Page 10 of Devil’s Snare

“The thought crossed my mind.” I tossed my sweatshirt to the floor to pick up later when I wasn’t so tired, still clutching at my purse.

His lips twitched before widening into a grin. “Unpredictable. I like it. Feisty too. How’s your foot?”

“Fine,” I mumbled.

“You should set your purse down. It looks heavy.”

He had no idea. I literally kept everything in there.

“Again, why are you here?” I placed my keys in the bowl by the door and dropped my purse beside it. “And tell me how you found out where I live.”

“Why? You gonna call security? Have me thrown out?” He looked intrigued by the idea.

“No. A waste of my time since you’ll leave on your own.”

“Seems you think you’re in control, Bambi.”

“I am.” Lifting my chin, I stared into his eyes, which, now that I could see them better, were a beautiful and mesmerizing shade of light green. Earlier, at the cemetery, they held an ethereal quality. I could swear they almost glowed.

My perusal didn’t end there. I couldn’t resist staring. The man in front of me resembled some sort of dark god. Powerful. Commanding.

He popped to his feet. Almost freakishly tall, his head wasn’t far from touching my 7-foot ceiling. He shoved his hood back, and I nearly gaped at him. Cin was too handsome to be real. Dark brown hair shaved close to his head, and an angular jaw. A short but thick black beard and mustache. Light green eyes that seemed to peer deep down into my soul.

That was when I studied the rest of him. Muscular but lithe physique. Earlier, when I met him at the cemetery, he moved with an almost feline grace. Like a panther. Cin had a scar that bisected his left brow, and a metal stud earring in his left ear. Black leather braided bracelets on his thick wrists. He was a biker. I’d already noticed the leather vest, but now I saw the chunky silver rings, jeans, and shitkicker boots.

Bad boy persona, check.

“Is that so?” He strode toward me fast enough that I took an immediate step backward, suddenly not sure if he meant to harm me as my back met the door. “Don’t look so frightened, Bambi. I won’t hurt you.”

Cin obviously didn’t understand the concept of personal space because he not only broke into my apartment, but was now only a couple of inches away from me. His palms lifted and pressed against the door on either side of my head.

“What are you—?” I didn’t finish because he lowered his head and pressed his mouth to my collarbone. His tongue lightly traced along the ridge, trailing up the column of my throat. He paused, staying in place with his lips on my suddenly fevered skin. Right over my carotid artery. He didn’t move. Didn’t pull away. Even when I began to pant.

My heart raced. I squirmed, desperate to shove him off me because this was too much. Too intimate.

Cin dropped his hands like he sensed what I was about to do and wrapped them securely around my upper arms. “Stay still.” The tip of his tongue touched my neck, and he groaned. He licked at my skin, lapping at it like a dog at a water bowl. No, not a dog, a predator sating his thirst.

Wait. Were those his teeth grazing the lower portion of my jaw?

My head swam, and I felt unsteady on my feet. I swear that I heard him growl, but my ears were buzzing so loudly I couldn’t be sure. Lightheaded, I nearly swayed. I probably would have fallen if he hadn’t been holding me up. Right before my knees gave out, I heard him curse.

“Fuck.” Cin scooped under my legs and lifted me, hauling my body close to his chest. “You need rest. I can feel your exhaustion.” He began to walk toward my room.

I almost asked how he knew where to find it, but remembered he broke in. Cin probably checked out every room before he took a seat on my couch.

“You broke into my apartment,” I murmured accusingly as my head lolled and my face pressed close to his neck. Dark ink swirled across the tan flesh—markings I didn’t quite understand. Some kind of ancient symbol peeked from the collar of his shirt and stretched up his throat.

He sucked in a sharp breath when I lifted my hand and touched my fingertip to the design. “Pretty.”

“Shhh. No talking. Sleep, Bambi.”

My back rested on my mattress as I stared up at Cin. He removed my shoes, covered me with a blanket, and then sat in the chair across from my bed.

I should have wondered why I felt so lethargic and exhausted. The coffee would normally have rejuvenated me. Instead, I lost my grip on reality. My eyes fluttered and closed. I fell asleep with a stranger in my bedroom.

And I didn’t have a clue if he intended to stay, leave me alone, or watch me sleep. A small part of me hoped he did remain in my apartment until I woke up, because even if I only met him tonight, there was something there between us that I couldn’t name—a connection. Cin had an undeniable protective vibe about him. I knew he wouldn’t harm me.

Nothing about this made sense.