Van, Becca - Taming Olivia [Terra-form 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (9 page)

“Why do you have to tease me? I can’t help it that I get lost,” Olivia said, lifting her chin and glaring at Hugh.

“I am sorry, honey, maybe we should have maps with labels put in all the corridors for you, that way you may be able to find your way.”

“Ha ha, very funny,” Olivia muttered, knowing full well it was true.

They arrived in the dining room just as the evening meal was being served. Cedric and Hugh led Olivia to a table in front of the raised Alphas’ table. The man who had changed into his panther form was sitting at the table Hugh and Cedric stopped beside. He stood up, looking at her with a heated gaze. She could actually see him struggling to not pounce on her. She looked into his blue eyes and felt as if she was drowning in his heat. She shivered, goose bumps rising over her body. Her pussy began dripping juices, her nipples hardened, and her clit throbbed.
What the fuck?

“Olivia, this is our second-in-command, Tony Kial. Tony, our mate, Olivia Hammond,” Hugh snapped out. His voice was so deep she could feel it vibrating through her.

“Olivia, it’s a pleasure,” Tony rumbled, taking her hand in his.

Olivia stared at the tall, handsome man. What was wrong with her? She already had two men who had claimed her as their mate. Why was her body aroused by another man? One who had scared the shit out of her this very morning? Her hand trembled when he turned it over in his, exposing her palm. She couldn’t help the whimper of need that escaped from her when his rough tongue tickled across the sensitive skin of her hand. She couldn’t pull her eyes away from his heated stare. The man was huge. He had muscles on muscles. His legs were as big as tree trunks, and his arms were hanging out from his body, the muscles in his arms too big to allow them to be close to his side. And he was absolutely gorgeous. Her eyes were drawn to the cleft in his chin and the creases in his cheeks, as well as his full lush lips That is until his eyes began to change. They flickered from glowing gold to blue, making her scared. She jumped behind Cedric, gripping the waistband of his trousers, peeking out at the crazy man trying to stare at her.

“Mate.”

Olivia gasped as Tony pinned her with his heated stare, the hackles on the nape of her neck standing on end.
Is he crazy?
She already had two mates. Olivia had had enough of this bullshit. She stepped out from behind Cedric and stood at his side.

“What the fuck? I am not your mate. So you can just go and sit with someone else,” Olivia spat, remembering her fear and anger from when he had chased after her in his animal form. She tried to stare the mountain of a man down.

He glared at her, his eyes on fire with arousal, but there was also anger. The way he looked at her scared the crap out of her, and she hated being scared.

“You are my mate. You will please, accept me?” Tony asked through clenched teeth.

“Go fuck yourself,” she snapped at him then turned and walked toward the glass doors on the opposite side of the room. She didn’t get more than three steps away from the table. A humongous paw of a hand wrapped around her wrist and pulled her toward the man who had just declared she was his mate. She struggled halfheartedly but didn’t have a hope in hell of escaping him. Not that she really wanted to. Tony turned her on just as much as Cedric and Hugh did. She felt the yearning in her heart to be cherished and looked after by Tony as well. She just didn’t want to give in too easily. She had a reputation of being difficult to uphold, after all.

“Let me go. My best friend is your queen. I’ll tell her to sic her mates on you,” Olivia said desperately, her muscles getting tired of fighting for her freedom.

“Olivia, come here,” Gage called.

Thinking she had April’s men on her side, she looked up into Tony’s eyes, poked her tongue out at him childishly, and stomped away when he released her hand.

“Take a seat,” Gage commanded. Olivia saw that Gage was now standing beside the empty seat his mate usually sat in and pulled it back for her so she could sit.

Olivia turned to Gage with a smile on her face, about to thank him for rescuing her. But her smile quickly turned to a frown of trepidation when she saw the serious expression on Gage’s face.

“We are all grateful that you are here. April is much happier having someone she knows and loves in our home. We are thankful for you helping her through the birth of our daughter and the hormones she’s been dealing with. We would never place you in any harm. We would rip out the throat of anyone who hurt you, but do not lie to yourself, little one. You know just as much as Tony does that you are his mate also,” Gage stated gently.

“I don’t care. I don’t want him.” Olivia looked at Gage.

She hid her anguish and arousal from him as she stared. She did want Tony, but she wasn’t sure if
she
could cope with having three mates.

“Why?”

“He’s huge. He’s a head taller than Cedric and Hugh. He wouldn’t even have to try to hurt me. He could snap my neck between his fingers without any effort at all.”

“You’re scared of him?” Gage asked. “No one would ever hurt you, Olivia. We treasure our women. Haven’t you noticed how few women we have?”

“Well, yes, I had wondered, but I don’t care. I mean, I do, but I can’t have him. I don’t want him,” Olivia stated, her voice quavering. She looked over to where her mates and Tony were in deep discussion. She saw a surprised expression flit across Tony’s face, and then his eyes pinned her. She lowered her lashes, turned her head away, and looked back at Gage.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t want you to decide now. Take some time to think things over. You are his mate and I want you to seriously think about accepting him before you deny him. You haven’t even taken the time to get to know him yet. How can you refute him as your mate? Please, Olivia. Please take some time to talk with Tony.” Gage’s steely voice brooked no argument.

“Whatever you say, your highness,” Olivia replied disparagingly then rose and walked away. Instead of going back to the table where her mates were, she walked to the sliding glass doors and out into the gardens.

There was no fucking way she was obeying a stranger. She was leaving.

Chapter Nine

Olivia made it to the large hammock then stopped and stood staring into the fish pond, her arms wrapped around her waist, her stance protective and defensive. She had nowhere else to go, and she’d already tried to run once. The thought of another shifter species trying to claim her as their mate was repugnant. She didn’t fit in. She’d never fit in anywhere, not even in her own home. She knew her mom loved her, had protected her when her mom’s latest boyfriend had tried to touch her, but she felt guilty. Her mom had been charged with assault. The bastard had pressed charges against her mother. Her mom had ended up in jail for three months, serving time for something any normal mom would do to protect her child. Olivia had never gotten over that. She and her brother had had to stay with her mom’s sister.

Her aunt had resented having to look after her and her brother. She’d been young and single, and they had obviously cramped her style. Her Aunt Delia had blamed Olivia for her mom’s incarceration, calling her a little slut and tramp. Olivia had learned from her aunt how to protect herself using her tongue. She gave back as good as she got. When her mom had finally been released from prison, they’d had to find another place to live. Their previous apartment had been re-leased, and her mom had never been the same.

She was harder, tougher, not as in touch with her two children as she had been before her stint in prison. She’d tried to talk to her mom and apologize, but her mom had brushed her aside, saying she had nothing to apologize for. Their relationship had deteriorated in Olivia’s eyes. She felt like an outsider in her own home, not knowing which way to turn or how to fix things and get back to where they had been before. Olivia’s older brother had tried to make up for their mom’s lack of affection, but somehow, things had changed too much from what they had been. She’d carried around the guilt for years, using her mouth whenever she felt hurt or threatened. It was as natural to her as breathing now. She didn’t know how to change. Not sure if she even wanted to.

Olivia slipped into the hammock, her stomach so tied in knots the thought of food made her feel ill. She closed her eyes, breathing in the warm, humid air and the scents of the flora blooming in the garden. She didn’t want to be under the control of any men. She liked her independence too much. The thought of another man trying to tell her what to do, controlling her, was so frightening. She gave in to the urge and wept. She didn’t make a sound, just let the tears leak from beneath her eyelids. She wanted to curl up and sleep. She wouldn’t have to deal with anything if she was asleep.

Olivia squealed in fright as large hands scooped her up from the hammock. She opened her moisture-filled eyes and looked into Tony’s blue orbs. She pushed against his chest, a knot of fear forming in her stomach when he didn’t release her.

“Put. Me. The. Fuck. Down. Now.”

“Okay,” he said then released her. “But please listen to what I have to say.”

Olivia squirmed on his lap. Even though she had asked him to let her go and he had, she didn’t really want to get up, so she stayed where she was.

“I don’t want you,” Olivia said, reaching up to stroke her hand over his cheek in contradiction as she stared into the dark-blue eyes above her.

“Yes you do,” Tony replied as he covered her hand with his.

“What is it with you men? You’re all so arrogant and egotistical. It’s a wonder your heads aren’t dragging on the ground,” Olivia yelled, still pushing up and getting to her feet.

He surprised her. Instead of biting back with a sharp command or comment, he threw his head back and laughed. She thumped him lightly in the arm, the deep cadence of his laugh and his dimples emerging enthralling her. She squirmed, her legs squeezing together, trying to relieve her aching clit as she pushed against his chest and shoulders in frustration.

He looked down at her, a grin still on his face. “I can smell your desire and your actions contradict your words.”

“You cannot! They do not!”

“Oh, but I can, little one. Didn’t Cedric and Hugh tell you shifters have heightened senses?” Tony asked and reached out to pull her between his splayed thighs. He surprised her by giving her a quick hug and releasing her once more.

“I don’t want to have sex with you,” Olivia stated quietly, cursing when she felt her eyes slide away from him with her lie.

“Yes, you do. I like the way you feel in my arms. You’re as light as a feather,” Tony said and reached out to her again. He pulled her onto his lap and was pleased when she didn’t struggle. He held her against his massive chest.

“I am not! Oh, shit, you have addled my brain.” Olivia groaned over her contrary statements. She knew she probably did feel quite light to him, since he was so big and strong. “Where are we going?”

“I’m taking you back to the dining room. You need to eat,” Tony stated.

“I’m not hungry,” Olivia replied, crossing her arms over her chest and pouting with petulance.

“You are going to eat. You need to keep your strength up,” Tony said, easing sideways through the glass door.

 
She realized Tony was being careful not to bump any part of her body on the frame and was silently thankful.

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re a bastard?”

“No. I can’t say that they have,” Tony replied with a smile.

Olivia was embarrassed from all the stares directed their way. She ducked her head and lowered her eyelashes. She absolutely abhorred being the center of attention. She was surprised again when Tony sat down at their table, keeping her on his lap instead of relinquishing her to her own seat. The big brute was going to have to learn she wasn’t a fragile flower needing to be carried around all over the place.

“You’ve been crying? What did you do to her?” Hugh asked, glaring at Tony.

“Oh, for crying out loud. Stop it. Just stop it. I’m not some toy you need to fight over. He didn’t do anything. I’m fine,” Olivia stated, glaring at Hugh when he deigned to look at her. “And I wasn’t crying. I got something in my eye. Can I please sit in my own seat?” she asked, tilting her head back onto Tony’s chest to see his face.

He looked at her without speaking, sighed, picked her up, and gently placed her in the seat next to him.

“Thank you.” Olivia sighed with relief.

“You’re welcome,
mate
,” Tony replied with a grin.

“How many times to I have to tell you…”

“Do you think you’ll ever believe it?” Tony asked, a brow raised in query.