Page 7 of Red Flag Bull

I freeze.

“Mmm… Good decision,” Jason purrs in my ear. “Better than the one you were about to make.”

He hauls me off the ground and shoves me into the passenger seat of the truck I was about to steal, before climbing in behind the wheel himself. He drives toward the lake, and I have so many questions, but my pounding heart stays lodged in my throat.

He finally stops, yanks up the parking brake, and proceeds to carefully rub down every surface he’s touched. He doesn’t speak until he’s done. Then — “Get out.”

I do as I’m told and look around.

How long will it take me to walk home from the discreet, wooded cove he’s taken me to? It might be faster to swim. Either way, home is where I’m headed. As bad as his reputation may be, Jason King won’t keep me against my will.

Is it strange that I don’t fear him or believe he’d hurt me? This stranger and known criminal who threatens me with words and possessive strength while he touches me as if he has every right to?

“Come.” He takes my hand and pulls me through the trees until we enter a small clearing. “Down,” he growls, gripping the back of my neck and shoving me to the ground.

My landing is cold and damp, but softer than I expected. The moss cushions my hands and knees, but it does nothing to lessen the severity of his tone.

“Do you know what you did wrong tonight?” he demands to know.

I hunch smaller and nod.

“Use your words, Princess.” His voice is gruff.

He sounds angry and impatient, so I hurry to answer. “Yes. I know what I did wrong.”

“And?” he asked expectantly.

And what? I beg my alcohol-blurred mind to sharpen. “I’m sorry?”

He laughs, the sound hard and cold. “You will be.”

He walks around me in a slow circle, his big boots silent on the carpeted forest floor. He comes to a stop in front of me, and I stare up at this huge, shadowed figure of strength, who’s giving me all of his attention without my needing to beg for it.

He reaches down and strokes my neck, trailing his finger under my chin to keep my face raised to him. “Close your eyes,” he commands. “The moon will break through the clouds soon, and I don’t want to see your worthless tears.” He releases me and stands with his arms crossed over his chest, until I do as he’s said.

Blind to what he might do next, I swallow hard and wait for my next instruction.

“Tell me what you did wrong, Princess.”

“I let things go too far.” I wipe the tickle of a tear from my cheek. “I shouldn’t have let those guys get that carried away. It was dangerous.”

Jason laughs again. “It was. And it was wise to leave when you did. It seems you’ve learned a valuable lesson about what you will and won’t subject yourself to, and that’s a good thing. But that’s not what I’ll be reprimanding you for.”

His words leave me both relieved and fearful.

He sounds almost proud of me, for leaving the dangerous situation, but he also left a threat hanging in the air. He’s promising discipline for something, but I don’t understand what else I’ve done wrong. “What will you punish me for?”

“For the high-risk, thoughtless behavior that led to my intervention,” he says without delay. “Alcohol makes bad decisions seem like fine ideas, and you only know how to make poor choices, so drinking alcohol is not an acceptable activity for you, Princess. How much did you drink tonight?”

I shrug. “Maybe quarter of a bottle of vodka?”

He grunts softly. “Don’t lie to me.”

“Half,” I say quietly. “Give or take.”

“Half,” he agrees. “Too much for a girl your age and size. Where did you get it?”

I sigh into the quiet night, not wanting to admit what I did.

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