By the Tail by Marie Harte Read Free Book Online Page B

found himself welcomed back wholeheartedly…except for Lex’s friends.
    Ayers, Watson and a handful of others continued to raise discontent. He had to stop fucking around and take a mate. As distasteful as he found the notion of running the pride forever, he believed in sacrificing his wants for the good of the many. Besides, he wanted Joy like he needed his next breath. Time to stop letting her lead him by his nose and show her who was in charge.
    Hell, what did he have to lose? He’d told her the truth about the past and thought she believed him. But maybe she didn’t realize how serious he was about dating—claiming—her. They’d had sex only once. He needed to reaffirm how much he desired her, and no time like the present.
     
    Quince waited to pounce until later that night. He drove to Joy’s house, a nice place in Pinecrest. Quiet, suburban and upscale enough that she didn’t need to worry about an onslaught of break-ins. He parked in her driveway and walked to the front door as if he belonged there.
    Before he had a chance to knock, she opened the door and peeked her head out, frowning. “Quince?”
    “Good. You remember my name,” he drawled, wishing the woman would smile at him once in a while.
    “What are you doing here? Slumming?” She smirked.
    Considering he’d taken over Michael’s five-million-dollar spread in Palmetto Bay, her neighborhood could technically be considered a step down. But the house he resided in currently housed a dozen cats. The property was on a private compound nearly six acres large, offering plenty of room for cats to roam under secluded trees and behind a secured gate. Yet it had never felt less like a home without Michael…or someone special to share it with.
    Keeping to the plan, he lowered his voice. “I need to pull the SUV into your garage. There’s something I need to show you.”
    “What?” She pushed open the door and stood with crossed arms over her unbound breasts. Which made him take a good hard look at what she was—or
wasn’t
—wearing. Talk about good timing. He’d caught her ready for bed in a pair of thin cotton boy shorts and a light blue tank. Even better, she smelled like soap, all clean and fresh. Ripe for the plucking.
    He swallowed and willed his dick to behave. “Look. This is pride business, and I can’t chance anyone seeing. This is important.” And it was. He needed her like crazy.
    She stared at him, and he prayed she couldn’t read the lie in his eyes. His cat chuckled at his female trying to out-think him, pleased she liked to keep him on his toes. But this time his prey was within reach, and he had no intention of letting her go tonight. Not until he made himself clear.
    “Well, okay.” She turned and headed toward the kitchen. “I’ll meet you in the garage.”
    He hurried back to his vehicle. The garage door opened and he pulled into the deep garage, next to her sleek coupe. The car fit Joy. Fast, tight and beautiful. He let himself out of the SUV and then closed the garage door. In one hand he held the restraints he knew he’d need to make this happen. He shoved them in his back pocket just as she entered, now unfortunately wearing a short robe.
    “It’s in the back,” he murmured.
    She looked from him to the SUV, her curiosity roused. As he’d hoped.
    She moved behind the SUV and opened the back hatch. As she rose on tiptoe to look in, Quince made his move. He jerked her arms behind her and put the slip tie around her wrists. Then he knelt and did the same to her ankles while she kicked and swore.
    Trussed up good and tight, she wouldn’t be able to shift and break free once he gave her a good taste of her own medicine.
    “You son of a—”
    He rose and gagged her before she could finish and tied the scarf behind her head. “Uh, uh. No talking. And relax. You know I’m not going to hurt you.” He pushed the robe aside to bare her left breast clad in thin cotton.
    Alarm widened her eyes.
    “That’s right. Time