Chapter 15

CHAPTER

FIFTEEN

CAL

I leaned into Jack’s kiss, losing myself in the feel of his lips. He switched our dynamic, becoming the aggressor as he shoved away from the wall. My thighs hit the hood of the car, and I fell back onto it, Jack landing on top of me.

“Fuck, Cal. I need to be inside you so damn bad.” His hand slid under my shirt, his warm palm skating over my hypersensitive flesh, until he rolled one of my nipples between two callused fingers, pinching enough to be just this side of painful, just the way I liked it.

A whimper shimmied up my throat, and Jack nuzzled into my neck, his lips and tongue teasing over my saddle patch as his hips held me pressed against the cool metal of the car.

“Does this”—his tongue traced the swirl at the edge of the dark patch of skin—“really mean we’re fated mates?”

“Yes.” The word slipped out on a hiss.

Jack rocked his hips against me, pushing me farther up on the hood of the car. “How?”

“It changes when we meet our mates. If you were an orca, yours would match. I met you, and after I freed myself from the zip ties in Colombia, I noticed the change.” I pushed my hips up to meet his. “Kiss me again, Jack. Please.”

A growl rumbled through his chest, and his lips descended on mine. There was no finesse, no teasing, just pure lust and a desire to claim.

I knew the feeling.

My head was spinning, my breathing heavy when Jack pulled away, giving us both some room to breathe.

“You’re sure it’s me?”

“Yes. It’s only ever been you.”

Jack attacked my mouth again, his body moving against me like we were fucking, but there were too many layers between us.

“Jack, please.”

“You want me to fuck you right here? On the hood of the car? God, Cal, I need you so bad.”

A car turned near the alley, and bright light broke the darkness and our bubble.

My dick was rock hard and aching, and I felt the wet spot where my cock was leaking for my mate.

“Let’s go back to the town house.”

Jack pushed off the hood of the car and held a hand out to me. I could see the outline of his dick through the thick material of his tac pants, and saliva pooled in my mouth. I wanted to taste him so damn bad.

He adjusted himself and patted down his pockets, looking for the keys.

“You left them in the ignition.”

“Oh, right.” He blew out a breath and ran a hand through his hair. “Everything feels different.”

I nodded because it did. For almost two years, I’d held on to the secret that Jack was my fated mate. I never thought I’d tell him. But now that the secret was out and I knew Jack was mine as much as I was his, I felt lighter.

We climbed back into the car, and Jack put it in gear, then reached out for my hand. There was still a lot we had to talk about, but for that moment, I was happy to have his hand in mine, to revel in the feel of his thumb tracing over the fake gold band he’d put on my finger.

Only it wasn’t so fake now.

While we drove, I replayed the events of the evening, my fingers tightening around Jack’s when I thought about the wolf holding him at gunpoint. He didn’t say anything, but he squeezed back, and I knew he understood.

I’d left part of my heart in the train yard. The snarling wolf, his claws piercing the skin of Jack’s neck, holding a gun to Jack’s head, would definitely haunt my nightmares, even though I knew he was safe. But there were a lot of risks in our line of work, and maybe I wouldn’t always be there.

The thought pinged around in my brain, reminding me of something Jack had said.

“What did you mean that it was about time I returned the favor and saved your life?”

In the dashboard light, it was hard to make out Jack’s expression. He looked confused, then resigned. “Shit.”

“Explain.”

“You’re going to be pissed.”

“Jack…”

“Before I explain, just know that I didn’t do it because I think you’re incompetent or something. I just couldn’t fucking leave you alone. It was like you were a magnet and I was metal, and I just wanted to be near you and keep you safe.”

“That’s not an answer, Jack.”

“I know, sweetheart. I’m getting there.” The endearment made my heart clench. “It started in Colombia. The first night we met.”

I waited, sensing he needed to get this out at his own pace.

“You already know we were there going after the same target, but after we fucked around and you fell asleep, I got a message saying that you had been made and the cartel was coming for you. Something changed the first time I saw you, Cal, and I couldn’t let them have you. So I zip-tied you to the bed, and I took out the target.” Jack’s grip on the steering wheel made the leather creak. “I took them all out. Every single one. So they couldn’t come for you.”

My breath got caught in my lungs, and I couldn’t take in air. “Fuck.”

“But that wasn’t the last time.”

“Budapest.”

Jack nodded. “Budapest.”

“Any others?”

The car rolled to a stop at a traffic light, and Jack ran a hand over his face. “Walla Walla.”

I turned in the seat to face him. “Walla Walla? How?”

“Detcord and a small charge.”

“No fucking way. The landslide was you? Why?”

“I heard where you were going to be, so I went to check on you, and there you were, lying on a ledge, your scope trained on your target—who already knew you were there, by the way—and their sniper was farther up the hill, his sights trained on you. I couldn’t take him out from my angle, so…”

“Detcord and a small charge.”

One side of Jack’s mouth lifted. “Exactly.”

It didn’t feel big enough, but it needed to be said. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. It was my pleasure.” In a move that was almost too romantic to be real, he lifted our joined hands together and kissed the back of mine.

“While I appreciate you saving my ass, how did you know where to find me?”

A growl rumbled in Jack’s chest, but it wasn’t the sexy kind I’d felt vibrate against my body when he was mauling me on the hood of the car. No, this was predatory and intimidating, and I loved it.

“That fuckwad Alex has more holes in his operation than a pair of old gym socks. He’s leaking information everywhere.”

“So that’s why you hate him?”

“Yeah. Obviously. Why did you think I hated him?”

Blood rushed to my cheeks, and I was grateful for the dark car. “No reason.”

“I know you hooked up with him.”

“Correction. I tried to hook up with him, but a certain asshole I know ruined me for anyone else, and I couldn’t get it up.”

Jack blew out a huge breath. “Thank fuck.”

“I’m sorry, Jack. I didn’t think there was ever a possibility we’d ever get here. I was trying to get you out of my head.”

He pulled into the alley behind the town house and parked the car. “I know, but I think that’s enough confessions for one night, don’t you?”

“Yes. One hundred percent.”

He tapped a finger against his lips. “What should we do instead?”

“Goddamn it, Jack, if you don’t get your big dick inside me in the next five minutes, I might die.”

“Can’t have that. Not after I went through so much trouble to keep you alive.” He dropped my hand, unbuckled his seat belt, and flung open his door. “Race you inside.”

“Wait. My room or yours?” But he was already gone, the slam of the car door echoing down the alley.

I almost tripped over Jack’s boots inside the door but caught myself on the edge of the counter before I totally wiped out. More of his clothes were strewn through the kitchen. He’d obviously been stripping as he ran. I toed off my boots and did the same, hitting the front stairs in just my boxers.

“Jack?”

No answer. The upstairs hallway was silent, and my heart rate picked up. I knew he was somewhere, waiting, and the hunter in me loved the thrill of this game. I liked feeling like Jack’s prey. Before I went looking for him, I popped into my room and grabbed the lube I had stashed in my duffel. Jack probably had supplies, but I didn’t want to chance it. Now that I’d broken the seal with Jack, jerking us off in the alley, it felt like the floodgates had been opened, and there was no way I was going back now.

I didn’t call out for him again, instead creeping toward his room at the end of the hall on nearly silent feet, my senses on high alert and my dick hard and leaking.

When I got to the bathroom in the hall, I set the supplies on the vanity and shimmied out of my boxers, leaving them behind on the floor, then headed back out into the hall. There was still no sign of Jack, so I finished my trek to his room.

The second I crossed the threshold, the door closed behind me. “Get on the bed. All fours. Ass in the air.”

The low rumble of Jack’s voice in the dark landed in my balls, and my cock jumped, smacking against my abs. Fuck, this was hot.

Normally, I would have fought Jack for dominance, but this time, I didn’t want to. I tossed the supplies on the bed, hopeful we’d be able to find them when we needed them later, and rushed to get into the position Jack requested.

Jack had always indulged my more submissive side. I could be the aggressor when I wanted to be, and Jack allowed it, but he also gave me exactly what I needed without me having to ask. Behind me, I felt him circling and felt his gaze on my body in the low light coming in from the street, but he made no move to get closer to the bed. The threat of his touch heightened my arousal until it was all I could smell in the room.

“Jack.” His name fell from my lips on a whine as I lowered to my elbows, my ass even higher in the air.

He said nothing, but he came closer, and my body tensed, waiting for the first touch of his skin against mine.

The bed dipped, and Jack’s hands gripped my ass cheeks, spreading them apart, and without a word, his warm, wet tongue slid from my balls to the top of my crease in one fluid motion that had me crying out.

He held me open wide as his tongue traced the path over and over until I felt his saliva dripping down my crack. His tongue laved over my hole, his stubble rubbing the sensitive skin between my cheeks, and sounds of pleasure spilled from my lips. Jack said nothing, just kept at it in silence until I was rocking back against his face, my body begging for more.

He kissed over my hole, then bit into one of my ass cheeks as his thumb circled the furled skin and pressed barely inside. My hips thrust back, taking more than he wanted to give, and the pressure of his bite increased.

“I want to taste you.”

“Mmm.” Jack hummed over my hole, and he tapped a light smack on my ass. “Sit up for a second.”

The mattress dipped as Jack stood, and it took a second for me to get my body to obey my commands. Finally, I made it up to my knees. Jack stacked two pillows and lay down.

“Bring that ass up here.”

I rushed to obey, turning around and flinging a leg over Jack’s thighs. He grabbed my hips and pulled me up his body until he had me exactly where he wanted me. He spread my ass again and licked over my hole, pressing into me with his thumb and his hot tongue. My hips bucked back, and my arms threatened to give out, shaking with pleasure at the onslaught of sensation.

Jack’s thick, leaking cock bobbed in front of my face, and my mouth watered. I opened my mouth and slid down his length, taking him all the way to the back of my throat until I gagged and pulled off.

“Fuck, Cal. That’s so hot.” He lifted his hips, nudging the back of my throat again. “That’s it, baby, gag on my dick.”

He bit my ass cheek again, then proceeded to torture me with his tongue while I worked his cock with my mouth, alternating between taking him deep and lapping at the precum leaking from his slit.

My cock rubbed along the ridges of Jack’s abs, but it wasn’t enough. I needed more. Without having to ask for it, Jack’s warm palm wrapped around my shaft, stroking slowly while he continued to spear into me with his tongue. My hips thrust into his hand and back onto his tongue until I lost my rhythm on his cock and couldn’t tell which sensation I was chasing.

I pulled off his dick with a wet pop. “Jack!” I searched blindly for the lube I’d tossed onto the bed earlier, my fingers finding the tube and holding it out. “Damn it, Jack. I need you inside me. Please.”

He took the tube but didn’t pop the cap. “I know what you need, sweetheart. Hold out your hand.”

I was confused for a second but did what he said. When we fucked, it was like Jack tapped into a part of me I didn’t know existed. He’d gotten it exactly right since the first time, giving me what I didn’t even know I needed, so it was easy to trust him now. I held my hand out and heard the cap on the tube of lube pop before cool liquid dribbled onto my fingers.

“Prep yourself, Cal. Get ready for me. I want to watch you stretch yourself out.”

“Fuck.”

“Not yet, sweetheart.”

He lifted my hand to my ass, and I felt the heat of his stare as I slid two fingers inside myself, spreading them to stretch my hole.

“Damn it, that’s hot.” Jack’s hips lifted off the bed like he was pushing into my body, and I wanted it so badly.

I added a third finger, and Jack’s answering groan vibrated through my body.

“I need you, Jack.”

“Are you sure you’re ready?”

“Yes.”

“Turn around. Ride me, sweetheart.”

I couldn’t remember ever moving faster. Scrambling to turn around, I stroked my lubed hand over Jack’s straining erection, positioned him at my entrance, and sank down until my ass rested on his thighs.

If I hadn’t already known Jack was my fated mate, that moment would have sealed the deal. His dick inside me, filling me until I thought I would burst apart felt like coming home, like I was exactly where I belonged.

“Caligula.” My name falling from Jack’s lips sounded like a prayer, the syllables of my full name confirming everything I felt—that we were exactly where we were meant to be, that Jack was mine.

Slowly lifting my hips, I held just the head of Jack’s dick inside me, my hole pulsing around him, then I sank back down. The rhythm was torture of the sweetest kind for both of us, and in minutes, sweat coated our skin. Jack’s fingers reached up to brush a sweat-soaked lock of hair off my forehead before his hand stroked down my face and cupped my jaw and brought my face down to his, capturing my lips in a kiss that stole my soul from my body and wrapped it around his. Jack pulled me onto his chest, and I caught myself on my elbows as his hands roamed over my back and his lips whispered promises of forever into every kiss.

Unlike in the alley, there was no ferocity in this kiss. It was sweet and tender, and what had been fucking morphed into making love. Because there was no way I could deny the truth.

I loved Jack Grayson.

I think I always had.

Jack used his strength to roll us so he was on top, breaking our kiss. In the dark of the room, his blue eyes glowed as he moved his hips slowly, pressing into me so deep it felt like a part of him would be inside me forever.

“Claim me, Jack.”

His eyes went wide for a second, then his expression softened, and I knew everything I was feeling he felt too. I lifted my head so I could nose along his neck, breathing in his warm honey and salt scent, and then I traced the same path with my tongue. He shuddered, and I felt his cock jump inside me.

“Shit, Cal. I fucking love you.”

A smile stretched my lips, and I pressed it into his skin. “I love you too, Jack.”

“Is this crazy?”

“Maybe. But it feels right.”

“Fuck yes it does, sweetheart.”

I tipped my head, giving Jack access to my saddle patch. “Bite me, Jack. Make me yours. We can figure everything else out later.”

He bent his head and scraped his teeth over the darker, sensitive skin. My heart leaped in my chest. Jack pulled away for a second, working his hips and thrusting into me, my orgasm building, and then he leaned forward again, trapping my cock between our bodies. The sensation was electric, and the precum leaking from my slit eased the slide.

Jack turned my head and pressed my cheek to the mattress as he raked his teeth over my saddle patch over and over until it felt like my skin was on fire in the best way. The second he let me go, bending to put his mouth to my neck, I called just enough of my orca forward to sharpen my teeth. My teeth pierced the skin of Jack’s neck the second his shark teeth pierced mine, and I came, my cock jerking and covering our stomachs with cum. The heat of Jack’s release filled my ass, and I reveled in it. Our mate bond slid into place, and I felt Jack’s pleasure echo back to me. I licked over the claiming bite I’d given him as wave after wave of pleasure rolled through me, the orgasm going on and on and on like waves battering the shore. Jack’s tongue lapped over his bite, and as I finally came back to myself, the tide of our claiming orgasm ebbing, I had the overwhelming desire to see the bite.

But I also didn’t want to get up.

I’d never felt safer or more content, and with our claiming bond in place, I felt the same emotions from Jack’s end of the bond. My fingers traced lazy circles over his skin, and he rested his head on my chest, and for a long time, that’s how we stayed, Jack’s cock still deep inside me, our bond and his body warming me from the inside out.

A strange sense of nervous anticipation pulled me out of the moment. It wasn’t my emotion I was feeling, though. It was Jack’s.

“What’s wrong?”

Jack pushed up on his hands, his soft cock finally slipping from my body. “Why do you think something’s wrong?”

“I think that’s going to be the worst part of this bond.” Jack cocked his head. “We can’t lie to each other anymore.”

“Fuck. I didn’t think about that. Guess it’s too late to take it back now.”

My fingers found the healing bite in the middle of my saddle patch. “Yep. So stop being a dick, and tell me what’s up.”

Jack rolled off me and flopped onto his back, an arm flung over his face. “I haven’t been completely honest with you.”