Lynx Loving (8 page)

If there hadn’t been a choice, he wouldn’t have thought twice about crushing Dave’s and Chip’s throats with his powerful jaws. He could almost feel the way their windpipes would crunch under his teeth and taste the blood as they gurgled for breath. But killing for revenge, for the pleasure, would make him no better than Chip and Dave.

And now Krista wanted nothing to do with him. He glanced at her again. She was no longer pretending to be asleep, staring out the passenger window. It wasn’t like her to be so quiet. If he’d kept his dick in his pants, everything would be fine.

No, it wouldn’t
. He blew out an agitated breath. Yeah, no it wouldn’t. He wanted—loved—Krista since the moment he’d first laid eyes on her. He should have manned up and talked to Brady months ago, but he’d allowed his emotions to screw things up just as he’d done with Nyssa when his mother had died.

He’d been so worried over losing Nyssa again and pissing off Brady, that he didn’t see that denying his feelings for Krista only assured he’d lose it all anyway. Because at some point there would come a day when he’d either no longer be able to stand having Krista in his life as nothing more than a sister-in-law, or finally give in to his desire—which he had now done. Both scenarios left leaving as the only option if Brady protested. Landon would never be able to continue living so close to Krista and not be able to touch her again.

He’d only made things worse. When Brady found out they’d slept together he wouldn’t like it. But when he found out Krista no longer wanted anything to do with Landon... If the roles were reversed, Landon would assume Brady had taken advantage of Nyssa. It was the first logical conclusion Landon would jump to. Brady would be pissed as hell and fists were likely to fly, but Landon couldn’t blame the man. Brady had entrusted him with Krista, and Landon had taken advantage of her.

Even if by some miracle Brady forgave him, the tension over the situation would remain and cause problems. Basically, no matter what he did at this point, he’d done the one thing he feared most. Break down the trust he’d been trying so hard to build with Nyssa.

After turning onto the lane that led to Sanctuary, he’d barely gone a hundred feet before stopping where Dylan was waiting on the side of the drive. Joy filled Landon, and he was hopeful that Dylan had changed.

Dylan yanked Krista’s door open, and she nearly tumbled out. “Slide over. I want out of here.” Slinging his bag in the backseat, he hopped in beside her.

“Thanks for almost dumping me on my ass, Dylan,” she muttered while scooting over.

Landon didn’t miss the way she was careful not to touch any part of her body to his. He put the truck in reverse, and started backing out of the lane. “How was your stay, brother?”

“How do you think? Forced, boring, and over.”

“Stop being a whiny baby,” Krista said. “You deserved what you got.”

Dylan glared at her then smiled. “You look good enough to eat.” Wiggling his eyebrows, he pulled her in for a hug.

She laughed, and Landon fought the uncontrollable urge to throttle his own brother.

“Since you will soon, officially, be part of the family, I’ll be the first to welcome you into it,” Krista told Dylan. “I’ll be honest. It’s shitty what you did to Nyssa.”

“I know, but—”

“You’re an asshole for what you did to Nyssa, but you’ve paid for your mistake, and the past is the past as far as I’m concerned. I’ve never had brothers. For the most part, I like it.” She laughed. “It will be good to get to know you.”

“Thank you.” Dylan patted her on the leg. Landon growled, and Dylan looked at him. After smiling, Dylan gave him a wink.

Great. Just what Landon needed. Obviously Dylan had figured out that Landon and Krista had more than friendship, he’d be a huge pain in the ass. Dylan had always been a good brother, but he had a knack for being rash and relentless with the teasing.

* * * *

K
rista giggled when Dylan snatched her by the waist and pulled her from the truck. A growl from Landon—about the hundredth one she’d heard in the past few hours—sounded from inside the cab before the door opened and closed, signaling his exit from the vehicle.

Landon had been exceptionally quiet since they’d picked up Dylan. Mostly the only sounds he’d made on the drive back were grunts and growls—usually when Dylan told a terrible joke, complained about the months he was forced to spend at Sanctuary with the lycan, or touched her in any way. Was Landon jealous of his own brother?

Although it was childish, the thought made her giddy inside. Not so much because she wanted two men to fight over her—she was fairly certain Dylan was not interested in her the same way as Landon, and she was definitely not interested in Dylan the way she was interested in Landon—but because if Landon was jealous, wasn’t that proof that he cared about her?

Dylan set her on the ground and Landon appeared. He made a grab for her hand and began dragging her toward the all-night store. She struggled, and dug her heels into the pavement.

“What the hell are you doing? Let go of me.”

“No. You are not to be out of my sight. Look what’s happened every time you have been during this trip,” he said.

She yanked her arm free from his grasp. “Stop treating me like a child.”

“Hey, hey, hey. What the hell is going on here?” Dylan came up behind them.

“I’ll stay with Dylan,” Krista said. “
He
can keep an eye on me.”

“No.” Landon folded his arms over his chest.

“If the lady doesn’t want you around her, that’s her choice.” Dylan smirked.

“I’ve had enough of you!”

“Me?” Dylan pointed to himself and grinned. “What have I done?”

“Cut it out, or I’m going to punch that smug smile off your face.” Landon dropped his arms to his side and clenched his hands into fists.

Dylan rolled his eyes. “Really, Landon. I’ve never seen you act this way.”

“All men are freakin’ assholes, I swear.” Krista stomped off in the direction of the store.

When she went inside and inquired about the restroom, she was told it was outside, around the back.
Great
. She hated outside bathrooms. Landon and Dylan were still arguing when she made her way around back.

The place was abandoned other than them and the old man working the store. She took care of business, washed her hands, then exited the surprisingly clean ladies’ room. But when she stepped outside, she was immediately crowded against the brick wall by a huge and angry looking Landon.

She gasped. “What the hell are you doing scaring the shit out of me?”

He cupped her cheek then rested his forehead against hers before pulling in a long breath and letting it out slow. His mouth slanted over hers, and her legs turned to jelly.

His lips were firm yet soft, and the kiss was urgent and possessive, as though he was staking his claim. She moaned when he wedged his knee between her thighs and slowly pushed her up the brick wall until she was eye to eye with him. Panting, she clutched at his shoulders as all thoughts fled her brain with the exception of one...getting him inside her as fast as possible.

Warmth flooded her lower belly, and moisture seeped between her thighs. His lips slammed over hers once again, and she reached for the fastening on his jeans. After wrestling the button open and the zipper down, he sprang hot and hard into her hand. Wrapping her fingers around him, she stroked him.

He grunted into her mouth, and his tongue teased and tasted until she was out of her mind with need. Her body ached for the huge cock that throbbed in her hand, and she nipped his lower lip, tasting blood. He deepened the kiss, and the coppery tang of his blood added to the intensity of the moment.

He cupped her breast then dove under her bra and shirt. When his fingers teased her nipple into a hard peak, she moaned before stroking him harder. He pulled her shirt and bra to the side then covered her nipple with his mouth, licking and sucking the pebbled tip before gently nipping it. After setting her on the ground, he worked one leg of her pants off before picking her up again.

He continued to tease her nipple with his tongue and teeth while coaxing her legs around his waist. His other hand moved over her panties and one finger slid along her slit until moisture drenched the fabric. She reached for his erection again, and urged him where she wanted him most.

He kissed a fiery trail up her neck. “I want you so bad.”

“Fuck me. Right now.” She panted. “I need you inside me.”

“No,” he whispered by her ear then gently took the lobe between his teeth. Reaching between them, he pushed her panties to the side and buried himself to the hilt inside her. “I’m going to make love to you.”

She whimpered as he thrust into her with hard, deliberate strokes, branding himself on her soul for always. She dug her nails into the tops of his shoulders, hanging on as he slammed into her over and over.

“You feel so good inside me,” she said, right before his next thrust pushed her up the wall a few inches.

He placed his palms flat on the bricks at each side of her head and gazed down at her. Thrust. “You.” Thrust. “Are.” Thrust. “Mine.” He grunted.

“I always have been.”

Two strokes later and she cried out her release against his shoulder. His hot seed jetted into her only seconds after.

“Oh my God. Brady is going to skin you two alive,” Dylan’s voice came from behind Landon.

Krista froze in mortification.

“Get the hell out of here,” Landon said between clenched teeth.

Dylan laughed. “When you screw in public places, you shouldn’t be surprised when you get caught.”

Landon eased her down in front of him, careful to shield her from Dylan’s view. After she got her pants pulled up, Landon did the same, then turned toward his brother. “Brother, you have no idea how close you are to me popping your head like a cherry tomato.”

“Popping tomatoes isn’t what I’d call...” He must have noticed the way every muscle tightened in Landon’s body and realized he was crossing the line. “Look. I need to take a leak.” He shrugged when Krista peeked out from behind Landon. “Besides, I didn’t see anything other than my brother’s naked ass, which I’ve already seen countless times, unfortunately for me. Now if you want to see a superb ass, you should see mine.”

Landon took Krista by the hand and led her past Dylan. “The only thing that’s going to be happening to asses anytime soon, is me beating yours,” he said as he passed his brother. “We’re leaving in ten minutes. If you aren’t in the truck, you better get your thumb out.”

T
he rest of the ride home was tense. Landon had gone back to his previously brooding self while Dylan continued to get digs in anywhere possible. Krista liked Dylan well-enough, and knew siblings ribbed one another, but she’d had enough of him by the time they returned home.

Storming up to the house, she called over her shoulder, “You can get my bag, Dylan.”

Her body still tingled from making love with Landon, and she was just as confused about where they stood now as when they started the trip. After taking a long, hot shower, she changed into knit pants, T-shirt, and fuzzy socks then went to find Brady. She was tired and wanted to sleep, but sleep would not come until she confided in her brother and cleared the air. Landon had made it clear they would be telling Brady about what happened, so she no longer felt she needed to keep it a secret. She found her brother and Nyssa sitting on the front porch.

“I’m sorry you had a bad trip with the truck and all,” Nyssa said.

“You have no idea,” Krista muttered.

Quickly filling them in on how the truck had been damaged and the fiasco with Chip and Dave, both sat with slack jaws and deer in the headlight eyes, staring at her in disbelief.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Brady finally spoke.

“Nope.”

Nyssa patted Brady’s arm. “At least all is well now, and everyone is home safe.”

“I need to talk to you, Brady, if that’s okay with you, Nyssa?”

“Of course,” Nyssa said before kissing Brady on the cheek and standing. “I’m going for a run,” she said, heading down the stairs toward the woods.

“Nyssa—”

“Yeah. Yeah. I’ll stay close, and I’ll be careful. I won’t be gone long. Stop worrying so much.”

Brady rubbed at his temple as though fighting off a headache. If that was so, Krista was about to give him a full-blown migraine.

“I need to talk to you about a couple things. I’m warning you up front that you will not like them,” Krista said.

“Am I supposed to be surprised that I’m not going to like something you’re going to tell me?” Brady chuckled.

Krista rolled her eyes. “I’m being serious. I need you to listen to me, and put on your big boy pants. I don’t need an over-protective brother right now. I need my brother who has always been there for me to listen to me objectively. Okay?”

He sat up and stared at her. “All right. Lay it on me.”

“First, I’m not going back to school. I loved it when I started, but now I hate it. I’m more than thankful to have had the opportunity for the education, and I’ve learned a lot, but I’m done with it.”

“We’ve been through this before. You need your education.”

“No. Actually, if you remember correctly, I’m the one who wanted to go to college. You didn’t want me to go away. You only got on board with it after I was gone, and you had no choice.” She took a deep breath. “Second, you know that acreage you’ve been wanting to buy?”

“Yeah. The elusive land that connects to this property that no one seems to want to sell?”

She nodded. “I bought it, and I’m going to open a big cat rescue shelter on it.”

“How the hell did you...”

“I did online fundraising and used tuition money. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to lie to you, and I’ll pay you back, but I want to do this. My mind is made up. It will make me happy.”

“I’m speechless right now.” Brady blew out a long breath. “There is so much that goes into an operation such as that. I don’t think you realize just how much.”

“Yes. I do. I’ve done all of the research. I’ve done a financial work-up including permits, vetting costs, handler costs, upkeep, food...everything. I have enough to build the shelter and run it for two years. During that time, I plan on raising more awareness and getting more funding to sustain it.”