“Cara, the judicial systems in most of the world do not work remotely like the one in the United States—although I must admit, lately, yours is starting to resemble the corrupt ones so common everywhere else.” She tilted her head to the side as if trying to figure out exactly what he meant, and this time, he didn’t hold back his chuckle. “A system where the rich and famous are held to a different standard than the rest of the citizens is the beginning of the end for a nation. History is rife with examples—but long story short, if law enforcement and the courts are more concerned with political posturing than following their own constitution and laws, the system will fail.”
Asia studied him, watching him so closely, Franklin had the feeling she was trying to crawl inside his head. Her brilliant mind was ticking off everything she’d learned about him, trying to reconcile the facts she’d read with what she’d observed. He knew what was in her report, just as he knew what was in every background check done on him—exactly what he wanted people to know.
“How old are you? And don’t give me some PCBS answer, I want the truth.” Asia’s question surprised him. He’d expected her to revisit her early inquiry about his connection to the Knights.
“PCBS?” He could probably guess at the acronym’s meaning, but he would let her tell him just to be sure.
“Politically correct bull shit.” Her arms crossed over her chest, lifting her ample breasts invitingly, but he didn’t let his gaze drift from her eyes. Nodding his understanding, Franklin grinned.
“I’ll tell you specifically—someday—but for now, let’s just say I’m much older than you are, but I’m considered very young in the wizarding world.” Shifters typically lived far longer than nonmagicals, but wizards typically lived for several centuries. By his calculation, neither of them would be forced to live long without the other—as long as they weren’t thrust into the middle of some damned magical war, which was always a possibility with the ever-present power struggles within the magical world. Humans thought their conflicts killed a lot of people—and they did—but the loss of human life in a magical war would be devastating.
Famines, plagues, and other widespread death tolls were usually the work of rogue magicians. Nonmagicals, quick to grasp on to any explanation they deemed reasonable, were spoon-fed carefully crafted information by the governing body of magicians—politicians weren’t the only ones manipulating the media.
She surprised him by laughing as she shook her head. “I’m going to hold you to that. I want to be able to brag to my siblings about having a man who’s been around the block a few times.” Wrapping his hand around her wrist, Franklin tugged her against his chest, threading his fingers through the silky fall of her hair, enjoying her heated response.
“Kiss me, Cara. Let the wolf come out and play for a bit. I love seeing your pretty eyes turn to liquid gold as they glow from within.” It was all he got out before closing the distance between them, pressing his lips against hers. The taste of her always set him on fire, and this time was no different. Asia Adler was as wild as the wind, her passion matching his own.
His hands slid down her back, cupping the firm cheeks of her ass, the soft flowing silk skirt doing nothing to hide the fact, she’d followed his instructions to leave the scraps of fabric and lace she called panties in her damned suitcase. Her soft moan was gas to his fire. Squeezing the rounded globes of her ass, he lifted her against him before pressing her back to a nearby wall. Ravaging her lips in a blistering kiss that was full-on dominance, he inhaled the sweet scent of her arousal as it floated around them. It didn’t matter how often he promised himself the next time would be different—swearing it would be all hearts and flowers romance—Asia shredded his control. He wanted to let sweet words waft over her glistening skin as he ravaged her with tenderness, but she always managed to flip the switch that turned him into an over-sexed, wild man.
“I’m going to reward your obedience, Cara.” He made quick work of his pants, letting them drop to his knees as his hungry cock nudged at her snug entrance. “Fuck me, you are so hot, I may go up in flames. Are you ready for me, baby?” It was a rhetorical question because he could feel the slick evidence coating his tip. Moving through her wet folds was like sliding through liquid fire.
“Dresses and no panties. If I have my way, you’ll have little need of the annoying undergarments intended to keep me from touching and fucking what’s mine.” His words were whispered against the taut cords straining along the side of her slender neck. He understood the significance of the way she bared her throat to him. As a wolf shifter, making herself vulnerable was evidence of her trust, an act of submission he would value as the precious gift it was. “Tell me you want me, Cara. Safe, sane, and consensual—always.” It was more than that, and they both knew it, but she wasn’t ready to hear how much he loved hearing her ask for what she wanted.
“I want you, Sir. I want to feel the heated steel of your cock as it stretches me to a point just this side of pain. The pulsing veins of your cock caress my vaginal walls, ensuring every thrust reminds me what a powerful lover you are.”
Fucking hell, she was killing him. The imp knew precisely what she was doing, and in all fairness, he’d set himself up. Goddess, he adored her quick mind.
“I love it when you tell me what you want, sweetness.” Rocking his hips, he pushed in balls deep with one forceful thrust. Her scream made the searing heat of her stretching tissues worth the torture he knew was coming. Hell, maintaining his control was almost more than he could manage. Fucking hell, she was always so tight, it scrambled his brain cells. “Hang on, pet. I promise to make love to you for hours—later. Much later. This round is going to be hard and fast because I want you too much to wait.”
Asia’s sheath responded by clamping down on him like a damned vice, her greedy body proving how much she’d missed him as the muscles lining the walls of her vagina rippled along the length of his cock. Hell, she was trying to pull him deeper. The satisfaction of knowing she’d missed him as much as he’d missed her was a relief.
Franklin found solace, knowing he wasn’t the only one who’d suffered while they’d been apart. Asia Adler was quickly becoming, not only his greatest obsession but his biggest weakness as well. Abandoning all pretense of restraint, Franklin set a brutal pace, thrusting hard and deep until he felt the fire in his balls erupt.
Lightening shot up his spine, setting his damned brain on fire. He fought to keep his eyes open, his gaze laser-focused on the incredible woman coming apart in his arms. Seeing the passion and need reflecting in her eyes was enormously satisfying, and he didn’t want to miss a second of the connection.
“I love seeing the wonder in your eyes when your brilliant mind clears enough to realize I’m taking what’s mine while giving myself to you in equal measure. Let go, Cara. Come again for me.” Before he could suck in a deep breath, she was screaming his name. The breathless tone of her voice sounded more like the sweetest prayer than the cry of a woman lost in the throes of her second orgasm in less than a minute.
Letting go of his own release, Franklin relished the feel of his ejaculate splashing against her cervix. Asia was the only woman he’d ever fucked without a condom, and the difference was beyond anything he’d ever anticipated. Franklin had been having sex longer than the average non-magical’s lifespan and had never experienced anything like the heat surrounding his bare cock. Hell, the thick rubbers produced in the second half of the eighteen hundreds had been so thick, he’d barely been able to feel sex at all. The men nowadays had no idea how lucky they were. The newer condoms were a vast improvement over their predecessors, but nothing felt as good Asia rippling and pulsing over his bare skin.