Chapter Two

Kiley lifted Jesse into her arms and carried her airplane-style into the kitchen. Thanks to her wolf shifter abilities, she could easily hold the girl above her head without too much strain. Jesse giggled happily as they stepped through the open doorway, used to the shifters in her life being able to carry her.

The delighted sound warmed Kiley like nothing else had ever been able to do. She loved the little girl in her arms. The second they entered the kitchen, all conversation quieted. Kiley stopped short when her gaze fell on the men who occupied the space. She lowered Jesse to her side and wrapped her arm around the girl’s shoulders—more for her benefit than Jesse’s. Not having been paying close enough attention to her senses, she hadn’t realized the men had taken a break from their early morning meeting.

Austin, Gray, Dominic and two other men sat around the large oak table. The men had looked over when they’d entered and all were smiling at them. Kiley shifted from foot to foot, trying to think of something to say. Anything that would take their attention from her and back to their breakfast. She couldn’t resist seeking out Austin, though. Some part, deep down, wanted him to take control of the situation for her. Her gaze met his and he looked at her with such longing she had to glance quickly away. God, he was as attractive as she remembered. Remorse snuck in, but Kiley pushed it down where it belonged.

He’d been the only man she’d actually regretted having left in bed without a word. Even as the hotel room door had closed behind her that night, she’d had to fight to stop herself from turning around and going over to Austin. Their connection had been instant and while Kiley had known Austin was dominant, she’d never expected he’d be a fucking Alpha.

Even knowing what she did now, Kiley still wanted to go to him and drop to her knees so she could once again worship every inch of his body. She craved his touch.

It had been a long, stressful night and Kiley had barely managed to keep herself from seeking Austin’s attention. Now it seemed she had run out of luck. Not only was he in the room with her, but so were a few others. Strangers—she hated strangers.

When she didn’t say anything, Gray started to stand, a true friend who always seemed to know what she needed.

Austin growled, freezing the other man in place. Kiley glanced between the two. Tension poured from Austin. There’d be no way Austin could know about her past with Gray, so Kiley could only assume the Alpha was staking his claim. Kiley wanted to protest, but a bigger part of her felt pleased she’d attracted such a powerful male. Damn shifter instincts.

Gray looked unsure, while Austin had his teeth clenched. She had to do something prior to a fight breaking out or either man losing control of his wolf.

“It’s okay,” she whispered, knowing everyone would still be able to hear her. She didn’t know who she was trying to reassure, though, her, Austin or Gray. She swallowed hard, then smiled. “Good morning,” she greeted everyone, pretending the last few minutes hadn’t happened.

Austin seemed to make an effort to relax and nodded. “Hello, ladies,” he replied.

Kiley felt relieved that he’d played along. Shit, he was so perfect.

Jesse, who remained unaware of any tension, escaped from Kiley’s hold and ran to her uncle. “Uncle Dom! Uncle Dom!”

The laughter in her voice seemed to spread until everyone had a smile on their face.

“Yes?” Dominic answered the little girl.

“Kiley is going to stay the whole weekend with me!” Jesse bounced happily.

Dominic chuckled and lifted Jesse into his lap. “I heard that. What do you girls have planned?”

“Kiley said we’d make cookies!” Jesse squealed.

All eyes turned to her.

Kiley shrugged a shoulder. “It shouldn’t be too hard.”

Dominic and Gray groaned in unison.

“It’s just cookies,” Kiley growled in reply.

Dominic grinned at her, not saying anything.

Kiley glared then looked around the table. “I’m sure I can handle cookies.”

“I’ll be sure to keep the fire extinguisher handy,” Gray quipped.

Austin and the two strangers didn’t say anything, but Kiley could tell they were amused, too. She huffed out a breath and fisted her hands on her hips. “Oh, ha-ha,” she muttered.

Austin stood and walked over to lay his arm around her shoulder. It took everything she had not to pull away. She got the feeling that he was once again staking his claim. She didn’t want to embarrass Austin by denying him in front of the others, but he needed to realize Kiley was not the woman he should want. No way would she ever be part of his life in the way he needed, him being an Alpha.

“I’m sure you can do whatever you set your mind to.”

The compliment from him came unexpectedly, but made her heart swell. She knew the others were only teasing her, but it felt good to have someone on her side for once. She found herself leaning in to Austin’s embrace.

“Thank you,” she whispered, for his ears only.

“Maybe I can even help,” he offered. “I do know my way around the kitchen.”

Before she could reply, Austin tightened his arm for a second then pulled her forward. “I’d like you to meet some people,” he told her.

Kiley let him lead her over to the table where the men sat and Jesse happily swung her legs in her uncle’s lap.

“Kiley, this is my Beta, Colt.” He introduced an attractive blond man. Like the other wolf shifters, he was big, but the smile lines around his eyes and the broad grin on his face made him a little more approachable.

“Hi,” she said awkwardly.

His smile still in place, he bowed his head. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he responded.

“And this is Tony. He’s visiting from the Blue Ridge Pack in Oklahoma,” Austin continued.

The other man at the table was just as big as Colt but much more serious. His eyes held so much worry in them Kiley felt a strong urge to offer him a hug. And she never wanted to do that. It surprised her, so she simply dipped her chin in respect. If she had to guess, this man had come to talk about the wolf shifters going public.

Being Rogue, she didn’t have to worry about whether or not her Pack would choose to agree. Or, she hadn’t been worried about it. A threat to Jesse was not something she would allow. She might not be a part of Tyler’s Pack, but Kiley wouldn’t let any of them be harmed.

“Daddy!” Jesse yelled and leapt out of Dominic’s lap and across the room.

Kiley turned around to see the Alpha enter the kitchen, grinning. She found herself with her back against Austin’s chest and, if she leaned just enough, felt a slight pressure, which Austin didn’t seem to mind. Austin placed his palm at her hip and she tried to ignore the tingle.

Tyler laughed and bent to scoop Jesse up as she ran to him. “Hey, baby girl.”

“Me and Kiley…”

“Kiley and I,” Tyler corrected.

Jesse scrunched up her face and sighed heavily. “Kiley and I…” she repeated. “We’re gonna make cookies!”

The Alpha’s eyes darted to her. “I don’t know if I carry that much home insurance.”

Kiley’s mouth dropped open. Oh no, he did not just say that! She threw her arms up in the air. “One time!” she cried. “And it wasn’t even my fault!”

“Kiley, you set a table on fire,” Gray reminded her.

She glared at him before glancing at Austin. “It wasn’t my fault.”

He nodded in agreement, but his lips quirked as though he was trying to keep from laughing. She sighed and relaxed against him again, thinking of the day they were talking about.

Kiley avoided going up to the main house as much as possible. But it had been Jesse’s birthday and she couldn’t have missed it for any reason. Sometime while she’d been there, Gray and Dominic had put her in charge of the grill when they’d gone to get Jesse’s new bike out of the house.

Then all Hell had broken loose. The flame had somehow caught on a tablecloth, which had blazed up so quickly Kiley had still been staring at it when the fire moved to the chairs. Dom had dropped his end of the bike and hurried over to put out the flames, with Gray and Tyler standing gaping at her. Luckily no one had been hurt and the food had been saved, but Kiley hadn’t gotten cooking detail since. They loved to tease her about it still. She didn’t mind too much—except it made her feel like family, like Pack. And she wasn’t either of those things.

Kiley shivered when Austin pressed his mouth close to her ear. “I have plenty of home insurance,” he promised.

She resisted rolling her eyes while he chuckled softly.

“You know, I’d buy you whatever cookies you wanted,” Tyler said.

“Daddy!” Jesse’s squeal came loudly. “We have to make them. That way they will be extra special.”

“Of course,” Tyler agreed, like he agreed to anything Jesse wanted.

“So when is this fun going to happen?” Tyler asked, glancing at her.

“As soon as I get back,” Kiley answered.

“Back?” Austin and Tyler echoed at the same time.

“I need go to my apartment and pick up some clothes and my laptop. I still have a business to run,” Kiley said. “It shouldn’t take me longer than an hour or so if someone will watch Jesse.”

“I can watch the pup,” Dom offered.

“Great,” Kiley said, standing. She ran her fingers lightly over Jesse’s stomach, making the little girl giggle.

“That’s fine with me,” Tyler said. “But I don’t like the idea of you leaving the property.”

Kiley shrugged. “I won’t be gone long.”

Austin let go of her to step into her eyeline. “One of my men will accompany you.”

She stiffened. Just what she’d expected. Now she would see the Alpha come out of him. “I don’t think so.”

“It will be safer for you to have an escort,” he tried.

“An escort?” she repeated. “That’s not going to happen. I’m a big girl and I can take care of myself.”

“It would—”

Kiley held up her hand to cut Tyler off. She could only deal with one Alpha at a time.

“I don’t know your men. I don’t even know you, really. You don’t get to make decisions for me,” she said.

“I’m only offering you backup,” Austin said.

Oh, she hated that he sounded so calm. Didn’t he ever get angry? Not that she wanted to see him mad. But she wouldn’t be afraid.

“I don’t need backup to pack a damn bag,” Kiley argued.

“It’s merely a precaution. Let someone who knows what they’re dealing with help,” Austin pleaded. “They’ll drive you to your apartment and back.”

“Just a ride?” she asked.

Austin nodded before he motioned to his Beta.

“And I sit quietly like a good little pup while my chauffeur makes any stops I want?” she asked.

He flinched—at least the sarcasm was not lost on him.

“Umm…well,” Austin stammered.

“So the little-bitty woman needs a strong man to act as her guard?” Kiley continued to taunt. Oh, such typical Alpha behavior.

She followed Austin’s gaze as he glanced at Tyler, whose lips twitched. He wouldn’t find help there, she knew. He looked over at Gray, but he had his head bent to the table. Sitting next to Gray, Tony also avoided looking at Austin. Dominic had turned away, with Jesse on his lap staring at them. Colt sat there with his eyes wide and mouth open. It seemed like the other men knew he’d messed up. Kiley pushed down amusement, since Austin obviously had no idea what to say.

“No, that’s not what I meant…”

He’d narrowed his eyes, which had her angry again.

“Of course it is!” Kiley exclaimed. “Because to you, since I’m female, I’m a weaker shifter.” She poked him in the chest. “Well, let me tell you something, Alpha,” she continued. “I do not hide behind a man, human or shifter. I can and will take care of my damn self and if you get in my way, I’ll take you down. I don’t care if you’re an Alpha or not.”

Austin took a step back and raised his hands. “Hey now! I wasn’t trying to—”

“I can’t believe you!” she hissed. “Just because I let you fu—”

His hand covered her mouth so fast Kiley could only blink at him in surprise. She’d not expected that move. Austin pressed up close enough to her that he barely had to lower his head. “Stop right there,” he said.

A shiver racked her body from the intimacy of the contact.

“My concern for you might stem from our past night together, but I wouldn’t put my own Pack at risk for no reason. We believe the threat is real. If you leave the territory, we can’t protect you and they could use you to get to us.” He dropped his hand from her mouth as she continued to stare into his hard gaze.

It was hard to concentrate on what he’d said, but she managed to shove down the need coursing through her. “How?” she argued. “I’m not part of this Pack. How is anyone going to use me?”

Austin shook his head. “You might not officially be a member, but we both know your feelings for the people in this room are strong. You’ve bonded with them, whether you like it or not.”

His words were a slap in the face. All of the anger and resentment fled and she stared at him open-mouthed. Austin was right. She might not be a registered member of the Pack, but she had connected with them. Jesse, Gray, Tyler and even Dom. They’d shared dinners together, laughed and spent time with one another. Even if she’d been fighting it and tried not to let them in, Kiley had failed. She’d begun to care deeply for them.

Austin nodded as though he knew what she was thinking.

“No.” She murmured the word at him.

“It’s true,” he said.

Kiley pushed at him. It wasn’t his fault, but she felt like punching him for pointing out that as hard as she’d tried to not form bonds with other shifters, she’d still managed to put herself in danger again. If she trusted another shifter and they treated her the way Riker had, then Kiley knew she wouldn’t survive a second time.

“I don’t know what happened to make you hate being in a Pack so much, but if you really think about it, I believe you’ll see you’ve found a home without realizing it,” Austin told her.

Kiley’s stomach cramped. Too many emotions were bubbling to the surface and she needed time to herself. She straightened up and fisted her hands while she glared at Austin. If he thought he would be able to use this information to trap her into a relationship, he would soon learn she couldn’t be controlled.

“I’m going to my apartment to get my stuff,” she said, as coolly as possible. “I do not want company. I will be back in less than an hour.” With those final words, she spun on her heel and marched out of the kitchen. She did not scan the room—they’d all remained silent during her and Austin’s exchange.

There was little chance no one else had heard their conversation and Kiley felt beyond embarrassed. Escape—she needed an escape. Time to get her head wrapped around what Austin had made her realize, as well as figure out how to bury her feelings for him down deep.

She stomped through the house and outside until she reached her vehicle. Kiley glanced around to make sure no one else was in sight before opening the door and climbing behind the wheel. One hour—hopefully she would have regained control by then.

If not, Kiley stood in real danger of losing everything, but especially the freedom and security she’d worked so hard to have. She wouldn’t explain to Austin why she was the way she was. No, instead, she needed a sure-fire plan to push him away for good.

Kiley couldn’t believe how much relief she felt when she drove through the gates leading her away from the Alpha compound. She felt grateful no one tried to stop her. Her wolf raised its head, close to the surface, and no poor innocent guard deserved her anger.

The radio remained off for her to sort through her jumbled thoughts.

Until yesterday, Kiley had been happy with her existence. Or as happy as she’d been about anything. From the beginning of her new life, she’d decided she wouldn’t be known as a victim. The day she’d escaped, Kiley had remade herself from a scared victim into the strong woman she was now. No way would she return to letting anyone have control of her.

That meant she’d have to distance herself from Tyler and the Pack and never see Austin again. Her heart ached at the thought, but surviving stood higher on her list of priorities.

As soon as Jesse stood clear once more of any danger, Kiley would leave town. Start over and become someone new, where she would be able to stop herself from growing attached to anyone again.

Kiley glanced into the rear-view mirror the way she’d been doing every few minutes since she’d begun driving. She hadn’t missed the tail she’d had since leaving Tyler’s house. Another vehicle had pulled behind her not long after she’d exited the territory and had been following at a slower pace. She circled her block a couple of times just to make sure. Since Tyler and his men already knew where she lived, it must be either one of Austin’s men or Austin had been right and she stood in danger.

She could call Tyler and ask for him to send some help, but that would only show Austin she did need someone. And Kiley was not about to let anyone know that. Even if she was being targeted, Kiley would take at least some of her attackers with her. The SUV on her tail wasn’t getting close enough for her to see how many people were following, but if they knew anything about shifters, it would be more than one.

Gathering her confidence, she pulled into her underground garage and parked in her designated spot. She exited her SUV and waited, her hand behind her with her knife against her palm. She was registered to carry a firearm, but Kiley hadn’t grabbed her gun that morning, since she had only planned on watching a cheating spouse.

It didn’t take long for the big black sports utility vehicle to show up. Kiley waved at the driver just to be a smartass. The windows were too dark to see inside, but she smiled, anyway, as though she knew what she faced within. The SUV pulled up in front of her and the passenger window rolled down.

“Austin?” she asked, surprised.

It wasn’t a real question, but he nodded anyway.

“What are you doing?”

“You know what I’m doing. I’m keeping an eye on you, like I said you needed,” he stated sternly. “What would you have done if it wasn’t me tracking you?”

Kiley brought her arm around, showing him her deadly weapon.

Austin shook his head. “You’d have to get pretty close to use that. And what if there’d been more than one?”

“I’m not a novice,” she told him. She’d trained for a year with the best self-defense guru in the city. She still had sessions twice a week with Master Woo.

Austin merely continued to stare at her.

She blew out a breath and counted to ten—slowly. Austin didn’t speak, but he sighed and she felt his gaze on her.

“Park over there,” she told him, waving to the nearest visitors’ spot. “You might as well come up.”

He pressed his lips together and sat quietly for a moment before rolling up the window and complying. When he’d gotten out of the SUV and joined her, Kiley led the way up the stairs and into her building.

Neither spoke and Kiley’s nerves were frayed. Less than five minutes ago, she had convinced herself to stay as far away from Austin as possible while distancing herself from the others. Now all she wanted to do was to cuddle into Austin’s strength and let him take care of her for a while. A short while, but just enough to give her a break. She couldn’t, though, and that made her tense.

Austin followed her to the elevator and she pressed the button to be taken to her floor. The ride didn’t last long, but she was still relieved to get out. Being so close to Austin made her feel uneasy. Well, uneasy wasn’t the right word. His musky scent played havoc with her hormones and she itched to touch him. Instead of giving in, she stomped down the hall and unlocked her door before she stepped aside and let him enter first.

It trembled on the tip of her tongue to ask if he wanted to check her closet for monsters. But that probably wouldn’t help the situation. Instead, she watched him take in her small but clean and comfortable home.

The front door led into a spacious open-concept apartment. The living room stood to the left, containing a black leather couch and chair, balanced to the right by the open full kitchen with its island in the middle. Straight ahead were the bedroom and bathroom doors. Her style was simple but elegant, or so she thought. She was secretly pleased when he whistled.

“Nice place,” he told her.

“Thanks.” She waved him forward. “Would you like a drink?”

Austin shook his head and walked over to the full-length windows behind the couch. “Pretty view of the mountains.”

Kiley took her gaze from him and looked at the scene he was enjoying. It is a wonderful view. Tyler had helped her to get the place and she rejoiced every day that she’d agreed to take a look. She’d jumped at the chance to move in. Thinking about it now, finding her apartment had been the beginning of when she’d started trusting the Alpha.

Now she had another Alpha she either had to trust or find some other way to get rid of. Kiley knew if she told Austin exactly why she avoided Packs and more than one night with any man, he’d see her for how she really stood. A fucked-up, soiled woman who wasn’t worth his time.

She hadn’t told anyone other than Tyler and Gray, but now her choices were being taken away from her. As much as Kiley didn’t want a confession time, what else could she do to get Austin to turn tail and run? Ten minutes, and she would be on her own again. Ten minutes of cutting her wrists and letting him watch her bleed, but Kiley needed to get it done.

“Will you sit down? We need to talk,” she requested.

Austin turned and, with a look of apprehension, nodded and sat on the couch. Kiley took the chair across from him and curled her feet under her.

“First, I want to say I’m sorry about what I said in the kitchen,” she told him. It would be the only time she ever told him she was sorry. Not many heard the words from her—they weren’t something she made a habit of saying. “You didn’t deserve to be treated like that, especially not in front of the others. I’m sorry.”

He looked surprised but nodded slowly.

“I have a tendency to go off sometimes and say things without thinking them through. I overreacted,” she added. She pressed on, just letting the words flow.

“Kiley…I…” Austin started. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, and dropped his head. “I understand you have a problem with my position. I don’t know why, but I can see it bothers you. Please tell me what’s going on.”

Oh, where to start? “You know I’m Rogue?” she asked.

“Tyler told me that much,” he responded gently. The compassion in his eyes showed her that while he might not have all the details, he was aware her past held pain.

“I left the Pack after Tyler took over. I didn’t have the choice to do it with the previous leader. My father had demanded I marry the Alpha,” she explained. “I couldn’t stand the man. He was loud and abusive and made my skin crawl.”

“Your father didn’t know?” he asked.

“Oh, he knew,” she assured him. “He just didn’t care.”

“But why would he…”

Kiley shook her head. “I didn’t grow up with a father like Jesse’s. Instead of letting me go when I begged, he gave me over to the Alpha when I turned eighteen. He didn’t care about me, just what Riker would give him for me.”

“Fuck, Riker,” Austin spat.

“Yeah,” Kiley agreed. She knew Austin would piece things together when he heard Riker’s name. “It wasn’t good. I won’t go into detail now, but it was bad for a really long time. I had no choice in anything I did. I had to follow orders, and that was that.”

“I’m sorry.” He scooted off the couch and knelt in front of her.

“What are you sorry for?” she asked, confused.

“It upsets you to talk about this.”

“It does,” she confirmed. “I don’t have great memories from my childhood, but as an adult, it was even worse. For the first time in my life, I’m on my own. I feel I finally have control of my life.”

“And here I come along, confusing things.”

“Exactly,” Kiley said. “The night we spent together was perfect, but it has to be only one night.”

“What if that night was just the beginning for us? It might be your chance at a much better life.”

“I did that on my own. I don’t need a man to make my life better,” Kiley told him.

Kiley squealed in surprise when Austin grabbed her and planted her in his lap. “You don’t listen to me.”

She didn’t mind the position she found herself in, but the disappointment in his voice bothered her. “What?”

He cupped her face, gently making her look him in the eye. “I said that night might be your chance at a better life. I know you’ve picked yourself up off the ground and are strong. Hell, I can feel the power inside you. You’re one of the strongest females I’ve ever met. If you put your mind to it, you could probably become an Alpha.”

Kiley scoffed. “Like I’d ever want that.”

“No, you wouldn’t,” Austin agreed. “But you could. That’s what I’m saying.”

“What does this have to do with anything?” Kiley snapped. As much as she enjoyed feeling him under her, Kiley didn’t like the direction this conversation was headed toward. She was ready to confess what had happened to her, but Austin wasn’t letting her push him away.

“It means you’ve proven you can survive and have power. The thing is, you’re still letting Riker have control over you.”

“I am not!”

Austin stroked her cheek. “You’re pushing me away, all of us, because you don’t want to trust anyone. Riker’s abuse is still right here.” He tapped her temple. “And by not opening yourself up and taking a chance, he wins.”

Kiley pushed at his chest to try to get away, but Austin slid his free arm around her waist.

“Don’t,” he said. “You’re going to have to let someone love you. Why not me?”

Kiley laughed uneasily. “What? Love me?”

“Maybe,” he said. “One day. But if you don’t give me the chance, how will we know?”

“You may be building yourself up for a big fall. You don’t even know me.”

“No, no, I’m not. And, yes, I do. I know what I see when I look into your eyes. I am connected with you, even after one night,” he told her, then kissed her.

The kiss was soft, a mere meeting of lips. Kiley relaxed into the first intimate touch from him. Austin ran his tongue over her bottom lip before he nibbled the soft flesh. She opened with a gasp and he slid his tongue inside. Her whole body came alive instantly. His taste, spicy and manly, burst in her mouth and she moaned, wrapping her arms around his neck. She smelled his arousal and it made her body ache with need.

Her panties were catching the liquid escaping from her sex and she shifted in his arms, trying to relieve the pressure. He broke the kiss and rested his forehead against hers.

“God, Kiley.”

He didn’t need to say any more. She knew exactly what he meant. “Yes, Austin, kiss me again,” she urged.

He growled and slammed his mouth down on hers. This time the heat came quickly. Her head swam with the passion she felt for him until she found herself straddling his lap, humping him.

“Hot…need,” she panted out against his lips. The rutting instinct was strong and she didn’t want to fight it. She was so tired of fighting. In Austin’s arms, she could let go.

“Yeah,” he agreed, his voice low and husky. He stood, picking her up with him. She wrapped her legs around his waist. “Bedroom?”

“First door,” she told him before sealing her mouth on his neck.

She sucked and nibbled the muscled flesh, running her tongue over him and tasting. His jugular pulsed as she paid special attention to that spot, biting down gently but not breaking the skin. He stumbled and tightened his arms around her.

“Don’t stop,” he ordered, his breath coming in short bursts.

Kiley was more than happy to listen to that demand. He made it to the bedroom door and threw it open while she gave him little love bites up and down his neck.

“Good, your mouth is so good,” he told her.

“Mmm hmm,” she murmured.

They didn’t turn on any lights. Austin clumsily made his way to the bed. He fell on it with her underneath him. Kiley pulled his shirt over his head to run her palms over his strong, wide shoulders.

“I’ve wanted to touch your bare skin since I saw you again.”

Austin looked up from where he was pulling off her boots and socks. “I know…I know…”

They undressed each other quickly but still took the time to explore each new inch of flesh revealed. By the time he covered her body with his once again, Kiley trembled. She wrapped her legs high up on his back, feeling his hard, ready cock at her pussy.

“Please, I need to feel you inside me,” she told him breathlessly. Her entire body was flushed and she knew once he was inside her, it wouldn’t take long for them to reach climax. The connection was simply so strong and only having him fill her was going to take care of the ache between her legs.

He groaned long and loud, saturating the quiet room with the sound. He pushed in slowly, but Kiley didn’t want him to be gentle. She dropped her feet onto the mattress and bucked her hips, taking him in deep. They moaned in unison.

“Fuck!” he exclaimed. “So tight. Hot and tight.” Austin peppered her collarbone with small kisses and nips.

Kiley dug her fingernails into his shoulders. “Move, hurry.”

He pulled out, plunging in once more.

“Yes! Yes!” she cried out. He filled her completely. More than just her body. With him thrusting in and out, she felt their souls connect. She almost panicked, but Austin placed his mouth over hers and her fear left.

Austin snapped his hips while Kiley continued to meet each thrust. He ripped his mouth from hers, grunting.

“Austin!” she cried in pleasure.

“God… Oh, God…” he chanted. He pistoned faster and faster.

Kiley barely heard his words. She thrashed her head back and forth on the pillow and arched to meet every stroke. Her body shook and, like an explosion, she came apart.

Dimly, she heard herself scream. Austin’s voice was hoarse while he rocked into her. She clamped her inner muscles down on his cock and he yelled before he came. His hot seed flooded her pussy and she wrapped her arms around his neck to hold him tight.

Maybe they would have this second night together. It was all she’d really ask for. Austin had been right about so much. If she didn’t start opening herself up to others, she’d let Riker win. Kiley closed her eyes while Austin nuzzled her neck.

She wasn’t ready for Pack, though, and the man in bed with her was an Alpha. So, no matter how far she’d gotten from Riker’s abuse, there was still something she couldn’t have. Him, for longer than a night.

“Stop thinking,” Austin murmured. “We don’t have much more time. We have to get to Tyler’s and I want to enjoy this sated feeling. I can’t if you’re all tense.”

Kiley laughed. “So sorry.”

He grunted at her and Kiley patted his back. He was right. There’d be plenty of time for her to worry later.