Shifted Temptations (14 page)

The room was small
and sparse. The couch faced a fireplace that took up most of one wall. The mantle held a few crystal figurines. I picked up a swan, turning it over in my hands. Swarovski crystal...expensive, I frowned, too expensive for Layla to have afforded.

I sat the figurine back down carefully and took a stroll around the room. Taking a deep breath, I tried to find the scent I was looking for. It was faint, but there. The closer I got to the hallway
, the stronger the scent became.

I wanted to check it out, but I heard Layla coming back. Sitting on the couch, I turned expectantly as she approached.

“Here you go, hun,” she said as she handed me a glass of red wine.

I raised an eyebrow when she swirled the liquid then pushed her nose into the glass for a sniff before taking a sip. Since when did Layla become a wine connoisseur? I remember
ed her as a tequila shots type of girl.

“So, what brings you back to this God forsaken town?” She asked.

I shrugged, going for nonchalance. “Just felt like seeing an old friend.”

“You could get in
to trouble if you were caught.”

Though her tone was playful,
I felt like I should be careful. We had been friends growing up, but she was still a full blood. She could have a loyalty to people I didn’t know about.

“I hadn’t planned on getting caught.”

“Your secret’s safe with me, hun.” She grinned, giving me a sultry look.

My eyes raked over her
voluptuous form. She wore a red silk robe that hugged her curves and left little to the imagination. Her legs were smooth and tan and flashes of our time together flickered through my mind. She had always been incredible in bed.

Not as good as Sam, I reminded myself. No, not as good as Sam, but Sam wasn’t a possibility anymore.

My gaze slowly moved up the flare of her hips, over her flat stomach to her full breast. Her nipples were beaded into tight peeks, straining towards me. My eyes met hers. She was watching me, heat smoldered in her gaze.

Was that
the way I would have to play it? It was not the first time sex had been used to complete a mission and it wouldn’t be the last. Unless I was in a committed relationship, the unbridled thought flitted through my mind, bringing images I tried to forget.

Sam’s face drifted to mind, then her nude body being caring by Alex.
Her expression was filled with confusion, probably wondering why I hadn’t come to see her yet. I gritted my teeth and shook off the vision. She was no longer mine and I had no plans to see or talk to her anytime soon.

No matter what deal we had started, I had always treated
our relationship as a commitment; never crossing the line in missions or otherwise, while I was with her. Now, I realized, there was no
us
and I pushed the guilt away.

I considered what my next move should be. I wanted to ask Lay
la a few things, about what she had been up to in the past few years. Maybe I could get her talking about any friendships she had made recently or business deals going on.

The question was, was I going to fuck her before she
answered my questions or after? As I watched her slender throat swallow a sip of wine, I instantly pictured my cock in its place.

Fucking first, I decided. She would be much more open to talking afterwards.

I sat my untouched glass of wine on the side table, keeping my gaze on Layla’s. I let her know without words what I was thinking. About sliding that robe off to see what was or wasn’t on underneath.

“You don’t like wine?” She asked softy. Her v
oice had gone deep with desire.

“Not particularly. I had something else in mind.”

“Hmm,” she purred deep in her throat, a cat on the prowl. “I can think of something. I’m surprised you didn’t bring Alex with you. I was pretty crazy about your ‘two for one special’.”

“Just me tonight.”

Layla licked her lips as she bent over; exposing the tops of her large breasts, and set her own glass down. Her face scrunched up.

“You smell funny.”

Actually, I didn’t smell at all. That was what was ‘funny’ about it. I was using a new scent eraser that government labs developed to hide odors from shifters. It made recon missions a whole lot easier and safer.

“New cologne,” I whispered.

The excuse must have been believable or she just didn’t care. Instead of straightening, she captured my mouth in a hot kiss. There was no sweet, sensual buildup, just lips, tongue and teeth.

I preferred to be the one in charge, but Layla was determined to be in control. I let her for the moment. She knew that could change at any second and I was looking forward to the switch.

Her lips sucked wet kisses down my neck as my palms molded her breasts. They were more than a handful and reminded me of Sam. She was voluptuous, but fit me perfectly. Frustrated, I shook my head. Damn it! I had to get her out of my head.

I pinched Layla’s nipples hard causing her to cry out. The move did what I had sought after. Layla picked up the pace, pulling my shirt over my head and
immediately reaching for my jeans. She popped the button and I helped her slide them down just enough for my cock to spring free.

She ran o
ne manicured fingernail down my length and smiled wickedly as she teased. I was not in the mood for teasing and I let her know by grabbing the back of her head and pulling her forward.

She
did not hesitate. Her lips wrapped around my cock and she sucked me deep, taking me down her throat in one smooth swallow. She slid back up slowly, her tongue dancing across my sensitive flesh. I groaned and tightened my fingers in her hair, using the grip to control her movements. Her nails dug into my thighs, but she didn’t protest my rough treatment.

Desire was evident in her glazed eyes as
I pumped my cock into her mouth. I reached down with my free hand to pinch and rub her hard nipples. She moaned and the vibration had my rhythm accelerating. She was taking me deep, but I needed more.

“Suck
in those cheeks,” I growled.

She sucked hard, hollow
ing her cheeks. The tight wetness of her mouth had me going over the edge, growling as she swallowed my release down her throat. I immediately felt vacant.

It was the first time I’d had sex without emotion since I met Sam and I hated the empty feeling in my g
ut. Damn, Sam and her sweet scent, her soft, lush body. Why was it so different with her? Why did Sam get to me like no other?

Layla’s mouth sliding off my softening cock brought me back to my senses. I had a job to do and I may be a jerk, but I wasn’t an inconsiderate jerk.
Grasping Layla under her arms, I pulled her up onto my lap. She straddled my hips, looking at me with anticipation.

Wasting no more time, I quickly pulled her robed off, letting it fall to the floor with a quiet
swish. She had a matching satin nighty underneath that barely covered her thighs.

Reaching for the tiny straps of her gown, I looked up at her face as I pulled them off her shoulders, releasing her bre
asts. Layla’s swollen lips parted and her blues eyes turned dark. I had to admit she was beautiful, but as awful as it sounded, my only thought was that I was glad it wouldn’t take long for her to come.

I leaned
forward, sucking one nipple hard while my hands crept under her short gown. Not surprisingly, she had no panties on. My thumbs found her pleasure center and I rubbed the spot eliciting a groan from Layla.

Her hips began to move with my hands and my mou
th switched to her other nipple. Sharp nails dug into my shoulders and as I usually welcomed the small pain during sex, I found myself annoyed with Layla. I didn’t want her to mark me.

I shook off my confounding thoughts and bit down on her nipple just as I pushed two fingers into her wet core. As Layla began to ride my hand, I held onto her hip to steady her and ran
my tongue up her breast to her neck.

Her panting breaths and growling moans were the only sounds i
n the quiet house, and I could not help that my body was twitching back to life at the erotic noises. I ignored my stiffening cock and nibble on her collarbone. Just as I remembered, that was the button and Layla screamed out, grinding against me.

Her pussy
pulsed around my fingers as she slumped against my chest. I gently pulled out of her and rested my hand on her hip. She breathed heavily against my neck, her heart pounding alongside mine.

I had a beautiful, sated woman snuggled against me in a room that smell of sex and all I could think was that I wished more than anything that
it had been Sam with me instead of Layla.

She sat up and gave me a satisfied grin. “That was better than I’ve had in a long time, hun, but for ro
und two I want that dick I love of yours shoved inside me.”

Layla reached and grasp the object of her affection and although I looked to be ready for more, I wasn’t.
I gently removed her hands from around me, holding them by her sides. She frowned at me, her lips pouting.

I looked at the woman I grew up with. Her blonde hair was a mess from my gripping hands, her lips swollen, breast spilling out of her nightgown, legs spread invitingly. If I was
n’t in love with Sam, I would have been buried deep inside her already.

I blinked in surprise. I was in love with Sam? Since when?
Since forever!
A voice inside my head shouted. The day I met her, I had known she would be mine.

I closed my eyes as a dark
foreboding came over me. She wasn’t mine anymore. No, she was lost to me, but I was hers. I would always be hers and I would live the rest of my life loving her and no one else.

I would be alone while I wa
tched her move on with someone else, possibly Alex. Alex could make her happy. He was a much better man, more sensitive, more caring of her feelings, more...everything.

I sighed
and rubbed my chest. Pain shredded through me at the thought of never being with Sam ever again. Maybe she would forgive me, I thought. Maybe she would take me back, if I was to apologize and beg for her forgiveness. I shook my head. It was more than likely a lost cause, but I was beginning to realize I had to try.

“Jordan
, I have something I need to tell you.”

Layla’s
voice reminded me where I was. My eyes popped open to see the woman I had forgotten about looking at me warily. I hoped she would get over my reserve so that I could continue with the mission. I needed to search her house, but more importantly, I needed her to trust me. If I could get her on our side, she would be a great informant.

I opened my mouth to start my
apologies and excuses when the living room window shattered. In a flash, I had Layla under me on the floor. I covered her while I listened for the threat. Car tires squealed as an engine gunned down the street. I itched to chase after them, but I had to keep up appearances with Layla.

Thinking of Layla, I
placed my hands on either side of her shoulders and rose up just enough to check that she was all right. One look at her face told me she wasn’t. Sightless eyes stared back at me as a pool of blood formed on the floor under her head.

“Shit,” I whispered.
My hand shook slightly as I turned her head to the side to see a bullet had pierced her temple. This was definitely a professional hit and the only reason they had stopped at Layla and not come after me, was that it was a direct hit and the job was done. I wasn’t in the contract...yet. Whoever hired the gunman would no doubt be looking for me once he found out Layla had company.

Standing
up, I looked down at the beautiful girl I once knew. After all these years as a soldier, death didn’t unsettle me much. I could usually separate myself from the deceased, but this was different. I had known Layla my whole life. I had not loved her, but she was a friend of sorts.

When I found out she was part of the shit going on in Wilde Mountain, I was disap
pointed, but I wanted to do more than complete a mission. I wanted to help her, get her out of whatever mess she was in and I had planned on it.

After my own clothing was in place
I crouched down and fixed Layla’s gown, covering her nakedness the best I could then draped her robe over her lifeless body. I bowed my head and promised her I would find out who did this and why. She had not deserved this death. I truly believed she was a good woman, even if her mistakes were big.

I had to move quickly now. There was no time to waste. I had to do a quick search of Layla’s home and get out of there before anyone came looking.

First I went to the broken window, keeping to the wall in case someone remained watching, and took a deep breath through my nose. Only one scent lingered in the air. The gunman’s odor was unfamiliar, yet unforgettable. He would not be getting far, I sneered.

I quickly washed up in the kitchen then
walked purposely toward the hall. Just as I thought, the scent I was searching for became stronger. Alexander Wright Sr. left his trail all over Layla’s home, but it was much more pungent the closer I got to the basement.