Page 47 of Savage Torment

“I know why you were shot in the chest with an arrow, Polaris. I don’t want you alone, and since I’m apparently playing the heroic vampire who doesn’t unalive your friend, I need to ensure someone else has eyes on you.”

I search his eyes, seeking the words he doesn’t speak, but he’s a closed vault and I definitely don’t have the code to gain access.

“You can leave now,” Tatum grunts, his words harsher than I’ve ever heard, but before I can decipher it, I’m consumed by Blaze as he slams his mouth against mine.

It’s intense, intoxicating, and addicting.

I feel like I’m balancing on the tips of my toes, letting him take everything from me with one simple kiss, but it’s over before it can truly begin, and I’m left trembling in place.

My hand lifts to my lips, imprinting his touch to memory as he stalks toward Tatum. My pulse is thundering in my ears, but I hear his parting words.

“Make sure you pay attention to the fluttering of her heartbeat. Yeah, wolf?”

Confusion coils inside of me, but the dark gaze Tatum snaps my way feeds into my soul and understanding washes over me.

My heart is racing. It was racing before Tatum arrived.

For him.

For Blaze.

I think my face might be on fire as Tatum ignores him and centers his attention on me. His hands curl into fists at his sides as his jaw tics.

He’s mad. He’s trying to hide it, but it’s there. Guilt trickles down my spine as the silence stretches between us.

Clearing my throat, I offer a tight smile. “Minnie sent you?”

He nods, scrubbing at his jaw. “I’d have come regardless.”

I press my lips together, nerves settling in my stomach. “Want to sit?” I offer, and he shakes his head. “Oh.”

My hands wrap around my middle again, my defenses rising.

“I want to wipe him from every inch of your body.”

My heart lurches, lodging in my throat at his revelation.

I step toward him. “Tatum, I?—”

“I’m struggling for control right now, Polaris,” he interjects, the shake to his shoulders certainly from the tension consuming him as his eyes storm.

“Do you need me to call one of them or?—”

“No. I need you not to be so… you.” I feel the color drain from my face as I blink at him, his words hurting more than they should. “Wait, I… fuck. Not like that. It came out wrong. I’m sorry, Polaris. I mean…” His words trail off as I worry my bottom lip nervously. The distance between us shortens, and for the first time since he arrived, it’s not from me. He closes the space between us, stopping when we’re toe to toe. “You’re making it worse with that,” he states, swiping his thumb over my bottom lip to release it from behind my teeth.

Satisfied, his hand shifts to my cheek as he searches my eyes.

“Tatum?”

“Tell me to stop, Polaris.”

I shake my head in confusion. “Stop what?”

His hand leaves my face to trail down my side. “Tell me to stop, Polaris,” he repeats, stopping at my waist. His fingers flex, digging into my side, and I shiver.

“But if I like it?”

My words linger in the air as our breaths mingle between us. It’s as if the world stands still. Nothing moves. Nothing but his hand as he slips beneath the waistband of my pants and panties in one swift move.

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