Page 17 of Ruthless Savage

His demeanor shifts and he starts to pull me away.

“Hey! Stop!” I tell him, trying to keep my temperament at bay so no one calls the cops.

My dad would be furious with me, and I hate disappointing him. I’ve never done that except that one night I drugged Devlin.

I’ve always done what my father wanted. I was willing to go through my marriage with Gio because I knew I had no other choice. But faith intervened and I was saved. That won’t happen again. A girl can only get lucky so many times.

Devlin stops mid-stride and turns to me. “You’re either coming with me or I will throw you over my shoulder and take you out of this place. You know my word is good.”

“Would like to see you try.” I slant up my chin and keep a brave face, and when he cuts the distance between us and grasps my jaw possessively, I almost collapse.

The way my skin tingles, the hungered way his eyes cut into mine, it’s all too much. My nerves hit my stomach, and my knees buckle.

His thumb reaches for my mouth, and slowly, he brushes it across my lips.

Every breath is trapped within me, the ability to utter a sound impossible, not with the way he touches me, holds my stare like we’re one.

He moves nearer until I place my soft hands on his hard chest, those eyes never leaving mine. “You need to stop fighting me, love. I always get what I want.”

Before I can say anything more, he grabs my hips and throws me over his shoulder as promised.

“Put me down!” I’m afraid my behind will be on full display, but he keeps his arm secured there.

“Next time, maybe wear a dress that covers your arse, because this one sure as hell doesn’t.”

“Right…” I scoff. “I forgot you hated my dress.”

“Never said that,” he grumbles.

Did he just admit he likes it?

“Why does it even matter who sees my ass? It’s not like you care.”

“In fact, I very much do care about your arse.” He cinches his hold on it with a dry laugh. “It’s why I’m taking it out of this place, full of boys who’d do wretched things to it.”

I scoff, rolling my eyes. “Protecting my virtue, are we?”

I hate him right now. Absolutely despise him. I’m only half-kidding…

As we pass Karen, she gives me a thumbs-up. My gaze narrows at her, but she grins wider. Only she’d be excited for me to get dragged out of a college party by my bodyguard.

Not like anything exciting will happen. Not with Devlin. He’s a hardheaded brute of a man.

“You need to be careful around everyone. You understand? Your family’s got too many enemies.” He places me on my feet as soon as we hit outside, peering at me intensely, his irises deepening.

My stomach rolls.

“I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

And the way he says that, I know he cares. It’s there, caught between his words, the true meaning, his true heart.

Or maybe I’m just dreaming it all up because I want him to care. I’m desperate for anything he gives.

His hand reaches for my face, fingertips stilling in the air between us like he’s fighting the need to touch me. The anticipation causes me to shiver.

My God, I wish he would touch me. Just once, I want to feel this man’s hands on me. What will it take for him to do that?

Heat builds between my thighs—this familiar, yet foreign feeling that I’ve never done anything about. I’ve been too shy to touch myself. But I bet he knows just what to do.

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