The scenario Sherry painted made much more sense. Anthony was an ancient like he was, and Piers wouldn’t kill for no reason. If he was honest with himself, he’d have to admit Anthony probably didn’t either. He’d really fucked up this time, and his mate was stuck in the middle of a mess he’d created. Yet, he couldn’t bring himself to be completely sorry that she’d been there because had she not, he might have killed an innocent man.
Unfortunately, none of it relieved the pain of losing the family he’d yearned for for so long.
He made a decision and grabbed the phone from her.
“Hey!” She grabbed for his hand, but he gently swatted her away and put his ear to the phone.
“I’ll bring her back tomorrow.”
“If you’ve hurt her—”
“I haven’t hurt her, nor will I.” Sherry’s sister obviously loved her, and he couldn’t fault her for that. “She’ll be back by sundown tomorrow.” He 39
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clicked the phone off before she could respond and tossed it onto the nightstand.
“Did you mean it?” Sherry sat with her mouth open, staring at him.
“I don’t lie.” He was already regretting the decision to return her. He needed her and would never willingly let her disappear from his life, but he cared for her enough to try to do the whole relationship routine. He wanted to do right by her.
She was young and innocent and he…wasn’t. When he claimed her, he wouldn’t do so like a gentle, unschooled boy. His instincts would win out, and he would possess her. He would never hurt her, but he doubted the restraint he’d be able to apply the first time he took her. He needed her to trust him, to know he wouldn’t harm her no matter how out of control he got.
Maybe he should just walk away from her. She was too small, too delicate. He’d never be what she needed. Anger scorched him, and he fought the urge to put his fist through the wall.
“Why are you letting me go?”
“Because I can admit when I’ve made a mistake.”
“So you believe me about what happened with your brother?”
“Let’s just say that now that I’ve gotten two sides of the story, I’m coming to some different, however difficult, conclusions.”
“I can’t imagine what it was like to lose your brother. If something happened to Janine, I’d be devastated, especially after losing our parents.”
“I didn’t even know him.” He shook his head. “I had just hoped—”
“Hoped what?”
“Nothing. Just forget it. In fact, by this time tomorrow, you can forget all of this ever happened.”
“Piers, I—”
He held his hand up to stop her words. He wasn’t ready for this conversation. He’d just realized how wrong he’d probably been about his brother, and he didn’t want to wallow in self pity or cry like a woman. He was a man, and he would suck it up and move on.
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“I’m taking a shower.” He wasn’t afraid she’d run again. He had the keys to the Jeep and she had no idea where they were. Besides, if she did, he’d have no trouble tracking her down.
He closed the door after entering the small but clean bathroom. He pulled his clothes off, folded them, and laid them on the counter. Thankfully, the shower was decent and the water was hot. Once he stepped into the steamy stall, he realized he should have made it cold. One thought of their kiss in the forest made his cock rock hard. He could still feel her hesitation as his mouth had taken hers, and then her blissful surrender when she’d melted against him.
He circled his shaft and brought himself to quick, unsatisfying relief. He hoped to God he could make it through the night without taking her. All he could think about was thrusting into her hot, wet flesh, of how she’d close around him as he sank into her. He cursed under his breath and shut off the water. He dried and wrapped the towel around his hips before opening the bathroom door.
She gasped when he walked back into the room, and he grunted. “Sorry.
I didn’t exactly bring anything to sleep in as I wasn’t expecting to stay overnight anywhere.” It wouldn’t have mattered anyway since his usual sleep attire was nothing but his skin.
He was on edge, and his dick was getting hard again as he watched her eyes roam over his body. He turned his back to her, trying to block the insanity of black need threatening to wipe out his willpower.
“Oh my! You have a tattoo.”
“Mm hm.” He nodded as he stared out the window. The wind had picked up and the trees that lined the back of the parking lot were swaying back and forth.
* * * *
Good Lord. The man was a tank, and his back was a breathtaking spectacle. She hadn’t understood the appeal of tattoos in the past, but the black wolf splayed across his back was exquisite. Its head was ensconced 41
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between his shoulder blades, and its body ran the entire length of his back, ending just before it dipped under the towel wrapped around his hips. Its eyes were the same golden brown color as Piers’ and held the same eerie glow his had in the woods. And even though she was aware the tattoo was not alive, it watched her as if it were stalking her and waiting for the precise moment she let her guard down to pounce.
For some reason, maybe because of the way the wolf appeared
