Naughty Temptations

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

“Sirena, sit down.”

Talia Portman’s serious tone did nothing to settle Sirena’s nerves and she continued pacing around the other woman’s kitchen. Her very disturbing kitchen. The walls were bright lemon yellow while the cabinets and humming appliances were jet black making her feel as if she were surrounded by bumble bees.

“I’d rather not.”

Since her mother had gotten sick of sharing her mate and taken off for parts unknown, Talia had taken on the role of substitute mother in Sirena’s life. Regardless, Sirena still felt uncomfortable discussing s*x with one of her father’s mates.

“Sirena!” Talia smacked her open palm on the black lacquer tabletop. “You’re making me crazy, honey. And trust me, you need to sit down for this.” She waited for Sirena to comply before speaking again. “If I’d had any idea Dee never had the talk with you—”

Sirena bounded out of the chair she’d barely settled onto, almost knocking it over, and resumed pacing. “I sooo don’t need to hear about the birds and bees. I’m not some damn immature virgin. I’m twenty-eight years old. I’ve had sex.”

Talia remained silent and after Sirena’s fourth circuit of the room the quiet wore on her. “What?” she snapped. “What is it you think I don’t know?”

Talia stared at the chair until Sirena reluctantly plopped back down on it.

“There are big differences in s*x for humans and s*x for shifters. Have you ever had s*x with a feline?”

Heat washed over her neck and up into her cheeks. “That’s…uh…rather personal.”

“I’m not judging you, Sirena. Answer the question.”

“Fine. No, I’ve never had s*x with a tomcat.”

Talia nodded. “Do you know about the barb on a male feline’s p***s?”

What a mortifying conversation. Sirena dropped her head down onto her forearm and spoke without looking at the other woman. “Know about it but I’ve never seen one.”

“Well, no, you wouldn’t see it, honey. The barb only opens—”

“Semantics,” she cut in. “I know about the barb.”

“Okay, so why are you wasting your time on humans and your money on toys?”

The comment had the same effect as shoving a metal rod into her spine. Sirena’s head popped up and her back snapped erect. “Wh-what are you talking about?”

Talia’s lips thinned into a grim line as she reached over and patted Sirena’s arm. “Honey, why do you think female cats put up with sharing our males? We certainly don’t enjoy knowing our mate is f*****g others. But for our kind it’s necessary.”

Talia sighed heavily before delivering the devastating news. “Our females can’t achieve satisfaction or get pregnant without the barb.”

Oh. My. God!

Sirena didn’t know if she should laugh or cry. All the wasted effort and years of frustration came crashing down on her when there had been a simple solution all along. But could she put up with a tomcat in order to reach s****l satisfaction?

Unbidden, Kenyon Fort’s countenance filled her mind. His seductive scent, ripped body, addictive flavor… Those bone-melting kisses. Thoughts of him brought on shivery waves of arousal, tightened her n*****s and made her p***y clench in need.

And now she didn’t merely want him—she needed him.

“Being mated isn’t horrible, Sirena. There are advantages.”

She snorted. “Advantages, yeah right.”

“Yes, there are. Consider what it would be like to live with a lion. They are inherently lazy creatures, expecting females to wait on them hand and foot while all their energy goes into looking pretty. Having an arrogant lion around all the time would drive a woman out of her mind. Since they have several mates each of us only has to put up with him for a week or two several times a year then we get a much-needed break.”

“Yeah, and what, I’m selfish to want a male of my own who I don’t have to share?” Someone who would be there at night, every night, holding her while she slept. An actual father for her children instead of a good-time occasional dad.

“You have to grow up, set aside unattainable dreams and accept the nature of your animal.”

Talia’s words ping-ponged around Sirena’s head during the drive home. The things she wanted weren’t in the cards for felines. She could continue to fight natural animal behavior or accept the hand she’d been dealt.

No contest. She wouldn’t belly up and submit to a lazy-ass male. And like hell would she quietly accept as Talia had. She’d take control of her future and force her mate to comply with her desires. Thumb her nose at feline complacency and stack the deck in her favor.

Her gut churned and her emotions kept her on edge. Sirena decided a bit of retail therapy was in order and took a detour to the mall. Spending an outrageous amount of money on a new designer purse didn’t soothe her turmoil so she also sprung for a kick-ass pair of boots before treating herself to lunch at her favorite restaurant.

Just being in the festive holiday atmosphere with holiday songs playing helped lighten her mood a degree. She even spent some time watching excited children get their pictures taken with a jolly Santa.

Her heart ached to share the joy of the holidays with her own child. To watch her mate erect a tree they’d lovingly decorate together. She longed to know the delight of telling her favorite stories to her young, watching them play and grow.

Feeling calmer and a touch sad, she pulled up in front of her house several hours later to find an unfamiliar, expensive sedan parked in the driveway. One whiff of the air was all she needed to know the car belonged to a feline. A male. And not Kenyon.

She glanced around but saw no one. “What the hell?”

Leaving her packages in the car, she took the porch steps at a running leap, twisting the knob as she crashed into the door and stumbled a few steps into her living room. Her occupied living room.

The shifter lounging on her couch as if he owned the place had to be a lion. He had the arrogant bearing and bored expression down pat. From head to toe, tailored suit to leather loafers, everything about him screamed politician. And his hair… Only one other man she knew possessed such an extravagant mane. Sirena didn’t doubt her father had something to do with this unexpected presence in her home.

Anger rose, obliterating common sense. She slammed the door and moved across the room. With her hands on her hips, she glared at the intruder. “You’ve got some balls to enter my house without permission.”

“Krios Constantinou.” He took a moment to fluff his hair while his gaze blatantly roamed her body, then he flashed a smug grin. “I am your mate.”

“Like hell you are,” Sirena screeched.

Shooting his cuffs as he stood, he appeared unruffled by her outburst. “Talia told Leonidas about your…difficulty.” He shrugged. “Leo sent me to take care of you.”

She’d known her father had to be involved somehow. Damn Talia. So much for confidential conversations with the other woman, although her heart had been in the right place.

“I’ve got what you need, baby,” the puffed-up i***t added.

Need him?

Sirena laughed so hard she doubled over and tears streamed down her cheeks. The big windbag appeared insulted, which only served to draw out her hilarity. “The last thing I need is a slacker lion who doesn’t even have a real job to support his multiple mates and dozens of neglected children.”

“Being a councilman is important work,” he huffed. “And you are my sixth mate.”

“I am not!”

“Yes, baby, you are. Your father gave you to me.”

Dickhead!

“My absentee father doesn’t have the right to give me to anyone. I am an adult, and perfectly capable of choosing my own mate.”

“You need me and what I can do for you, baby.” He took a step closer and out of reflex, Sirena moved backward. The bastard matched her movements, stalking her across the room. “And in this case, you don’t have a choice. Leandros and I made a deal. A political deal.” He dismissively waved a hand. “You wouldn’t understand.”

Sirena’s vision took on a red cast. “You know what you can do with your deal?” She would have said more but she tripped on the edge of the rug and slammed into a wall, knocking the breath from her lungs. The lion pressed his advantage by trapping her between his body and the solid surface. With no space separating them each breath carried the disgusting taste of cologne. Jeez, did the guy bathe in the stuff?

“You will not try to evade me again,” he ordered. “I don’t enjoy chasing my mates. I prefer to save my energy for f*****g them.”

She opened her mouth to verbally attack but he moved in for the kill, cutting off her words by bringing his lips down over hers. Sirena pushed at his thick body, stomped on his toes and bit his lip, which only turned his kiss more aggressive. He pulled at her blouse, ripping the material and exposing her transparent black bra. When she managed to score his cheek with her nails the brute pinned her arms to the wall.

She went wild, biting, kicking, squirming like a hellcat, wishing she had enough space to thrust her knee into his groin. The lion held tight, countering her movements by using his greater weight and strength to pin her.

One knee drove into her thigh, the muscle spasmed and became useless, allowing him to slide his leg between hers. She screamed into his mouth, bit harder and tasted the coppery flavor of blood. His? Hers? Didn’t matter.

A loud roar had her insanely wondering how Krios managed to release the booming sound with his mouth sealed tight against hers.

One moment he covered her, in the next he jerked backward. Sirena’s injured leg buckled and she slumped to the floor.

“You will die for touching my mate,” a familiar voice growled.

“She’s not mated…yet, but she’s going to be my mate. Her father gave her to me.”

“Think again, asshole. Sirena’s mine!”

“No, she’s not.”

Kenyon’s vicious roar vibrated through the wood floor beneath her and shot straight to her p***y, his possessive tone sparking a heated, liquid response. Yes, he was also acting every inch the arrogant, dominant male feline but it didn’t bother her. Quite the opposite. Seeing his fear for her safety clear in his anguished expression tripled her pulse and created a strong emotional pull.

Kenyon cared about her. Enough to fight for her.

He towered over Krios, violence shining in his eyes. Thick muscles flexed and rippled with strength. God, he looked so feral and powerful. Magnificent.

“Are you challenging me?” Kenyon growled.

The implications of his question tightened her chest and stole Sirena’s breath. Mate challenges between felines were to the death, and he was prepared to fight for her?

Thankfully, daddy dearest’s protégé backed down with a whimper, shaking his head in denial and proving how far removed he’d become from his animal.

Kenyon’s expression turned to one of disgust. “You’re nothing more than a domesticated house cat.” Some of the tension eased from his broad shoulders. “I’ll let you go…this time. Come near my mate again and you won’t walk away.”

Krios held up his hands in surrender as he put more distance between them. “Hey, no worries. She’s not worth it.”

The comment earned him another angry growl. Kenyon and she watched Krios make a rapid retreat, leaving her broken front door standing open. A car door slammed and a few seconds later the engine started, followed by the squeal of tires as he tore out of the driveway.

What a great way to top off a crappy day. First she finds out the only way she’ll ever get satisfaction is from a tomcat. Then she learns her own father traded her to further his political agenda. Talk about dysfunctional families. And that egotistical dickhead lion had the nerve to ruin her favorite blouse. Add in the catfight that almost happened in her home and Sirena’s irritation soared off the charts.

Fucking arrogant, narcissistic, pompous, miserable rat bastard.

“All that and more.”

She groaned with the realization she’d spoken out loud.

Warm hands rubbed up and down her arms, chafing her skin. Her eyelids popped open—not that she remembered closing them—and she stared into Kenyon’s mesmerizing bronze gaze. His position squatting before her put those sexy lips within kissing distance.

“He won’t bother you again, Kitten, so you can sheathe those claws.”

Huh?

Her gaze darted to his chest where her fingers dug into hard muscle. “Oops!” When had she grabbed him? Disorientation clouded her brain. She willed her fingers to relax, dropping her hands into her lap.

The lingering sour taste in her mouth had her swallowing hard. She felt dirty and violated. Cleansing her palate would require a vat of mouthwash.

Noticing Kenyon’s attention had lowered, she glanced down at her engorged n*****s, visible through her sheer bra.

“You should have grabbed his wallet. That damn pain-in-the-ass lion owes me a shirt. And you—” She scowled at him, incredulous when he smiled. Damn him, Kenyon’s lopsided grin almost had her smiling back. “You owe me a door.”