Denied Mate by Roxie Ray
Cal
Liv’s bruised cheekbone looked even shinier in the blue light of the television. She was transfixed by the drama, eyes straight ahead, and blanket pulled up just under her chest—but not high enough to cover the slight edge of her breast I couldn’t stop stealing glances at, no matter how hard I tried. The red marks on her neck were already fading with the ice, but I caught a glimpse of one around her wrist too and wished she had a better first aid kit so I could tend to her properly.
I crossed my arms and shifted in my seat beside her. I didn’t like how much I cared, and I didn’t want to be watching over the girl who had hurt me so badly, and kept doing it. It was stupid of me to ask her what she thought of what could have been. And just as idiotic for me to have held onto the idea for a moment after she’d ditched me, let alone fifteen years later. I grumbled at my wolf to settle the hell down—I had to keep my head around Liv.
And hell, my Ma was in the hospital barely holding on. That was the bedside I should have been at. But there was no way I was going to let Liv doze off with her pupils still dilated from her concussion. Every time I thought she’d be okay on her own, I caught her head nodding forward until I jabbed her with my elbow.
“I’m so tired.” She pinched the bridge of her perfect ski-slope nose and squeezed her eyes shut. “And this episode of Grey’s is really not doing it for me. I can’t tell if it’s because of my head, or if the plot just makes no sense.”
I grunted. “It’s not you. It’s bad.”
The blanket fell a little lower and she took a deep breath, her breasts rising. I clenched my jaw and faced the nonsense on TV. I didn’t want to wrestle with my wolf over my desire for her. I wasn’t going to get close to Liv Burns again. Not when I wanted her so badly—even more than I ever had when we were young. The energy between us was so strong it practically hummed. Even just sitting side by side on a good-looking, fucking uncomfortable sofa, I struggled to stop myself from touching her. But there was no telling when she’d ditch me again. I couldn’t bear the hurt, not when I was already so down.
Liv turned to me, and I felt her gaze as tingles along my neck.
“How’s your mom doing?”
I swallowed thickly and shook my head. “Touch and go.”
She was quiet as she picked at her blanket. “I saw her the other night. She looked…”
“Bad.” I turned to look at her face-on, a little challenging.
“Yeah. She looked rough. Still beautiful though.” Liv’s lips twitched at the edges. “She was as sweet to me as always.”
“She’s got a big heart.” Mine was aching as I looked into Liv’s green eyes, and it swelled to the size of Saturn. Fuck.
“Is she going to be okay?”
I dropped my gaze to my lap. I hated how easily Liv got me to let down my guard, but my wolf’s ears pricked with keen interest. He clearly wasn’t worried about it. There weren’t many people in the world I could open up to, and one of them was in the hospital.
“The doctors say she’s got internal bleeding and broken ribs, but she’d fading when they expected her to recover. Something else might be going on. She might be bleeding out somewhere else, too. They’re looking into it.”
“Shit.” Liv let out a long breath. “That’s worse than I thought. Shouldn’t you be with her? I mean, what if—”
I cut her off with a growl. Whatever she might be thinking, I didn’t want to hear it, because my mother was going to be fine. There was no other option. I glanced toward the kitchen where I’d made a cursory effort of tidying up the mess the attacker had left, and grimaced. “I don’t know what’s going on. She’s safer at the hospital than anywhere else, and that’s not safe enough. I have to find the asshole who did this.”
“Oh. Okay.” Clearly, Liv didn’t have the heart to argue. She was silent for a moment before she caught my eye and held it, demanding I hear her. “Cal, I’m really sorry about your mom and…”
Her bottom lip quivered like there was more she wanted to say. There was a hell of a lot I wanted to say too, but my mind went blank when she wet her lips. Everything slowed except for the incessant yanking of the thread between us, pulling us closer together.
I barely held back a growl as she moved forward and her scent covered me. Her blonde hair fell over her shoulders, the ends skirting the pale skin between her breasts. I wanted to drag my thumb over the goosebumps there... Needed to slip my hand inside her low-cut neckline and squeeze her flesh, perfectly sized for my palm. My wolf’s casual interest became something much more honed; something intense and demanding as we both studied her, unblinking.
She leaned closer, her eyes darting over my face like she was searching for a cue. I tried to fight it for all of a second—a valiant effort to stick by my stubbornness and protect my heart—before I cupped her cheek and drew her in.
A spark shot between us before our lips even touched. I looked into her eyes as nerves bubbled in my chest, and saw the same hesitation in her too. But I couldn’t pull back. Not when her lips were so soft and plump, and she smelled so fucking good. I needed to taste her.
I kissed her. A bolt of pleasure surged through my mouth, and she moaned and kissed me back, hard. Her tongue slipped between my lips and, god, she tasted better than I’d imagined. Sweet like every cherry-centered jawbreaker we’d shared, but sharp with new, grown-up arousal too. A rumble of pleasure came from my chest. Animal instincts burned through me as I moved closer, reaching for her chest. Hell, I’d never wanted anyone the way I wanted her, never felt such longing and desire. My fingertips skated against her bare skin and a wave of need hit me.
The door handle rattled.
We jumped apart. My heart thundered as every nerve went on red alert; even the hairs on the back of my neck bristled. I was on my feet in an instant, ready to fight off the attacker if he’d dared to come back. The door opened and the intruder hit the light. In the sudden bright glare, I made out a familiar, smarmy face and a physique that was blown out of proportion. His head looked too small for his body, his shoulders way too wide. He fucking stank. It was so powerful, I almost sneezed; it wasn’t just aggression. Before I could pin it, Liv was on her feet and speaking.
“Ben! What are you doing here?” Liv stood beside me, arms folded over her chest.
The alpha stepped into the apartment, slammed the door behind him, and didn’t take his eyes off me. “Me? What the hell is Meyers doing here?”
My hands balled into fists. I wasn’t above throwing a second set of punches that night. Or a third set. I’d lost count.
“I invited him—”
Ben pointed his key at Liv’s face. “Did he do that to you?” He was visibly shaking with rage.
“No!” we both said in unison with as much outrage as each other.
Fire ran through me. It was my first time coming face to face with the new Bridgehaven alpha since he’d taken the title, but he clearly had no intention of making amends between our families.
He barked an ugly laugh and snapped his eyes to mine.
I was surprised they didn’t pin me in place the way Jeff Burns’ gaze had. I thought it was his alpha power that had the arresting affect. I snorted. Maybe it had just been because I was a kid.
As though reading my mind, Ben snarled. “Get out.”
“Hey!” Liv snapped. “This is my apartment, and I get to say who leaves.”
Ben growled and stepped closer, his gaze unwavering. “His father was a traitor. He has no place in our pack, and has no business being here. I told you to stay away from him!”
I stiffened and glowered back at Ben. I couldn’t wait for Liv to tell him why I was there. I’d saved her life and scared off her attacker. The look on his face would be priceless.
But the alpha’s sister didn’t make a peep. I glanced at Liv, but she wouldn’t look at me. Of fucking course. I don’t know why I thought I could rely on her to stand up to her family. She never had before. Whatever Jeff Burns said, his precious daughter did, friendship and fate be damned. Apparently, the same went for Ben Burns, too.
Instead, she snatched my arm and pulled me back, stopping me from launching at her brother. “Don’t.”
Burned, I wrenched myself away. Ben’s scowl turned into an arrogant smirk and Liv refused to look at me. Whatever shred of hope I’d had earlier in the evening was smashed, ground out with the heel of Liv’s ridiculous party shoes. I grabbed my jacket and paused at the door, giving her one last chance to choose my side.
She kept her eyes on the floor.
The door slammed shut behind me, not nearly loud enough.
I should have gone home and licked my wounds, but I stalked right past the turn-off to my house from Falcon Avenue and straight back to The Lair. Maybe Stephen would still be there to sink my teeth into.
The place was steaming hot when I pushed through the doors, the music louder and bodies more naked than when we’d left. Danny waved me over and had a shot of whiskey ready for me before I got to the bar. A girl with a jaw-length bob bumped into me and giggled like she hadn’t meant it. I raised my glass and flashed her a smile before shooting back the booze, hoping it’d take the edge off the sting of the night.
“Another!” I shouted to Danny when it didn’t.
He was there in a flash, pouring me a double. “Boss is pissed at you for ducking out before your shift ended.”
“I bet he is.” I winced at the burn, and slammed the glass down for another shot.
“What can I get you, beautiful?” Danny asked the girl, who was writhing to the music next to me, pretending not to care about my attention.
She leaned over the bar so he could hear her. “Vodka cranberry!”
Her breasts grazed my arm as she stepped back, beautifully full and soft. And I felt nothing. Not a peep. My wolf was sullen after another betrayal, and was absolutely not interested in a conquest. My cock had been throbbing for Liv, and now it was pillow soft.
I guess it was for the best because the moment the girl had her drink, she gave me a consolatory smile and slid out into the crowd. Maybe she could smell the rejection hanging on me. Massive turn-off.
“Fuck.” I groaned and ran a hand over my face. The night couldn’t get much worse.
Danny kept the drinks coming until my head was spinning. I swam in the liquor, desperate to wash out the hooks Liv had in me. Old wounds stung then faded into numbness as I threw back another shot; memories of our first day of school together, arm in arm and inseparable as we passed through the big iron gates; snapshot of her standing under those same gates, thirteen years old and already looking like a young woman, refusing to so much as share the same side of the street as me after the incident.
It’d take more than 80-proof to numb out our past. Something like a miracle… Or a shitload of the good tequila.
