He hadn’t exactly expected her to fall in line with what he wanted—things could never be that simple with Devon. And, honestly, he probably wouldn’t find her half so interesting if they were. But he also hadn’t expected her to believe the whole thing would be meaningless to him; that he’d think of her as nothing more than a sex toy. It wouldn’t be like that at all.
“You’re putting a dark spin on this because then you’ll find it easier to turn me away,” he said. “What we’d have would just be sex, sure, but there’d be nothing impersonal about it.”
Devon stared at him. Was he being serious? “Taking someone to bed with no real thought other than to fuck her until you no longer want her is impersonal. A whole month of being used that way? I’m not up for that.” Engaging in a fun, harmless fling and letting it play out until it lost its charm … well, that would be one thing. He was suggesting something else. “Besides, my demon would never give you a month of its time. Not when it’s on the hunt for a—” His large hand snapped around her throat so fast that she didn’t even see it coming.
“Don’t say it,” he warned through his teeth. “Don’t.”
Her demon snarled at him, but it didn’t push to surface. Likewise, Devon didn’t fight him, sure to her bones that he’d never use his strength against her. “I thought you said I calm you.”
Seconds of tense silence ticked by, and then his mouth canted up. “You just did,” he said, sliding his hand around to cup the side of her neck.
She sighed. “I don’t want to argue with you, Tanner, okay? I say we just leave this at a one-night stand and carry on as we were. There are plenty of women out there who’ll give you what you want.”
“I told you, this”—he glided his fingers over her folds again—“is the only pussy I want. You’re not keeping it from me. You’re gonna give it back to me, Devon. Maybe not right this second, but you will. Soon. I’m getting my month with you. In the meantime, nobody else gets anywhere near this pussy. They don’t touch it. They don’t taste it. They don’t fuck it. Understood?”
She gaped at him. “I’ve got to give it to you, Tanner, you’ve got brass-fucking-balls.”
“Not a single soul gets near it. Tell me you hear me.”
“Oh, I hear you. I just can’t imagine why you think I’ll bow down to your wishes.”
Tanner pitched his voice low as he said, “You don’t want to call my bluff on this, Devon. If someone else touches you, they’ll pay for it in blood. That’s not a threat, it’s a promise. If you’re thinking I don’t mean that, you’re wrong. You don’t know the things I’ve done. You don’t know the things I’m capable of.”
“Is this where I quiver in terror?”
“No, it’s where you heed me for once, because we’re far from done.” He kissed her. Took her mouth like it belonged to him. Licked and bit until the tension began to leach out of her spine. Yeah, she got his message loud and clear.
Tanner pulled back and released her, satisfied by the flush on her cheeks and the need spicing her scent, despite that she was glaring at him. “Remember what I said.”
As he turned to leave, she prompted, “Or … ?”
He glanced at her over his shoulder. “Or you’ll learn just how far I’ll go not to share you. Don’t test me on this, kitten. I’ve killed enough people in the many, many years I’ve walked this Earth. But then, what’s one more to add to the tally?”
CHAPTER NINE
Standing in the airport terminal the next morning, Devon glanced at her watch. Her parents’ airplane had landed twenty minutes ago, so she figured they should have appeared by now. Well, they hadn’t.
The people around her were just as impatient, letting out heavy sighs, shifting restlessly, and repeatedly glancing at the large digital monitor displaying departure and arrival times … as if it would somehow tell them exactly when the passengers would walk through the automated doors.
Enzo and Lex were amongst the crowd—no doubt on Tanner’s orders. They’d been following her around all morning. She was also being tailed by two members of Jolene’s Force, Tyson and Rhonda. None were making any effort to look inconspicuous, clearly wanting people to know she wouldn’t be an easy target if they were dumb enough to make a grab for her.
She took another bite of the candy bar she’d bought from the vending machine. Well, one of the bars she’d bought. They wouldn’t do much for her figure, sure, but Devon was on the seafood diet. If she saw food, she devoured it. Best diet ever.
God, where were the damn passengers? Her feline didn’t like it there. Didn’t like being crowded by so many people. Didn’t like the cloying scents of perfume, cologne, and hairspray. It wanted to—