BirthControl (5 page)

He met her gaze. “Does that mean we’ll be having sex?”

“Only when I call you for it.”

His nostrils flared. “You call me?” The words sounded foreign on his tongue. Was she serious?

She nodded and crossed her arms.

“What if I don’t answer your summons, what will you do?” He smiled, enjoying the smell of her discomfort.

She shrugged even as her jaw tightened. “What I’m trying to do is make this situation palatable for me. I need you to cooperate. We need to be in a monogamous relationship while I live in your home.”

“Monogamous? Unmated wolves aren’t…” This was going to be a challenge in ways he hadn’t thought of. Rather than explain wolf mating habits, he decided to take another approach. “You think you can handle all my needs?”

“Of course.”

He recognized bravado when he saw it. She had no clue what she was asking. Bitches came from all over to serve in his compound with just one goal in mind, to have sex with him. “I’ve told you before, I’m more wolf than man. My needs are…let’s just say more than a human male's. I don’t look at sex the same way you do. It’s not tied to my emotions. I consider it a healthy activity that I engage in to meet an immediate need. It doesn’t matter where, why, or when to me. Once again I’ll ask, can you meet all of my needs?”

She swallowed hard but held his gaze. “I can’t have sex in front of my children, if that’s what you’re saying.” She looked away. “Let’s just forget this. I’ll think of something else.”

“Something else?” He didn’t like the sound of that. “No matter how you feel about the situation, you’re not indifferent to me, I smell your desire. It’s banked right now, simmering beneath the surface, but it’s ripe and it’s there. As the pregnancy progresses, it’ll only get worse. You’ll need me to take care of that.”

She stiffened. “What are you talking about?”

He leaned back, content to see her less cocky. “You’re going to be horny…a lot.”

“Really?” Her voice wavered.

This was going to be good. He masked his enjoyment of her uncertainty. “Remember when we had sex and you weren’t satisfied until I gave you my seed? Well, that’s what it’ll take to keep you sated during your pregnancy. You’ll need my seed, and only mine. So I guess
you’ll
be monogamous since I’m the only person who can bring you relief.”

Her hand flew to her throat. “You’re lying. You’re only saying this to keep me from being with someone else.”

He reined in his temper that she’d even think to give away what belonged to him. “Jasmine.” She looked at him. “As long as you carry my litter, no other man will come near you. My security team will prevent that from happening. If you breastfeed, no one other than my litter will feed from you. When you go into heat, who do you think will enter my domain and have sex with you? No one. You want to label whatever is happening between us as dating? Fine. I don’t care. I cannot promise monogamy, I am wolf. I am La Patron.”

Her face reddened as she leaned forward and pointed at him. “Fuck you, Silas. I’ll leave here and meet a nice, loving man who’ll want me and my half-breed children. It may be next year or the year after that. But I’m done dealing with assholes who take and don’t give—”

“I’m giving you what you asked for.” He couldn’t believe how she’d twisted his words. “My wolf chooses who I bed. You can tell your family we’re dating. When they visit, I’ll even move into your bedroom if that’ll help. Just don’t ask me to be other than what I am. I can’t do that.”

She looked away. The clenching of her jaw fascinated him. Few women held his attention as long as Jasmine had. She was an enigma, soft and hard. Fire and ice. His wolf wanted to claim her in every way. But there were so many unanswered questions that he knew they needed to tread slowly.

“Will you have a lot of other women there as well?” she asked with a thread of vulnerability.

Humans
. They make so much out of one of the Goddess’ greatest gifts, sexual pleasure. “There are female wolves who live at my compound. Not with me, but at times they serve me. We live as a pack and sex is a healthy activity that’s often done without commitment unless we are mated.”

She stared wide-eyed at him. “So I can pick and choose a man, like a buffet? And no one’ll get mad?” She smiled, smacking her lips in a manner that disturbed him. “That sounds…interesting.”

A low growl rumbled in his chest. Surprised by the anger her words spawned, he rubbed his jaw, covering his expression. “That’s how wolves live. Not humans.”

Her head snapped up. For a moment their eyes locked. Then hers narrowed and her nostrils took on a pinched look. “I hope you’re not saying you plan to have sex with anybody you want, but I can’t. I know that’s not what you’re implying.”

“I was explaining wolf culture, my culture. In your world, monogamy is king. That’s not the way things work in mine. So stop trying to start an argument over something that’s not going to happen.” The idea of Jasmine and someone else pissed off both sides of his nature, which was another first.

Scoffing, she walked to the window and looked out.

Earlier, when she’d stood on the front porch, he’d taken one look at the low neckline of the purple dress hugging her curves and knew he was in for a long night. She’d done something fancy with her hair. Most of it was pulled up, but a few curls touched her shoulder and caressed her face. Once she'd stepped inside, the light kissed her clear light brown complexion. Light makeup made her eyes stand out, and gloss drew his attention to her sweet lips. His wolf snarled with the need to taste her again. It had been too long and he was tired of waiting.

“What do you want from me?” He walked up behind her.

She was silent for so long he was about to repeat the question when she turned to face him. A half smile formed on her face as she looked up at him. Misery and something else shone from the depths of her eyes.

“What I want is for you to be happy about the babies. I hate when you call them half-breeds as though they are less. They are not and will never be less. Whatever God gives me will be perfect because He gives life.” She stepped closer and pointed at him. “Rone told me in wolf culture, if the child is born with a problem, wolves get rid of the baby. That. Will. Never. Happen with mine. I don’t care if you refuse to acknowledge the child as yours. I want your word that you will
never
dispose of any of my children. That’s what I want from you.”

His heart raced at the implication that he’d produce a less than perfect pup. The idea had never crossed his mind. He opened his mouth and then closed it. It was something to think about. In times past, pups born with problems
were
discarded, but only because they couldn’t survive the shift later in life. But with shifter hospitals, the chances of survival should have risen. Still, the stigma of a pup with problems was a harsh reality. What would he do?

“That’s something I’ve never thought of, thank you for bringing it up.” He rubbed the back of his neck and looked over her head. She stood in front of him with her arms crossed and legs braced as though she’d attack him if he said the wrong thing.

“Yeah. Think about it all you want. But life as you know it would change in a fucking minute if anything happened to my kid because he was born with some type of problem. I am serious about this, Silas. Do not even think about doing what those other assholes did.”

“I never said I’d do that,” he snapped.

“But you should’ve agreed
not
to terminate my children immediately. You didn’t, and that’s got me re-thinking all kinds of things.” She grabbed her purse and took out her cell.

“What are you doing?” His voice rose at her attitude.

She rolled her eyes at him, pushed a few buttons and waited a second. “Rese? Come get me.”

Silas rubbed his forehead and sent the twins a different message.
Do not come here. We are having a disagreement.

“I’m pissed and ready to leave. I don’t want to talk to this asshole.”

“Asshole?” he growled. “Hang up the phone.” Unaccustomed to any type of blatant disrespect, he grabbed hold of his wolf to keep from lashing out at her.
Remember she’s human
.

“Rese? Rese?”

“Hang up the damn phone. No one is coming here tonight.” He took a few steps and stood directly in front of her. “I told you I had to think about what you asked because, although my position as Patron means nothing to you, I assure you, every decision I make has an impact on my people.”

“I’m not your people.”

He moved closer until she stepped back. “I am fully aware of that and that is another problem with humans breeding wolves. We live by rules. Rules that have been in place for millenia. Rules that cannot be changed without good reason, and certainly not because a human is having a tantrum.”

Her eyes widened and then narrowed. She looked glorious in her anger. He spoke before she could.

“Yes, you are throwing a tantrum because I didn’t do what you wanted. Guess what, Jasmine?” He captured her gaze. “That’s going to happen a lot. You do not rule me. You are having my pups and for that you have a place of honor, but you have no power or authority other than what I give. And what I give, I can damn sure take away.” He leaned closer to her face and bared his teeth. “Never, ever threaten me, or my people for that matter, again. I have survived centuries without you and your counsel, and I will continue to do so. As far as the pups you carry, your wants are secondary to mine. You should remember that, because it is the reality you now live in. Anything contrary is a fantasy.”

This human breeding thing was a hiccup in the natural order of things. If she were his bitch, he’d have her loyalty, her trust, and her respect, without the BS. Her wolf would understand everything he would never say, not because he was the asshole she accused him of being, but because their wolves would be in sync. Both of them would want what was best for the pack.

Her chest heaved as she met his gaze. “You are a bastard.”

Inexplicable emotions ripped through him. He jumped from anger to frustration to lust all in a matter of seconds. Add in protectiveness and a half cup of jealousy, and he was sure being with Jasmine Bennett was the worse decision he’d ever made. He should stop right now and put her out. But his wolf refused to acknowledge the flashing red sign when it came to this female.

With one arm he pulled her forward, slamming her against him. “Perhaps. I don’t know. What I do know is I want you.”
Damn wolf
.

She gasped and pushed his chest. “Hell no.”

Remembering her earlier vulnerability, he rubbed her ass with his free hand and then squeezed it. His voice dropped an octave when he spoke. “You look hot in this dress. I’ve been waiting patiently to finish everything so I could touch you, hold you.”

“No.” She squirmed in his arms, her mound rubbing deliciously against him, ratcheting up the heat in his loins. His wolf panted from the need to join with her again.

He eased up the bottom of her dress. “Do you have on panties?” He ran his palm across her bare ass.

Her forehead dropped to his chest as small mewling sounds escaped her mouth.

“A thong, that’s nice. Did you wear that for me?” With both hands, he lifted her by her firm cheeks and pressed her harder against his steel length.

“No…no, I didn’t wear it for you. I…”

He kissed her temple. “It doesn’t matter. Because this…” His finger slid between her legs and played in her juices. “This is all for me.”

Her breath hitched as she leaned into him.

“Say it,” he growled near her ear. His wolf was close to the surface, hungry for her. “Tell me this is for me.”

“It’s for you,” she whispered, her breath warm on his nipple.

“Do you want me to take care of this? Want me to scratch your itch? Feed your kitty?” he asked as he carried her to his bedroom.

Instead of answering, she grabbed the sides of his face, pulled him down and kissed him hard. Without pausing, he returned her fire, intent on binding her to him in the most basic way he knew how. Grabbing her braids, he pulled her back slightly to catch his breath. The slumberous look in her eyes shook him.

His wolf howled.

“Yes.” She grinned right before he dropped her on his king-sized bed.

“Right answer.”
His voice was barely above a whisper as his face neared hers. Her fingertips traced the outline of his face. He snapped at the digit.

She laughed. Her face lit with an inner glow, ensnaring him.

A long ring disrupted the chorus of their panting and grunts. He stiffened when he realized it was his phone. Looking down at the luscious woman in his bed, he ignored the call and inhaled her delectable spicy scent. Jasmine’s desire was a tangible thing. He sucked and nibbled her tight peak through her dress, leaving a quarter-sized wet spot.

“Sweet,” he groaned, his voice thick with need. Starving for more of her, his hands roamed over every part of her body, committing it to memory. He relished the softness of her skin.

She tugged at the waist of his pants.

“Okay…okay.” He stepped back slightly, appreciating her eagerness. With a flick of one wrist, he unbuckled his pants while watching her shimmy out of her dress. He was certain his eyes glowed as they roamed over her luscious body. Firm, full breasts, round hips and long legs. The juncture between her thighs glistened, calling him for dessert.
He stared at the plump juicy mound before him. She’d shaved, giving him a perfect view of her wet folds slick with her arousal.