“You’re sure you’re ready to come home?” King asks me for the fifth time in as many minutes.
I watch Catalina from the window as she closes up the barn for the last time. After finally convincing her to come home with me, she agreed so long as we could bring the dogs and kittens at the same time.
She said she was ready to leave the mountain, start her life fresh somewhere else that was no longer tainted by secret lies about her past.
“Yeah, boss, we’re more than ready.” He chuckles, and I can hear Lilith in the background screaming to the other girls that Cat is coming home with me.
“We’ll see you soon, then.” King hangs up with nothing more said.
It’s been a week since Daniel and Dimitri left after scouring the mountainside for two days for any sign of Thomas’ body. There was a blood trail from where Catalina had shot him and left him for dead. Search and Rescue had been called so we could find out for sure if he was dead or not. Charles’ rotting body was discovered in some half-frozen river two days ago, too. Good riddance as far as any of us are concerned.
Now, she’s mine. Totally. Completely.
Mine.
There’s nothing in the way of stopping me from taking her as my bride. Planting a baby in her belly.
Nothing.
Except…
“Lamb,” I call to her as she walks closer, a mischievous look in her eyes. To me, she’s perfection in a small package, with an enormous heart.
“Atticus,” she sighs as she climbs the steps to me. She’s been a brat about letting me take her since I was tortured. Thomas was able to delve my knife into my thigh twice before I was rescued. Thankfully, his shot was wild as he was running out the door, and it only grazed my bicep.
“Naked. On the bed. Now.”
“Such a caveman.” She giggles as she does as she’s told. King secured a private jet for us to travel home in tomorrow. All we have to do is get from here to Dawson Creek in northern British Columbia.
We leave at dawn.
For the rest of tonight, she’s mine, however. I know she’s nervous about meeting everyone, and I plan to not only soothe her worries but tame my beast, too. I’ve been dying for a piece of her for too many days.
I wait a few beats before following her inside. She knows exactly what I expect when I walk into that room and what will happen if I don’t get it. Kicking off my boots, I slam the door shut behind me. All four animals are laying in front of the fireplace as I pass.
I drop my coat on the back of the couch and see a flash of her pale flesh as I enter the hallway. As soon as I push the door open, there she is. Like the perfect, decadent treat on a chilly day. Naked as the day she was born, on her back, legs spread. Ankles are pressed to her ass cheeks, and her arms are above her head, holding the wood frame.
Tugging my lower lip into my mouth, her sight follows my movements, and she copies the action. Unzipping my jeans, I let the denim drop to the floor with a thud. Her body vibrates with her anticipation as I reach behind my head and pull my shirt up and toss it in the corner.
Trailing a finger from the top of her foot, up her shin, and down her thigh, I admire her smooth flesh as goosebumps pop in the wake of my warm digit. Her nipples tighten the closer my mouth gets as I bend over. Her breathing deepens in harsh puffs as she waits for what I’ll do next.
Keeping her thoughts to herself, she’ll wait for me to lead. Eagerly, until I give her what I want. What she craves.
“You kept your lusciousness from me.” She bites her lip. “I hungered for you, needed to feel this tight cunt wrapped around my cock, and you stopped me.” A shiver works through her when I brush my hand across her pussy lips.
“I’m sorry,” she squeaks out.
Kneeling between her thighs, I lay over her body, savoring the feeling of our flesh touching. Melting together. The heat is all-consuming as my cock nestles itself against her pussy. Finding its home.
I run my tongue up her neck to her ear, kissing tenderly around the shell. I’m not going to punish her. I’d have done the same thing if the situation were reversed. I just want to relish in her obedience before her demands start.
As shy as she can be, she’s a demanding little thing as well. Only for me.
Gripping her ankles, I let my full weight fall on her as I slowly guide my cock into her heat. The second I feel her wrapped so tightly around me any thoughts of going slow are out the window. She’s got a golden cunt, and I need to feel more.
“That’s my girl,” I growl out as she lifts her hips into my deep thrusts. Christ, I can feel everything from this angle.
“Atticus,” she whines in my ear. When I feel her teeth graze my neck, I thrust into her hard, pushing her up the bed.
“Do it.” I shudder when she squeezes her walls around my cock. It’s not going to take much to have me cumming, so I stop moving until she bites me. Not a small nip, either. No. The pinch of pain travels straight to my cock making it twitch, and I know she feels it. Her teeth tighten, and she moans against me. Her walls get slicker, her breathing picks up. All the little cues to let me know she’s ready.
Using one hand, I roughly glide it up her body, squeezing her hip, pinching her nipple.
Gripping her throat.
I have to pull from her grasp in order to see her face as I give her what we both desperately desire.
“I fucking love you, Catalina. Don’t ever hold back from me again.” My words are rough, and if it were anyone else listening, they would register hatred. Not her. Satisfyingly, she knows exactly why I sound so damn angry.
“I love you, too.” She sighs against my hold, her love shining brightly in her eyes. Until I squeeze, only a little, enough for her irises to glaze over and her pussy to loosen its hold.
“That’s a good little lamb.” She combusts for me. Her body twitches. Her eyelids droop, and her body tenses as a soundless scream leaves her mouth.
Her orgasm rocks my own, and I have to let her go before I do real damage. The force rocketing through me is painful as I empty my seed into her waiting body.
This, us, her, it’s the only fucking thing I’ll ever need in life. The baby will just be icing on our dark cake.
Catalina
Nerves have taken over my body. I don’t know why. Atticus swears his friends will love me. The problem is, I wasn’t raised the way they were. Lilith, Ariel, and Talia all have that one thing in common.
They came from this dark life. They overcame tragedy and hard knocks.
I had my mom who loved me deeply.
How can I possibly relate to any of them?
“Lose those thoughts, lamb.”
“I’m trying,” I whisper to him as he holds my hand in the backseat of the limo. East and West both have had their heads sticking out the windows since we left the airport. The kittens are in a crate by my feet, sleeping.
As the car slows to a crawl as it meanders up a driveway and the house comes into view, I’m reminded of a castle. It’s huge. “Are you sure this is a house?”
“Mansion?” He laughs.
“Castle,” I counter, a hint of awe in my tone. It’s beautiful. The type of place every girl hopes her prince charming will whisk her away to.
The car has barely stopped when the front door opens and three women, more different than alike, walk out. Huge smiles cover their faces.
“They’re beautiful.” I didn’t mean to say that part out loud, but it’s like looking at those pretty dolls every girl wants as a child. They’re just so perfect.
“Not nearly as you, lamb.” Atticus nuzzles the back of my neck as my door is opened, and three men come to stand with the women.
“Here goes nothing,” I mumble, accepting the hand held out for me. I’m barely standing before the girls are running down to us. But before they can approach me, East and West start growling. Not in their normal I’ll rip your head off for touching my mistress way, but in a she’s ours kind of way, and I feel terrible when all three freeze.
“Down,” Atticus barks and both canines do as he says with their eyes glued to the girls. “They’re protective of her.” He shrugs like it’s no big deal. He’s not the one meeting people for the first time.
“Oh good!” The light dirty-blonde one says.
“I’m so glad you had someone looking out for you on those mountains!” The red-head grins.
“It’s going to be so fun having animals around,” the too pretty for words blonde says. “Castiel isn’t so fond after the swamp.” She laughs.
“Swamp?” I question.
“Oh, honey. We have so much to fill you in on. Atticus says you have kittens, too?” The first blonde grips my hand, pulling me up the steps.
“I got them!” One of the other girls says cheerfully.
“Be nice to her, Lilith!” Atticus says, and the woman holding my hand grins at him over her shoulder with a shrug.
“We’ll see you boys in a while.” She pats the tall, dark, formidable one as we pass, and I have to assume that’s King. “Don’t worry about them, they’ve got war room talk to be had, and we get you to ourselves before Atticus feels the need to mark your domain.” They all laugh, and it takes me a minute before I realize what they mean, and a blush creeps up my neck.
“Oh, sweetheart, don’t be embarrassed. It’s one thing you’ll have to get used to around here.” The red-head smiles softly.
Lilith leads us to the kitchen and pushes me onto a stool by the island. The kittens are placed in front of me, and as I’m about to open the crate, I pause. “Can I let them out?” I don’t know how these women feel about this—my animals being here.
“Oh, please do. It’s been so long since I’ve had a pet,” the second blonde smiles with excitement. “I’m Talia by the way. Castiel is my other half. This is Ariel, and she’s Luther’s keeper. And that is King’s Queen, Lilith.”
“Oh, shut up with that.” Lilith laughs at the inside joke. Seeing my puzzled expression, she explains. “King calls me his queen. They like to tease.”
“I’m Catalina. That’s West and East,” I point to the dogs as they walk through the kitchen and sit at my feet. “They’re really friendly. It’s just all so new.”
“And these two?” Ariel is practically shivering with excitement. “Luna.” I pull out the white furball. “And Zoe.” They both immediately begin crying out for attention and weaving around my arms.
“We’ve got all the cat and dog food you’ll need until you’re settled enough to get what they like. Dishes are in the corner over there. King had a doggy door installed beside the patio as well, so the dogs can come and go as they please.” Tears rush to my eyes at their kindness and acceptance of the only things in my life that genuinely mattered until Atticus showed up.
He was right. I didn’t have a thing to worry about as this group of women rush to soothe me and help my animals get settled.
Atticus
“Still no sign of Thomas?” Castiel asks.
I shake my head. “I’ve got some of the locals Catalina trusts on the lookout for his body should it wash up in a river or a hunter finds him. But nothing yet.”
King nods before looking to Luther then says, “You sure she’s ready for this life? She’s not like the other girls.”
I expected the question. Doesn’t piss me off any less. “Yeah, she’s good.” It’s all I say. I can’t convince them. They’ll have to see for themselves.
“She’s more than good.” Dimitri walks in the room. “Girl’s got more guts than I’ve seen from an innocent in a long fucking time.”
Luther glares at him. Castiel still doesn’t trust him yet, but King has given him his loyalty. After everything that happened on that mountain, he’s got my trust.
“Good.” King rubs a hand across his jaw like he’s got something on his mind. “Lil is pregnant,” he bites out. It’s hard to tell if he’s happy or pissed.
“Congrats?” Carver laughs. “You look like you’d rather chew on nails, boss.”
“She’s a bigger fucking target. But fuck, the minute she told me”—he pauses to let his grin shine through—“I couldn’t be fucking happier.” If anyone deserves that happiness, it’s King. His whole life has been shit. Never had a goddamned good thing happen to him until Lil.
“Congrats, man, gonna be interesting having a little prince running around the castle.” I shake his hand, genuinely happy, but slightly jealous because I want—no need—to get Cat pregnant. I need there to be something solely ours.
“Or princess,” Luther points out, and King glares so hard that I’m shocked he doesn’t fall into a black hole.
“Shut your fucking mouth. No girls. Not now, not ever,” he growls.
“Have no fear, my King, you’re getting your prince.” Lilith saunters into the room and crawls into his lap. “Until next time. I want a princess.”
“Fuck,” King hisses.
“Ariel took Catalina up to your room, Atticus. She was looking exhausted.” I nod. “I like her, a lot. I’m happy for you both.”
“Where’s Talia?” Cas asks, looking slightly worried.
“Playing with the kittens in the kitchen.” Lil smiles wickedly.
“Fuck me,” he groans walking out the door.
“Put a baby in her!” Dimitri calls out to him. “That’ll settle her little ass down.”
He turns back around laughing, and we all stare at him. He’s never been so open about family matters before.
“Does that mean there’s a little Petrov in your future?” King deadpans, and D goes green and walks out.
“I’m going to check on Cat,” I tell them and head upstairs. The sounds of Cas groaning and complaining about animals are coming from the kitchen.
As soon as I enter my room, I know she’s asleep. The stress of the past few weeks and then meeting her new family must be weighing heavily on her shoulders.
Removing her shoes, I get her settled in bed before I go for a quick shower. The heat loosens my tense muscles enough that I’m able to relax and crawl in bed with my sweet little lamb. Our lives have intertwined in a way I wasn’t sure we could make work.
Seeing her being accepted into the fold so easily has been a relief I wasn’t willing to admit to being worried about. Cat did that enough for the both of us.
Holding her in my arms now, I know that whatever life dishes out we’re going to work through. Hopefully with a baby in our near future.