Page 153 of His White Moonlight
“Are you taking, or are you timing?”I asked.
“Why are those my only two options?Why can’t you just give in, Wrenly?”
“Because I’ve given enough, remember?Would you like to see the grease burn on my inner thigh?”
He jerked again.“Yes.”
Suddenly, he was kneeling between my legs and grabbing the waistband of my shorts.
“It wasn’t an invitation to be pervy, Bennett,” I said, grabbing the material to keep it in place.
“Show me, Wrenly.”
“No!”I planted a foot in his chest and pushed hard.He didn’t budge, but my shorts were starting to.Lifting my foot, I kicked him in the face with my heel.
He grunted, and his head moved.More than that, I heard a crunch.The second his hands left my shorts, I barrel rolled off the couch, sprang to my feet, and turned to face him with my hands up and fisted.
He stared at me, blood dripping from his nose onto the couch.He didn’t make any move to come at me.
“‘I won’t take what you aren’t willing to give, Wrenly.Ever.’Remember?You said it two hours ago, you ass.”
His shoulders moved with the depth of his sigh.
“I wasn’t trying to take anything, Wrenly.You asked if I wanted to see the burn, and I said yes.If you don’t want to show me the burn, then at least tell me how it happened.”
I lowered my fists.“In the school kitchen during a power outage.They chased me in there before I knew…anything.They were good at what they did.Perfectly planned and perfectly arranged.It’s a small burn.A lesson and a promise to know my place, nothing worth reporting, mostly because I knew the staff wouldn’t believe me, and reporting it wouldn’t change anything.I still wouldn’t be allowed to come home because I had a brother who hated me and parents who were trying to play both sides.”
He closed his eyes, and I could see him struggling.
“Do you understand yet, Bennett?I’ve earned my freedom already.I survived.Whatever conditions you put on me now, I’ll either meet them or fight you until my last breath because I’m done.Done giving.Done being afraid.Just done.”
He nodded and opened his eyes.I saw his anguish and hated that I felt even a hint of compassion.
“What if you don’t have to do anything but be happy?That’s all I want for you, Wrenly.”
“Then set me free.”
His gaze swept over me as he slowly stood.
“I can’t.Not without trying to show you how I can make your life better.”
“Like sending me away to school.”
He ran his hands through his hair again, showing his frustration.
“Shifters are just like humans.We make mistakes too.But I’m learning, Wrenly.I promise I am.Give me names, and we can take hugging off the list.”
“Ha!No deal.”
“Kissing then.”
“No way.I already gave the only name I’m willing to give.”
He snarled, spun on his heel, and strode away from me.
“We leave in an hour,” he called over his shoulder.
I checked the time.An hour was too early, but I didn’t care.I planned to be a pain in his ass the whole time.
