Page 70 of Carry Me Home
I was prey. He was the hunter. But the hunter would starve without the prey, and I had never seen a man as hungry as Jack was right now.
“No,” I said. “Not here.”
A tremor wracked his body. He slapped his palm to the bricks next to my face with a guttural groan. I didn’t even flinch—I only got wetter. For a moment his hand tightened on my waistband like he had no intention of letting me go. And then slowly, so slowly I knew it cost him something, he set me free. His breath ghosted my ear in a single word.
“Run.”
27
JACK
I considered myself a patient man.When I had a target, I would wait as long as I had to. I never pulled the trigger before I had the perfect shot.
But it took everything I had not to haul Janie back to me by her hair and fuck her against this wall like I had promised I would. I watched her sprint away with the last vestiges of my self-control, red hair streaming behind her like a banner, and something primal in me roared to life.
You can run Janie, but I’ll run faster.
And this time, when I caught her, there would be no stopping me from claiming her. She understood that now. But just in case, I gave her another head start. For me as much as for her. Frustrated need coiled in my gut, making me feel like a drawn bow waiting for the release. I needed to run.
I needed tochase.
Pure adrenaline surged through my veins as I counted down. I could see her copper head bobbing and weaving amongst the crowd as she headed away from the parade. A minute passed, and then two. I trailed her at a slow jog, keeping her in my sightwithout getting too close. She was heading home, I figured. Somewhere she felt safe.
And then she veered left.
My brow furrowed. Where the hell was she going? There was nothing in this direction except an old hay farm. I quickened my pace. She slowed suddenly, and a twitch of her shoulders told me she was about to look behind her. I ducked behind a car so she wouldn’t see me. Her gaze swept past me in a wide arc, and she bit her lip. Nervous that I was there? Or nervous that I wasn’t?
I’m right here, honey. Any time you want me.
With another long, sweeping look over her shoulder, Janie crossed the street and made for the fence at a quick jog. Beyond that was a maze of first cut hay bales nearly as tall as she was. The perfect place to hide.
She ducked between the rails and then paused to catch her breath. She leaned on the gate post and tilted her face to the sky like she was admiring the sunset. My eyes narrowed. The sunset was spectacular, I’d give her that, but she was a little too comfortable right now. A little too smug with her own power. She owned me and she knew that. The knowledge made her feel safe and in control. But my girl was about to find out just how dangerous it was to keep a wolf on a leash.
I picked up a pebble and with a flick of my wrist, sent it skipping across the asphalt.
Plip, plip, plip.
Her shoulders shot up to her ears and she froze. I ducked into a shadow just as she turned around. Her head pivoted this way and that as she searched for the source.
“Hello?” she called, nervousness making her voice thin and shrill.
I didn’t move.
She shook the tension from her shoulders and faced the field again. I stepped out of the shadows, not even trying to muffle my footsteps. A twig cracked under my boot. She whipped around again and I swear to god, she stopped breathing.
We stared at each other across the open space. The road and fence were between us, but neither of them could keep her from me. I watched her weigh her options. The haystacks were about a hundred yards from where she stood. She might be able to make it before I caught her, but it was doubtful.
“You could just let me take you now,” I offered.
Her eyes narrowed. “You can try,” she dared.
I grinned.
And then she flew.Snap. There it went, the last tether of my self-control. Every cell in my body was consumed with the need to catch her and pin her down. I tore after her. Shit, she was fast, adrenaline spurring her on.
But I was faster.
She glanced over her shoulder just in time to see me place my hand on the top rail of the fence and vault over it. Her eyes widened and she stumbled.Fuck. But she quickly righted herself and picked up speed.That’s my girl.
