Page 71 of Cross To Bear

“You keep his name out of your fucking mouth,” Tiffany snarled, stabbing her finger into the air.

“What, like you’re forced to?” I cocked an eyebrow. “Because otherwise word would get back to his actual old lady, wife…” I shook my head. “Whatever she calls herself, and then you’d be facing some very real consequences, wouldn’t you? I suspect she wouldn’t be talking to you in quite the same polite manner I’m using right now.”

“She’s gonna be left in the dust, just like you will be,” Tiffany asserted. “She’s no good for him, just like you’re no good for Razor. Fucking all of his mates—”

“Fucking all of his mates with his explicit and enthusiastic consent,” I replied.

“Chicks like you call us sluts, but I’d be so good for Bjorn,” she sneered. “He’d never have to lift a finger if he was with me—”

“That’s not how he works.” I blinked, hearing my own words. “He doesn’t want a bang maid, he wants…”

Me, that was the obvious ending of the sentence, and I thought both Krystel and Tiffany knew that too, otherwise why were they growling at me, fists snapping up. That was when the door was shoved open and Roxy came walking in.

“Put your fucking hands down and keep them to yourselves if you want to be allowed in any MC run establishment in the city. No, fuck it, the state.” Roxy’s voice had the crisp snap of a school headmistress, and the two of them dropped their hands like naughty girls. “That’s what Razor is demanding should happen right fucking now.”

“What?” Krystel cried. “No, I—”

“Get to walk out of here in one piece and go and enjoy yourself, if you make sure never to speak to, look or even breathe in Maddie’s direction again. I negotiated that for the two of you, not for your sakes.” The women’s expressions fell. “Because if Razor steps in and solves all of his mate’s problems, no one is going to respect her. Now get!”

I watched the women go scuttling out the door like their arses were on fire, but that didn’t stop them from shooting me dirty looks over their shoulders.

“Fucking monkeys…” Roxy shook her head, then looked at me. “Sorry, that’s a term shifters use for humans and it’s an offensive one.”

“Um… OK, thanks for riding to my rescue there.”

“You didn’t need me to.” Her reflection stared at me. “Razor sent me in here as soon as he saw them make their way in, but I knew.” She turned around, propping her butt against the sink. “You’ve dealt with silly bitches like that before, know that this is all just elaborate dominance displays.”

“Not really, no,” I said, rinsing off my hands properly now.

“Well, shifters, they can tell instinctively which ones are more dominant than others.” She smiled wolfishly. “I don’t meet many that can match my big dick energy, but those that do.” She nodded to the door. “I know to keep well clear of. But humans… Your monkey roots are always showing. Dominance is fought over all the time in increasingly messy ways. People are always trying to take what others have, bring them down a peg or two.”

Roxy nodded at me.

“You’re not a known quantity in this bar. You’re not a shifter, but you’re the mate of one, so the guys and female shifters will give you a wide berth, and wannabes like those little skanks? They see what you’ve got and think you’re an easy mark, that they can spook you off, send you running and take your men, and if that doesn’t work?”

She stepped closer, those green eyes gleaming.

“Then they’ll see if something a little more physical will get them what they want. Take it from a shifter. You need to act more like one of us. Embrace the natural dominance that lurks inside your heart and make sure they see it. You don’t have to go around shoving people or getting into fights. Predators rarely do because it’s a waste of fucking energy. Just make clear those boys are yours and no one better come within ten feet of you, and there’ll be no more girls trying to jump you in the toilets.”

Somehow I was right back in high school again, having to play by the laws of the jungle to survive. But I wasn’t a kid anymore. I was a woman, one who’d found some kind of freedom in doing more and more reckless things, so perhaps that’s why I did this.

I hooked my thumbs under the sides of my underwear and then wriggled it down and over my boots as Roxy’s eyes went wide.

“OK, that’d do it,” she said.

I didn’t answer her, shoving the undies into my pocket before striding back out into the bar. Razor was back at our table, slouched in his chair like an indolent king, watching his courtiers making merry, right up until the point I reappeared. He went to get up, but I put a hand on his chest and pushed him right back down again, my hands sliding down his body in a way that made my intent clear.

“Maddie, what…?” His voice trailed away as I slid his zipper down and then eased him out. “Fuck…” he hissed as I went to my knees before him. “Fuck, no, you don’t…”

He had no more words to say as my tongue slid up his hard length.

Chapter 42

Razor

I watched Maddie stride across the room towards me, but there was something different about her walk. The impudent sway of her hips was more pronounced, something plenty of blokes noticed. I started to growl, to get to my feet, ready to punch their teeth down their throats, when Maddie slid her hands down my body. A fated mate soothed the savage beast and the bear abandoned any desire to wreak havoc when she was touching us. But when she jerked my zip down, when her hand went around my cock and she pulled it free, I started to protest. Whatever pep talk Roxy had with her, this wasn’t it. My girl silenced me as effectively as a ball gag as she opened her mouth and swallowed me down.

“Fuck…”

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