“It would have felt like I was letting them claim me.”

“That night at the hotel . . . would you have given me your ass if I’d asked for it?”

No. Maybe. Probably. “Yes.”

Satisfied, Jesse said into her ear, “Because you knew even then that this ass was only ever going to be mine.” He rotated his hips, hitting a spot deep inside her pussy that made her gasp. “I’m not going to fuck your ass now.” He needed to come too badly to patiently prepare her ass and fuck it nice and easy. “But I’ll have it soon.” His free hand slid up to close possessively around her breast. “Very soon.” And then he was ruthlessly pounding into her pussy, taking what was his.

Fuck, she was gonna come. How could she hold out when his teeth were raking over her claiming mark, his hand was clutching her breast, his finger was fucking her ass, and his cock was driving so deep inside her it actually hurt? It was a good hurt, a pain that amplified the pleasure. “Jesse . . .”

“I know. You need to come.” He bit her earlobe. “You know the rules, Harley.”

He wanted her to “ask nicely,” she realized. Harley hissed, which earned her a slap on the ass. “I. Don’t. Be—” Her breath caught in her throat as an orgasm threatened to tear through her.

Feeling her pussy flutter around him, Jesse stilled. “No, no, no.” She made a sound that was close to a sob. Stroking her stomach, he soothed, “Shush, you can fight it. Breathe through it. Fight it for me. That’s it.” After a few moments, her pussy stopped quaking. “That’s my good girl.”

A moan slipped out of Harley as he gave her a slow, shallow thrust. Her pussy clamped down on him, but she didn’t start to come. Still, she knew it wouldn’t be long before her orgasm came barreling toward her again. “I won’t last.”

“I know.” He gave her another agonizingly slow thrust. And another. And another.

“I need it harder.”

“I know you do.”

But she’d have to ask for it. Begging wasn’t her style, though. Never had been. Still, there was no way she could keep fighting off orgasms, so she relented. “Please fuck me harder.”

“Anything you want.” Jesse fucked in and out of her with brutal, territorial thrusts, knowing she could take it, knowing it was what she needed. Feeling her pussy tighten, he said, “Don’t come yet.” Ignoring her hiss, he said, “Wait.” He kept on thrusting hard and deep, both dominating and claiming her. “Wait.” He fucked her even faster, sucking on his brand. Her pussy fluttered, but she held back. “Good girl.” He added another finger in her ass and thrust them both hard. “Now come.”

Tumbling into a vicious orgasm, Harley threw her head back as her body arched like a bow and a scream tore out of her throat. She felt his cock swelling inside her, stretching her even more, and then he drove deep and exploded. Little aftershocks racked them both, and she would have collapsed to the floor if his arm weren’t wrapped around her.

Licking over his brand, Jesse smiled as she began to purr. He’d grown to love that sound. “Does your cat still want to claw my face off?”

“The orgasm soothed her bruised ego a little.”

“We could always have a rematch, give you a chance to win. We can change the rules, shake things up a little, make the prize something else.” She glanced at him over her shoulder, and he frowned at the soft yet odd look on her face as he asked, “What?”

“You played. And you want to play again.” It was nice. It also meant he let his guard down with her, which she loved.

“You’re fun to play with . . . even though you’re the sorest loser ever.” In fact, that was part of the fun. “Shower. Then bed.” He’d wake sometime in the night and reach for her, like he always did. Although she was moody when she was tired, she never complained that he woke her by sliding his cock inside her or by eating her out. She was right there with him every step of the way, accepting and taking him. She was as much his match in bed as she was out of it. Smiling at that thought, he carried her upstairs.

“You have visitors.”

At Zander’s words, Jesse halted near a tree, hand clenched around his cell phone. “My parents?”

“Yep,” confirmed the enforcer. “As you’ve probably guessed, they’re not happy. Bracken let them pass; they’re waiting for you at the main lodge.”

Sighing, Jesse changed course and stalked through the forest, heading for the main lodge. “Harley’s not there, is she?” He didn’t want blood getting spilled.

“No.”

Relieved, Jesse said, “Good.” She was no doubt still relaxing in the reading alcove, where he’d reluctantly left her hours ago so he could begin patrol duty. “I’ll be there soon.”

Walking into the lodge a few minutes later, Jesse wasn’t surprised by the tension thickening the air. His pack may once have had their doubts about Harley, but they now all considered her one of their own. As such, they were staring dubiously at the visitors who they knew disapproved of her.

His father, who Jesse bore a strong resemblance to, smiled wanly as he patted him on the back. “You look well, son,” said Julian. They’d always gotten along, though Jesse couldn’t help but lose some respect for the male when he folded under his mother’s dominance. Still, he and his wolf would be pleased to see him under other circumstances.