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  “Of course,” Ronan said, stepping back and allowing Leticia to take his place. “I’ll wait for you at the table, sweetheart. It’s been a busy night. I look forward to snuggling in our bed.” Ronan sauntered back to the table, and Asaph watched him go until a poke on his chest forced his attention back to the woman in his arms. Noticing other people were watching, he stiffly moved across the floor, making sure there was plenty of distance between their bodies.

  “You’ve been hard to get hold of, Asaph,” Leticia said once they got moving and the attention on them moved away. “I’m not pleased.”

  “I don’t owe you anything. We’ve split up, we’ve both moved on. I don’t know what the hell you’re playing at.” Asaph kept his voice curt, and his eyes looking at anything but the woman in his arms. There was a part of him, a small part that felt betrayed by Leticia. The rest of him was just angry.

  “There’ll be no moving on from me, Asaph. Not now I have your offspring in my belly,” Leticia hissed. “You will marry me and you’ll take responsibility for your child.”

  “I know you’re not pregnant, not with my child anyway. I haven’t touched you in months,” Asaph said, finally ducking his head and meeting Leticia’s cold eyes. It’s funny; he’d never noticed that about her before now. “And even if my own doctor by some freaking miracle confirmed that you were, I would want a positive paternity test done by my own medical team, before you ever saw any money from me. And that’s all you’re interested in, isn’t it. Trying to force me into a marriage neither of us want, was a dumb idea, Leticia. I don’t know why you thought I’d just roll over and play dead for you, but it ain’t going to happen and I suggest you lay off the media campaign or anything else you were planning or I will see you thrown in jail. Now if you’ll excuse me, I am taking my true fiancé home with me. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay away from me. You haven’t got a clue who you’re messing with.”

  Leticia clearly had more to say, but Asaph completely ignored her, stalking back to his table where Ronan was waiting with a smile in his eyes. He made hurried goodbyes, keeping Ronan under his arm the whole time. It wasn’t until they were in the sanctuary of the limo, that Ronan asked him what was said.

  “I warned her,” Asaph said, his body still trembling with the effort it took not to lash out at something. “I warned her to stay away from me; I told her she wouldn’t be getting a cent of our money no matter what, and I told her I’d see her in jail if she persists.”

  “Then you’ve done all you can,” Ronan said soothingly. “If she keeps at it, then you’ll just have to call in the authorities. Did you find out why she’s doing this at least?”

  Asaph remembered that he hadn’t had a chance to tell his mate about his conversation with Gordy. Ronan listened, his hand warm on Asaph’s chest, his gaze concerned, but caring all at the same time. By the time Asaph finished, the limo arrived at his house, and Asaph tucked Ronan under his arm, unwilling to let him go for a second.

  “So this is basically about money, then,” Ronan said, once they were in the bedroom and Ronan was undressing Asaph with the same soothing motions he’d used in the car. Asaph stood as still as a statue, letting his mate tend to him. It was a delicious feeling.

  “Yes, it seems that way.”

  “I’m sorry,” Ronan said, crouching and removing Asaph’s shoes, first one and then the other, before leaning up and tackling Asaph’s belt. With fingers so close to his needy cock, it took a moment for Asaph to respond.

  “You don’t have anything to be sorry for.” Surely Ronan didn’t think any of this was his fault.

  “I’m just sorry,” Ronan said, carefully easing Asaph’s pants from where they hooked on his cock. “Sorry that Leticia was someone you spent time with and yet she saw you as a bank account, not a real man.” Asaph felt Ronan’s tongue trace the vein in his cock – gentle, just teasing, but Asaph felt it as though it was a match. “A good man, who works hard.” Another lick this time, across the head, dipping in Asaph’s slit. He moaned, and fisted his hands, locking his knees.

  “My mom used to tell me that everyone needs someone to see them, you know?” Asaph peered down at the question, and wished he hadn’t. The sight of Ronan on his knees, his full lips close enough with his cock to share breath was making it hard to think. He nodded, hoping that was the right answer.

  “I need you to know that I see you.”

  Asaph struggled for something to say; “thank you” or “I see you too” or something profound, although that was beyond his mental capabilities at that point. He opened his mouth and nothing but a moan fell out. Ronan didn’t just see him, he also tasted him; although his mate’s efforts were a little clumsy, Asaph appreciated the effort. In fact, he more than appreciated the effort.

  Ronan slurped and licked, sucked and nibbled, every caress gentle, more gentle than Asaph usually liked. But one look at Ronan’s shining eyes, and there’s no way Asaph was going to complain. The way Ronan’s mouth stretched around him was enough to make Asaph’s balls tighten. When the pressure in his balls got worse, Asaph pulled away, reluctantly.

  “You’re still dressed,” he said softly, “and I really want to repay the favor and do so much more. Can we take this to bed?”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Ronan curled up on the loveseat Asaph had in his office, listening to his mate make the arrangements for their trip to Vegas. As a rule, he wasn’t someone who was content to sit by and let others do things for him, and generally this sort of inactivity would have him reaching for his boots and music. But after a long hot night where Asaph helped him increase his sexual repertoire, his mate’s wolf was still overly possessive come morning. Although Ronan would rather be at his new club, going over new dance routines with his friends, Asaph’s plea to visit his office first, and for them to stay together all day had been impossible to ignore.

  Two quick raps on the door and it opened, Beatrice coming in with a pile of papers in her hands, and a distressed look on her face. “Mr. Bosch, the mail and the papers have just come in and…” She broke off and looked at Asaph nervously.

  “What is it, Beatrice? Worried I’m going to be pissed at the local news?”

  “The papers all include a number of articles about the charity dinner you went to last night,” Beatrice said quietly.

  “I expected that. Publicity is supposed to be a good thing, at least that’s what Bronson’s always telling me. I’m sure it can’t be that bad.” Only Ronan would have noticed the gulp Asaph made, although his face was giving nothing away.

  “The pictures of you and Mr. Montgomery are lovely, and the new club was mentioned more than once,” Beatrice agreed, “however, the articles are about you and Miss Corsairs, or more to the point, about how she’s suing you for breach of promise outweigh have overshadowed everything. She’s suing you for fifty million dollars, according to the Sentinel. Mr. Higgins is waiting for you on line two.”

  Ronan’s mouth dropped open and he quickly shut it again before he looked like an idiot. He might not know who this Mr. Higgins was, but the rest of what Beatrice had to say was clear enough. It seemed Leticia was hell bent on getting money out of Asaph one way or another and if she couldn’t marry him, she’d make his life hell until she got what she wanted.

  Asaph growled; a low guttural sound that was more wolf than man. “Thank you Beatrice,” he bit out. “Hold all my calls, except for Lester; I’m unavailable for comment, no matter who’s trying to reach me.”

  Beatrice nodded, and before she’d even closed the door, Ronan was out of his seat, and snuggled on Asaph’s lap. A strong arm around his waist let him know he was welcome, as Asaph reached for the phone. His mate’s body was rigid and the scent of anger was evident.

  “Lester, how come I had to hear about Leticia’s ridiculous lawsuit from the local newspapers?”

  “I was as blindsided by this as you were, Asaph.” The voice on the other end of the line was polite, but clearly ruffled. “The summons a
nd supporting documentation arrived on my desk with the newspapers. I’ve barely had time to go over them.”

  “I saw Leticia last night. She made no mention of suing me, or anything else for that matter. All she was doing was trying to make out we were still a couple, and keep face in front of her friends. I already had a date for the evening, so that didn’t go down to well, but this is ridiculous.”

  “These papers have been prepared within the last week,” Lester said, apparently unconcerned with Asaph’s harsh tone. “They claim you proposed to her, in front of witnesses, provided her with a ring, and that the two of you spent the evening celebrating the happy occasion with close friends. She’s claiming five million in costs and forty-five million for emotional distress and heartache. Apparently, according to these documents, she has since learned that you proposed to her as a cover for your gay lifestyle and in particular the long-standing relationship you have with a Mr. Ronan Montgomery. She had to be sedated when she learned you were still seeing Mr. Montgomery, as you’d promised her the affair had come to an end. There are supporting documents from her father, a Miss Katy Gordon and your old nemesis Rudy Walker and the attending physician who prescribed the medication.”

  “This is complete bullshit,” Asaph swore, and Ronan ran his hands down Asaph’s shirt trying to keep him calm. There were fine hairs blossoming on Asaph’s arms, and the last thing his mate needed to do was shift while he was on the phone. “I have never proposed to Leticia, never even discussed marriage with her, except to fob her off. Every single thing in those papers is lies. I can’t believe such rubbish would warrant a day in court.”

  “The case has been filed with the appropriate authorities,” Lester said quickly, “and rubbish or not, a hearing will be set. However, I also received a message from Mr. Corsairs’ lawyer this morning, saying that his client is prepared to settle out of court, to prevent further embarrassment to both parties.”

  “That comment might have held a bit more weight, if she hadn’t already leaked the information about the case all over the papers,” Asaph growled. “How much are they asking?”

  “Thirty million, if you pay up within seven days.”

  Asaph snorted. “They’re scrambling for money and for some reason see me as an easy mark. I’ll spend double that fighting this if I have to.”

  “My fees really aren’t that high.” Lester’s tinny laugh came over the phone. “So how do you want me to proceed?”

  Asaph looked down at Ronan, his eyes troubled. Ronan managed a small smile even though his mind was going a mile a minute. The ease at which Leticia would lie, just for money was something Ronan didn’t understand. Shifters were honest by nature, and he admitted to himself he really didn’t know what to do except show support for his mate. Whatever it was that Asaph saw on his face was clearly enough to have the bigger man speak with a lot more confidence as he barked out his orders. “Inform Corsairs’ lawyer they won’t be getting a cent from me, no matter what they do or say. Let them know I’ll fight this in every court in the land if I have to. Send over the documents so I can see what’s being said about me and if you can pencil me in tomorrow morning, we’ll meet to discuss further strategies. In the meantime, if you happen to chat to Corsairs’ lawyer, you might want to mention that he should get his fees upfront. Corsairs’ lifestyle is mortgaged to the hilt and I doubt paying his lawyer is high on his agenda.”

  “Will do.” Lester sounded almost cheerful. “See you in the office at ten, tomorrow.”

  As soon as Asaph had hung up the phone, Ronan pulled his mate’s head towards him, brushing their lips together as a promise. “I’m so sorry all of this has happened,” he said softly, unsure how he could make Asaph feel better.

  “It’s not your fault,” Asaph whispered against his lips. Ronan longed to take things further, but he was conscious of Beatrice in the outer office. “Marrying Leticia was never on my list of things to do, whether I’d met you or not. She’s after my money, plain and simple, and she’s not going to get it.”

  “But this could get really ugly,” Ronan said. He didn’t believe for a second that Asaph should have to give up any of his hard earned money, especially not to a woman who had no problem lying in court documents. “You said they’re desperate for money. They’re not going to give up.”

  Asaph pulled his head back, and within a split second Ronan caught sight of the Alpha his mate could have been. “I will not be blackmailed, coerced, or forced into giving up anything that’s mine, and that includes you, my money and my company,” Asaph said firmly.

  “This isn’t a pack situation,” Ronan said, hoping his smile might lighten the tension surrounding his mate. “You can’t challenge them and tear their heads off, no matter how much you might like to.”

  “This is one of those times I wish I could,” Asaph said, his lips twitching in response. “Maybe a visit from my furry self might frighten some common sense into Leticia and her leech of a father.”

  “They’d more likely sell you to the feds as a science experiment,” Ronan warned. Okay, he might read too many books, but the secrecy laws shifters lived by were there for a reason. He slipped off Asaph’s lap and held out his hand. “Come on, I know of a way to work off some of that tension.”

  Taking his hand, Asaph leered as he stood up. “We’re heading home?” He asked with a waggle of his eyebrows.

  “Nope. Not yet,” Ronan said, laughing when he saw Asaph’s leer replaced with confusion. “You can come and do a workout with me at the club. Let me see how well those well-formed muscles of yours work under a different kind of pressure.”

  “I’m an Alpha wolf,” Asaph protested, but he followed Ronan anyway. “I can handle anything you can dish out.” Ronan kept his smile to himself. He’d seen harder men than Asaph fall after one of his workouts. Admittedly they weren’t shifters, but dancing the way he and his friends did used muscles Asaph probably didn’t know he had. The next few hours would be interesting.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  “Stretch those legs out.” Ronan’s voice rang loud and clear, even though the man himself had his legs spread at what Asaph could only call an impossible angle. Men were not designed to do the splits, but Ronan, Jeff and Marcos clearly didn’t know that because they were all in the same position. And none of them seemed to be breaking a sweat. Asaph stole a quick glance to see how Bronson was getting on and from the raised eyebrow he got in return, it seemed his friend wasn’t having any luck mastering their new position either.

  “Now bend from the pelvis. Not your stomach, feel it through your hips…and keep bending until your chest hits the floor. I want to see flat backs and protruding asses.”

  You have got to be fucking kidding me. But no, just as he hadn’t in the last hour, Ronan wasn’t joking. He, Jeff and Marcos all let out a long breath, and seconds later their chests were on the floor between their outstretched legs. Asaph caught Ronan’s cheeky grin and filled with a strong sense of determination, he let out a long breath of his own; leaned over and stopped as a sharp twinge ran up his inner thighs. Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! No one’s body was meant to be bent in such a fashion.

  There was no way Asaph was going to be shown up by an omega and a couple of humans. He wondered what he was supposed to do with his arms. His hands wanted to grab his legs and push them back together. Then he wanted to cup his balls and never let go, because they were in grave danger of being permanently mashed to the floor. Being half hard, watching Ronan’s previous contortions wasn’t making the situation any easier.

  “I honestly don’t expect you to be able to do this,” Ronan’s soft whisper grazed Asaph’s ear, as the man crouched beside him. “It takes years of training to be as flexible as I am.”

  “I can do anything you can do.” Asaph could be stubborn when he wanted to be, and right now he had something to prove. That he could be flexible. Admittedly, not something an Alpha wolf usually needed to be; flexible that is. But Asaph had determination in spades. He was not going to look lik
e a weakling in front of the others. He pushed down with his chest; at least that’s what he thought he was doing, but there was still a good four inches between his chest and the floor. The strain in his thighs was unbearable and Asaph felt like something was about to snap in his groin. He didn’t want to give up but….

  “Now ease up slowly.” Thank the Fates. Ronan had moved away and was talking to everyone again.

  “Bring your legs together, shake them out…roll your spine down over your legs…and then gently come back up again. Awesome workout guys.” Ronan certainly sounded happy, but Asaph wasn’t sure he could move. “Jeff, can you sort out the music for that new dance we were working on. Marcos, could you come and give me a hand to get these two big lugs off the floor. I think they’re stuck.”

  “I’m not…” Asaph took the hand Ronan offered and climbed to his feet, grabbing hold of the towel Roan had and wiping his face. Anything he was going to say was cut short by the brilliant gleam in Ronan’s eyes. His mate was happy, and in his element. If Asaph looking like a bit of an idiot helped contribute to the happiness he saw on Ronan’s face, then he wouldn’t complain about it.

  “Why don’t you and Bronson go sort us out some lunch?” Ronan said softly, his eyes getting warmer as he took in Asaph’s disheveled state. “I’ll just run through this routine with Jeff and Marcos, then I’m all yours.”

  “Think you can show me a few more of your flexibility techniques when we get home?” Ronan’s arousal smelled so sweet, but the man stepped away before Asaph had any chance to do anything about it.