Page 13 of Curvy Hostage Mate
“And you don’t think you’re being a tad dramatic?” he drawled.
My fingers curled into a fist, surprising even myself. “I don’t think it’s dramatic to want to be allowed to walk around free,” I said. “Especially after everything I’ve had to deal with the last few years.”
Concern and maybe a touch of guilt flickered across his face. “I promise it won’t be for long,” he said. Then, the resolve and arrogance came flooding back as his expression hardened. “Trust me, it’s for the best.”
“I don’t like being controlled like this,” I said, though my voice came out far more timid and uncertain than I wanted it to. A small waver in my words made me hate myself a little. Why the hell couldn’t I just have some backbone?
He looked genuinely confused. “I’m not being controlling. I’m taking the lead.”
“There’s a fine line,” I retorted.
He shrugged as if unconcerned, or maybe he just disagreed. “It’s just the way things have to be for right now. You’ll have to trust me.”
I rolled my eyes, folding my arms as I glared at him. God, had he ever not been a controlling jerk? I hated everything about him. The cocky swagger, the obnoxiously attractive smirk, the bulging muscles, the piercing hazel eyes that I wanted to drown in. Everything about him screamed arrogance.
Not for the first time, I wished I were my sister. Kendra would stand up for herself. She wouldn’t have any qualms about calling Chris a jerk and demanding him to actually take her seriously. She would have managed to get him to listen to her.
“Please, just let me go,” I said.
He stared at me levelly. “No.”
I glared, anger flushing through my body. “This is ridiculous,” I grumbled as I pushed myself off the couch. Without even looking at him, I strolled across the room to the door. I was done with his bullshit. I was going to go looking for my sister. If he wasn’t going to help me, then I would do it myself.
I marched to the door as if he weren’t there. My fingers had barely brushed the handle when a strong hand wrapped around my wrist, gripping it tight. Chris appeared at my side, unsmiling as he looked down at me.
“Let me go,” I said with gritted teeth.
“Not until you see sense,” he said, his expression blank.
I tried to wrench my hand out of his grip, glaring up at him. He held on even as I twisted and pulled. I tried not to pay attention to the heat radiating off him, or how my skin felt electrified where he touched me. He stayed motionless, continuing to hold onto me with seeming effortlessness.
“Let. Me. Go,” I grit out.
“Not now.”
He pulled me against him, pinning me against his body as I tried to push away from him. His arm snaked around me, holding me tight against hard muscle. Every inch of my body heated, despite myself. I tried to convince myself it was just anger. Looking into his eyes, I knew I was lying.
I stopped struggling, seeming to forget how to breathe for a moment. That electricity seemed to ripple through me, settling between my legs as I became painfully aware of every inch of him that pressed against me.
Time seemed to stand still. I wondered if he noticed the same things I did. If he felt that same heat and energy.
“I’m trying to help you,” he said. “I can’t do that if you won’t let me.”
That strange need and lust for him that had temporarily preoccupied all other thoughts switched off at those words. I glared up at him, once again hating that arrogance and his obvious need for control.
“I never asked for your help,” I snapped, once again trying to pull away.
He gripped me tighter against him, making any struggling near impossible as his arms stayed wrapped around me. “Well, too bad.” He gave me a feral grin, his teeth sharpening. “You’ve got it. And I’m not going anywhere anytime soon.”
“You are the absolute worst,” I hissed.
That grin widened, something like amusement or excitement flickering in those obnoxiously handsome eyes of his. “There’s the fire I’ve been waiting for,” he said. “I knew it had to be in there somewhere.”
The comment took me by surprise. My brow furrowed. Fire? “What are you talking about?” I asked.
“You’ve got more spark than you realize,” he said. “I figured you had to, considering your sister. But I hadn’t seen it until now.”
He was still holding onto me, but I barely noticed as the words washed over me, muddying my thoughts. I didn’t have a spark. That was Kendra. I’d always been the mousy, timid one.
