.
All he'd had to do was leave the cabin, something he hadn't done in a week. At least, not while she had been awake.
But he had stomped out earlier, gotten in the Raider and driven off. Rachel had rushed to the bedroom, locked the door and pulled the toy free of her dress for one of the most intense orgasms of her life.
Damn, that shouldn't have been possible using fantasy alone.
She peeked over at Jonas through the cover of her lashes and wanted to let out a small laugh.
He was still furious. She didn't even care that he knew what she had done. The fact was, she had achieved it, and she felt great. Like a new woman.
How long had it been since she had found relief? Nine days? Yeah, she remembered the last time: the morning before Brandenmore had decided to invade her life, before going into work.
Jonas had been at the office every waking moment, it had seemed. Frowning. Growling. He'd even insisted on sitting beside her at her desk while she went over the figures for the new satellite system Vanderale Industries was donating to the Breeds.
That night, she had tossed and turned, and burned for him. That next morning, she had made certain she hadn't gone to work in the same state. Breeds could smell arousal.
"I can smell the scent of your release on you, and it offends me," he suddenly growled.
Uh-oh.
"Really?" She smiled back at him. "The smell is offensive?"
She rather doubted it.
"Don't play games, Rachel," he warned her, his voice tight. "They could come with consequences."