Charmed by the Werewolf (19 page)

“What?
” She glanced at him in surprise. “I’m not flirting. If I was, I certainly wouldn’t flirt with a dragon.” She intended to bait the attorney. He was too smart to give up a tooth just because they asked him to. She needed to find another way.

“Dammit, Sophia, it looked like flirtin
g to me. And that isn’t acceptable from my mate.” He kneaded the brim of his fedora, crushing its form.

“Just because I’m being friendly to the man doesn’t mean I’m flirting.
” Sophia’s cheeks burned. She hated the anger on his face, hated she was the reason for the emotion, but didn’t know how to fix the situation.

“There
’s a difference between flirting and friendly. I’ll not warn you again. I’m the only man you need to concern yourself with. Period. Do you understand?”

“Yes.
” The whispered word vanished into the emotionally charged air. She squirmed in her seat until she faced the werewolf. His chest heaved with the force of his angst, until the desire and pure lust took over and all she wanted was him. “Forget about it, Xavier, it’s not worth this. We’ll find some other way of lifting the curse.” His golden gaze held her captive; his scent surrounded her, owned her, and possessed her.

Hers. Suddenly, sitting in the office seemed like an incredible waste of time.

Braeden made a sound in his throat that Sophia interpreted as frustration. “There’s counseling available for people like you two.” He coughed. “How did you find out I’m a dragon?” He retreated behind his desk and settled into his chair with the crunch of leather and the squeak of springs. “That isn’t common knowledge.”

“It wasn’t difficult.
” She refused to look at Xavier, but the anger that still radiated from him compelled her to lay a restraining hand on his arm. “Besides—”

“Don’t argue with me, girl. There
’s only one way you could have procured that information. The Portal Master told you.” He pinned them each of them with a glare. “If there’s one thing I will not tolerate it’s a lie.”

“Uh…
” Sophia swallowed and glanced uneasily at Xavier. “I can honestly tell you Sterling had nothing to do with our coming here.”

A glossy
eyebrow rose in surprise. “Sterling, huh? You must be intimately acquainted with him. This is an interesting twist.”

“What is it with the two of you?
” She gritted her teeth. “Do I give off some vibe that says I play fast and loose with the Portal Master? Do I have a sign on my forehead which declares I slept with Sterling?” She swept the men with her anger. “Tell me, I’m curious to know why you both think the same thing.” Both men turned the same look of mild amusement and smugness on her.

“Did Mr. Leighton say something along those lines as well?
” Braeden grinned as he exchanged a purely male glance with the werewolf. “There must have been just cause.”

Xavier stroked his goatee. “I accused her early this morning, but since then we
’ve worked the kinks out of our relationship. She’s my mate and no other man has claim to her.” He lifted an eyebrow, a challenge to the attorney evident in his hard gaze.

“Your mate. Interesting. Does that mean you have some hidden paranormal streak yourself?
” The attorney cracked his knuckles.

“Ack!
” With a strangled sound, Sophia launched out of her chair to pace in front of the fireplace as fear wrapped around her spine. She needed to distract the dragon. “There’s so much testosterone in this room I’m surprised we can all still breathe.”

“Sophia.
”

She stopped pacing as Braeden moved into her path. She hadn’t seen him leave his chair. “Look, you may be the most powerful attorney in this building, but I refuse to listen to more of your posturing. I already have one overbearing male. I don’t need another.
”

“Xavier can leave.
” Malice dripped from the dragon’s grin.

“Not without
her.” Xavier rose from his chair and moved toward her. “I’ll stay since the reason we need your assistance is for me.”

“That won’t be necessary.
” Braeden moved to his desk, his intense gaze resting on Sophia. “I’ll speak to her myself.”

“I can handle this
.” She fought down a thrill of excitement as Xavier wrapped a protective arm around her waist. “Remember what I said about breathing room.”

“I’m sure you can, but I’m not leaving—not now, not ever.
”

“Xavier.
” Her chin trembled at his steadfast refusal to abandon her. She met his gaze, willed him to understand. “Do you want the item or not? I can do this. Trust me.”

“I do trust you, but it’s a bad idea.
” He leaned in; his lips close to her ear, his scent assaulting her. “How do you know he isn’t in league with Sterling?”

“It always comes back to him, doesn’t it?
” She wrenched away from his grasp. Tears gathered in her eyes. “If you can’t trust me, we don’t have a relationship.”

With a sound of exasperation, Braeden pressed the intercom button on his phone. “Deirdre, please send security to escort Mr. Leighton out of the office.
”

“Xavier, what do we do now?
” Sophia’s birthmark flared to life under her clothes. She clutched her arm. “Being separated wasn’t part of the plan.” She kept her voice a whisper, but she wasn’t confident the dragon wouldn’t hear.

“I
’m not leaving this office, Hollister.” Xavier squeezed her hand then moved toward Braeden with his fists clenched. “I remain with Sophia and will fight for that privilege if you provoke me.”

“Uh, now would be a great time to do that whole wolf change thing.
” She focused on the two men blocking the doorway and quickly closed the space between her and Xavier. “If you have any other ideas, I’d love to hear them.”

Dressed in black suits, the swarthy, hulking men nodded to Braeden, advancing into the room, pausing just over the threshold.

“Please escort Xavier to our alternative waiting area.”

“I changed my mind. I need Xavier with me.
” She clutched at his arm as fear snaked through her stomach. The thugs moved ponderously toward them. She glimpsed shoulder holsters under their dark jackets. “We won’t take up much of your time.”

Braeden gestured at his minions and grinned. “It isn’t necessary for me to speak with both of you. Since Sophia interests me more than the wolfman, I choose to make the deal with her. Whatever it is I have, you apparently need it desperately, and I want to know why.
”

“You
won’t touch her.” Xavier’s growl reverberated through the room, loud enough to crack the marble mantelpiece of the fireplace. “Come, Sophia, we’re leaving.” He gripped her hand, swung around to the door, pulling her behind him.

“I can’t allow that.
” Braeden removed a gun-shaped object from an inner pocket of his suit and aimed it at Xavier. “Thanks for dropping by.” He pulled the trigger and two wired darts smacked the werewolf in the chest. Xavier fell to the carpet, his face crossed with lines of pain and surprise as his body twitched.

“You tasered him?
” Sophia took a step forward but the two thugs each grabbed one of Xavier’s arms and hauled him from the room. She lifted her gaze to the attorney. “Bastard.”

As freaked out as she was about Xavier’s removal, it was nothing compared to the way her internal alarm system went off when Braeden closed the office door.

She was alone with the dragon.

“Now that we’ve removed the unpleasantness, why don’t we get to the crux of the matter? Tell me why you’re here.”

As he advanced toward her, Sophia choked back fear. “Uh, on second thought, I’ll just go collect Xavier and we’ll find someone else to help us.
” The room suddenly seemed too small to contain Braeden’s presence.

“You came here expecting something. It’s not my style to disappoint a woman.
” He cornered her between the low coffee table with a golden urn resting in the middle and the chaise lounge. “What do you want?”

“It’s not important.
” Her heart hammered as his silky voice glided over her. “I’m sorry to have bothered you.” In her attempt to slink past him, her boot heel caught in the fringe of a throw rug. She tumbled backward onto the slick leather lounge.

“How convenient,
” Braeden murmured. He dropped beside her with his body half covering hers.

Scooting into a semi-sitting position, her breath caught when she met the brilliant green of his eyes. “What are you doing?
” She smelled his sharp, musky cologne and wrinkled her nose to stave off a sneeze. “Let me up.”

“I’m giving you what you’ve practically begged me for since you walked into my office.
” He kissed her lips. “You have very expressive features.”

“Don’t think so.
” She pushed against his chest, but he swatted her hands away as if they were insignificant insects. “I can’t get involved with you.” The last came out on a squeak. Braeden ignored her protests and fumbled with the buttons on her shirt.

Xavier’s admonitions burst into her consciousness, and she could imagine his fierce scowl at her situation. “You misunderstood me.
” As quickly as she rebuttoned the garment, his nimble fingers followed, undoing the progress.

“Then have I misunderstood your reaction to this?
”

When his teeth closed on a taut lacey, bra-covered nipple, Sophia gasped and jerked against him. Fear slithered around her like a serpent, cold and just as deadly. She shivered, wishing he would leave her alone. “That isn’t what I want.
” She struggled, but the more she moved, the more she became wedged between the back of the lounge and the solid wall of Braeden’s chest.

“As you wish.
” He sat up mere inches, allowing her a tiny bit of space. “Let’s exchange information.”

“Fine.
” She shivered, from his breath on her skin or the way his smug voice clung to her consciousness, she couldn’t say. She wished she’d studied dragons prior to the visit. Sophia buttoned her shirt, glad for the denim jacket on top of the shirt but equally annoyed she’d worn a skirt. It provided way too much a temptation for him.

“What do you want?
” In the back of her mind, she thought about Xavier. Was he hurt?

Braeden’s grin bordered on lecherous. “Besides burying myself in your tasty bit of flesh?
” He lifted a dark, glossy eyebrow. “Tell me how you know the Portal Master. You don’t exhibit the natural fear he invokes and you refer to him by his first name.”

She expelled breath she hadn’t realized she held. “If you must know, I work for Sterling. I’m a Gatekeeper.
” She interpreted the expression on his face as shock and squirmed out from under the attorney. He enclosed her wrist in a grip of iron as he stood.

“Why would a Gatekeeper come here? And why, if the Portal Master sent you, would you not get to the point of your visit long before now?
”

Sweat dampened the back of her shirt. “I never said Sterling sent me. In fact, I’m not here in an Immortal Court capacity.
” She hoped he wouldn’t call Sterling to verify facts.

“Interesting.
” Braeden moved across the plush carpeting to his desk. Sophia had no choice but to follow as the pressure on her wrist never wavered.

“Um, why would you say that?
”

“How often does a Gatekeeper do freelance work? I’m told the case load in the Courts is stifling enough.
” He shuffled through a sheaf of papers, cursing when a pile slid off the desk to the floor. “I wonder if Sterling knows you’re here.” He frowned and released her wrist. “Pick those up for me, please.”

“Why does Sterling have to be involved at all?
” Glad to be free of his grip, Sophia knelt to gather the fallen paperwork. As she stacked them, Mona’s name jumped off one of the pages. She surreptitiously scanned the legal jargon.

Apparently, Braeden was the attorney who represented an opposing party’s lawsuit against Mona’s family. She bit her bottom lip to stifle a gasp. She needed more information in order to help her friend. If seducing the dragon was what it would take, then she would have to try.

Sophia swallowed hard as her mouth watered in preparation for retching. Prickles of revulsion crept over her skin at the thought, but Mona needed her help. A knot grew in her stomach at the thought of betraying her promise to the werewolf. She hoped he’d understand her motives. The niggling fact that he probably wouldn’t pinged about her brain. She thrust it away. The plan would have to work. Mona was her responsibility.

Braeden waggled his fingers. “The paperwork?
”

“Right.
” She dropped the papers on his desk then sidled closer to the dragon, her throat suddenly dry as if common sense had fled with the saliva. “Do we have to talk about the Portal Master right now? Surely there are other things you want from me besides information about Sterling.”

“
What’s behind your change of mind?” His hot gaze pinned her to the floor.

For one terrible, heart-stopping moment, Sophia thought her plan wouldn’t succeed. She teetered on the edge of panic, knowing she’d have to push her acting over the top to obtain the information. “I wouldn’t say that. After all, what kind of woman would I be if I didn’t notice such a handsome man?
” Swallowing against her rising fear, she walked her fingertips up his chest, felt his increased heartbeat. “Virility looks good on you. I can’t imagine you in any other form besides a human.” Bile soured her throat, but she ignored it. The stakes were too high.

Braeden hesitated for a few seconds then smug grin crossed his lips. “I knew you’d come around to my way of thinking. Every woman does eventually.
”

Another glance at his desk sealed her resolve and justified the action even though every cell in her body protested. “Did I have a choice?
” Her attempt to purr like a feline manifested itself as a squeaky whisper. She ran her hands over his muscled arms and shoulders.
He can snap my neck in two seconds. Oh God
. Cold fear caused her hands to shake. “Show me the strong-willed determination that makes you win every case.” Tears gathered in her eyes as Xavier’s image faded.

It happened so quickly she didn’t see him move. One moment Sophia stood at his desk, the next Braeden pinned her against the wall as his rock-hard chest pressed into her. She placed her palms on his shoulders, intended to hold him at arm’s length, but he was too strong and easily captured her wrists in one hand.
Remember your dual purpose mission
! “Do you oftentimes work on high profile cases?” A flood of icy terror seeped through her body as Braeden let her wrists go in favor of kneading her breasts, molding them to his hands. Tears rolled down her cheeks as her struggles were quickly subdued.

“Occasionally. Why don’t we do something more constructive with those soft lips of yours instead of discuss my cases?
” His mouth crashed down on hers with enough force to draw blood. Braeden’s intense green gaze bore into her while he sucked at her lip.

A dry heave threatened. Sophia fought it down by sticking Mona’s face into her mind’s eye. She had to save her friend. “Have you ever represented celebrities?
” She needed to keep him talking, find out what was going on with Mona. “Give me one tiny little secret. I won’t tell.” She batted her eyelashes and ran her hands under his shirt, self-loathing her only companion beside the ever present fear. Although Braeden’s six-pack abs were magnificent, she couldn’t help but think about Xavier’s chest with its covering of golden hair, the gentle touch of his hands on her skin, the twinkle in his honey-hued eyes. A twinge of guilt pinged through her stomach. She should find the werewolf and leave…

“Since you asked so nicely, I do some work with the rich and famous. For example, I’m suing the first family of Moussai for slander and misappropriation of government funds.
” He gripped her hips and pressed his arousal into her stomach. “Does that satisfy your curiosity?”

Her cheeks burned at the dual implication. Her fingers stilled on his heated, hair-sprinkled skin. “So, are they guilty?
”

Braeden shrugged. “Aren’t they all?
” His shoved his hands under her skirt to squeeze her rear end. “Even if they’re innocent, the government of Moussai is in turmoil. There will be upheaval, possibly civil war.” He bit the skin of her neck then pinched her nipples, laughing when she gasped. “You’re a pleasing handful.”

“I can’t do this.
” Her words were small in the looming face of the dragon. “Let me go.” She slumped against the wall, wishing she’d listened to Xavier.

“We’re too far gone for regrets now.
” He gripped her hips and pulled Sophia flush against his body. “There’s one thing you need to understand about dragons.”

“Please
, leave me alone.” Suddenly, her attempt at seduction went horribly, inescapably wrong. She stared, unable to stem the flow of tears when he shoved a knee between her thighs. She tried to wriggle free of his hold, but he jammed his knee tighter against her. She grasped his shoulders, digging her fingers into the muscle there, hoping she could cause him enough pain that he’d release her. Paralysis held her captive to do anything else.

“Mating with a dragon will be the most erotic act you
’ve ever done. Nothing will compare to it. You’ll experience so many orgasms you’ll beg me to end your misery.” He licked a path down her throat and ripped her shirt open to continue the assault on her breasts. “Your boyfriend will be jealous he can’t come close to pleasuring you as I’m about to do.”

Her face wet with tears, she sent out a silent plead for Xavier’s help. “Actually, he’s my mate. I doubt you’ll ever come close to understanding the complexity of that sort of relationship.
”

“Good thing I don’t plan to get involved in such a thing.
” Braeden’s hot breath seared her skin.

When he pressed his knee more fully against her, Sophia
whimpered. How long would it be before she shifted into stone? Wasn’t this enough stress to bring on the change? “I wouldn’t want to be you when he finds out what you’re doing.” She didn’t want to be her either, because Xavier wouldn’t care who was at fault. He’d take them both to task.

“The semantics of your relationship don’t matter. I’ll banish all thoughts of your pretty boy.
” He chuckled as Sophia slumped against the wall. “Once you’ve had sex with a dragon, you’ll always crave dragon flesh. I’d be happy to take you as a lover, despite of your lack of beauty.”

“What?
” She pushed at his chest; beat on the solid surface with her fists. As he stumbled backward, she darted away. “What do you mean?” She awkwardly fastened the two remaining buttons on her shirt and wrapped her jacket tight around her chest.

“You’re not blatantly attractive, but your curves more than make up for that fact.
” Braeden chased her around the desk. “We
will
finish what we started.”

“I’ve changed my mind.
” Sophia had almost reached the door when Braden grabbed a handful of her hair and her head snapped back. Pain screamed along her scalp, brought fresh tears to her eyes.
Xavier, where are you? I need help!
“Let me go.”

“Certainly, after our business is concluded.
” Braeden loosened his hold and reeled her into his arms.

*****

Xavier threw back his head and howled. No matter that he occupied the middle of a hallway decorated in staid shades of cream and blue in a peaceful office building, he howled loud enough to rattle the glass panels in the doors. He felt Sophia’s overwhelming terror as if it were his own, driving him to find her. Slipping away from the men who held him, he loped down several hallways, then vaulted into the elevator.

He jabbed at a button, waited impatiently as time seemed to drag slowly by as the car ascended.

A light covering of blond-white fur covered the backs of his hands. His canine teeth lengthened and his mouth watered in anticipation of a fight. He maintained control over the full shift into the wolf. He’d save that for tearing out the throat of the attorney. For now, he needed to assess the situation.

As he stepped from the elevator when
the doors opened, he heard Sophia scream.
Braeden is a dead man
. A haze of red rage clouded his judgment and filmed his vision. Xavier crashed through the door, sending splintered chunks of the door into the air before him.