Chapter 32
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
RAMONA
T he bar was beginning to fill, and I tried to stretch my senses to keep track of where Río was backstage. His oversized hoodie was a dress on my frame and kept a steady waft of his scent calming me, the trail of the real thing leading to the door where he’d gone through to meet the rest of his bandmates.
I fiddled with the beer I’d been nursing since he plopped me at one of the hightop tables with the best view of the stage. This was my first show as his mate, and bubbles of excitement popped in my chest like champagne. The last one I’d gone to had been the night I kneeled for him, but now, he was officially mine .
The last few days had been rough on my mate. But when we went back to the apartment, I could tell he was in better spirits as he started getting his show gear together. When he insisted on us showering together, I couldn’t refuse him then or when he pressed me up against the tiled wall as hot water cascaded around us.
“Hey, Ramona!”
I turned toward the deep, excited voice and couldn’t help smiling back. Delaney’s golden waves fell in pretty ripples, just kissing the tops of his brows. With his size, the sea of people quickly parted, but he muttered pleasant ‘excuse me’s’ along the way. My smile didn’t fall, but my eyes widened at the sight of his outfit, which was a far cry from his Montessori teacher or gardening wear.
The black Arch Enemy shirt was cut in half, revealing his tanned and toned stomach that was dusted with a healthy amount of hair. The sleeveless top highlighted his toned arms. His gray jeans were baggier, but with the way some were staring in the direction of his ass, I assumed that they were just as flattering as the rest of his outfit.
Like he didn’t sense any of the attention he was getting, he opened his arms, and I fell into them immediately. I didn’t know where my usual bites or apprehension went, chalking it all up to the kind, puppy dog energy he brought with him. We patted each other’s backs and separated.
“Do you want to sit with me?” I gestured to the other chair at my small table.
“Sure!” he clambered into the seat, and I worried for a moment about it taking his weight. Mine even seemed a bit wobbly, but he settled in just fine. “How are you?”
His eyes were a few shades darker than his hair, and a light flush colored his high cheekbones. The way he asked the question wasn’t that of a passing pleasantry, equivalent to saying ‘hey’. His attention was turned to me, waiting and truly caring about my answer to the question.
It was no wonder I’d immediately softened toward him when we met. “I’m good. Excited for the show. You?”
He grinned, his teeth slightly crooked in a way that added to his charm. “Same. My roommate invited me and bailed at the last minute. I’m so glad I spotted you!”
The tension in my shoulders from sitting alone had nearly disappeared completely. I pointed to his shirt, “Didn’t take you for a metal fan.” Though, I supposed the same might be said about Sylvie if you didn’t know her too well. Actually, Delaney and Sylvie were similar in the bright kindness that surrounded them.
The difference, though, was Sylvie’s smoldering wrath underneath. With my new friend, I suspected he was all sweetness. He blushed harder and continued to chat with me. Apparently, his roommate had introduced him to the genre, and after being wary because of his upbringing, he’d gotten into it.
“What about you?” He gestured toward the stage, where the lights had been turned on to full blast, and those around us had gone lower. People moved toward the stage, getting closer or making sure they were settled with an acceptable view. My heart pattered with the anticipation that I’d see Río in his element once again.
I shifted in my seat, recrossing my legs and throwing my braid over my other shoulder. “Um, yeah.” I said as someone began to emerge and a round of cheering started up. A touch more quietly, I followed, “My mate is one of the guitarists.” Naming what he was to me felt so good, and Delaney’s wide eye and squeal of delight made it even sweeter.
I was no longer just rich girl or princess. I was Río’s. His princess.
Six months ago, I would’ve slit my own throat for wanting to gush about such a cringey term of endearment. But who knew that it would feel so amazing? Not just powerful and sexy but safe as well. And when he kissed my scars…
Río emerged from backstage with the rest of the band, guitar already slung over his shoulders. The little braids I’d put in his hair were brushing against his cheekbones as he took his spot beside Tyler, the vampire I was coming around to feeling was a friend, too. Well, a good acquaintance, at least. The darkness that surrounded him was death two times over, and though it was small on my now growing list of reasons, the thought of him handling my body if I tried to off myself again was enough of a deterrent.
I had to give it to Tyler, though. It worked for him as he prowled to the microphone, grungy makeup hardening the babyfaced features I’d seen at the skate spot and his home.
The Concrete Executioners didn’t introduce themselves to the crowd with words but a reverberating string of deep, growly notes from my Río.
The rest of the members joined in, filling the bar with harsh, heavy music that I felt in my bones. Tyler’s low, scratchy voice started soft but turned into a commanding boom that melded so perfectly with Río, Brody, and Jess’s playing.
Not that I was really taking in much of the music. Río’s hands were their own work of art, flying and strumming with long fingers that’d been everywhere on my body. His foot, clothed in a thick black boot, tapped along with Jess’s work on the drums, and with the chorus of the song swelling with Tyler’s screams, Río threw his head back, letting the music pour out of him.
As it ended, he looked right at me, bottom lip clenched by his teeth. He winked and grinned at whatever expression I wore on my face. For all I knew, I was drooling or staring with my tongue lolling out of my mouth. Ass.
The song started to come to an end, and Delaney’s playful shaking of my shoulder drew my attention. He leaned in and spoke close to my ear, “Oh my lord, is that your mate?”
His excited smile lit up his whole face, and I felt my heart flip with pride in my Jaguar. My lips quivered with my battling urges to beam and keep my face flat. When I nodded quickly, I knew I’d lost to the former. “He is.”
Delaney gave me a happy squeeze before resting his arm on the tabletop. He gave me his attention while the band rolled into another song. “Tell me everything from the beginning again! I’m so happy for you!”
Hopefully the heat on my face wasn’t visible. There was no way I could go into full detail of how we’d first got together with my sunny friend. No matter if he looked like sex on a stick at this event. The sultry curl of his lashes and lingering stares of people around us didn’t change the innocence that shone in his eyes.
So, I decided to skip over the explicit stuff, starting in a stilted, gushing rhythm. When I glanced back toward the stage, Río was still watching me, but his sexy and carefree posture had hardened. I arched a brow, unsure what had changed. Maybe he’d messed up the song? Or been irritated that I’d been speaking with Delaney instead of directing all of my attention to him?
I sped through the rest of our story to Delaney who responded with enthusiastic noises and exclamations, and while I answered his follow up questions, I kept my body and eyes angled toward the stage. Unease churned in my stomach at the switch in Río’s demeanor, and the urge to question him about it left me feeling antsy.
Luckily, there were two other bands playing the local show, so Río and Tyler’s band’s set was fairly short. Their last song garnered a resounding roar of cheers and applause, mine and Delaney’s joining in.
I watched Río stomp off stage, his back so straight that I could almost see his muscles tight beneath the fabric of his t-shirt. What the hell was going on in his head? I’d witnessed some of his moments, but nothing this quick and without a clear explanation.
Bar chatter increased while people spoke or made their way to get drinks before the next set. I’d still been nursing my beer, and Delaney wasn’t drinking at all. There was nothing to do but wait until Río came out here and I could pull him away to ask what was wrong. If he didn’t leave altogether. Would he do that? Shit .
My friend sighed, chin resting in his palm, “You’re so lucky, Ramona. A great family and a new mate. Maybe your good luck will rub off on me.”
It took me a moment to catch back up to what he was saying while completely unaware of the turmoil that was whirring around in my chest. “Ah, I guess. It’s still new, but?—”
“Hey, beautiful.” I knew that voice, but it was the wrong one. Tyler sidled up to our table, still shorter than Delaney even while he was seated. My friend looked back at me, frowned, then turned to Tyler.
His jaw clenched, and he straightened in his seat. The gentle guy surprised me again, features hardening in a way I would’ve never expected. “She’s taken,” Delaney turned back and blocked me from Tyler’s view.
Oh good grief, he was cute. And so unaware, because Tyler definitely knew I was Río’s, and his hungry eyes hadn’t even been on me.
Though he was normally the quiet, brooding shadow to Río’s more lighthearted one, he was completely undeterred. If anything, he looked even closer to eating Delaney whole.
Before I could inform my friend what was actually happening, Tyler did it for me. He leaned an arm onto our table, grabbed Delaney’s jaw, and turned his head back towards him. “Not talking to her. Let me buy you a drink.”
My friend’s Adam’s apple bobbed while his face pinched in confusion. Vampire scents were weird, less distinct than other creatures. Maybe because they were technically dead, I couldn’t parse out Tyler’s emotions, but I didn’t really need the ability with the lust written all over his face.
“You want to buy me a drink?” Delaney squeaked.
Tyler smirked and caressed his thumb on Delaney’s face. “That’s right, baby boy.”
“Um…” my friend glanced back at me with uncertainty, and I gave him what I hoped was a reassuring thumbs up.
He took another nervous swallow, but I didn’t catch what he said when he tuned back to Tyler because hot breath and a harsh hiss ghosted down my spine. “Come here.” The command was emphasized by a hand on the base of my neck, pressing into my mark. But instead of inciting fear, I leaned into the demanding touch.
“Are—” I’d been about to ask Delaney if he was going to be okay if I got up to leave, but Río’s tightening grip made my words die on a pleasured whimper.
“Now,” and he pulled me out of my seat. I let him guide us through the crowd that was preoccupied with the new band starting up. His hair swished on his back, his boots thumping against the dirty bar floor. He was pissed, that much was for sure, and while I was nervous for the reason why, I was also relieved that he hadn’t done something stupid and left.
Río took us down a back hallway, opened a door, and took me inside. Old, beaten sofas and wobbly tables sat amongst walls decorated with show flyers. Bags and instrument cases littered the floor, but I didn’t have much time to take in my surroundings before I was spun around and pushed up against one of the tables.
“Who the fuck was that?” Río’s front crowded my back, and I sucked in a gasp when his teeth closed around the skin below my nape. Not close to breaking the skin, but it was close to how he’d made me his mate. I bit my lip and moaned.
“Wha—what?”
His hands snaked beneath the hem of the sweatshirt and found the edge of my underwear. On instinct, I widened my legs and braced my hands on the sticky tabletop.
Río squeezed my ass and took another nibble on my neck. “You were talking to and smiling at that fucker who just said you were taken.”
Holy shit . He was jealous.
If I weren’t internally squealing at the realization, I would’ve laughed in his motherfucking face for thinking that anything would come between us. My conversation those weeks ago with Sylvie proved to be true. The thought of looking at someone other than my mate just didn’t happen. There was also the fact that my friend had no interest in females whatsoever.
I smiled over my shoulder, taunting my mate that liked to say I was the territorial one. Río’s nostrils flared, and his eyes narrowed to thin slits. “He’s my friend and a teacher at my niece and nephew’s school. I thought he was hot when I?—”
Crack .
He’d rucked up the hoodie and slapped my ass. Instead of outrage, I just moaned and arched my back even further. Río cursed under his breath and delivered another spank to the other cheek. “Give me a reason I shouldn’t go back out there and kill him,” he growled, and the sound of his belt tinkling and zipper lowering forced another anticipatory groan from my throat. I couldn’t see what he was doing, but it made the moment even more loaded. We were clearly in one of the green rooms backstage, and anyone could walk in.
I wanted it all.
Except for him killing my friend, at least. By the sound of his voice and the way his claws dug into my hip, I believed his threat. He pulled my panties to the side, and I whimpered his name. The head of his bare cock nudged at my entrance, spread me wider, and I pushed my hips back on him even more. The tip slipped in easily with how slick I was and still being stretched from earlier today.
The small noises coming from my throat exploded into a grating screech when he slammed in the rest of the way. Río grabbed hold of the braid he’d put in my hair before we left the apartment and forced my neck to arch back. His other hand held my hip, pulling me back to meet his punishing thrusts.
My eyes were rolled back, breaths punching out of me. “Whose fucking pussy is this, Princess?” he snarled in my ear.
When I didn’t immediately respond, mind slipping away to be completely overtaken by the pleasure we created together, he spanked me again. Which really wasn’t the best way to get me to respond. I was already so close.
“I said, whose tight little pussy is this? Answer me.” With a hand on my back, he pushed me down onto the table. He delivered a hard plunge into me, making my toes scrabble inside my boots and my fingers tighten into fists on the flat surface.
“Y— fuck —yours. Yours.”
He slowed his movements to grasp the back of my left thigh, hoisting it up and onto the table, too. When he thrusted into me again, I had to bite down on the back of my hand to keep from downright screaming. The music outside was loud, but I would easily become loud enough to draw attention. And Río was no better with his curses and grunts while he worked our bodies to the edge.
He gave a hard, biting kiss to the side of my neck, “That’s right, baby. Mine. And whose dick is this?”
“ Mine .”
“Fuck right, it’s yours. Don’t fucking forget it. Now, come for me, baby.” The stinging slap of his hand on my ass and fucking forward of his hips while he held me down nearly made me faint. The door opened, and there was a surprised choke, but it didn’t matter. When I turned my head, mind distantly recognizing the horrified eyes of the person interrupting, I couldn’t care less. My muscles coiled unbearably and released in a rush, my vision whiting out as I came on Río’s cock.
Just a few moments later, Río’s hips stilled, and warmth flooded inside of me as he came. Almost black-out fuck drunk, I nearly asked him if he had something to plug me up so that I could keep his cum in me.
He gingerly placed my foot back on the floor, and I hummed blissfully as he nuzzled into the collar of my hoodie and kissed my mark. Our breaths calmed together, our aftershocks settled together, and my thoughts began to solidify with his hands rubbing gentle circles on my sides.
The walls vibrated with the music and cheers outside, and after a few more minutes, Río slowly pulled his hips away. He slid out, and the wet trickle of his cum tickled my skin. Yeah, the idea of plugging myself up didn’t feel as urgent, but matehood was its own sort of drug, because I still didn’t hate the idea.
Río’s footsteps and presence drifted away, as if he was searching the room, and when he came back, it was with the drying passes of napkins between my legs.
I heard the swish of him throwing them away just before he pressed reverent kisses to both my ass cheeks. Without a word, I lifted my hips at his tugging on my underwear. He slipped the soiled fabric off my legs, helped me step out of them, and guided me to straighten from the table.
I blinked, trying to refocus to the room, and the furious strain was gone from Río’s face. Instead, he looked at me with amusement and fondness.
“Hey!” I exclaimed as he stuffed my panties into his back pocket.
He held his hands up, as if I didn’t see with my own two eyes what he’d just done. “What?”
I cocked my fist and gave his arm a punch. He didn’t budge. “You were being an ass. And that’s gross—” my words cut off in a yelp when Río hoisted me into his arms and carried me to one of the sofas against the wall. We plopped down, me in his lap again, and my cheek found its happy place in the crook of his neck.
“I’m not gonna apologize for needing you to know that I don’t share.”
I huffed and stayed right where I was. “I didn’t really need the reminder.”
“No? Cause I’m still debating whether or not to sever that dog’s spine. It’d be quick, too.” Instead of bristling or chastising him, my shoulders shook with laughter. Río pulled back to look down at me, brow furrowed in exasperation. “What the hell is so funny? I’ll do it.”
I rolled my eyes, “Boys are so stupid. That guy is my friend. Remember me mentioning Delaney before? And he’s one hundred percent gay. As in, not interested in me. Though, we should probably make sure Tyler doesn’t eat him.”
Río relaxed into the back of the couch and ran a finger around the curve of my ear. “Well then, I’m… sorry for overreacting.”
“Like I said. Stupid. But I love you, so I guess it’s okay.”
He chuckled and kissed the tip of my nose, following it with a pass of his tongue up the side of my face. His purr tickled my skin, and I giggled like a fool. This is what it feels like to be happy , I thought to myself. A day in the sun with my family followed by an evening with a new friend and my mate.
“So, how did it feel?—”
The door opened, letting in a flood of heavy metal music, cheers, bar smells, and a scent that had my blood literally run cold. My mouth clamped closed, and my eyes widened. The blurry figure of the person I’d seen just before Río made me come was now clear as day. No, no, no.
“Ramona. What the fuck has gotten into you?”