Kat had never held back when she wanted something. Not in her professional life, and now, not in her personal one. After what she’d been through these last few weeks, Kat felt like she deserved something good, and Julian Stone was good. She wanted Julian in the worst way, and if he thought badly of her for initiating sex, they weren’t going to work as a couple. She wanted something to take her mind off her predicament as well as the ache in her ear, and she could think of nothing better to do that than having sex with the god who was taking her clothes off. She reached forward and unbuttoned Julian’s shirt, pushing it off his shoulders so she could admire the muscles hidden underneath.

She had dated some good-looking men, but Julian was an Adonis. Like his last name implied, he was chiseled perfection. Kat wanted nothing more than to run her fingers – or her tongue – over the planes of his stomach, exploring every indention until she traveled past the V pointing to the erection he was sporting. He had tried hiding his hard-on, but she didn’t want him to. It made her feel good knowing she had that effect on him. When Julian pushed his pants and underwear down his legs, her mouth fell open. His long cock was pointing at her, the tip leaking. Stepping forward, Kat touched a finger to the slit where the pre-cum was beading. She brought the liquid to her mouth and placed it on her tongue. It was a little salty but she liked it because it was Julian’s.

When she reached out again, she wrapped a hand around his cock and slid it toward her body. She made the same motion with her other hand and began stroking his erection, fist over fist like she was dragging a rope to her. Kat hadn’t given many blow jobs in her life, because she hadn’t seen the appeal. She’d also never given a hand job, but Julian’s cock fascinated her. The soft skin over the hardness beneath beckoned to her. Had her mouth watering to taste him again. All of him.

“Kat,” Julian growled. That was another thing she liked about this man – his animalistic sounds. She wasn’t sure why he was growling, but she wanted to hear it again, so she tightened her grip and twisted the head with each pass. Julian’s hips rocked into her hands as he fisted his own hands at his sides. When more liquid seeped out of the tip, Katherine dropped to her knees without thinking. As she slid his cock into her mouth, Julian grabbed her hair and pulled. The pain was minimal, but it was enough to have her core heating up, and she couldn’t wait to get Julian inside her.

She closed her eyes and bobbed her head up and down, using her hand to create more friction since she couldn’t get all of him in her mouth. When her jaws got tired, she ran her tongue through the slit, giving herself a break. Glancing up to see if he was enjoying what she was doing, Kat caressed Julian’s balls with her free hand. The smolder in his eyes was proof enough he liked what she was doing. When her mouth was rested, she slid it over as much of him as possible, doing her best not to gag when it touched the back of her throat. Kat wanted to have him orgasm into her mouth. She wanted him to shoot his seed down her throat so she could know what he really tasted like.

Before she knew what was happening, Kat found herself on her back in the middle of Julian’s huge bed with his mouth between her legs. “Julian,” she complained. “I wasn’t done.” She wanted to protest until he bit down on her clit, effectively shutting her up. Kat’s hips shot off the bed, shoving her mound into his face. Julian lapped at her folds, and she moaned long and loud. Ok, he hadn’t shut her up, but she was no longer complaining. She’d only had a couple of guys go down on her, and neither one of them had her breathing hard within seconds. As a matter of fact, neither one had her breathing hard at all. Julian definitely knew what he was doing.

The man was relentless in his assault on her clit. “Oh, god, Julian… that’s… you’re… I’m…” Kat arched her back, pushing her core into his mouth as her orgasm burst through her. Julian continued licking until the last spasm left her. Only then did he insinuate himself over her body, rocking his erection against her sensitive flesh. He captured her lips, her essence lingering on his tongue. She ate at his mouth while pushing on his hips. She was beyond ready for him to slide his cock inside.

“Am I hurting you?” he asked, pulling away. 

“No. God, no. I need you. Inside me.”

Julian nestled his hard cock between her legs, sliding back and forth. She raised her hips to meet his, rubbing against his erection. He lowered his head to her breast, squeezing it in his fist, pushing the pink bud closer to his waiting mouth. He teased her nipple with the tip of his tongue until it was a hard peak. Kat couldn’t help but moan at the sensation. When Julian stopped teasing and sucked her deep into the heat of his mouth, Kat hissed. The slight pain shot straight to her core, and she whimpered, “More.”

Julian released her breast, kissing his way up her chest, to her neck, and her ear, nipping her lobe. Kat tried to move so his dick was at her entrance. “Julian, please don’t make me wait.” Something sharp scraped against Katherine’s neck, but it wasn’t painful. If anything, it was erotic. It… “Oh, god…” Kat panted as Julian slid deep inside in one slick move. She had never been so full. Julian rose up on his hands and looked into her eyes as he moved in and out of her core, rolling his hips so he hit her clit each time he reentered her body.

“You are so beautiful.”

Katherine was too enthralled in what he was doing to her to answer. She grabbed hold of his biceps, pulling as his cock found its way inside, trying to get him to fuck her harder. The intensity on his face should have scared her. Julian Stone was a man possessed. With her. She couldn’t get enough of him. She pushed her heels into the bed, meeting him thrust for agonizingly slow thrust. “Julian…”

“What do you need, Sweetheart? You can tell me.” Julian lowered his head and teased her lips with his tongue.

When he stilled his body waiting on her answer, she husked, “Harder.” Julian’s green eyes darkened, and he tossed back his head as he gave it to her the way she wanted. The way she needed. Slow and gentle was good, but her body was begging for something more… primal. His animalistic nature was calling to hers on such a primitive level, Kat didn’t think harder would be hard enough. She needed for them to become one, and no matter how rough he gave it to her, it wasn’t going to fuse them together the way her soul was calling for.

“Harder, Julian. I need you… deep,” she begged.

“I don’t want to hurt you, Kat,” he groaned. She could tell he was holding back the way his neck was corded and his face was strained. If she didn’t know better, she would have thought he was in pain.

“You won’t. Please,” she begged, sinking her nails into his arms. Sex with other men had been to scratch an itch. What she and Julian were doing was something indescribable. She couldn’t find the exact words in her brain to explain what he was doing to her or what she needed from him, but it was like two auras of different colors swirling in a vortex until they were a new color. One brighter and more beautiful together than they were alone.

Julian wrapped his arms under her shoulders and thrust into her core so hard, she thought they were going to come off the bed. Kat locked her legs around his thighs and held on while he gave it to her the way she asked for. It didn’t take long for another orgasm to build. She’d never gotten off from penetration, but then she had known sex with Julian would be different. Better. His muttered curses only fueled her on, knowing it was her making him come apart the same way he was her. She had never been vocal in the bedroom, but she couldn’t silence the scream that left her throat when she tipped over the edge in a release like nothing she’d ever felt. Shouting his name, Kat’s vision swam and white sparks flashed behind her closed eyelids.

With a shout that almost caused hearing loss in her good ear, Julian’s own orgasm took over as he emptied his seed into her. His body shook as his erection pulsed. The look when he opened his eyes let her know he felt the connection. His breathing was labored, and all she could do was hold on as he continued to grip her shoulders tightly while coming down from his high. There was no way Kat could ever have sex with anyone else after that. As clichéd as it sounded in her head, Julian Stone had ruined her for all other men.

“Wow,” Kat whispered, grinning at Julian, once the intensity left his face. Until it had, she’d been afraid to move.

Julian rubbed their noses together before slanting his mouth across hers. He kept the kiss soft and quick. Rolling over to his side, he pulled at Kat’s body so she was also on her side facing him. “Did I hurt you?” he implored.

“No. You gave me exactly what I asked for.”

“Do you…” Julian hesitated to ask whatever was on his mind. It was odd seeing an alpha-type man falter.

“Do I what?”

“Do you always like it rough?” he asked softly, as if the gentle tone could soften her answer should he not like it. She understood why he hesitated to ask. No one wanted to hear about their partner’s previous sexual escapades. Her included. She had no desire to find out how many women Julian had gone through to become such a skilled lover.

“To be honest, no. I’m not that experienced, but the few men I’ve been with left something to be desired. With you, I felt…. I needed the deeper connection with you.”

Julian brushed a strand of hair off Kat’s face, pushing it behind her ear. “I understand,” he said. They lay together in silence with him touching her face and her tracing designs on his hip with her fingertips. Even with the federal government after her, Katherine had never felt so safe in her life. She’d also never felt like she was where she belonged. She often wished the Praters would have adopted her so she felt more a part of their family than she did. Once she left for college, she drifted away from the couple. Now, she was there with this man she’d only met a few times, yet she could already imagine herself in his life with his family.

Being his family. Kat wasn’t going to question why. She was going to enjoy each moment for what it was. In her twenty-five years, she’d seen things that were unexplainable. It’s one reason she wanted to become a reporter, to get to the bottom of things. To find out why people acted and reacted the way they did. Her actions around Julian were a mystery. She’d never felt drawn to someone so intensely. Something about him called to her on a level so deep, she doubted she’d ever be able to explain it. Did she need to? For once in her life, Katherine was going to go with her gut instinct to accept the attraction for what it was and not try to define why it was there.

“We should get cleaned up. Do you want to take a shower?”

Kat couldn’t breathe. Just like that, the blissful feeling was replaced with one of dread. Julian’s question was an innocent one. Well, maybe not innocent by the gleam in his eyes, but thinking about a shower brought back memories of having water poured onto her face, and she gripped his arm, squeezing as she began to hyperventilate.

“Kat, Sweetheart?” Julian’s voice was muffled over the sound of her heart thumping in her ears. Her mind was back in that hell hole, being held down by the female guard. “Kat!” Julian said with more force. She squeezed her eyes shut and thought about the way he’d made her come apart only moments ago. Julian’s mouth on her breast sucking hard at her nipple had her gasping. She dragged a deep breath in, exhaling when her lungs were finally full.

“That’s one way to take my mind off the bad stuff,” she muttered. “Sorry about that. I, uh, I don’t know that I’ll ever feel comfortable in a shower. Not after–”

“Shh. It is okay. I apologize for not thinking of that. Though, I will say I am going to miss making love to you up against the shower wall.”

“Man, you don’t play fair,” she teased, slapping him on the arm, glad he could turn the moment around to more enjoyable thoughts. Kat moved away from him to slide off the bed, but Julian gripped her firmly around her waist, keeping her close to him.

“The tub can be just as much fun. How about we take a bath, get cleaned up, and I will make that breakfast we forgot about,” he suggested, his breath warm against her ear.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“For?”

“Understanding. I didn’t mean to freak out on you, but I can’t promise it’s not going to happen again.”

“The sooner we get you a therapist the better. And you don’t have to thank me, Sweetheart. I told you, I am going to do everything in my power to see you through this.” Julian kissed her forehead before rolling off the bed, taking her with him.

 

 

Julian knew it was illogical, but he wanted to find the guard who tortured Katherine and kill the bitch even though he’d vowed to protect humans. But fuck if his heart didn’t ache for his mate. While they waited for the oversized tub to fill, Julian told Kat he’d be right back. He went into her bathroom and retrieved a bottle of soap bubbles he’d seen earlier. He could honestly say he’d never taken a bubble bath, but Kat obviously liked them since she had several bottles of the stuff with different scents. He chose lavender since he knew it to be relaxing. Once the tub was full, he stepped in and held out his hand for Kat, helping her step over the side.

Julian sat down and leaned against the porcelain, and Kat sank into the water with her back to his front. As much as he wanted to shower with his mate, lounging in the tub wasn’t so bad. With her head against his shoulder, he wrapped his arms around her narrow waist, resting his hands underneath her breasts while she played with the bubbles. His beast was sated for the moment, and Julian couldn’t imagine it getting much better than this even after they completed the bond. Kat was the other part to him he hadn’t realized was missing before they’d had sex. His fangs had popped out, and when he scraped them down her neck, he’d had to fight his beast not to sink them into her pale skin.

The only thing that could make his life better now was for Kat to receive therapy and for her mind to heal. That and a passel of kids. He hadn’t asked if she was on birth control because he knew she wouldn’t get pregnant until they had mated. Besides that, he doubted she had been given any type of medication while being held at FSM. He did wonder if it bothered her he hadn’t used a condom. He didn’t know how she felt about kids, but he would find out soon enough when she was around Sophia and Kaya. It was hard not to be excited when both females were close to giving birth.

“This is nice,” Kat said, rubbing her hand up and down his bare leg. “I didn’t peg you for a bubble bath kind of man.”

“I saw all the bottles earlier and figured you had to be a bubble bath kind of woman, or you wouldn’t have all the different scents. I am secure enough in my malehood to admit I like it.” Julian kissed Kat’s temple, and she turned her face up for a real kiss. He kept it tame for now. They needed to relax for a bit then get some food in her stomach. If Julian had his way, he’d be feeding her every couple of hours until she put on some weight. He wanted her to be healthy both physically and mentally.

When the water started cooling off, Julian released the drain plug. Once there were only a few suds remaining, Julian turned on the faucet and used his hands to cup the water and rinse his mate. When they were both bubble free, he grabbed a towel from the rack and wrapped Kat up before doing the same to himself. Kat stared as he dried off, reaching out to run a finger down his arm where the muscles bunched under his skin. Julian grabbed her finger and kissed it before swatting her on the ass. “Go get dressed, Miss Fox. We have food to prepare.”

She grinned at him before padding out of the bathroom. Julian closed his eyes and sent up a silent prayer to the gods, thanking them for their help in getting her home. He dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, clothes he was still getting used to wearing. Kat met him in the hall wearing a simple dress that suited her more than Tessa’s jeans had, and he threaded their hands together as they made their way to the kitchen. The coffee machine had turned off, so Julian fixed a fresh pot while the oven heated. The purr of a car engine met his ears, and Julian recognized it as Nik’s Audi.  “We have company,” he warned Kat.

She looked around, frowning. Two car doors slammed, then… “Three, two, one…” he counted down as the front door opened without a knock first. He was going to have to set some ground rules now that his mate was home. “We’re in the kitchen,” he called out. Kat was still frowning when Nik and Sophia found them.

“Hey, Katherine.  It’s good to see you,” Sophia gushed. She walked up to Kat and pulled her into a warm embrace. “How are you doing?” she asked softly. “I’m Sophia, Nik’s ma… wife.”

“Mate, I know.”

“You do?” Sophia asked. Now she was the one frowning when she glanced over to Julian. He gave a small shake of his head, and she smiled in understanding. “We’re so glad Jules was able to get you out of that horrible place. Oh!” she exclaimed, grabbing her belly. “Sorry, Lydia’s playing soccer this morning.”

“Lydia? So you know it’s a girl?”

“That’s what they tell us. You want to feel her?” Sophia asked, reaching for Kat’s hand.

Julian searched his mate’s face for her reaction. When Katherine felt the baby kick, she grinned. “That is so cool. I can’t wait to be a mother,” she gushed. Realizing what she said, she jerked her head to look at Julian. He winked, letting her know they were on the same page. She visibly relaxed, and Nik came around the counter to where the coffee had finished brewing. Julian got breakfast in the oven while Nik poured everyone a drink.

“Just a dab of milk,” he instructed his brother.

“You don’t drink coffee,” Kat said.

“No, but you do,” he replied with another wink. Kat’s mouth formed a small O.  Nik handed Katherine her mug and bowed his head much the same way Gregor had. He then passed Sophia her coffee before sipping his own, and Julian got a soda out of the fridge. “Breakfast will be ready in about thirty minutes. Let’s go sit in the living room until then.”

It didn’t surprise Julian when Sophia pulled Kat down on the sofa next to her. He and Nik let the females talk, and he filled his brother in on how his mate was faring. He kept an eye on her while Sophia talked animatedly about the baby. Every so often Kat would touch the back of her neck. He’d seen her do it a couple of times before, but now he was noticing it quite a bit. When he felt her getting irritated, he put his hand on Nik’s arm to quieten him. “Kat, are you okay? Is your neck bothering you?”

“I’m fine; it’s just itching like crazy. It has been for a few days, ever since… Holy shit. Do you think they injected me with something?”

Julian dropped to his knees beside the sofa. Kat turned so he could push her hair up and take a look. He reached out with his senses while touching the spot she indicated.

“Dammit. I think they injected a tracking device below your skin. We need to have this checked out. After breakfast, we will have Dante come take a look.”

“Uh, Brother, I think you’re going to need to take care of that shit now. We have company,” Nik said, peeking out the front window. “We’ll stall whoever is coming down the driveway while you get Katherine out of here. Go, now.”

“Come on, Sweetheart.” Julian pulled Kat to her feet and led her out the back door and across the lawn. “Do you trust me, Katherine?” Julian asked, praying she said yes.

“Yes, why?”

Julian picked her up and said, “Hold on tight.” As soon as she wrapped her arms around his neck, Julian took off running through the trees, faster than a normal man should be able to. He added it to the list of things he would have to explain. He followed the trail he’d created between his property and the back of Dante’s. In less than two minutes, Julian traveled several miles, getting his mate to his cousin’s house safely. When he slowed down, Kat’s eyes were wild. When she found her voice, she muttered, “Lucy, you got some ‘splainin’ to do.”