Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

A shlyn

The mounting tension in the room was palpable. Now that she wasn’t being bumped and jostled, his heat soaked deep into her muscles, the physical contact driving her own temperature up into the red zone.

Calm down. Breathe. In through the nose, out through the mouth. Still draped over his shoulder, the musky scent of his cologne, citrus and wood mixed with the faintest hint of something that was uniquely Zade, beguiled her senses. Strong. Masculine. Yummy. She inhaled again.

Ugh! Stop that right now! Ashlyn hated herself for noticing how good he smelled, hated even more how much she wanted the hand on her ass to wander into more dangerous territory. She needed to snap out of it and get control over her hormones or she just might start begging for it, and that was unacceptable. “Fine. I’m sorry. Is that what you want to hear?”

Zade’s lips thinned angrily. He didn’t need to see her face to recognize the sarcastic tone. “You are not willing to say what I want to hear, but feel free to continue with this sham of an apology if it makes you feel better.”

“Great. I’ll do that. I am sooo sorry my assessment of your character hurt your delicate little feelings. Now would you, pretty, pretty please with a cherry on top, put me down?”

He snorted in disgust. “That was worse than no apology at all. I am a warrior. There is nothing small or delicate about me.”

“Oh, get over yourself, you big bully.” She thumped his back again. “You kidnapped me and carried me off like a sack of potatoes. If anyone should be apologizing, it is you.”

He laughed mirthlessly. “Very well. I am sorry if carrying you like a ‘sack of potatoes’ was not enjoyable for you. Next time you can wrap your legs around my waist and ride my cock all the way here.”

“You call that an apology?!” Breath choppy and erratic, she renewed her efforts to squirm free. Damn. What was he doing to her? She had a great imagination and instantly visualized them doing exactly what he described. He would carry her across the room until he had her back against the wall, his shaft buried deep inside her, stretching, filling, stroking deep, hard and fast, until she was screaming in release. The image was so clear, her core throbbed and her panties became soaked. “Is that why you brought me here? I promise you, I’m not an easy target.” She grabbed his skin between finger and thumb and twisted. Hard.

“I have never taken an unwilling woman to my bed, if that was your meaning.” He scowled. “However, I will not allow anyone to repeatedly insult me without consequence, either. In addition to being soundproof, there are no windows in here and there is only one way in or out. We will have privacy here. I warned you what would happen.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” she hissed.

Zade growled in frustration. Fulack! He’d never met a more stubborn female. His senses were far keener than a human’s. Did she think he could not smell her desire? The scent was unique to her and drove him wild, her need fueling his own primitive instinct to take, claim, possess; to spread her open and feast on her sweet nectar, then rut inside her like the beast he knew he was, rough, raw, ruthless, give no quarter, breed her, fill her with his seed until he was sure it had taken root, and never let her go. S he chose another, so shut it down. You can’t have her. Do what you came here to do, then walk away. That’s it. One spank, then it’s over…

Her dainty hands came to rest on his belt, using it to balance herself. He waited for more insults, but she’d gone quiet. “Are you about done?”

“No. Are you?”

“Do you want me to be done, shenga ?”

“I am not a shenga , whatever that is, and yes, I want you to be done,” she huffed into his lower back.

“No. Not yet.” He shifted her slightly on his shoulder. With iron control he’d spent years perfecting, he quieted his raging body and quashed every fantasy; mentally shoved them down, one by one, into a box and closed the lid. He was calm. In control. Ready. “If I release you, are you going to run?”

“It’s a distinct possibility,” she sassed.

“Then I shall be ready to catch you.”

“Don’t be so sure. I’m fast.”

“I’m faster,” he said without amusement. “You seem to forget I am not human. Do you want me to give you a head start or are you ready to accept the punishment you have earned?”

“There will be no punishment, which is why I said put me down about a hundred times! So. Put. Me. Down!” she huffed into his lower back, kicking and squirming.

He put his hand on her bottom and gave a squeeze. “If you don’t stop wiggling your ass in my face, I will do a lot more than spank it.”

She sucked in a lungful of air and held herself rigidly still, her bottom tingling where he touched her. He wouldn’t. Would he? “Fine. I’ll stop. But you have to let me go,” she replied imperiously, “and you can’t spank me.”

"I can.” His tone hardened to one of authority. "And I will." Her body tensed, ready to start fighting again at the smallest provocation. Nevertheless, he inched her down, his hands gripping firmly at her waist to keep her from falling too quickly, until her feet were planted on the ground.

The moment Ashlyn was down, she twisted free, and made a dash for the door, only to be blocked by one very large alien. She ducked to the side; there he was again. She switched directions. This time he beat her there. She let out a scream of frustration. “Ugh! Stop playing with me!”

“Stop running,” he countered, easily keeping up with her escape attempts. Caldorians were most definitely faster than tiny little human females.

“I’m not giving up, you big bruiser,” she warned with a feint to the left, then a jump to the right, her foot extended in a parkour move even a professional would be proud of, bouncing off two walls to get behind him. She was fast. Her legs, exceptionally strong from years of dance, gave her a much needed extra burst of speed. “I used to spend all day in the studio. I got there before sunrise and didn't leave until well after dark! I can keep this up all day long.”

Zade spun around, his arm whipping out to catch her around the waist and bring her close, chest to chest. One eyebrow quirked in surprise– she’d almost gotten past him that time. His eyes lit with challenge and his cock strained against his pants as he took in her full, kissable lips, flushed skin and labored breaths. “Is that all? I once spent three days on the battlefield with no food or rest.”

Ashlyn tried to pry his arm from around her, but he didn’t budge, as immovable as a mountain. With each tug, his hard-packed muscles flexed, and her heart raced faster. She was quickly running out of steam from exerting so much pressure. His forearm was like an immovable tree trunk, as big as her thigh, and that was saying something. He was all male. Dominant. Rock hard. Indestructible.

Normally she would have been all over that. She wasn’t exactly shy when it came to sex, but whether he knew it or not, he was forbidden fruit. She tried to keep her composure, but his presence was making it hard for her to think. It took her a moment to remember the thread of their conversation. Dancing. That’s right. "I could have danced all night. I stopped because my parents made me quit. What was your excuse?" she asked, acutely aware of the arm wrapped around her, his muscles, his heat.

Zade snorted. “When the enemy is dead, no purpose is served by continuing. Had the enemy not been vanquished, with certainty I could have endured many more days.”

“Victory or death. How could I forget? Are all Caldorians as stubborn and bullheaded as you?” She batted her eyelashes at him, her smile as wide and insincere as the day was long. She knew she was pushing his buttons when his lips thinned in annoyance and reveled in the small victory.

“Back to the insults, are we, shenga ?” he growled. “And here I thought your lack of good sense was a temporary condition. Do you want me to spank you?”

“No!”

He stilled. “Then what do you want from me?” Lifting one hand to gently tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear, he spoke quietly, more to himself than to her. “You chose another, then tracked me down. Deliberately provoked me.”

“No..I..” Not sure what to say to that, or to his sudden change in mood, she stood frozen in his embrace. What did she want from him? She should have waited. Talked to him later, after the challenge was over. She hadn’t thought it all the way through. Half panicked and a whole lot angry when he stormed out of the room, she’d simply chased after him with a vague plan to set things right. To explain.

“Are you ready to admit you made a mistake?”

Mistake? She still couldn’t choose him. She couldn’t. She needed to get out of there before she did something really stupid. “The only mistake I made was in letting you keep me here so long.”

Ignoring the sharp pang in her heart at his pained expression, she lunged to the side and made a mad dash for the door. She smashed her palm against the scanner, relieved when the door opened with a ‘whoosh’.

Before she could make good her escape, from behind her a steely arm hooked around her waist, lifting her off her feet once again. Not one to give up, she curled her legs up toward her chest and placed her feet on the wall next to the door. With a mighty shove, she sent them both careening backwards.

Zade took the brunt of her weight, cushioning her as they hit the ground with a loud thud, landing in a tangled heap of arms and legs.

The impact knocked her hair stick loose, her auburn mass of curls spilled down, tangling them even further as they grappled on the floor. The more she struggled, the tighter he squeezed. She was straining with all her might, and he wasn’t even breathing hard. Then he had the audacity to laugh at her. She let out a scream of frustration. “Ugh! This isn’t funny anymore!”

“Stop fighting and admit you have been bested,” he countered, easily keeping up with her escape attempts. Zade grunted as he took a blow to the ribs. “You cannot defeat me. Accept your punishment and we can be done with this.”

Ashlyn screamed in fury and fought harder to break away. She couldn’t win against a giant of a man like Zade, which only served to make her angry. “My punishment?” she raged. “What about your punishment? You’re the one who kidnapped me and called me a gold digger, remember? You deserve it more than me.”

He barked with surprised laughter. “You wish to spank me?”

“I never said that,” she hissed, “but now that you mention it, bend over big boy.”

Zade tried to maintain his calm, cool exterior. His shoulders began to shake with silent laughter. He couldn’t contain it. A deep, rich, booming laugh erupted. What was he to do with her? He had never allowed a female to get under his skin the way she did, and many had tried.

“It wasn’t meant to be funny,” she grumbled, setting him off again. Every time she thought he was done, he started up again, eventually easing her anger and tickling her innate sense of humor as she imagined him bending over for a spanking. Sometimes her mouth got ahead of her brain.

Her lips twitched first, followed by a snicker she tried to cover with a cough, until finally they were both laughing.

As they calmed down, she became uncomfortably aware of his very large, muscular physique and the way her body had relaxed into his, her back to his front. One forearm was still wrapped around her waist, one hand rested on her hip, and her head nestled snugly below his chin. It felt way too good.

She pushed against his arm to let him know he needed to move it. He did, but only to flip her around, facing him, then locked both arms around her waist, as immovable as a mountain, his grip unbreakable.

Normally she would have been all over that. She loved men. They were so.. masculine . Hot silk over cold steel. Zade’s nearness was making it hard for her to think clearly. And, oh god, he smelled good. She needed distance. She batted her eyelashes, pasted on a sugary smile as wide and insincere as the day was long. “Perhaps you could release me before your odor does me in.”

His lips thinned in annoyance. She reveled in the small victory as she strained to break free of her man-cage.

“Back to the insults, are we?” he shot back.

To her surprise, he abruptly released her. She scrambled up and sideways, not stopping until she was only a few feet from the door, ready to make a break for it if he made a move to come after her. Maybe now she could explain. She didn’t question why she still wanted to.

Zade let her go, content to watch. His gaze, hooded and dark, followed her every step. Her chest rose as she took in a deep, ragged breath. He cataloged the movement under the thin top. Her nipples were beaded, hard, and rubbed against the fabric.

His jaw clenched with tension. She kept forgetting his senses were keener than a human’s. She was lying. She very much liked his scent. Even so, he knew she wasn't going to apologize or admit she made a mistake in choosing Antonelius. There was no way to move forward. He needed to change his strategy. Fulack! That isn’t why you brought her here. Stick to the plan.

When she didn’t bolt for the door, he rose from the floor and walked casually to where she stood, careful not to scare her with preternatural speed, giving her plenty of time to run. She remained still, so he slowly reached out and took her tiny hand in his own, much larger one.

Ashlyn hesitated, unsure how to proceed. Something important had changed. She could feel it. He was getting into her personal space, making her ultra conscious of how much bigger he was; how strong and heavily muscled, all without touching her. Her core throbbed in sync with her thundering heart.

He lowered his voice and asked, “Are you finally ready to stop fighting me?”

She chewed the inside of her lip before answering, a nervous habit she’d picked up as a child and never been able to shake. She wasn’t going to forget that he wanted to spank her. “I’ll stop insulting you when you stop acting like a beast and listen.”

Zade released her hand, gliding his fingers slowly up to clasp her wrist in a gentle but firm, unbreakable hold, careful not to hurt her. “Beast? So, you do want me to spank you.”

“That’s ridiculous!”

“Is it?”

“Yes!” Ashlyn responded, wide-eyed. Her heart slammed in her chest. Zade was lightning fast. Superhuman. Alien. The danger she was in finally sank in. There was nothing easygoing about the huge warrior standing in front of her. He could do absolutely anything he wanted with her. To her. She shivered again.

“You tracked me down. Insulted me. I warned you what would happen if you continued to provoke me. What else am I to think?”

“No,” she denied, temporarily deflated. “I was angry and frustrated. That’s not the same thing. I followed you so that I could explain. I wanted you to understand why I chose Antonelius to be my fiancé.”

“ Fake fiancé,” he corrected.

“Yes. Exactly,” she agreed, nodding enthusiastically. “Fake. All of it.”

“That is where you are wrong. Antonelius agreed to a fake claiming, but I assure you, he intends to make it real as soon as you’re willing.”

“He’ll do no such thing. Dagan made the rules very clear to everyone. Why would you think otherwise?” she asked, her tone full of exasperation.

“Because that is what I would have done,” he informed her huskily, completely unrepentant.

Dead silence rang through the room. Molten gold challenged cornflower blue. One heartbeat. Two. All thoughts of escape flew out the window as he slowly walked her backwards, his body in full court press against hers until he had her pinned against the wall, his gaze direct. Possessive. Ravenous. His body crowded hers, his knee wedged intimately between her legs.

His hands tunneled into her long tresses as his head descended with exquisite slowness to capture her lips. Her pulse quickened, instinctively aware the kiss that was coming would be more than a reflection of the man, more than an alpha demanding submission. It would be a brand on her soul.

His scent wrapped around her, a magnetic pull she couldn’t resist. She arched toward him, her hand moving to his shoulder as her eyes drifted closed. His touch was strong and purposeful, dominant, his body hard against hers. He tugged gently on her lower lip with his teeth, demanding entrance, sending shivers of pleasure cascading through her body.

He gave a low, masculine groan of approval as she opened her mouth, accepted his invasion, the press of his lips, the glide of his tongue. He was pure alpha male, dominating her with an intensity that took her breath away.

She gasped in pleasure as his grip in her hair tightened, forcing her head to tilt farther back as his tongue tangled with hers in a dance as old as time. Desire surged like a tidal wave through her body. She gave in, settled into his hard frame, a silent demand for more.

He bent down just enough to wrap his hands around the back of her thighs and lift her up. Her legs wrapped around his waist, her ankles locked tightly behind him, leaving his hands free to roam. The hitch in her breath, the surrender in her eyes, tightened his body to an agonizing level.

He expertly worked his way down, alternately nipping gently at her tender flesh and lavishing kisses along the nape of her neck. Goosebumps covered her from head to toe as he worshiped her breasts. Her nipples beaded like pebbles, aching for attention. His touch set her on fire, creating an urgency she was helpless to resist.

Before he was unable to stop, Zade slowly, reluctantly, pulled away, an invisible thread connecting them as they struggled to catch their breath. “He cannot have you,” Zade growled. “I’ll kill him if he touches you.”

Zade’s threat blasted her like a truckload of ice water, reminding her of her responsibility and effectively cooling her ardor as nothing else could. She unlocked her legs from around his waist, slipped free and bolted to the other side of the room, glad he didn’t chase her. “What are we doing? What was I thinking? I already told everyone...they’re counting on me not to mess this up…and Antonelius…I can’t..”

“Do not go back to him, Ashlyn,” he ground out between clenched teeth, fury rising from the ashes of his control. “He will do anything to claim you and take the Council seat. You will not go to him. That’s an order.”

“Order?” she snapped, her spine straightening. “I don’t take orders from you.”

“Don’t test me. I could take you right here without a single protest, yet you still believe you should go to him?” Zade slammed his fist against the wall twice in rapid succession. Made of a high tech alien metal, the wall rippled like raindrops hitting a puddle, creating a ring of vanishing circles, before solidifying again.

Momentarily distracted, having never seen that before, she took her time gathering her thoughts. “Maybe you could. I’m adult enough to admit that much, but you knew when you brought me here that I’d already chosen Antonelius. I had a reason. I still do. This,” she motioned back and forth between the two of them, “ this is exactly why you can’t be the one. I don’t want..”

Snarling, he interrupted before she could finish. “Have it your way. Mark my words, shenga, he will claim the Council seat and relish the power more than he will care for you. You are not his. He will not love you.”

Ouch. That hurt. But wasn’t that exactly what she wanted? The reason she’d chosen Antonelius in the first place? She sighed. She couldn’t contain her disappointment. “Fake fiancé, Zade. Fake. Did you forget that part?”

This was not the first time Zade had brought up wanting power, the power and influence of the Council seat. Was that why he was truly so upset with her? Not because he truly desired her, but because he wanted the seat for himself?

“He craves power. He will not let you go. You must understand this truth. So, little human, you can run straight back to your fake lover, if that’s what you really want to do, but not before we finish this.” He mimicked her earlier movement, pointing back and forth between them.

“Now you’re just being difficult,” she fumed, her eyes shooting daggers at him. “And for your information, ‘ this ’ won’t be happening. This is now over.” Wrapping one arm protectively around her waist, she raised the other and wiped the back of her hand across her swollen lips as if doing so could wipe away his kiss.

“Don’t worry, shenga , I’ve lost interest,” he snapped coldly, “but you’ve been promised a spanking for your insults and that’s what you’re going to get. You obviously need it.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” she hissed, scrambling backwards as he moved toward her.

“I guess we’re about to find out.”