Smart lady, my bestie.
But while replying to Mr. King was bad idea #1, I could save his number, which was actually a smart thing to do in case Jakub came knocking and took Tessa again. Even though I didn’t have the money to hire the hunter a second time, I could find a way to pay him again, somehow, if needed.
My ridiculous stomach did another dip when I saved his number in my contacts, although I didn’t call him Kaillen. That felt too familiar. Instead, I programed him in as I knew him—Fire Wolf.
I was about to put my phone away when another text rolled through.
Check your bank account.
Say what? Frowning, I did as he said and pulled it up. My mouth dropped, like seriously dropped, just like a cartoon character’s, when I saw that twenty thousand dollars had just been returned to my retirement account.
I sputtered and before I knew what I was doing, I was replying to his text.
Why did you give me the money back?
His response came immediately.
I don’t want it.
Why?
Because I enjoyed working with you.
That declaration hit me right in the gut. I put my phone on silent as fast as I could and flipped it over on my bedside table so the screen wouldn’t glow if he texted again. So many emotions were rolling through me. This was anything but a clean break, and despite my imagination wanting nothing more than to fantasize about a scorching fuck-fest with the scourge of society, I didn’t allow myself the luxury.
It was over between us, even if he’d returned the money. His wolf would move on, and when he did, the Fire Wolf would realize he’d never wanted me in the first place and would no doubt be freakin’ ecstatic that I’d saved him from the old ball and chain.
Reminding myself again that nothing good would come from an affair with the hunter—so no, I couldn’t pleasure myself by thinking about him—I pulled my covers up around me and rolled to my side.
∞ ∞ ∞
“Do you like that?” the Fire Wolf rumbled as he kissed along my neck, his erection rubbing against my entrance. The hunter straightened, still kneeling behind me as my body quivered on all fours. He palmed his length and rubbed me again, then slid the tip in.
I gasped.
“I take it that’s a yes.” I could hear the smile in his voice, and when I glanced over my shoulder, lust making my gaze clouded, he grinned.
He slid in deeper until I was moaning so low that the sound vibrated my entire body. His large frame leaned over me again, until his chest rubbed on my back and his mouth brushed against my ear. “I can make you come a dozen times between now and sunrise,” he whispered. “All you have to do is ask.” He pushed in more, his thick girth stretching me.
I arched, grinding my ass against him, begging him to enter me fully. My body felt so hot with need for him that my belly was aching.
“Please!” I panted. “Fuck me! Please!”
He chuckled, a deep, knowing rumble that rippled through my belly and went straight to my core.
“Anything for my mate.” He slammed his length inside me, his huge erection filling me to the hilt.
I screamed, then writhed and gyrated against him, wanting more, more, more, as he began to pound me in earnest. Oh, fuck, YES! This was what I wanted, what I needed, what I craved—
A scratching noise came from behind the hunter, and the dream began to fizzle.
No! Gods, this dream was amazing. I didn’t want it to end, but my ears pricked when I heard the noise again. A splintering sound?
The dream faded further. I reached out for the Fire Wolf, wanting the dream-fucking to continue, especially since a part of my conscience knew this was the only fucking I’d ever be getting from him.
But then the sound of my window creaking snapped my eyes wide open.
What the hell? I bolted upright, the dream disappearing completely just as two figures dove through my window, executing perfect somersaults before leaping with catlike grace toward me.
My foggy brain didn’t even know what was happening until they were on top of me. A lash of pain ensnared my limbs when one whipped a binding spell around me. The other slapped a hand over my mouth when I tried to scream.
I cried out in a muffled tone as I attempted to claw at his hand, but the binding spell held.
“No!” It was the only word I got out before all sounds died from my lips. Acid hit my tongue. My voice was gone. I screamed, or wanted to, but nothing came out. They’d taken my voice with a gag spell.
Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck.
My heart pounded as I became very awake.
“Take her out the window,” one of the men growled in a low voice.
I fought against the binding spell more, calling upon my magic. I tried to cry out too, but no sound came, and the acid taste grew. Fucking gag spell.
I was carried halfway across the room when reality hit me. These were Jakub’s men, and I was being taken. Just like Tessa had been. Without a doubt, the same outcome was the intention. I would be transported to a distant cage with Jakub as my master, which meant they knew that I held all the power. Not Tessa.
FUCK!
Panic exploded in my veins, and my magic erupted. It cut through the binding spell, and in a tidal wave of power, it shattered. I lashed out, my legs kicked, my entire body flailed as the binding spell cracked around me in a shower of sparks.
A rush of power shot through my veins, and I kicked out over and over again at the two men attempting to abduct me.
“Hold her!” one of them barked.
The bigger one pinned me from behind, his thick arms wrapping around me, and a memory flashed in front of my eyes. Tessa being taken. Meaty hands on her. Star Tattoo Guy overpowering her and holding her down.
I tried to cry out, but despite the binding spell shattering, the gag spell still held.
But just as that spell began to falter, too, the one holding me slapped a band of cuffs around my wrists. Zinging pain sliced through my hands and forearms, and a draining sensation pulled at my witch magic, but the gag spell had already faltered. A small yelp escaped me.
I tried to call on my witch powers again, but they had me at the window now, both of them pushing and grunting as I fought, and I couldn’t concentrate enough to harness it. My eyes bugged out when I saw a carpet hovering just outside of my third-floor bedroom.
An enchanted carpet. From the fae lands. Hovering in mid-air here on earth. And it was outside of my bedroom window.
We would literally be flying away in seconds. My home would be gone. No trace of my struggle would be left. Tessa would simply think I spent the night at Prisha’s because she hadn’t seen me come back tonight.