Chapter 22

CHAPTER 22

S edona

“Your… fated mate?” I repeated.

He gave me a solid stare that screamed he was serious. “Is that so hard to believe?”

“I have no idea how to answer you.” A lump had formed in my throat and the butterflies in my stomach were turning into a different type of flesh-eating monster.

“What is the difference in two people feeling as if meeting and falling in love was their destiny?” Jax asked. He was so casual in doing so, as if this should be a normal conversation.

I moved to the other side of the couch to keep my distance, needing the wine more than ever. It took about five seconds to gulp the rest down. I doubted it would calm my nerves.

“I know we’re in the middle of a conversation, but could I possibly have another glass of wine?”

“Of course.”

As he inched closer, I stiffened. The second our fingers touched when he was reaching for the glass, I gasped. I could already feel the heat building between us, a fire burning that shouldn’t be there but would likely never be doused by water.

“The electricity between us is very unusual,” he told me. “I know you feel it.”

“Yes, but chemistry does bring about extreme pheromones in some people. That’s all that’s happening here. This isn’t about something supernatural.”

“Nothing about my world or my kind is about the supernatural. We were here prior to the cavemen.”

Did he really expect that bit of news to comfort me in any way? I couldn’t look him in the eyes any longer for fear of what I’d find. I let him take the glass, instantly feeling a frigid chill. As soon as he walked from the room, I rubbed both hands through my tangled mass of hair.

It was unbelievable. Not possible.

The girl who enjoyed the company of one hot man couldn’t keep my eyes off him, so I watched as he walked away.

He made it to the hallway before tilting his head over his shoulder. “You have a life, Sedona, but make no mistake that things have changed. You will stay here as my guest or in my home in Cartersville until I am certain you aren’t being targeted.”

“My daughter. I will not abandon her under any circumstances.”

“I am aware Mattie has your daughter for a couple days. You will learn there are rules that will help keep you safe. Do not attempt to leave.”

“And if I do?” Shit. He knew far too much about me and my life. No matter his openness, I was more unnerved than I’d ever been in my life.

He had the nerve to chuckle as if any of this was funny? “Then you’ll face punishment.”

Punishment. Was he kidding me?

The entire conversation was challenging every aspect of who and what I was.

Even what I’d seen with my own eyes could be explained. How? I wasn’t certain but I would figure it out. Right now, I needed to find some space. And peace. He’d driven here, but as I continued to need to remind myself, I was a big girl.

I would grab an Uber after I was certain he wasn’t following me. I had money. Right? I had a sense of being. I had… insanity creeping in.

My purse was in my hand before I managed to sprint past, easily figuring out the locking system. I lunged out the door as if the building was on fire, pounding my tennis shoes toward the elevator. Thank God, I’d put on cargo shorts and a tee shirt that morning.

The elevator was right in front of me before I dared look over my shoulder. Thankfully, he wasn’t following me.

Maybe he had to open another bottle of wine. Maybe he was figuring out how to… Would he kill his mate for learning his secret?

Yep. I was certifiable, but still alive, and I planned on keeping it that way.

My hand was slapped onto the button before I could say ‘cheese.’ In a stroke of good luck, the doors opened less than three seconds later.

Once inside, I continuously hit the close button with one hand while at the same time I smashed my palm against the down button.

Finally, the piece of shit doors started to close. I crowded the back, hitting the cold steel wall with a hard thud. It jarred me into a vision of the two of us together. In the pool. Fucking. I’d fucked a wolf. Did that constitute as… I couldn’t even think about the ultra kinky sex act.

Just before the doors finally snapped shut, a hand was driven between them. I watched in awe and a touch of horror as Jax pushed them back open with a single finger.

His expression was more about amusement than anything as he stepped in. He also hit the down button, shoving his hands into his pockets as he turned to face me.

“Did you really think you could get away from me that easily?” he asked.

“I needed air. Lots of fresh air.”

“We’ll make certain you get that.” The elevator was going down and in a surprise move, he pressed the stop button. I didn’t know they made elevators with that feature any longer.

“What are you doing?”

He took a deep breath. “Providing the punishment that is necessary.”

“Are you kidding me? You just attempted to make me believe I’m currently living in an alternative world where I’m your mate and now you’re going to try and punish me?”

“Not try, Sedona. It is going to happen.”

His tone of voice had changed, becoming much more authoritative.

“I don’t take orders from you.” Why were we arguing about this?

“You do and you will when you’re under my protection.” He started to unfasten his belt and I was suddenly claustrophobic.

“Hold on a minute. Your belt. What in God’s name do you plan on doing with that?”

“I never want you hurt, but I will need to remind you that the creatures out there aren’t human. Not but any traditional standards. A spanking should help remind you that you need to be careful and not run away.”

The man was serious.

When the thick strap was free, I was certain he’d start the elevator again, forcing me like some prisoner back into his condo.

He didn’t. The big man took me by the arm, spun me around, and proceeded to unfasten the drawstring on my shorts.

I was too stunned to move at first, blinking back tears of frustration, which couldn’t have been more surprising. Maybe I was in some kind of medical state of shock because he managed to jerk them down, my thong with them before I could even put a coherent thought together.

Much less fight his actions.

Maybe I was so stressed and in disbelief that feeling something else seemed plausible. Even good. No. That was really nuts. I watched in horror as he folded the belt in half. Who spanked a woman any longer? Some nutcase.

He planted his foot on the railing surrounding the bottom of the elevator and eased me over his leg.

“Jax. This is crazy.”

“You need to learn to trust me.” He brought the belt down and I was unable to feel anything.

I found myself slapping at the elevator wall with one hand as I grabbed his leg with the other. My body swayed as he snapped his wrist again. The slice against my buttocks finally jarred me into coming to my senses.

“No. You’re not going to do this.” I fought him with everything I had, but he was definitely stronger than most men. At least now I knew why. He easily kept me pinned against him.

I dug my fingernails into his trousers. There was no way I could hurt him, but it felt good to get out some of my anger and irritation.

The third and fourth strikes awakened my pain sensors. Yelping, I tried my best to jerk up as well as slapping his leg this go-around. I wasn’t going anywhere. The whooshing sound was almost fascinating to the scientist in me. The woman inside? Not a chance.

With every brutal crack, and they came methodically one after the other, I was whimpering like a kid. The pain shifted to a different level and I was pushed into a strange feeling of standing outside myself.

He stopped long enough to caress my aching bottom and that was the moment I felt heat building. Not just across my bruised skin but also between my legs. I was wet over this? I was excited because he was punishing me? It felt surreal and certainly not like my personality. Nothing lately reminded me of the woman I’d once been.

I heard him take a deep breath and his fingers lingered on my buttocks for a few seconds longer than I’d expected. The moment I wiggled against him, I realized why. He was hard as a rock.

While I should be furious with him for treating me like a child, I felt the same desire as he did. We were connected. Whether by fate, chemistry, or some crazy mate syndrome, my breathing was as labored as his had become.

He brought the belt down a few more times, completely covering my sit spot with the thick strap. I was in a haze of lust and need, wanting to chastise myself for feeling anything but fury, but I couldn’t.

The man was irresistible.

Damn him.

Three more were brought down and I was certain I would go blind from the agony.

“Four more and we’re done.”

I wasn’t going to whimper, but my bottom was on fire.

Jax wasted no time, bringing the strap down in brutal strikes, one right after the other.

A few seconds later he stopped, issuing a sharp growl that meant something entirely different now. As he helped me stand, I was instantly lightheaded. The belt was tossed to the floor and for myriad crazy reasons, I watched the action.

I was tingling all over, my legs like jelly. The ache in my bottom would remain there for a long time, but I wasn’t certain I minded.

I didn’t have a chance to fix myself up before he spun me around, driving me against the back wall. Nothing about the moment was normal yet everything about being together was exciting.

He cupped both sides of my face, shaking his head. “You’re a hell of a fighter and one feisty woman, but you will learn.”

“And what exactly am I supposed to learn?”

“That you can trust me.” He didn’t belabor the point, kissing me instead.

I’d never had an experienced or decent kisser in my life. I’d been told more than once most men could never be good at it. But this man was extraordinary with how he used his lips and tongue, performing as gently or roughly as his instincts told him I needed.

On this crazy afternoon of implausible truths, his lips started out soft and tender, allowing me to slide my tongue inside his mouth first. His fingers were caressing me at the same time, holding me in a gentle embrace while providing both comfort and reassurance that he was no beast.

Yes, he was, his cock a thing of incredible beauty. But he was controlled in every aspect of passion.

I wandered what it would be like if he actually let himself go.

He shifted to the dominant man, thrusting his tongue inside my mouth as we both twisted and turned in one another’s arms.

His sharp growls permeated the dense space as I rolled my arms over his shoulders. He was so muscular yet his abilities were surprising. I had a feeling he could continue kissing me for a long period of time.

But he was all male and his needs would eventually prevail.

They did seconds later as he purposely broke the kiss, pushing my head back to the wall with his hand. He cocked his head, his eyes shimmering in the dim lighting. The way he was holding me, rubbing his thumb across my bottom lip was entirely different than before.

I’d thought he was possessive the last time. This was a much darker need, a hunger that knew no bounds.

I could easily tell what he was thinking as well as what he craved.

All of me.

Right here.

Right now.

I drove my hands between us, laughing softly as I tried to unfasten his trousers. He wasn’t making it easy, but then again, he never did with anything.

“Hungry for something?” he dared to ask.

“Maybe. You are a tough man to handle.”

“You’re handling me now?”

“I’ll keep trying.” I wrapped my hand around his thick shaft, running my fingers up and down just as provocatively as he’d touched me before.

“I bet you will.”

Jax broke my hold long enough to jerk down my shorts and thong further, fighting to yank them off. Standing in just a tee shirt and tennis shoes was strangely attractive.

I cupped and squeezed his balls, the action driving him crazy. The man could wear his emotions on his sleeve, at least where I was involved.

“Careful, little girl,” he warned.

“Or what?” I playfully pushed him away, slinking to the floor. I licked down the underside of his cock, taking my time languishing over swirling the tip around his balls.

The taste and smell were unusually musky, the scent infused in my nostrils and deep within every blood cell. As soon as I pulled his cockhead into my mouth, he slammed his hand on the back wall.

I sucked fervently, swirling my tongue back and forth. He gently fisted my hair with his other hand, holding me in place while using me as an anchor. His body was now swaying like mine was.

My jaws ached quickly as I took him down inch by inch. Just sucking him was tiring given his tremendous size. However, the moment the tip hit the back of my throat, I was pulled into a sweet vacuum.

He allowed me to continue only for a few seconds longer. There was something so seductive about the way he pulled me to my feet.

A girl could swoon.

“No woman of mine is going to be on her knees in a fucking elevator.”

But that didn’t mean he wasn’t prepared to throw me against the back wall, immediately pressing the tip of his cock against my swollen folds.

His grin could be described as many things including devilish. As the heat and electricity soared between us, he pushed his cock inside. This time he was taking his time.

My pussy was still aching from the time before, muscles stretching then clamping down like a tight vise.

A deep exhale rushed up from my inner core. While he held me tightly so I wouldn’t fall, I cinched my hands around his upper arms. My fingers only went to midway, his arms that muscular.

The feeling of having him inside of me was indescribable. I knew I shouldn’t want this. How could I after what I’d learned, but I also wasn’t certain I could let the incredible passion we shared go.

He pulled almost all the way out, driving into me again. With every hard thrust I felt myself spiraling toward ecstasy.

I tried to keep my eyes open, smiling from the way beads of sweat were trickling down both sides of his angular face. He was even more handsome now.

If that was possible.

There were no other words spoken, only moans and growls as we fucked. I shoved my knees into his sides as I slapped one hand over my head. Did he have any idea what he was doing to me?

Or how I felt?

My body was so on fire I could barely breathe, my pussy constricting in a way that pulled his cock in even deeper.

Jax rolled onto the balls of his feet, the angle different.

“Oh, my goodness.” A nervous and excited laugh slipped past my lips. To have this moment in time was special. And wild. And rough.

And something that shouldn’t happen.

No. I refused to allow my mind to interfere.

He thrust harder and faster and I sensed he was reading my mind all over again. He wasn’t going to let me go without my realization he would never hurt me.

At least not in the way I’d worried about.

My body reacted to his brutal fucking, an orgasm sweeping all the way up from my toes. As the delightful sensations crossed a new threshold, I clawed the wall with all ten fingers. Just gasping for air was laborious.

Stars sparkled in front of my eyes and I finally let go, allowing the orgasm to take me to my special place of nirvana.

He wasn’t finished, continuing to thrust until I finally wrapped my arms around his neck. I was breathless, exhausted in the best way. That’s when I felt his body stiffen, his muscles tensing. A smile crossed my face as I clenched my pussy one more time.

There was no great howl from the powerful wolf, just a deep sigh that permeated the space as he erupted deep inside.

But I sensed his concern was growing, his worry not just for my safety.

I also knew and tried to accept that he would do everything in his power to keep his pack, his family, and the woman he’d just met from harm’s way.

Including foregoing his humanity.

What I feared the most was for how long.