Chapter 1 Nova #2
Something about him put me at ease. He didn’t feel like someone I had to keep a wall up with. I could breathe around him. Maybe even have a little fun.
“What’s your name?”
He leaned in, still smiling. “Liam.”
“Nova,” I replied.
“Oh, I know. I don’t think there’s a single supe in Las Vegas who doesn’t know the Syndicate heirs. You’re in line to take over the Rossey clan, right?”
I nodded and took a gulp of my drink. “And now you’re going to run for the hills, right?” My voice was light, teasing, and a laugh even tumbled out, but deep down, I was bracing myself.
It always happened. Once a guy figured out who I was and what I could do, they bailed. The kind of woman who could pulverize a man with her fists wasn’t exactly top-tier fantasy material—at least, not for the ones who needed to feel bigger than me. I was too strong, too dangerous, too emasculating.
“Why would I run?” Liam asked, back against the bar with his head cocked in question.
Skeptical, I arched a brow, but he tilted his head, earnest and calm. “You’re different than I imagined. A good different. You’re… fun. Inviting.”
Caught off guard, all I could do was blink at him. I couldn’t remember the last time a man didn’t bolt or treat me like some access pass to my dad or the Syndicate fortune after finding out who I was, but Liam just sat there—steady, warm, and a tad bold.
Taking my silence as an invitation, he stepped closer slowly, giving me every chance to back away before his lips brushed mine, gentle at first. The taste of Hellfire mixed with something sweeter drew me in deeper as my eyes closed.
His hand slid behind my neck, thumb gliding along my jaw, tilting my head just right. My hands found their way under his shirt, gripping his sides and pulling him closer like I’d forgotten why I wasn’t supposed to want this.
This thing between us wasn’t ravenous, not like Aniyah and her wolf behind us. It was slow, teasing, dizzying, and I wanted more of it.
“Come on, guys! Dance floor!” Aniyah’s voice rang out, and we broke apart just in time for her to snatch my wrist and tug me with her.
Lifting my head, I glanced toward Ezra, who tipped her glass in a wordless check-in from the booth where she sat beside Calix. I gave her a nod back—all good here.
Aniyah leaned in as we pushed through a crush of bodies. “I need to see what this wolf’s stamina looks like before I take him for a ride.” Her eyes flicked to Liam behind me. “But you look like you’re having a real good time.”
She winked, then opened her mouth and mimed a blowjob.
Groaning, I shook my head. “Aniyah, I’m not about to suck a dick in the middle of the dance floor. That’s your lane.”
With a cackle, she released my arm and spun toward her wolf, grinding against him without hesitation.
The beat dropped, pulsing hard in my chest. I raised my hands, swaying into it, letting the rhythm guide my body instead of my brain. For once, I stopped thinking. I just moved.
A hand slid around my waist.
I jerked, instincts flaring, but the hard chest behind me didn’t shove, didn’t trap. He just moved with me. Slow, steady.
“Is there a square for ‘dancing with someone who tried to ditch you’?”
A laugh escaped before I could stop it. His grip firmed just slightly on my waist, grounding me. I could’ve broken out of it easily.
I turned my head, catching sight of Aniyah in full seduction mode.
She was folded over, shaking her ass against wolf boy as he grinned down at her like he had already won.
A pang hit my chest. She could just let go.
She never cared what anyone thought. Didn’t have to prove herself every damn second.
Aniyah was chaos and charm and impulsive pleasure.
I loved that about her, but I envied it too.
Me? As the leader of a rough group of fighters, I had to stay hard. Sharp. Ready to swing, ready to hold the line.
Just once, I wanted to do what my body wanted. To live a little… or maybe a lot.
I glanced at her again, my decision firming up as I let go. It was a special occasion. I deserved a little indulgence. My hips rolled back, grinding against Liam, and heat flashed through me as his cool body met mine.
The song changed. Lights dimmed. A deep red pulse lit the air, slow and steady, like a heartbeat in Hell. I leaned back, resting my head on his shoulder. His hands slid up my sides, mapping me, and I sighed, my hand drifting up behind me to trace the back of his neck.
His nose ran along my throat, drawing a full-body shiver from me. The scent of heat and something darker curled around me… and then his fingers drifted lower, pulling at buttons.
Slipping past the waistband of my pants, he brushed my clit with wicked precision. I gasped, heart stuttering, and he kissed the side of my neck with enthusiasm that said he was barely holding himself together.
“I can’t help it,” he whispered, his voice rough, breath shaking. His other hand cupped my breast as his thumb brushed over my nipple. I had no bra to hide the way it peaked under his touch.
“Oh, fuck,” I exhaled. The words were soft and breathless, something I rarely let anyone hear.
He chuckled against my skin, running his fangs teasingly along my neck. I growled, deep and low.
My wolf stirred—awake now. She only ever came out when we were about to fight or fuck, and right now, she wanted both. I could feel her circling around in my mind, the urge to go farther hitting home.
“You know,” he hissed against my ear, his hand sliding lower, “I’m just getting started, and look how wet you’re getting.”
Without warning, he shoved two fingers inside me. I bit down on my lip so hard I tasted blood.
“Fuck,” he breathed, his nose coming right up to my lips, “you just had to tease me.”
His other hand drifted up, fingers curling under my chin, forcing me to turn my head.
He licked the blood from my lips and pumped his fingers harder, deeper, over and over until I could barely breathe.
My wolf fangs slid out, creating a fresh slice across my mouth before I retracted them.
He groaned at the sight of the ruby red liquid running down the side of my mouth.
Smiling up at him, lips smeared crimson, I counted the seconds. He stared for one long breath then lunged, devouring me in a kiss so hungry I thought he might swallow me whole. Tongues tangled. Lips bruised.
His thumb found my clit just as he pushed a third finger inside my soaking cunt. I whimpered, grinding against his hand. The way he moved, relentless, claiming, made it nearly impossible to think.
I wanted more. Needed more.
Reaching behind me, I found his cock, already hard and twitching. I stroked him once, then positioned it between my ass cheeks, thrusting back in rhythm with his hand. He growled. His teeth caught my bottom lip as he sucked at the closing wound, drinking me in.
That was all it took. My core clenched around his fingers, and I moaned, loud, guttural, as I gushed around him.
“Oh, fuck, Nova,” he rasped. “I can smell your arousal from here. It's so sweet.”
He pulled his hand from my pants and licked each finger clean with a satisfied sigh. “I have so much more I want to do to you.”
My legs trembled as I leaned into him.
“Let’s take this somewhere else,” he whispered, voice thick with promise. “Somewhere we can enjoy each other to the fullest.”
My mind clouded with lust, I nodded, needing more of everything. More orgasms. More of him taking control. I didn’t want to think. I just wanted to feel.
Just as he took my hand and led me off the dance floor, my phone buzzed. Reluctantly, I pulled it from my pants. My calendar alarm rang, reminding me the fight was starting in twenty minutes.
Shit. Fucking shit.
I yanked back on Liam’s hand, grimacing. Of course, duty would call now.
“I’m sorry,” I panted, motioning to my phone. His gaze became confused.
“I need to go.” I leaned in to kiss his lips one last time, dragging my tongue across the last trace of my blood on his mouth before pulling away. This was always meant to be just fun, and now it was time for work. He could understand that, right?
As I turned, buttoning my pants and scanning the crowd for Aniyah, Liam reappeared in front of me, holding up his phone.
“Is there a square that says ‘stood up by the woman of your dreams’?”
My heart flopped as I replayed ‘woman of your dreams’ over and over in my head.
No one, not a single person had ever even hinted at me being the woman of their dreams. I didn't know how to react to that. “I’m sorry.” I winced, knowing how that sounded.
“I already had this planned, and now I’m late. It’s… something I can’t miss.”
He lifted his phone again, sounding a little desperate now. “What about after? Or tomorrow? I’d really like to see you again.”
I had to admit, I wanted that too… but this was supposed to be a one-time thing. No strings. No attachments.
Still… the way he looked at me wasn’t like the others. The men who glared with annoyance, others with rage, the older ones whose eyes were filled with pity or doubt. Liam looked at me like I was wanted… and I liked it.
Snatching his phone before I could overthink it, I punched in my number and handed it back.
“I don’t know when I’ll have time,” I said, “but I’ll let you know. Okay?”
He nodded, smiling wide enough to flash fang. Damn, he was cute.
Nodding goodbye, I made my way toward the bar where Aniyah was downing a drink… alone.
“Hey.” I tapped her shoulder, and she turned around, grinning.
“Hey! I saw you with the vampire,” she said, brows wiggling. “Very nice. Very nice.”
I glanced around her, not acknowledging what she said. “Where’s your wolf?”
She rolled her eyes so hard I thought they might get stuck. “That motherfucker! Took him to the bathroom to get our fuck on, and when he pulled it out—” She mimed pulling a dick from pants, then flung her hands up in frustration.
“—it was an average dick!” She huffed. “Like fucking this!”
She held her palms about six inches apart, glaring at the space between them like it was offensive before she looked up and pointed a finger at me.
“That’s not birthday dick,” she snapped. “That’s need-this-in-a-pinch dick. And tonight, that’s unacceptable.”
She rubbed her palms together like she was washing him off her hands. “So I sent him packing.”
Grabbing her drink, she knocked it back in one go and swiped her arm across her mouth with a dramatic flair. “I’m gonna find me some birthday dick,” she grumbled, “and when I do, I’m riding it so fucking hard—”
I almost felt bad for whoever that poor bastard was. She was on a mission now. Vengeance in heels and glitter.
Patting her on the shoulder, I sighed. “I gotta split. Got a fight I can’t miss.”
Her bottom lip jutted out in a pout, but she nodded. She knew the drill, and I’d warned her I might need to dip early.
“All right. I get it.”
I knew she understood that the Syndicate was always first. Always. Still… I couldn’t pretend I wasn’t bummed. I was actually enjoying myself.
Pulling her in for a hug, I leaned down and whispered, “Happy birthday, baby sis. Hope all your birthday dick dreams come true.”
She grinned up at me, wicked as ever. “Thanks, Nova. And I hope you catch that fine-ass fighter you’ve been chasing.”
I leaned back, frowning, and she cackled like she’d cracked the best joke in history.
“Oh, come on, Nova.” She wiped a tear from her eye.
“You know fighters have bodies on them. Built like fucking mountains, and you're around them all the time.” She sighed wistfully.
“I wouldn't mind the rigorous climb if I knew for sure their milk would pour down on me… or in me, like an avalanche."
I winced, full body. Her analogies had a talent for scarring the soul. Immediately, my brain betrayed me with a vivid image of some meathead fighter jerking off on a cliff while Aniyah cheered him on like it was the main event. Hell no. Banish. Delete forever.
I turned to say goodbye to the others, but Aniyah called out, “They already bounced.” She lifted her glass again, a little shrug in her shoulder.
“Ezra’s got an important meeting, Calix is being a whooped little bitch, and Riot’s got a late job tonight or this morning.
She wanted to make sure she got back in time for family dinner. ”
Guilt must’ve been written all over my face because her smile turned soft, and a hand flicked through the air as if she could shoo the emotion off me.
“No hard feelings. I’m just glad you guys came out. Really. It means a lot.”
She looked down into her cup, swaying a little. Something about it tugged at me—just enough to make me want to stay, but I knew I needed to go.
“I’m sorr—”
“Nope.” She cut me off and stood up, full power mode again. “Not doing that. I’ll see you at dinner tomorrow. Okay? Love you. Bye bye.”
She grabbed my shoulders and spun me toward the exit, giving me a little push. “Go on. You’ve got a job to do, and I’ve got a birthday dick to hunt.”
I blew her a kiss and slipped out of the club, leaving the guilt and the ache behind.
Tonight was a work night.