The Heir (24 page)

True, her feelings for him had been evolving
for a couple weeks and true, she'd always believed he was a danger
to her heart but she never realized just how dangerous and how soon
she'd reach this point. Almost like a thief in the night, he'd
snuck in and made away with her heart.

"Hey, are you okay?" He asked, dragging her
back from her inner turmoil.

"I'm sorry, what?" She asked, wondering how
she could sound so calm.

"I asked if you were OK." He leaned down to
look into her eyes. "What’s wrong?"

She shook her head and closed her eyes.
"Nothing, I just got a bit light headed from all of this
excitement." She looked away, trying to hide the truth in her eyes
and took a deep breath. "I'm fine now."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded and thinking she'd managed to
disguise her feelings, she looked at him, really looked at him. He
was different now, not like the jaded jerk she'd first met months
ago. It was his different attitude that did it, she decided,
because she could deal with a jerk but how could she fight off a
sweetheart?

He seemed more relaxed and smiled more, not
mockingly, but a real smile; the kind that came from within and
made your eyes shine. He was smiling at her now and it transformed
his whole face. "What do you see?"

She looked into his glowing hazel eyes and
murmured. "You, I see you."

That caused him to pause for a second. "Keep
looking at me like that and I'm going to kiss you in front of
everyone." He warned and after a second of thinking about it he
proceeded to do just that.

He wrapped an arm around her and she melted
against him. She sighed into his lips and tried to deepen the kiss;
he groaned and gave her bottom lip one last flick with his tongue
before putting his hands on her shoulders and stepping away. His
breathing was labored as he looked at her flushed face and kiss
swollen lips. It was getting harder, every time he kissed her it
was getting harder to pull away. All he wanted was to carry her
away and complete their mating but she wasn't ready and even though
it was killing him he had no other choice but to wait.

"I have to go."

He turned to leave but she stopped him,
placing a hand on his arm. "What? Why?"

"I have a lot of things to do at home." He
ran a hand in agitation through his hair. “Will you call me
tonight?"

She nodded but he couldn't see it because he
was already headed for the door. Confused, she stood there and
watched him go.

Watched him go and wondered what was wrong
with him. She was new to the whole relationship thing and she
didn't know if she should let him go or run after him.

"It’s killing him you know."

She turned around to face Christian. "What
is?"

Instead of answering Christian took her arm
and led her to a secluded area of the yard where they could talk
without being overheard. "Did you know that your mating is
incomplete?" Jessica shook her head slowly. "It is; there are two
steps in mating. A man will mark his mate but it is up to her to
complete their mating."

"How do you complete a mating?"

"You, uh," He cleared his throat and Jessica
had to hold back a smile, realizing that he was uncomfortable, and
then her smile died with his next words. “Intercourse, sex, doing
the dirty, getting jiggy with it."

She raised her arms to stop him, feeling the
heat crawl up her neck. "OK, OK I get it. You don't need to draw me
a picture."

She grumbled. "So the girl has to ask
for...sex?"

That made him laugh and he shook his head.
"No, trust me, you don't have to ask for sex. All you have to do is
accept him as your mate."

Her eyebrows came together in confusion. "But
I thought..."

"That once you were marked that you didn't
have a choice?" She nodded. "Well you do."

"What if I say no?"

"He will die." Jessica gasped and he laughed.
"Just kidding."

Jessica punched him in the arm. "You’re not
funny."

He grew serious. "And neither is the pain
that he is enduring."

She eyed him up and down. "You seem to speak
from experience."

"That I do; nothing like the pain of feeling
that half of you is missing."

"What happened with you?"

"I messed up.” He confessed but before she
could ask him about it, he continued. "Put him out of his misery
already. He might be blind to the way you look at him, but I'm
not."

Her eyes flew wide open but he didn't give
her a chance to respond. Like Nick he just turned and walked
away.

Minutes later her mom Lauren found her
standing in the same spot, "There you are! what's wrong?" she asked
upon noticing the look on her face.

Jessica shrugged but then thought about it
and decided to confide in her mom about her feelings towards nick
and her talk with Christian. Her mom nodded understandingly then
shocked her by telling her to go to him.

"But I thought you said I was too young."

"That was before knowing you loved him, when
you were only being led by the desire to find out about your father
and besides you are an adult now."

Jessica smiled. "I am aren't I?"

Her mom nodded returned her smile. "And I'm
sure that if you ask, he will help you in your search for
information about Cade."

"Thanks mom." She kissed her cheek. "I'm
going to say bye to my mom-my other mom." She added and Lauren
laughed in understanding. "And Uncle Mike and then I am
leaving."

She kissed her mom one more time before she
went to say goodbye to all of the guests then ran inside and up to
her room to change. Minutes later she went flying down the stairs
and came to a sudden stop when she saw Axel and Christian waiting
for her by the door. "How did you know?"

In answer they tapped their ears to remind
her of their excellent hearing and she rolled her eyes. "I wasn't
planning on leaving without you." She assured them and then added
wryly. "I don't know where he lives."

"We will gladly get you there and thank you"
Christian told her sincerely. "Nick is like a big brother and I
hate to see him hurting."

Jessica didn't know what to say to that so
she just nodded and made her way to her bike.

Till death do us part.

Those were the words ringing in her mind as
she followed Christian; Axel took up the rear, towards Nick. She
knew that if she went through with her plans, there would be no
turning back.

Chapter 18

It was a beautiful home, she thought as she
got off her bike and took off her helmet. His two story farm house
looked newly remodeled with an amazing wrap around porch. Thinking
that later on she would a chance to admire the architecture, she
headed towards the door.

Half way up the steps she stopped, turned
around and looked at her guards. "I'm calling the fealty card,
whatever you heard after Nick left my house, keep it to
yourselves." She waited until they nodded and then added. "And I
think you guys should sit out here and enjoy the day. What do you
think?"

They both smirked at her and nodded again,
she glared at them one last time before continuing her way up the
stairs. She raised her arm to knock when the door was opened and
she came face to face with the set of eyes she’d seen on a certain
wolf.

"You shaved."

At first he looked at her as if she was from
Mars but then threw his head back and laughed when he figured out
what she meant. "Yeah, I did," He threw his arms out. "So what do
you think?"

Looking him up and down, she nodded
approvingly. "Nice, I'm Jessica by the way." She stuck her arm out
and he took it. “Glad to finally meet you."

Matt smiled at her. “Same here."

"Is Nick here?"

Matt looked over his shoulder towards the
stairs. "Yeah, but are you sure you want to see him? He is not in
the best of moods."

"Yeah, I'm sure." She was also sure she knew
was wrong with him.

He shrugged. “OK, it's your funeral. Go on up
he is in this room." He moved aside to let her pass and pointed her
in the direction of Nick's room.

"Thanks, and do you mind hanging out with
Axel and Christian for a while?" She asked, her face as red as a
tomato, as she passed him.

"Why?"

"Just do it." She told him as she ran up the
stairs.

"Is that an Alpha's order?"

She looked over her shoulder at him. "Yes it
is."

"Well then your wish is my command."

She smiled wickedly and winked at him. "Yes,
yes it is."

He laughed and shaking his head he stepped
out of the house and closed the door behind him.

She found his room easily enough but it took
her a couple of seconds to find the courage to take this last step.
After taking a deep breath and telling herself to just do it she
raised her arm and knocked on his door once.

"I said I didn't want to talk to anyone." She
heard him snarl.

"Not even me?" She asked him as she opened
the door and stepped into his room.

Nick had been lying down on his bed and he
shot up out of it when he heard her voice. It was amazing to power
she had over him. He'd been in a sour mood since he left her and
with just the sound of her voice she had the power to make him feel
better. Unfortunately, seeing her in his room was proving to be a
test on his control.

"What are you doing here?"

She closed the door, leaned against it and
took a deep breath before saying. "I am here to claim you."

He looked at her as if she was a ghost,
shocked, amazed-he couldn't find the right word, and then shook his
head; afraid he'd heard her wrong. "Come again?"

"You heard me, I am ready."

She pushed herself away from the door and
took a step towards him, hoping he didn't see the way her knees
were shaking, threatening to give out under her.

"Stop!" He took a step back and raised his
hand. "Don't."

She ignored him, knowing that it was now or
never, and took another step.

"Jessica, be warned I can only hold back for
so long."

She stalked him like prey and a corner of her
lip quirked up when he took a stumbling step back. Jessica didn't
fail to notice the hilarity in their situation. For weeks he had
been doing the chasing and now that she was ready to be caught, he
was turning her away out of some sense of chivalry.

"Be sure Jessica, there's no going back from
this."

Nick tried to get her to see reason but she'd
already made up her mind. Yet, he was right about one thing, there
was no going back for her. Nick backed himself against the wall and
held a hand out in front of him. Her lips twitched threatening to
break out in a smile from the absurd picture they must present. A
six foot something Alpha trying to hold off the advances of his
five foot something mate.

The hilarity of the situation helped to
relieve her anxiety and gave her the strength to take the last few
steps to reach him.

"I am sure." She told him when she finally
came to a stop in front of him. She stood on her tiptoes and
wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm positive, your warnings have
been duly noted and I understand the consequences." She murmured,
looking straight at him, her lips less than an inch away from his.
"And I accept." She whispered, leaning into him.

The feel of her body brushing against his,
the look in her eyes and her words snapped the leash he had wrapped
around his control. He snaked his arms around her and held her
tight; like a drowning man holding on to a lifesaver would, he
imagined, and kissed her with all the passion he'd been holding
back from her. She groaned in appreciation and the sound vibrated
all through his body.

The taste of her flew through his body,
leaving his nerves on high alert.

When they came up for air at last, he cupped
her rear and pulled her closer; letting her feel the effect she had
on him. "There isn't a day that has gone by that I haven't ached
for you." He confessed to her and kissed her again, not giving her
the chance to respond.

Without breaking their kiss, he walked her
backwards until her knees hit his bed. He smoothed his hands down
her sides, gracing the sides of her breasts and continuing down to
the front of her shirt, specifically to the last button of her
button up shirt. He toyed with it, traced a finger around it before
he began to undo it slowly and only then did he separate his lips
from hers.

He stepped back and slowly unbuttoned her
shirt from bottom to top; slowly because he wanted to memorize
every inch of her flesh that he uncovered. He had just reached the
button just under her breast when she brought her hands up to cover
his hands with hers to stop him. It was this first sign of her
nervousness that he noticed.

He leaned his head down, his eyes leveled
with hers, and looked straight at her without blinking. "You want
me to stop, you just say so and I will."

Saying the words hurt him but he wanted her
to understand that it was all up to her, that he would respect her
wishes if she changed her mind. It would kill him to stop but he
would if that's what she wanted. He smiled reassuringly at her and
waited for her to decide, praying to every deity he could think of
that she didn't say stop.

It seemed like he waited an eternity for her
answer.

After taking a deep breath she slowly lifted
her hands, and moaned, her hands on his chest, in an overly
dramatic voice and batted her lashes at him. "No, please, don't,
stop."

The breath he didn't know he'd been holding
rushed out his lungs and he chuckled, both glad to know she wasn't
so nervous that her spunkiness had deserted her and that she truly
wanted this as much as he. He undid the button that covered her
breast and that chuckle became a groan. Mesmerized, he unbuttoned
the rest of her shirt and pushed it off her shoulders until she
stood in front of him with only a lacy bra covering her breast. His
heart stuttered upon his first intimate look at his mate.