Page 34 of Dark Encounter
Chapter 13
Erik
There was no way in hell I was going to avoid her without forgoing my favorite place to breathe. The library meant everything to me, and if I were being honest with myself, Grace was a huge part of that.
"No." She stepped back, and I reached out, grabbing her wrist as she lost her balance and almost stumbled down the stairs. "Oh shit." She reached for me, tucking herself against my chest as I wrapped an arm around her.
"Be more careful," I barked as I glanced down into her face. My heart constricted, and the air around me grew thin. Her big brown eyes were filled with something far beyond lust. I moved back and tucked my hands in my jeans. "You need to watch what you're doing, Grace. You could have been hurt. Fuck."
"Right." She turned and walked past me, leaving the scent of her shampoo lingering in the air. I breathed in deeply and ignored the deep throb in my jeans. The poor girl had experienced far more of my lust than anyone deserved lately. The thought of her giving up her virginity to me the night before left me feeling things that I shouldn't.
I wanted to protect her.
To honor her.
To make her my own. Forever.
"Stop it. Shit." I turned on my heel and walked toward the history section, snatching up the book I was reading and finding a good place to lose myself within the pages. If my father knew I was at the library reading a book, he'd shit himself, and then he'd beat me within an inch of my life.
But it was worth it.
I fingered through the old pages as the familiar calm I searched for so often settled over me. To have a moment of reprieve in my world was so rare, and yet I knew exactly where to find it.
The sound of Grace's voice pulled me from the story as she walked by, talking with a tall blond guy, who stood just a little too close to my girl.
"It's over here. I think you'll have to check it out and stay in the library though. It's a reference book." She glanced up at him and smiled as she stopped beside one of the bookshelves near me.
"No problem." He bit his lip and studied her. "Do you, um... Do you maybe wanna help me find it?"
She brushed her hand over her chest. Nerves. Why was she nervous about his question?
"I would, but I really need to get back to work." She turned, and he reached out and grabbed her wrist.
"Grace."
"She said no." I moved from the wall and walked toward him as the color drained from Grace's face. "Find the fucking book on your own and don't touch her again."
"Erik." She pulled her hand from the guy's grasp and turned to stand between us, her eyes filled with worry. "Please. It's okay."
"Who the fuck are you?" He leaned toward us, his eyes filled with challenge.
"I'm the mother fucker who's going to throw you from this second story window if you touch my girl again." I reached out and took Grace by the shoulders, picking her up and turning to put her down beside me before moving toward the guy. "Understood?"
He started to move toward me and paused. Men knew when enough was enough. The hard look on my face combined with the lack of emotion in my eyes had to have reached him. I had no problem throwing his big ugly ass out of the window behind us.
"Fuck you, man." He walked past me and didn't turn back.
"Who was he?" I turned to face her.
"An old boyfriend. No one really." She turned as if she were done with the conversation.
"Hey. You belong to me. Don't let anyone touch you unless you wanna clean up their blood." I leaned in close, brushing my lips against her ear. "Or did you forget?"
She turned a little, brushing her nose by mine. The bitch had such a strong pull over me that my knees grew weak just staring into her beautiful face.
"I don't belong to anyone. Period." She kissed me quickly, jerked away and walked down the stairs hurriedly.
I followed like an alpha male on the hunt. She didn't belong to anyone? Poor thing must have forgotten what I told her.
