“I’m not leaving,” she said.

Jace’s eyes turned all the way white. He grabbed Deni by the wrists and hauled her against him.

Chapter Seven

Deni landed against Jace’s chest, his skin hot through his thin shirt. His jacket’s zipper rubbed Deni’s arms, the friction of it releasing the heat in her own body.

Jace’s kiss was hard, opening her mouth, his grip on her wrists crushing. But Deni was strong, had always been strong. She could not have endured so much without strength. She rose on her tiptoes, kissing him back, her body fitting to his.

Jace raised his head, breaking the kiss. His lips were parted, the moisture inside his mouth beckoning her. Deni knew his taste now and craved more. She also knew what he felt like inside her, and she wanted that again. She wanted his firm body on top of hers, wanted the heat of his thrusts to fill her. Deni reached for the button of his jeans and slid it open.

Jace tightened his fingers on her wrist again. “Don’t play with fire.”

“I’m cold,” Deni said in a low voice. “Warm me up.”

Jace was struggling with coherence. “Ellison will be back soon, you said.”

She gave him a hot smile. “Then we should hurry.”

“Bloody hell.”

Deni unzipped his jeans. He hadn’t bothered with underwear this morning, she found as she dipped her hand inside. His cock, hard and hot, tumbled into her hand.

Jace let out a groan. He jerked Deni against him, his arm solidly behind her as she lightly stroked him. “Gods, woman.”

“You woke me up, Jace,” she said. “I want to thank you for that.”

“In the middle of last night, you mean?” His words were strained. “I was feeling payback from the fight. Tried to keep it quiet.”

“You know I don’t mean that.” Deni squeezed his c**k until he let out another noise of pleasure.

“Damn.” Jace tugged her hand from him but only to lift her into his arms, kissing her with a ferocity that tasted of fire.

The sofa was near. Jace tipped Deni back over its arm until they both fell onto its cushions, arms and legs bumping and tangling in each other’s. Deni laughed.

The laughter probably saved her, she thought later. Jace shook his head slightly as though clearing his mind, and his eyes took on a jade hue again. He slowed his kisses to something tender, lips soft on Deni’s. She ran her fingers through the short ends of his hair, liking the warm brush of it.

Jace unbuttoned her shorts, tugging them down and off with a contortion of bodies that had them laughing again. His jeans landed on the floor on top of the shorts, and then they were body to body. Deni took handfuls of his jacket, but before she could start to coax it off, Jace slid inside her.

All the way in. Last night had been wild and fast, a raw coupling at the edge of a parking lot. Now everything stopped. Jace looked into Deni’s eyes, the feral Shifter softening into a man, hard-faced but warm-eyed.

He filled her, his breath slowing as he lay on her, touching her face. The pressure of him inside her loosened her entire body, and Deni wrapped herself around him, drawing him in.

Jace closed his eyes, letting out another soft moan. He kissed her mouth, giving a nip to the corner of it.

After a moment, he opened his eyes again and started to move. Slow thrusts, intensity building as each one completed. Jace held her gaze, his eyes a dark green now. The frenzied animal had calmed. Now it was just Deni and Jace.

Deni arched under him, Jace’s thrusts coming faster. Her back pressed into the sofa’s soft foam cushions, all the way down to the springs. She held him close, laughing into his hair as the springs started to squeak.

“Goddess, you are beautiful,” Jace whispered, feathering kisses over her face. “I came here to find you; I know I did.”

He’d been to this Shiftertown before, but Deni knew what he meant. They’d been ready to meet last night.

The soft fleece of Jace’s jacket felt good to Deni’s hands, the zipper rough against her palms. As he kissed her, she could again see where one link of his Collar and part of another had been taken off, his skin angry red beneath.

He’d been ready to kill Dylan on the porch, and the police when they’d knocked on the door. The loosening Collar was letting out his feral instincts, she guessed. Liam had explained to her when she’d first considered trying to take her Collar off that such a thing might happen. But for now, Jace gentled himself, loving her without madness.

He kept thrusting, and Deni moved under him, meeting those thrusts. His jacket held his heat, and she slid her hands into it, finding his hard back beneath. Jace’s honed body was sleek under her touch, the lithe dance of his muscles exciting.

They were both breathing hard, uttering little groans, holding on to each other when heavy footsteps sounded on the other side of the couch.

A pair of brawny fists jammed to the back of the sofa, and Deni looked up in time to see Ellison spin away in half disgust, half irritation. “Are you kidding me?” Ellison growled.

Jace said, “Shit,” and the feral whiteness returned to his eyes. He was up off the sofa, his jacket falling, but it wasn’t long enough to hide his privates. Deni saw his cock, still dark and hard from what they’d been doing, black hair crisp at its base.

Deni knew Dylan was upstairs, away from their basement sanctuary, of course. Ellison kept his back squarely turned. That back was quivering, but Deni couldn’t tell whether from rage or laughter. A little of both, probably.

“Goddess, Den, he’s a Feline,” Ellison said. He shook his head without turning around, the overhead light gleaming in his blond hair. “Both of you get your asses upstairs. After you’ve covered them.”

He gave one more shake of his head and started for the steps. His cowboy boots grated on the cement stairs, then he was gone.

Deni swallowed, tamping down her need to burst into hysterical laughter. “I guess he was faster than I thought he’d be.”

Jace didn’t smile. “He needs to respect you.”

Deni sat up, pushing her hair from her face. “He just caught you making the beast with two backs with his little sister. Give him a break.”

Jace growled again, then he reached down and helped Deni to her feet. As she came off the couch, he pulled her against him. “You all right?”

“Yes.” Deni truly was. She should be embarrassed at being caught by her brother—at being reckless like this. But she wasn’t. It seemed natural to be coupling with Jace. Shifters celebrated sex, because it meant life, cubs, continuance. She wouldn’t apologize for it.