Chapter 13
THIRTEEN
JADE
Despite the literal assassination attempt this morning, Jewel had gone ahead with this ridiculous event.
I was in a really shitty mood as I surveyed the swell of activity that surrounded the Crimson Palace’s brass throne.
I gritted my teeth and settled into my spot, my mind going to the threats Jewel had been getting.
The bugs I’d left in Valentino’s place hadn’t given us any more information.
All we knew for sure was that he was confident Jewel and Laurel would be taken down.
I’d been driving myself crazy trying to figure out what his plans were, but it was all business as usual for him.
Yet I couldn’t shake the feeling that something else bad was going to happen today.
That assassination attempt had been too simple. Too easy.
Reporters milled around, and packs were lining up around the block to have their shot at Jewel. There was no way all these people were alphas. I scowled as I saw a pretty woman with dark hair sporting a shirt that had I want Jewel’s rogue babies handwritten in neon pink.
Could I get her thrown out?
It was a pretty incendiary T-shirt.
She should probably be escorted out.
The event setup had been done in the early hours of the morning.
Jewel would be sitting on the Crimson Palace’s famous brass thrones.
Each hopeful pack would walk up the dais to greet him and see if he was their scent match.
He was signing autographs and allowing pictures for everyone who came by, and there was a merch booth set up to console the people who didn’t make it.
In addition to Alpha tears body glitter, there were T-shirts with messages like:
I came to scent match Jewel and all I got was this T-shirt
Jewel pack reject
Biologically incompatible (still obsessed)
I volunteer as packmate
Jewel ruined my standards
Feral for my omega glitter king
There was a whole booth full of products mimicking his scent. Plum and merlot body spray, candles, diffusers, soap, lip balm. He certainly knew how to make the most of his brand.
Above the crowd was a huge banner featuring him.
Dressed to impress, Jewel wore thigh-high heels.
The dress he was wearing bared his midriff, and the fabric was artfully arranged at his feet.
The neon blazer he'd paired it with was puffy around his neck, and he was giving the camera a sultry look as he lounged on a throne.
Jewel had taken over one of the sunrooms to prepare, and I hesitated outside it. I chewed on my lip as I psyched myself up to go in.
I’d been avoiding him after the break-in incident, and it had been more difficult than I anticipated. Not the actual avoiding part—that was a piece of cake—but I’d spend a good couple of days away from him.
Days which had been… fine.
Quiet.
Drama-free.
Boring as fuck.
I wasn’t here today because I wanted to see him, though. I still—for some reason—cared about him, and I was worried. He was unbalanced, and whether I liked it or not, I knew I settled him.
Plus, he’s survived an attack this morning, and maybe a reminder of his mortality would make him willing to apologise?
A girl could dream.
“Jewel?” I said, knocking on the door.
He was leaning against a column, staring out the wide window at the grounds of the Crimson Palace. He was frowning and fiddling with his shirt.
His head snapped up a moment later, and his face lit up. “Jade,” Jewel said, coming over to me and sweeping me off my feet. I was suddenly surrounded by thick muscle and his heady scent. “Thank god,” he murmured into my ear. A second later, I felt teeth brush the skin of my neck.
I elbowed him hard in the stomach, and he let go with a grunt. He looked at me like a lost puppy as I folded my arms.
“Really? Trying to bite me again? Maybe try, like, asking? For someone who harps on manners so much, you don’t seem to have any.”
He ran his fingers through his silky hair, mussing it up and making him look even more devastating. Then he sank to his knees, offering me his outstretched hand. “Please,” he said in a low purr, making me instantly wet. This boy was far too sexy for his own good. “I need you, Jade.”
He came forward until he was kneeling in front of me. I shivered as he ran his hands up my legs, his eyes fixed on mine.
Emboldened by the fact I hadn’t punched him, he raised one hand to trace the curve of my ass. He took my hand with his other, bringing it up to rest on the side of his face. “Please,” he said, pressing a kiss to the inside of my wrist. “Take my bite. Let me fuck you.”
His eyes were shining as they searched my face, and I could feel the tremble in his hand as he waited for my answer.
This man.
This fucking man.
If I rejected him right now, I had no doubt he’d experience the same agony that I’d felt all those years ago. He was holding up his heart on a silver platter.
“Okay.” My voice was a whisper.
I think a part of me had known what would happen if I walked into this room. I didn’t want to admit it, but I’d wanted this before I even stepped through the door.
His eyes flashed, and he turned to sink his teeth into my wrist. The temporary bond flared to life again, his consciousness nestling into mine.
JADE
Jewel rose to his feet, his hands winding around my waist. “Missed you,” he said, and then he was kissing me.
I tangled my hands in his hair, pulling him closer as his lust crashed into me through the bond. It was dizzying and fierce and impossible to resist.
We were panting as he crowded me back.
My legs hit the back of a couch, and he lifted me up onto it so I could reach him better. I was tugging off my shirt, or perhaps his—I wasn’t sure, but the result was his warm hand on my waist, our skin meeting as we devoured each other.
His hand moved down, slipping between my legs, and I moaned, arching my back to give him better access. His cock was hard against my thigh, and I fucking needed it.
More clothes were coming off, but then he stilled. He was looking at something over my shoulder, his pupils blown wide. His scent was filling the room, a cloying aroma of moscato and plum. I could scent something familiar and woodsy mixed in, something that made me pause.
Jewel took the moment to peel off my shirt, but I was scanning the room.
Fucking Hugo stood in the corner, staring at us. His amber eyes were dark and his skin was flushed.
Oh, fuck.
“Hey.” I couldn’t help smiling at him, twisting my body so he could see more.
Jewel stepped closer behind me, his hands gripping my waist possessively. “Don’t mind him,” he murmured. “He declined my invitation. Now he gets to see what he’s missing out on.”
“That’s not…” Hugo trailed off as Jewel’s hand slid down over my stomach. I bit my lip as I arched back against him, and his other hand cupped one of my breasts.
Hugo swallowed. You’d have to be blind to miss the erection tenting the front of his slacks.
Jewel’s chest rose and fell as he moved his fingers, brushing against my nipple. Fuck, that felt so good. I let out a whimper.
Hugo took half a step forward.
A snarl tore from Jewel’s lips, and then I was being pushed down.
I caught myself on the back of the couch, bent at the waist with my legs straight, Jewel standing behind me, his hard cock rubbing against my ass.
I usually didn’t like giving up control, but I wanted this scene to play out.
I wanted Jewel to show me off while Hugo watched.
Hugo’s pupils were fully dilated, and he watched as though hypnotised. Jewel flipped up my short skirt, moving slowly as he tugged down my tights.
“Did you have a nice time the other night?” Jewel asked as his hands came up to palm my ass. I glanced over my shoulder at him. His eyes were fixed on the alpha watching, blazing with intensity. “When you fucked my beta in my club?”
I arched my back more. I wanted him to touch me, not tease me.
He slid my underwear down, baring my ass to the room.
My tights were still around my thighs, my skirt around my waist. Being half-dressed like this only added to the thrill of Hugo watching, Jewel flaunting me as though I was his fucktoy.
I was panting as I looked back to see him pulling down his own pants, freeing his long, elegant cock from a pink thong. It was already dripping. I was so turned on, I didn’t think it would take much for me to come.
Jewel held me down tight and shoved two fingers inside me, aided by his own slick and precum. I couldn’t hold back a moan as he did so. My legs were trembling as he brazenly fucked me with his hand, and it was all I could do to hold myself steady.
“Fuck, Jewel,” I managed.
“I bit her. She’s mine.”
He leaned forward, and I let out a gasp as the blunt tip of his cockhead pressed against me.
I turned to Hugo again, whose eyes were wide as saucers. I bit my lip as I saw the outline of the magnificent dick I knew was under there. Hugo’s hand stayed, palming the length through his slacks as he watched.
“See, I don’t mind if you play with her,” Jewel snarled, and my eyes fluttered as he started to split me own, his hands digging into my hips. “As long as you get my permission first.”
I could feel my walls stretching around him, the dull ache as he bottomed out that soon fizzled away into pleasure.
Hugo took another step toward us. I could sense Jewel’s lust, his giddy glee, through the bond. I couldn’t be quiet now, and all I could focus on was the way he felt inside of me. Jewel drew another broken cry from me as he slammed inside me again.
“She makes the most perfect noises, doesn’t she?” Jewel asked. He started thrusting, and I was chasing that delicious pressure that was building, the lightning that tingled down my spine.
Hugo couldn’t look away.
Jewel suddenly stiffened, sinking into me as far as he could go and holding me there.
His hand slid down and brushed my clit. I knew he was coming because a new level of pleasure exploded inside me with his release.
My orgasm slammed into me, my muscles contracting around his invasion as I cried out again.
I was sure if he hadn’t been holding me, my legs would have given out.
“What do you think, Jade? Did you like Hugo fucking you?” He tugged me back by my hair, so I was forced to look at Hugo again.
“So good,” I managed. It was hard to think straight right now.
“You impressed her, then.”
Hugo looked up, and as our eyes met, my second orgasm hit me like a truck, my muscles stiffening, a sharp pleasure zipping up my spine. I bit my lip so hard, blood trickled down my chin. I could just pant and cling on as the climax rushed through me, gripping every inch in sparks of ecstasy.
I felt Jewel’s own pleasure climax in the bond, rebounding with mine and creating a sparkling storm of bliss.
Slowly, after coming down from our high, he let me go. We’d made a mess that was currently leaking onto my tights.
Hugo took a step back, tripping on the corner of a couch and almost falling over. “Shit,” he said, and fled.
“Well, that went well,” Jewel remarked.
Now that my head was clearing, I wasn’t so sure.