Page 37 of Brigand

Her eyes fluttered open. She blinked. Then gasped and sprangup. She probably would have run but her legs were tangled in the blanket.

It didn’t matter if she did. He would have caught her.Claimed her.

He always would.

Chapter Ten

Violet stared at the hulk of a man lounging in the chair bythe fire. Her heart skittered in her throat. He was so…ominous. So angry.

“Did you think I wouldn’t find you?” His voice, a low thrum,echoed through the small room. “Did you think I would just let you go?”

“Ewan.” She swallowed. “How did you—”

“How did I find you? It hardly signifies.” He stood, talland menacing, and approached the bed. “I did. I always will.” He glared down ather. “Do you have any idea how dangerous these woods can be?”

She tipped up her chin. “I can take care of myself.”

He snorted. “The hell you can. Goddamn it, Violet. You couldhave been injured. Or raped. Or worse.” His eyes took on an unholy glow.

“The risk was worth it. Better than being held captive,being used by you.”

His lip curled at her choice of words. “Used?”

“As a means to an end,” she spat. Then she hunkered backbecause he leaned toward her, nostrils flared, ferocity flowing from him inwaves.

“You know it isn’t like that. It wasn’t like that.”

“I don’t know.” She flinched as he seized her shoulders in acrushing grip. Shook her. Just a tiny bit.

“It wasn’t like that. And you enjoyed it.”

She put out a lip. “I did not.” A complete and utterfalsehood but she let it slip out because she was still tender, still woundedby his words. The denunciation of her true feelings helped dam up the pain.

Her denial infuriated him. He yanked her up and into hisarms. His mouth closed on hers.

It was not a gentle kiss. There was something of a beast init. He mashed his lips against hers and forced his tongue into her mouth andtook what he wanted.

She resisted, thrashing and fighting and attempting towrench away. He did not allow it. But then something changed. He softened. Orperhaps she did. The kiss became something else altogether. Seductive,tantalizing, irresistible.

Oh, she tried to resist. She didn’t want to want him. Didn’tlike the rising passion coiling in her belly. But his scent, his taste, themasterful way in which he possessed her lips set a fire raging within her.

Against her will, she responded, pressed against him. Gaveas good as she got.

He growled low and deep in his throat and pressed her backonto the bed, yanking up her skirts. She murmured her dissent but he swallowedthe peep and delved deeper, finding the curls, the tender nerves at the crux ofher being.

He stroked her hard, rough, and shudders raced through her.

“You’re wet,” he muttered, and then he plunged his fingersinside. Everything in her seized. He hissed in a breath. “So…tight.”

He fumbled with the ties to his braes, yanked them down withshort, desperate tugs, fisted his cock and drove it home.

Violet wailed as bliss plowed through her. The invasion wasan assault of sensation. Delight screamed on every nerve as he filled her,stroked her her inner walls.

His passion was not gentle. It was not slow or tame.

It was as though that wild creature within him had awokenand was intent upon feasting on her soul, determined to own her, possess her,command her every breath. Every ort of her being trained on the deliciousthrusts, the agonizing withdrawals, the magnificent filling of an aching voidas he entered her again and again in a frantic flurry.

Passion flooded her, easing his passage.