Page 339 of Primal Bonds

Without breaking stride, he scanned the shadows. A human wouldn’t have seen the woman leaning against the side of his house, but his cat detected her just fine. She wore a baggy hoodie and a knit cap pulled low over her forehead. But he’d know that long, curvy body anywhere.

Chapter 16

Adric’s heart kicked into gear. Hard, slow, and damn it, needy.

Rosana’s back was to the brick wall, one leg bent and her foot on the bricks as if she’d been there a while. A small backpack was on the grass beside her.

What was she doing in Baltimore? And how the hell had she known which house was his? His den was two stories underground and warded against intruders, its location on a need-to-know basis only.

Slipping into an alley, he circled through the neighborhood so that he came out in the backyard behind his. He vaulted the chain link fence, landing behind his shed, and peered around the corner. Rosana had her head turned toward the street.

He gathered his muscles…and leapt.

By the time she swung around, he was on her. He pushed her face-first into the bricks and touched a claw to the soft underside of her jaw.

“What are you doing here?” he growled against her ear.

She turned her head sideways and tried to shove off the wall, but he thrust a thigh between her legs, pinning her in place with his body. Her fingers curled against the bricks, but her answer was as calm as if they were having a friendly cup of coffee.

“Not out here.”

Her ponytail was against his cheek. The fresh meadow scent of it tangled his thoughts. Below, his pelvis pressed against her firm ass, her inner thighs warm around his leg.

The gods knew he was no saint. He couldn’t help reacting to the suggestive position. Her breath hitched, and he knew she felt him hardening against her.

He scowled and increased the pressure of the claw, careful not to break the skin. He’d cut off his own hand before hurting her, but she didn’t need to know that.

“How did you find out where I live?”

Her mouth twitched. “Nice to see you, too.”

“Don’t mess with me, love.” He pressed her a little harder into the bricks. “I’m not in a good mood. Now, how did you find this house?”

She expelled a breath. “I’m a Seer, remember?”

“You had a vision that showed you where I live?” he asked, incredulous.

A jerk of her chin. “I saw the street name, anyway. And then I followed your scent to this house. I can’t find the entrance to your den, though.”

“It’s protected by a look-away spell.” He let out a breath, thinking. “Does anyone else know you’re here? Your brothers?”

A short laugh. “You think they’d let me come down here alone?”

She had a point. Especially after Dion had gone out of his way to warn him away from her.

“Fine. Swear you won’t give the location of my den to anyone else, and I’ll let you in.”

“I swear it,” she replied without hesitation. “I’m not your enemy, Adric.”

He retracted the claw and released her. She spun around, the sharp point of an iron stiletto aimed at his balls.

He raised a brow, impressed. Not many people could get close enough to pull a weapon on him. “Careful, love. You might damage my junk, and then neither of us will be happy.”

A pissed-off snarl. “Threaten me again, cat, and I’ll make you into a rug.”

A rug?

He let out a startled chuckle—and grabbed her wrist, lightning-quick. He dug his thumb into a pressure point until she opened her fingers and released the knife. They both lunged for it, but he snatched it by the blade just before it hit the grass.

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