Page 25 of Pike

“I’m serious.” She bent down to give her ankle a tug. Surprised when not only did her boot refuse to move, but a sharp twinge of pain traveled up the length of her leg. “What the hell?”

“You’re a big girl. I’m sure you can manage.”

Manage, sure. If this were an ordinary case of clumsiness. Her eyes snapped down on the ruddy claws reaching through the grate a split second before the shifter took hold of her ankle and pulled.

“Pike!” she screamed. Her cheek slapped into the pavement, fingers scrabbling for purchase. She swiveled her body perpendicular to the sidewalk, reaching for something to help her. Anything. The shifter gave another tug and she fought bag against the movement.

Headlights slashed through the night in her direction. Air caught in her lungs and her heart beat hard enough to explode out of her chest. Her free leg lashed out, making contact with the storm drain even as the shifter pulled her back.

“Pike, help me!”

She scrambled for an opening, any way to twist her body out of oncoming traffic. The rat’s eyes gleamed in the truck’s lights and Lavinia knew she wouldn’t have to worry about forever anymore. A tire over the head would probably mean immortality was out the window.

She felt the heat from the truck. Felt the hot gust of air from the exhaust pipe. Felt her bones crack and shift when she slammed into the sidewalk with Pike on top of her.

Traffic passed with no one noticing the man and woman on the ground. He kept his hands over her ears, his cheek pressed to hers.

“Lavinia? Are you okay?” he asked when all went quiet again.

The pain from her leg shot higher until it reached her hip. “I can’t breathe.”

“Oh, fuck. Sorry.” Pike shifted until the pressure on her lungs eased. “Better?”

It took effort to nod. “What…the hell…was that?”

“Rat twat. Are you sure you’re all right? Need me to take you to the hospital?”

“I’ll be okay. Once I figure out…something. You’re always saving me,” she murmured. Her fingertips caressed his cheek, the scruff leading down to his chin.

“This time you didn’t need my help. Not really,” he said with an inane grin. “I’m sure you would have gotten away in time.”

She didn’t smile back. “I’ll always need you.”

He shook his head and pushed onto his knees before helping her to her feet. “There’s going to be a time when I’m not around. I guarantee you’re better off without me. And you lost your boot.”

“Isn’t that the kind of thing all bad boys say?”

“Because it’s the truth. Deep down, you know it too.”

Whether or not he had some kind of ulterior motive for being with her, Lavinia didn’t care. He’d placed a spell on her from the first moment they locked eyes. When his tongue darted out between his lips, she had the overwhelming desire to lean forward and take a bite.

Worse was the way her stomach was doing crazy things. Bubbling and knotting.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

He was too close. That’s what. She could smell his skin, the friction between them like ozone in the air. “Nothing.”

“I don’t believe it. You’re a bad liar.”

Her mind went blank when his fingers trailed along her hairline. Maybe it was better to be blank. Any kind of thought at this point would only get her in trouble. Did he know how gorgeous his lips were? How the sight of his scowl sent a shiver along her skin.

His eyes narrowed when she failed to answer. “Do you feel sick? Here.” He shifted until they were seated next to each other, giving her the breathing room she’d asked for. “Better?”

All she wanted to do was crawl on his lap despite the persistent and niggling sense of déjà vu. Her vision. Her broken heart.

She didn’t care.

He didn’t need to say all the right things. Pike could call her a wanker and she’d wet her panties. With a clear head and unimpeded thoughts, she turned her head to face him and dove in, threading her hands through his hair and kissing him hard. His shoulders stiffened and his mouth opened in shock. Opened enough so that her tongue darted out across his. He tasted as scintillating as he smelled. Sweet and spicy. A hint of something very much like chocolate.

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