Chapter 23

​Gia stood beside the stove, a blanket wrapped around her, trying to warm up. If she was honest, there was one thing she did miss, indoor plumbing. Getting up and going outside when it was still dark out and the air was chilled sucked. She didn’t want to think about what it would be like in the winter.

The stove had been refilled, so Deacon couldn’t have been back that long. She stood there looking at him in the dark. He’d even cleaned up the war zone in his porch.

What to do about you... She listened to his breathing; he was sleeping. She thought about what Walker had told her, not that it made any difference to her if Deacon was one of so few. She’d been intrigued by him before she even realized what he was to her. He was kind to her and had yet to tell her what to do. It may seem petty, but that was important to her, a male that would let her be who she wanted and not what she was expected to be. She didn’t pick the family she was born into, but she could control her own life direction.

Releasing her bottom lip, before she bit right through it, she relaxed her grip on the blanket now that she was warmer again. It’s a matter of choice, she thought, I could choose to follow what my parents want or go against them. She grinned, where she stood right now made it clear she wasn’t doing what her parents wanted.

Looking around the cabin, she tried to picture if this was home, all the time. She could live with that, of course, indoor plumbing would have to happen. Other than that, there was nothing she would change.

Walker’s voice echoed in her head if you’re happy don’t let anyone fuck it up. Tilting her head, she looked at Deacon. He mumbled something and she froze, thinking he was awake. When he shifted and said nothing more, she realized he was sleeping. Picking up the blanket so it wouldn’t get caught on anything she went over and stood at the end of the couch. He looked like he was sleeping in a chair, he was too big for it. His legs hung over the arm of it, his shoulders were as wide as it. He tried shifting again and the sleeping bag laying over him slid to the floor.

Gia sucked in a breath and held it as she let her gaze caress his naked chest and abdomen. She had a thing for muscles—arms, legs, waist, it didn’t matter what part of the body, she just found the sculpted form of a muscle sexy. Deacon Parrish had nothing but muscle covering his tall body. Having tried her hand at chopping wood, it wasn’t hard to figure out how he got to be that way.

Moving closer, she intended to pick up the sleeping bag and put it back over him, but as she bent down to get it, she inhaled his scent, and a shiver of awareness went through her. How did he expect to work together and ignore the fact that their animals were mates? Kneeling on the material she’d meant to pick up, she looked at his face. So relaxed in sleep. No trace of that crease across his brow that marred his good-looking face. Biting her lip, she stared at his beard. When they’d kissed, she found out it was course, such a contrast to his soft lips. She hadn’t minded it at all, and it gave him a look of a ruggedness, that she couldn’t deny was very drawing. He sighed in his sleep, shifting more onto his back and she watched his chest settle back in the rhythm of sleep.

She should be annoyed with him for sleeping so well. She’d tried and other than a few minutes off and on, she’d tossed around the small mattress a lot trying to keep her mind clear and not thinking about him. When they’d kissed, he’d picked her up like she weighed nothing. Being surrounded by muscle had done it for her and she would have consumed him if he hadn’t stopped.

Gia wasn’t a virgin; her cycle had taken care of that. Despite her father trying to keep her contained during that time, Walker had the compassion to help her sneak out and ease the insanity. She wasn’t proud of it, going to an acquaintance for relief, but it was also part of their world.

Tilting her head, she let her gaze take a leisurely stroll over his body. She was practically salivating just looking at it. Mating or not, she still wanted him she decided. Very few males in her life caught her attention and none had as he did. Rising to her knees, she looked down at him. The thoughts in her head were ridiculous really, but she didn’t care. He could reject her, again, but if she didn’t try, she’d never know, right? It seemed like a logical theory, she decided.

Sucking in a quiet breath, her heart accelerated as she leaned down before she changed her mind. Placing a kiss on his mouth, she took his flavor into her again. His lips moved slightly as she did, so she repeated the action again. Deacon made a breathless moaning sound and shifted, his arm coming up behind her and surrounding her as their lips touched. Was he dreaming? She was breathless as excitement coursed through her. Leaning closer, she put her hand on his chest and was surprised at how warm his skin was, lowering her head, she pressed her lips against it. With slow movements, she kissed her way up his chest to his throat and then licked over it. Her animal was suddenly present inside her, coaxing her to continue. She felt emboldened by her own actions.

Shifting carefully in his arm, she moved up to sit on the edge of the cushion, there wasn’t much room leftover with his large body covering it. Dropping the blanket, so she had both hands free, she touched his chest and bent down to kiss him again.

Deacon growled softly as their mouths touched and he shifted, dragging her across his body. His large hand grasped the back of her head as his mouth came to life under hers. He began kissing her roughly, setting her whole body ablaze as he did. Desperate to be closer to him, she twisted her hips and lay on what part of the cushion she could. With another animalistic sound, he turned, gripping her hip and dragging her tight against his body as he flipped to his side.

She ran her hands along his back, his shoulders, and any skin she could find as he commanded compliance with his mouth. This was insane, wanton and so hot that she felt like she was going to explode. Needing to feel skin on skin, she reached between them and yanked at her shirt, trying to move it. Deacon’s hand shifted up under it and yanked it out of the way. She hissed out a breath against his mouth when her sensitive nipples rubbed against the hair on his chest.

Deacon growled low and forced a leg between hers, using it to shift her up higher, so his mouth could reach her throat. Gia’s breath caught in her throat as his beard rubbed against her skin. Her body throbbed with need as she’d never felt before, not even when she was in the midst of her cursed cycle.

When he flipped onto his back and gripped her waist, holding her still, she opened her eyes and looked down to see him looking up at her. She could see the indecision on his face, the realization that he wasn’t dreaming, and this was real. They stayed like that, only their breathing filling the quiet around them.

As he shifted, to sit, she thought, this is it, he’s going to deny me again. He stood up, taking her with him, and moved over to the bed, holding her to him and not putting her down alone.

Deacon maneuvered his large body onto the bed, bringing her down with him. Neither of them spoke as he lay back, leaving her straddling his half-dressed body. Emboldened by her need, Gia grabbed her shirt and ripped it over her head, tossing it to the floor. This was her chance to show him how good they could be together, and she wasn’t passing it up.

Before she could move, he gripped her waist and shifted her up, allowing his mouth to reach her breast. When his mouth closed over the taut nipple, she moaned deep in her throat. Sharp teeth scrapped over it as he sucked on it.

Grasping his hair, she jerked on his head and dragged his mouth to hers. He complied and attacked hers. Running her tongue along his sharp teeth, she felt a shudder go through her.

She found herself flipped onto her back and his weight pressed into her. Before she could wrap her legs around him, he moved down her body until he knelt on the floor. Grasping her by the back of her knees, he pulled her toward, him, holding her legs open. When his hot breath brushed over her sensitive sex, she gasped. Deacon’s grip tightened as he licked over her once and then moaned loud.

Gia couldn’t breathe as he kissed her between her legs. She’d never let a male do this to her before and the sensations going through her had her unable to breathe. She gripped the sheet in her hands and tried to get the leverage to rock into him, but his hands held her down on the bed, leaving her at his mercy.

“Deacon,” she moaned, need burning through her. He growled low, his lips vibrating against her, then he bit her swollen flesh. The release crashed through her making her cry out. He didn’t ease up, just held her down and kept doing it over and over again. Gia was losing her mind as wave after wave shook her body.

When he finally lifted his head, she couldn’t move, her whole body was quivering as she tried to suck air into her lungs.

The bed shifted, and she opened her eyes to see him kneeling over her. She moved her eyes slowly over his nakedness and whispered a moan. His body was male perfection. When she lifted her hand to touch him, he grasped it and dragged it over her head and then took her other hand and moved it so he could hold both in one hand. She squirmed from the look he was giving her. His steel-blue eyes were so dark, a look of possession in them that made her breath catch in her throat. Stretched out before him, his gaze moved down over her body as his chest rose and fell. If he didn’t move soon, she was going to cry.

Lowering his body onto her, she sucked in a breath as their skin felt like flames had set them on fire. Deacon leaned down and kissed her, hard and rough. She could taste herself and was surprised that it turned her on even more.

When he lifted his head and looked down at her, she couldn’t look away. He wedged his body between her legs and reached with his other hand, to move underneath her and lift her hips. He held her like that for what felt like hours. She was at his mercy, unable to move to push against him.

With a low growl, he thrust his hips and entered her in one hard move. She moaned when their bodies connected. Dropping his head, he looked down between their bodies as he pulled out and did it again. It was the most erotic moment of her life.

When his hand released hers, she moved fast to touch him before he could change his mind. She needed to touch him, all of him, to feel him beneath her hands. He hooked his elbow behind her knee and brought her leg up higher as his weight pinned her to the bed. A low growl was coming from him with each thrust, and it brought her to the brink of orgasm fast. His animal was close, this was them marking her as their own.

Gasping, she clung to him, unable to move with him but needing to feel closer to him. The taste of blood hit her tongue and she realized her mouth was full of sharp teeth. Her fox was that close, being called to the surface by his animal.

Deacon increased the pace and started pounding into her and Gia cried out as she went over the edge. Turning her head into his throat, she moaned, “mine,” and then bit into his flesh.

An animal sound of triumph came from him as he stiffened over her, his hips jerking. Releasing his flesh, Gia tried to breathe. Her whole body was vibrating from the force of what had just happened.

Deacon turned his head and crushed her mouth with his. She tasted him, blood, and herself, in her mind there would never be another moment in her life that was more perfect than now.

When he moved his head and rested it on the pillow, he slowly released her leg and let his weight settle over her. She didn’t care if she couldn’t move or breathe, she was content staying here like this forever.

After his breathing slowed, he shifted his hips and pulled out of her. Gia turned her head and saw the blood running down his skin, she licked over it slowly. She’d marked him as her mate and there wasn’t the slightest feeling of regret.

Deacon lifted most of his weight off her, propping himself up on his elbows. His sexy eyes moved over her face with a softness she’d never seen in them before. With his fingertips, he brushed away the sweaty hair stuck to her face. “Did I hurt you?”

Licking her lips, she smiled, “no, I think you branded my soul though.”

His lips quirked into a lopsided grin.

Gia watched the blood run down his neck.

“What did you do?” His tone was so soft it was barely spoken out loud.

“Marked you.” She reached up and traced his mouth lightly.

“I know what, but why?” A pained look came over his face.

Gia didn’t want sadness and reality right now, she wanted to savor this moment for as long as she could. “I don’t want any sank females to be thinking you’re free for the taking.” She gave him a playful grin.

He snorted softly and then dropped his forehead to rest on hers. “No chance of that.” He kissed her and then pushed up, so their bodies were no longer touching.

The air sent a chill over her skin.

He held himself there and looked down at her. “I haven’t even looked at another since I watched this fiery redhead hand fifteen guys their asses as she breezed across a finish line holding the pelt.” He kissed her quickly on the mouth and then got up. “I’ll heat the water for a shower.”

She watched him walk over to the tank to turn it on, admiring the way the muscles flexed down his back and butt as he moved. His words sunk in. The fiery redhead was her and that was five years ago before she’d started defense training and taking control of her life. Sitting up, she pulled the sheet up around her. “Deacon, why did you never come to find me?”

He turned from the tank and looked at her. “I didn’t want to ruin your life.” He said it softly, truth-tinging every word.

“Wasn’t that my call though?” She hugged her knees and watched him. She could tell him what her brother said, but didn’t want to force it, she wanted him to come to her on his terms not because some bylaw said it was okay.

“Yeah, it was.” He went over to the shelf and grabbed two bottles of water, then moved with silent grace over and held one out to her. She took it and he stood there looking down at her, “I checked in on you a lot, to see how you were doing.” He opened the bottle and then looked at it, “I knew you were going to go places and I didn’t want to get in your way.”

She took a moment to have a few sips of the water, trying to figure out what that meant.

Before she could say anything else, he sighed, “look,” he motioned to the bed, “I didn’t,” he grinned, it faded fast, “I’m not going to lie, I’ve thought about being with you for years, but despite you destroying my control, I don’t want to spoil this with something that will end with you angry with me again.” He looked at the door, “or me ending up like that bat.”

Gia smirked, “he had it coming.”

He nodded and looked back at her, “mmm, I have no doubt.” He capped the bottle of water and then reached out his hand to her, “let’s just enjoy right now as it is before reality sets in.”

Setting down the bottle of water, she took his hand. “You know we’re going talk about things.”

“Oh, I know, sweetheart, and I also know it’s not going to end the way either of us wants.” He leaned down and kissed her mouth softly. “I’m still not going to ruin your life. Just, let’s enjoy our moment in the dark before daylight interrupts us.”

She didn’t understand what he meant, but nodded and let him lead her toward the shower. None of that made sense. If he regretted it, why was he being so caring toward her? A moment in the dark? What happened when daylight came? Her legs felt like rubber, and she couldn’t get her brain to kick back in. His scent was all over her, on her tongue, her lips, he was all she could smell. When he turned as they reached his little shower stall, all she could look at was her mark on his neck. Her fox was very happy with that mark. “Deacon.”

He looked down at her as he reached into the shower.

“You don’t regret it do you?” She felt juvenile and ridiculous looking at him with a pouty face, but she needed to know.

He looked at her for a moment, searching her face, then leaned down and kissed her. “No, I don’t.”

She could work with that; he wasn’t being cold toward her. Despite wanting him to profess his devotion and mark her as his mate, she couldn’t help feeling that he may have done right by her. Staying off her radar and out of her life all this time allowed her to become who she was now.

She let him lead under the water. If they mated anytime in the last five years, she wouldn’t be on the team now or helping liberate her own kind.

With a gentle touch, he turned her, so her back was to him and began to gently wash her back.

Deacon Parrish had allowed her to choose her own path and she understood that now, but their paths were meant to be entwined and there was no turning that back now.

Calum’s words came to her ‘tell him to stop running.’ She smiled and tilted her head back to rest against him.

His hands moved all over her, stirring her up again. As she turned around and stretched up to kiss him, she decided she’d let him run in circles around it for as long as it took—eventually he’d understand there was no way to outrun her and what they were to one another.