Billionaire: Billionaire Romance: Billionaire Tiger (A Billionaire New Adult Shifter Contemporary Romance) (5 page)

All at once he tore his mouth from hers, raised his head into the air, and gave a sound that was the roar of both man and beast. Lara knew that his moment was hitting. Keeping her pinned beneath him, he rammed himself all the way in her once more and held himself there. His wet, white seed burst forth at the opening of Lara's womb, pouring wave and wave of man-tiger juice into her depths. He pressed himself against her opening, relaxed only for a second, and pressed again and again and again, ensuring that she received every last drop of what he was giving. Lara loosened her legs and let her body go limp under Manik. She was at the point of weeping from pleasure. Kissing her ravenously, he grunted, "Did you come? Did you get it? Did you come?"

She half-sobbed, "Almost. It was close."

"Not good enough," he said in a sated, rasping voice. The feeling of him sliding all the way out of her almost made Lara want to weep out loud--until he climbed back down below and gave his tongue to her tender bud once again. Manik licked at it with a steady rhythm that brought her back to the precipice where he had taken her while was lay on top of her. The swirling of his tongue did the job it was intended. Lara felt as though she were flying up through the top of a forest canopy into an endless blue sky of bliss. She arched her back and pushed herself into his face, wailing for joy. He French-kissed her womanhood one last time before she collapsed back onto the bed and he rested there with his face between her thighs. The tiger's hunt was thus complete.

After a time, he climbed back up rest his head with hers on the pillows and take her in his arms. No words passed between them, only smiles and lingering kisses. Lara traced the lines of the stripes on his arms and shoulders with her fingertips and he smiled a feline smile at her. "You like my stripes, then."

"I like all of you," she answered with a sigh.

He drew her into yet another kiss and sucked hungrily at her lips. "Good," he said. "You're going to keep having all of me. I'm going to do it to you again tonight. And again and again and again..." And to emphasize that he had caught her and meant to have her to their mutual content, Manik put Lara on her back and climbed onto her and nestled between her thighs once again.

Shutting her eyes and taking in the amazing feeling of Manik entering her once more, Lara wondered at the odds of such a thing happening. What in all the world were the chances of her finding a predator and a carnivore...with a taste for pears?

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Chapter 1

“My stepfather is a vampire,” Ashleigh Grayson Alberts confided one day over lunch. Her best friend Kaila Dunham just stared at her carrots. “Aren’t you even listening?” she demanded.

“Yeah,” Kaila said, glancing up. “You said your dad is a vampire.”

“Well…?”

“Well, what?” Kaila said with a shrug. “That’s old news. It’s not like they have to hide anymore. What’s the big deal?”

Ashleigh groaned. “He’s not
that
kind of vampire!” She lowered her voice. “I think he’s the bloodsucking ghoul from hell variety.”

“How can you tell?”

“Ugh!” Ashleigh wanted to smack her friend over the head with her banana. “He’s strange, Kaila. That’s all I’ve got to say. He’s really strange.”

“Your mom doesn’t seem to think so. How long have they been married?”

“Five years,” Ashleigh sighed. “Sometimes I feel like I’m a member of the bloodsucking Brady Bunch!”

Kaila couldn’t help laughing. “Stop will you? He can’t be all that bad. He took you guys to Hawaii last year.”

“So?”

“And he pays for this fancy school.”

“And your point is…?”

“I’m trying to tell you that he might not be as bad as you think.”

Ashleigh frowned. “He stays up all night and sleeps all day in the cellar. And he’s always away on business. Not to mention that he likes his beef rare.”

“Powerful men often do that. Just ask my dad.” Kaila made a face. “It’s no fun having a Senator for a father.”

“It’s just we were having dinner one night and there’s this mirror in the dining room…”

“Yeah?”

“He didn’t cast a reflection.”

“And you’re just noticing this
now?”

“I’m sorry,” Ashleigh sighed. “I guess now that I’m older it bothers me. When I was thirteen, all I cared about was getting a dad. Now I’m afraid he’ll start flapping his wings.”

“Oh, please,” Kaila laughed. “You’re breaking my heart. At least he comes home. And he’s faithful to your mom. Dad had to pay that stripper off.”

“I don’t know what he ever saw in her. Too skinny if you ask me.”

“Me neither,” Kaila let out a tired sigh. “Mom’s thinking about getting a divorce.” She picked up her carton of milk and took a long sip. “So when’s your brother coming home?”

“He’s not my brother!” Ashleigh hissed low. “I don’t really care when he comes back. That’s all I need for the creep to come dragging home and bring his pet boa constrictor. Do you know he put a frog in my bed last time he was here?”

“Yuck,” Kaila grimaced. “How old is he now? Twenty?”

“Twenty-three,” Ashleigh informed her bitterly. “He still treats me like a child!”

“Well, at least you’ve got a brother,” Kaila pointed out. “Try putting up with a slut for a sister.”

“Don’t tell me she’s at it again!”

“Uh-huh,” Kaila snorted in disgust. “After the abortion I thought she’d learned her lesson. Nope!”

“Who’s she with now?”

“The rugby team.”

“The whole team?”

“Yeah. And the wrestling team. The fencing team. The chess club.”

Ashleigh burst out laughing. “No way!”

“I’d take a vampire over her any day. Count your blessings, dear.”

“You may be right,” Ashleigh sighed at last. “But I’m still not looking forward to that ghoul spending the holidays with us.”

“Maybe he’s changed. Men do that sometimes.”

Ashleigh tossed her banana peel at Kaila and wished she didn’t have to go home.

“I doubt it,” she said at last, peering out the window and wondering how she was going to get through three weeks with Sebastian Alberts.

Maybe she should invest in garlic and a crucifix.

“Mom, I’m home,” Ashleigh called, setting her backpack down in a chair and making a beeline for the kitchen. She found a note on the refrigerator informing her that her mother would be late and could she please heat up the chicken casserole in the freezer. “No problem, Mom.” She threw bologna and cheese on wheat and headed for her room.

Halfway up the stairs there he was. Tall, dark, and annoying; a familiar smirk blighting his pale features.

Sebastian!

“What are
you
doing here?” she demanded, her eyes narrowing in disdain. “You’re not supposed to be here until seven!”

“And hello to you too,” he drawled in that annoying voice of his. “I took an earlier flight.”

“Good for you,” she snapped, trying to get past him. “Will you please move?”

He grinned and stepped aside. “You’re pricklier than usual.”

“And you’re just as hideous,” she flung at him. “You could use a tan.”

“You’ll need more than a sandwich to fill out that mess of bones.”

Ashleigh shoved him aside and ran up to her room “When did you say you were leaving?” she yelled over her shoulder. “I’ll have to mark my calendar.”

“How many inches have you grown, beanpole? Ten? Twelve?”

“I hate you!” she screamed before slamming the door. “Jerk!” Ashleigh muttered to herself. She flicked on the television and turned the volume up so she wouldn’t have to listen to his laughter. “Same old creep. I should have staked his ass.”

She set the sandwich aside, having lost her appetite.

Her mother came home late and found Ashleigh still in her school uniform. “Ash,” she said softly, “you didn’t eat my chicken casserole.”

Ashleigh’s eyes fluttered open to see her mother leaning over her. “Hi, Mom.”

“Hello, sleepyhead. Did you see Bastian?”

“Ugh,” Ashleigh groaned, shrugging out of her blazer. “Don’t remind me about the toad.”

Kate Alberts laughed. “He’s not so bad. He
is
your brother after all.”

“Stepbrother,” Ashleigh reminded her. “I’m staging a revolt.”

“Ash,” her mother sighed. “Try and get along with him for my sake. Your father won’t be spending Christmas with us. He had to fly to London.”

“Why?”

“Being an ambassador has its ups and downs. He wouldn’t tell me why. I think it had something to do with the economic summit.”

“Oh. I’m sorry, mom.” Ashleigh apologized, and sat up. She wanted to ask her mother if she cared Damien was a vampire. But she supposed it didn’t matter. Her mother really did love her husband. “I’ll try and be civil. But don’t be surprised when he shoves me down the stairs.”

“You’re being silly!”

“Not really,” Ashleigh deadpanned. “Brothers do it all time to their sisters.”

Her mother laughed at this and kissed her goodnight. “There’s roast beef in the fridge if you get hungry later.”

“Goodnight, mom.”

Ashleigh kicked off her shoes and went back to sleep.

She awoke to find her mother downstairs surrounded by mounds of luggage. Sebastian helped her load the limo and barely glanced up as Ashleigh came downstairs.

“Mom! What is it?”

Kate turned around, worry etching her delicate features. “Your father has been shot!”

“Dad…?”

Sebastian came back, his eyes dark with anger. “Leave it to Dad to ride with the top down.” Ashleigh felt a shiver creep up her spine. If looks could kill....

“Is he alright?” Ashleigh said, worried about her stepfather. Suddenly it didn’t matter if he was a vampire. Her mind flew through warm memories of Damien laughing, giving fatherly advice, and leaving her mother love notes so she could read them out loud and embarrass Ashleigh. “He’s going to be alright? Isn’t he?”

Kate rushed to reassure her daughter. “Of course he will. Damien has lived this long. No assassin is going ruin his track record.” She began sobbing. Sebastian hurried to comfort her while Ashleigh felt small and useless.

“He’ll be alright, Mom,” Sebastian soothed. “Dad just got careless that’s all.”

“Yeah, mom.” Ashleigh rushed to fetch her coat and purse. “Dad’s indestructible. You’ll see.”

Her mother nodded. “I’m going to London. Sebastian will take care of you. I’ll let you know how...he’s doing.” She blew her nose. “I’ll send for you as soon as I can.”

“Sure, mom.” Ashleigh hugged her tight. “Go and take care of dad. We’ll be just fine.” She eyed Sebastian warily. “Won’t we?”

He grimaced. “Sure,” Sebastian agreed reluctantly. “We’ll be great.”

Kate rushed outside to the limo, and Ashleigh watched with a heavy heart as it sped off towards the unknown. Sebastian stood beside her, his face grim and taut.

“Dad will pull through,” he told her. “The silver bullet missed his heart.”

“That’s good...to know,” Ashleigh said before bursting into tears. When Sebastian took her in his arms she didn’t pull away.

They needed each other now more than ever whether they liked it or not.

Chapter 2

“What’s it like having a vampire as a dad?” Ashleigh asked over dinner. Sebastian had run out and gotten cheeseburgers and fries as he didn’t like Matilda’s cooking.

Sebastian dipped his fries in ketchup and took a long sip of his coke before answering cryptically, “It has its moments.”

“Who do you think did it?” Ashleigh glanced towards the television droning on in the background. The media coverage had been off the wall. “I mean, you don’t think it was those guys from the Order of The Cross?”

He shook his head. “Nah. They haven’t tried to kill each other in centuries.”

“Then who?”

“Who knows?” Sebastian rubbed his eyes. Neither of them had gotten any sleep. “It could have been anybody. You know how folks feel about vamps.”

“And you?” Ashleigh countered softly. “What’s it like being a hybrid?”

“I hardly consider myself a hybrid,” he laughed. “Mom was too young. Her father didn’t approve of the marriage.”

“Do all vampires have to marry?”

“Sometimes,” he said ruefully. “What’s with the twenty questions, Leigh?”

Her brown eyes widened. He hadn’t called her that in years. “I’m just curious. I spend so much time at school that I think I don’t know much about anything.”

“You’re smart enough, honor society and all that.” Sebastian rummaged around the sack for more fries. “Dad tells me you’re on the debate team.”

“Yeah,” she sighed. “Lucky me.” Ashleigh reached up self-consciously to smooth the frizzy locks. “Boys don’t know I’m alive!”

“You poor thing,” Sebastian said dryly. “The world as we know it is coming to an end!”

“Oh, shut up!’ she snapped. “It’s easy for you with that face! Look at me with these glasses.” She held them up. “See? Total nerd!”

“You’re pretty enough,” he soothed, offering her half of his fries. “You’re too young to date anyway. Dad would never allow it.”

“Then how am I supposed to get married and have children? Will I be a nun?”

Sebastian burst out laughing. “There are worse things, you know.”

“Like what?”

He pointed at the television. “Like being shot by a whacked-out weirdo.”

Ashleigh sighed. Men never had to worry about these things. She studied her stepbrother. He was the quintessential male model with striking good looks. He resembled his father with the thickly waving raven hair, dark gray eyes. and aristocratic features. Many a friend had swooned over him. But he’d paid them no heed. She wondered if he was gay. He didn’t have a girlfriend and she couldn’t remember a time when he did. It was most peculiar.

“What are you thinking, mouse?” he said suddenly, startling her so much she nearly fell off her stool. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I was just wondering if you met anyone. It must be lonely in New York all by yourself.”