Page 28 of Take

I couldn’t breathe as I swayed into him, my hands coming up to rest on his chest, fingers curling into his shirt. It was knee weakening, panty dampening and heart pounding. I should’ve pushed him away. I didn’t.

Jasper Kyelin was an overbearing, morally deficient asshole. But for that one moment when his lips took mine, he made me his. And for the first time, I felt wanted and beautiful.

Then he groaned.

And the sound broke through my moment of vulnerability. I pulled back so hard, I nearly toppled over the back of the bar stool. I would have if Jasper hadn’t still had a hold of my neck.

Our eyes locked. My lips parted as if to say something, still breathless from his kiss. I hadn’t expected it to be so potent, like a drug hitching a ride through my veins. I wasn’t stupid. I knew he wanted to fuck me and I suspected he knew I wanted him.

But I needed to stomp it down before he stomped all over me. I wasn’t being sloppy seconds to Julianna.

His fingers wove through my hair and he pulled me closer. I resisted and he scowled. “Your mouth is one hell of a place to be, sunshine. Didn’t expect that.” His grip tightened. “If there is a next time, and I suspect there will be, your mouth touches no other. Not while its playing with mine.”

Whoa, what? “A next time? Are you kidding me? There shouldn’t have been a first time. You had your lips locked on some other chick how many hours ago? No, there won’t be a next time.”

“Didn’t kiss her, Max. She kissed me and I stopped it.”

“Oh, is that one of your rules. No kissing, only fucking?” Why did it bother me if he fucked another woman? I shouldn’t care. I didn’t care. But I did.

“Didn’t fuck her either. Haven’t in years.” He quickly let me go as if I’d burned him. “We have company.”

I tensed and went to look around when his voice penetrated my mind. “Men by the door. Two of them. We’re going to walk right by them. They make a move, you head for the bike and I’ll meet you there.”

It was the first time he’d spoken to me telepathically. It was a very intimate way of communicating, as if the person was inside of you, part of you. Jasper’s voice was different, raspier and his accent was more distinguishable. But the subtleness of it made it mysterious and dark, yet with a gentleness as though he caressed me with his words. I also sensed the black hole that encased his heart.

Jasper Kyelin was more than a Scar assassin with an arrogance that warred against the Goddess who made us. Against the laws of the Scars. He had parts of him that lay hidden beneath his assholishness.

“Max,” Jasper hissed. He was trying to get my attention, hand on my arm and eyes drilling into me. “A hell of a time to be daydreaming about my kiss.”

There was a slight pressure in my head as he attempted to get past the walls around my thoughts. He’d have a while to go because living with Drake had taught me to learn how to block others out. It had taken years, but having Drake read my thoughts had set me up for more punishments because he knew exactly what I was thinking.

Jasper being a Sounder, had probably heard the two men talking and knew instantly that they were searching for me. The tension hummed in his body, the coiled up muscles ready to react. A guy like Jasper stayed alive by being vigilant and cautious.

His fingers casually played with my hair, tantalizing and sensual. Yet his attention was elsewhere. If I’d been an observer, I’d have seen a man intent on his girl, the smoldering eyes, and the closeness of bodies.

Mechanical. It felt and looked sensual, but if you looked beyond what was there, read the signs, it was mechanical. A well-oiled machine. Rhythmic. Focused. Unyielding to the threat.

This was why Jasper was paid to protect me.

“Here you go, sweetie.” The waitress plunked down the order on the counter and Jasper reached into his pocket and pulled out a few bills and tossed them on the counter. He picked up the cardboard tray with the coffees and the brown paper bag which he placed in the tray between them.

“Thanks,” he mumbled, snagged my hand, pulled me off the stool and started walking straight toward the men.

There was no hesitation in anything he did. I wondered why we didn’t go out a back door maybe through the kitchen. The men stared at us as we approached. I knew from the lack of black licorice scent that they weren’t vampires nor Long Neck Centered World Others, CWOs, who looked like they had just crawled out of a dumpster. Smelled like it too.

“What are they?”

Jasper ignored me.

He walked straight toward the men and my grip on his hand tightened. What the hell was he doing? I stared at my feet and leaned in closer to him. I hated not having my blades with me. I had no defense as a Healer.

“Excuse me,” he said to the one man who partially blocked the door with his bulk.

I held my breath. Waiting for the strike. The gunshot. Being grabbed and taken away.

Feet shifted and then we were walking past them and out the door. Jasper tossed the coffees and toast into the bin, and within seconds, we were on the bike and back on the road.

I had no idea where we were headed, but wherever it was, it was fast. Jasper never let up for a good hour. When he finally pulled onto the shoulder, it was on a quieter road where few cars passed by. He shut off the bike and I slid off. And waited. Because Jasper remained where he was, hands resting on his thighs and not saying anything.

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