Every time she studied me after something I’d said, I realized just how terrified she must be. If only Misty was here. She’d know what to say and how to allow for a smooth transition. Into what exactly? What were we about to do, play house? While other women suffered. I already gathered I’d need to keep Reese on a short leash or she’d feel compelled to escape to hunt for her sister. A metaphorical leash. Oh, this was so out of my wheelhouse.
“I’ll ask you again. Who are you?” Her tone was even more demanding.
“Maybe no one you want to know. Now, I suggest you get comfortable before we talk. I’m certain you have any number of questions.” It was my call how much to share. Although I’d been cautioned by everyone on the team to provide only the necessary details, this was my mission and she wasn’t going to share anything unless I was honest with her.
“You have no idea. Like who you are and what is this charade all about.”
“I assure you this is no charade.”
I’d read everything about the woman I could find. I knew where she’d gone to school as a child, where her parents had taken her and her sister on vacation. Not only did I know to thepenny what she had in her two bank accounts and how much credit was available on her three credit cards, I knew everything about her sister and her parents as well. As far as her father, it would appear he’d retired years before. Did he have decent investments? Yes, but by no means would I call him the typical mark for a kidnapper seeking ransom. That brought more questions into my mind and no answers were available.
There’d been nothing to suggest that Reese was anything other than a kindhearted, intelligent junior high schoolteacher who followed every law, gave to charities including animal rescue organizations, and voted every November. No criminal record. No termination from employment. Not a single parking ticket.
She was a walking, talking picture of perfection.
At least in my mind.
However, it was her continued rebelliousness after what she’d endured that intrigued me more than anything.
My instinct told me there was much more to the woman than what I’d seen.
“Then what?” she pushed. Another crackle of electricity dragged me from my inappropriate thoughts of possession. Maybe it was the intense ache behind my eyes that issued a solid warning to keep this professional.
“Change first. Then we’ll go over the details.”
“What if I try and escape?” The way she folded her arms across her chest, jutting her hip out was far too enticing. Christ, my balls were tight.
I purposely looked away to collect my shit. Yes, I’d been required to touch her inappropriately to keep my cover intact, but thatdidn’t mean I could unleash my wolfish desires. I could certainly decide to tell her if she made a single attempt, she’d be punished. But what good would that do?
Maybe in my insistence on bringing down the Privileged, I hadn’t thought everything through carefully enough.
“Then the chance of finding Briana will drop significantly.” When she didn’t say anything, I turned my head toward her.
Her eyes were open wide, yet her jaw remained clenched. As I’d experienced with her before, certain acts of behavior were a surprise.
And far too enticing.
There was such a classy aura about her, yet she was so vulnerable. She’d taken it upon herself to venture into a world where piranhas and sharks had a daily diet of innocent women. She’d blindly ventured into a situation that she had no business in. What in the hell had possessed her into thinking she had any qualifications for tackling a group of men who could easily make her disappear?
Like how many other women?
I was hot enough under the collar my cock was no longer just twitching. It was full on aroused, pushing so fucking hard against my zipper I was in pain.
The quick dart of her eyes to my crotch let me know she was completely aware of the condition I was in.
Because of her.
Even with my arousal, the dominating guy that I’d turned into had me wanting to yank her over my lap, giving her a proper round of discipline. For putting herself in harm’s way.
Oh, yeah. That would go over well. Forget about the concept of trust.
Her hiss brought me back to whatever this reality had turned into.
She didn’t think of herself or whatever fear remained. In three strides with her long legs, she was standing mere centimeters away. Still in heels, all she needed was to tilt her head slightly to look me in the eyes. “You might have me in a compromising position, Hunter. However, I’m far more formidable than anyone in this corrupt club has given me credit for. If you so dare as to lay a single finger on my baby sister under any circumstances, I will gut you. Is that understood?”
Her vehemence brought a casual smile to my face. However inappropriate, it had been a long time since a single woman had attracted me to this degree.
My eyes were drawn from her long eyelashes and the way they skimmed across her rosy cheeks to her voluptuous lips, the stain used still a vibrant red. My action involuntary, I reached out, brushing my knuckle across her skin.
