Page 45 of Wrestling With Werewolves

Our joint admission feels like an oath, a promise, our souls are making as we stand together.

I groan and slide a hand into her hair, gripping her neck. Pulling her head carefully backward, I bury my face in her soft skin and allow myself to drag in a deep, ragged breath of my woman.

My. Woman.

Big Daddy howls with delight deep inside my mind, panting with need.

His desire comes through in my voice as I moan, sucking in desperate, disjointed breaths of her. She’s still in my arms, goose bumps covering her silky skin. There’s a spot on the side of her neck, right where her shoulder muscles meet it, that I wanna sink my teeth deep into.

As if she read my mind, she cants her head to one side, giving me perfect access.

I can’t help myself. And I can’t be blamed for what happens after that, because her offering sends me into a frenzy that happens so fast, I can barely comprehend it. Flattening my tongue into the hollow at the base of her throat, I lick a hard path up her throat and to a spot under her ear.

She jolts in my arms, rocking her hips against my waist with a pretty little whine. I open my mouth and strike, sucking at that perfect spot where her neck and shoulder meet. Lola gasps, her breasts smashing against my upper chest as I hover over her, soaking in her taste, her smell.

Alarms blare in the back of my mind. We can’t do this simply. There are considerations. But Big Daddy helps me shove all that away to focus on her.

There is only her.

The only thing that matters now that I’ve found her.

I trail a path of hard bites down to her collarbone, sliding one hand up to move her tee off her shoulder. My teeth trace a path all the way to the edge, leaving hard indents as her chest rises and falls fast.

I sink my fingers into the fabric of her tee, ready to rip it off her when the comm disk on my wall blares loudly. Lola jumps, and I groan.

For a long moment, we stare at each other. Is she feeling the same wonder I am? The same satisfaction? The same worry?

Her glazed eyes flick to the ringing disk on my wall, and her expression morphs to immediate concern. “It’s Papá.”

I spin to grab the disk, and sure enough, Marco’s name flashes over it. Lola hops off the counter and rounds it, reseating herself on her stool as Big Daddy grumbles in my mind.

I drop the comm disk to the ground and direct it to answer. Then I grab my spatula and remove three utterly burned tamales from the frying pan, setting them aside.

Marco’s familiar figure hologram rises up from the disk, his eyes flashing when he sees me. He looks to the right to see his daughter, breaking into a smile. “Lola, good, you’re here. I was planning to call you next.” He looks over at me, glancing at the spatula. “Don’t kill my kid with whatever you’re cooking.”

I snort and slap at his hologram with the utensil. He ducks and laughs, even though it sounds a little forced. He’s here with bad news and stalling, for some reason.

I’m not his Second anymore, but I still read him like a book. “What’s wrong?”

He nods and straightens, glancing between Lola and me. “Eliel has officially challenged me.”

Lola hisses in a breath as I press against the countertop, crossing my arms.

“When?”

“Just under a week.” Marco glances at Lola. “Don’t worry, mijita, I won’t lose.”

“I have utter faith in you,” she says with a growl. “And I wish you’d allow me to be there to show my support, although I understand your concern.”

Marco shakes his head. “Eliel’s using magic. We know that much. If he manages to beat me, I’m convinced he’ll come for you in Ever. Nuñez agrees.”

A snarl rips from me, Big Daddy shoving into my thoughts. At the full green of my eyes, Marco nods sadly.

“I know, old friend. You’ll keep her safe, if something happens?”

“Until my last breath.” Big Daddy’s vehemence is clear in my tone.

Marco takes a breath and looks between us. “When this blows over, I’ll come visit for a while. It’s been too long since I took Lola on any sort of vacation.”

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