Page 45 of Barbed Wire Hearts

“I. . . no?” I hazard. There’s something flashing in his eyes, something I don’t recognize. I’ve never seen that look on Dakota Steele, the man who’s as hard as his namesake. He looks dangerous right now, like he either wants to gobble me up or punish me for my words.

“Would you like to be?” he purrs in my ear. “We can take you to the stable, a clean one. I can string you up before us while we each take our turn making you scream. You’ll be helpless against your pleasure, begging us to stop as our come runs down your thighs, begging us to keep going as you cry out for us to pleasure you more.” His warm breath fans across my neck and I shiver. “Would you like that, Kate?”

My legs threaten to buckle. Holy shit. This is not the Dakota Steele I know. This is some other monster, one I haven’t met before.

“Does that mean I still won’t have a title?” I croak, my fingers coming up to clench at his waist. I’ve completely forgotten we’re just out on the open street where anyone can see us. I don’t care though. Fuck, what bitch would care when a man is saying shit like this in their ear?

“You have a title,” he growls and nips my neck. I jump at the sharp pain, gasping as my pussy floods. Fuck. I’m so wet, I worry I’ll start leaking through my jeans. “Ours.”

That shouldn’t be hot. Possession has never been my jam, but fuck if it doesn’t make me weak in the knees now. “Only if your title is Mine,” I counter, leaning back to look up in his eyes.

I almost expect a protest, but that’s silly. He smiles, his eyes sparking with desire. “Deal,” he says, his voice like gravel. “Now let’s go get some coffee before we head back.” His hand splays along my hip, burning me through my jeans. “I have a stall to clean.”

I stumble after him, my eyes wide. “What?” I croak. “You were being serious?”

He glances down at me from the corner of his eye. “Do I seem the kind to joke about that?”

“I. . .” You know what. I have no idea. I don’t know what I thought so I clamp my lips shut in case he changes his mind. My mind is filled with images of what he’s described as we stroll into Ugly Mugs and Georgia greets us.

“Kate! Dakota! I was wonderin’ when you two would be comin’ on by when I saw your truck pass. I’ll start your regular orders.” Dakota nods and looks down at me with a saccharine expression, as if he knows what I’m thinking. My face is flushed. I can even feel the heat coming from it. Luckily, Georgia doesn’t comment on it as she turns back around.

“Oh! Kate! A package came by for you here, but I haven’t had time to bring it up to the ranch yet. Perfect that you came in.” She reaches beneath the counter and pulls out a small box.

“A package?” I say, staring at it. “I didn’t order anything. I certainly didn’t order it to come here.”

“Maybe a friend sent it?” Georgia asks with a shrug. “It’s definitely labeled for you.”

She turns back to continue making our drinks as I come up to look at the box. There’s no return address on it but it’s definitely addressed to me. My full name is scrawled across the top of it in elegant handwriting. Georgia was right about that. But whoever sent it had it sent here instead of the ranch, which means maybe they don’t know where I’m actually at. I didn’t tell anyone where I was going. Only those at Steele Mountain know where I am.

“Who’s it from?” Dakota asks, picking up a mug when Georgia slides his simple black coffee in front of him.

“No idea,” I say, grabbing an envelope opener Georgia sets on the counter for me. I slide it through the tape and set it aside before lifting open the lid. The moment I see what’s inside, I go cold.

“What is that?” Dakota asks, frowning when my face must pale. When I don’t reach inside for it, he does, lifting out a black leather collar. The front of it sports a medallion with a crow on it. I’ve seen it before. The news got the scoop at some point that the girls who stay with The Crows wear them.

And now they’ve sent one to me.

“A dog collar?” Dakota says, his frown deepening. “Who would send you a dog collar? You have a cat.”

It’s a claim, a warning that they haven’t forgotten about me. And now they know the town I’m in.

Oh god. Oh no.

I have to grab the counter to keep from collapsing right here.

ChapterThirty-One

DAKOTA

Inotice the change immediately. Before, Kate had been laughing and happy, flirty even. Now, she’s gone silent. Her face is as white as a ghost, as if she’s seen something terrifying. I look between her and the collar in my hand, confused. What the fuck does this mean to cause such a reaction?

“Kate?” I ask, leaning closer. She flinches and I stop. I know she’s not afraid of me, but the flinch spears into my heart regardless. Whatever this is, it’s not good. “Are you okay?”

She seems to realize we’re in a public space, so she nods. “I’m fine,” she replies, but her voice is strained. Even when Georgia slides her drink across, her voice is strained as she thanks her.

I see it. The fear in her eyes. The panic. Something’s wrong. What the fuck happened between before and now?

“Can we go back to the ranch now?” she asks as she takes her drink.

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