Page 93 of Black Sheep

“What things? You mean Taranahar?”

His tension increases, and his hand slides around my nape. “Yes.”

I shake my head. “I don’t know any more than what I saw on the Internet.”

His jaw flexes. “Make sure you keep it that way.”

“Is that a threat?”

Dark eyebrows gather in a frown. “Threat? Why would I threaten you?”

“I don’t know, why would you?” I throw the question back, the claws of fear resurfacing after being shoved aside by days of mind-blowing sex.

“Dammit, I’m telling you this to keep you safe.”

My heart lurches. “Why would I not be?”

He opens his mouth then clamps it back shut.

“If you really mean that, tell me,” I push.

“I can’t. Not yet.”

Disappointment tightens around the fear, forming an even bigger knot of desolation inside me.

“We’ll talk about this soon. Just not right now.”

I don’t respond. I can’t. I may want to know more about Axel the man, but I don’t know if I’m ready to deal with Axel the ex-soldier, and especially his involvement with the brutal massacre of a whole village. Not so soon after his confession.

The limo pulls to a stop. I look out the window and realize we’re at XYNYC.

He steps out and reaches in to help me out. The bouncer manning the door, whom I recognize from last time, struggles to keep the surprise from his face as he holds the door for us.

The reminder of what happened the last time I was here ratchets up my tension.

Despite the early hour, the evening crowd is impressive. Axel cuts a dynamic, dominating figure as he leads me to his VIP lounge. A considerable number of female—and male—heads turn as we move through the buzzed crowd. The amount of eye-fucking shoved his way churns acid through my gut.

The moment we reach the roped-off area, I pull my hand from his.

He recaptures my hand, his eyes narrowed on my face. “What’s wrong?” He has to raise his voice above the music, even with his mouth hovering close to my ear.

I fight my the shiver when his breath washes over my lobe. I fail miserably. “Who are you meeting? And why am I even here?”

“I’m meeting Quinn Blackwood. And you’re here because I want you here. And you will behave,” he warns.

My breath catches. “Excuse me?”

“You’re showing me that stubborn little chin again. Whatever’s gotten into you, contain it until I can take care of it.”

I glare with every flame inside me. My offended chin rises higher. “And if I don’t? Are you going to head out there and grab one of those dozen women who are eye-fucking you right now?” Shit. I bite my tongue. But it’s too late.

He rocks back on his heels, his eyes flaring with surprise. An instant later, he yanks me forward and traps me against his body. “They can try all they want, but they’ll go blind before any of them comes within a thousand miles of giving me what you can.”

I catch my jaw before it drops. But the breath I was holding shakes out of me, along with a telling little whimper. “I…you…”

His thumb brushes over my lip, silencing me. “Let’s get a drink, baby. Then I’m going to put you in my lap and grant you permission to give anyone who looks our way the finger.”

My mouth twists. “And let them all think I’m a raging bitch? No thanks.”

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