Chapter Seven

Otsana

I was telling Xavier more about myself than I'd told anyone, including Nick. It was one of the things he'd constantly complained about—that he knew nothing about me or my work. He refused to understand that the names of corporations and people I was investigating were confidential and not for public knowledge.

I'd met Nick when his father's pack— Varulvstj?rnor, which had its origins in Sweden, had invited some of the senior members of our pack for a relaxed barbeque. We had immediately hit it off and four months later, Nick had moved into my home. It was the biggest mistake I'd ever made.

I'd heard from Zarina, who was nosy as well as being a drama queen, that the wolf I'd caught him with had moved on after finding Nick kissing another member of their pack. It had been a narrow escape for both of us. The man didn't have a clue how to be faithful and I hoped one day he'd get his comeuppance.

Thinking back, Nick had always been disrespectful about everything I engaged in, but especially my job. He only seemed happy when he was the focus of attention. Even though a part of me had hoped for marriage, another part had been warning me things didn't feel quite right. I'd chosen to ignore the latter but I wouldn't make the same mistake again. When warning flags were raised about a man I was with following our split, I walked away.

"What encouraged you to form Worlds Apart?" I asked, returning to the present.

Xavier waited while the server placed Scandinavian steak with baby potatoes and asparagus in front of him and chicken with marsala risotto before me.

I cut a small piece from the delicious smelling chicken and scooped up some of the risotto before popping it into my mouth. The white meat, so tender it melted in my mouth was complimented with a burst of marsala flavor that permeated the risotto and I moaned silently.

I swallowed and when my eyes met Xavier's, he had a grin on his face. If the moans are any indication, I gather you enjoyed that bite of food."

I slapped a hand across my mouth for a second before returning it to the table. My face heated with embarrassment. "Fuck. I thought that was in my head." I indicated the plate with my fork. "This is so good."

"Jared always was a good cook. We…Cillian and I, would use any excuse to hang out at his house. He'd always make us a meal and it was usually the best we ate until the next visit. His mother encouraged him, and his parents paid for culinary school. They also gave him the money to put a deposit on this place. He and Penny had been sweet on each other since the second grade and their bond, and love for each other, grew stronger over the years so it was pretty much a given that they would marry."

"Not many long-lasting relationships like that these days."

"No, there aren't. Penny is a wonderful pastry chef in her own right, so they work together very well. They now own sixteen restaurants throughout the state which they visit every couple of months. They have excellent managers who are paid twenty-five percent of all profits their places make over and above a generous salary."

"They have a vested interest in keeping the restaurants successful."

"Exactly. It's a rather unusual arrangement as most business owners like to make as much profit as possible for themselves. Jared and Penny are millionaires many times over and their generosity has afforded them loyalty."

Xavier's voice became quiet and I suspected he was troubled to know someone he trusted and believed loyal, was actually betraying him.

Reaching out, I placed a hand over his where it rested on the table. "We'll find who is causing your pain. I know firsthand how it hurts to be betrayed by someone you care about."

Xavier nodded and I pulled my hand back. We both finished eating, me keeping the moans of delight firmly ensconced in my head.

"To answer your earlier question, Worlds Apart kind of happened by accident. My interest is in gadgets that make life a little easier for the disabled community. Indigo, our first product, was costing more to release than I envisaged, and I was determined not to ask my parents for help in the form of money. Mind you, they would have been more than willing to help, but I was determined to do things on my own. Cillian suggested we incorporate and encourage investment by offering a limited number of shares. Where I have the brain for gadgets, Cillian has an exceptional business brain. The investment we raised was enough to release Indigo which broke sales records all over the world. Cillian and I became instant billionaires, and the rest is history."

"Are you able to tell me about Panda?"

Xavier inclined his head and studied me for a moment. When he smiled, a dimple punctuated his left cheek. "I think I can trust you. Panda is basically a cell phone with a raised keyboard. It has both etched numbers and braille on the keys to enable those who are blind, or with limited vision, to have the experience of making a phone call or to send a text message like the rest of us. They will still have voice activation but will give the blind options. We have almost three hundred and two million pre-ordered worldwide."

I pushed my empty plate aside. "Wow! What total sales are you expecting?"

"Most likely in the vicinity of seven or eight hundred million."

"Fuck…I had no idea sales numbers like that even existed."

"Our other new release products have sold in similar numbers and our electronics lines sell in the thousands every day."

"I noted in the file that you give quite large amounts to charities but there is no record of you attending their galas."

Xavier shook his head. "That's Cillian's job. I don't like the attention."

Well, Xavier was certainly the opposite of Nick would do anything to take center stage in the limelight. "What does a man who has everything, including a mansion, spend his money on?"

"Mansion? I don't have a mansion. I have a cottage that was built in 1860 over in Fritton. It was barely standing when I bought it sixteen years ago but the location was ideal and the frame was solid. I hired a company to restore it to original and the interior and furnishings are true to the period. My only indulgences are my classic Chevy and a Harley motorcycle."

"Ah, now the interest in Zarina's Porsche makes sense and the comment earlier about you doing your own cooking."

"I would much rather help children and animals than indulge in ostentatious buildings and things I don't need."

"What about Cillian?"

"His place was built in the 1950s and is about two streets away from mine. Also like mine, it has three bedrooms, one bathroom, and a double garage with a home gym and lap pool in the basement. He's not one for things but he does enjoy fine dining with friends, mainly women, and the past three years we have spent our three weeks of Christmas holidays in Saint John. Cillian spends his time there bedding women while I prefer lying by the pool with a book or swimming at the beach."

I grinned. "You never bed women?"

"Of course, now and again. I'm certainly no saint. They are always one and done and the women understand that before I take them to bed. They sign a legal document stating they had sex willingly with no threat or coercion. I don't give them money because I won't have them feeling like whores, so I usually gift them a piece of jewelry. I keep a few pieces in my safe at home and usually slip one into my pocket if I intend casting my eye wide. I never take them to my home, and do not go to theirs. I have a room at The Leaf Hotel for such purposes."

"Your actions seem almost robotic. I don't blame you though for being cautious. Having the kind of money you do makes you a prime target for false accusations."

Our desserts—sticky date pudding and handmade vanilla ice-cream with strawberries on the side were placed on the table. The simple sight, along with the delicious aroma, had my mouth watering. I indulged in a bite and didn't feel any shame when I moaned.

Xavier laughed and I shrugged before taking another bite.

"What about you, Otsana? Are you up for a one and done?"

"I haven't been for the past year and a half. However, I could be persuaded to break my vow of celibacy for you. I believe we could work out this obvious attraction we have with a fuck."

Xavier's eyes narrowed but I'd caught the lust in them before they did.

"You don't think there's a conflict of interest?" There was a definite note of hope in his voice that I would say no.

"Not at all. My captain, the team and I have dismissed both you and Cillian as suspects for several reasons. We have no idea at this stage who the perpetrator may be but we know for certain it's neither of you two. I wouldn't advertise the fact we've fucked and once won't hurt."

Xavier nodded and seemed preoccupied as he finished his pudding, washing it down with the last of his red wine. I devoured every bite of mine but left the remainder of the wine so as to keep a clear head. The wolf in me was affected by even the smallest amount of alcohol.

"What are you thinking so hard about?" I asked while we waited for coffee. I pondered the fact I would need a run later tonight or early the following morning to work off the high of my over-indulgence."

"I want you."

"Well, that's direct and to the point."

"I believe honesty is best. People know where they stand and what is expected of them. I cannot abide lies and deceit."

A cold chill danced down my spine. I was keeping the mother of all secrets from the man—lying by omission was still lying no matter which angle it was viewed from.

Still, Xavier had said himself, it would be a one and done so there was no need for him to know.

***

I slid into the passenger seat of Xavier's car, he closed the door he'd held open, and I fastened my seatbelt while waiting for him to climb in behind the wheel.

Butterflies cavorted in my stomach, having a celebration party and I resisted the urge to allow my inner wolf to surface and growl in disgust at my weakness. Since when did the prospect of having sex with a man, and there was no doubt sex was what was on both our minds, cause me to react like a virtuous schoolgirl? I'd had a few…well, not a few, but a couple…okay…I'd only consented to one previous one-night stand with someone I'd only just met.

The realization hit me with the force of a freight train—I'd never been fucked by a human before! I'd been careful to ensure my instincts warned me of any man who wasn't a wolf. How would my parents react if they found out I'd crossed that line and mixed outside the world of hybrids? More importantly, how would the pack react? I didn't think they wouldn't take it well, excepting for Zarina who couldn't have cared less who she or anyone else fucked, even when the pack threatened to ex-communicate her.

The secrets of our other worldly lives had been closely guarded for thousands of years and it was drummed into us from very young that humans were not to be allowed to penetrate our pack and weaken our gene pool like they had with other packs. Our previous pack leaders also felt that humans could not be trusted, and if our true selves were revealed, they would do everything in their power to exterminate every one of us. Yet no other pack in the world had banned humans from marrying or partnering with our species, and there had never been any incident that we'd heard about. Pure hybrid wolves remained a long way from extinction and were in fact thriving and growing in numbers as most preferred to stick with their own kind regardless of having approval to do otherwise.

I sighed as Xavier eased the car onto the road and peeled away from the restaurant parking lot.

"Second thoughts? I'm happy to take you home. I would never force you to do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable," Xavier offered.

I peered through the windscreen at the cloudless sky above, stars twinkled and winked, and I resisted the urge to howl at the almost full moon.

"Do you ever feel compelled to do something that is outside your comfort zone and to hell with the consequences?"

Xavier flipped on the indicator and turned into a street on his right. "Often, but isn't taking risks, regardless of internal warning signals insisting you take the safe route, part of what keeps life from being routine and humdrum? Being safe in everything we do doesn't guarantee a happy and fulfilling life. When I considered starting Worlds Apart with the money grandfather left me, my parents, and many of my friends warned it was a gamble and could result in me losing a lot of money if the product failed to generate interest."

Xavier paused while concentrating on turning a corner.

"I heard what they were saying, and respected they cared about me, but I had faith and belief in myself, and in Cillian who never once doubted my ability or failed to support me in my decisions. Most of all, Cillian believed in Indigo as I did. I suppose what I'm trying to say is hear the warnings and understand the consequences of ignoring them, but as the saying goes…What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

"Very true," I agreed while taking in my surroundings.

Xavier drove down a street with the state park on our right and homes on our left. It was well lit and had well-maintained homes worthy of a Hallmark movie.

"Where are we going?"

"To my place. You didn't answer my question from earlier…Do you want me to take you home?"

"No, but I thought you said you don't take women to your home? I was under the impression you would not want your inner sanctum violated."

"For you I'm making an exception," Xavier stated before turning into the driveway of a picture-perfect house with a beautifully manicured lawn and garden beds.

A streetlamp in front of the house allowed me to take in a few details while Xavier waited for the garage door to rise and give him access.

The period home boasted two storys with a wide veranda, bordered by a white painted railing, and typical of the era, ran the full width of the building. Three wooden steps led up to the entry door and to the right were two large windows with stained glass panels at the top. The upstairs had three similar windows. Apart from the moss green painted shutters and front door, the house was painted white making it easy to distinguish the features in the muted light. What surprised me the most was the lack of visual security considering Xavier was a billionaire and highly likely a target for jealous loonies. Still, I wasn't a security expert, and he could have had something high tech hidden from view.

Xavier drove the Chevy monster into his double garage, switched off the motor, and rounded the car to the passenger door which I had already opened. He extended his hand to assist me from the vehicle.

I glimpsed a motorcycle and small model Mercedes that was plugged into an electric outlet, before Xavier led me from the garage and to a side door of his home. The sound of the garage door was the only sound breaching the peace of the night.

Xavier unlocked the door, flipped a switch, bringing light to the space, and tapped in a code on a security panel, answering at least one question I'd had about his security. He stepped back and indicated for me to enter. The room was the laundry, and although the appliances were state of the art, the lighting fixtures, cabinets, and black and white checkered floor were in keeping with the home's era.

"Head through the door and turn to your right. Follow the hall to the end and you will come to the entry foyer where the staircase is located."

He flipped another switch and as I headed through the door, light flooded a long, carpeted hallway. I walked slowly, briefly observing the gallery of photos taking up one wall. There were a number of Xavier and Cillian together and some of an elderly couple both with the boys and without.

At the end of the hallway, I entered a huge foyer with a large chandelier casting out soft light that was suspended from the towering ceiling above. On my left was a wide staircase and to my right, an archway led through to a farmhouse style kitchen which was also softly lit.

"I leave these lights on when I'm out at night so it appears someone is home. I'll show you over the house another time. For now, we have much more pressing matters to take care of and my bedroom is upstairs."

Xavier took my hand and led me onto a landing on the second floor. An open door was a short distance away and Xavier led me into the room. It was an immaculately tidy bedroom, and rather masculine which one would expect from a man living alone.

Xavier turned me and pointed back across the landing. "The closed door over there is the bathroom if you need to use it first."

"No, I'm good for now." I turned back and stood staring at the enormous king-sized bed in the center of the room, a slight lump forming in my throat now the reason for my being there was becoming more and more obvious.

Xavier placed his hands on both of my upper arms and spun me to face him. "You don't have to do this, Otsana. I would never force you and I'll be happy to take you home."

I shook my head and searched within, bringing out the courage of my inner wolf. Taking a step closer, I lifted a hand to Xavier's face and ran my fingertips over the short stubble.

"I want you…" I whispered. "I want this unless you are having doubts?"

Xavier shook his head before leaning forward and capturing my lips in the beginnings of a bruising kiss. His tongue forced my lips to part and delved into my mouth. Our tongues danced, and teeth clicked as we explored each other's mouths for the first time. He tasted of coffee, wine, and the chocolate mint that had been served with the coffee. His cologne, with musky undertones was a little overpowering for my acute sense of wolf smell, but it wasn't unpleasant.

Xavier dropped his hands to the back of my dress and the garment loosened as he slid down the zipper. With no straps to hold it in place, it floated to the floor. I stepped forward, kicked the dress away, and stood clothed in only a skimpy pair of lace panties and silver-colored high heels.

Lust and want burned in Xavier's eyes as he ran them over my body, and when he licked his lips, it was downright erotic.

I pushed the jacket from his shoulders, and he shook his hands free, leaving it to drop to the ground. His tie followed and then I plucked open the buttons of his dress shirt. Xavier's belt, the clasp on his slacks, and zipper, took mere seconds to unfasten, before I pulled the shirt free and tossed it aside. The slacks, and his tight black boxer briefs, soon joined the pile once Xavier had kicked off his shoes.

It was my turn to check out his body, and as I'd observed earlier, the man was a wall of muscle. His impressive, thick dick stood erect and rested against his belly. I licked my lips, kicked off my shoes and dropped to my knees, steadying myself with both hands on his thighs before taking his dick to the back of my throat in one motion.

"Fuck, Otsana." Xavier's hips gave an involuntary thrust forward, but my she-wolf persona had risen to rest just below the surface, and having no gag reflex, when he pushed his dick deeper, I sucked harder.

Xavier used both hands to push my head away, and his dick pulled free with a soft pop. He slid his hands beneath my arms, pulled me to my feet, and the kiss we shared was filled with need, want and passion from both of us.

I squeaked when he swept me into his arms, threw back the covers of the bed, and dropped me onto the mattress where I landed with a bounce. The scrap of lace was ripped from my body, and seconds later, Xavier was on top of me, his lips crushing and punishing mine. Needing to breathe, because it's kind of necessary if one wants to keep living, I pushed at Xavier's chest. He released me and dropped his body onto mine, resting his head against my shoulder.

"Otsana, where the fuck have you been?"

I pushed at him, and getting the message I was being crushed, he lifted onto his arms, taking his weight from me so I could suck in a deep breath. Our eyes bored into each other.

"You have the most unusual eyes," Xavier mused before raking his eyes over my body. A frown creased his forehead as he ran fingertips over a couple of the bruises incurred when wrestling with Zarina. "How did this happen?"

"I fell when I was jogging in the state park and went ass over tit down an embankment. As for my eyes, they're hereditary, my brother has them also."

"You have a brother?"

"An older brother, Aodhan. He's a cop too."

Xavier nodded before peppering me with kisses from one shoulder, and across my chest to the other. I wriggled and squirmed, wanting him inside me but it seemed his mission for now was to place his lips over every inch of my body.

I protested loudly when he bypassed my needy pussy and worked his way down one leg from thigh to toes and then the other. Hope rose that my pussy would finally get the attention it desperately wanted but he ignored the area and instead licked, nipped and kissed from one hip to the other.

Did I mention my she-wolf was lurking just below the surface? She chose that moment for her patience to snap and I gave a deep, throaty growl.

Xavier's head shot up and he studied my face curiously. "That was a strange sound."

"Dry throat," I responded without hesitation, giving myself a mental pat on the back for coming up with something so quick.

I wasn't completely sure he believed me, but he slid back down the bed and zeroed in on my needy pussy…Thank fuck. It didn't take long before his tongue and two fingers reaching deep inside, had me experiencing an orgasm that almost had me howling with pleasure. I'd never felt such an overwhelming explosion of pleasure throughout my body.

Fucking hell…I'd had my first orgasm with a human and it was like nothing I'd ever come close to with Nick or any other of my own kind. At that moment, I didn't give a fuck what my parents, brother and pack thought, I wanted so much more of Xavier. Once was never going to be enough. I was in deep shit.