She lifted her head and scowled. “You chained me, left me in this horrible place.”
He caressed her cheek, but lingered in her mind, felt her annoyance, but more, he reeled at her love for him. Like a brilliant light, it poured through him. About to release her, an image blindsided him. Left him dumbstruck.
And wary.
Then a smile tugged his mouth. It may have been a dream, but one he could make come true. He wasn't one to deny her anything.
“Just so you know, I'm going back home—myhome. Alone.” She hurled another threat at him.
Like he’d let that happen. So she was pissed at him. It didn’t matter for what he had in mind. He drew her to her feet as he rose. Then he grabbed the end of the chains and looped the extra length around a metal handle attached to the wall and raised her arm up.
Glowering at him, she pressed her lips in a tight line when he shackled her other wrist above her head. He stepped back and summoned his dagger. The moment his weapon materialized in his hand, she eyed him warily.
He stroked the sharp edge against his thumb. “Afraid of me, are you, Eve?”
“Oh, yes. Over that puny blade, I’m heaps afraid,” she shot back.
He didn’t let his smile show. Merely caught the front of her tank and sliced it neatly down the center. Her top fell apart. Her mouth dropped open. She wore no bra, which was good. Her nipples tightened in the cool air.
He circled the stiff nub with his fingertip. “Very nice.”
A gasp left her. “What are you doing?”
“Giving you what you want.”
She frowned as he unbuttoned and unzipped her jeans. Crouching, he pulled off her damp sneakers. Leaving her panties on, he tugged the denim down and tapped her thigh with the flat side of his blade. “Lift.”
When she didn’t move, but instead glared at him, he simply lifted her foot and removed her jeans.
***
Eve’s heart thumped hard in wariness as Reynner rose to his feet, his expression cool, focused. But the look in his indigo eyes held her spellbound. Love and desire edged with anger. Yep, he was still furious at her for taking on Inanna.
He took a step back, his gaze skimming over her. Apparently, satisfied he had her restrained the way he wanted, he came closer, the blade gleaming in his hand.
“Look, if you’re angry about what happened with the goddess—darn it, Reynner, I had to do something. I couldn’t let her continue to hurt you. And I would do it again,” she added for good measure.
His expression didn’t change. “How did you know what to do, hmmn?”
His off-handed tone worried her. “I didn’t. I saw Lila. She’s an oracle who lives in the Village.”
His eyes narrowed as understanding dawned. Eve bit her lip, a flare of guilt enflaming her cheeks. She had gone against his wishes and put herself in danger, and as a result, both Inanna and the Darkreans had easy access to her.
“So you broke your promiseandlied to me when I asked why you’d been on the street.”
“I had to…” she mumbled, cautious now at the sudden flash of fury that turned his dark eyes to molten blue.
“What did she say?” Cool. Controlled once more.
“The oracle?”
A stare.
Crap. “That I would know what to do when the time came, but I had to confront the goddess.”
“Why didn't you tell me all this?” The cold steel trailed slowly over the curve of her left breast. A shudder rippled through her body.
“Because I knew you’d never agree,” she said, her gaze following the blade gliding down her belly.
