“I know what it must have looked like but itwasn’t like that,” I told him. “I mean, it could have been. I’msure it would have been if I hadn’t…hadn’t figured out a way tomake it work.”
He laughed bitterly. “You found a way tomake being raped work? How very clever of you.”
“It wasn’t rape,” I said angrily. “It wassubmission.”
“What?” He frowned at me, clearlysurprised.
I ducked my head, unable to look at him.
“Submission,” I repeated. “You were…moreanimal than human while…while it was going on. You had needs thathad to be met. I just…gave you what you needed.”
Corbin looked at me with a new light in hiseyes.
“So you willingly submitted to me? Thatdoesn’t sound like you, Addison.”
I pulled my robe closed and crossed my armsprotectively over my breasts.
“Yeah, well…maybe I’ve changed.”
“Well, I have not,” he said grimly. “I am avampire and my true nature was revealed to you last night.”
“Will you please get over the ‘oh, I’m aguilty monster’ crap already?” I snapped, losing my patience.“Yes, you were out of your mind and you got a little rough.Hell, Corbin—I expected that. You want to know the truth? Iexcepted to be torn to pieces.”
He had been looking a bit calmer but now hiseyes went hard again.
“Then why did you do it?” he demanded in alow, angry voice. “Damn it, Addison—I was prepared to die. Inever asked you to give your life to bring me back. To risk ahorrible and painful death out of some twisted sense of obligationand duty.”
“Is that what you think?” I demanded.“Listen to me, you big asshole—” I reached up and poked him angrilyin the center of his broad chest. “I didn’t do it out of duty orbecause I owed you anything for saving Taylor or protecting me fromRoderick or anything else like that. I did it because I loveyou! And you’re an even bigger idiot than I thought if youcan’t see that.”
Corbin’s eyes widened and then narrowed.
“You are lying.”
“What?” I glared at him and shook my head.“I tell you I love you and you say I’m lying? Why the hellwould you say a thing like that?”
“When I was giving you my blood in an effortto heal you from my savage attack, you pushed me away,” he accused.“You said, ‘Not that! Anything but that!’”
I felt suddenly cold as I remembered hisblood filling my mouth.
“I was talking about you turning me into avampire. You…you didn’t, did you? Because I love you, Corbin, but Idon’t want to be like you. Living on blood, never going out in thesunlight…it wouldn’t be right for me. You can understand that,can’t you?”
“I can.” He nodded and his eyes suddenlysoftened. “Forgive me. I thought you were protesting the bloodbecause you didn’t want me to bond you to me.”
“What?” This was something entirely new toconsider. “You bonded me to you? As in for life? For alleternity?”
“For as long as I live, anyway,” Corbinsaid. “It was the only way to save your life. I had taken too muchof your blood—you were dying, Addison.” His tone took on a pleadingtone. “Please tell me you would not rather be dead than bound tome.”
“I could ask you to say the same thing,” Ipointed out. “You were checking out on me without even telling mefirst.”
“I didn’t think you cared.” His deep voicewas soft, almost wistful.
“Well, I do. I love you, damn it,” Isaid, poking him in the chest again.
Corbin caught my finger in his big hand andthen pulled me closer until I was pressed up against his tallframe.
“Addison,” he murmured, cupping my face inboth hands. “I have loved you from the moment I first saw you. Sayyou will stay with me now, promise never to leave.”
“I promise,” I said and he kissed me, gentlyat first and then with more passion.
We were just getting into it when someonestarted pounding on his office door.
Chapter Twenty-six
The pounding continued until Corbin pulledback from our kiss, a look of irritation on his face.
“Now who can that be?”
“Probably Bambie,” I said with a smirk. “Shehates to be left out of the gossip.”
With a muttered curse about nosey barmaids,Corbin went to fling the door open. He was all set to give thehapless Bambie a piece of his mind but it was Taylor standing thereinstead. Her thin face was set in lines of determination as shestared up at Corbin.
“Master Corbin,” she said, lifting her chin.“I know you’re my master now and I’m supposed to bow to your everywhim but I will not sit back and let you abuse Addison. Sheis my best friend and she deserves more than—”
“Take it easy, roomie,” I said, going totake her hand. “Corbin’s not abusing me—if anything I’ve beenabusing him.” I gave him a smirk and one corner of his sensualmouth quirked up in return.
“He’s not? But…I heard, we all heardshouting.” Taylor still looked upset. “And no one else would comesee what was going on but I didn’t want you to get hurt, Addison. Imean, any more than you already are…” Her eyes flickered over meand I pulled the green kimono closer around me self-consciously. Nodoubt she had seen the bruises and come to the same conclusionCorbin had.
“I’m fine,” I assured her. “You on the otherhand…” I took a step back and looked at her, noticing again howtired and thin she looked. There were bruised looking smudges underher lovely blue eyes and her bones were poking through her skin.She looked like she was anorexic or in the last stages of someawful disease.
Abruptly, I was angry at Corbin all overagain. I turned to him, scowling.
“Look at her, Corbin. Look at her.She’s starving and where is Victor? You promised you’d callhim.”
“I’m sorry, darling—I forgot. I was a bitpreoccupied making sure I hadn’t killed you,” Corbin said dryly.“If it will make you feel better, I will call him immediately.”
“Do that,” I said and turned back to Taylor.“You should have said something,” I told her. “You can’t just letyourself starve.”
She looked suddenly even paler—if that waspossible.
“I didn’t want to. Because I knew it wouldmean I’d have to leave and go away with…with him.” She shivered andwrapped her arms
