He never felt like this; never let his anger reach such a point. It was dangerous when it did; he was dangerous. But the idea of anyone harming her was pushing him toward a perilous edge. He didn't understand why he was unable to resist this girl, why she got to him in a way no one else ever had.
"You're safe with me, Sera," he said kindly.
She lifted her lashes to look at him. Tears shimmered in her eyes, and self-loathing filled them. Those tears touched something inside him, something savage and protective. He was tempted to pull her into his arms and shield her from the rest of the world, but he knew if he tried to touch her now, she would bolt like a frightened rabbit and never come back. That wasn't an option.
She bit her bottom lip, straightened her back in determination, and scooted back on the bed. She lay down beside him, forcing herself not to tremble as he wrapped his arms around her. She hated herself enough for letting him see her weakness without making it worse by shaking like a leaf in his embrace. He drew her closer, so her head rested on his chest.
She found herself relaxing. He’d given her no reason to fear him; it was unfair of her to do so. His warm body, steadily beating heart, and enticing aroma served to comfort and relax her even further. She stifled a yawn as she melted beneath his soothing touch.
"I can't stay long," she whispered, trying to keep her eyes open. "I'm supposed to meet Kathleen for lunch."
"Okay, just rest for a while."
He kissed the top of her head, and her eyes started to close. Liam remained staring at the ceiling long after she had drifted off to sleep. He couldn't quell the protective drive swelling through him as she lay trustingly in his embrace.
His body craved and responded to her in a way it never had to anyone else. But it was more than his body yearning for her. She was so warm, caring, and delicately fragile that he couldn't resist her. In the library, he had only planned to say hi and to see her, but he had lost himself in her dazzling warmth.
He couldn't seem to get enough of touching her. It was a treacherous game he played; one he was sure to lose. She’d been hurt before, and he could bring her nothing but more sorrow. It was against the rules, rules he had made for the safety of them all.
Sera stirred a little; her hand twitched on his chest. He clasped it and ran his fingers along her silky skin and delicate bones. Bones that could break so easily. He tensed at the thought. He was losing his mind, he knew that, but he didn't particularly care. He kissed the top of her head. Rules be damned, sanity be damned.
He didn't really know her, but for some reason, he knew he wasn't going to be able to let her go.
Chapter Four
Sera woke with a start. Her heart raced as she realized she didn't know where she was. The room was shadowed and unfamiliar. Loud, boisterous laughter echoed through the hall outside as people shouted to each other. Then she felt Liam's arm still wrapped around her waist, and she heard his deep breathing. She lifted her head to look at the clock on his nightstand. The bright red numbers announced it was five forty-three.
"Crap," she whispered. "Crap, crap, crap!"
She carefully lifted Liam's arm. His eyes instantly flew open. They were a brilliant green in the dim light of the room as they landed upon her. "What time is it?" he asked sleepily.
"Quarter to six."
"Oh." She stiffened as he pulled her back into his arms. "You missed lunch already."
She lay rigid for a minute before relaxing back against him. His arms were like steel around her, but she knew he would release her if she asked him to. He lifted her chin and kissed her. The brief touch sent a wave of warmth through her dissolving her remaining anxiety. Never had anyone been so kind to her. Her body yearned for his in a way it never had with anyone else.
He pulled away to stare at her. He seemed to be searching for something, but for what, she didn't know. His hands wrapped in her hair, drawing her against him as he kissed her. She melted against him, her body on fire as their tongues touched and teased. His kiss gradually grew deeper and more urgent.
An involuntary moan escaped her as she held onto his solid, well-muscled back. He groaned and nibbled at her lip as his hand caressed her neck, then her collarbone. She gasped when he cupped her breast. She moaned as he teased her nipple into a taut bud while his mouth kept firm possession of hers.
A loud bang in the hallway caused her to jump. With the contact broken, reality crashed down on her. She shouldn't be here, shouldn't be doing this. If anything, she had learned from past mistakes how quickly things could get out of control. How rapidly she could be betrayed. Her breath came in rapid pants as memories washed over her.
He brushed a loose strand of hair off her face. She flinched involuntarily, and his hand instantly fell away. She rolled away before she could see the disgust sure to follow her reaction in his eyes. Putting her head in her hands, she fought against sobbing out her self-loathing. She hated this weakness.
She wished she could be normal. She wished that night had never happened. She’d tried to forget about it, but she couldn't. It was always in the back of her mind, constantly haunting her, chasing her. Now she'd met someone she genuinely liked, who made her
