Page 81 of So I Won a Werelion

In all the years I’d known Gabe we’d never done anything like this. I’d made myself the opposite of sexy because I could be comfortable with him. He’d seen me at my absolute worst and still loved me. Now it was time to treat him to a little taste of sex goddess—or my best attempt at being one.

Even if my tassels didn’t always twirl quite right or if I felt clumsy on the pole. We could have fun with it. That was what was so awesome about being in a relationship with my best friend. It was totally okay to laugh if this turned into a disaster. I’d probably get a case of the giggles trying to play seductress, no matter what happened.

Tassels applied, thong strangling my butt crack, and corset hooked, I was almost ready to go. I gave myself one last look over in the full-length mirror. I’d already had the full hair andmakeup treatment byThe Mating Gameglam squad. I felt good. Strong.

Dare I say, actually sexy.

And ready to take this relationship to the next level. I was glad Bibi wasn’t here to ask me what that meant. It was scary and exciting, and if Gabe always landed on his feet, he wouldn’t let me fall flat on my face.

A practice twirl didn’t do much more than tangle the tassels. Whatever. This outfit would probably make Gabe feral, and he’d rip them off as soon as I started the lap dance.

If I could be so lucky.

“I’m ready to be laced up,” I called out.

The door swung open, and I turned in time to see two men in ski masks enter the room. Before I could scream, one of them shoved something into my mouth. I fought as hard as I could, but I was no match for their superhuman strength.

Someone else put a bag over my head.

They meant to do something that no one witnessed. Including me. Oh, fuck.

One of them lifted me off the ground and threw me over his shoulder. I kicked as hard as I could, practically choking on the nasty ball of cloth in my mouth. Hopefully one of my blows landed directly on this guy’s dick.

Where was Bibi? Blaire? Fuck, did they get them too? No, they’d never get Bibi. She’d be picking these assholes out of her teeth with sparkly floss.

Which meant they had no idea this was happening.

The guy dropped me on my back, but he wasn’t done with me yet. He grabbed my wrists and tied something around them tightly. He went for my ankle, but I wasn’t making it that easy for him.

“The more you fight, the more you’ll be punished.” There was a definite growl in that voice. No, it was smoke, like he lived in a bar. Was it Shifter Number One from the stage?

I gave him another kick for good measure. One pissed-off lion and a fairy dragmother would be looking for me any minute.

But would anyone else care that I was gone?

Chapter

Twenty-Seven

Gabe

“Don’t think I’ve ever been inside here before.” The Orchid Lounge had traditionally been a jazz lounge, but since Bibi le Bonnet had come to town, it had become an emporium for burlesque, pole dance competitions, drag queen bingo, drag queen charades, and whatever else struck her fancy.

Most of the stage was shrouded by purple velvet curtains. A single black leather chair sat on the stage, and some ofThe Mating Gamecrew worked to adjust lights around it. Marissa flittered around, giving last-minute instruction. Bjorn had his camera trained on the chair, and had set up another facing in the opposite direction.

That’s when I spotted the pole. I immediately thought of Wendy, naked and oiled, spinning around the metal made my cock hard. The image was mixed with those flashbacks of her dancing around the fire.

They’d become more frequent since our camping trip. More vivid, like I could reach out and touch her. That was how real they felt. Members of my pride believed in past lives, but I’d always thought it was an excuse for them to waste the one they were currently living. At least, that was what I’d thought the lasttime I was with them—as a cocky teenager who thought he had all the answers.

Moving back home at forty-two, I was ready to admit I didn’t know shit about who I was or where I came from. But I was lion enough to own up to those mistakes and fix them.

“It’s time to give you a serious nightlife upgrade, Gabriel. Sometimes the lion needs to get out of the mountains.” Bibi looked like part of the décor in a sparkly purple bodysuit. “You definitely dressed to impress tonight.”

I had one suit to my name. It was the same one I wore to Cindy’s mating ceremony. And on stage when Wendy chose me to be her mate. I’d need a new one for my own ceremony.

Bibi stopped dead in her tracks. “What’s the smile for?”

“Just thinking about the next time I’ll wear a suit. Probably need a new one.”

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