CHAPTER 1
Hunter
“HUNTER, SO ARE YOU going to hang out with me at the blackjack table all night or what?”
I scowled at Matt, who had spoken to me out of the corner of his mouth while he dealt the fiftieth round of blackjack for the night. Matt had become a professional poker player when he, Eli, Gunner, Jordan, and I were all discharged from the Army, and I could see why. He’d won more than half of the rounds he’d dealt tonight.
“Maybe I’m just trying to stick it out until I actually beat your ass,” I muttered while peeking at my cards.
This earned me a glare from my friend, but I didn’t care. It wasn’t like Matt was really going to kick me off the table or anything. I’d dropped a fair bit of money during the game tonight, and besides, we’d been friends for too damn long.
We played another round, which I lost badly after busting on a double down, before Matt spoke again, “That blonde over by the pool table has been eyeing you all night.”
I stifled a sigh and fought not to glance in that direction. “I know.”
Matt raised an eyebrow, though he didn’t look my way. “You know there’s a hot chick across the room who’s been salivating to take a bite out of your ass, and you’re still sitting here?”
I gritted my teeth, suddenly annoyed. “Maybe she’s looking at you.”
“Damn, Hunter. Have you gone soft on me?” Matt chuckled, returning his attention to the game.
I growled, finally gave in, and turned my attention toward the pool table area across the casino floor. Sure enough, the blonde was still there, playing pool with her brunette friend. I watched as she leaned over the table in her tight silver dress, and my cock hardened as her breasts nearly spilled out of the low neckline.
I licked my lips as she positioned her cue, and just before she took the shot, she turned her head and winked at me.
Hot damn. I could really get behind that.
She’s trash, my inner wolf growled.
I gritted my teeth as my beast’s disgust trickled through me. Instantly, my hard-on started to deflate.
You’re not sticking our cock in that.
Our cock? I seethed indignantly. The last time I checked, my dick wasn’t covered in fur.
Nevertheless, we still inhabit the same body, my wolf argued. And that woman over there is trash.
I sighed heavily. I hadn’t thought wolves had such high standards. Luck would have it that I’d get a beast with the heart of a woman.
Why does my wolf give a shit if the blonde is easy?
She was ready and willing. And she was hot as hell and didn’t look like she had an IQ much higher than 110. Those had been my requirements for taking a woman to bed for as long as I could remember, and I sure as hell wasn’t going to change them now.
Not to mention, I deserved to blow off some steam after all the hell Eli had recently put me through with his Mafia bullshit. I’d worried myself to death over the whole thing for the last two months. And now that Eli was safe with his mate, Olivia, in New York City, I damn well deserved a breather. I didn’t care what my high and mighty wolf thought. I was going to get laid tonight.
“See you,” I told Matt, tossing my cards on the table as I stood up. “I’ve got better things to do.”
“About time,” Matt muttered. He flashed me a quick grin. “Going for the blonde?”
“Hell no. I’m going for both.”
Not waiting for Matt’s response, I sauntered over to the pool table with a lazy grin on my face, snagging two glasses of champagne from a passing cigarette girl as I went by.
“You girls have been playing for a while,” I said, leaning my hip against the pool table. “Thought you could use a break.”
“Oh, thanks.” The blonde took the glass from my hand with a smile, and tossing her curls back, she took a long drink.
The brunette, who wore a red sheath dress and had twisted her hair up into a sleek knot, was a little more conservative, preferring to slowly sip her drink. “I love champagne.”
“So, who’s winning?” I asked, coming around the table to the brunette’s side. I held back a grin at the flash of jealousy in the blonde’s green eyes, which I’d been counting on.
“I am,” the blonde said, perching her dainty hand on her hips. Her fingernails sparkled in the light, painted the exact same shade as her dress. “I’m stripes.”
I raised a brow as I surveyed the table. There were five solid balls and only two striped ones left. “Impressive.” I grinned and then leaned over the brunette, who was getting ready to take her next shot. I wanted to test the boundaries, see if she was game for what I had in mind. “Here, let me help you with that,” I said, sliding my hand along the cue. “You’re going for the yellow ball, right?”
“Yeah,” she replied.
I shifted subtly, pressing my hard-on against her ass, and she rewarded me by pushing her shapely bottom back up against my groin.
Good girl.
No, my inner beast began.
But I shoved my wolf firmly into the back of my mind and erected a mental brick wall between my animal half and me. Blessed silence filled my head, and I nearly sighed with relief when no unwanted emotions flooded through me.
Time to play.
“Good. Raise your elbow just a little bit,” I murmured in her ear, “and place your fingers just so.” I adjusted her hand. “Now, you go ahead and take that shot, beautiful.”
She did, and the yellow ball ricocheted off the side and then rolled neatly into the left corner pocket. “I did it!” the brunette exclaimed, jumping up as I stepped back. “You’re a good teacher,” she purred, her smoky eyes drinking me in.
“That’s not fair.” The blonde pouted, jutting out her pink lower lip as she crossed her arms beneath her breasts.
This time, I caught a flash of areola peeking out from the silvery fabric.
“I didn’t get any help.”
“Oh, I don’t think you need any help, sweetheart,” I said, hooking my arm around the blonde’s waist. “You’re clearly a woman who has no problem standing on her own two feet.”
The blonde preened at that, flashing her friend a cheeky smile.
The brunette scowled, sidling closer. “I might not be good at pool, but at least I don’t—”
“Now, now, ladies,” I interrupted before a fight could break out. “No need to say anything you might regret. I’m not going to insult either of you by favoring one over the other, if you get my meaning.” I grinned. “You’re both far too beautiful for that.”
The two women exchanged glances and then turned toward me with twin feline smiles.
“I have a hot tub in my suite,” the brunette drawled. “What do you say we all have a nice, hot soak to . . . relax?”
“It would be my pleasure.” Taking both ladies by their arms, I sauntered toward the elevator, making sure to pass by Matt’s table so I could wink at the smug bastard on my way out.
* * *
“Ooh, yes, let me see that curvy ass,” I growled, leaning against the rim of the hot tub as I watched the blonde slowly enter the water.
She was wearing an emerald-green bikini with a halter top that pushed her large breasts together, forming a glorious display of cleavage. My cock was harder than the Rock of Gibraltar, and nothing was going to stop me from finally releasing all of my pent-up sexual frustration.
The blonde slipped off her bikini bottoms and turned around, resting her elbows against the edge of the hot tub and lifting her ass into the air.
“Jesus.” I whistled, reaching forward and grabbing each cheek. I squeezed hard. “You’re gorgeous.”
The brunette joined us, dressed in a red bikini that was little more than a crisscross of spaghetti straps covering her nipples and crotch.
“She likes it when you play with her nipples,” the brunette said, surprising me while also telling me this was not their first rodeo together.
Smiling, I sat back and watched as the brunette turned the blonde around and started sucking on her left nipple. The blonde moaned, her hand wandering down to touch her bare pussy, her fingers glistening as they massaged her clit.
Oh, fuck yes! This is something straight out of a damn porno flick. How lucky can I possibly get?
I watched them fool around for a few moments. Then I stood and waded through the water toward them, wanting to get in on the action. “Come on over here, darling,” I ordered the blonde, gently tugging on her hair, a clear sign of what I wanted.
She did as I asked, and as the brunette came around the other side of me to fondle my balls, I leaned back into the water and groaned.
This is heaven. Why haven’t I thought of blocking off my beast before?
It had been so long. I hadn’t had sex since Gunner’s wedding night. The realization pushed me to the limit. I couldn’t wait any longer. I reached over and grabbed a condom, ripping it out and rolling it onto my cock.
“Get on top of me,” I growled, snatching the blonde up by the waist.
She squealed with delight as I pulled her out of the water and on top of me, positioning her entrance over the head of my cock.
Yes . . . this is fucking happening.
She slid onto me, engulfing me with her tight sheath, and my wolf beast broke through my mental shield with a resounding . . .
No!
Rage and disgust from my animal half flooded me, and my cock instantly went flaccid.
“Oh, hell no!” I roared, jolting up.
The blonde shrieked, scrambled off of me, and retreated to the other side of the hot tub. The brunette joined her, and both of them looked at me as if I were insane. I braced myself on the edge of the tub, panting hard, trying to get my emotions under control.
“What the hell was that?” the blonde demanded, her green eyes sparking fire. She hesitated, biting down on her bottom lip. “Did we do something wrong?”
“No,” I bit out the word, hating the guilt I felt at causing these gorgeous women any kind of insecurity about themselves. “It’s not you. It’s me. I . . .”
What the hell can I say to them? That I am impotent?
Rage smoldered in my core at the very idea, and my cheeks burned with humiliation. I wanted to throttle my beast for putting me in this fucked-up predicament.
You wouldn’t be in this situation if you’d just stayed at the poker table in the first place, my inner wolf pointed out smugly.
Why you little—I started when my cell rang, interrupting me.
I leaped out of the water, grateful for the distraction. “Sorry, ladies, I’ve got to take this.” I wrapped a towel around my waist as I stepped out of the bathroom, suddenly uncomfortable with the idea of being naked around two women I couldn’t fuck.
Gritting my teeth, I snatched up my cell that I’d left in the living room.
“Hello?” I snapped.
“Hunter.” My brother Eric’s voice burst through the other end. “God, I’m so glad I reached you. It’s terrible.”
“What? Are stock prices plummeting?” I asked sarcastically.
My brother rarely ever called for matters not having to do with money and business.
“Don’t be an ass. It’s Daniel Nash.” Eric paused. “I just heard the news, and I know how close the two of you used to be, so I thought I should tell you.”
“Old Daniel?” Dread filled my stomach at the mention of the rancher who had treated me like his son. “What’s wrong?”
“He’s dead.”