Epilogue

EPILOGUE

KALI

W e've spent the last two days clearing out Griffin's old apartment and getting his office set up in the ranger's cabin. His neighbours called in with a leaving present, telling him Leonard was out of the hospital, but won't be coming back to the building. The police found all kinds of inappropriate material in his office: photos of residents, video links to areas that shouldn't have cameras, and drug paraphernalia. Without acknowledging that he was responsible, they thanked him for what he did.

Everyone in Sutton thinks I've just returned from an extended stay with friends, recuperating from my injuries. Nobody knows it was Griffin, apart from our immediate circle of friends. And nobody needs to know that the new ranger is still learning how to control his beast.

But John was right. Fresh air, open spaces, and physical activity are exactly what he needs to keep his balance.

The door opens, and he steps inside quietly. His dark brown hair is messy, and my stomach swoops when his glowing amber eyes lift to mine. He's been out clearing the yard, and the smell of wood chippings and hard work as he leans in for a quick kiss only adds to his usual heady scent.

"Get it all done?" I ask, as he stalks to the large desk against the far wall, where he's set up his screen and bookcases.

It's a different layout than how John had it—more like an office than someone's living room—which makes it easier to be here without constantly thinking of John, and where he might be.

"Yep." Griffin's response is clipped, and he radiates tension, sighing, like he's carrying the weight of the world, as he slips his jacket off and hangs it on the back of his chair.

I can feel his unease as though it's my own. His beast is extremely protective and unhappy that I could still be at risk of another unprovoked attack. I may be used to it, but Griffin isn't.

I make my way to him, watching his tanned hand move across the keys as he fires up the computer, and then get straight to work. I think he's done enough for today.

Coming to stand in front of him, I wedge myself between him and the desk, and then rub my hands over the taut muscles in his neck, massaging his shoulders.

He hums appreciatively, and his eyes slide closed, allowing me to admire his handsome features and strong jaw at my leisure.

"Henry brought Jed in for questioning and warned them to leave you alone. But no charges."

So that's what's bothering him. Jed is going to get away with what he did.

"As expected, he denied any involvement, and denied Martin's death even happened, saying he's just working abroad for a while. And without a body, Henry's hands are tied. But Jed's father promised to shut down any chatter he hears about harassing you or your family."

Yeah right.

Griffin looks as optimistic as I do.

As much as Henry's efforts are appreciated, it's like sticking a bandage over a stab wound. It might stem the flow for a short time, but they'll be back eventually. Hopefully, out of sight, out of mind though, and they'll be too afraid to come near me for a while.

That's why my parents are moving to Sutton. It'll be nice to have them close by.

Dipping my head down, I press my lips lightly to Griffin's, eager to distract him from what's weighing on his mind. "It'll be okay."

Griffin's hands move to the backs of my thighs and stroke up and down, edging a little higher on each pass. His fingers brush my sex as he cups my ass, pulling me closer so I'm standing between his parted thighs.

"You're more relaxed about it than I am." His expression is still serious as wraps his hands around my waist and lifts the hem of my T-shirt, pressing soft kisses to my stomach and dragging his mouth along the pale silvery scars left behind. "I still think I'm the reason these turned out so well."

Rolling my eyes, I ignore his smug comment and bury my fingers in his hair, tipping my head back as his hungry lips slide along my skin, slowly dragging lower to the top of my jeans.

He bites into the denim and tugs, making me giggle, loving how playful he is. But I'm supposed to be cheering him up, not the other way around.

"What about Jed's sister?" I ask, pushing Griffin's head back from my stomach and forcing him to sit back in his chair.

Ben lost her in the forest, but he's adamant it was her. There's no love lost between her and her big brother, but she could have been there, snooping around at her father's behest. It's hard not to be suspicious of everyone.

Griffin raises an eyebrow as I rest my hands on his thick thighs and slowly sink to my knees. His eyes burn into mine as I deftly pop open the top button of his trousers and drag down his zipper over the straining bulge underneath. His cock is already thick and hard, the tip stretching up above the waistband of his boxer briefs.

I reach out and brush my thumb over the smooth head, sliding my finger, and the bead of precum I wiped away, into my mouth with a husky moan.

"We could just leave and go live on a beach somewhere."

It sounds like heaven, but no. I'd miss my family, and I don't want Jed and his cronies to win by scaring me off the mountains.

"You need to help Ben before he loses his mind."

Now that we know what some of the legends and symbols on the map are, Ben's chomping at the bit to get back out there and follow the trail. He's tried it by himself, but some of the terrain is too difficult to traverse alone. And still not keen on bringing anyone else in on what he found, Ben wants Griffin to be his fellow tracker.

Lazily, I tug Griffin's length free and then stroke from base to tip, loving how the muscles in his legs tense, and he throws his head back to stifle a groan.

Griffin's left hand reaches out and wraps the ends of my blonde hair around his fingers. He attempts to pull me up to straddle him, wanting to take back control, but I have other ideas.

"They've got that tour coming in this weekend, but the second they're gone, he's going to be on your case."

Instead of going back to work in the bar, I've taken a part-time job helping Ben and Jack run their fledgling tour company. I'd love to go back to the Devil's Claw eventually, but for now, a corner office with a laptop is about as much excitement as I can handle.

Peeking up at him from my spot on the floor, I shuffle closer, taking a firm grip of his cock and then licking up along his bulging vein before swirling the head in my mouth like a lollipop. When Griffin's eyes roll into the back of his head, I smile, feeling smug from the heady mixture of lust and power.

Griffin's voice is deep and husky as he pulls himself together enough to speak until I take him in my mouth, my tongue working the underside of his cock, as I bob my head up and down, slowly, using my hands wrapped around the rest of him to make it seem like I'm taking it all.

"If I'm going to be gone for a few days, you need to stay with Evan and Holly. Either that, or Ben has to wait. I'm not leaving you alone."

Griffin's big hands cup the back of my head, and he rocks his hips, picking up the pace.

I swallow around him when he hits the back of my throat and he curses, holding me to him, my nose pressed to his groin, while my throat convulses around him.

I'm gasping for breath, saliva spilling from my lips when he releases me and eases back.

He strokes a thumb along my chin to clean the mess, his tender touch easing the bite of his bossy words.

He's right. It's not safe yet.

"I can do that, but I'm going to be lonely." I pout, sticking out my bottom lip sulkily before I let him slide past my lips again, savouring the taste of him as he leaks cum onto my tongue.

"Maybe I'll just have to make sure you're too tired to think about it." Griffin leans down, about to haul me up his body, when there's a sharp rap on the cabin door.

"Fuck," he mutters, taking one look at my rosy cheeks, swollen lips, and the dribble running down my chin, before he makes a decision. Instead of pulling me up, he pushes me back under the desk, just in time as the door opens, and two sets of heavy footsteps enter the room.

Oh god.

Hidden behind the desk, I take a deep breath, relieved to find they're human. They won't scent me here if I can stay out of sight.

"What can I do for you gents?" Griffin asks, voice strained as he remains seated instead of getting up to greet them. With his cock still rock hard and hanging out of his trousers, there is no subtle way of tucking him back inside.

"I'm Officer Healy, and this is Officer Jessop. We just wanted to talk to you about Leonard Holden."

Griffin shifts in his chair, and his cock bobs, wilting slightly at the mention of that name.

I'm not having any of that. I'm not done with him yet.

"Oh really? What can I help you with?" Griffin's voice catches on the last word as I take him in my hand again and give him a slow pump.

He's still slick from my mouth, so my hand slides up and down easily. "You're a long way from home."

The two policemen take another two steps into the room, but that's it. And they don't close the door, which hopefully means they're not staying long, because I need Griffin… and soon.

I slide a hand between my thigh and press my clit through my jeans, the stiff material giving me some delicious friction as I rub it hard.

When the scent of my arousal hits Griffin's nose, he coughs to hide a growl.

"We wanted to come up here to let you know we're closing the case. Turns out he was a nasty piece of work, and not just a peeping tom, like we first thought. His DNA was matched back to some unsolved sexual assault cases. Could have been any number of people who wanted him gone, and with enough evidence now to try him, it looks like they'll get their way. He'll be spending a long time behind bars. Thought you'd be happy to hear that."

I let my hair tickle Griffin's crotch as I trail my tongue around the crown of his magnificent cock, flicking the V lightly before taking the head in my mouth and then sucking gently.

Griffin's leg jerks, and his knee cracks against the underneath of the desk with a loud bang. "That's… fucking incredible."

If the officer's think anything of Griffin's odd demeanour or strange choice of words, they don't say it.

I smile as I take him deeper into my mouth, and he lets out a strangled grunt.

"I appreciate you letting me know."

They exchange some more pleasantries, and I delight in how Griffin twitches and squirms, one large hand first attempting to push me away before holding me tighter as I move my head up and down, wrapping my lips around his girth and hollowing my cheeks as I suck him deep.

His hips move, ever so slightly, and I can tell from the way his balls pull up that he's on the verge of spilling into my mouth. And I want it.

Redoubling my efforts, I stroke him harder in time with my mouth, and swirl my tongue around, loving when his grip tightens painfully in my hair.

"We'll leave you to it. But thanks. He was a dangerous man to have wandering free."

"Thanks for what?" Griffin asks, already inching his seat back. Curling his fingers into my hair, his beast rises to the surface. I think I've almost won, now that he's going to come, when he grips the arms of his chair so hard that the plastic groans, and his knuckles turn white.

"Exactly." There's a moment's pause where something unsaid passes between them, and then the two men turn to leave.

Nervous anticipation rises inside me as their footsteps retreat, and the door finally closes softly.

One second passes, then two, and it's only when I moan around his cock that Griffin lets out a low growl before he reaches down to grab me under the arms and then hauls me away.

Moaning in disappointment, my eyes go wide when he lifts me up, standing from his chair, his cock poking me where it stands to attention between us.

Griffin's panting, chest heaving, as he stares down at me. "What the fuck was that?"

He growls, rough hands finding the top of my jeans and then yanking them apart. There's a clink as a broken button goes flying across the room. He tugs my jeans and panties down my hips roughly, only as far as my knees, so my legs are still caught in them before spinning me around to face the other way.

"Did you want them to see you? To come closer and see you with my cock in your mouth?" His breath scorches my cheek as he whispers against my ear, "Did you want to show them exactly what they're missing? What they can't have?"

He shoves me forward, so I'm forced to press my palms to the wooden desk to stay upright. Then he takes my silence as an admission, although the only reason I don't speak is because all I can concentrate on is how his rock-hard length notches against my entrance but doesn't move to push inside me.

"Please." I beg, but Griffin doesn't give me what I want.

Instead, he teases me by dragging his cock through my wetness, taunting me.

"Maybe you'd love it if someone walked through this door and saw me bending you over my desk and fucking you, hard." He asks like it's a question but doesn't wait for my response as he pushes slowly into me, my channel tight, with my thighs pressed together.

Eyes fixed on the door, I gasp. It's not locked. Anyone could walk in, and they'd get quite a show. I shouldn't like that idea, but there's no missing how my pussy clenches down around him, and wetness floods between my thighs.

"Thought so."

Completely satisfied, he rumbles, ramming into me and filling me the rest of the way when the head of his cock bumps against my cervix. The dull ache is quickly erased by pleasure as he drags in and out, moaning and grunting, losing himself in me. It's brutal and demanding. His hips slap against my ass as he pounds into me, fingers gripping my hips hard to keep me in position.

"You smell amazing." He groans, his teeth clamping down on my shoulder as he covers my back.

I'm so hot. The warmth of his big body and the layers of clothes between us are making it uncomfortably warm. But I can't strip off, not with the door open, and the ranger's office officially back in action. Fuck. What if Ben or Evan walks in? Or Jack. They're regular visitors now and knocking on what used to be practically their home would never even dawn on them.

"Fuck, Kali. You're so hot. Your body, it's burning me up. It's like your pussy is on fire."

"Give it to me, Griffin. Come in me. I need it." My voice is barely more than a pathetic whimper as I plead with him to come deep inside me.

With a string of curses, Griffin shoves me even harder forward and then lets his beast loose. His thrusts are ferocious as he drives into me, over and over, until I feel the swell of his knot, and then Griffin shouts his release, spurt after spurt of cum painting my insides.

"Fuck. Jesus. What the fuck?" Griffin's incoherent as he leans over me, his hands outside mine on the desk surface. He pumps his hips once, and I cry out, torturously close to release, but still needing something more. His fingers find my clit, and he strokes it, softly, rhythmic, but then increases in speed and pressure as I writhe, trapped under him while he brings me higher.

"That's it, come for me baby. Pull my seed into your perfect body," he mumbles against my neck, encouraging me higher. "I think you're in heat, Kali. Or it's starting. We're going to stay like this until I've put a baby in you."

I clench around him, so close to release, and he grunts, biting down harder on my mark.

"And then I'm going to watch your belly get round with my young. You're going to be the best mum ever. So good, I'm going to do it again, and again, and again."

He rotates his hips, dragging his knot around my insides, and presses down hard on my clit.

As I cry out my climax, his name tumbling from my lips, he bites down hard, leaving another mark on my body. My head swims with visions of Griffin, a child in his arms, and I come again. He's going to look so fucking hot minding our kids.

"That's to remember this heat by. Because we're going to make a baby. And I'm not letting you out from under me until we do."

With his knot slowly deflating, he pulls out of me, and I fall onto the desk, ass up, and pressing my warm cheek to the cool surface. He might be onto something.

Griffin marches to the door and locks it, yanking down the blinds. "No interuptions."

"Right now?" I need a minute. And some water…

But one glance of Griffin's rock-hard cock walking back toward me, and all that goes out of my head.

Anything but getting him back inside me can wait.

"It might take me all weekend to wear you out sufficiently, but I'm not wasting a minute." His eyes are glowing, devilish and full of promise, and I know his beast is right there with him, the two of them in complete agreement, for once.

When his phone vibrates, we both groan, our need hanging heavy in the air between us.

This isn't lust, it's carnal.

He's about to set the phone down behind my head and return to his very important job of exhausting me with orgasms, until he glances at the screen and frowns.

"It's Henry."

This can't be good.

"Answer it," I urge, all thoughts of sexy times forgotten momentarily, as I wait for Griffin to sit back and accept the call. I pray that it's not another missing person or anything to do with me. I just want some peace and quiet with my mate.

"What can I do for you, Henry?" Griffin's expression is infuriatingly blank as he listens to Henry's whispering words, nodding along and grunting at whatever Henry's telling him.

"Consider it done." As he hangs up the phone, he frowns; his expression is tense and confused.

I scramble up to a sitting position and tug my trousers back up, which seems appropriate given the apparent seriousness of the call.

"What? What did he say?"

All sorts of terrible things rush through my mind: Jed and his cronies have vandalised my old cabin. They've been harassing my parents. The people of Sutton have voted, and we're not welcome to stay there.

"What did Henry say?"

"Ben. He, uh, can't go on the tour next week with Jack. They need me to fill in. It's too many people for him to take out on his own."

That's a non-answer if I ever heard one.

"Why can't he go on the tour?"

Griffin stands and drags a hand back through his hair, looking stunned, but not concerned.

"Is he hurt?"

Griffin shakes his head.

I exhale, relieved that Ben's okay. "Then why the big fuss?"

"Ben kidnapped Jed's sister. He was seen bundling her into the back of his truck and heading up the mountains."

So much for hoping that Jed forgets we even exist.