Jenna had gotten up shortly after Cash had left the room. She rushed into the bathroom, took care of her immediate needs, and took a long hot shower, a part of her wanting to look good for Cash when he came back. But her mind wouldn’t quiet; she was still reeling from what had happened between the two of them. The connection was so strong, she could feel every emotion coming from Cash. She also kept lifting up her arm, so she could trace the lines over the new mating mark.
Getting out of the shower, she blow-dried her hair and even put on a little makeup, she assumed Kiera had left her along with a nightgown. It wasn’t pretty, more functional than anything, but it was far better than the hospital gown she had woken up in yesterday. She heard a knock at the door and smiled, thinking Cash was back. Dang, that hadn’t taken long at all. She called out for him to come in, but something felt off.
She soon found out why when she went back into the room and didn’t find Cash but Jessie waiting for her, her mood changing instantly. Jessie was standing by the door, wringing her hands, a move her sister did every time she wanted something or had something to say.
“Jessie, not today okay?” It was a question but also a plea. Jenna was happy, and she didn’t want to deal with anything else right now, she just wanted Cash and her bubble back for a little while longer.
“I felt it, Jenna, I felt everything—your dislike of me, your grief, and regret. When you were trying to save that man and we all connected to help you,” Jessie cried, “I felt it all. I am so sorry I never realized that by asking you to help Gunner that would happen to you. I never knew how much you hated me; I knew you were mad, but I always thought you would get over it.”
Jenna didn’t move any closer or offer her sister any kind of comfort. A part of her was mortified Jessie had felt her innermost feelings, but another part was relieved. Maybe now, she could understand, and they both could forgive and move forward. It would take time, but Jenna hoped it was possible, only time would tell.
“Why didn’t you ever tell me?” Jessie pleaded.
Jenna walked over to the bed and sat down, facing her sister. It was now or never. If she wanted this, she had to tell Jessie everything. What happened from there, only fate could decide.
“When you asked me to help Gunner, I knew it was the wrong thing to do, but I wanted to be a sister to you.”
“Jenna…”
“No, let me finish. That wasn’t the only reason I agreed, I also wanted Declan, our parents, and even Lance to accept me. I always felt like I was on the outside, looking in. I justified helping you because I figured if I did this for you, you would help me in return. It was wrong; I knew Gunner was a bad man, I also knew that you weren’t so much in love with him but infatuated. There was always something about the way he looked at you; it scared me. When I touched his mind and healed him, I knew those looks were hiding a crazy, feral man. He was going rogue. His animal was already feral, and he convinced himself you were the one who was going to save him.”
“You never said anything. Why didn’t you? When he died, I blamed you. Why did you let me do that?”
“Jessie, I spent a day in that man’s mind, connected to him, and his thoughts scared me. When he woke up and attacked me, shit, Jess, if it hadn’t been for Kayden, I wouldn’t have survived, but I knew you would never believe me. You thought he loved you and you loved him back. You were so young, but I couldn’t take the chance of having you shun me again. Then when you met Chase, I thought, well, maybe now, but you wouldn’t listen, still wouldn’t listen. It was easier to let the hate build between us than try to love you. But there is more to it. Hell, Jess, I have been jealous of you since we met. You had the family I should have been a part of wrapped around your finger. Our parents, Lance, and even Declan could never seem to look beyond you to see me, so I gave up and quit trying.”
“Shit, Jen, I made that easy for you. What are we going to do now?”
“We are going to move forward,” Jenna took Jessie's hand in hers, “and you are going to swear never to call me Jen again,” Jenna laughed.
“I think I can do that. So, you and Cash?”
“Yep, me and Cash. How do you feel about that? I know you loved him once.”
“Jenna, I was a kid, barely fourteen years old, and Cash was larger than life. He still is,” Jessie said, wiggling her eyebrows in a lewd manner.
“You have no idea,” Jenna laughed.
“The truth is, I wanted to believe what he was telling me, but I didn’t feel the same way. I figured that out when I met Chase. The mating instinct, bond, and connection are so much more than any silly childhood infatuation. I see you know that now,” Jessie said, looking down at Jenna’s wrist.
“Yeah, it’s pretty intense.”
“Chase and I talked last night for a long time, and we both agreed to remain a part of Gemini, pledging our loyalty to Cash. But neither of us will do that unless you are okay with it. I won’t cause you any more pain. If our presences do, we’ll go away.”
Jenna had no idea what plans Cash was making or how it would affect the rest of Gemini. They needed to talk. She wouldn’t mind getting to know her sister better without all the bad feeling getting in the way, but she wouldn’t do it if it bothered Cash. He and Jessie had history, something she and Cash didn’t.
“I can’t answer that, Jessie, I’m sorry we haven’t even talked about it. But I think a good start would be for you and Cash to talk. You need to tell him all about it. How you tracked him for Declan for years. That you were always able to find him, but he thought you were dead. I don’t think either of you can move on unless that happens. Then there’s Chase. I know how I felt when you and the Gunther’s came into my life. It hurts.”
“They are your parents too, Jenna; I know they haven’t made it easy, but they do care about you. I just think the guilt of their actions affected how they dealt with you. I think you need to take some of your own advice and talk to them, put it in the past and move on if you can.”
“Maybe.”
The door opened, and Cash stood there with a tray in his hands, looking right at Jenna. She felt stalked and devoured, all at once. His eyes never moved from hers like she was the only person in the room. She wasn’t going to lie to herself, it made her feel good.
Jessie patted her leg, excusing herself, murmuring, “Alpha” before she cleared the door.
“You were supposed to still be in bed.”
“I am still technically in bed,” Jenna said, motioning to the piece of furniture she was sitting on. She was kind of ashamed of herself but not really when she straightened her shoulders, pushing her breasts out. The nightgown was lame, but it did show some cleavage. She liked watching Cash’s eyes start to glow.
“Hmm, maybe, but I was thinking more when I left you this morning.”
“And how would that be?”
“Naked.”
“That can be arranged,” Jenna said cheekily, “but since you brought me coffee, I think it is going to have to wait for a while. Girls have to have priorities you know.”
“Damn, my mate is choosing coffee over naked fun time. This doesn’t bode well for our future, Jenna,” Cash said, shaking his head and walking over to the nightstand with the tray.
“Oh, I don’t know, I think you should think of it as a challenge, maybe make me want naked fun time over coffee. Coffee is just so…”
Jenna hadn’t gotten any more words out of her mouth before Cash had deposited the tray on the stand next to the bed and had her pinned underneath him, kissing her hard and deep. The man conquered her, no part of her mouth, tongue, and teeth unexplored, leaving her breathless. Cradled between her thighs, she could feel him growing harder. Forget the damn coffee, this was way better.
Jenna was in a daze as Cash nuzzled against her neck, leaving biting kisses, moving further down her body. Jenna could feel his hands pushing up her nightgown while his body moved further down her body. When he stopped, Jenna forced her eyes open. He was on the floor between her legs, smiling. Her nightgown was bunched under her breast, her legs spread open for him.
“Still thinking about coffee?
Jenna was going to say no, but that smiled spurred her on.
“I don’t know, it does smell awfully good. Maybe, I should taste it and weigh my options?”
Cash smiled but didn’t say anything, instead, trailing gentle kisses up the inside of her thigh, the soft brush of his goatee and lips causing her body to break out in goosebumps and a deep need to cum settled in her lower stomach. Coffee was the last thing on her mind.
Cash had a hand planted on the bed on either side of her hips. He was everything—gorgeous, kind, and hers. The bond was allowing her to feel what he did. It was more than lust but not quite love. She could accept that. Right now, she needed him, every part of him. Jenna let her eyes wander, taking in his muscled forearms to his biceps to his strong shoulders, all covered in tattoos. She noticed a bear and several numbers, knives, and roses. The tattoo that started on his bicep and ran up toward his neck intrigued her the most; it was in a language she wasn’t familiar with and surrounded by thorns and barbed wire. She wanted to ask him what it meant, but she lost all track of what she was thinking when his head came down to press a kiss on her lower belly, right above her mound.
Again, his soft goatee brushed erotically against her skin; she loved that goatee. The feeling caused her to suck in a breath, her arousal shooting toward the stars. Her pussy fluttered, begging for more, and Jenna moaned, but he stopped again, just letting his breath linger on her skin. His mouth was so close to where she needed him, but he was holding back. Jenna watched a smile pull at the corners of his mouth.
“Don’t you know to never challenge an Alpha, Jenna?”
Jenna moaned, reaching out to touch him, but Cash moved away.
“I think it’s about time for that coffee, don’t you? Or are you more interested in naked fun time now?”
This time her moan wasn’t caused by arousal but frustration.
“I think that says it all, babe,” Cash laughed softly, his mouth and tongue finding her core. Just barely a touch at first, just enough to have her writhing on the bed. He was teasing her, and Jenna wasn’t sure if she liked it. With his big hands holding her still, she lifted her legs onto the bed, planting her feet on the bedding, trying to show him what she needed and wanted. But his grip tightened, not allowing her to move an inch as he continued to work her with his mouth and his tongue. Cash moved in closer, pushing his shoulders between her thighs. He was so big, her thighs were held wide open to him as he continued to torture her with his mouth, only giving her little touches. Jenna felt his thumb brush over her clit, making her arch under him.
“Yes, please, Cash.”
“That isn’t good enough, Jenna, I’m going to make you beg for it.”
It didn’t take her long to start begging, his talented fingers and tongue taking her to the verge of climax, only to back off and start over again. By that time, she didn’t even know what she was saying. Please, Cash and some other things left her mouth.
She felt him add another finger, stretching her further, the tiny pinch of pain throwing her over the edge. Her head fell back, and her back arched as she came hard, drenching both of them.
Cash didn’t waste any time before he moved above her, thrusting inside her body hard, deep, and fast. The feel of him inside her, thrusting back and forth, caused her orgasm to keep going. The orgasm was devastating her, but she couldn’t look away from Cash.
He had risen up on his arms, his head dropping, his eyes locked on where they were joined. He watched himself as he continued to pump in and out of her. Jenna was transfixed, seeing the look of raw lust and awe on his face as he pumped into her body, it was the most erotic thing she had ever witnessed.
“Damn, baby,” Cash growled. Lifting his hand, he put Jenna’s legs over his forearms and stood, the change in position allowing him to push deeper, harder. Jenna loved the growls and grunts he made as he pounded into her roughly. Jenna could feel her second orgasm rising.
“Don’t stop, please don’t stop,” she screamed.
She felt his arms release her legs but was too caught up in the sensations to look at what he was doing. When she felt the warm wet embrace of his lips around her nipple, she sighed, but Cash didn’t stop at that. He sucked on her nipple hard, then bit lightly enough to pull her breast away from her body. As he tugged, she arched under him, her body having a mind of its own.
“Yes. Oh God, yes,” Jenna screamed.
The roll of his hips and the grind of his pubic bone against her clit with each thrust had Jenna climbing toward another orgasm.
“That’s it, Jenna, let go, give it to me.”
She heard his words but was unable to do anything, the orgasm building now bigger than before. She could hear his breath as it sawed in and out of him, felt the slickness of his sweat covered chest on hers as he pumped and thrust into her body. Everything happening caused her body to still, that one moment where nothing existed except for them before it exploded in lights and pleasure.
It only took one more thrust of his body, and she shattered, letting out a soft, low moan as her orgasm rolled over her body. Cash soon followed, pumping into her hard twice, then he went stiff above her. Jenna forced her eyes open, she didn’t want to miss this moment. The muscles in his throat were taut, the veins bulging, his face looked as though he was in pain. Through the bond, she felt his pleasure. When she felt the heat of him coming deep inside of her, his body shaking, vulnerable to her, Jenna knew she loved this man.
His body collapsed on top of her, his solid weight and warmth feeling so good. Jenna wrapped her arms around him tight, letting him know without words she was feeling the same way he was at the moment. She stroked his back, butt, and shoulders. Her fingers glided over his head, and anywhere else she could put them. That just didn’t seem to be enough, so she pressed soft kisses along his jaw, his throat, and ear. It took a few moments for him to rouse enough to raise his head and look down at her.
His hand came up and brushed the hair away from her forehead, then his head dropped, his mouth touching hers in a soft kiss.
“Are you okay?”
Jenna smiled, she was more than okay.
“Not even thinking about coffee right now.”
“Shit, babe,” Cash laughed, “I wanted to give you soft and sweet, but hell, you make me lose control.”
“We have a lifetime for soft and sweet, Cash, I’m becoming a big fan of rough and devastating.”
“Yeah, I think I am too.”
They laid there for a while, neither of them moving.