Chapter 45
Chapter Forty-Five
CHARLI
Teague calls as we’re leaving Raine’s house. “Hi. I’ll put you on speaker. Macklin and I are on our way to dinner.”
“Hi, sweetheart,” he says, his voice sounding tired. “We’re traveling across Texas, following Kian’s trail. We’re hoping to catch up with him tomorrow or the following day. I don’t have much time to talk but couldn’t wait another day to hear your voice.”
“Macklin says Kian’s a close friend. I hope you find him,” I tell him. “Everything is good here. Getting the new security system ready for launch next week.”
There’s a brief moment of silence, then he chuckles. “You’re incredible. Pretty soon, you’ll be CEO, and I’ll be working for you.” He pauses. “Andros called me. He’s worried you’re going to join the weekly happy hour… If you want to go, I’d feel better if you waited for me or took Macklin.”
I shake my head. He totally snitched on me. Not that I care; I already planned to talk to Teague, but he must really be worried if he thought he needed reinforcements.
“I’m happy to wait for you,” I promise him. “But don’t tell Andros. Let him stew for a bit, hmm?”
“Whatever you need, sweetheart.” He groans. “Man, I miss you, and I can’t wait to sleep with you in my arms. We’re heading out now. I’ll call you tomorrow.” He hangs up.
Five minutes later, Macklin pulls into a driveway and smiles. “You’ll love this place. The food is incredible. But Nonna is the real star.”
I study the large white Victorian house in front of us with its wraparound porch and a simple sign out front: Nonna’s Italian. I would never have guessed it was a restaurant. He helps me out of his truck and laces his fingers with mine.
When we enter, a tiny woman with grey hair and obsidian eyes walks over and motions for Macklin to bend down, then she pats both his cheeks. “Why did I have to hear about your mate from one of those damn wolves? I treat you like my son. Mi familia. And you don’t call me?”
He flashes a rueful smile. “No excuses, but we’re here now.”
She pinches his cheeks, then turns and examines me from head to toe. “Too skinny. Don’t tell me you’re one of those females who’s always on a diet?”
“I love to eat,” I assure her. “Macklin told me your food is incredible, but the reason he comes here is to see you.”
Her gaze flicks from me to Macklin, then she laughs. “She’s good.” She turns back to me. “Fiametta, but you can call me Nonna.”
“Does that mean I’m out of the doghouse?” Macklin teases her.
“Not a chance. Come. Let me fix you something to eat. Get to know your mate. Then you can tell me why I’m hearing a siren and rumblings of disappearing supernaturals,” she says imperiously, walking into a small dining room with about twelve tables.
Almost all of them are full. Macklin nods at a few people but keeps walking until we get to a cozy booth in the back. Nonna leaves, and a second later, a dark-haired, good-looking guy with a tan comes over.
“I’m Pietro. What can I get you to drink?” he asks, his eyes lingering on me.
Macklin growls. And I whip my head toward him. But he’s too busy glaring at Pietro. “Two waters. Bottle of red.”
Pietro chuckles. “Nonna will be pleased.” Then he disappears. Literally in front of my eyes. Seconds later, he reappears with our waters and a bottle of red wine with two glasses. He pours the wine, then disappears again.
“How did he do that? Disappear,” I murmur, wondering what kind of supernatural he is.
“Nonna’s an ancient succubus. Pietro, her grandson, is an incubus,” Macklin explains. When I look confused, he shrugs. “Demons who seduce you and drain your energy.”
I blanch. “He seems friendly but harmless.”
“Exactly. That’s how he lures you in,” Macklin answers as he turns toward the tiny woman who’s carrying two bowls in her hand even though we haven’t ordered yet.
“Shrimp scampi with linguini for your mate and vegetable lasagna for you,” she says, setting them down. She stands there, hands on her hips, waiting for us to take a bite.
When I do, my mouth bursts with flavor. Exactly what I would have ordered. After swallowing, I smile. “Amazing. The best shrimp scampi I’ve ever eaten.”
“Good.” She motions to Pietro, and he brings her a chair. “Now, tell me what’s going on.”
Macklin gives her an abridged version of the disappearances, but unlike with Raine, he tells Nonna that someone in Greystone is helping the organization.
She shudders. “Every hundred years or so, a group comes along, intent on eradicating us. Or using our powers. It’s how my sons and I ended up here after I lost my beloved Cesare. You need anything, you let me know. We have…family…who can help hide the bodies.”
She gets up. “Enjoy the rest of your dinner. I’ll get you some dessert to take home.”
After she leaves, Macklin nuzzles me. “I have another dessert in mind.”
Heat pools low, and I lick my lips. “It’s my turn to explore, remember?”
His lips capture mine, and I groan, wondering if Nonna’s food will heat up for lunch.
He chuckles. “Eat, and I’ll let you do whatever you want.” Returning to his food, he stares at me until I pick up my fork and take a few more bites.
Images of all the things I’ve been thinking about flash in my mind, and I shift restlessly in my seat. Macklin groans and lifts his hand.
Pietro comes over, a little smirk on his mouth, and hands Macklin the check and the box with our dessert, then hands me a second box for our leftover food.
Fifteen minutes later, the food is in our fridge and Macklin’s scooping me up into his arms.
I wrap my legs around him and sigh, loving everything about him.
You humble me, love.
He captures my lips in that slow-burn way of his, and I instantly melt. Once we’re in his bedroom at the end of the hall, he lets my feet drop to the ground.
“Take off your shirt,” I tell him.
He removes it and tosses it on a nearby chair.
I run my hands up his broad chest and follow the lines with my tongue. Head bent, he watches every move I make, and if it weren’t for the increase in his breathing, I wouldn’t know he was turned on.
Unbuckling his belt, I lick his abs, then strip his pants off. My fingers wrap around his cock, and unlike in the elevator, the light in here is bright enough to see every inch of him, and my breath catches at the sight of his thick cock.
“Beautiful,” I say, slowly exhaling. “I want to know everything. What you like. Don’t like.”
Steel wrapped in velvet. Moving to the bed, I sit down and run my finger across every centimeter, including his balls. Then I lightly grip him and slide my hand down his cock and back up again.
“For example, do you like to be touched like this?” I tighten my grip and repeat the movement. “Or like this?”
He lets out a low moan that sends shivers down my body and clears his throat. “Tighter.”
Keeping my grip tight, I stroke him up and down, then lean down and swirl my tongue around the tip of his cock. “Like or not like?”
“Like. A lot,” he returns in a gravelly voice.
Opening my mouth wide, I slip his cock into my mouth and swirl my tongue around the tip before lightly sucking on it.
He thrusts forward, and I gag a little before I figure out how to relax my throat and take him deeper.
He lightly cups the back of my head, rocking in and out of my mouth.
Every time he pushes back in, he’s a little deeper.
Amazed by how much I’ve taken, I glance up and see his deep blue eyes glittering with lust. I swallow. He groans and begins to thrust in and out of my mouth.
“I love seeing your sweet little mouth stretched over my cock,” he murmurs, moving his hips a little faster. I reach out and grasp his thighs, steadying myself.
“Look at me,” he orders, and the instant I do, he surges forward, faster and faster. “I’m going to come. When I tap your shoulder, pull back, okay?”
My eyes narrow in defiance.
He taps me on the shoulder, but I keep my mouth firmly latched around his cock. When he sees my determination, his cock swells, and his hand tightens in my hair as he comes hard.
I swallow several times, then slip my mouth from his body. He drops to his knees and pulls me in a for a wildly different kiss, bold and chaotic, as if he’s still turned on. I whimper, needing more.
He pivots on his heel and walks over to the dresser. Tossing me a white shirt, he heads toward the bathroom. “Be back in a second.”
Grateful for his understanding, I slip out of my shirt and pull on the tank.
Tugging on it, I realize my shoulders are going to partially show.
Spotting a mirror in the corner, I walk over to see how much of my scars is going to be exposed and wince.
It’s more than I thought. Plus, the armholes are so big, you can see almost all of my side and a glimpse of my scarred back.
“You’re beautiful, love,” Macklin says, coming to stand behind me, his naked body towering over mine in the mirror.
His hands reach for my pants and pull them down, along with my underwear, leaving me clad only in his tank. My nipples harden when I see the need in his eyes.
Large hands circle around and dive under the front of the tank to cup my breasts. I moan and lift the shirt to watch him touch me. His head dips, and his tongue swirls around my ear and down my neck before he catches my chin with his finger and pulls my head back for a deep, thrusting kiss.
I moan and slip my hand down my body, but his iron grip snags it. “I want you to come on my tongue.”
With a shiver, I nod, and he shifts, pulling me toward the bed. To my surprise, he lies on his back and lifts me to straddle him. “I want you to sit on my face.”
Shocked, I stare down at him. “Umm, won’t that be uncomfortable?”
“Try it. If you don’t like it, we can change positions,” he says with a grin.
Cheeks burning, I take a deep breath and move up his body before hovering above his face. His hands clamp down on my thighs, then his tongue swipes top to bottom. Incoherent words spill from my lips as he ravages my body. Oh my freaking sweet…
My thighs quiver when he spears me with his tongue, and a loud moan escapes.
I arch, needing more, and feel a prickling awareness at my back.
Glancing over my shoulder, I see Andros in the doorway, watching Macklin’s tongue slip in and out.
Caramel-colored eyes full of lust, he swallows hard but says nothing.
Knowing he’s there makes me moan louder and swivel my hips until I’m riding Macklin’s tongue.
He slides his hand between my legs and firmly circles my clit, and I cry out, coming hard.
My thighs shake as the waves roll over me, and I pull myself off Macklin and collapse to the side, breathing heavily.
Macklin’s gaze drifts from me to the door, which is now empty, and winks.
You liked him watching, didn’t you?
Yes. Did you mind?
No, love. It’s all about how you feel.