30. Riley

Chapter 30

Riley

D anny was lifting me before I'd even finished my sentence. He marched me over to the bed, dropping me and covering my body with his. "Fucking definitely sounds better than more talking."

"Glad we're on the same page," I groaned, tilting my head to give him greater access to my neck.

"When are we never not?"

That was true. My groin came into contact with Danny's, and fuck, I couldn't wait to have him inside me again. My hole was practically aching to feel the stretch I knew he'd give me.

"You know what'd be really funny?"

"Hmm?" Danny was distracted, too focused on kissing up my belly, my shirt shoved up to my chin.

"Sebastian—" My words were cut off as his mouth latched on to my nipple.

He released it almost immediately, his eyes glowing. "I know you didn't just mention another man's name while you're in bed with me."

I huffed and flicked his nose. "Simmer down. I was going to say, Sebastian would be really pissed if he knew we'd had sex in here…so we should really earn his annoyance by having sex on every single surface. He's already going to be furious about the door, so we might as well make the most of it."

Danny's ire evaporated in an instant. "I really love you and your diabolical mind, Riley. We're totally doing that."

He pressed his groin harder against mine, drawing a breathy moan from my lips. "Fair warning though, mention another man's name while you're in bed with me again, and I'll show you what the others mean when they call my kind feral."

Oh, but now I wanted to see that. I tousled his hair, blinking down at him innocently. "So I shouldn't say Ferry? Or Harlow? How about Cal?"

Danny's eyes darkened. "Say it again."

I tilted my chin up defiantly. "Which one?"

His lips pulled back in a snarl. "Any. Any fucking name but mine. Say it. I dare you . "

My tongue flicked out over my bottom lip. I was playing a dangerous game, but fuck, it was fun. "Leo."

Danny snapped. He grabbed the neckline of my shirt and ripped it cleanly in two. My trousers were next, followed by my underwear. Goosebumps covered my flesh, a mixture of the sudden cold air and arousal.

My thighs were roughly shoved up towards my chest, Danny pinning them in place with one arm. He growled up at me, storms flashing in his eyes. "No other men. Only me."

I was going to reassure him, but what he did next stole my power of speech. He sank his teeth into my cheek, not hard enough to break the skin, but with enough pressure to mark me.

"Mine," he snarled, repeating it on the other cheek. "You're all mine, Riley."

He spread my cheeks roughly before spearing my hole with his tongue. My body jerked away instinctively, but Danny slammed his forearm over my hips, pinning me in place.

He didn't stop eating me. There was no other word for it. This wasn't foreplay. There was no gentle easing into it, just a desperate need. He sucked and fucked at my hole like he was trying to own me. Like he couldn't get enough, and if he paused or slowed, I might slip through his fingers.

That would never happen, not now. Nothing other than death could part us now.

His stubble abraded the sensitive skin between my cheeks, taking me even higher. With Danny holding me in place, my upper half was all that could move. My hands scrabbled at the sheets, trying desperately to find something to anchor me. Something to stop me falling over the edge before I got to feel Danny inside me.

I wouldn't make it through another thirty seconds of this.

"Danny," I moaned. "Please. I want you inside me."

"You'll take what I give you. You asked for this, princess."

Despite his words, he pulled back and I heard the lube click open. I felt almost dizzy with relief.

I tried to roll over, like I usually did, but Danny stopped me. "What do you think you're doing, Ry?"

"Umm, rolling over?"

"No." His hand moved up to cup my chin firmly. "You'll stay right there, princess. You're going to watch me fuck you. No more pretending it's anonymous. You're going to keep your eyes on me the whole time, you got it?"

A spurt of precum leaked from my cock, smearing all over Danny's thigh. "I got it."

"You're mine now, Riley. No escape."

Now I was the one grabbing his chin. "I don't want to escape, Danny. I want to be right here, with you. No one else. Ever."

"Good." He probed at my hole, one of his fingers sliding an inch inside. "This is mine now."

My back arched. "Yes."

He added another finger and twisted them. I held my breath, waiting for him to find what he was searching for.

When he did, I cried out incoherently. "Danny!"

"That's it, Riley." He tapped on my prostate, his gaze hooded as he stared down at me. "Say my name, princess. Just mine."

"Danny." I clutched at his shoulders helplessly. "Please, I can't last much longer. I need you."

"You can do one more finger," Danny crooned, his lips twisted in a smirk. "Come on, princess, I know you can take it."

If I'd had the energy to glare at him, I would've done. This was totally payback for earlier. I couldn't do anything other than take what he was giving me. I clung to him, cries ripping from my throat as he stretched me with another finger. The base of my spine was tingling, the release promising to be epic.

I held it back. I wasn't coming until Danny was inside me.

Finally, Danny deemed me ready for him. My gaze went down between my legs to where he was lining himself up with me.

"Eyes up here, princess."

They snapped up automatically, and Danny smirked wolfishly. "Good boy."

My eyes rolled back in my head as he pushed forward past the first tight ring of muscle. Oh fuck, I hadn't thought being called a good boy would be a turn on. Usually, if a man said some bollocks like that, I'd have been kicking them out of my bed.

From Danny though? Oh, it did something. Something very, very good.

"More," I gasped, scratching at his back. "Please, baby."

He bottomed out with a groan, leaning his head against mine. "Fuck, Ry. It's been too long. You feel so good."

Technically it hadn't been that long at all, but I got it. This was the first time we were having penetrative sex with no artifice between us in a very long time. The first time since we'd become mates.

The first time since I'd admitted that I was in love with him. That he was my forever.

I whined as he started to move, the stretch just the right side of painful. My mind flashed back to my first ‘anonymous' hookup. How on earth hadn't I realised it was Danny?

I was glad I hadn't. Danny was right, maybe this had all happened for a reason. If we'd changed anything, we might not have ended up right here.

That thought terrified me.

I held Danny closer, a litany of pleas breaking from me. "Please, baby. Give it to me hard. Make me ache for you. Stretch me open."

"I'll do one better than that," he said, nipping at my bottom lip. "I'm going to fuck you until my name is the only thing you can say. The only thing you can remember."

Lifting my thighs, he pushed them back against my chest. "Hold yourself open for me, princess."

I wrapped my shaking hands around my legs.

"Perfection," Danny whispered, pulling out until just his tip remained in me. "Perfectly mine."

The scream that left me as he tunnelled back in was loud enough to rattle the windows. "Danny!"

He lifted my rear up, hammering back in at a different angle. Oh god, he kept hitting my prostate. How was I supposed to last?

I wasn't. I couldn't.

Danny's eyes were wild as he stared down at me. Sweat poured down his face, but his rhythm didn't falter. "Say it, princess."

I knew what he needed. "Danny."

His hips slammed into me. "Again."

"Danny!" I was so close. So damned close.

"Once more, princess."

" Danny. "

He leaned down to the raised scar on my arm. Not looking away from me for a second, he sank his teeth into it.

I came, saying his name over and over again. A tidal wave of pleasure washed through me, only to be doubled as Danny's orgasm joined in.

Danny kissed the mating mark reverently before dusting a trail of kisses all the way up to my face. When he reached my lips, he hovered there for a moment. "Now tell me another man's name."

"There's no one," I murmured, threading my hands through his thick hair. "No one else exists except for me and you."

Possessiveness unlike anything I'd ever felt before slammed through the bond as he took my mouth hungrily. It should have frightened me, but it didn't. It made me feel…cherished. Like I was the luckiest, most special person to ever exist.

Danny could have had any man he wanted, and he wanted me. Forever.

W e barely slept that night, fucking on every surface available. I'd like to say that it was to piss Sebastian off, but in reality, we just couldn't keep our hands off each other. Finally committing to Danny had cemented something in our bond, making us attack each other with renewed desperation each time.

The frenzy had only settled just before dawn, when we'd stumbled into the shower, covered in cum and sweat. We'd washed each other lazily, not speaking, just basking in being near each other.

Now, as we drew nearer to the clan lands, I was so fucking grateful I'd had my realisation when I had. Whatever was waiting for us through those gates in the distance, we were going into it together. Danny didn't need to worry about where we were emotionally. I didn't need to worry about him changing his mind.

All we needed to worry about was the welcome we were about to receive and the new life we were going to have to adjust to.

Finlay was there already, having text Danny this morning to inform him. From the moment he'd checked his phone, his mood had darkened. It grew increasingly stormier with every mile that passed.

He was so lost in it now that it was difficult for me to find him. Picking up his hand, I kissed the back of it. "It's going to be okay."

Danny didn't take his eyes off the gates, focusing on the sentinels who stood behind parapets on either side. "You can't know that."

"I can and I do. We've got each other, that's all that matters. So long as we have each other, we can survive whatever they throw our way."

Danny's lips thinned. "Let's hope so."

The sentinels watched us like hawks as we passed through the gates. Danny drove us along a tree lined road, neither of us commenting on the fact that there were more guards stationed in the woods, tracking our progress. Danny's knuckles whitened on the steering wheel as the tension in the bond grew.

The road opened up into a small village that wouldn't have been out of place in any rural part of the UK. Rows of cottages stood, with small, well-tended front gardens in front of each. There was a school, a post office, a small shop, and even a pub.

"They have everything here."

"Yep," Danny said shortly, pulling up outside a massive house and flicking off the engine. I peered at it through the windshield. It was oddly out of keeping with the rest of the buildings, looking far too big and ostentatious. "They have everything here so they never have to leave."

I winced. "Sounds…insular."

Danny barked out a laugh. "That's one way of putting it, princess. Sure you're going to cope with insular ?"

I kissed his cheek. "I'll cope with whatever I need to if it means I'm at your side."

The door to the mansion opened, a handsome man stepping outside. His reddish-brown hair hung past his chin, his face covered in a rugged beard. Small crinkles appeared beside his green eyes as he grinned down at us.

"Is that Finlay?"

"Yes," Danny said, his voice trembling slightly. "Fucker hasn't changed a bit."

"Obviously, he's a supe," I teased, trying desperately to ease the stress that was coursing through my mate. "It's not like you age past a certain point."

Finlay started striding for the car, obviously too impatient to wait. I waved at him in greeting and reached for the door handle.

"Wait," Danny said abruptly. "Come here."

Confused, I twisted to face him. Danny cupped the back of my neck and closed the distance between us. He didn't kiss me, instead nuzzling his face against my neck.

"Umm…what are you doing?"

As he pulled back, there was a feral, dangerous gleam in his gaze. "Scent marking you. Take your jacket off."

Finlay had reached the car now. He didn't make any move to touch my door though, instead watching us through the window with an inscrutable expression.

I slipped my jacket off. Danny's eyes flicked down to my upper arm, the mating mark he'd bitten so many times through the night. "Top off too."

My eyes bugged out. "I'm not getting out of the car half naked, Danny. This is the first time I'm meeting these people, I don't want them to see all of me in my glory. They might not be able to handle the hotness."

Danny huffed, stripping his own top off efficiently. "Trust me, none of them will be seeing any of your body that you don't want them too. You're going to wear this."

I took the top he held out, biting my lip as I eyed Finlay outside. Usually I didn't give a shit about who saw me topless, but this felt odd. For some reason, I didn't want any of these shifters seeing any part of me. It made me feel strangely vulnerable.

Danny followed my attention, a growl filling the car as he stared murderously at the other shifter. "Move your fucking eyes, Finn, before I remove them for you."

Finn rolled his eyes, muttering something under his breath that Danny could no doubt hear perfectly. He did as instructed though, offering us his broad back as he stared off into the distance.

Moving quickly, I stripped off my shirt and replaced it with Danny's. Eyeing his bare chest, I frowned. "What about you? There's no way my top will fit you."

"It's fine," Danny said shortly. "If this goes how I'm expecting it to, the fewer clothes I have on, the better. Stay there until I get to your door."

A chill settled in my bones as Danny got out. He didn't care about putting on more clothes because he was expecting to shift.

All his other odd behaviour suddenly made sense. The scent marking. Wearing his clothes. Making sure my mating mark was on display.

Danny wanted there to be no question about who I belonged to. Whose protection I fell under.

This should be fun.

Danny didn't greet Finlay, choosing to open my door instead. Only when I was tucked securely under his arm did he acknowledge the other shifter. "It's good to see you, Finn."

"Is it?" Doubt was thick in Finn's voice as he turned to face us. His gaze swept over me in amusement. "From the way you're treating your mate, you'd think you were taking him into a battle. Sure you don't need to piss on him too?"

A muscle jumped in Danny's jaw. "For all I know, that's exactly what we're walking into. Forgive me for wanting to protect those I love. With what happened before, I would've thought you'd understand that."

Finn winced, rubbing at his jaw. "Shit, man, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. It's just, you don't need to worry. At least, I hope you don't. This clan isn't like the one you left. I've worked damned hard to build a sense of union and harmony. Your mate will be respected or they'll face the consequences."

"They will," Danny said mildly, as though they were discussing the weather. "They'll pay with their immortality. Make sure that's known."

Something like approval flickered over Finlay's face. "Consider it done."

The shifter's attention turned to me, and he offered a welcoming smile. "Finlay. It's lovely to meet you."

"Riley." I extended my hand for him to shake. "Lovely to meet you too. I've heard so much about you."

Finlay didn't shake my hand, and it wasn't until he chuckled that I realised why. "Ease up, Danny. I'm not about to touch your boy."

Danny was still glaring at Finlay like he was trying to decide which bone he'd break first. Well I wasn't having that—this guy was apparently the only one we were sure was on our side.

I dug my fingers into Danny's side. "Behave, Daniel. This possessive bullshit is all well and good most of the time, but not right now. Wind your neck in."

He rubbed his hand over his face, and when he pulled it away, I could see my Danny again. "Good thing I've got you to keep my feet on the ground."

"And I've got no problem reminding you about it either, so behave or you'll be sleeping on the floor tonight."

He chuckled before kissing my temple. "Yes, dear."

A slow clapping sound made me jump, reminding me we weren't alone. We both twisted to see Finlay grinning at us knowingly.

"I never thought I'd see the day when someone house-trained Danny, but apparently it's arrived."

I snorted. "Hardly. He leaves his clothes all over the floor and rarely goes food shopping. I'm not certain how many actual full meals he consumed before he met me."

Finlay's laugh was as dense as the surrounding woodland. "Seems like you know what you're getting yourself into with Danny."

"With Danny, yes. The rest of it…" I looked around, noticing various people peeking out of windows and over walls. "I'm not so sure about that."

Finlay pursed his lips, sweeping his gaze over our audience. One by one, they hastened away. "Yeah, it's going to be a change. Don't worry though, between us, you'll be safe."

Danny squeezed me tighter. "He's right, Ry. Neither of us will let anything happen to you. Nor will Calan or Logan, for that matter."

But as the two of them led me towards the silent mansion, I could feel eyes burning into us from one of the many windows. Someone was still watching. Someone who wasn't cowed by either Danny or Finlay.

A tiny ember of fear ignited in my gut. I doused it quickly, refusing to let it grow.

Everything was going to be fine.

Just fine.