I used to hate getting up early.

Like really…what man or woman didn’t love to sleep?

The next best thing to sleep was…well…I was staring right at him.

The promise of waking up every morning next to the man who held the key to my heart changed my outlook on life.

Tristan Vasilije Arnou had changed my outlook on everything.

“You’re finally awake,” Tristan remarked.

My mate’s deep sexy tone wrapped around me like a blanket.

I curled up next to him, gliding my fingers up the corded muscles on his chest. He had his arms folded behind his head, and I traced my fingers along the meatiest part of his bicep.

“Finally…?” I chuckled. “I couldn’t help it, early bird. You had me up all night.”

Tristan turned over on his side, raking his gaze boldly across my face. “And I can’t help myself. If I must overindulge, it’ll always be with you.” He propped himself up on his elbow and bent to kiss me slowly, but with seductive mastery.

Before long, I had my arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him deeper into the kiss. He grabbed my hips gently, pressing my body against his. We went on for what seemed like forever.

The buzz of his cell phone brought us back to reality.

Tristan picked up the phone from off the nightstand and glanced at the screen. “It’s just my reminder about a morning call I’ve got to make.”

“Well, in that case, I won’t keep you in bed any longer,” I told him.

“I’m not in a rush. Not when it comes to you.”

“How long have you been awake?”

“Not too long.”

The tone of his voice told me otherwise. I lifted his wrist and glanced at the time on his watch.

“It’s just six a.m., so that means what…? Like four hours of sleep for the both of us?”

“More like three,” he teased.

We exchanged knowing glances as we reminisced about how carried away we’d gotten when Tristan came home yesterday evening. He had spent the last three nights attending to business in Philly.

“What’s on the agenda today?” I inquired.

“When I get finished with you here…?” He winked. “The usual.”

“Let me guess. It’s Thursday, so you have conference calls with your domestic business associates.”

To any unsuspecting person, Tristan was just an astute businessman raking in millions a year in profit. Inheriting about a third of his wealth from his family, he owned everything from real estate to casinos and banks to importing and exporting firms. Whatever made money, Tristan was sure to have a hand in it. His reputation often preceded him. More than half of everyone who knew him suspected the bulk of his money came from illegal dealings. To this day, Tristan referred to his businesses as a network, but I knew better. I’d gone into this knowing all along that he had ties to one of the longest-running corporations in history—the mafia.

Because of his dual nature, his network was complex. He employed both humans and non-humans like himself. Each division operated independently of one another, similar to small companies making up a controlling corporation with one head wolf at the top. In this case, COBRA. COBRA and Tristan were one and same, but by this time, his closest allies already knew this.

“You’ve caught on to my routines quickly,” Tristan noted. “By this time next year, you’ll be taking charge.”

“Stop joking.” I swatted his chest. “You know I can never run your companies as you do. I’ll stick to collecting artifacts and taking inventory.”

“We’ll see. And give yourself some credit, you’re just as street smart as I am.”

“But you’re the one making all the money from it,” I replied.

"What's mine is yours. Surely you know that by now," Tristan said, caressing my cheek. After a moment, he added, “We have plans this weekend.”

“Really?”

“Yes. It’s time we both have some fun outside of work. You’ve been working at the museum a lot this month, and I’ve been cooped up with these meetings. I plan to acquire a certain nightclub near the city. Since you like to dance, and I like to watch, let’s go check it out together. If you like it, it’s yours. It’ll be my first lesson to you on how to acquire, COBRA-style.”

A surge of excitement rose through me at the prospect of time with Tristan. Following the discovery of a new threat to the Caedmon and Arnou race, we’d spent endless amounts of time and resources on tracing the source. Tristan did what he did best, of course, sending out his crews in search of hiding places of newly converted shifters. I, however, was more focused on tracing the source with blood magic, but without spilled blood, there was only so much I could do. Jovan and his band of Converted had suddenly gone rogue and off-the-grid. Or maybe they were just hiding in plain sight.

“Well, what do you think? No to the club? Yes to the club? You’ll dance for me? You won’t dance for me?” Tristan asked, with a hopeful glint in his eyes.

“Yes,” I replied. “I want to learn exactly what it is you do. And if you play nice, I’ll dance for you.”

His lips curved into an unconscious grin. “I’ll be on my best behavior.”

When he rose to a sitting position on the bed, I rose as well, bringing myself to straddle his lap.

“I never said we were done here,” I teased.

“No,” he muttered as his lips met mine. “We’ll never be done.”

“Not even in our next lifetime,” I added.

“I love you,” he whispered.

“I love you too.”

Parting my lips, I accepted his sweet, drugging kisses until my body was burning with fire and aching for further attention. Without warning, he gripped me by the thighs and flipped us over so that he was on top.

I already sensed his dominant wolf awakening within him. I could even see the hunger in his eyes. He did nothing to hide his dual nature. Lengthening canines. Heightened pheromones. And an eclectic mix of sexual intensity hanging in the air. His and mine.

I could only imagine what he saw in my reaction. Right along with my craving for him, my powers surged. I could feel my magic pulsing through my veins just as intense as the blood rushing through me.

He moved lower, kissing along the column of my neck with demanding strokes of his tongue. As custom when a male wolf takes a mate, they prepare the woman for the bite, releasing a serum that aided the healing process. Like the other times before, he refrained from marking me and completing our bond. Our time would come. The ceremony was only months away. I couldn't wait until our wedding night when he would claim me completely.

His solid hard length pulsed against me. I wrapped my legs around him and lifted my hips to accept him. It didn’t take long for us to forget everything around us and give ourselves up to the moment. We made love until sunrise.

Afterward, I lie wrapped up in silken sheets watching him as he got ready for work. A tray of our jewelry pieces sat on a dresser. He stood there and changed his watch like he always did. This time, it was gold for silver. I couldn’t help but stare at him, holding to memory every inch of his body and reminiscing about how good it felt to be wrapped in his arms.

Tristan turned around and caught me looking, but just as I witnessed a blush rise across his face, he turned back around to hide it. That was Tristan in a nutshell. He only left himself vulnerable to a select few. As soon as he walked out the door, he was Arnou or COBRA. He was the unpredictable and unstable wolf they all feared.

“You should get some sleep,” he said. His back muscles rippled as he grabbed a fresh white shirt and slipped into it.

“I will,” I said.

He buttoned the shirt up and then put on the rest of his clothes. His socks, pants, and then finally The Belt which was gold with a prominent badge engrained with the Arnou family crest. I made a mental note that he wasn’t getting strapped. Yet. No guns. Which could mean his chances of going out in the field today were slim to none. But what did I know? Things often came up that needed tending to, and Tristan often preferred to take care of the most stubborn problems himself.

He came over to the bed and kissed the top of my head. “If you decide to go to the museum or anywhere else, I have two drivers on standby. Just page them. They’ll be ready in under fifteen minutes. There are guards along the perimeter, and my Elites and Enforcers are on alert near the Compound. I won’t be far should you need anything,” he said.

When it came to my safety, he took extra precautions even when I protested. But Tristan was an Arnou wolf, descended directly from the first line of Arnou. He was stubborn. He did what he wanted.

When he opened the bedroom door, I used my magic to slam it shut and bolted the locks.

“I can take care of myself,” I told him.

He turned. “Show off.” He pretended to be mad.

I laughed.

When he made contact with the locks again, he shrank back. The iron was super-hot to touch.

He turned around with his arms folded over his chest and a smirk of defeat lining his lips. “Bad Witch. You’ve proved your point, Elisa. I’m fully aware of what you’re capable of, but I’ll remind you again that as my mate it’s my job to protect you. And protect you, I will, even if it’s the last thing I do.”

I shared the same exact sentiment…

I sighed, and then asked, “You never told me what you did on your trip to Philly.”

He paused. “Just business.”

I knew there was more to it than just business.

“I have a couple of associates there,” he added. “The race tracks. The casino. Remember?”

“The Waltman portfolio, right?”

Weeks ago, at Tristan’s suggestion, I’d become familiar with his businesses. Both legitimate and illegal. I didn't think I'd ever discover all the intricate ways in which he earned his profits, but what I had learned so far helped me understand the man who wanted to conquer the world.

“Yes. Except it won’t be called the Waltman portfolio any longer. He was terminated. I’ll replace him with one of our own.”

Terminated…

I already knew what that meant.

I was tempted to ask him if he had any more business to deal with out of the state, but instead, I said, “Be safe.”

I then reversed my spell, and the door crept open.

“How about we have dinner brought out to us on the yacht tonight to kick off our weekend?” he asked. “I hear the weather will be nice.”

I smiled. “I’ll wear your favorite dress.”

With a grin, he swung a blazer over his shoulder and closed the door.