The Protector Read online

  “I am coming.” Blair did not want to argue. She felt better with Cole, and didn’t want to ruin the moment with fighting. She still felt shaken by everything that happened. Perhaps it made her weak to admit she wanted to be held and assured everything was going to be fine.

  They walked out of the house, and he held the SUV’s door open for her. He helped her in, then closed the door. He climbed in and started the car. He smiled at her. “You ready?”

  Blair nodded, and he backed out of her driveway and headed out of town.

  She sat in the seat of his SUV watching out the window. It was completely dark now, making the drive as bleak as she felt. Michael still had not called. Blair bit her lower lip in worry for Cassie. Cole's cell phone started to ring. Cole answered the call. He spoke in choppy sentences and gave little away. Blair sat up straighter, desperately trying to hear the other half of the conversation. Curse her weak shifter DNA and weak hearing. Blair could see Cole's jaw was tense and his muscles flexed.

  "All right, I'll talk to you later, Michael," Cole said as he hit the red phone on the screen. Blair's stomach churned to know it had been Michael on the end of the line, and she needed to know if Cassie was ok.

  Cole stared out of the windshield deep in thought.

  Blair stared at him, wanting to know about Cassie, but terrified to ask at the same time. He put his phone in a slot in the SUV’s dashboard. Just when Blair was ready to scream with frustration, Cole turned to her.

  “Cassie is going to be all right.”

  “Oh, thank the Goddess.” Blair felt a huge weight lift off her.

  Cole turned into the gravel drive to his house. Just as Blair opened the car door, Cole’s phone rang again, with what she now realized was Michael’s ringtone. Blair knew Michael and Cole conferred a lot. He was the territory beta as well as the sheriff. She got out of the SUV and closed the door to give them privacy.

  She walked to the front porch as she felt she needed to get some fresh air. Casually sitting on the front porch swing, she pushed back against the porch floor, making the swing squeak slightly. The night air was fresh and had a pleasant scent. It was so peaceful, contrary to the last few nights.

  Blair noticed a twinkle in the corner of her view and turned her head to see a min-min light fairy playing in the front flower garden. The min-min fairy was just like a regular fairy, but they were nocturnal and glowed like lightning bugs. She watched as another one joined the first. They jumped into the petals of the flowers, doing flips in the air. She could barely hear their happy chitters over the rustling of the trees blowing in the wind. She smiled as the fairies played, and Blair envied their simple, childlike existence. They had no worries and always seemed happy, well, most of the time.

  Instead, Blair was apprehensive about how much trouble she was in with Cole. Was he as angry as Michael was and just hiding it well? Would he punish her severely? Was that what Michael and Cole were discussing now?

  Cole finally stepped out of his SUV and walked up to the house.

  Blair felt the urge to run, but she mentally smacked herself. Come on, girl. You are not a child. Stop acting like one. Chin up, spine straight, and face your punishment. Maybe she could even have a good fight with Cole. That would make her feel better. Getting some of her anxiety out with a good old-fashioned argument would let off some steam. Then we can have sex. Dominating, kinky sex. Blair felt her eyes widen at her own thoughts.

  Cole stalked across the porch to where she waited for him on the swing. His look wasn’t one he had when he prepared to fight with her. He was happy.

  “Let’s go inside.” Cole held his hand out for her to take. He looked more at peace and more confident than she had seen him in a long time.

  Blair’s plans of having it out with him immediately vanished. Cole just looking at her was arousing her even more. It was not fair that he could look at her a certain way, and she wanted him. Blair nodded and took his hand.

  Cole’s grip was strong and warm as he wrapped it around her smaller hand. He then brought it up to his lips and kissed it, while maintaining eye contact with her. His eyes smoldered as they watched her. Blair’s body began to heat up with arousal.

  Touch me, hold me, anything, just show me that you still love me. Blair ran her hands up his muscular chest. Now that the weight of her fear for Cassie was lifted she felt she could touch him.

  His face was so close to hers, and his breath drifted across her lips. “It is time you stopped running from me, Blair. I told you earlier that I love you. I never stopped. I don’t think you ever stopped either. I am going to do everything in my power to show you how much I love you.”

  Blair looked into his eyes. She was in love with him, and he could make her fall even further. Even though she wanted to try again, she was scared. Could she trust him? What if some tragedy happened again, and he left? She couldn’t take another heartbreak like that again.

  Try anyway.

  Cole stared back into her eyes. He smiled after a few moments. “That’s what I hoped to see, that there is hope for us. I know you’re scared, and you don’t trust me yet. I plan to change that.”

  He claimed her lips. Then, sliding his hands through her hair, he gripped her strawberry blonde strands. He held her hair tight enough that she had no way to escape him, or his passionate kiss. The bulge of his cock pressed against her mound. She lost her control and wrapped her arms around him. Passion she had ignored for five years flared to life. Cole urged her lips open with his tongue. Once she allowed him in, he took control, dominating her with his expert kiss. Goddess, she missed how he conquered her body so absolutely.

  Cole’s hips rocked into her, causing her to press her own sex into his hard bulge. Cole didn’t ask, or even give her any warning. He just picked her up, his lips still holding her captive, and strolled into his house.

  When she finally came up for air, she saw she was in his living room. “Cole—”

  “Not now, Blair. Right now I have to take care of my very naughty fox.”

  Blair’s blood already started to heat. It had been so long since they played. She felt her cream coat her pussy.

  “Oh, Cole.” She meant it as a complaint, but it came out more as begging.

  “I know, baby. You need me as much as I need you, and I am going to give you what you need now.”

  Tears were already falling down her face. She loved and hated his punishments. It hurt, which she didn’t like, but she felt so cleansed after a hard punishment.

  “Now, Blair. Tell me what you did to deserve discipline?” Cole asked while rubbing her ass.

  Blair was already crying, her body shaking with her hiccupping cries. “I took a new shifter out of our territory.”

  “You did, and you know what that will get you.” Cole’s tone was regretful.

  Blair tensed. That wasn’t a good sign. Cole only used that tone when he planned to use something she hated. “No, Cole, please not that paddle. You know how much it hurts.”

  “I also know how much you deserve a good paddling.” He pulled her shirt over her head.

  “Cole, don’t do this.” She looked into his hungry eyes, and felt her own arousal coating her pussy.

  “Take your jeans off.” Cole gave her a commanding stare.

  Blair couldn’t fight him when he looked at her like this. She never could. Neither did she want to. She loved and feared this side of Cole. This side was the sadistic Master that would not stop until she broke completely. Her hands moved to the waist of her jeans and unfastened them. She slid the denim down her legs.

  “What a good girl. You please me so much when you obey.” Cole’s voice warmed her with pleasure.

  He picked up the light paddle he had often used on her in the past when they would plan to have a heavy punishment scene. He moved her towards the spanking bench that he had made especially for her.

  Blair started fighting. Even though she craved what was coming next, she feared it as well. “Cole, stop. Don’t hit me.”

 
; Blair knew her safe words. They were “red alert”, and unless Cole heard those two words, he would continue. Any other begging, threatening, or screaming, Cole ignored. Even as she begged him not to do this, she put her arms and legs on the padded bench and allowed Cole to restrain her in place.

  Cole stood behind her and rubbed her ass lightly. “Your submission to me is so beautiful, Blair.” Cole’s voice was full of pride making Blair warm even more at his compliment.

  “I only submit to you, Cole. No one else has earned it.” Blair wondered where the hell that had come from and why she blurted it out. Yes, it was true, but she didn’t need to tell him that.

  “I know that, I have watched you.” He rubbed her back sensuously. “I have protected you, even when you rejected me. I made sure you were always safe, and I know you have never looked at another man, only me.”

  Blair wanted to deny it and say she had sex with many shifters. It was, after all, perfectly acceptable for shifter females to seek out the strongest shifters and share sex with them.

  A shifter’s life could be dangerous. Many young unmated shifters died every year from fighting, and from thinking themselves invincible, roaming around during hunting season and getting shot. The list was endless as to why so many died. Then to add to the problem, female shifters were only fertile a few times a year, and unlike animals they didn’t go into heat at set times. Most never knew when they were fertile.

  Blair had been to several territories that had strong shifters who were interested in her. She had been asked many times to share a bed with a male shifter. She never took them up on their offers. The only man she wanted was here in Colorado.

  “No, I have not sought any other men out. I only want you.” Blair was ready to bite her tongue, and she could not believe she had blurted out her feelings once again. What was up with her being unable to lie to him? He had always been able to control her body, but now did he control her soul, too?

  “I know, baby, and it warms my heart so much. I’ve seen it clearly in your eyes. If I had not seen the love you have for me there, I would have let you go when you came home. I would never try to force you to love me again. I vow to you, though, I am going to make things right with you.” Cole looked down at her with emotion in his eyes. “I was foolish, and acting on emotion. I turned away from you when I should have turned to you. I know you don’t trust me yet, but I will prove it to you. I love you.”

  Blair felt tears forming. She wanted that so much, but Cole was right. She had trouble trusting him. At that moment, more than anything she wanted their relationship to work.

  Cole leaned in and kissed her cheek. “I will tear down those walls you built to keep me out, and I will win your heart once again.”

  “I dare you to try.” Blair looked into his eyes, willing him to take her challenge.

  Cole took off his utility belt and gun, setting them in the safe he kept in his room.

  Blair tried not to think about why Cole felt he needed to build a spanking bench for her all those years ago. And even more about why her spanking bench was still in the same place in his room all these years later.

  The spanking bench not only gave her entire body, including her arms and legs, complete support, but it also gave him a place to restrain her arms and legs. As much as she loved Cole’s harsh punishments, she could never hold still for them. She always fought, and he spent a good amount of time restraining her. If she moved at the wrong time, Cole could accidently hit her wrong and cause serious injury. Cole made sure that she couldn’t move enough, but checked the restraints to make sure they weren’t too tight.

  “I will start right now.”

  The first stinging smack hurt just as bad as she remembered. She struggled even harder while she shrieked, and he smacked her again, the sound echoing through the room over her screams. She hated the pain and struggled to escape.

  “Cole!” she yelled. “Stop it, stop, stop.”

  “You are not ready for me to stop, baby,” Cole replied in a soft and tender tone that was completely at odds with the calculating expression on his face.

  The hard swats kept coming. Her ass was on fire, and every new hit sent fresh waves of fire through her skin.

  Something broke deep down, something that she had held onto for so long. She screamed, but not in physical pain, but for the heartbreak and betrayal from her love that she had endured. All those feelings that she had kept hidden for so long were finally coming to the surface and breaking free.

  Cole was no longer hitting her. She felt him pull her limbs free and grab her into his arms and held her close. “Let it all out, baby. Let it out.”

  Blair did as Cole commanded her and allowed herself to cry. Cole rocked her, and gently stroked her hair. “That’s it, baby,” he murmured, then kissed her forehead softly. She sank into his embrace, loving the feel of his hands stroking her back, comforting her.

  Cole’s mouth came down over hers, gently, but she didn’t fight him. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer to her. He groaned, the vibration against her body only making her body burn hotter for him.

  He laid her down on the bed, then fumbled with his jeans. Cole thrust in, stretching her channel. They both groaned as he sank balls deep into her. “Oh, Blair, my sweet, sweet girl. You feel better than I remember,” Cole whispered.

  Blair could feel tears falling again. It felt so good to be with Cole again. She felt so loved and cherished. She wanted to feel this way all the time.

  Cole slowly pulled out, and thrust deep into her cleft. The feel of him moving through her moist sex was like heaven. She moaned, moving her hips to meet his thrusts. Her pussy pulsated and tingled with pleasure.

  Cole’s mouth came down onto hers just as she cried out in pleasure. Cole groaned as he thrust harder into her. Blair felt her orgasm coiling in her belly, while Cole’s lips covered hers in a brutal, tongue thrusting kiss. He dominated her mouth the same way he had dominated her life before. It felt so good to let go, to let Cole take over, like the alpha wolf he was.

  Blair arched her back as her body came to the brink of bliss. Cole’s thick shaft hammered into her, sending her over the edge. She came with breathless cries as her body shook with the bursts of pleasure.

  Cole gripped her hard, then snarled that sexy growl of his when he came. His cock pulsated deep within her, once again marking her as his. She would carry his scent for days until all of his seed was gone.

  Blair knew she should be outraged. Cole had sneaked under her defensive wall and made her soften. She desperately wanted to remain strong, hard … and cold, but she was far too relaxed, at peace and warm. Her acceptance to his play and sex was shameful, and to add to her own shame she let him cuddle her, giving her the aftercare she craved. She should push him away and care for herself. Instead, she melted into him, and allowed herself to fall asleep wrapped in his comforting arms. She slept peacefully while she lay wrapped in his arms.

  When morning came, she woke up feeling amorous and relaxed. She looked over and saw Cole on the other side of the bed. She groaned quietly as the memories came back. She’d had sex with Cole and spent the night with him. She struggled to push aside the urge to snuggle with him. Her fear suddenly gripped her. The love she felt for this man was overwhelming, but they had both changed over the years and were different people. This was moving too fast. She had to get space away from Cole to think, and quick. She would be punished again, but at the moment she just needed a bit of space to process everything that had happened and her own feelings.

  She got up, not bothering to grab her clothes, and tiptoed to the back door. Once she had it open, she shifted. One of Cole’s issues with her in the past was always was she could always sneak out on him. Part of her hoped Cole would come after her, but another part of her dreaded it. She ran her little fox ass home.

  ****

  Blair walked into her front door and went straight to her phone. She found Michael’s contact icon, and pressed it, sending a silent prayer that
he would pick up.

  “Hello,” Michael’s strong voice said over the phone.

  “Michael, its Blair.”

  “Blair,” Michael said in a tone that meant she was still in trouble. Her heart stuttered. It didn’t sound good for her.

  “How is Cassie?”

  “She is doing well and impatient to see her friends. Thank you for asking. Be sure to visit her once Doctor Trask allows it.”

  “I will. I promise.” Blair took and deep breath and dove in. “Please listen to me. I am so sorry about everything. I promise to never do anything so stupid again. Please, just please let me out of this.”

  Michael was silent for a moment. “No, Blair.”

  “But—”

  “Let me finish,” he said, cutting her off. “It is not for the reasons you assume. The answer is no. You are going to stay with Cole as if you are mated.”

  Blair rested her head against the door frame between the living room and kitchen. She knew there was no arguing with Michael. Michael was fair in his judgments, but barring the Goddess’s intervention, he never changed his decision.

  “Thank you for taking my call,” Blair said, then disconnected the call. Blair closed her eyes and rested her forehead against the cool wood of the door frame. She was fucked, literally, in every way.

  She paced the living room while she tried to think. There had to be a way out of this. She could feel her panic growing. At this point if she ran Cole would chase her, even to France.

  What if she went back to Cole and everything worked out fine?

  What if it didn’t?

  What should I do? I can’t think.

  She was so confused and stopped in the middle of the living room and stared at the intricate design of the area rug that covered the wooden floors of her living room. She should shower and go to work. That would help her think of a plan. Nothing got her thinking better than creating delicious comfort food.

  ****

  Blair rolled out the dough. The repetitive process was relaxing her. Kneading was always so therapeutic. The timer rang, and Blair grabbed the hot pad to get the cinnamon rolls out of the oven. She set the pan on the stone island to cool. If she tried to frost them when they were this hot, the icing would just run off of them. With a sigh, she made a note asking Mandy to decorate them for her.