Eyes on the Pride (Awakening Pride Book 8) Read online

  She made quick work of getting a room, using an alternate ID and paying in cash. It wasn’t hunters she feared finding her, though. If what her father thought was true, it was one pissed off male shifter she needed to be on the lookout for. If she was Calloway’s mate, he’d pursue her, and when he found her… She shivered. When he found her, he’d finally claim her.

  She slid back behind the steering wheel and drove around to the back of the building to park. She slung her weather-beaten backpack over one shoulder and headed toward the glass door that led inside, swiping her card and waiting for the green light before jerking it open. Her room was down the hall to the right, but there was an ice machine and vending just to the left. She opted to grab a drink and snack before calling it a night. She’d need to get an early start in the morning.

  She was glancing down, fumbling with her wallet as she stepped back into the corridor, when she crashed headfirst into an unforgiving wall of solid muscle. She squeaked as hard hands caught her hips, holding her steady and entirely too close. She knew who it was by the electricity that surged between them. His touch. His scent. His heat. He surrounded her, and it was all she could do to catch her breath.

  “Calloway.” His name was all she could manage as she felt the hard bulge of his erection against her stomach. Her pussy clenched, her nipples rigid beads pressing against him.

  “Darby.” His voice was deep, husky and dripping with anger. “You ran from me.”

  “Don’t flatter yourself,” she huffed, shoving ineffectively against his chest. “I’m taking a trip. It has nothing to do with you.”

  “Don’t lie to me, ever. I know exactly where you’re headed. You should have come to me.”

  She finally forced her gaze up to his, lifting a brow. “Come to you? Why would I do that? You’ve made it pretty clear over the last four years that you want me to stay away.”

  “You were just a kid.”

  “I was twenty-one when we met, hardly a child.”

  “Hell, you still look like a child.”

  “I can’t help my height,” she snapped. “Not all of us are built like a damn mountain.”

  “It’s not your tininess I was commenting on,” he countered. “You’re young, far too young for the things I have in mind.” The last bit was muttered under his breath with disgust.

  “I’m a woman, Calloway.”

  His gaze flicked over her, and she swore his cock pulsed where it rested along her stomach. “I can see that.”

  “I seriously doubt you see anything unless you want to,” Darby retorted.

  He glared down at her, opened his mouth then snapped it shut as his head jerked toward the door. She followed his gaze with her own but didn’t see anything. Before she could question, he moved, shoving her behind him and stepping back into the doorway of the little room that housed the vending machines. She opened her mouth to yell at him when the sound of the outer door opening filled the hallway.

  She heard the rattle of wheels and heavy footsteps. Calloway gave a jerk of his chin, making her wonder if whoever had entered had acknowledged him in some way. There was a beep and the echo of a door opening and closing then only the sound of their breathing.

  She was pressed against his back, fingers clutching the fabric of his shirt were it stretched taut over muscle. He reached back with one hand, tugging her wrist and pulling her after him.

  “Wait,” she demanded when he headed toward the door leading outside. “Where are you going?”

  “Back home where you’ll be reasonably safe.”

  She jerked her hand free and took a step back. “I can’t do that. Dad’s leaving in a few days, and I have somewhere else I need to be.”

  “It’s too dangerous. You might not be on the hunters’ radar right now, but you will be if you head to Riverton.”

  “That’s a risk I’ll have to take.”

  “The fuck you will,” he snarled. “I haven’t been watching you for four years just to let you get yourself killed.”

  “No, we both know why you’ve been watching me.” She let her gaze dip to the fly of his jeans and the bulge that couldn’t be denied. “What’s the matter, Calloway? Afraid I’ll meet someone else? Someone who has no problem letting me do all those things you’ve merely imagined?”

  He growled, his chest seeming to expand with every breath he took. She wanted to reach out to him, to run her palm between his pecs to soothe him. She wanted to comb her fingers through his short black hair, to get lost in his eyes, which had always fascinated her. A dark blue circle outlined an iris that was mostly pale green. There were flecks of gold and brown toward the pupil, but at the moment, the gold seemed to be streaking out, overtaking the green and brown.

  “That idea doesn’t appeal to you?”

  His nostrils flared, bringing to mind an enraged bull and she was the bright red irritant waving in his face.

  “Calloway?”

  “I’m holding on by a very thin fucking strand right now, so choose your next step wisely, Darby.”

  “My next step is to head to the room I rented for the night for a long…hot…shower. Then the glide of cool sheets over my damp skin.” She knew what she was doing, painting the picture she wanted him to have in his head. She needed to know if she was his mate. She stepped into him again, running her fingers up his thigh, tracing over his fly, then caressing up his chest. She flattened her palm over his heart, enjoying the frantic rhythm she felt. “You’re more than welcome to join me.” She rose on tiptoes and brushed her lips softly over his, just a fleeting taste of what could be, something to tempt them both.

  He stood straight, hands clenched at his sides, so still he could have been carved from stone. She sighed, letting him feel her breath, patted his chest then turned and headed toward her door. Her nipples were tight, her sex damp with unsated desire she knew would fill his senses with every inhale. She hitched her pack higher on her shoulder, pulled her door card from her front pocket then slid it into the reader on her door. The light flicked from red to green, and she grabbed the handle, turning it and pushing the door open. Cool air washed over her, a sign the air had been left on, which would be a good thing considering the inferno suddenly burning at her back.

  He didn’t touch her this time. He didn’t need to. They both knew if he stepped in the door with her she would belong to him. She wasn’t sure he realized that would go both ways.

  “Be sure, Darby.” His voice was deep, gruff and as hard as the cock she’d felt pressed against her moments ago. “There’s no going back.”

  “So I won’t be a one-night stand?” she murmured in challenge, knowing the truth but needing him to confirm it just as much as she needed him.

  She felt his breath at her ear and turned, letting her hair fall behind her shoulder, exposing the smooth skin of her neck to him. She shuddered as his lips caressed just behind her ear then moaned at the slight scrape of his canines.

  “Move your bag,” he commanded.

  She pulled it off, placing it on the chair just inside the entryway, hoping he’d step closer and press against her back so she could feel every inch of him.

  His chuckle rasped over her skin instead. “Do you have any clue the beast you tempt?”

  “I know who you are, Calloway. You don’t scare me.”

  “I know, but you should be scared.”

  She went to turn, but he caught her, one big hand flattening over her stomach and pulling her back into him. She shuddered again, fighting the urge to rub against him like a cat in heat. His other hand cupped her throat, his thumb pressing her chin so she was glancing over her shoulder at him. His eyes were a smoldering mix of gold and brown. Glowing orbs that let her know just how close to the surface his beast was.

  “You should fear me,” he crooned.

  She blinked lust-laden lids. “Why?”

  “I’m going to own you,” he vowed. “Every inch of you will feel my possession. By the time we leave this room, you’ll be mine in every sense of the word. M
ine, Darby. Not just this perfect body that’s had me salivating for four fucking years. Every fucking part of you will belong to me.”

  “What if I don’t want to be owned by you?”

  He laughed, his chest rumbling against her back. He dropped a kiss to her lips, soft but clinging, and she tried to follow his retreat the moment he pulled away.

  “You don’t just want it. You crave it,” he challenged. “You need my kiss as if it were water and you were dying of thirst. Your breasts are heavy with tight nipples just begging for my lips, for the warm suction of my mouth. Your pussy.” He groaned, lids dipping low for a moment. His eyes seemed a deeper gold when she saw them again. “Your pussy is dripping with how much you want me. I can smell your desire. I plan to bathe in it. My mouth. My cock. My fingers. I hope you’re not on a schedule, Darby, because I promise you it will be days before I let you leave this room.”

  She put her hands over his, sliding the one on her belly up until he cupped her breast. His thumb automatically brushed over her taut nipple. She slid the fingers of her other hand between his where it cupped her neck then dipped her chin, taking both of their thumbs into her mouth and sucking. Her tongue flicked around and over then slithered between. Calloway groaned, lifting her off her feet and stepping completely into the room. He kicked the door shut then strode toward the bed where he placed her on her feet and tugged his hands from her grip.

  She turned to face him. She’d never wanted anyone, hell anything, as much as she wanted Calloway Meyer. He stepped toward her, and it took more thought than it should have to lift her hand, palm out. He stopped immediately, one brow lifting in silent question.

  “I’m going to own you, as well, Calloway. Make no mistake. You will belong to me every bit as much as I do to you.”

  “I already do,” he said, stepping into her and gripping her wrist. He rubbed her palm up and down his chest before pressing it over his heart. She felt the strong beat, and her pussy seemed to throb in unison. “You’ve owned me for the last four years. It’s past time I returned the favor.”

  She braced herself as he stepped into her, his chest pressing against her palm. One big hand cupped her ass, lifting her into him as he dipped his head lower. She knew what he was offering, the kiss she’d craved for far too long. His lips molded to hers, pressing, brushing then coaxing until she whimpered, opening her mouth for the soothing rasp of his tongue. Instead of easing, he only stoked the flames higher, leaving her panting and on the edge when he broke the kiss and eased back.

  “Mine,” he vowed, and she knew she’d never wanted to be anything as badly as she wanted to be just that. His.

  Chapter Three

  Calloway eyed the beauty before him. His. Darby Kline was his, from the glorious mane of her reddish brown curls to the tips of her boot-clad feet. She was so petite he was afraid his desire would break her if he didn’t gain some control. She might have known others before him, but none would compare to the unleashed passion of a shifter male, of her mate. He hadn’t been painting prose when he’d stated he would possess every part of her.

  For four years, he’d managed to hold back the beast inside him. She might be a watcher, but he’d been the one trailing her every move, ensuring she remained safe. It had been pure hell denying his burning need for her. All of it had led them to this moment, this claiming.

  He gave her a gentle push, already reaching for the hem of his shirt when her lush ass hit the mattress and she bounced before she clutched the comforter and held on as if her world was tilting. He planned to do more than tilt it. He’d send it spinning out of control.

  She bit her bottom lip. The sight of those sharp points indenting her full lower lip made his cock twitch with the need to rub the same spot before sliding deep to fuck her mouth. Seemed like the perfect place to start. Darby on her knees taking his cock while he gripped her hair and held her where he wanted her. Then she could return the favor while he ate that delicious-smelling pussy over and over again. He could already feel her nails tickling his scalp, her hands switching between pulling his hair and working on smothering him between her creamy thighs. He was anticipating it.

  He tossed his shirt aside and bent to jerk his boots off, tugging the socks after them so he stood in bare feet with nothing but his worn jeans keeping his eager cock from her gaze. He flicked the snap, and Darby licked her lips. He reached down, tucking his fingers between the sharp teeth of his zipper and the tender skin of his cock while he pulled it slowly down. He could tell she was holding her breath and found himself holding his, as well. His jeans fell open, but he still held his cock, his hand covering it from her greedy gaze.

  She licked her lips again and slid from the bed to her knees, shuffling across the brief space between them until her breath blew across the back of his fingers. She gripped the denim and rolled it down his hips, pulling until his jeans were mid-thigh. She held them, leaned in and licked.

  His breath released on a hiss. “Is this what you want?” He held out his cock, fingers wrapping the shaft, daring her to take the crowning tip in her mouth. Darby didn’t disappoint.

  “Mmm,” she moaned as she flicked her tongue over him. She teased, darting all around without committing.

  “Remember how much you like to tease when it’s my tongue on that sweet pussy,” he warned.

  Those lush lips finally wrapped around him, latching tight while she sucked softly. He groaned, his hips canting forward, sliding more of his length in the warm depths of her mouth.

  “God, yes.” He wrapped his free hand in her curls, cradling her head and encouraging her to match the rhythm he craved. She rubbed over his grip, and he slid her palm under his, wanting to feel nothing but her touch against his shaft. He curled his fingers over hers, helping her to stroke his cock while she continued working him with her mouth. Perfection. She was utter perfection, just as he’d known she would be.

  “That’s it, baby. Just like that,” he crooned as she bobbed on his dick. Her free hand slid lower, cupping his taut sac and giving it an experimental squeeze. “Not too hard. Easy.” He groaned again, unable to hold it back. The woman seemed to know exactly how to drive him over the edge. “I need to fuck your mouth.” He began a slow, steady thrusting, going to the top of her throat and forcing himself to stop before she could gag. “Sweet Jesus!” he cried as she forced him deeper on the next stroke, her throat closing around the swollen head and contracting. She gagged, her eyes watering as she fought her natural instinct and managed to keep him lodged.

  He took over, his balls tingling as he drew closer to orgasm. He’d known it wouldn’t take long this first time, but he’d intended for it to last longer than the few minutes he’d been in her mouth. It sure didn’t bode well for the first time he filled her pussy with his length.

  “I’m going to come,” he warned. “I want you to swallow every drop the same way I’m going to suck every drop of pussy juice from you.” He gripped her hair with both hands now, letting her work his dick the rest of the way to completion. His ass was flexed, both thighs like rocks as he reached for the promised pleasure. His fingers tightened in her hair, pulling the strands, but he was incapable of relaxing his grip with orgasm hovering just out of reach. Then she moaned, the vibration traveling over the swollen head and down the shaft to settle in his balls.

  “Darby,” he growled, rising slightly onto his toes, liking the way her head automatically angled to follow, elongating her throat and giving him one hell of a view. He was just pushing back between her lips when the first splash of cum left his cock. He rode it to the back of her throat, and another jet filled her. Her mouth worked, lips tight and tongue stroking as she milked the rest from him. Their gazes met as the scent of her release filled his nose. Sucking him off had brought Darby to orgasm, as well.

  He eased down until his feet were flat once more, relaxed his grip, stroking his fingers through her strands, and still, she suckled him. He felt a smile tilt his lips, the first one he’d cracked since he’d seen her fo
ur years ago and decided he needed to wait to have her. Part of him knew she’d been worth every minute while the other howled at what they’d been denied all this time.

  He tugged his cock from her lips, and she followed it with her tongue as if unwilling to release a favored treat. He wouldn’t mind being her preferred dessert as he had little doubt she’d be his. His mouth already watered, the scent of her climax teasing him. He tugged his pants back up but left his well-serviced cock untucked.

  He held his palm out to her. “Stand up, baby, and let’s get these clothes off you.”

  Her hand was so small in his, reminding him just how tiny she was compared to him. Christ, she had to be barely over five feet while he was a hulking behemoth just shy of six-and-half feet.

  “Stop,” she whispered as she rose from the bed.

  “Stop what?” he asked.

  “Thinking I’m fragile,” she replied, her gaze daring him to try to say he hadn’t been thinking just that. “I’m small. I get that. But don’t ever make the mistake of thinking that makes me weak. I can handle you, Calloway. Every inch of you.” She reached up and wiped her mouth, a visual reminder of just how well she’d handled every inch of him.

  “Naked, Darby,” he reminded her. “You robbed me of your first release. I want to feel your next orgasm with my tongue.”

  Her eyelids drooped, color flushing her cheeks a warm shade of red. Shaking fingers found the hem of her shirt and eased it up, revealing creamy skin and black lace lifting the most perfect breasts he’d ever seen. Her nipples were tight buds playing peak-a-boo with the brassiere. His mouth watered, eager to drop to his knees and suck. He held back though, afraid he’d end up ripping off the rest of her clothes in his haste to see, to taste and feel.

  Her shirt was tossed aside, and the minx ran her palms over her cheeks, framing her face before sliding them lower, over her chest until she cupped her breasts and squeezed them together. His chest rumbled as he fought to stand back and watch, and a smile graced those well-fucked lips. He caught the slight snick as she released the front catch then bit by bit peeled off the lace. His turn to bite his lip as tight, pink nipples were revealed.