“Give me a chance to make you happy. To prove that Prison Guard RookandAlpha Bowen are worthy of you.”
I don’t take his words lightly. I know what he’s asking me. To stay. To live here, as his mate. To get to know him outside of his prison guard uniform.
“You better pay off all my lounge’s debts,” I tell him sternly.
“Consider it done.”
I breathe out long and slow. “Okay.”
His eyes light up, as though he didn’t expect me to say that. “Okay?”
I nod slowly. “Okay, Alpha PG Rook Bowen. I’ll stay with you and do this mate thing. But I want four.”
His brow furrows. “Four?”
“Orgasms,” I specify. “Right now. On this bed because it’s really comfortable. And then I want some meatloaf.”
A widespread grin takes over his face, and I stick my fingers in each dimple because they’re just too hot not to touch. “When you say meatloaf…”
I dig my fingers into his cheeks harder, letting him feel the bite of my nails. “I meanmeatloaf. Not your penis. Your dick doesn’t get to come out to play. You’re still in the doghouse.”
I drop my fingers and relax back on the bed, splaying my arms up over my head. “Now gimme four orgasms to start making it up to me.”
“You’re demanding.”
“Yup. Can you handle it?”
His hands skim my sides, making goosebumps scatter over my skin as he lets his gentle fingers trail up the insides of my arms. “I want you,” he tells me, his voice deep and rumbling. “And I’ll do whatever it takes to have you and keep you.”
That dark promise gets my blood pumping, and I feel a flush rise up my chest. “Good,” I say, swallowing thickly. “Better get to work then. Four orgasms and counting.”
He gives me a devilish smirk. “Nah. I’ll give you five.”
And he does.
Really,reallywell, too.
16
Over the next week, Rook gets me acquainted with his lounge. Everyone speaks to me with respect, like I’ve already become his mate in their eyes, and I have to admit, I like it.
His land and his lounge aren’t what I would’ve imagined. Everyone is...normal. Nice. Not at all the bloodthirsty brutes that everyone says they are. Except for his enforcers. Those cockatrices are pretty fucking scary. They look like they eat a dozen raw eggs for a snack and drink human growth hormone during happy hour. They’re big, burly, loyal as hell, and somehow, they all seem to have the same wicked scowl, like they practice it in front of the mirror together or something.
Rook has a pretty sweet setup. He owns acres of land, set deep in the forest, for his lounge, and he’s basically...obscenely rich. His “house” is a damn mansion. With fifteen bedrooms and bathrooms, three heated pools, a waterfall jacuzzi, a stable, an entertainment room, a gym, a massive garage, and a damn helicopter pad, his house should be a little intimidating. Luckily for me, it’s like I was meant for the rich mate life, because I easily embrace it.
Like right now. I’m sprawled out in the sauna, sipping on a strawberry daiquiri that Rook’s live-in cook made for me and listening to “Kiss from a Rose” by Seal through the sound system that I currently have hooked up to my phone. The drink serves as a perfect microphone for when the chorus starts, and I sing it at the top of my lungs—as is required by anyone who listens to the song.
Clapping fills the sauna as I close out what can only be labeled as an epic performance, and my eyes snap open to find Rook leaning against the doorway and watching me with laughter gleaming in his eyes.
I sit up from where my head is hanging off the cedar bench, wrapped up in nothing but a towel, so I can bow properly. His eyes dance with mischief. “Hard day?”
“Sorry, I can’t hear you,” I say.
Rolling his eyes, he snatches my phone and pauses the No Doubt song that just started playing. “Better?”
“Hmm, it’s hard to say,” I reply, taking a sip of my delicious frozen drink. “Turn the music back on so I can compare.”
Laughing, he comes into the steamy sauna and scoops me up, not even caring that his fancy suit is getting all messed up. He pecks a kiss to my forehead. “Sorry to interrupt your...whatever that was,” he says as he carries me away from the pool area.
