Page 55 of Kingly Bitten
He didn’t look back at me as he confirmed with a “Yes.”
I nodded and slightly loosened my grip on Calina to allow her to breathe.
She inhaled noisily, her pretty eyes glistening.
“I warned you not to betray me,” I told her softly, my opposite hand lifting to swipe at the tear tracking down her cheek. I brought the droplet to my mouth and smiled as I tasted the salt on my skin. “But I can’t say I’m terribly disappointed by it.”
“I didn’t—”
I closed off her airway again. “You can lie to me after we fix the problem you created.”
Damien tossed me the items I’d requested, the ball gag one clearly meant for the bedroom. “Definitely always prepared,” I reiterated, amused.
He flashed me a wolfish grin, then focused on the sky above again. “Better tie her up quick, King. Or you’ll miss all the fun.”
“Oh, I’ll definitely be having fun,” I vowed, my gaze meeting Calina’s furious hazel irises. “A lot of bloody fucking fun.” I slowly enunciated those last three words, ensuring she tasted each one as I said them against her lips.
She inhaled sharply as I let her breathe.
Then I walked her backward toward the trees and found a good place to secure her against a sturdy trunk.
“Jace,” she choked out, making me focus on the ball gag first.
“Open,” I demanded.
She clenched her jaw shut instead.
“You don’t want to tempt me to violence right now, Doctor,” I promised her. “I’m being kind at the moment. That can change very quickly.”
Her eyes narrowed into defiant points.
My groin tightened in response, the desire to strip her and fuck her against this damn tree nearly overriding my every instinct.
This female is dangerous to my mental state, I realized, my stomach clenching with exquisite yearning. I couldn’t remember the last time a woman had enticed me so severely. Perhaps never.
“Calina.” Her name came out on a growl, only for the hairs along my arms to stand on end as a subtle hum of sound graced my ears.
Engines.
Plural.
And they weren’t coming from the sky.
Pressing my palm to her mouth, I held her against the tree and searched the woods for the incoming vehicles.
Damien and Darius would be able to hear them as well, so I didn’t waste breath in warning them.
I only had a single pistol tucked into a holster at my waist. Nothing else other than the female before me and the tools I’d intended to restrain her with.
“If you so much as move or utter a sound, I will snap your neck and leave you right here,” I vowed. “And depending on my mood, I might not come back to watch you revive yourself.”
She swallowed, the first hint of fear touching her features.
About fucking time. I was beginning to think this female didn’t have a survival instinct.
I lowered my hand slowly, observing her for signs of that trademark defiance. She merely stared up at me, waiting for her next instruction.
“Try to run and I’ll hunt you,” I threatened, taking a step back.
