I roll my eyes. “No, I prefer something a bit more.. Grim.” I stomp on his foot and throw my elbow into his side.
I manage to escape, only to see him turned around and knocked on his ass. The fury in those icy, arctic blue eyes make my body flush. All moisture in my throat evaporates. I try to find the words, but I’m truly rendered speechless.
The handsy guy’s friends are starting to congregate, and I see Jackson’s men follow suit. The man gets up, stumbling back.
“Fuck man, I didn’t want the stupid bitch anyway.” This sets Jackson off, but he’s stopped by Keola.
“Take her out of here. We’ll clean up the mess.” He pats Jackson on the shoulder, pushing him in my direction.
Jackson charges at me, and I can either run or let him do whatever it is he’s intent on doing. I watch as his men take care of the drunk assholes, but I don’t fixate.Not my circus, not my monkeys.
“Jackson, I..” I can’t finish my sentence. Before I can get any more words out, Jackson has me tossed over his shoulder like I’m weightless. “Jackson, I can walk you know.”
“This is for me,” he growls out. This is the part where Ishouldbe afraid. Scary thing is, I’m not.
Chapter 20
I’mathismercy.Every sense I have tells me to give in, to find my way back to him. He takes me outside to the parking lot. The poorly lit area should be cause for alarm, but not when you have a god of a man carrying you like he owns you. At this moment, he does. He places me down near Sparky’s truck and backs me into it.
“Jackson,” I whisper out, trying to find any clue to his next movement.
He brings his head closer to my face. “Teresa, what did I tell you, from the beginning?”
My mind searches for the answer he’s looking for. I gulp when I realize what he wants to hear. “If you want something, you’ll stop at nothing to claim it.”
He places his forehead on mine. “Good girl. Do you think I was going to allow another man to gawk at what’s mine? Thinking they can put their dirty hands on you? You aremine, Teresa.” Pure possessiveness rings in his voice.
I plant my hands on his chest to balance myself, bringing him closer to me. He gently brushes his lips across mine in a breathtaking kiss, melting away the chaos raging in my head. All thoughts point to him. I need this. I needhim. He breaks our kiss and skims his knuckles across my cheek.
“Everything you have is mine.” His hand travels down my neck to my chest. “Your heart.” He moves down across my hips and waist. “These curves.” The butterflies erupt in my stomach. “And this.”
He cups my pussy. “This is mine.”
“Jackson.”
He chuckles lowly, softly. “Jackson still? We both know that’s not what you will call me by the end of the night.”
I smirk. I’m about to bring some comedy into this heavy moment, fuck it. “No, it’s Leif Erickson.”
He cups and grips my ass, bringing me flush against him. “Try. Again.”
I move my face to his, my lips ghosting over his. “Mm, I think I’d rather scream it.”
His eyes grow wide. “That can be arranged.”
“Promises, promises. Jackson.” I tilt my head to glare at him, throwing down a challenge.
He dips his head to brush soft kisses on my neck. “Tell me to take you home. Let me show you what happens when you put too much distance between us. And I become a starving man.”
Dryness in my throat, but a rush of pleasure down below. All my senses screamplease. I place a small kiss on his lips, letting it linger for a moment, then draw back to whisper against them.
“Take me home.” The part of me screaming to forgive him, to give into this, is pounding at my skull. “Alexander.” The white flag of surrender.
To say his face lights up with happiness is an understatement. He doesn’t waste any time revving up his bike and yanking me behind him. I grab onto him, anxiously awaiting being back in his arms. As we ride, I breathe in his scent; woods with a mixture of mint is intoxicating, as always. I know we’ll be having a certain conversation at some point, but I’m more concerned with the now. I need to get him home, to get lost in him.
He parks the bike quickly before scooping me up and walking to my front door. I go to open it when he sets me down, but he plants his arm next to my head, forcing me to look at him.
“Don’t run or hide from me this time, Teresa. That's all I ask of you.” His eyes are wide, vulnerable,intoxicating.