fiercely with his fists.

Bang!

Sage slapped her hands over her ears, but the damage was done. She twisted around to find Hector in the doorway, rifle still in his hands. The ringing in her ears covered whatever threats he shouted at the brawlers, but the way he lowered the gun from warning shot above their heads to chest-level made his intent clear as day.

That moment of shock was all their attackers needed to scramble out of reach and bolt for their truck.

Rhys spun around the moment they were out of sight and strode right for her. His arms snapped out, one hand fisting in her hair and the other landing on her hip. His eyes shined bright, bright silver as he bent and crushed his lips to hers.

There was nothing gentle about the kiss. Nothing reassuring. His mouth moved against hers with harsh precision. He was raw, uncontained power. Her entire body buzzed with it as if she’d picked up a live wire.

She couldn’t let go, either.

He crowded her closer to the side of his truck, one thigh pressed between her legs. So easy to roll her hips against him and claim another shred of pleasure. So damned easy to slice a claw down the front of his shirt to feel his skin against hers.

He swiped his tongue against the seam of her lips, and there was nothing to do but open for him. Decadent mocha and spicy cayenne pepper hit her taste buds, giving her an extra kick amid the delicious stroking of his tongue against hers. Her head swam with the combination, her body simmered under his touch, and she bunched her hands in his shirt just to keep upright.

She hadn’t felt so alive since… since...

No. She clawed for purchase to stay in the moment. She didn’t want to go back to being scared and helpless. She wanted to feel as powerful as that carving looked.

He was so big. Bigger than she could fight off for long. The scar on her collarbone burned at the remembered feeling of claws dragging along her skin. Her neck itched with the silver that had kept her locked down and small when she wanted to shift and run.

No. Not Rhys. That wasn’t Rhys.

Sage shoved hard on his chest, but he didn’t move other than to tighten his hand in her hair. Her inner cat purred at that, but Sage couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think, other than to feel like the walls were closing in on her.

She shoved again, and this time he stumbled back. She did, too, bringing her fingers to her lips and eyeing him like a dangerous animal.

He wasn’t dangerous.

She shoved back on her lioness. The sickly creature didn’t have any idea what she wanted.

But good skies above, the man could kiss.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, dragging clean air into her lungs. “I can’t. I’m sorry.”

Regret flashed in his eyes, right there with the hunger that still lurked in the silver. He wanted her, still, with his blood up and fresh off a fight, but he knew when to back off.

Rhys lifted a hand slowly and rubbed a knuckle over her cheek, then reached around her to open the door. “Let’s get you back to your den before anyone else shows up,” he said, voice thick with denied need.

Hands shaking, she loaded into the truck and let him shut her inside.

Sage watched him from the corner of her eye as soon as he took his place behind the wheel. Every inch of him was tight and tense with power, from the hand he used to shove his hair out of his eyes to the shoulders set in a stiff line.

She knew she needed to process what just happened. Questions were being asked about the pride. They’d been attacked in a bar! That could only mean more trouble was on the horizon.

But Rhys held her entire attention.

He wasn’t anything she expected.

Standing with her. Guarding her door against monsters hunting in the shadows. And now, this. Fighting for her, then kissing her within an inch of her life. Backing off when she couldn’t handle being that close to so much raw, frenzied energy.

Two minutes. She just wanted two minutes to consider than man before she gave in to the panic waiting right around the corner.

He was devastating every hint of wanting to leave the world behind.

Chapter 13

“We’re being followed.”

Sage jerked straight in her seat. The gaze she had locked somewhere in the distance slashed toward the mirrors. Her heart crept up her throat as the seconds dragged by with no vehicles reflecting back at her. She wanted to believe Rhys was mistaken, that whoever he’d seen made a turn to veer them off to their final destination.

Except there weren’t any other ranches on this stretch of road.

She swallowed down a note of panic when the front of a black SUV edged around a bend in the road. Two more were right behind it.

Coincidence. It could still be coincidence. It was a damn road! Anyone was free to travel on it.

Rhys watched the mirror and slowly pressed his foot on the accelerator.

The lead vehicle inched closer.

Her lioness twisted inside her as fear crawled up her spine. Her every hair stood on end. She bounced her eyes between the road ahead, looking for the first fence post that marked her pride’s territory, and the SUVs at their back. She almost sagged with relief when they shot past the marker, but their pursuers didn’t play by childhood rules of safe bases.

“Hold on,” Rhys growled.

She barely had time to grab the bar above the window before he spun the steering wheel and bounced them over the cattle grate at the edge of Crowley territory. The signs advising visitors to GO AWAY and FUCK OFF flashed as they sped past. The words seemed like a spell at that moment, and she hoped, wished, and prayed they were taken as orders.

Please, she silently chanted. Please, please, please.

A tiny, helpless mewl escaped her lips when the first SUV swerved down the

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