Chapter 3

Chapter

Three

ZORA

I step into Jay’s suite, and it’s like walking into the beast’s lair. Except this beast has tentacles and smells like sin and salt water.

The door clicks shut behind me, and I swear I can hear the sound of my common sense waving goodbye.

“Mr. Lafayette,” I start, proud that my voice only shakes a little. “What can I do for you today?”

Jay’s eyes, still that impossible electric blue, rake over me. I’ve never felt so naked while fully clothed.

“Call me Jay,” he rumbles, voice like thunder over the ocean. “And as for what you can do for me…” One of his tentacles snakes towards me, stopping just short of touching. “Why don’t we start with you telling me why you smell like you’re about to go into heat?”

Oh shit.

“I… that’s not… I mean…” I stammer, backing until I hit the wall. Jay follows, crowding me with his massive body. He plants his hands on either side of my head, caging me in.

“Don’t lie to me, little omega,” he growls, leaning in close. His scent overwhelms me–ocean, musk and pure, unadulterated alpha. “I can taste your pheromones in the air.”

As if to demonstrate, a tentacle tip traces my jawline. I shiver, warmth pooling low in my belly.

“How… how can you taste…?” I manage to ask.

Jay’s lips quirk into a predatory smile. “My suckers aren’t just for show, sweetheart. Each one can taste and smell. Right now?” He inhales deeply, his eyes fluttering closed for a moment. “Right now, you taste like ripe fruit, ready to be devoured.”

Oh God. That shouldn’t sound so hot. That really shouldn’t.

But it is.

“Mr. Laf- Jay,” I correct myself, trying to regain some semblance of professionalism. “This is highly inappropriate. I’m your concierge, not your… your…”

“Mate?” he finishes for me, raising an eyebrow. “Because that’s exactly what you are, Zora. My mate. My omega.”

The words send a shiver down my spine, a mix of fear and excitement. “You can’t just decide that,” I protest weakly.

Jay chuckles, the sound vibrating through me. “I didn’t decide anything, little one. Nature did. The moment I smelled you, I knew. And you know it too, don’t you?”

I want to deny it. Want to tell him he’s crazy, that I’m just here to do my job. But I can’t. Because deep down, in that primal part of me I try so hard to ignore, I do know.

This alpha, this kraken-shifter, is mine. And I’m his.

“I… I can’t,” I whisper, even as my body screams for his touch. “My job… the rules…”

“Fuck the rules,” Jay growls, and suddenly his tentacles are everywhere. They wrap around my waist, slide along my arms, cup my face. Each touch sends sparks across my skin, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake. The suckers grip gently, a sensation both alien and thrilling.

His lips crash into mine, hungry and demanding. The first touch is electric, sending a jolt straight to my pussy. His lips are surprisingly soft, a contrast to the rough stubble that scrapes deliciously against my skin. He tastes of salt and something wild, like the ocean distilled into pure masculine essence.

I melt into the kiss, all thoughts of resistance evaporating like mist in the sun under the assault of his expert tongue. My hands find their way to his broad chest, marveling at the hard planes of muscle beneath my fingers. His skin is hot to the touch, almost feverish, and I can feel his heart pounding a primal rhythm against my palm.

Jay groans into my mouth, the sound sending vibrations directly to my clit, igniting every nerve ending. His tongue sweeps across my lower lip, then he bites me.

His tentacles tighten, pulling me flush against him. I can feel every hard inch of his heavy cock. The cool, smooth texture of his tentacles contrasts sharply with the burning heat of his human skin, creating a sensory overload that makes me dizzy.

The kiss deepens, becomes more urgent. Jay tastes me like a starved beast, exploring every corner of my mouth. I taste traces of mint and something distinctly oceanic, a flavor that’s uniquely him. It’s intoxicating, addictive. I want more, need more.

When we finally break apart, we’re both panting. The air between us is heavy, charged with pheromones and raw hunger. Jay’s eyes are almost black now, just a thin ring of that electric blue around blown pupils. His lips are swollen, a testament to the intensity of our kiss.

“Tell me you want this,” he demands, voice rough. “Tell me you want me.”

I should say no. Should push him away and run. But the words that come out of my mouth are:

“I want you. So damn much.”

Jay’s answering grin is triumphant and a bit feral. “Good girl,” he purrs, and the praise makes my pussy spasm. “Now, let’s see about taking care of that heat.”

As he lifts me effortlessly, tentacles supporting my weight, I have just enough presence of mind to think: Ms. Johnson is gonna kill me.

But with Jay’s scent surrounding me and his tentacles exploring my curves, I can’t bring myself to care.