A Tiger's Destiny (Tiger Protectors Book 3) (8 page)

K
el disappeared
through a door to the side of the room, and Sofia heard the sound of a faucet turning and then rushing water, followed by another. She followed him into the bathroom and was astonished to see a huge tub that was probably large enough to fit six people. And behind that was a huge shower with multiple fixtures. Everything was lux, with glimmering granite countertops and golden hardware and a finely tiled floor.

Apparently, even the bathrooms needed to be stylish for dragons.

Sofia had no complaints.

“The water should be just right,” Kel said as he poured in something that began to lather with hefty amounts of bubbles and filled the room with a pleasant floral scent. “Want to hop in?”

“You first,” she said, wanting to see him undress.

Kel grinned confidently as he switched off the faucets and stood to face her. Her pulled of his shirt first, giving her an amazing display of his chest muscles and washboard abs. His size was even more intimidating without clothes, a towering wall of muscle and manhood.

But she also knew this ferocious tiger could be just as soft and sweet.

Watching her still, Kel undid the button of his soot-stained, beat-up dark jeans. They dropped to the floor, and he stepped out of them, showing off his incredibly toned thighs and calves and showing more of the deep Ken doll lines that ran from the corners of his abs down behind a pair of black boxer briefs he wore.

Sofia suddenly realized she was salivating and didn’t even know why. His body was so delicious it was like she could taste it just by watching, but still not be satisfied until she could touch.

Lastly, Kel took off the final piece of clothing, putting him on full display for her, powerful and erect. She felt an ache run down her body, a need that strongly wanted to be filled by him.

Kel stepped into the water and motioned for her to come in. But somehow his size made the formidable tub seem a little smaller, a little more suitable for just the two of them.

“Now you. The sooner you’re in here, the sooner you can enjoy how great it feels.”

A shiver went down Sofia’s spine at the memory of last night, and she quickly disrobed. While she did, she could feel Kel’s heated gaze on her, watching her every movement and beckoning her to him. She stepped in, making sure to watch her footing, and savored the warmth of the water all around her now. It was soothing and relaxing for her tensed body yet exhilarating at the same time, having Kel right there with her.

“Isn’t that better?” he asked, his chest and shoulders still above the warm water, a few feet away from her.

“I don’t know. I can think of one or two things that would make it just right,” she said playfully, raising an eyebrow at him.

At that, Kel growled and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close as he nipped lightly at her neck, his kisses like fire on her skin over the warm water from the bath. She wrapped her legs around his midsection, wanting to be closer and closer to him, and his hands came down her body, squeezing her ass and raising her slightly in the water.

As he held her, his mouth became unrelenting, a storm of devouring kisses down her neck, on her ear, across her collar, each one a spark of electricity that made her gasp with pleasure and filled her with an ever-increasing need to have him inside her.

Kel moved forward in the tub, backing her onto the smooth slope of one of the edges, and held her higher with his hands as his mouth came over her wanting breasts. She could feel the slickness of his moist lips and his tongue as they ran along the wet flesh. He kissed, then suckled, then pressed the tip of her nipple between his lip and teeth, just hard enough to make her entire body jolt with the sensation.

This was a thousand times hotter than last night. How could one man do so many things that felt so amazing all at once?

His hands released her ass and cupped her breasts, squeezing them once before lowering her body. To her surprise, his whole body sank into the water, almost entirely submerging before her.

“Kel?” she asked, curious as to what was going on.

Before she could say another word, she felt his shoulder come up under her legs, spreading them and propping her up in the water. A second later, she felt his tongue run over her center, and she let out a loud gasp from the intensity of it.

But Kel didn’t come out of the water. Instead, his hands found their way over her body, roving over thighs as she tried to fight the fast-building pressure inside her. Somehow, the warmth and the wetness of the water all around her only intensified each stroke of his tongue, each tiny circle he traced around her clit.

Without surfacing once, Kel continued to kiss her, lavishing her body with pleasure so intense she lost all rational thought. Instead, she held on to him, running her hands through his soft, wet hair and grabbing it each time her body shuddered as his touch pushed her to the very limit.

When Sofia felt she could get no closer, like all her insides were stretched tight like a rubber band, Kel answered with one final, agonizingly long stroke of his impossibly perfect tongue over her. As she came apart, he came out of the water and held her tenderly, his body warm against hers as she cried out his name over and over and over again and her body exploded with intense release that crashed over her in waves.

There was no chance she’d ever be interested in any other man for the rest of her life. Kel was the only one that could pleasure her, the only one that knew her and cherished her like she meant everything in the world to him.

Her body relaxed finally, and she slinked back into the water, deep enough to come to her neck, encompassing her with relaxing warmth.

“How did you—” she asked Kel, hardly able to speak.

“It was one of the things we were trained in. I can hold my breath for a really, really long time,” he said, smiling unabashedly as water ran off his face in tiny rivulets, his light-blond hair slightly darker now that it was wet. “I thought you’d be warmer under the water, so I decided to make use of that particular skill.”

Sofia didn’t imagine this was the intended purpose for that training. But she wasn’t going to object.

He made to lower himself again, when Sofia stopped him, the ache in her stronger than ever, so strong she could no longer ignore it.

“Kel, I want you,” she said, reaching a hand down to him. Every second with him next to her like this and still not inside her was torture.

Kel’s eyebrows rose in question. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” he asked. “We’re already moving really fast, and…” He trailed off, and she was touched by his concern, even during a heated moment.

Normally, Sofia wouldn’t be so sure about anything. But for the first time in her entire life, her jaguar was telling her something she’d never thought she’d hear, communicating to her at the fringes of her mind.

Mate. Our mate
, it growled, pushing her forward toward this man that meant everything to her.

“I don’t know what’s a good idea,” she replied. “I just know I’ve never met anyone like you. Never trusted anyone like you.” She couldn’t tell him he was her mate. That would be silly after such a short time together. But apparently, it didn’t take long to know. “Give me this.”

Kel seemed to hesitate for a moment, then nodded in agreement. “In that case, let’s make sure you’re ready,” he said, coming down and claiming her lips in a powerful kiss that made her melt. As he did, she felt his finger gently probe her folds and then slip inside, further stoking the fire within that burned only for him.

His kisses, combined with the pressure of him slipping a second finger inside her, were erotic, filling her with anticipation as she felt his fingers test and stretch her lightly. Even the slightest touch inside her aroused her, so she could only imagine what the real thing felt like.

He withdrew his hand and held her sides as he positioned his hips right between hers. The water in the tub was still incredibly warm, and Sofia could see the mirrors across from them were covered in steam from the heat.

Then she felt the tip of Kel’s member at her entrance, teasing her and giving her the slightest taste of the rest to come. With one smooth, long motion, he came the rest of the way inside, filling her completely.

For a moment, Kel didn’t move, just caressed her cheek with his strong hand as he watched her reaction. At first, it was so intense she couldn’t determine if it was pleasure or pain she felt. Then gradually, her body adjusted to his sheer size, and as she relaxed, she quickly felt the beginnings of a new release fast building.

It was unlike anything she could have ever pictured or experienced before in her life. It defied explanation, the way their hips met completely, the way his hardness deep within her felt so pleasurable that her entire body was engulfed in an unquenchable fire of desire.

Yet, beyond the physical pleasure, Sofia only knew this was possible because of Kel. Because of how sweet and protective and strong he was.

Sofia made the first move, her body begging for more. Using the slope of the bath’s edge beneath her and Kel’s body, she pushed up and then came back down over him. He let out a ragged gasp, and for a moment, she saw the irises of his blue eyes become narrow slits.

Now that Kel had made her come, Sofia finally wanted to see him lose control. Wanted to see this tiger lose all sense of direction and get swallowed up in pleasure as he’d made her do.

Kel smiled, a fang flashing at the corner of his mouth as he began to move inside her. Between the wetness of the bath and her own pooling desire, the motion of his cock slipping out and sliding back in created wonderful friction that made all her nerves crackle with electricity. It was like he could pleasure everywhere on her body all at once just by doing that.

And each time he pumped inside her, Sofia felt her body come closer to such exquisite pleasure she felt she could taste it on her lips. The water of the bath rippled around them, and above the lavender-scented bubbles, she could pick up Kel’s scent, exotic and masculine.

Maybe it was the ambience. Maybe it was the pleasure so good she felt she would break if she lost it. Maybe it was the pounding inside her heart that told her she’d never find another man like Kel for the rest of eternity, a man that loved her and accepted her for exactly who she was, even if she travelled the globe twenty times over.

Letting instinct take over, without thought or planning, Sofia felt her left hand run along Kel’s shoulder and down to his wrist planted at her side. Still feeling the exquisite pleasure of each thrust as he pushed her closer to the edge, she felt a single claw extend from her finger as it traced over his wrist, her mind lost in the haze of erotic sensations surrounding her and filling her all at the same time.

Then with one last push, long and hard as his length stroked every last millimeter inside her, she came apart in his arms, her sight blurring and her entire body feeling consumed as if by white-hot fire. A second later, Kel came with her, jerking inside as he held her close to him, all his muscles hard and tensed as he groaned. The feel and the experience of it only stoked her further, intensifying her release as every part of her rocked with sublime pleasure.

For a long time, she held on to Kel, not wanting to let go. Not wanting the moment to end. But eventually, her body slackened and relaxed, pleasure replaced by pleasant euphoria. Kel gently came out of her and picked her up out of the tub. By then Sofia felt like her bones were made of rubber; she was so exhausted and happy.

He put her down for a moment, wrapped an incredibly soft robe around her that made her feel warm outside as well as inside, put one on himself, and picked her back up, taking her into the bedroom.

“Kel?” Sofia asked, feeling her body quickly slipping into sleepiness after the long day, delicious dinner, and mind-blowing sex.

“Yes?” he replied, coming to the bed and laying her down sweetly, pulling the covers over her.

“I…” she began, wanting to say the words, but not sure if she should. At this point, she was sure she loved Kel. It had to be. But she’d never been in love before, never experienced these emotions or this fierce desire to keep him all to herself forever. What if he didn’t feel the same way?

It could wait.

“Never mind,” she said, nestling into the covers.

Kel came next to her on the bed and pulled her close, his warm body surrounding her. She’d come to know this man better than anyone else in her entire life, and she’d do anything to return the countless things he’d done for her in the short time they’d been together.

But for now, she nestled into his arms and let sleep slowly overtake her.

She’d tell him tomorrow.

T
hat morning
, Sofia awoke as Kel got out of bed and put on clothes. While she was still half awake, she felt him lean over and kiss her on the forehead softly.

“I’ll get breakfast for us. See you soon,” he said as he walked out of the room and closed the door behind him.

As she slowly gained consciousness, the memory of last night flooded into her, heating her and making her aware of the fact that she was slightly sore, though it wasn’t unpleasant. The reminder of how hot Kel had been and what they’d done would stick with her forever.

Rather than try to sleep in with her mind racing about last night, she sat up in bed and stretched, letting out a long yawn, when she became aware of a beeping from somewhere in the room. She perked her ear to the sound and noted it was more like a ringtone than a normal kind of beeping. 

She jumped out of bed and followed the sound to Kel’s suitcase. She rummaged in the outside pocket and found a small black phone that looked like something you could buy at a convenience store with prepaid minutes for really cheap. The number was unfamiliar to her, and she wondered if it was important since Kel kept it in his suitcase. 

Kel was probably on the other side of the mansion right now, in the kitchen preparing breakfast, and she guessed there was only one ore two more rings before the call ended, so she picked it up. If they wanted to talk to Kel, she could take a message for him anyway.

“Hello?” she said into the small phone.

“Hello, Sofia.” It was her godfather. How did he have this number?

Sofia suddenly remembered the burner phone he’d told Kel about when they’d first left the mansion. This was probably it.

“What do you want?” she said, trying to not sound too standoffish, but not trusting him.

“It’s time for you to come home, darling. I understand why you tried running, and I understand you’re probably enjoying yourself out there, but it’s time to face the facts,” he said, his voice cold and unfeeling.

“Why do you think I care?”

“I’m sure you’ve heard by now that the bounty for you has already been paid. And what Domingo pays for, Domingo gets. He owns you now.”

“Screw you,” she growled into the phone and went to press the small red button to disconnect the call.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” His voice came in loud, despite the poor quality of the audio. 

She hesitated for a moment, her will to finally be rid of this man in her life at odds with her fear that something worse could happen if she acted rashly. 

“I know you and that tiger are up to something. I could sense it from the first time you two were in the same room together. I’m not an idiot. So I’ll make you a deal…” he said, waiting for her to respond.

She could hear Kel’s voice in her head, telling her to throw the phone away and leave it all behind. But the animal inside her that had trusted herself to survive for years couldn’t put all of that in someone else’s hands.

“I’m listening,” she said quietly.

“You’re not the only rare animal out there, Sofia. I know what Kel is. I’m very sure Domingo would be delighted to hear of the existence of a one-of-a-kind white tiger. If you just face the music and come home, I’ll forget that double-crosser ever existed, and he can be free to go off and do whatever he likes.”

“Kel would never let anything happen. To either of us,” she said defiantly.

A harsh laugh came through the receiver. “You think one man, no matter how well trained, can face the kind of resources Domingo has? Where Kel came from, there are a hundred more just like him that can be bought at the drop of a hat.”

“The dragons promised to protect us. You can’t touch us.”

“You think the dragons give a damn about you or about any of us normal shifters? Face it, Sofia. You’ll have to leave sooner or later. And the second you do, Domingo will be there, ready to snatch up you two lovebirds and lock you away so far you’ll never see the light of day!”

The truth was starting to sink in. With both her godfather and Domingo after her, she and Kel could never have peace. The mayhem of the past two days would continue to repeat itself, and the hell that had been her life up until recently would be one long cycle of always running. She’d forever be looking over her shoulder, wondering where she’d have to go next or how long they’d be able to stay until they had to uproot again.

It was why she’d come back when her godfather’s men had found her those weeks ago. She was tired of running, of surviving on nothing but the desire to not die.

Maybe, if her life hadn’t already been so bad, she could stay with Kel and just see how things played out. But her parents had run for years, and they still ended up dead. They’d spent everything and burned every bridge trying to escape, and it still got them nowhere. She couldn’t stand for that to happen to Kel.

There was no point in running anymore.

At least for once in her life, she could choose the ending she wanted.

The only happy ending she cared for was Kel’s.

At least he would be safe.

“I’ll do it,” she said, her decision becoming clearer by the second. “If you promise you’ll keep Kel out of this,” she demanded, making it very clear her compliance was conditional.

“You have my word on that.”

Last night had been the most amazing night of her life. She knew she could never love someone as she did Kel, and that meant keeping him from danger. She didn’t doubt he could protect her, didn’t doubt he cared for her, too. But she’d already lived her entire life trying to escape men like Domingo. She wasn’t going to force that upon Kel.

A satisfied chuckle came through the phone, interrupting her thoughts. “Marvelous. I’m glad we’re finally starting to see eye to eye on something. Drive out to the main gate where you first came in. I’ll have an escort there in fifteen minutes to pick you up,” he said confidently. “And, Sofia?”

“Yes?”

“If there’s any funny business at all, if your tiger or his dragon friends pull anything, you have my word that I will personally hunt you down to the very ends of the earth, as long as either of us is still alive. Do you understand?”

“I do.”

“Good.” Then the phone disconnected with a click.

Sofia slumped onto the bed and let the phone slip out of her hand and onto the floor. If Kel knew why she agreed to it, he’d try to stop her. Her head was in a full-out war with her heart now, battling between her love for Kel and the desire to stay at his side no matter what. Fighting against the knowledge that she’d be cursing him to a nomadic life of fear and insecurity if she stayed. Or worse, if they were caught.

It was all her fault. The fact that she was a jaguar shifter. But she hadn’t chosen to be such a rare creature. She hadn’t decided on the life that was given her.

She
had
decided to fall in love with Kel, to share with him amazing experiences that defied all earthly experience. 

And she could choose how their story ended, rather than wait a month, a year, ten years to see if the fate that had chased her parents across the globe finally caught up with her and Kel.

Sofia stood and hurriedly starting packing her things, tossing them into the small suitcase she’d been living out of.

A minute later, Kel came in with a knock.

He had a tray with a delicious-looking breakfast spread across it, and was wearing a wide grin that made his light-blue eyes sparkle in the morning sunlight.

She could never punish such an amazing, perfect man with the curse that had become her birthright. 

“What’s going on?” he said, his smile starting to fall as he surveyed Sofia standing there with her suitcase at her side, car keys in her hand.

“My godfather called. He said he wants me home now,” she said, steeling herself to do or say whatever it took to save the man that had saved her and loved her more than she could have ever deserved.

“What’s with the suitcase?” he said, setting breakfast down on a dresser.

“I’m leaving. Without you.”

“That’s crazy. We both know your godfather can’t be trusted. The man is involved in this whole scheme,” he said, sounding like she was saying the world was flat, not round.

“He can protect me better than you can. You’re just one bodyguard,” she said flatly.

“I’m much more than that, and you know it,” Kel said, rising to his full, incredibly intimidating height. If she had been one to change her mind easily, she would have backed down.

But it wasn’t the fear of the evil that she knew that scared her. It was the fear of the unknown. Of going her entire life being afraid for herself and, more importantly, for Kel.

“Regardless, I’m going now, whether you like it or not,” she said, moving to walk past him before she had to say anything else that would tear either of their hearts in two.

“I’m not letting you leave, Sofia,” Kel said, moving in front of her to stop her. His eyes softened for a moment. “I love you.”

The words cut her to the quick. Her own unspoken confession from last night carried on the very breath she let out. 

All the more reason she had to do this.

“I’m sorry you got in too deep, Kel. But regardless of what you think, I’ll always be in danger with you. Especially the way you stand out. I could never be with a man like you,” she said critically, wishing this whole exchange was over and she could take back everything she said. But it was for his own good and the only way he would give up and let her leave.

I’m sorry, Kel.

“I see,” he said, looking darkly angry and totally still. “So that’s it? Just like the dragons, I’m not good enough because of who I am?”

“Yes,” Sofia said, trying to maintain her composure. “My godfather will have someone waiting just a little way away. He’s already promised to protect me from Domingo, and I trust him more than you.” She hated herself for telling the lie. “When he called, it snapped me out of the fantasy I’ve been living in. You’re hot, Kel. This was hot. But that’s all it was.” She wanted to smack herself across the face for how this would hurt him, but it was better than letting him waste his life always being in danger. 

She marched past him and headed for the main door before they could attract attention. Sofia was almost running at this point, desperately fighting the tears that threatened to blow her cover. She was almost at the door…

“I would have done anything to protect you,” he said from behind her, his voice sounding deadened. Her feet stopped at the door leading outside, her will fading and her body refusing to move another step.

“I know,” she replied, a single tear streaming down her face as she breathed in deeply to fight the sobs that would surely break if she looked into those kind, loving eyes one more time. “That’s why I need to leave,” she said in a low voice only she could hear.

Then she pushed the door open and fled outside before Kel could answer. She knew she was being a coward, knew there was at least a chance at happiness with this man that had loved her in spite of her flaws, in spite of her past.

But the one thing she could never stand in this world was to have Kel, locked in a cage or worse.

Sofia jumped in the beat-up car and headed for the gate.

Good-bye, Kel.

I love you.

K
el let
out a roar as he watched his mate drive away from the mansion.

He stormed back up to the bedroom and slammed the door behind him.

Everything in him screamed to go after her, but she had made her own choice. She wanted this. She didn’t want him.

A part of him had always feared that, always expected it. He punched a fist straight through the drywall, and it made a fearsome sound as it cracked.

He heard footsteps pounding up toward his bedroom and knew he’d alerted the dragons, but he didn’t care. He was beyond enraged. Beyond incensed.

Once more, he’d found something that gave him a purpose, and once more, it had been ripped away because he wasn’t good enough. Because someone judged him not to be strong enough or able to blend in enough.

Or whatever it was about him that made him so wrong.

The door swung open, and Tor looked in, his dark eyes flashing as he took in the room. “Where is Sofia?”

“You didn’t see her leave?” Kel asked darkly, studying his knuckles, which were already healing from punching the wall. He punched it again.

“Hey!” Perry said, coming into the room. “What’s going on?” He stopped a few feet from Kel and watched the angry tiger shifter pacing around. “Tor and I were on an important call. We didn’t see or hear anything until you started decimating that wall. Which I would rather you didn’t.” Perry folded his arms, looking intimidating.

“And what do you mean she left?” Tor asked, leaning against the doorframe, seeming unbothered by Kel’s temper tantrum. “She’s your mate. That’s impossible.”

“She’s not my mate,” Kel said, resting his forehead on the wall and letting out a harsh breath. “Not if she doesn’t want to be.”

Tor strode across the room and grabbed Kel by the collar, yanking him up. “Come on, dumbass. You really think she would just want to run out and leave you? We both saw her. The girl was totally smitten.” Kel put his hands up to pull at Tor’s, and Tor narrowed his eyes as he released Kel’s collar to grab one of his wrists. He yanked it up and looked at it.

“There,” he said, pointing to a small pink mark on Kel’s wrist that he hadn’t noticed. “She marked you. Cats mark their mates, if you didn’t know.”

“I knew that,” Kel said sullenly. Then his eyes widened in surprise as he surveyed the mark. It was oddly romantic. And weird for someone who’d just told him he wasn’t good enough and ran out on him to go to the safety of another man.

If she didn’t have any faith in him, why did she mark him? “Does she know she did this?” Kel asked Tor.

Tor shrugged, looking irritated. “Regardless, the feelings are there or she wouldn’t have done it. So what you need to think about is why she would feel that way about you and then run out of here, you stupid tiger.”

Kel erupted in fury, pushing at Tor as Perry ran over to step between them, putting up a hand.