However...he didn’t think she’d consent to any of that right now. Women, they were tricky business. A man had to step carefully lest he find himself in a pit of despair, longing after the one he wants and getting nothing but scorn in return.
What was it about her that drove him so crazy? He’d never had such a wild and instantaneous reaction to a woman before.
Dom’s phone beeped in his pocket. He had it pressed to his ear in the next second. “Yeah? Right. Coming.”
Dom hung up, never taking his eyes away from her. “You need to pack.”
She her shoulders stiffened. “Why?”
“Because you’re coming to stay with me.”
She laughed, took a step back. “I don’t think so.”
Dom turned the handle of the front door. “You don’t have a choice. They know where you live and they know I’ve been with you. You’re a target now. Get packed.” With that, he left. Grayson was inspecting the car crash and unconscious were on the pavement when he got there.
Grayson looked bad. Well, he always looked bad but today he looked worse than normal. Dom pitied the man. He’d mated a fine woman many years ago, but as time went on and they lost not one but two children to miscarriages, his wife had taken to drink. And drink she did, lots of it until she was shaking, slurring, and unable to stand up right. Grayson had been living with it for years. He’d tried everything from forcing her into rehabs, tying her up to keep her away from the booze, everything he could think of. But she’d weasel out of it someway and always returned to the drink. She needed it now more than him. Grayson was miserable but he loved her. He wouldn’t let her go.
Dom loved his brother and loved Gray’s bond mate, Anita, but he didn’t envy the man. Not one bit.
Gray looked over the scene with a grim eye. “You figure it was Zeke?”
“Yeah.”
“He’s pulling out the big guns now.”
“It would seem so.”
Gray got on his phone and made a call. “I’ll get this taken care of. It looks like you’re in need of some protection.” At that Gray leveled the closest thing to a smile he managed these days.
“It would seem so. I need you to set me up.” Dom looked down the street. “And Felicity Shaw too. I want her protected at all times.”
Gray’s brow furrowed. “Who’s she?”
“She’s mine.”
Gray nodded. “The separation from Helena is final then?”
“Yeah, thank god. Can’t tell you how good it feels to be free from her clutches.”
Gray’s eyes clouded and Dom wanted to curse himself. He shouldn’t have said anything. He knew that a part of Gray, one he wouldn’t admit to, craved being free from his bruid as well. He’d never admit it, not that Dom could blame him. He still loved his mate dearly.
“I’m supposed to bond with Julianna Greenwich next month.”
Gray nodded slowly. “Mother told me. Then Luc told me. Then Vas. I’ve heard.”
Gray’s humor was still there even if he didn’t crack a grin. “Yeah, well, she isn’t the one I want.”
The were on the ground start stirring. Gray walked over and kicked him hard in the head sending him back into unconsciousness. “Why do you need her then?”
“Zeke’s gunning for the presidency. I need every advantage to get the seat and keep it. Julianna is a perfect piece.”
Gray shook his head. “But you don’t care about her.”
“No.” The thought of Julianna did nothing for him...but the thought of Felicity...that made his blood boil.
“You should choose one and run with it.”
Dom narrowed his eyes on his brother. “I could never win the race with a low-blood beside me. No one ever has.”
Gray shrugged. “No one’s ever tried either.”
“For that very reason,” Dom said.
Grayson looked him in the eyes and shook his head. “I’ll never understand that. Anita’s everything to me. Even if she’s...” his voice fell away. “I could never have another woman on the side like that. I don’t know how you’d that.”
“I won’t touch Julianna.”
Gray made a sound close to a laugh. “You’ll have to after the blood bonding.”
Dom stiffened. He hadn’t thought of it. After the blood bonding ceremony, newly made mates shared their blood and sex. The thought did nothing for his cock and actually sent a wave of panic through him.
“I don’t want to touch her.”
Gray pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and lit up. Black smoke curled around the red tip as he sucked in tobacco.
“I know,” said Grayson.
“How would you know that?”
Gray leveled his hard, emotional eyes on him. “Because how you feel about this low-blood is how I felt about Anita.”
Dom left Grayson to fetch Felicity. His mind was in turmoil of thoughts and emotions mostly foreign to him. He needed to win the presidency. He needed that seat in order to keep the majority votes in favor of vampires. If he lost that seat to Zeke then Zeke would go crazy with it. The man wasn’t right in the head. He had a madness to him. He didn’t care for propriety or rules. Tradition wasn’t a word in his vocabulary.
Dom stepped inside Felicity’s house and found her sitting on her couch, legs crossed, a stiff eyebrow raised, and no bags packed. Normally he’d be angry that someone disobeyed him. Instead, he smiled at her and told her he’d pack for her before he went about doing it.
Her squeal of protest only made the next ten minutes all the more fun as he tossed her sexiest panties, negligees, skirts, dresses, tops, and bras into a big suitcase. Only after she growled at him that she needed more than that, did he step away to watch her pack more suitable clothing.
God she was gorgeous when she was angry. Who’d have thought he’d like something like that? When Helena would get mad it’d make him tense because hew knew wherever she’d lead him would be to hell.
Felicity was like a bright light he didn’t want to let go of.
She finished shoving a bag of toiletries into her suitcase then turned to him crossing her arms. She probably thought she looked fierce. To him, she looked adorable. She leveled him with a hard look he couldn’t take it. He had to move.
He caught her up in his arms and kissed her until her breaths came fast, her hands curled into his jacket and the luscious scent of her arousal started to fill the air. Only then did he pull away.
Her eyes were slow to open, hazy.
“I’m going to have you, Felicity. I’m going to take care of you and give you everything you deserve. Just say you’ll be with me.”
Wariness crept into her eyes and he wanted to curse or punch a hole through the damn wall. He knew what her answer would be.
“Don’t answer me yet. Think about it. Give me a chance to persuade you.”
She already started shaking her head.
“Felicity—”
The front door opened and Grayson came in with a few tall men behind him. Some of his bodyguards. “We’re ready to escort you home.”
Dom nodded then leaned down to pressed a soft kiss to her sweet lips. Just as her eyes started to flutter closed, he pulled away. “Think about it.”
He grabbed her suitcase in one hand, her hand in the other. They followed Grayson.
He wouldn’t get her answer for another week.
Chapter 9
Felicity moved into the Blackmoore estate.
Or rather, Dominic moved her into the Blackmoore estate himself. His mother protested then quieted at a few harsh words from Dom. Felicity blushed the whole time and stared daggers at Dom’s back. She did try protesting, but he turned his glare on her and she’d clamped her mouth shut. She wasn’t stupid. If someone wanted to hurt her they could and Dominic had the power to protect her.