His gaze burned with a dark, intense emotion. “You should know by now, Shae, I’d do anything foryou.”
She swallowed hard and nodded. “She’s so frail, Dagan, and her mind is so fragile. It terrifies me that she’ll neverrecover.”
“We’ll be here for her,” he said quietly. “We just have to be patient, it will taketime.”
Yes, she realized that. Her gaze lowered to her boots. And as she put them on, something about him, his manner troubled her. Normally, he would be holding her, comforting her—heck, Dagan always liked touching her. It seemed as if he wanted the distance. She said, “You were upearly.”
“I had…things on mymind.”
Frowning, she looked up. But when she met his brooding stare, uneasiness knotted her stomach. Something was definitely up—something dire. Her mind rushed through what happened the last time they were together…oh crap! Club Anarchy.Luka!
Deciding it was safer not to ask, maybe—hopefully—she was overreacting, she straightened from zipping her boots and ran her hands down her brown tartan skirt, smoothing thepleats.
Inhaling deeply, she made her way to him, and with him watching her, she felt like a convict on his last mile. His hand lowered to her waist as they walked out into the bedroom. “Niceoutfit.”
Huh? Cautiously, she eyed him. “Er,thanks.”
The butterflies in her stomach fluttering wildly, she reached for the door, he stopped her. He pushed her damp hair away from her face and trailed open-mouthed kisses along her jaw and down her neck.Ohhh. Her breath hitched as if his mouth had a direct line to her core. He slipped his hand under her short skirt, and her eyes widened as he hooked his fingers into herunderwear.
She grabbed his thick wrist. “We can’t, I have to go see mymother.”
“We aren’t. In a moment, you will,” he said, tone unemotional. Her panties still slid down her legs even though she still grasped his wrist. Oh,hell.
“Did you think I’d forgotten about what happened that night at Club Anarchy?” he askedpleasantly.
Shae bit back a curse. She had hoped he did. “Dagan, look, I didn’t knowLuka—”
“You blatantly disregarded my warnings,” he cut her off, “and put yourself in danger when I distinctly told you not to waste time and get that demon out of there. His two blood-demons followed closely. Had anything waylaid me, you could have been in graveperil.”
Damn. “Nothinghappened.”
“The bastard had his hand under your dress, he put his fucking mouth on you. I wouldn’t call thatnothing.”
Ugh, he’d seen everything. But being bait, those things were bound to happen. However, she refrained from saying so. Considering his pissy mood, it could just end up worse for her. “So I’m to go around withoutunderwear?”
“It’s so you’d think about how recklessly close you came to being harmed.” He held out his other hand, expression implacable. “Give them tome.”
Scowling, she stepped out of her fallen panties and thrust them at him. “I really hate that stupid ability ofyours.”
The black silk in his hand, heshrugged.
Thoroughly infuriated with him, Shae pivoted for the door, pulling her long tawny sweater down to her hips. He put his palm on the wood, stopping her. The warm length of his body settled against hers. Her breath caught in her throat as his semi-erect sex pressed through his sweats against herbottom.
Dammit! She bit her lip, struggling to shut off her traitorous body’s reaction tohim.
He lowered his head, his warm breath caressing her ear, a total contrast to his cool tone. “You need to understand that when it comes to you, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe. Break the rules, then there are reprisals, even if it means you aren’t happy with my methods. And don’t think of replacing your underwear with another pair, or I’ll spank that lovely ass of yours, and it won’t befun.”
She glared at him over her shoulder instead. “Are youdone?”
He cut her a droll stare then straightened and waited for her to leave the room before he followed and said casually, “I’ll return these later.” He pocketed herunderwear.
How could she want him so much and still want to stranglehim.
