Shifter 08 - Draeger Legacy Read online

  “Man I can’t believe you did it. I mean, you really did take her?”

  “Don’t know what you’re talking about.” Drake twisted off the cap of another beer, downed half of it, and looked back at the pool.

  “Bullshit!” James went on. “I saw the way you looked at her at that party. I remember the fight you got into with her father. Hell that alone spread through the party like wild fire, man. Everyone’s talking about how you stood up to the fucker. And hey,” he held up his hand and lowered his head, “I’m not here to judge or turn you in. Not my place especially if she’s your mate.

  Drake studied James Laswell. He was a different breed of man, not just shifter. There was something about his funny, lazy personality that had Drake at ease around him, and that never happened with people. Drake was normally a loner. The only friends he had either worked for him or his father. True friends, he didn’t have.

  “He doesn’t want to change things, but also doesn’t want to let his daughter be part of the world.” Drake shook his head, the bottle touching his lips. “Can’t have it both ways.”

  “No, he can’t,” James sighed. “So have you mated her yet?”

  “Kind of a personal question.”

  James shrugged, staring at the pool work also. “Just asking.”

  A few minutes went by with nothing said. Drake saw the workers finishing the painting. Heard them say they would start filling it in a couple days after everything dried. He was ready to get into it. Ready to swim laps, enjoy the cool water during the hot summer he was sure they were going to have.

  “I can see why you picked this place,” James said. “It’s very relaxing.”

  Drake snorted. “You got a mate?”

  James shook his head, “Not so lucky yet.” He turned to Drake. “You don’t have many friends, do you?”

  “People don’t like me.” Drake rested his head back on the chair, turned, and put his feet up on the table. “They think I’m scary. The big bogie man or some shit.”

  “Is she scared of you?”

  Drake thought about it for a second. “I think she was at first, but she sure as hell isn’t now.”

  “So what’re you going to do?”

  Drake closed his eyes, rubbing them in complete frustration. Even talking to James, drinking, and trying to relax he couldn’t. The urge to go upstairs, to see her, smell, and touch her was very powerful. Hell, he didn’t know if he was going to be able to wait the four days for her cycle before he had her.

  “I don’t know,” he groaned. “I really don’t know.”

  “Sounds like you’re in a pickle, my friend.” Drake glared at him and James smiled back. “Want some advice?”

  “From you?” James nodded. “I don’t even know you that well.”

  “Drake, I think we’re more alike than what you see. If Millard wants things to remain the way are, then he has to follow those rules, including for his own daughter. He refused you took matters into your own hands. I’d do the dame same thing. But you also have to watch your back. There’s a reason why he was able to break his own rules so easily now. He’s one sneaky, conniving bastard who’s used to getting his way all the time. So watch your back.”

  “That’s the advice?”

  James smiled big. “Naw, man. Go old school on her. Mind seduction works wonders.”

  Drake couldn’t help himself and laughed, “I don’t think it’s going to be that simple. Not by a long shot.”

  * * * *

  Natasha paced the bedroom, her anger, and frustration getting the better of her. The moment Drake left she dressed. Jeans to go with the sweater she now wore. Every clothing item she wore was baggy, covering every inch of her body. After last night, she couldn’t seem to face him, not after what he did to her.

  Still the thought of him kissing, licking, touching her between her legs had the rush of blood flowing in her veins and the heat spreading across her face. She admitted to herself that it had felt good, but she sure as hell wasn’t going to tell him that. No sir! If she did that then he’d want and expect to do it again and that just couldn’t happen.

  “What am I going to do?” she groaned, hugging herself, stopping her pacing in front of the window.

  She caught sight of Drake below. Tight cut off shorts, no shoes, no shirt, and his hair flowing freely in the wind. He’s so dark, so dangerous. The kind of male she always stayed away from, not because her father told her so, because she never felt safe around males like him. They took without care to others. Took what they wanted, never worrying about the consequences of their actions. Drake was like that in so many ways. She felt when he looked at her that there were hidden demons inside him. Demons that threatened to come out in a moment’s notice.

  His muscles bunched when he moved. Powerful, thick muscles that had her finger tips itching to touch. They didn’t look real, and yet she knew they were.

  Seeing another man with him, Natasha got a moment of hope. Her first thought was that someone else here might be able to help her leave. When she spotted his smile at Drake, and Drake laughing back, that hope diminished. They were friends, and she was pretty damned sure a friend of Drake’s wasn’t going to help her leave.

  Natasha jumped at a knock on the door. She swung around quickly, moving away from the window. The door opened and in came the woman she had seen last night when Drake carried her back into the house. She had a tray in her hands.

  “Thought you might be hungry,” she said, taking the tray over to the nightstand. “And since you didn’t come down, I brought something up for you.”

  Natasha looked at the tray of food. A large triple stacked sandwich, which had ham, turkey, and chicken, cheese, lettuce, and tomato. Bowl of fruit and a large glass of ice tea.

  “I’m fixing lamb for supper, do you like that?” she asked.

  Natasha went over to the bed. Her mouth watered at the smell of the food. She nodded her answer, picking the sandwich up.

  “Well you just let me know what you like and dislike. It’s my job to cook around here.”

  “I like your cooking,” Natasha looked up at her before taking a bite. She moaned with pleasure. “At school the food was boring. No flavor to it. Can you teach me?”

  “Sweetie I’ll teach you anything you want.” She smiled. “I’m Nelly by the way. The young man you see around here that’s all quiet is Tony.”

  “Who’s the one outside with Drake?” Natasha ate and talked at the same time. It was rude, and she had better manners than that.

  “That I’m not sure. Hey, how about you come down and finish your lunch in the kitchen. When you’re done, if you want I’ll teach you how to make these cookies I’m doing now. Spicy pumpkin bread cookies with an orange glace frosting you just drizzle over the top while they’re still warm.”

  “I thought I couldn’t leave the room.”

  Nelly snorted, “Don’t you worry any about him. Come on, you need to get out of here anyway so Tony can do his job.”

  Nelly took the tray, and with part of her sandwich in hand, Natasha followed her out.

  The kitchen smelled heavenly. Natasha sat down at the table; Nelly placed her food in front of her and went over to the stove, taking out a tray of fresh bread. Natasha watched her every move as she ate. Back home, she wasn’t allowed in the kitchen, she had to stay away because it wasn’t her place to be there. That was for the staff. Thinking about it now, she thought her father was grooming her for something big. A lady doesn’t go into a kitchen, doesn’t dirty her hands with cooking and cleaning. Speak only when spoken to crap. It meant something.

  “You make it feel very comfortable in here,” Natasha said, getting Nelly’s attention.

  “It’s a kitchen Sweetie. Everything starts in a kitchen in my eyes.”

  “My father didn’t want me in the kitchen. I could always smell the things that were cooking and baking, but was never allowed to go in and see it. He told me it wasn’t my place.”

  “Sounds like he had grand plans for
you.”

  The tears formed again. Natasha put her sandwich down and wiped her eye before it could slip free. “Yeah, I guess he did.”

  “Well you have a chance at a new life.” Nelly smiled, but it didn’t reach her green eyes. “And no one will keep you out of the kitchen or any part of the house for that matter.”

  “This is your new home.” Natasha turned to Drake’s voice. He stood at the back door. He wasn’t alone. The one she saw from the window stood behind him. He walked inside, went over to the sink, and started to wash his hands. “Any idea when the guys are coming back to finish the dining room, Nelly? Got people waiting to bring furniture and shit.”

  “They said sometime today,” Nelly answered.

  Drake shook off his hands, grabbed a towel, and turned back around. Leaning back against the sink, he stared at Natasha as he dried his hands. She swallowed hard at the intent look she saw in his eyes, which chilled her.

  “This is James Laswell,” Drake said. “I’ve invited him to stay for a few days, but he’s refusing me.”

  “I’m just fine where I’m at, thank you very much,” James said.

  “Well we have plenty of room if you change your mind,” Nelly said. “You are staying for dinner?”

  “Only if that’s what I smell.”

  Natasha felt his eyes on her. She kept her own fixed on her play, rolling a grape around. She couldn’t look at him. Every time she did, her mind went back to what he did to her in that room. The way he touched her.

  “You’re blushing,” he whispered right in her ear, walking around behind her to the fridge. His warm breath sent another shiver down her spin.

  Saying nothing, she pushed away from the table and left. Only when she had some distance away from Drake did she breath normally. Natasha didn’t understand what it was about him. He seemed to take up all the air in a room.

  She went across to the other side of the house. A sitting room, backed to the living space and right up to a built in bookshelf. The shelves were lined with books. Taking several deep breathes she tried to focus on the volumes, to see what they were and pick one to read. After all, what else was she suppose to do?

  “You do know that running away only makes things worse.” Natasha turned. James Laswell stood in the middle of the doorway separating the living space from the large sitting room. “A male doesn’t go through all this trouble for the hell of it either.”

  Natasha gave him her full attention, arms crossed over her chest. “And what would you know about this?”

  “I know he’s risked a lot for you.”

  “No, he risked his skin for something he can’t have.”

  One golden eyebrow went up. “Can’t have? Kind of harsh there.”

  “How should I act when I’ve been kidnapped and threatened?”

  “Threatened?” Drake came up behind James. With a nod, James turned and walked away, shaking his head. “I never threatened you, Natasha. Only stated a fact.”

  “And I say you threatened me, to keep me here against my will.”

  “If you want to run, feel free to try again. I’m not going to stop you from running, only catch you before you get away.”

  She lost her cool. Natasha went up to him with the intent to slap him again, only it seemed Drake was ready for it this time. He caught her wrists and before her hand could make contact, he pinned it behind her back. He held her close, tight, chest to chest and took the steps needed to push her up against the wall.

  “Should I add another to it?” His voice was low, deadly sounding, eyes darkening further. “Should I add that every time you hit me, I get to have my head between your legs also?”

  She raised her chin up at him, which she more than likely shouldn’t do. Drake could possibly take it as a challenge. “You’re nothing more than an animal.” She struggled against him, tried to get her wrist free. “And you’re a damn bully.”

  “I can be, and so much more. You have no idea.”

  “Oh I have a pretty good idea about you.”

  He released her wrist, but his hand fisted into her hair, pulling it back, exposing her neck. Hot, full, scorching lips touched her exposed flesh sending sparks of pleasure down her spine. Up to her chin, over and down to her right shoulder. A tug from his other hand on her sweater exposed her shoulder. Those hot lips of his closed over her shoulder. She felt the sharp graze of his teeth followed by a hard suck.

  “I can mark you right now,” he said low in her ear. “Mark you as my own and think nothing of it.” He nipped her shoulder and Natasha whimpered.

  “Don’t,” she breathed out. She closed her eyes, working at not panicking—it would do no good if she did.

  “Excuse me.”

  Drake turned, and Natasha was able to lower her head and look.

  Nelly stood there, a disapproving look on her face. “The crew is finally here to work on the dining room.”

  “I’ll be right there,” Drake said. He turned and kissed Natasha quick, and deep. It was so unexpected she didn’t have time to react, and when she did, it ended.

  He didn’t say another word to her. Pushed away and walked out of the room. Only when he was gone did she let out the air she was holding in a rush, touching her forehead. What was she going to do? What the hell was she going to do?

  * * * *

  Drake oversaw the men working in the dining room. He was determined to get it finished so the furniture could be placed, then he could enjoy hosting nice dinners in his home. It took all day for them to get the floor down, and the walls finished. By the time they left, it was too late to have the furniture delivered, but at least the room was done.

  Heading up for a fast shower before dinner, he thought about what he told Natasha. He also wondered why he was holding back from the mark. If he marked her now it sure would take out some of the fight she had over this whole claim. Right?

  He walked into the bedroom and right off, she stiffened. She was sitting on the bed reading a book, but when he walked in her whole body changed. She sat up eyes got huge, breathing increased. There was also a very faint scent of desire in the air and it sure as shit didn’t belong to him.

  Drake kept his mouth shut and went right into the bathroom. Nice how shower to clean the dirt off, and maybe a cold one to cool the ragging hard-on and desire he still seemed to carry around at the moment. Damn if that fucker didn’t go down for shit. Masturbating was out of the question. Didn’t help.

  Finishing his shower, he grabbed a towel, wrapped it around his hips, and took another for his chest and hair. Opening the door, he half expected her to be gone. It shocked him a little to see her sitting on the side of the bed now, book closed, eyes watched every move he made.

  “I expected you to dash out the door,” he told her, going into the closet, leaving the door open.

  “And give you the excuse to maul me again,” she snorted. “No thank you.”

  “Come on, Natasha.” He came back out in fresh jeans, not zipped or buttoned and a shirt in hand. From the way her blue eyes widened he knew she could see a part of his cock as it pressed against the front of his jeans to be free. “You make it sound like you didn’t enjoy it.”

  “Maybe I don’t like you touching me.”

  Oh, that was a challenge if he ever heard one. Drake growled low at the back of his throat, tossed the shirt in his hand to the floor, and went right up to her.

  Natasha jumped and made a dash for the door, but he caught her before she even took three steps. She screamed, twisted, and turned when he wrapped his arm around her waist, picking her up.

  The ties he used last night were now folded on the nightstand. He picked one up, sat down on the edge of the bed with her on his lap. He tried to pull her arms back but she kept fighting him so Drake shoved her down on the bed face first. He pulled both arms back, tying them with his tie.

  “You bastard!” she yelled. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

  “I’m going to show you how much your body likes for me to
touch you,” he told her, jerked her back up, then settled her on his lap, facing away from him.

  He held her easy. A wrap around with his legs and hers were pinned beneath and Drake was able to part them. To hold her in place he slid one arm between hers at her back. This action had her breasts pushed upward.

  Drake rested his chin on her left shoulder reached around and pulled the sweater up. Natasha squirmed as much as she could. Swiftly he jerked the sweater over her head, down her bound arms, using it to keep her arms in place.

  She had on a new bra—white lace. The cups pushed the mounds up, tempting and teasing him to touch the swelling and he did. Drake ran the tips of his fingers over the tops of her breasts and around, only touching what the bra didn’t cover. Natasha’s breathing quickened. The rise and fall of her chest told him all he needed to know as to how much his touch affected her.

  “Your skin is like touching fine silk,” he said close to her ear, rubbing his face into her arm, kissing her ear. “I could drown in you.”

  “Drake, stop this,” she panted.

  “Not yet.” He flatted both hands right under her breasts and slid downward. “How much you want to bet by the time I touch your pussy you’ll be wet.”

  She shook her head no, “You don’t excite me.”

  “Wanna bet?” He pulled at the snap of her jeans, tugged until the zipper slipped down. Natasha’s breathing got faster and the scent of her desire grew stronger. “I don’t have to strip you naked or have my mouth on you to give you an orgasm. Did you know that?” Inside one hand went. Inside her jeans, cupping her lace covered pussy. A gasp slipped free from her lips and she went forward a bit.

  “I can feel your heat,” he whispered right before licking at her earlobe.

  Again, she shook her head, so Drake took the full step. He pulled his hand back and reentered her pants, only this time he went right inside her panties. He touched her clit and she jumped. Slowly he teased the nub, moving his finger around it, never really touching it.

  Her juices coated his finger, the desire he smelled got stronger. Teasing her further, he moved two of his fingers down farther into her panties and rubbed up and down along the slick slit. She got wetter, hotter, and his cock pressed hard into the curve of her ass. He wanted inside her so badly it hurt him physically.