Mate Set (Mating Heat Book 1) Read online

“You need to shut up if you want me to touch you in two hours.” She lifted her wrist, twisting it to show off her watch. “That’s the deal, Grady. You keep silent and I’ll attend to you when you need me to.”

  He sniffed and softly growled. She closed her eyes, pressing her forehead to the bars. She knew what he smelled and she recognized that damn growl. She was turned on, was always affected by the sight of his naked body and touching him, and he usually fucked her when he uttered the type of growl he’d just made.

  “Come here, Mika. I can take care of you.”

  She took a deep breath. “No thanks. I’m not in heat. I’m just fine, and again, shut up.”

  “You can put your knees beside my shoulders and straddle my face,” he said softly. “I want to taste you, babe.”

  Her eyes snapped open. “Damn you!” She spun, glaring at him. “You think I’m going to let any part of my body near your damn mouth again? You bit me and you left me bleeding, huddled in a room, terrified that you were going to come after me and kill me. You didn’t even give a shit enough to make sure I was alive!”

  Something flashed in his eyes. “I knew you were fine, and I smelled your terror. I left to give us both a chance to calm.”

  “Fine. You stick with that bullshit excuse of why you abandoned me. Shut up, Grady. I really don’t want to talk to you.”

  He watched her but he didn’t speak.

  And she was stuck with him until his damn family released them.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Elroy was grim as he unlocked the cage door. Mika was in the far corner, definitely not going near the angry man. She thought about trying to run past him but knew, after three days of being locked up, that it wouldn’t work. She’d tried twice but one of Grady’s brothers always caught her before she made it to the stairs.

  She had been fed four times a day but she also had to feed Grady. The stacks of towels and hand towels they delivered daily had been used to give her and Grady sponge baths from the sink. She’d bathed him, cared for him, and taken care of all of his needs. Every time he’d tried to talk to her, she’d threatened to stop.

  He’d watched her though, silently, hour after hour.

  She just wanted a real shower, fresh air, and to get the hell out of the cage.

  The pack leader ignored Mika as he stepped into the cell, his full attention on his son. “How are you feeling?”

  Grady was frowning at his father. “Fine.”

  Elroy paused. “How are you feeling now that you’re out of heat?”

  Surprise flashed through Mika as her gaze darted to Grady.

  He shook his head. “I’m still in heat.”

  Elroy’s eyes narrowed and then he looked at Mika. He returned his attention to his son. “I see.”

  Grady stared at his father. “I want my chains removed.”

  “No,” Mika instantly said. “If we stay locked up, he stays locked down.”

  “You don’t give me orders,” Elroy told her. He reached in his pocket and withdrew a key. He stared into Grady’s eyes. “How much longer do you think you’ll need to be here, until she won’t take off on you?”

  “I’m not sure. I’ll let you know when I have this heat thing under control.”

  Elroy bent, unlocking Grady’s wrists, staring at his son the entire time. “I’m going to leave the cage open and instead just lock the door to the basement, so you can be more comfortable in the apartment down here.” He made a face. “You both need showers.”

  Grady’s wrists were free. He moved his arms, winced a little and sat up. “Thanks, Dad.”

  “I hope you know what you’re doing,” Elroy said softly. “I’m taking heavy shit upstairs, so I hope you go out of heat soon.” He paused. “Am I clear?”

  “Yes.” Grady’s legs were released and Elroy straightened, moving away.

  Elroy shot a glance at Mika. “Don’t try to escape. I have four guards set up around the house outside. You wouldn’t make it to the gate that separates the property from the street. Am I clear?”

  “Don’t threaten her.” Grady stood.

  “Then make sure she stays where she’s needed and I won’t have to.” He softly growled at his son. “If you hadn’t totally made a mess of this, I wouldn’t be involved at all.”

  Grady sighed. “I know. I’m sorry.”

  Elroy nodded and walked out of the cage. “Two days, Grady. That’s all you’ve got.”

  Mika stared at Grady as he stretched his big, naked body. The sheet was on the floor, where it had dropped the second he’d stood. He watched his father go and then slowly turned to face her. The look in his eyes scared her a little.

  “Things have changed now, haven’t they, babe?” He moved, slowly inching closer.

  “Yeah. You can wash your own ass now.”

  His hands gripped the bars on either side of her, trapping her between them and his body, but he didn’t touch her. She looked up at his face, since, if she looked down, she’d see more of him than she wanted to without that sheet.

  “You can’t keep me quiet anymore with your threats to not touch me.” He inhaled slowly then lowered his head, turning it, and breathed in close to her neck. “We’re going to shower and then we’re going to talk.”

  Mika swallowed the lump that formed in her throat. “We don’t have much to talk about. As soon as you don’t need me anymore, you can get on with your life and I can get on with mine.”

  His nose brushed her throat and she jumped, trying to move away from him, but she had nowhere to go as her arm pressed against his where he gripped the bar, trapping her.

  “Let’s go shower.”

  “You go right ahead. I’ll take one after you.”

  Grady backed up a step, released the bars, and grabbed her forearm. “You don’t leave my sight. You could try to run from me again.”

  She bit back a curse as he turned, tugging on her, and she was left with no choice but to follow. Her gaze dropped to his ass, watching the muscles flex as he walked. The guy had a really nice ass. She forced her gaze away, refusing to look at him in that manner.

  He turned to a closed door she’d assumed was a storage closet and opened it. She was stunned when instead, it opened into a large area that was a living room divided by a long bar separating it from a small galley kitchen.

  “It’s small but it works.” He led her past a couch to another closed door and pushed it open. He tugged her around his body and she found herself in a nice-size bathroom.

  “Strip,” he ordered her, releasing her arm. The door firmly closed behind them as he inched around her to turn on the water in the tub/shower combo.

  “You shower first and I’ll wait here.”

  He faced her, staring into her eyes. “If you don’t take of your clothes, I’ll do it. If you fight me, I’ll shred them so you don’t have anything to wear. Am I clear? Get your ass in the shower. We both need one.”

  “Jerk,” she muttered, reaching for her shirt.

  He chuckled, proving her title for him, and adjusted the water flow and temperature. She glanced at his bent ass and looked away. She was nervous as hell now that he was free. She wasn’t in control anymore, and she knew it. She also knew that it wouldn’t be her hands and mouth getting him off, now that he could take her any way he wanted her.

  He silently watched her undress, his dark gaze taking in every inch. She cleared her throat. “Are there any razors around here?”

  “Are you planning on trying to cut my throat?”

  “No. I’d like to shave my legs before they look like yours.”

  A chuckle escaped him. “I’m not going to complain.”

  “I bet,” she shot back. “You prefer your women hairy at times.”

  His grin died. “Get in the shower now, Mika.”

  She had to squeeze by him as she stepped over the tub rim. He turned and she glanced down as something brushed her hips, something firm and hot.

  He was aroused, his cock standing straight out, and she looked away,