Claws by Karolyn Cairns Page B

they both burst out
laughing.
    She sobered to recall he went as far as
seeking divorce now. Louisa Ruiz wasn’t even her real name. Her
leaving only encouraged Eli’s belief she refused their ways and all
was for the best.
    Vivvie swallowed hard to know he went
that far to put her out of his life. It was laughable considering
their marriage was hardly legal. They married under false names.
The identities they assumed were with the papers Derek procured
from Mexican immigrants. Derek, Eli’s oldest son, assured her they
would never be questioned for authenticity.
    It hurt so badly to know he meant to
divorce her, worse than his renouncing her as his mate. It was a
slap in the face considering how he had doted on her by giving her
a human wedding. Recalling their reception in Cat’s Corner brought
tears to her eyes. He had lavished the wedding on her, wanting her
to feel like any other bride.
    “ I can’t help that now. I
just want to be able to see my children. Eli can believe what he
wants. I didn’t abort our children. I don’t care what anyone
thinks. I know what happened and that’s all that
matters.”
    “ Ty is helping you now.
That’s good for you. Go there and wait this out,” Jericho told her
as he reached at his bedside for his water bong. He lit the bong
and took a long pull off it and handed it to her.
    She didn’t hesitate as upset as she
was. With help from him she took enough pulls off it to make her
cough uncontrollably. The euphoria made her calm down about her
situation, also made her aware she was alone in Jericho’s bedroom
with a feeling of unease.
    “He wired me money to get back to
Florida,” she explained, feeling calmer but completely stoned.
“Where did you expect me to go when I was shown to the bottom of
the mountain, Jericho? I’m homeless if you haven’t noticed. I can’t
go back to Sebastian and I can’t stay here. Where does that leave
me exactly?”
    Jericho nodded and took another hit on
the bong before setting it away. He came forward, eyes filled with
sadness. “Then it’s best you go to Ty. He is Chief there now. He
can help you more than I can. I warn you; if Eli finds out, this
won’t go over well.”
    “He doesn’t have anything to say about
it. He’s not my husband anymore,” Vivvie cried and started to sob
brokenly. Jericho hugged her then, his hand stroking her hair as
she cried against his hard chest.
    Vivvie needed the hug, the comfort, and
the warmth. After days of nothing but condemnation, she soaked up
Jericho’s closeness. She was startled to feel his hands moving over
her back with more than a little suggestion of how her nearness
affected him. She looked up and saw his yellow green eyes blazing
down at her, dilated by the catnip they smoked and heady with
desire.
    Before she could say anything, he
kissed her. She was too stunned and stoned as those expert lips
moved upon hers, working hers open to explore her mouth. His hands
slid under her knit cami to cup and fondle her breasts.
    The surge of pleasure within her was
undeniable, intensified by the catnip. Her hurt and disillusionment
made her throw aside caution. He eased her back to the pillows,
kissing her urgently, making her grow increasingly aware of where
this was going.
    Jericho wasted no time easing down her
sleep pants and engaged in such a hot descent over her body with
his lips and hands, she was dazed as she looked up at
him.
    “We can’t do this!” she cried as she
tore her mouth free, seeing his eyes above her.
    “We can do whatever we want here,
Vivvie. It’s your dream,” he told her before he kissed her hungrily
again; cutting off whatever protest she might have offered. Soon
she no longer cared.
    Jericho’s hands and lips made her
forget her hurt and her disillusionment. She was startled when the
Superman sleep pants disappeared and he moved over her, his long,
lean muscular body fitted between her thighs.
    He thrust deep, gasping and closing his
eyes in carnal pleasure.