Grinding for the Coyote Read online

  “You make me want to have it all,” Sam told her, her voice a low rasp. “Are you hungry?”

  Adalyn’s stomach growled as if on cue, and she nodded.

  “Adalyn.”

  “Yes, I’m hungry,” she said.

  Sam smiled. “You can clean up first and change,” she said. “I have a few things I think will fit you. Tonight, I’ll put you in the guestroom.”

  “Thank you.”

  Sam led the way to the garage door. She unlocked it and pulled it open for Adalyn. “After you.”

  Adalyn hesitated then stepped inside onto stone tile surrounded by tangerine. The vague scent of clove wafted on the air.

  “This way, Adalyn.” Sam moved around her, brushing against her.

  Electricity danced along her skin where they’d touched, and she jerked her gaze to Sam’s face which was in profile. Adalyn couldn’t read her even now. Knowing what she thought wouldn’t make any of this easier, but at least she was safe.

  Adalyn followed in Sam’s wake noticing the open doorway leading to a kitchen, and one opening into a living room. The shades of blue mingled with hints of gray and chocolate from what she could see.

  “This is your room,” Sam told her as light flooded the spacious room dressed in golden and red tones that blended perfectly for subtle elegance.

  The bed was sprawled to the left of the room while an oversized chair took up residence on the right with a small table and lamp. The furniture had strong lines and seemed a little larger scale, but it worked well together.

  “Bathroom.” Sam pointed to a closed door across the room. “Closet. I’ve learned to be prepared for guests, so everything is washed, but never worn. When you’re ready, just retrace your steps, and you’ll find the kitchen easily.”

  Adalyn started to nod and then said. “Okay.”

  Samarra retreated leaving her in the room bigger than the living room at her apartment. Her old apartment. She’d have to go back there and sift through the ruins and see if there was anything worth salvaging.

  She could just leave it. She could take the money she had and start her life over in another state leaving this madness that had wreaked havoc on her life behind. But nothing would change. Joelle would still be after her. Those files would still be the key to her possibly getting out of this mess alive.

  She didn’t trust that detective. He’d pressed too hard, and she knew it had nothing to do with helping her. He might want the files to vindicate his partner or something else. He could have been bought off like that other cop who’d supposed to have been protecting her.

  Adalyn sighed and crossed the room to the dresser and peered at herself in the square mirror. Her make-up was smudged, and she looked a little unkempt. She headed into the bathroom to scrub up and lights came on upon entry, illuminating the large space in shades of gold and red.

  The clawfoot tub caught her eye immediately, and she decided she’d take a soak in it. She needed to get rid of the sweat and blood. It would be nice if she could wash the entire day away, but something told her there was still more to come.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  “Detective Sang is legit,” Detective Jenner said. “And so is SA Johnson. Your girl is a witness to a double murder that involved Bobby Reacher. He was working with the feds on a case against a hit squad for hire.”

  Samarra frowned as she leaned against the counter in her kitchen. “A hyena hit squad?”

  “I’ve tapped my contacts to check into that,” he said. “I’ll have to get back to you, but they do know these people are different, they just don’t know how different. If they suspect they’re shifters, they’ll want to capture them to study them as well as prosecute them, we can’t let that happen.”

  “We?” she asked dryly. Shifters lived in antonymous units with each one governed by their pack or pride leader. They’d managed to live side-by-side with humans for over four centuries without being recognized for what they were unless you counted the circus sideshow freaks that occasionally popped up.

  “We as in this community,” he said. “These people brought their shit into our town, so it’s going to be up to us to ensure their little ring doesn’t expose the rest of us.”

  “We aren’t exposed, Jenner,” she said. “They are. Anyway, what are we supposed to do?”

  “Eliminate them,” he told her. “They want a file Reacher had, and they are convinced your girl either knows where it is or has it or both. What if proof of shifters is in that file?”

  She pushed out a harsh sigh. “I’ll see if she has it, but don’t count on me just passing it off to you.”

  “I don’t give much of a damn about that file as long as it doesn’t expose us,” he snapped. “So you handle that end, and I’ll find out who these assholes are.”

  “Fine. I’ll talk to Mal.”

  “Oh, we need a statement from your girl about today. Make sure she doesn’t say anything that might cast long looks our way.”

  “I’ll get her there tomorrow.”

  “Make it early,” he said. “Later.”

  “Right.” She ended the call as the scent of Adalyn floated to her. She smelled like soap with the residual stink of hyena blood gone.

  “I love the tub,” Adalyn said. “Thanks. I don’t feel icky anymore.”

  Sam smiled. “Nice choice,” she said as her gaze roamed over Adalyn. She’d chosen a simple house dress with a V-neck and shoulder straps.

  “This kitchen is bigger than my apartment,” she said and laughed nervously.

  “Come have a bite to eat,” Sam suggested.

  Adalyn followed Samarra across the room to an eating nook. The shades were pulled closed at the bay window. The recessed lights filled the room with soft gold light.

  Adalyn took a seat at the table for four. Two places had been set and a carafe of tea sat in the middle of the table. She dug into the meal after a brief moment of silent prayer.

  “We’ll have to go to the police station in the morning,” Sam said.

  “What do they think I can tell them?” Adalyn demanded angrily. “I told them all I know six months ago. I can’t explain why hit people came after me.”

  “The cop mentioned the file,” Sam told her. “What was in it?”

  “I don’t know,” she muttered. “I just did what he asked me to which was send it to his email and destroy the SD card.”

  “They probably hacked his email by now,” Sam mused.

  “Maybe, but I don’t think she knew about the account he kept to communicate with other women.”

  “Well, tell me what it is, and I’ll get someone to hack it.”

  ****

  Adalyn studied her. Sam’s eyes were guarded. She probably thought she was lying. She may even be upset she’d gotten dragged into this mess.

  Adalyn reached for her tea. “I would have preferred wine.”

  “Good for you.”

  Adalyn glared at her. “Do you have any?”

  “Always but that doesn’t mean I break it out every time I have guests.”

  “Are you trying to start an argument?” Adalyn asked. “I just want a drink. I’ve had a really crappy afternoon.”

  “You’ll survive.”

  “Be a dick then,” she muttered.

  “Are you going to give me the email address or not?”

  “After dinner.”

  They finished their meal in silence and Adalyn insisted on helping to clean up afterward. Sam dismissed the offer sending Adalyn off to the den. The room was as spacious as the others and the tangerine and blue combined for a sensual kiss of color mingled with wood and glass.

  The huge flat screen had been mounted on a wall over a shelf holding speakers and a DVD player. There was a fireplace to the right of that and several windows in the room. The entire home had an air of welcome and comfort that made it hard for her to do anything but long for a place of her own.

  Adalyn went to one of them and pulled back the curtain to stare out into the yard.

&nb
sp; It was an endless space of wide open green. Tall trees swayed in a gentle breeze. She had to go to the park for green space nowadays. Samarra was lucky to have it, but she supposed she had the money to afford it and being an animal she needed it. So where was the gate?

  She didn’t see a privacy fence anywhere. So much freedom.

  Adalyn sighed deeply and leaned her forehead against the cool pane.

  “What is it?” Sam asked.

  “I was just thinking.” She turned to find Samarra standing in the middle of the den. The carpet had masked her footsteps allowing Samarra to come in unnoticed.

  “About?” Sam took a seat on the sofa with fluffy pillows without taking her eyes from her. Her gaze was dark and unreadable pools of copper that Adalyn wanted to sink into and get lost in.

  Falling for her had been so easy and walking away was going to break her heart. But standing here, nothing inside of her could stand to do anything more than go to Samarra.

  Falling for someone wasn’t about doing the smart thing or even the right one. It was about feeling and against all odds giving in to it.

  She couldn’t get pregnant by Samarra, so she didn’t have to worry about the children part, but for the rest, she’d live with the broken heart later.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  “I was just thinking what a big backyard you have,” she said. “Do you ever change and run in it?”

  Sam studied her, her eyes glowing with intensity. “Rarely. This is my office slash apartment, and I do have neighbors, Addy.” She’d changed into lounge pants and a matching camisole top.

  Adalyn took a few steps toward the sofa. “Are you going to the club tonight?”

  “Someone can cover for me,” she answered. “Do you like the necklace?”

  She was still wearing it and had no plans to take it off. “It’s very pretty.”

  “I don’t normally give women gifts because it’s easy to mistake my intentions, but I saw that in a shop window and it reminded me of you.” Sam shifted but made no move to get to her feet, so Adalyn took another step.

  Her stomach fluttered. “In what way?”

  Sam shrugged, and her gaze slid slowly down Adalyn’s body. “They’d think I wanted more than I did, but I can’t stop thinking about you, Addy.” Samarra reached out, anchoring a hand at Adalyn’s hip and urging her down.

  Adalyn nodded. “Just tell me you want me,” she whispered as she lowered herself, straddling Sam. It was enough for now, it was everything for now all things considered.

  “You know how much I want you, Addy,” Samarra said huskily. “I killed for you today, and I’ll do it again to keep you safe.”

  Samarra could have just left her there or killed Donna in front of her, but she hadn’t. That kind of care spoke of something more than want to her.

  She cupped Sam’s face between her hands. “Just want?”

  ***

  Samarra breathed out roughly and the copper of her eyes darkened a fraction, became an open book. It was a mixture of sexual potency and emotional urgency.

  “You intoxicate me, Addy,” she said roughly. “I need more of you.” Sam leaned toward her and their lips brushed lightly. Sam’s parted, and her tongue darted out to trace the line of Adalyn’s lips. Adalyn sighed softly and Sam’s tongue darted into her hot mouth.

  Samarra’s tongue brushed over hers, thrust deeper into her mouth.

  Adalyn’s arm curved around Sam’s neck as she leaned into her. She moaned softly, reveling in the feel of her lover’s body against hers.

  Sam glided her hands up Adalyn’s shoulders to the straps of her dress. She peeled them down to bare the fullness of her breasts.

  The tight pink nipples stood at attention. Sam’s breathing hitched and her eyes darkened even more. “Your tits are so pretty.” She drew her thumbs over the pert tips and brushed Adalyn’s lips with hers before taking a kiss.

  Her lips moved demandingly against the lush curves of Adalyn’s and Adalyn stroked her hands down Samara’s arms to her hips. Sam lowered her head and flicked her tongue over a rosy peak. Her skin was so sensitive Adalyn gasped and arched her chest toward Sam’s mouth.

  “Ooh!” Adalyn pushed her hands beneath Samarra’s little cami top and stroked her. “I want you.”

  Sam drew the nipple into her mouth and sucked before releasing it. She turned her attention to the twin while her fingers pinched and plumped the other turgid peak. She slapped the fleshy mound drawing a moan from Adalyn. Then, she scraped her teeth against the delicate peak before swirling her tongue around the areola.

  “Damn,” Sam growled. “You’re so sweet.” She closed her lips over the tightly furled nipple and drew it into her mouth. She sucked hard, sending pin prickles of pain skittering through Adalyn.

  The pain was a delicious sensation that could become an addiction.

  She gasped and Sam claimed her parted lips as she glided her hands over Adalyn’s back and down to cup her firm ass. She tugged the skirt of the dress up to allow her hands to dip beneath.

  Sam trailed kisses along the side of Adalyn’s neck to where shoulder and neck met. She nipped the delicate skin before her lips firmed and sucked at her succulent flesh.

  Adalyn gasped as pleasure snaked through her and she tangled her fingers in the short dark waves of Sam’s thick hair. She arched into her firm chest wanting to sink into her.

  “Samarra.” Adalyn breathed out roughly as she tipped her head back and soft lips skimmed over her throat.

  Sam pushed her hands past the band of Adalyn’s panties and shaped her ass. “Your ass is so perfect. I should fuck it,” Sam murmured, and then sucked Adalyn’s throat as she pushed a finger inside her to test the readiness of her pussy. Sliding in through the thick syrup, her finger penetrated the tight cavern. “That pussy’s so ready for me.”

  She stroked the back of Sam’s neck. “Please,” she begged, eager to have Sam inside her.

  “So ready to be taken,” she murmured. “Maybe I should have kept my dick on for you.”

  Adalyn shivered. “I’ll let you have me any way you want, Samarra.”

  “I know you will, Addy,” she said roughly and pressed two fingers into her tight sheath. “You need me as badly as I need you.”

  Adalyn’s breath came out in jagged pants as slim fingers stroked into her. The depth was shallow, and she lowered her hips to impale herself only to have her ass soundly smacked.

  She let out a cry of pain and pleasure cut a path over her nerves. “Samarra,” she whined.

  Sam landed another thwack on her ass and Adalyn gasped and lifted her hips back up to where they’d been before.

  “Good girl.” She thrust her fingers deeper into Adalyn’s pussy and her muscles clenched around them.

  “Fuck, Samarra. That feels divine,” she cried.

  “I can smell how hot you are, and I want to eat all that cream from your body.”

  Adalyn trembled, her womb, clenched. “Samarra, I need—”

  “Like this?” She drew her fingers out and thrust them back and fucked her with rough strokes. Adalyn writhed against her hand, gripped her hair and whimpered as she rubbed her clit against Sam’s.

  “Oh fuck. Oh, yesss!” She mewled as Samarra took her faster, slamming her fingers in, fucking her with dominant efficiency. Adalyn’s head rolled back on her shoulders as bliss started to crest like a wave crashing to shore. Her orgasm was so close she could taste it, and then Sam drew her fingers free.

  “Samarra.” She whined and the sound was so like a puppy’s to her ears it gave her pause, but Samarra was standing with her in her arms and just that fast her confusion faded as lust beat anew in her blood.

  Sam set her on the sofa and grabbed one of the throw pillows, the red with lime strips complementing the navy of the sofa. Sam bent and reached beneath the skirt of Adalyn’s dress and gripped the band of her panties and jerked them, tearing them from her body quickly.

  Adalyn watched with anticipation as Samarra tossed the panties aside and p
ushed the skirt up revealing her honey-colored skin.

  Samarra sank to her knees before lowering her head and brushed her lips over the soft skin of one thigh. Then, she licked a path to Adalyn’s inner thigh to trail kisses within inches of Adalyn’s dripping cunt.

  “You smell so good, Adalyn.” Samarra looked up at her from her bent position. She drew Adalyn’s thighs wider apart and licked up her slit keeping her eyes on Adalyn’s. Adalyn’s hips jerked and she drew in a rough breath. “You like the feel of my tongue on your cunt?”

  Adalyn nodded. “Yes!” she cried. Fire burned through her blood setting her aflame from the inside out.

  Samarra used two fingers to part the plump pussy lips before dipping her tongue between them and into the simmering depths of feminine heat. She fucked her with lazy strokes drawing soft grunts from Adalyn before trailing her tongue up to the erect nubbin. She licked around it and Adalyn’s hips jerked off the sofa.

  “G—ooo!” Adalyn buried her hands in Samarra’s hair, hips jerking up.

  Sam’s tongue was a sword of pleasure as it teased the side of her clit, circled it lightly, and then flickered over it. She licked over Adalyn’s pleasure button again and closed her lips over it to suck firmly.

  “Samarra!” She almost screamed. Damn it was just too good. She was losing her mind.

  Sam drove her fingers into Adalyn’s pussy and stroked hard and fast as she sucked at Adalyn’s clit between flicks of her tongue.

  Adalyn thrashed her head from side to side on the back of the sofa, mewling as Sam’s fingers and tongue whipped up a conflagration in her that threatened to incinerate her.

  Then, Sam drove her fingers into Adalyn’s cunt.

  She screamed her lover’s name, the pleasure rich and heady as it took her over.

  Sam withdrew her fingers as Adalyn’s breathing slowly came back to normal.

  She licked them slowly beneath Adalyn’s glazed and surprised stare. “Mmm. I don’t think I’m going to be able to get enough of you any time soon.”