Alpha’s Claim (Bad Boy Bears #1)

Chapter 4

Chapter Four

P aloma

It’s the Viking. Here. In my room. He just climbed the tower and broke the window, and now he flashes a grin like this is normal.

My mouth hangs open. Electricity buzzes over my skin at the sight of him, and my heart starts pumping.

I force my heavy limbs to move and scramble off the bed, putting my four-poster between me and him. Another wave of wooziness washes over me. I’m out of breath like I’ve been running, but I finally find my voice. “What are you doing?” I grab the first thing at hand–my thick paperback–and heave it at him. My arm feels floppy.

It’s not a great throw, but he catches the book and turns it over to examine the cover. “I’ve heard of this author. Is she any good?”

“Get out.” I point to the window.

He strolls forward and places the book on my bed. The movement draws attention to his powerful shoulders. My room feels smaller with him here.

He holds up his hands. “I mean you no harm. ”

“I know that.” I say it before I realize it’s true. I feel safe with him. There’s a magnetism between us. He’s interested in me the same way I’m interested in him. In the old-fashioned, boy-likes-girl kind of way. Not just the I-want-you-because-you’ll-make-me-billions-of-dollars way although I’m sure he wants that, too.

He paces around the bed, coming closer. I have nowhere to back up, but I’m fixed where I stand, fascinated by his fluid movements.

A few paces away, he stops. “You’re not afraid of me.”

“No,” I agree. “But you shouldn’t be here.” I still haven’t screamed for help. I don’t know why not. A part of me doesn’t want to watch as my guards invade my private space and tear him apart.

A part of me wants to savor this moment. He’s huge and handsome, and my body remembers how gently he held me when we danced. The charm of his smile.

The cold night air invades my bedroom, sending goosebumps prickling on my skin. I’m extra aware of how little I’m wearing. Thin silk covers my breasts and bare sex and does nothing to hide my pert nipples.

To his credit, the Viking keeps his eyes on my face. “Let’s go, Rapunzel.” He holds his huge ham-hand out to me.

I flick a glance at it then find myself staring. What could a big man like that do with those hands on my body?

Wow–why am I thinking that?

Oh yeah,–because tonight’s my virgin auction, and this guy decided to skip to the front of the line and take me without paying.

I really should scream. But Thom would kill him. Now that I’m sure he killed my parents, I know these guards aren’t for show. Who knows how many deaths they’ve orchestrated on Thom’s behalf? And for some reason, even though the man in my bedroom must be equally despicable, I don’t want him to die. I’m fascinated by him.

I edge back. “You need to leave. It’s not safe.”

“ You’re not safe. That’s why I’m here, princess.” He takes a step forward and beckons to me. His eyes have a strange sheen to them, bright and honey-colored like a summer moon. “Chinless Chad is bidding on you right now. Let’s get out of here before he or some other limp dick is declared the winner.”

“Because your dick isn’t limp?” I fold my arms over my chest and arch a brow, but a flush crawls up my neck as I find myself actually considering that part of his anatomy.

Okay, fine–I look.

There’s a bulge in his pants that tells me limp-dick syndrome is not a problem for this guy. Um, yeah. Not at all.

I try and fail to swallow as I think again about what it would be like for this behemoth of a man to take my virginity.

Heat blooms on my skin and rolls up from my belly to my chest. I refuse to believe I’m reacting to him. It must be the medicine giving me a hot flash.

The Viking tilts his head as if he hears something outside the door although I hear nothing. “Come on, Paloma.” He beckons again, losing the casual air of seduction. There’s an urgency to his tone now. “We need to go. Now.”

The room spins a little from the medication. I’m not steady on my feet.

Some reckless part of me wants to go with him. But I can’t run away again–Thom will take it out on Wren.

I shake my head. “I can’t go with you. If you want me, go put your bid in with the others.”

I would very much prefer he win the bid. But he obviously doesn’t have the bank roll for that, or he wouldn’t have scaled the wall outside to break into my room.

He turns his head again, listening to something I can’t hear. “Okay, princess. Sorry about this.” He closes the distance between us, leans over, and puts his shoulder in the crease of my hip and straightens, effectively lifting me like a sack of potatoes over his back. “We’ll have to do things my way.”

My stomach flip-flops as the world turns upside down. I grab at his pants, but all I manage to do is feel up his iron hard hamstrings and glutes.“Stop!” I whisper-shout. My choice has already been made–I’m not going to get him killed by raising my voice.

But I should. Because he might get me killed if he leaves without my medication. Or get Wren killed if Thom thinks I’m part of this.

“I can’t…you can’t… Stop!”

But it’s too late. The Viking somehow manages to climb out the window with me over his shoulder –an impossible feat–and starts to scale the wall. He has to release me to catch hold of the vines with both hands, and I teeter over his shoulder.

“Eep!” My arms aren’t working properly, but I do my best to cling to his waist to keep from plummeting and breaking my neck. “I’m too heavy for you to carry. Are you trying to kill me?” I’m still whisper-shouting.

But I’m not going to die because the Viking moves so swiftly, we’re already close to the ground. He doesn’t make me feel heavy, either. He makes it seem like I’m as light as a feather.

“No, sweetheart. I’m trying to save you.”

My head is full of cotton balls, but I try to work out his words .

Save me. The Viking is here to save me. That’s a great romance novel twist.

We hit the ground, but he doesn’t put me down; he sprints across the lawn with me still on his shoulder.

The noise and activity of party-goers must protect us from the guards’ notice because the Viking makes it all the way to the giant circle drive before we’re spotted.

“Hold it right there!” One of them booms. In his earpiece, he shouts, “The asset has been lifted. Repeat, the asset has been lifted!”

Shouts sound all around us.

The Viking pauses for a moment, turning and taking it all in before he sprints faster than should be humanly possible into the woods.

“Help!” I call out, not because I want to be saved, but to be sure Thom doesn’t think I’m complicit in this. I don’t want Wren’s life to be in danger because of whatever foolish plan

Someone fires a shot. From the stables, Starlight whinnies, as if she knows I’m in danger.

I hear another voice yell, “Weapons tight! Weapons tight! Do not harm the asset.”

Being described as an asset makes me want to puke.

No, actually, it’s the hanging upside down over the massive shoulder of a guy dodging through the dark trees. That plus the medicine that’s still making me feel sick.

I guess my kidnapper really is a Viking, right down to the raiding and plundering. Too bad he’s going to get us both killed.

I pound his back. “This isn’t going to save me!”

Darius

Paloma is scared.

I can tell because her scent changed to metallic fear when shots were fired. I almost shifted because my bear wanted to tear every last asshole to pieces. Before that, I could have sworn I detected the faint honeyed scent of her arousal, as if some part of her liked being carried off over my shoulder.

Now she’s freaking out, and I want to kill the motherfucker who fired his weapon. I’m pretty sure he shot into the air to alert the others because what idiot would fire in the dark at ‘the asset’? Either way, I’m almost tempted to let my bear out to tear him limb from limb. But there’s no time to go on a rampage, and I don’t trust my bear not to hurt Paloma while he’s at it.

I need to get Paloma out of here and soothe her.

Preferably with her clothes off.

Oops. Scratch that entirely inappropriate thought.

It’s just that she’s wearing the most delectable satin shorts and cami with absolutely nothing else on, and I have the insane idea that I want to mark her right now to keep all these other fuckers off her.

Not that humans would recognize my claim on her.

And I do want to lay my claim on her.

“Put me down!” Paloma beats on my back with her fists.

“Hold on. I’m going to get you out of here,” I tell her. I dash through the dark forest. The sky overhead is overcast, and I take advantage of the darkness to cut across Thom’s estate to find the road. We’ve outpaced the guards, for now.

I burst out of the trees onto the road. The roar of an engine tells me a car is coming.

Perfect.

A black Lamborghini roars up to us. I can tell by the way the car hugs the shoulder of the road that the driver is inebriated. It’s one of Thompson’s guests exiting the property, not a guard.

The driver doesn’t see me in time to stop, but I throw a leg out and stop it with my foot in the grill. The back tires skid to the side. The grill folds and dents around my foot.

Paloma kicks her legs. I still don’t set her down, not until I reach the passenger’s door, throw it open, and hold out my hand for the passenger inside–one of the plastic models from the party.

“Are you okay?” the drunk driver asks. He’s in a tux, still wearing his mask, which sits askew on his face. A white dust of cocaine around his nose and his date’s remind me that they were part of my tour group.

“Oh, it’s you!” the model giggles. She takes my hand, and I help her out of the car, then gently settle Paloma in her stead.

“What are you doing, man?” the douchebag in the driver seat demands.

“Get out. It’s an emergency. She needs medical attention,” I clip.

It’s not really a lie. Her reactions are slowed, I presume from the medication they gave her. Otherwise, I think she would be harder to manage.

“What? Oh, damn.” The driver’s reactions are slower than Paloma’s.

I’ve already fastened Paloma’s seatbelt and shut her door.

I jog around the car, throw open the driver’s side door, and pull the guy out of the car. He forgot to wear a seatbelt.

His bad.

I toss him to the side and jump behind the wheel before Paloma can get her door open. She’s fumbling for it, but her reactions are slow.

I slam my foot down on the gas pedal, and we shoot forward, accelerating from zero to ninety in about three seconds.

Damn. This is fun. I keep my foot pressed down, watching the speedometer climb to one hundred. One-ten. One hundred and fifteen miles per hour.

I definitely picked the right car to steal.

Paloma’s hand is still on the door handle, like she’s considering whether she can open the door and jump out.

“Careful, princess. We’re going way too fast to survive a jump,” I warn.

She looks over her shoulder behind us at the black SUVs just now pulling out of the drive. “Yes, I see that. But they’re going to find us, you know.”

“Not if I can help it.”

I fish my phone out of my pocket and dial the number of a wolf shifter I know. Not Brick Blackthroat, the alpha who I box with at the gym, but his enforcer, Sully.

“Sully, hey,” I say when he answers. “Darius Medvedev. The, ah–” I’m trying to think of a code word for bear, but he cuts me off.

“Yeah, of course. I know who you are. What’s up?”

“I need a safe house–out of the city. Can you hook me up?”

“Yeah. Where are you now?”

“Hamptons.”

“Roger that. You have transpo? Is Rhode Island too far?”

I let out a breath. “That’s perfect.”

“Texting a location.”

“Great. Thank you.”

“You need protection? ”

“No, I got it.”

“Care to tell me what’s going on? I know your kind like to go solo, but–”

“I’m good.” Wolves. Their pack or die thing is just way too much. “I’ll be in touch if I do need an assist. I appreciate the offer.”

“Yep.” Sully ends the call without further niceties. I appreciate a guy who values efficiency over bullshit.

Paloma stares at me with wide, brown eyes. “ Safehouse ?” she demands. “Who are you?”

I flash her a grin. “Darius Medvedev, at your service.”

“Service? Is that what you call snatching me from my bedroom in the middle of the night?” She looks down at her miniscule satin PJs. “With no clothes?”

I don’t mean to, but I glance at her incredible, full breasts shifting beneath the thin pink satin of her cami. The corners of my lips kick up. “I fail to see that particular aspect of our adventure as a problem.”

“Oh is that what you’re calling this?”

“I had to get you out of there.”

She looks back over her shoulder, but I’m driving over a hundred miles an hour. The headlights from the SUVs behind us grow smaller and smaller. “You have to take me back.”

“Not happening, princess.”

“You don’t understand. Thom is not a nice man. He will kill you. He’ll kill us both if he thinks I’m a part of this.“

“Yeah, I gathered. He had you locked in your room like a prisoner. Men were bidding on your virginity tonight.” I know my eyes are glowing again because I can feel my bear clawing to get out. He wants to dismember every man who thought to deflower her.

She alternates staring at me and looking back at the pursuing vehicles.

“Also, how can a woman as beautiful as you still be a virgin?” I give my head a hard shake. “Nevermind–I know. Because you’ve been locked in that tower your whole life.”

I try again not to look and fail. Her nipples have hardened to stiff points under the flimsy fabric. Even in the darkness, I can see a flush of color travel up her neck and spread across her gorgeous cleavage.

“You didn’t know about the breeding part until I told you at the ball, did you?”

My bear nearly erupts to the surface then. I don’t know whether it’s from anger at the idea of her being bred or a base animal interest in breeding her myself. Before I can stop it, a low growl emits from my chest.

“No,” my bear snarls before I have him on leash. I need to get control of him before I do something even more reckless than stealing a fair maiden from her tower high. What is it about this woman that makes me nearly come unhinged?

“Is that why you crawled through my window to save me?”

“I was already trying to piece together why Thompson had you under constant guard. But yes, that was enough reason to risk my standing in Thompson’s world to get you out of there.”

She considers me. “I thought you were there to bid on me, too.”

“I gathered.”

“I thought you might be Thom’s idea of a perfect stud.”

“Why?”

“Oh, I don’t know because you’re twice the size of the other men and can swim in a cold ocean with your shirt off?”

My lips twitch. “Did you think I should’ve swum in my tux?”

“Shut up.”

“Did that impress you, Rapunzel?”

“Definitely not.” Her inner thighs clamp together, and the sweet perfume of her arousal fills the small cabin of the car.

Yep, she was impressed.

The admiration is mutual.

“I just thought Thom picked you because you’re a perfect” –she flaps her hand at me– “ specimen or something.”

“I swear I knew nothing about the auction, Paloma.”

“So you’re not part of the evil scheme. In that case…” She looks out the window, and I get the sense it’s to hide her face. The scent of her arousal blooms stronger.

My cock stirs in response. Just beneath the surface, my bear rumbles, rattling his cage.

Let me out.

My blood is running south of my waist. I prompt, “In that case?”

“In that case…” She cranes her neck to look behind us. We’re well away from danger now, zipping at more than twice the speed of the other cars. In a few miles, I’ll change highways toward Rhode Island. She turns back and looks me over, thoughtfully. “Giving you my virginity would be the perfect way to sabotage Thom’s grand plans for me.”