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Garret's Domination
Cassidy's emotions are scattered as she tries to find her place in
Climax. She's done wicked things with Garret and his crew, and
only craves more of their feral passion. But do they want her for
more than just sex?
Garret fights his natural desire to mark the little human for his
pack, afraid she'll reject them once she finds out what they really
are. The Rockford wolves are playing dirty, and a suspicious visit
from Cassidy's long-lost half brother only adds to the problems
plaguing the pack.
Wolves of Climax 2
Stacey Espino
LOVEXTREME FOREVER
GARRET’S DOMINATION
Copyright © 2012 by Stacey Espino
E-book ISBN: 1-61926-484-6
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance
to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
PUBLISHER
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
Letter to Readers
Dear Readers,
The author and the publisher work very hard to bring our paying
readers high-quality reading entertainment.
This is Stacey Espino’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect
Ms. Espino’s right to earn a living from her work.
STACEY ESPINO
Copyright © 2012
Chapter One
Cassidy hadn’t planned on fucking four men the first week she
arrived in Climax. It just happened. Now that she’d started her new
job she began to wonder if she’d made the best choice for herself. She
could just imagine the gossip in town if it got out—the town tramp,
brushwood bunny, Cassie-the-cock-lover. How do I get into these
situations?
She hadn’t had contact with any of her lovers since Monday
morning. The last one she’d seen was Garret as he rushed off in hopes
of finding Matthew, his missing mine worker. The rest of the staff
seemed to give him up for dead, but Garret refused to lose hope. It
was just one of the reasons she knew he couldn’t be involved in the
disappearance like some of the townsfolk had suggested.
Since she had no one to teach her the ropes at her new job, she’d
learned how to do a lot on her own around the office. She still needed
Garret to teach her how to handle the dispatching side of things, if he
ever showed up again. It was Wednesday morning. Cassidy had
stayed in Garret’s trailer on the jobsite for the past two nights at his
insistence. Apparently some weirdo had been lurking around her
house during the day, and wolves by night. She wasn’t going to
Garret’s Domination 9
She whispered, “I’m not an animal. You can’t own me.” But the
thought of belonging to these dominant men made her body hum and
her blood run hot. She’d been without her vibrator or a man since
their ménage à quatre when she was stranded at the mine. Cassidy
wouldn’t have complained if Travis asked her to drop to her knees
and suck his cock. She needed any type of sexual release from the
virtual volcano inside her. The fact he’d come back at all lifted the
black cloud that had followed her since the men left.
“But you do want me to own you. Don’t deny it.” He had a
devilish smirk on his face. “You say no, but I guarantee your body’s
telling me yes.” Travis moved forward, forcing her to back up until
her legs hit the side of her desk. She had nowhere else to go.
“I don’t know what kind of girls you’ve dated, but I refuse to be
with a man that only shows up when he’s horny.”
“Am I horny?”
She rolled her eyes. His cock was digging into her stomach. She
could have sat on the desk, but liked the way it felt pressed tight
against her. Her pussy was already swollen and moist, ready to be
fucked. But she wouldn’t let him know that. If he didn’t want a
serious relationship, she’d be best to ignore her deep-seated yearning
and hold out for a man who’d commit to her—body, mind, and soul.
“Cassidy, you’re not answering.” He smoothed his hand over her
hair, leaning down to smell her shampoo. When she didn’t respond,
he made a disapproving sound deep in his chest. “Okay, fine. Truth or
dare?”
“Are you serious? I know you’re older than ten.”
“Truth or dare?”
Cassidy exhaled her annoyance. “Truth.”
He smiled, pleased with her choice. Travis slipped his hands down
her sides and then cupped her ass with both his big, strong hands. “I
can bring you to orgasm in the next ten minutes, right here. Not a
little peak you’ll soon forget, but powerful enough to have you
screaming.”
12 Stacey Espino
probably to stay disconnected from her, further proof she was only a
sexual object and no more. But she ignored the fact and focused on
the thick cock stroking deliciously in her cunt and the warm tongue
heating up her erogenous zone behind her ear.
Every time he’d thrust up, his pubic bone would grind against her
clit until it was so swollen it would explode any second. Her orgasm
was right there, hovering at the surface, so beautiful and addicting. As
much as she wanted to leap over the edge, she savored the bliss of
knowing she could extend her pleasure or bring herself to climax with
just a thought. It was heavenly, her whole body ultrasensitive, sweat
glistened, and burning up from the inside out.
“Don’t make me a liar, baby. Come for me.” He rose up, securing
her hips in each hand until her ass lifted off the edge of the desk.
Travis fucked her while looking down at her. He was gorgeous, his
blue eyes awash in a haze of raw lust. “Damn it, Cassidy, be a good
girl and come for me.”
She tried her best to hold off, to keep from peaking until after the
ten minutes were up, but she couldn’t. His movements were too quick
and intense now, and his gravelly voice made her clit throb harder.
“Travis!” She opened her mouth and arched her back as her release
tore through her body, building, building, and then detonating. Her
orgasm was powerful, taking over her body for those precious
seconds.
“Good Lord, you’re tight.” She could feel her walls contracting
around his cock, pulling him deeper, demanding he give up his seed.
He did. Soon after her, he growled, his fingers biting into the thick
flesh of her hips as he spent himself inside her. Hot jets of cum filled
her, dousing the final flame.
After he tucked himself away, he began to secure his belt again.
No words were spoken—that after-sex tension lingering in the air.
“Where’s Garret?” she asked.
Garret’s Domination 15
“He wanted to check one more lead. An old-growth forest near the
Dapper Falls. He got a call on his two-way saying there was a body in
a ravine up there.”
She sat up, pulling her blouse shut with one fist. “A body?
Shouldn’t the police be called? Why aren’t you with him?”
“Garret can hold his own. Besides, it’s daylight. The creepy-
crawlies only come out at night.” He waggled his fingers in front of
her face, but she swatted them away.
She missed Garret. They’d only just connected when he got that
first phone call which stole him away. Cassidy wondered if the
bologna Travis spoke about was true. Would Garret decide the fate of
his crew’s love life? As much as she wanted him to return, she was
terrified he wouldn’t choose her. Maybe with his official acceptance,
Travis would finally give her the kisses she sought, let down that wall
between them. Or she could lose everything in the blink of an eye,
just like Cinderella.
16 Stacey Espino
Chapter Two
give a shit about her? You were quick to fuck her. Is that it now, she’s
yesterday’s news like all the others?”
“Look, I know you have feelings for her, but don’t take it out on
me.”
“You know nothing,” he said dismissively.
Travis stepped to the edge of the embankment and glanced down.
“You forget we were all in our fur the last couple days. You may be
alpha, but you’re obviously unable to mask your feelings about
Cassidy. We all heard it, like a broken record playing over and over in
our heads.”
“Whether I feel something or not has nothing to do with you
letting a helpless female travel through new, dangerous territory by
herself.”
They both glanced at the officers at the same time. Their voices
were getting too loud. Besides, if Cassie hadn’t shown up by now, she
could be in trouble. A strange male was out looking for her, and
whoever kidnapped Matthew could be prowling the mountainside for
more victims.
“Follow me to the Falls. That’s where she would have gone,” said
Travis. He returned to his truck where he sat revving the engine. The
Falls was where the lead told Garret to go, but when he found
nothing, he continued up the road for a few miles where he spotted
the police car on the side of the road. Cassie could be anywhere. He
hoped she was smart enough to turn around and head back to the
mine.
As he followed Travis’s truck, he couldn’t help but reflect on the
fact Cassie had come because of him. She genuinely cared, wanted to
ease his burden of possibly finding a dead friend on his own. Her
gesture only strengthened the bond he felt between them.
The Falls was almost within sight. His heart pounded in his chest.
Just the thought of looking into her big blue eyes brought him a
childish excitement. Like Travis had mentioned, he was lost to the
little brunette.
20 Stacey Espino
****
The drive through the narrow back roads had been daunting. Most
of the forest canopy blocked out the sky, giving the impression of
driving through a vast tunnel of green foliage. She had an out-of-date
road map and the basic directions Travis had tossed her way. He’d
insisted Garret wouldn’t want her to come, but she knew better. He
wasn’t all brawn—no man was. There was a softness lurking behind
Garret’s Domination 21
those dark eyes of his. She’d seen glimpses of it herself, and it drew
her to him, connected them on a deeper level.
She’d finally spotted the poorly displayed road marker she’d been
seeking. Cassidy pulled into the small clearing and cut the engine.
The forest chatter seemed to silence once she slammed her door shut.
She looked up around her, a virtual wall of forest, the spaces between
trees dark and forbidding.
The path she had to follow was right in front of her. She just had
to take that first step and suck up her fears. “You can do this,” she
encouraged herself. Garret needed her. He’d been there for her,
rescuing her from her weather-beaten cabin where danger seemed to
gravitate. Those haunting wolves. Cassidy remembered the feral
sounds they’d made her first night alone in Climax. It had terrified her
to the core. Now she was in their element, a tasty treat on a silver
platter.
She moved fast, hopping over obstacles and walking at a brisk
pace. If she could get to the Falls, she’d be safe. At least she imagined
she could dive into the water and the beasties wouldn’t want to
follow. Even more, she hoped Garret was at the other end of the trail.
Her nerves raced as she traipsed along the roughly established route
which was more a maze than a path. The forest tried to reclaim the
land as it had at her cabin.
Her peripheral vision picked up a flash of movement. She froze,
standing as still as a statue and listening for anything out of the
ordinary. Squirrels clamored in the branches above her, the wind
whistling through the leaves. She took a tentative step. A wolf crossed
the path ahead, just for fraction of a moment, and then disappeared
into the undergrowth. She could have blamed the sight on her
overactive imagination it happened so fast, but she knew.
This was it. She couldn’t make a run for it. There was only forest
in every direction. And like Garret had explained about him and his
men—comparing them to wolves—wolves traveled in packs, did
22 Stacey Espino
ensnare Garret with that anonymous phone call, or was she the
intended target? Was this her stalker?
A bead of sweat rolled down between her breasts. “Who are you?”
She was almost afraid to ask, but hoped to appeal to him if he really
meant to harm her. Cassidy’s life may not have been everything she’d
hoped for herself at thirty-four, but she wasn’t ready to die. There was
so much she still wanted to do, to experience.
“Just a friend. I work at the Rockford Mine. You know, you
should be careful with the men you work for. There’re stories floating
around about them and the illegal things they do when the sun goes
down.”
This was the same type of talk she heard from the men in the town
diner. Did it have any bearing? “A story doesn’t make it true.” She
refused to allow him to blacken Garret’s name or any of the men
she’d met at the mine. Until they personally wronged her, she
wouldn’t fall for rumors and wives’ tales.
He came closer until less than a foot separated them. “You know
the Gregor miners blame us for their man’s disappearance. Since I
know we had nothing to do with it, that leaves only them.”
“Or wolves. Some of the townsfolk said there’ve been a lot of
wolf attacks around Climax.”
Ryder twisted and pulled up the side of his shirt, revealing a grisly
scar that extended from his stomach, over his hip, and around to his
back. “I’m not immune myself.” Seeing his old injury with her own
eyes made her more nervous about being in the middle of the old-
growth forest. If Ryder got attacked once, it could happen again.
“I–I should go home.”
“But you just got here.” There was a sadistic tenor in his voice.
She heard rustling in the underbrush at several locations around her.
Her nerves flared.
“Did you hear that?”
24 Stacey Espino
“Could be anything way out here. That’s why little humans should
stay out of places they don’t belong. You’re not on Gregor land
anymore.”
He reached out. “Stay away from me!”
“That’s not very nice. Considering you’re the one trespassing, you
should be a little more appeasing, don’t you think?”
Cassidy suddenly became hyperaware. Her senses were magnified
by her rush of adrenaline. As if the world slowed down around her,
she could hear the animals moving in around them and the sound of
her heart. She knew she was right for believing in Garret, finally
understood his obsession with Matthew and his hatred for the
competition at Rockford Mining.
She was about to make a bold move and try to outrun Ryder.
What else did she have to lose? But then a dogfight in the underbrush
to her right stole her confidence.
“What the hell?” complained Ryder, clearly not experiencing the
same rush of fear as her.
“Are those…”
“Wolves. Seems you’re more important than I first anticipated.
Interesting.” Then he left her alone, disappearing into the greenery
without a backward glance. The snarling and thrashing grew louder,
spreading around her. Trees shook, leaves falling down around her
like a morbid rain shower, and the earth trembled. Cassidy bolted
down the path she came, praying none of those hellhounds followed
her. Why did she ever leave the city?
Garret’s Domination 25
Chapter Three
Travis made the first move. It had been a bitch to find Cassidy.
She wasn’t at the Falls, but further down the road beyond their
territory. Normally they’d never cross the line into Rockford terrain,
but Garret was hell-bent on finding the girl. When they finally spotted
her car it didn’t take long to track her scent through the forest. The
stench of wolves from their rival pack lingered potently on Cassidy’s
trail, along with the acrid smell of her fear. It made Garret wild, his
thoughts almost incoherent. Travis knew his alpha was capable of
mass carnage, but always kept his wolf in check, trying to blend into
human society and run the Gregor Mine. He felt it was important to
nurture both the wolf and man within, finding the perfect balance of
the two.
Together they plowed through the unfamiliar forest until they
reached their target. Three wolves were closing in around Cassidy,
and that bastard Ryder had her pinned against an ancient oak. How
could a male find pleasure in bringing fear to such a tiny, fragile
creature?
Ryder had often come into town to goad them, ask if Matthew had
returned, or if business was picking up. If it wasn’t for Climax being
neutral territory, Travis would have happily torn him a new one.
“This isn’t our land, Garret. We’ll be outnumbered.”
“She’s ours, Travis. We protect what’s ours.”
He had to push himself to keep up with his alpha. “When did this
happen? I don’t remember you making that announcement.”
Travis kept his heart closed, even when he’d shared Cassidy’s
body. It wasn’t easy when his instincts streamed within him to claim
26 Stacey Espino
her. But what was the point of falling for a woman when it was up to
the alpha to choose the pack’s mate? Now Garret was tossing out
promises he was skeptical of believing. He was probably just
determined not to lose another staff member to the Rockford wolves.
Then why could he sense Garret’s territorial threat, the intense
resolve to protect Cassidy? The only comparison was that of a mated
male. Travis had just enjoyed Cassidy’s sweet body at the mine, and
she bore no love bite, no mark of ownership.
“If you’re not willing to die for her, then leave,” said Garret.
The first wolf came into view at Travis’s right. His feral
aggression boiled to the surface. He leapt up, pouncing down on his
target, sinking his fangs into the male’s scruff. In an instant they were
in a tangle, rolling along the underbrush, and breaking through
saplings.
“I see you, Cassie.” Even in battle, he could hear his alpha’s
thoughts, the loving, yet deadly, inflection in his tone.
They were only two, and Travis was damn sure the Rockford
wolves traveled in stronger numbers, even if just patrolling their own
forest. But he’d never leave Garret’s side, and as much as he dared
not admit it, would gladly fight for Cassidy’s life. He saw her in his
mind’s eye as he fought the wolf, giving him added strength. If she
was harmed, he’d destroy them all.
****
Cassidy ran until her thighs burned and her lungs threatened to
break free of her chest. She stumbled over roots, got slapped in the
face with twigs and scraped by thorny bushes. While the crazed
wolves fought each other, it was her chance to escape back to her car.
By the time she saw the sunlight at the end of the maze through the
forest she began to laugh in a giddy, maniacal way. But she literally
wasn’t out of the woods yet and still had to get in her car where she’d
finally feel safe.
Garret’s Domination 27
She scrambled the remaining few feet, her legs feeling like jelly.
Even once in her car she couldn’t catch her breath. Cassidy rammed
the gear into reverse and sped her way to the road. She didn’t think
about her car or hitting an obstacle. All she focused on was the road
which would lead her home.
Where was home? She came to Climax to set down roots, to settle
somewhere she could make a real life for herself. But she had nothing
but a shack that was barely liveable. This wasn’t the rustic living she
signed up for, but rather hard-core roughing it.
Today she’d come out to the Falls to help Garret, but hadn’t even
found him. Was he okay? Had he run into the wolves before her? As
she drove along the narrow road, keeping well above the speed limit,
she began to worry about Garret once again. He hadn’t entered her
mind since Ryder confronted her in the forest. She hoped he was
okay. All she could do now was head back to the mine and hope he
was there waiting for her. Along with a bottle of booze to help her
forget this miserable day.
A loud series of honks behind her made her squeal aloud. She
looked in her rearview mirror, but could only make out the grill of a
truck. Could Ryder be following her? She didn’t doubt he was
capable of it. He’d made her feel more threatened than she’d ever felt
before. Cassidy craved the comforting presence of Garret and her
three miners. But if her feelings weren’t reciprocated, she was just as
lost as when she arrived in Climax.
The horn honked again, the truck trying to come alongside her.
She couldn’t let it get to her left or the maniac would probably try to
run her off the road. A sharp curve in the path approached. She sped
up to make it around the bend before the truck could cut her off, but
she wasn’t fast enough, not against the V-8. The truck tore straight in
front of her as the road curved, cutting her off sharply. She slammed
on the brakes, her car fishtailing into the soft shoulder next to the wall
of forest. Holy shit! The world spun into a blur, her life flashing
before her eyes for the second time in one day.
28 Stacey Espino
Then she saw the one person she didn’t expect to see. Garret came
around the back of his truck toward her door. At first she thought he
was a hallucination, a vision her mind created to keep her from losing
it completely. But it was him—from his dark hair and eyes to the
wide set of his shoulders. He was her savior, and to think she’d come
to help him.
He opened her door, and then reached in to pull her out. Why was
he only wearing low-rise blue jeans? “What on earth are you doing,
Cassie? You could have gotten yourself killed.”
She didn’t answer, only rose on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms
around his neck. “I’m so glad to see you,” she whispered. His heat,
the scent of his subtle cologne, and his strong arms surrounding her
made her feel safe, like she’d come home—in him.
“Why’d you leave the mine? I told you it’s not safe to wander
off.”
“I wanted to find you. I didn’t want you to have to identify
Matthew’s body alone.”
He held her head to his chest. “Sweet Cassie,” he cooed. “It
wasn’t Matthew. Just another goose chase. I should have stayed with
you.”
Her heavy heart lightened hearing the news. She didn’t even know
the missing miner, but knew how important he was to Garret. “I was
so scared. There were wolves, and some man…”
“Shhh, it’s over now. I’ll never let anything bad happen to you.”
Her heart rate calmed under his touch. “No more driving off without
one of us with you. Understand?”
She nodded. It would be easy to comply after the ordeal she just
lived through. Now that Garret was here, it all seemed like a bad
memory, no longer a cause for concern.
Another truck braked behind her car, the tires grinding in the dirt
and gravel. She didn’t even have the energy to lift her head from
Garret’s chest.
Garret’s Domination 29
“She okay?” Travis’s voice melted her last layer of icy nerves.
Garret didn’t answer him, just continued to smooth his hand over her
hair, calming her.
“Did that bastard touch you, Cassidy?” Travis peeled her off
Garret by the shoulder. “Answer me, damn it.”
How did he know there was a man? She’d only just told Garret.
“How can you know?”
“Because I looked him in the eyes.” He spun her to face him,
squatting down to pat the length of her body with both hands. “What
did he do to you?”
“I was scared, but luckily he didn’t get a chance to try anything
because he took off when the wolves showed up.” Now that she
thought back with a clearer mind, she wondered why pack animals
would suddenly turn on each other rather than going for their prey.
Her mind was a muddle, and she needed to have a good night’s sleep
to recuperate.
“Good thing for him.” He nearly growled the words. She wasn’t
used to this side of Travis. Cassidy was sure he didn’t care enough
about her one way or the other. Now she wasn’t so sure.
Garret leaned in the driver’s seat of her car and turned off the
engine. “You’re coming with me. I’ll get someone to pick up your car
later.” He tossed the keys to Travis.
She wasn’t going to protest, not when she was still shaky and
disoriented. Garret led her to the passenger side of his truck and
helped her up. The inside of the cab smelled like him and the leather
upholstery. “Thank you,” she said once he climbed in his seat a
minute later.
He only nodded, his face slightly stressed as he pulled back onto
the road. Was he mad that someone would have to come out for her
car? Did he regret hiring her? Was he thinking about Matthew? She
stole several peeks in his direction. How could she keep her eyes to
herself when all those golden muscles were bare for her inspection?
30 Stacey Espino
He was especially tense, a tic in his jaw proving something was the
matter.
“You okay?” she asked when the quiet strain was too much for
her.
He took a deep breath. “It’s just that Ryder knows how important
you are to us now. It worries me.”
“Do you think he’s the one who left the note on my house?”
“No, it wasn’t him. My men would have recognized his scent.”
She puzzled his words in her head. “What’s that supposed to
mean? No one saw who left it.”
“Right.” He returned his focus to the road, the silence settling in
once again.
They pulled into the Gregor Mine after the long drive. He sat in
the idling car, not acknowledging her. Finally she spoke. “Aren’t you
getting out?”
“I have some things I need to handle. As long as you stay on the
property, you’ll be safe. Evan and Patrick are in the pit. Use the two-
way if there’s a problem.”
She got the vibe that he and Travis planned some vigilante justice.
“But I want you. Please stay with me.”
He still wouldn’t look her in the eye. How could she dispel all that
male aggression? Explain he didn’t have to take revenge, just be
satisfied she was unharmed.
“Please…” She reached out and touched his arm, so rigid as he
gripped the steering wheel like a life preserver.
“That wouldn’t be a good idea. Certainly not now.”
“Look, I’m not stupid. You’re planning something that could get
you hurt.”
“I just need a good run, so does Travis.”
She remembered how untamed he’d been when he had sex with
her against the bathroom door. Garret had punched a hole through the
wood in his enthusiasm. The man was pure passion, raw and true. She
Garret’s Domination 31
wanted a taste of his wild side again, and his current mood meant he
needed an outlet to vent all that volatile emotion.
“There are other ways,” she suggested, hoping her fingers tracing
his muscles and husky tone of her voice would clue him in to what
she wanted from him.
****
Chapter Four
By week’s end, Evan wondered what move his alpha would make
next. There was unrest in the pack, as if everyone lived in stasis until
Garret made an official decision regarding Cassidy.
He knew what he wanted. If he was a lone wolf, he’d have already
marked Cassidy as his, given her a mark for all males to witness. His
wolf knew she was the one from that first scent, the first close and
personal inspection. The sex could have pulled him in one direction or
the other, but all it did was further cement the bond he felt for the
vulnerable little human. She was so small in stature compared to him.
All he wanted to do was protect her, take care of her. She was his
chance at absolution, a new life free of nightmares and regret.
At quitting time, he slipped into the construction trailer. He
couldn’t bear the thought of not seeing her until Monday, not when
she was constantly on his mind.
She was at the far end, alternately studying the map and the chart
in her hand. Her jeans hugged her tight ass, the one he craved to nip
and fuck. His cock instantly hardened, as was commonplace in
Cassidy’s presence.
“Hey,” he said when she still hadn’t heard him.
Cassidy twisted around, a warm smile on her face when she saw
him. Her smile could light up a room, make a hard day of work only
an afterthought. She’d curled her hair in oversized ringlets with the
curling iron Garret had bought for her yesterday. He had to fight
Bonnie to sell him her extra one, not that their long-haul driver was
one for personal appearance.
Garret’s Domination 33
Evan often wondered what game Garret was playing. It was clear
he’d fallen for the new dispatcher. He couldn’t hide his feelings in
wolf form, and his actions were obvious in his human skin. Why was
he holding back? If his alpha wanted her that badly, why not mark
her, make the mating legitimate? It’s what Evan wanted, probably
exactly what the pack needed.
“Hey, stranger.” She set her clipboard down on the closest desk.
“I never see you anymore.”
“I’ve been busy in the pit.”
She approached him, looking up at him with her addicting baby-
blue eyes. “Do you ever think about our night together?” Cassidy
traced a finger down his chest, creating a chain reaction of desire to
rip through his body. His heart pumped faster, his cock swelled in his
jeans, and there suddenly wasn’t enough air in the trailer.
“All the time.”
“Then why are you avoiding me?”
He tilted her chin up. “It’s Garret’s call, baby. If it were up to me,
I’d have you in my bed every night.”
She scowled. “He’s your boss, not your keeper. You don’t have to
lie or make excuses, Evan. I’m a big girl. I can handle a healthy dose
of rejection.”
How could he explain their unique circumstances without telling
her he wasn’t even fully human? She’d laugh all the way back to the
lower mainland.
The door to the trailer burst open after the quitting bell sounded.
Garret never pushed the miners to work overtime on a Friday. Rob
and Patrick came in, both already laughing to some unheard joke.
When they spotted Evan and Cassidy standing nearly chest to
chest, Patrick froze in place, like a deer in oncoming headlights. Rob
grinned, oblivious to the relationship that already existed between the
pack. He was one of several humans working the mine alongside
them.
34 Stacey Espino
“How come you get all the fringe benefits, Evan, while we only
get to roast under the sun in the copper dust?”
He growled, his wolf going on guard. Instinctively he put Cassidy
behind him. Rob was harmless, a friend, and smaller than Evan
regardless. But he couldn’t seem to control his territorial instincts
when males outside his pack came near Cassidy.
Patrick clapped the human on the shoulder. “It’s Friday, Rob.
Don’t you usually head to the diner for a beer after work?”
“Haven’t missed a Friday in over eight years.”
“I may join you later.” Patrick urged him to leave, no doubt
sensing Evan’s lack of control
He took a cleansing breath once they were alone again.
“Look, could you at least do me a favor? I need to get the rest of
my clothes from my house, and I want to check up on it. I’m not
living here forever, remember?”
“Sure, I’ll drive you down. No problem.” Being alone with
Cassidy was the last thing he should do in his condition, but how
could he ever say no to her?
****
Of all the men she’d spent the night with, she thought Evan had
the most potential in the relationship department. As usual, she was
wrong. Hot, cold, hot, cold. These men mystified her.
When they got to his truck, Patrick was already leaning against it.
He looked so damn sexy with his elbows resting back behind him on
the side of the truck, one heavy boot crossed over the other as he
waited. His gaze didn’t just look at her, it devoured. She could feel
him undressing her, burning a scalding path of heat down her body.
He didn’t have his toque on, not with the remnants of sun shining
down. His tousled red hair combined with those penetrating blue eyes
were irresistible.
“Where you taking the wee one?” he asked Evan.
Garret’s Domination 35
He was standing by the far wall, arms crossed over his chest.
Travis was in the center of the room, brushing his dirty-blond hair off
his face. The cowboy winked at her, a sexy smirk on his face.
She hadn’t even heard them enter, too enraptured by the other two
men in the quartet. Cassidy briefly allowed herself to imagine what it
would be like if the fifth member of their group were with them, the
one she may never meet. But she’d never been with four men. Would
Garret even participate? He hadn’t moved away from the wall, even
when Travis came to join them.
“You look mighty fine, sweetheart. These two been taking good
care of you?”
She shook her head, hoping he’d offer to give her more.
“We barely got started before you showed up,” said Evan. “But
it’s better to happen like this.” He began to unbutton her jeans, his
knuckles grazing her lower stomach. Every cell was hypersensitive,
tingling, and eager.
Although she knew she should put her foot down and demand
Garret advise her of his intentions, she was too lost to their
ministrations. She peered between two men, meeting those dark eyes.
It titillated Cassidy knowing Garret watched. Most men would be
bothered, jealous, or feel inferior. Not him. He exuded confidence and
dominance in the way he moved, spoke, and even looked at her.
“You joining us, boss?” asked Travis after pulling off his shirt.
His golden, toned muscles begged to be touched. It was time for her
to be a little bold. This was going to happen now, no matter how
strong her reservations may be. Her lust had the power. She was
outnumbered four to one with enough testosterone in the small cabin
that she could practically smell it.
“No.” His refusal made her heart sink. Why wouldn’t he? “Take
all her clothes off and lay her on the table. She needs to be taught a
lesson for wandering off alone.”
“Lesson?” she blurted out.
Garret’s Domination 39
“You were a bad girl, Cassie. I won’t have you risking your
safety.”
The three miners moved into a blur of action, as if knowing
exactly what punishment Garret expected them to perform. She was
roughly pushed down to her back, one of them tugging her jeans off
her body. Arms and hands were everywhere, making it impossible to
focus. Her panties were torn clean off her body, leaving a burning
streak in their wake. “Hey!” she squealed, but they ignored her
protest.
“She’s a feisty, little thing, eh?” Patrick unbuttoned his plaid
jacket, and then shrugged it off his shoulders, revealing a body-
sculpting undershirt. His pecs were clearly defined, his massive
shoulders bunching up as he leaned over her prone body. “Imagine
how she’ll react with my tongue in her cunt.” He purposefully licked
his lips, teasing her. Her pussy wept, her folds overflowing with
moisture. Cassidy began to squirm under him, her heart rate
deafening. She needed a proper fucking. There was too much stimuli
around her, but not enough satisfaction.
“Evan, Travis, hold her arms down while Patrick goes down on
her,” commanded Garret from across the room. The men didn’t even
question his words. Patrick slipped his hands under her bottom and
pulled her to the edge of the table, spreading her legs for his invasion.
He dropped down to his knees and let her legs fall over his shoulders,
his hot breath arousing her clit.
The other two followed orders, pinning her arms above her head.
She’d never been so turned on in her life. Part of her knew they’d
never actually force her to do something she wasn’t okay with, but
she still experienced that slight rush of adrenaline from not being able
to move. She craved the rush.
40 Stacey Espino
Chapter Five
Garret knew Cassie more than she did herself. She wanted to be
dominated, to feel controlled as her men pleasured her body. Not only
did she need to be taught what she liked, enabled to explore her
sexuality, but she did need punishment. He’d ensure one of his pack
mates brought her so close to her peak that she’d be begging, and then
he would leave her hanging just long enough to understand the power
he had over her.
When Garret couldn’t find her in the forest, fearing she was hurt
or killed, he was more beast than man, only seeing red. He never
wanted to go through that again. It was bad enough Matthew was
missing. He wouldn’t let something happen to Cassie, too. She was
more important to him than he allowed himself to realize.
Watching her writhe on the table, her lush body on full display,
aroused him to the point his fangs stabbed through his gumline. That
normally never happened to him unless he willed it. He stayed on the
sidelines, still uncomfortable with the weaknesses she brought out in
him. Garret had to be strong now. The enemy was all around. If he
allowed this slip of a human female to control his world, he’d be lost,
no good to his pack. But deep down he already knew she’d worked
her way into his heart. His wolf wanted her, too, which scared him
just as much. If he let loose as he’d like, he was certain he’d harm her
delicate body. He’d come close to ripping her apart when he’d had
sex with her the last time. His emotions for her were too strong to be
unleashed. It was better to let his pack service her until he could come
to grips with the war waging inside his heart.
Garret’s Domination 41
When Patrick delved into her folds, he was tortured by the man’s
thoughts. She tasted sweeter than honey. Mine. Patrick had never
outwardly showed a claim to the girl, but his beast obviously felt
differently. Garret was forced to know Cassie’s body without being
able to touch with his own hands, taste with his own tongue. It was
torture, beautiful torture.
Evan descended over her breasts, lapping and suckling while
holding her arm easily with one hand. Travis locked eyes with him,
and shook his head briefly. He knew Garret well, but probably
couldn’t understand why he’d deny himself such a treat.
Cassidy began to cry out, moaning as Patrick brought her closer to
orgasm. He’d wait until she was closer, on the teetering edge. Every
second felt like an hour. He swore he could even hear the rush of her
blood through her veins, the beat of her heart. The sudden urge to
mark her blindsided him. He would stay as long as he could bear, then
he’d have to escape the cabin into the fresh air, free of her pungent
aroma. It seemed he did a lot of running in his wolf form lately, a sign
that his humanity was slipping away.
“She’s almost there,” reminded Travis. “Is she allowed to come?”
He pushed away his thoughts and focused on the erotic scene
taking place before him. “No. Stop now, Red.”
He thought Patrick would refute him at first when he growled a
warning and didn’t rise from her legs. But seconds later he pulled
back and turned away from her. He, too, had difficulty reining in his
desires with Cassidy. Garret could see the tips of his fangs behind his
lips. Would they all turn savage and fuck her like animals? No, he
wouldn’t allow her to be harmed.
Not by a stranger, his pack—or him.
****
How much more could she take? Cassidy was strung so tight she
wanted to scream. This was the worst kind of punishment imaginable.
42 Stacey Espino
together, supporting her weight, fucking her, covering her back, chest,
and neck with teasing kisses. Who needed a bed when she had strong
men like these? The position allowed them to fully penetrate her. She
was so stuffed she thought she’d choke, her breath constantly stolen
by the waves of pleasure rolling up through her. Their bodies grew
slick, hard flesh sliding against her softness.
She was so close, her orgasm balancing the fine line of euphoria
and release.
“Share,” growled Patrick, pressing into them hard enough to
stagger the men. Cassidy was too lost to pay attention. The two cocks
sliding in and out of her pussy and ass were the ultimate distraction
from reality.
Then she was falling, not sure whose body was where. They hit
the floor, but she landed on one of the men so wasn’t hurt. There was
a scuffle, but she couldn’t make out what happened. Each man was
huge, the room small, the sun growing dimmer by the minute. From
sex to chaos within seconds.
“Travis?” She felt so cold, alone, and empty. Her peak was stolen,
her mind a haze of confusion. The men were fighting. Patrick struck
out at Travis, Garret trying to separate them. The sounds they made
were animalistic, making her skin break out in gooseflesh.
“Stop it!” she screamed, holding her hands over her ears. They
weren’t playing around. She saw blood, scratches, and they struck out
savagely, strong enough to knock a smaller man out cold. When they
continued, she pulled her knees up to her chest and closed her eyes.
What went so wrong, so fast?
The next thing she knew, arms hooked under her knees and
behind her back, swooping her up against a hard chest. She still
hadn’t opened her eyes when they burst out of the house into the cool
late-afternoon air. Once the angry sounds of battle were left behind,
she dared to open her eyes.
Garret’s Domination 45
Chapter Six
Garret may be the alpha of his pack, but he couldn’t pull rank with
Cassie in the house. If she weren’t there, he’d have shifted and
brought them to the floor by the scruff, one by one. He’d make each
of them show their bellies, bringing peace once again.
The explosive fight was exactly what he feared when they started
getting closer to the new girl. His men were still wolves, feral,
passionate creatures living as much on instinct as they did by human
order. Their thoughts had screamed in his head, such dominance and
aggression, as they each mentally claimed Cassie for themselves.
Patrick and Travis never even mentioned wanting to keep her for the
pack. Only Evan’s feelings had been made public to him.
Even if each of them wanted her as a mate, they should have
enjoyed sharing her as they did everything else in life. They were
acting like lone wolves. The conflict only confirmed they could never
claim Cassie. She was too delicate. What if she’d been hurt in the
scuffle? Compared to them she was just a slip—a sweet, delectable
female in need of protection, not more danger.
“We have to go back, Garret!” She continued to protest even once
they were deep in the mine, pulling up to his trailer. “It’s dangerous
out there.”
“Only for you,” he reassured. Not only was it dangerous to take
her as a mate, it was too complicated. How would he ever explain the
truth of what they were? Humans were heavily grounded in facts and
reality based on popular knowledge. To come out and say he was a
wolf-shifter would scare her, push her away. She’d probably laugh
48 Stacey Espino
When he glanced to his left, the hole in the bathroom door still
remained. He’d vented his energy on the inanimate object rather than
Cassie, just as his pack did earlier. They could have ripped her to
pieces when the fight broke out, but she didn’t get a bump or
scratched. His men knew enough, even in their frenzied display of
aggression and dominance, that she was fragile. He was making
excuses, or his cock was. She smelled so fucking sweet, her hair soft,
her skin warm. All he could think about was indulging in ripe pussy,
knowing her in the ways of the flesh.
“Are you sure the guys are all right?” Her hands reached their
limit, now reaching out over his shoulders. His shirt was bunched up
at her elbows.
“Positive.”
Right now he couldn’t even remember his own name. But her
worries were unfounded. He’d trained his men well, and they were all
well acquainted with the night and everything ugly in the world. Even
the native wolves and bears knew better than to mess with them when
they took on their fur.
“Back at the house…you were watching. Don’t I turn you on?”
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You wouldn’t. I know you wouldn’t.” She reached up on her
tiptoes, seeking his lips. “Please don’t leave.”
He leaned down to her level and kissed her back. It wouldn’t take
much effort for him to lose his humanity. Already he felt it slipping
away, replaced by a heady lust. He kissed her jawline, and then
nipped her ear before kissing along the smooth plane of her neck. His
hands tightened over her lush ass without being commanded.
Like being doused in ice water, the mood was killed by his two-
way going off on his belt. The loud, obnoxious noise was the last
thing he wanted to hear now. He reached for the clipped-on device
and hit the talk button.
“What is it?”
50 Stacey Espino
“You at the mine with Cassidy?” asked Travis. His voice was
masked in static, and he talked fast as if out of breath.
“Yeah.”
“Get out of there. We’re following a truck that showed up at the
house a while after you drove off. It was the same scent as the bastard
that left that note.”
“You sure about that?” His nerves spiked. He’d hoped whoever
left the note was long gone, but it appeared their problems wouldn’t
go away on their own.
“Are you kidding me? So far we’ve lost the fucker, but we won’t
stop looking until we finish him.”
“Okay. Be careful. I’m taking her to the mountains.” He tossed
the phone on the couch and moved around her. His mind was a
jumble of thoughts. First things first. He began to stuff some of
Cassidy’s clothes into a duffel bag. It would be cold where he was
taking her, so he’d need to bring blankets, too. He’d never had a
female or a human in his private retreat, but that was all about to
change. Let the stalker try and find her on his turf.
“Can you please tell me what’s going on?” She reached for a
throw pillow, holding it over her midsection. “Was that Travis?”
“We have a problem, baby. Looks like your secret admirer is
looking for you again. He took off when he saw the house occupied
by my pack. The next place he’ll check is the mine. There’s no link
between you and the forest, so that’s where we’re heading.”
“The forest?”
“Until they catch the man or at least until I can sort through all
this bullshit, it’ll be better to bring you somewhere no one could ever
reach you.” He tossed a patchwork quilt over his shoulder. “This is a
good time for you to show me some of that trust you say you have for
me.”
“They can’t know it was the same guy. Besides, don’t you have
cops here?”
Garret’s Domination 51
“It’s the same person, and no, cops don’t often come through
Climax. It’s best not to need medical help or protection if you live this
far out. By the time help showed up, your body would be cold.”
“That’s ridiculous! There’re two big mines which should
constitute some sort of government initiative.”
“Don’t hold your breath, sweetheart.” He tossed her a pillow. “If I
were you, I’d get on some warm clothes. We’re leaving here in two
minutes flat.”
She muttered under her breath about the insanity of her situation,
but she did what he asked which was the most important. He’d have
to leave the job of finding the stranger to his pack because he had a
long trek to get to his hideaway. The truck would only take them so
far. They’d need to go on foot through the dense old-growth forest
that covered the steady incline up the mountainside. Normally he
traveled in his wolf form, easily navigating the rough terrain on all
fours. Tonight would be a challenge.
“I’m ready,” she said. “Are you sure this is necessary?”
“I’ll feel better, Cassie. There are too many men coming and
going here during the day. It’s not safe.”
He loaded the bags and blankets into the backseat of his quad cab,
and then hit the back roads. The sun was setting fast which meant
they’d be hiking by the light of the moon, which wouldn’t be enough
for Cassie. Everything that went bump in the night would be out—
watching, prowling. Garret would have to stay in this human skin,
carefully directing his woman over obstacles. The beasts of the night
wouldn’t feel the full weight of the threat he represented without
shifting.
“I knew you had to have a nice place all to yourself. You own the
Gregor Mine, Garret. I’m not stupid. How far is this place?”
“We’re almost there, but then we have to walk the remaining
distance. You’re in for a surprise.” If she expected to find something
an executive would live in, some condo or upscale cottage, she was
going to be sorely disappointed. He usually slept outdoors under the
52 Stacey Espino
light of the moon. Connecting with his beast was essential as alpha,
and keeping apart from his pack at night vital to his sanity. Their
constant thoughts and desires clogged his mind until he had to escape.
Being alone with Cassie would be peaceful. Her human thoughts were
unreadable. It would be just him, her, and his natural domain.
He flung the bags over his right shoulder and stuffed the blanket
under the same arm. All remnants of daylight had faded away during
the last ten minutes of their drive. Garret helped Cassie to the edge of
the forest.
“I’m not going in there,” she said. “Never again. Last time wolves
almost had me for dinner.”
“Not tonight. You’re with me. They wouldn’t dare.” If any wolf
would be dining on Cassie tonight, it would be him. He yearned to
taste her pussy, take his time exploring her body.
She fought him, digging in her heels. He could scent the acrid
odor of her fear. She wasn’t being difficult, just terrified of what lay
out of her sight.
“If I have to toss you over my shoulder and carry you all the way,
I will. I hope you’ll be kind and use your own two feet considering
I’m carrying all the bags.”
“You don’t even have a weapon. What if something tries to attack
us?”
“I don’t need a weapon. Now, come!” He pulled her by the wrist
and passed the first trees. Once they’d entered the forest, the light was
snuffed out by the thick, leafy canopy above them.
“Did you hear that?” she whispered, her words catching in her
throat.
“There are lots of noises in the forest. It’s the home to many
animals. Try and relax and not think about bad things.”
He started to think it may be faster and easier if he actually did
hoist her up over his shoulder and carry her. She continually tripped,
but he held her up before she could topple over. His senses were on
high alert because he had Cassie to worry about, not just himself.
Garret’s Domination 53
Chapter Seven
He pulled her against his body and pressed her head to his chest.
“I wouldn’t abandon you, Cassie. I’m just going to gather some
firewood. You’ll freeze in the night if I don’t.”
“Oh. Okay. But don’t take long.”
He kissed her forehead and then turned to leave. Only the sound
of the wooden door opening and closing marked his retreat. She
wished she had a flashlight or lighter. Something. Why hadn’t Garret
thought to bring these things? Why didn’t he have any supplies in the
cabin? She began to explore, moving slowly with both hands
extended in front of her. After doing a perimeter sweep with nothing
to block her path besides a small cast-iron fireplace, she knew the
general size of the boxed room and assumed there was no furniture.
This was where he came to sleep every night? He expected her to stay
here without complaint?
Her legs were sore from the hike. She resigned to sitting on the
hard, wooden floorboards. Cassidy hugged her knees in an attempt to
conserve her limited body heat. Garret was right. Without a fire, she’d
likely freeze to death. She rocked back and forth, repeating his name
in her head like a mantra. What if he just left her here? What if he was
the bad guy? No, she was just jumping to conclusions. Fear was
capable of instilling false truths in people’s heads. She forced her
twisted thoughts away.
When the door reopened about twenty minutes later, she was
thrilled to not be alone. It felt like days had passed as her thoughts
wandered and boredom set in.
“Tired, baby?”
“A little.”
“I’ll get a fire started, and make you a little nest.” He dropped a
heavy load of logs to the floor, making the house shudder. The whiny
door to the small fireplace sounded before the hollow thud of logs
filled the room with the promise of warmth. She was shivering now,
thoroughly uncomfortable and wishing to be anywhere else.
56 Stacey Espino
“Like a pack losing one of its wolves?” When he pulled her back,
his brow lowered, she elaborated. “It’s how Travis compared your
relationship…like a wolf pack.”
“That man is trouble with a capital T.” He returned her to her
comfortable spot against his chest. She could hear his heartbeat,
strong and steady. “But I suppose he’s right.”
“Tell me about Matthew.”
“He’s a huge help at the mine, with good control and a level
head,” he said with little emotion. Then he exhaled. “I miss him.”
She couldn’t help but smile. It was refreshing to hear a big, strong
man admit what he was feeling. “I can tell.”
“It’s like he’s still with me. I can see him, hear him. Sometimes I
get mad at my men when they accept that he could be gone. Maybe
I’m the one with the problem.”
Cassidy shook her head. “No. I think it’s admirable that you
haven’t given up on your friend. I know if I was out there somewhere,
I’d want you to keep looking.”
He chuckled and tweaked her nose. “He’d like you. I know he
would.”
“I hope so, considering Travis expects me to commit to all five of
you.” She was just joking, trying to make light of a weighty situation.
The men had never claimed her for a long-term relationship. She
wasn’t sure where she stood with all the men, but continued to hold
out hope that they wouldn’t tire of her.
“That’s right. It would do my heart good to see you share a bed
with Matthew.”
She wasn’t used to men so willing to share. The other three had
shared her, but then decided they didn’t want to, which started the
sequence of events leading her here. Maybe it wasn’t possible for
more than one man to love a woman without conflict.
“What about you? Will you turn me over to Matthew if he shows
up?”
58 Stacey Espino
“No. I think I’ll keep you, but you already know we share
everything.”
“Tell that to Patrick.”
How could they say they shared when they nearly killed each
other like animals?
“You affect them the same way you affect me. I can’t describe it,
but you’re addicting. I know I should stay away from you, but every
time I see you all I want to do is hold on and never let go.”
“Then don’t. What’s so wrong about you and me together? We’re
old enough to know what we want.”
“Life has just been one nightmare after the other for me lately.
Then you show up. I’m sure you’re too good to be true.”
She clutched his shirt, feeling the need to be closer. The room had
warmed up quickly as Garret had predicted, but she wasn’t ready to
separate from him. It felt good to be on his lap, in his protective
embrace.
“I’m not going anywhere, Garret. I’m here to stay, regardless of
the current situation.” She didn’t pack up her old life and move to
Climax with the intentions of giving up and returning home. There
was nothing to return to. She’d lived her life as an empty shell with no
roots or history to ground her. Now her miners offered her a small
slice of heaven—affection, protection, and the hope of forever. Why
was Garret being so difficult?
He started to shift, pulling her up as he stood. “It’s late. I’ll make
you a bed with the blankets I brought.” Garret held each side of her
face. “I’m sorry about all this.”
“I don’t blame you. Besides, I feel better now that I’m warm.” She
knew that he was trying to make up for his guilt in relation to
Matthew’s disappearance. But she wanted him to love her, desire her,
not just make up for where he went wrong with his friend.
She helped him set up a small pallet beside the far wall from the
door near the fire. Now that firelight lit up the room, she could
Garret’s Domination 59
confirm just how empty the cottage was. It didn’t appear lived-in at
all, so where did he go every night after work if not here?
“No bed, sofa, fridge? How can you live here?”
“I like to live simply.”
“This is beyond living simply, Garret.”
He left her after fixing the sleeping area, heading to the door. “It
suits me.”
“Wait! Where are you going?”
“I won’t be far. Get some sleep.”
Cassidy grabbed him by the sleeve. “I don’t want to be alone. I’m
tired of having no one.” She had always prided herself on her
strength. Work, survival, loneliness, struggling…it was her life. She
came home to an empty apartment each night, no social life, only
dreams and fantasies to keep her going. Now she had a chance to have
something she never expected to obtain. She was in her thirties, ready
to settle into a life of celibacy and spinsterhood. If Garret had feelings
for her, but stifled them because of some unsubstantiated fears he may
lose her or hurt her, she wouldn’t allow it. She was too close to the
happily ever after she’d always sought.
His voice grew deeper. “There’s not enough room.”
“We’ll make room. I want you beside me, keeping me safe and
warm.”
****
The little human had her hand wrapped around his heart. She
knew exactly what to say to rouse a response from him. All he wanted
to do was keep Cassie safe, and his weakness was his deep-seated
desire to know her body intimately once again. Should he claim her?
Mark her for the pack? He knew his men wanted her, even if they
didn’t admit it aloud. Evan would probably fight him if he didn’t
commit to Cassie. The mating instinct was as strong in his kind as in
animals.
60 Stacey Espino
Chapter Eight
washed or between her legs touched where the heat was almost
unbearable?
As she submerged the kettle into the icy water, it took several
seconds for the ripples in the water to settle. When the surface stilled,
she saw a reflection. A wolf.
****
kneading the thick fur and hide of the wolf. When she smiled, he
thought his whole world shifted, leaving her as the center.
“How?”
“He likes you,” said Garret, enjoying her childlike wonder. Would
she greet him the same way if she met his black wolf?
“Are they all like this?” Her fears had faded completely. He
sensed Patrick’s excitement. His tail was even wagging. Cassie had
accepted his friend in wolf form, something he yearned for as well.
“No. Not all.”
“He’s so friendly. I just can’t believe it.” She became brave,
reaching her arm around the wolf’s thick neck, running her cheek
against his fur. “So warm…”
“Careful, baby. He’s still wild.”
“No, he wouldn’t hurt me,” she murmured. He could feel it, sense
the two bonding. The gods hadn’t just brought Cassie to them, the
perfect woman to claim for the pack. They also instilled the yearning
in her heart. Somehow she knew Garret and his men were destined to
be hers, even when they shifted into wolves.
Garret stood up. If Patrick hadn’t come to give him news about
the stalker, then he needed to get lost. This was his time with Cassie.
He’d held back for two days, not wanting to use her when she was so
vulnerable. But now the scent of lust came off her in waves, and he
was tired of waiting. He’d decided to keep her, to make her the pack’s
woman, so Garret had to learn how to make love to her without losing
all control. And there was no time like the present.
He swatted the wolf on the rump, signaling him to leave. Patrick
would know better than to protest after the display he made with
Travis and Evan back at Cassie’s house. The wolf dashed off into the
forest. He’d meet up with him later and find out the status of the
threat.
“Where’s he going?” she asked, disappointment lacing her words.
“Back to his pack.” He dreaded the day he’d have to tell Cassie
the truth. Tell her he was as much a wolf as a man. She seemed open
66 Stacey Espino
little to hide her full breasts, the same ones he’d dreamt about
suckling.
“Drop it,” he said. His humanity was slipping. He didn’t care. She
let the shirt fall to the ground, not saying a word. “The pants.”
She unzipped her jeans and tugged them down her rounded hips.
He loved her curves, her soft, milky skin. The wind rustled the leaves
above them, the sun glaring off the lake in the distance. When she
awaited his next order, he only raised an eyebrow. She understood,
removing her undergarments. Once completely naked, her breasts
sloping out and dark nest of curls exposed, he stood up. He moved
slowly, as the predator in him demanded. She was his prey and
tonight he’d make her his. Why had he waited this long to take what
he knew was meant to be? He supposed losing Matthew made him
vulnerable, feeling he didn’t deserve a mate when he couldn’t even
protect his own pack. It also made him feel guilty to take such
pleasure when his friend could be suffering or worse. But if he kept
holding back, he could lose something precious. Cassidy cared about
him, offered herself without holding back. It was time to offer her the
commitment she deserved.
Garret stripped off his shirt, and then carefully tested the water in
the kettle on his inner wrist. “Lean your head back,” he said. She
closed her eyes and allowed him to pour water over her hair. Next he
pulled out a small cloth from his back pocket, soaking it with the
warm liquid. He proceeded to her wash her forehead, around her jaw,
and then the sides of her neck. The act of washing Cassie was more
sensual than he expected. With each touch he felt their unique
connection grow. Her heart-shaped face was so dainty and feminine,
the exact opposite to Garret.
She breathed through her parted lips, her eyes barely open. When
he reached the valley between her breasts, squeezing liquid down her
center as he washed her, she let out an audible sigh. The erotic sound
spurred him on. His cock grew harder, and he knew it would be a
battle just to finish bathing her.
68 Stacey Espino
Chapter Nine
far north kept the water chilly year-round. There was no way she
could enter the water, no matter how much she wanted to join Garret.
“It’s too cold.”
“Come to me or you’ll be disciplined.” She wanted to be punished
by such a powerful male. There was something dark and sensual
about Garret, a beast waiting to be unleashed. Would he finally let go
if she pushed him into punishing her? She craved to see that wild side
of him she’d briefly enjoyed in his trailer.
“Fine. It’s way too cold. It’ll kill me.”
He trudged out of the water, his face bearing a scowl. “I’m alive,
Cassie. There’s nothing wrong with freshwater. It’s very stimulating.”
She expected his cock to be a shrivelled husk after emerging from the
icy water, but it was impossibly thick and proud, his erection
bouncing as he walked. Much to her own horror, she couldn’t look
away.
When he reached her, he ducked down and scooped her up over
his shoulder, carrying her down into the forest. “What are you doing?
Where’re you taking me?”
“I warned you to listen. Now it’s time to pay up.” Although his
voice was deep and gritty, there was a hint of playfulness.
“What’re you going to do? Spank me?” she goaded.
“That’s exactly what I plan to do. I’m going to turn you over my
lap and spank your lily-white ass until it’s red and throbbing. Then I’ll
toss you to the forest floor and mount you. I’ll fuck you so hard and
long, I’ll have to carry you back to the cabin tonight because you’ll be
too exhausted to walk.”
Her mouth went dry as he spoke. She wasn’t sure if he was trying
to entice her or turn her off, but she wanted what he offered. Cassidy
didn’t want sweet loving, but a real man giving her unadulterated
passion. She longed for Garret’s brute strength and big cock.
Before she could say a thing, he plunked himself down on the
stump by the fire and turned her over his lap. He spread her legs a bit,
72 Stacey Espino
running his fingers along her inner thighs. She was so hypersensitive
and twitchy that she expected to spontaneously orgasm any second.
“Have you ever been spanked, baby?” His palm circled the globes
of her ass, a calm, addicting pattern. When his finger trailed along the
seam of her ass, tickling her tight rosette, she felt her pussy moisten.
If she got any more excited, he’d feel her juices on his leg.
“No.”
“That’s surprising,” he said. She wondered exactly what he meant
about the comment when his hand lifted and came down hard. The
sound was meaty and solid. “Oh, yeah. You’ve got a gorgeous, little
ass, sweetheart.” Another spank.
She wasn’t sure if she liked being spanked or not. It didn’t hurt,
but it wasn’t pleasant. Garret had big, rough hands and each time his
spank was a bit harder. But he also spent longer caressing her in
between, even leaning over to kiss her better.
When he stopped for a long period, she thought he was done.
That’s when she realized she did like it. In fact, she wanted more.
“Spread your legs more,” he said.
She quickly listened, lost to her own lust. “I haven’t learned my
lesson,” she muttered, hoping he’d continue his punishment.
“No lies.” He impaled a finger into her sopping cunt. It felt so
good, waves of heat and pleasure rolling up through her body.
She nodded rapidly. “Okay. More. Please.”
Smack, smack, smack! The vibrations traveled all the way to her
clit. The pain from his ministrations began to morph into a twisted
pleasure. The more it hurt, the more she needed him. She’d never felt
so stimulated, so in touch with her sexuality.
Garret stopped again, touched her nether hole. She clamped down
her muscles, desperate to feel his cock filling her, taking away the
ache.
“Tell me, Cassie. How did it feel when Evan fucked you here?”
Garret’s Domination 73
down her spine. Then she passed the pad of her thumb over his
bottom lip. “With your cock.”
“Don’t tempt me, little human.” He tilted his head and inhaled at
her neckline. “I’m barely hanging on to control as it is.”
She grabbed his hand and forced it down between her legs. “I’m
aching, Garret. Stop holding back. If you want to spank me, do it. If
you want to fuck me hard, I’m here. Just do something because I can’t
take it anymore.”
“Patience,” he teased. “If you’re so eager, why don’t you prove it
to me.” She could already feel his cock nudge the underside of her
legs. He didn’t have to tell her what he wanted. It was evident in his
tone, his eyes, and the mood in the air.
Cassidy slipped off his lap onto her knees between his parted legs.
She was once again awestruck by the girth of his cock, a prominent
vein bulging on the underside of the shaft. It was dark and the head
appeared painfully swollen. There was no way she’d get all the cock
in her mouth, but she did yearn to taste him, to have him fill her
mouth to the max.
This was her chance to make Garret weak, to turn the tables and
have him begging to fuck her. At least that was her plan. She braced
one hand on his leg, and grasped the base of his cock with the other.
His entire body was warm, while hers was covered in gooseflesh. It
was barely an afterthought when the heat in her core threatened to
turn her to ash at any minute.
She leaned in and covered the head of his cock. It was the size of
a small plum. Cassidy pressed it between her tongue and pallet before
exploring all the ridges with her tongue. Just like with Evan, she
enjoyed the feel of a dick in her mouth. There was something so
enticing, so primal about her miners that no other male alive could
compete with, but that they all shared. It was indescribable,
intangible.
“Perfect, Cassie. Keep going, baby.” He threaded his hands in her
hair, holding her head in place. It felt so dirty sucking him in the great
Garret’s Domination 75
outdoors where any prying eyes could be peeping. She savored every
second of it. Minutes passed and she became lost in the act, drool
slipping out the side of her mouth. Garret began to grunt as he fisted
her hair hard enough to burn. But she’d already learned how much she
craved his brutal lovemaking.
His cock began to swell in her mouth, and she worried he’d
attempt to come in her mouth rather than finishing inside her. She
needed him to take away her ache, to bind them more intimately. She
pulled off, breathing deeply to catch her breath.
He didn’t protest, as if he knew why she’d stopped. His eyes were
different now when she looked in them, taking on an almost
iridescent, animalistic quality. He looked dangerous, predatory. She
was so enraptured, she could have sworn she’d seen the tip of fangs in
his mouth, which was ridiculous.
“Run, little human.” He enunciated each word slowly. “If I catch
you, I may bite.”
She felt a jolt of fear and lust and carnal desire swirl inside her
like a hurricane. Cassidy leapt to her feet, turned, and ran. She didn’t
know where she was going, but he’d said to run, and her instincts told
her to listen. The pine needles and leaf litter on the forest floor didn’t
hurt her bare feet as she expected. Her nipples pebbled from the mix
of cool breeze and excitement. She could hear her own heart, her own
lungs breathing in deep gulps of air as she ran as fast as she could.
Finally, when her legs burned and she didn’t dare run deeper into
the forest, she stopped. She expected Garret to be right on her tail
since he was in so much better shape than she was, but he was
nowhere in sight. In fact, the forest was eerily quiet, every direction
the same as the next.
“Garret,” she dared to whisper. Adrenaline coursed through her
veins as she imagined another run-in with an unfriendly wolf.
She began to creep back the way she ran, but with no clear path
she could be getting more lost. “Lose your way?” Cassidy whirled
76 Stacey Espino
Chapter Ten
After cleansing Cassie and carrying her to the cabin to rest by the
fire, he went outside to meet whoever lurked in the forest. Patrick was
waiting for him, arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against a
tree.
“Great move there, Einstein. Why the fuck did you show your
wolf to Cassie?”
“Is Little Red Riding Hood afraid of wolves now? She seemed
pretty accepting to me.”
“It’s done,” he said. “Tell the others we now have a woman for
our pack.”
Patrick laughed. “You didn’t even mark her. Why?”
Mating was for life, so to not mark a woman was like not sealing a
deal. It left loose ends, made a mating feel insecure. Garret knew what
he had to do, but marking Cassie would be too much for her to
handle. He wanted to introduce her to his reality slowly, so as not to
overwhelm her. Being comfortable around wolves was the first step of
many before he planned to bite her properly. It certainly wasn’t from
lack of desire. The entire time he’d fucked her, he’d gaze at the
beautiful, smooth line of her neck, and he had to fight the urge not to
sink his fangs in deep. Although he’d never experienced it personally,
he’d heard from elders that the mating bite was like an aphrodisiac,
bringing both shifter and woman into an erotic realm beyond their
comprehension.
The first time they’d been together at the mine, it was all about
sex. He acted out of impulse, quickly regretting the decision and the
harm he could have caused. Now he’d finally stopped pulling away.
80 Stacey Espino
****
“Not exactly. Didn’t Garret tell you we found your brother? Well,
half brother. When he called last week I didn’t make much of it, but
now—”
“My brother called the mine?”
He nodded. “You really never met him before?”
“No,” she replied, her mind elsewhere. How had her half brother
found her? Why hadn’t Garret told her about him when he knew how
important finding her real family was? Didn’t he care about her as he
professed? If her brother didn’t leave the note, then was she still in
danger? “Is he staying somewhere in town?” Her heart was beating
wildly. She’d never met the half brother she knew existed somewhere.
“Where? This is Climax, remember?” He tweaked her nose. She
wanted to melt into Evan, to connect with him again. But she had to
deal with this revelation first. Her brother was probably sleeping in
his truck, and with night almost upon them, he’d freeze. It made no
sense for him to suffer when he could easily stay at her house, which
wasn’t even occupied.
“It’s really important for me to see him. I’ll never stop worrying
until I know he had a proper roof over his head for the night.”
“I’ll look into it.”
She kissed him once on the lips, tempted to take more, but she had
little time before sunset. Evan, not unlike Garret, would never allow
her to take off on her own. What they didn’t know wouldn’t hurt
them.
****
Garret did his usual patrols of the land, monitoring the loggers, the
rival pack, and looking for clues into Matthew’s whereabouts. He’d
lost track of time, connecting with his wolf, feeling the wind caress
his fur and dirt under his paws. By the time he returned to Cassie, he
felt accomplished and strong enough to discuss this news about her
so-called brother with her. He was skeptical about the whole ordeal.
Garret’s Domination 83
Cassie had been looking for this guy all her life, and now he showed
up after she was awarded her grandfather’s inheritance. He knew all
about gold diggers. If this brother showed up just to try and weasel
something out of his woman with the promise of love and family in
return, he was sorely mistaken. Garret didn’t trust easily, and this
situation made him feel extremely wary.
Evan stepped out of his trailer when he approached. “Patrick tell
you the news?”
He smiled. “Yeah. Glad you came to your senses.”
Garret was glad there wouldn’t be any bad blood between him and
Evan now that he’d semi-officially mated with Cassie. She was theirs,
even if he temporarily held off marking her. “How’s she doing? Still
exhausted?”
“How would I know? Wasn’t she with you?”
Garret pushed past Evan and scanned the inside of the trailer.
“Where the fuck is she?”
“She went looking for you. Said she’d be back by eight.”
“It’s ten thirty, Evan! Shit, I can’t believe you let her go!”
“I thought she was with you! She talked about wanting to find her
brother. He wouldn’t hurt her, would he? He’s her family.”
“If he’s family. We don’t know anything about this guy. Did you
ever consider it could be her stalker or one of the Rockford wolves
pulling a fast one on us?”
Evan dragged a heavy hand through his hair. “She’s almost two
hours late. Where would she be?”
“I swear, that woman and the three of you will be the death of
me.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll get her. Patrick and Travis are at the diner.
We’ll meet up with them and scour Climax. If one hair is touched on
her head, there’ll be another hiker’s body found mutilated by wolves
in the morning.”
Once again they were racing against the clock. Why couldn’t
Cassie listen to him? He hoped he’d be doling out sensual punishment
84 Stacey Espino
to her tonight after finding her, not grieving another unexplained loss
of a loved one.
To be continued in
Book 3: Matthew’s Return
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