Page 86 of Hunted
How dare she touch him?
“What the hell is wrong with you?!” she finally yells at me, wisely not moving any closer.
“Lay a hand on him again, and I’ll break it off,” I warn, gritting my teeth as I try to stay calm.
My eyes quickly scan the room, and I see the guards looking at me with wide eyes. Mira is watching us both, like she’s not sure what’s happening. Bower is smiling at me like a lunatic, clearly enjoying what’s going on. Kingsley and Weston look like they want to jump in but aren’t sure if they should, their eyes bouncing between Lisa, Reece, and myself.
“Excuse me?” Lisa asks, eyeing me up and down like she’s disgusted by what she sees. “Reece is a big boy, if he—”
“HE’S MINE!” I scream, my anger consuming me as I cut her off as I try to launch myself at her, but Reece wraps his arms around my waist, hauling me back against him and stopping my attack.
Lisa screams, and there’s a small commotion as she’s removed from the room by one of the guards. I don’t know where they’re taking her, and I don’t care.
I’m still struggling to get out of Reece’s grip, to go after her. I hated hearing her say his name so casually, and seeing her touch him lit a fire under my skin. I had no idea I was such a jealous person, and maybe it’s only because we haven’t defined what we are to one another yet, but seeing her touch him like that is something I couldn’t stand.
“Shh, it’s okay, darling. She’s gone. Calm down, I‘ve got you.” I realize Reece has been whispering into my ear this whole time, and when I finally listen to his words, I stop struggling and let my body sag against him, his arms the only thing keeping me up as the fight drains out of me.
He moves us over to a chair where he sits down and pulls me down to straddle his lap, facing him.
I place my hands near the top of his chest, watching my fingers dig into his deep blue dress shirt.
He uses the crook of his finger to tilt my chin up, so my eyes are forced to meet his. “Are you okay?”
“Areyou?” I counter.
“Me?”
“Yeah, she was touching you, and you didn’t like it.”
“You could tell?”
“Anyone with eyes could tell you didn’t want her dirty hands on you.”
His eyes bounce between mine for a moment before he asks. “Is that what all that was about? You’re mad she touched me without my permission?”
I clench my jaw as what I said starts to replay in my mind. I claimed him as mine in front of the whole room. My cheeks heat with embarrassment.
Why did I say that?
We hadn’t agreed to be anything more than friends.
But, clearly, I was interested in being way more than that with Reece Benson. I’ve loved him my entire life. Being away from him didn’t extinguish that flame. It’s just taken some time to adjust to the new versions of us.
He may no longer be that sweet, cheeky teen, but he’d grown into a protective, kind and intense man. One who clearly wants to be more than my friend. He even has my name tattooed over his heart.
Locking my eyes on Reece, I decide to be brave. “I don’t want her touching what’s mine.” His eyes widen a fraction, it’s a small movement, but I catch it, knowing my words surprised him.
His fingers tighten on my hips, his eyes narrowing into that intense gaze of his. “Are you ready to claim me as yours, Darla? Are you ready to admit that you belong to me as much as I belong to you?”
“Yes.”
“Say it,” he hisses through his clenched jaw, his fingers kneading my sides.
“I’m yours, Reece.”
He quickly slides a hand up to the back of my neck and before I can register what he’s doing, he’s pressing his lips to mine.
Sweet baby kisses!
