“My brothers and I are the things nightmares are made of. We’ll bring war to their doors and burn down their worlds for crossing us. You don’t have to worry about us.”
Her mouth gaped open as she stared at me in shock. I was shocking myself as well at the moment.
After a long pause where she turned toward the ocean front views, she said, “You know what’s funny?”
“What’s that?”
“It's ironic how you act all concerned about this bracelet, but don’t bat an eye that I’m held prisoner in this room. But I guess it’s okay if you’re the one holding me against my will.”
Touché. And somehow, she looked even more positively radiant when she was mad. “Okay, then, I guess I have to prove we’re different,” I countered. “But I want to know. Who gave you the scars on your back? Was it Brayden, because I’ll have to figure out a way to kill him twice if it was.” A low grow rolled through my chest, and her gaze widened at the deep sound.
She stiffened, not responding but holding my gaze.
Fine, she didn’t want to talk about it, but I would find out what happened and take a pound of flesh for every injury on her body from whoever did that to her.
I headed back inside, deciding not to push the point. She would talk when she was ready. “As much as you dislike hearing it, it sounds to me like you’re in a better position here than with your fated mate.”
“That’s still to be proven.”
I opened the door to her room and turned toward her. “You coming?”
She didn’t answer right away, but looked outside as if expecting something to jump out at her. “Where to?”
“I’ll give you a house tour. How does that sound?”
“The entire mansion?” She gasped as if she had never expected such a thing.
“Yep.” I omitted the part where I wouldn’t show the dungeon or the sex room. If she was well behaved, I might give her a personal tour of it. A place we indulged in our most ultimate fantasies.
I imagined her blushing that lovely scarlet color...all over her body if I took her there… My cock twitched at the image of what I could do to her, how I could show her things she’d never imagined and have her begging for more.
Out in the hallway, she reminded me of a skittish cat. Taking short, quick steps, her head turned in every direction, taking in everything, and part of me wondered if she’d try to make a run for it. Of course, she wouldn’t get far. We were on an island, for fuck’s sake, but part of me was disappointed she hadn’t at least tried to escape. I haven’t had myself a good chase for a while. With so many wolves on the island, the small population of rabbits who had once resided here had been eliminated, and there wasn’t much else to hunt.
I’d obviously been lying through my teeth about wild beasts in the woods. There was nothing scarier than my brothers and me in this place.
Maybe Hendrix had already instilled enough fear into her to ensure she had limits in her disobedience.
“Is there any chance of getting a drink of water first, please?” She turned to me as we reached the top of the extravagant staircase. She spoke with her sing-song voice, and again it hit me how adorable she was. And I couldn’t remember ever thinking of someone being adorable.
“We’ll start from the ground floor in the kitchen then, shall we,” I offered, mesmerized by her every move. Blood rushed right to my cock as I pictured her naked, her round ass shifting with each step, then grabbing her around her waist and forcing her up against the wall, pinning her in place. The need to touch her was unbearable.
There was something unbelievably intoxicating being around a woman whose every action screamed innocent, yet the confidence in her eyes told me she was a lot more competent than she let on.
Either that, or she was utterly oblivious to the real danger surrounding her.
Down on the ground floor, I led her past the stairs and through several hallways. She walked slowly, completely in awe of the tall ceilings, the crystal chandeliers, expensive paintings in ornate gold frames adorning the walls. Vases and tapestries… Hendrix insisted on only the best and hired a decorator to make this place scream wealth and power. It was for the clients we had visiting… confidence and money closed most deals for us.
She paused in front of a painting, and our arms bumped, me grazing the side of her breast as I stood so close to her. A faint buzz shot through me from the touch, and her hitched breath had me smiling.
“Did you do that on purpose?” she whispered, the corners of her lips tugging upward.
Was she flirting with me?
“Would you like it to be on purpose?” I asked, flashing her a wide smile.
Her grin was authentic, her cheeks coloring, while her gaze dipped from my eyes to my lips. Everything about her was special, and I brushed a loose strand tenderly behind her ear, stepping closer, the heat from her body pouring over me.
“You’re perfect,” I said.
My wolf stirred, pressing forward. Mine, he growled in my mind. All mine.
She trembled slightly at my touch.
“You don’t need to be shy around me. I can tell you’re drawn to me.”
“I barely know you,” she murmured, lowering her voice, “Even if you are really handsome, it doesn't mean anything. Sometimes the most beautiful things are the deadliest.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment. And you’re incredibly beautiful. I've been thinking about stripping and licking you all over. If you’re also deadly, you might just be my perfect match.”
Her eyes flickered to the painting and back, her face burning red now. “Tell me about her.”
I watched the way she tried to distract me, but I wasn’t letting her win. “You’re new to this.”
With narrowing eyes, she looked my way. “With the painting?”
I chuckled. “With flirting.”
She smoothed over her hair with a hand, and her lips pinched to the side. “Oh, is that what we were doing?” she said in a mocking tone.
I liked her a lot. “Your sweet mouth will get you into a lot of trouble.”
She laughed softly. “I’ll be sure to work on it. Now, are you going to tell me about this painting with the sad woman?”
“Oh, you’re genuinely interested?”
She gave me a deadpan expression. “Why else would I stop here? So you can touch my breast?”
With a smile, my mind focused on her perky tits and how much I wanted my cock between them. “You have no clue about all the things I want to touch on you.” I struggled to believe just how perfect she was, and how tight my balls were getting with her attempt to flirt with me while being submissive at the same time. She was curious, brazen, and vulnerable.
“And don’t pretend you aren’t interested,” I added.