I swung hard and fast, slapping him across the face with everything I had.
“Touch me again and I’ll stab you in the heart!” I shrieked.
His head snapped around so that he could stare down at me. If my bladder was even a tiny bit weaker, I would have peed my pants at the look on his face. Somehow, I was getting myself into even worse trouble.
Then, I scowled. Trouble? He had no right to kidnap me. Or kiss me. Or any of the things he’d done in the last hour or so. So, as I’d decided before…Fuck. Him.
I jutted my chin out and met his stare with a scowl. He leaned toward me, just a bit, and I had to suppress a squeal of fear.
The shadow sighed. “Goddammit, Ayres. Go take a walk and cool off.”
At his words, Daniel’s head snapped back toward him. The rigidity in his body vanished.
“Fine, but she’s your problem until I get back.” He glanced down at me, his eyes bright and hot like emerald lightning. “And be careful. She bites.”
With that, his weight was gone and so was he, moving so quickly that he was nothing more than a blur through the woods.
Fucking show off. I wondered how long he’d let me go crashing through the trees, waiting for me to trip and fall before he got tired of the game.
The giant shadow above me lowered a hand. “I’m warning you now, if you bite me, I’m going to arrest you for assaulting an officer.”
I ignored his hand and pushed myself to my feet. Anyone who knew that Daniel had kidnapped me and wasn’t going to do anything about it wasn’t to be trusted.
“Assaulting an officer?” I asked, brushing dirt off my legs and butt.
“I’m the police chief here in Devil Springs.”
I scowled at him. “Police chief? You do realize that he kidnapped me, right?”
The man crossed his arms over his massive chest. I couldn’t see his face, only the outline of his enormous frame. “And?”
“Aren’t you going to do anything about it?” I asked, flapping my arms around.
“Like what?”
“Arresting him would be a good start!” I yelled.
“I can see Ayres isn’t the only one who needs to calm down.”
“Is everyone in this towninsane?!” I screeched.
The enormous man sighed as though he were dealing with a recalcitrant child and dropped his arms to his sides. “Look, it’s cold out here. Can we go inside and discuss this like civilized people?”
Even though it was dark outside, I was pretty sure he caught the scathing glare I sent him. Inside? Back into the house of my kidnapper? He was definitely insane, just like that asshole who’d cuffed me to the bed.
“I’m taking that as a no,” he rumbled.
He moved faster than a man that large should have been able to and I felt something cold wrap around my wrist. There was a soft snick and a strange buzzing sensation shot up my right arm.
I jerked my arm up and stared at the bracelet that cuffed my wrist. Cuffed being the operative word since the jewelry was a thick band of silver hammered into a circle. Several cabochon-cut gemstones ringed the piece and it shimmered in the dim light of the half moon.
“What is this?” I asked, my voice pitching higher.
The man was close enough for me to see the vague outline of his facial features now and he winced at the piercing tone of my question.
“Call it insurance that you won’t leave town before Bernie gets back.”
I’d never wanted to hit anyone so badly in my life. Before tonight, I would have said I was a non-violent individual, preferring to settle disagreements with words rather than my fists.
