Page 12 of Wilde's End
This conversation proves, yet again, why I hate people. All he had to do was keep his mouth closed and let me talk so I could be on my way, and instead, he threw self-preservation out the window. I could kill him out here, and no one would ever know.
He’s lucky that while I might be many things, I’m not a murderer.
But I am low on patience.
I cross to his bed in two strides, crouch down, then grab hold of his calf. The inflatable mattress makes it too easy to haul him close enough for me to get in his face.
“I’m only going to say this once,” I warn. “Get your people, and get out of my fucking town.”
Instead of looking intimidated, he leans closer. “Or what?”
“You don’t want the answer to that question.” Just thinking of Lynx has tension tugging at my muscles.
“I’m a pretty curious guy, actually.”
“There are people out here …” My grip on him tightens. “That you don’t want to test.”
His gaze, silvery in the darkness, moves from one of my eyes to the next. “You’re lying. This town is abandoned.”
“Then what the hell am I doing here?”
Suddenly, his expression changes. “You’re the man who was watching me the other day.”
“And every day since.”
“That’s creepy.”
“No, you being here is creepy.” I’m trying so hard to keep my cool. “I’ve been keeping an eye on you and what you’re doing here.”
“Why?” he asks. “You into me?”
Before I can dispute it, he shoves forward so suddenly it forces me back onto my heels. He tries to get in my face, but my hand shoots out and catches him around the throat. All I want is to put him on his ass, scare him enough to leave, but instead of shriveling up and giving in, the asshole fights back. He elbows me away and throws a fist at my head. I duck it, push to my feet,and he follows with all his weight. Hudson throws me into the wall but only manages to pin me for a second before I shove him so hard he loses his footing and lands back on the mattress.
I follow without thinking. My weight lands on top of him, his back flat against the bed as I pin him at the wrists and try to hold down his struggling. “Don’t be stupid!”
“Get off me!”
I catch both wrists in one hand and use my other to cover his mouth. “Itoldyou to keep your fucking voice down.”
He thrashes under me, and I strain to keep him pinned, but I’m determined to win this one. Iwillprotect my town from people like him, and if that means scaring him off, then so fucking be it.
“I will only give you this one warning, so keep that smart mouth closed and listen. Pack up your car. Pack up your shit. Get the fuck out. We don’t take kindly to strangers, and if Lynx finds out you’re here, even I won’t be able to stop him from skinning you alive.” I’m exaggerating. Mostly. Where I hate people, Lynx completely loathes them. I tolerate him in town because he keeps the wild animals managed, but I don’t trust him, and he seems to revel in people being scared of him. I’d use it to our advantage here, but he’s beyond control, and as much as I want these guys gone, I don’t actually want them hurt. I don’t think.
The man tries to say something, but it’s muffled under my hand. We’re both panting slightly, chests separated by less than a foot of distance as my knees drive into his legs.
Fuck me, he is really, really pretty. I hate it.
“Just nod that you understand me,” I demand.
He glares, but his head moves up and down.
“If I let you go, will you keep your mouth shut? If you make me fight all three of you, you’ll regret it.”
His glare deepens, and he tries to say something again before he nods.
I keep his wrists pinned as I slowly release his mouth.
“You have two seconds to get off me before we test out that theory.” He bucks his hips, and they brush up against mine.
