My jaw clenched. Natalia was the daughter of Alpha Thompson from the Eastern territory–and a woman I’d briefly been involved with several months ago. The relationship, if you could call it that, had been purely physical and ended when she began making demands I had no interest in fulfilling.
“That vindictive bitch,” I muttered under my breath.
Ethan shifted uncomfortably. “She’s still here. Do you want me to handle it?”
I glanced across the room to where Summer stood, looking breathtaking as she chatted with my sister.
The last thing I needed was for Summer to witness a confrontation with a former lover.
“No,” I said finally. “Not tonight. We’ll deal with her tomorrow. For now, make sure she doesn’t cause any
more trouble.”
Ethan nodded and melted back into the crowd as I returned to Summer’s side.
“Everything okay?” she asked, her perceptive eyes searching my face.
“Just pack business,” I replied, not wanting to worry her with the details. “Nothing that can’t wait until
tomorrow.”
She looked skeptical but didn’t press the issue. Instead, she leaned closer, her scent enveloping me in a
way that made my wolf stir with possessive pleasure.
“You know,” she said softly, “I think I owe you a thank you for how you handled Alpha Foster.”
“You don’t owe me anything,” I told her seriously. “Though I have a few ideas about how you could show your appreciation later.”
Her breath caught, and I felt her pulse quicken under my touch. “Is that so?”
“Mmm,” I hummed against her ear. “I’ve been thinking about getting you out of that dress since the
moment I saw you in it.”
The flush that spread across her cheeks was deeply satisfying. Before she could respond, however, I caught sight of Natalia watching us from across the room, her expression venomous. I shifted slightly, positioning myself to block Summer from her view.
“What is it?” Summer asked, noticing my sudden tension.
“Nothing important,” I assured her, not wanting anything to ruin our evening. “Just remembering I need to speak with the security team about ensuring this kind of breach doesn’t happen again.”
She wasn’t fooled. “Alex,” she said firmly, “if there’s something else going on, I’d rather know about it.”
I sighed, knowing she deserved honesty but reluctant to bring up past relationships. “We’ll talk about it
1/2
Chapter 52
+15 BONUS
later,” I promised. “Tonight is about us–you,and me. Everything else can wait.”
With that, I swept her into my arms without warning, cradling her against my chest as she let out a startled gasp.
“What are you doing?” she whispered, her eyes wide as several guests turned to look at us.
“Taking what’s mine,” I growled low in her ear. “I’ve had enough of sharing you with everyone tonight. Now I want you all to myself.”
Her pulse quickened, the sweet scent of her arousal reaching my sensitive nose. “But the party-”
“Can continue without us,” I finished, already striding toward the grand staircase. “I’ve fulfilled my duties as host. Now I’m going to fulfill my promise to fuck that sweet little cunt of yours until you can’t
remember your own name.”
Her sharp intake of breath and the way she pressed her thighs together told me everything I needed to know about how my words affected her.
“What about Felix?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
“Lyra will make sure he’s taken care of,” I assured her, never breaking stride as I carried her up the stairs. She already offered to show him the game room and get him settled for the night.”
As we reached the landing, I couldn’t resist pressing her against the wall in the darkened hallway, my mouth finding hers in a bruising kiss. She moaned as I ground my hardness against her center, her legs wrapping instinctively around my waist.
“Feel what you do to me,” I murmured against her lips. “I’ve been hard for you all fucking night, watching you in that dress, knowing what’s underneath it is all mine.”
