Page 15 of Wed Or Dead

Wasn’t that the big, old million dollar freaking question? “I didn’t do it because mybosstold me to.” The jab burst from him. He didn’t have a boss. Others jumped when he crooked his finger.

Kayla flinched. “That wasn’t why I married you.”

Did he look stupid? Was he supposed to buy her BS because she was good in bed?Very good.“How many?” Gage gritted out, and his claws were ripping from his fingertips. Faint lines of red bled into his vision. The wolf inside wantedout.

“How many what?” Kayla fired right back as her brows rose, and her small fists went to her hips.

“How many men have you screwed for the sake of your cause?” He’d like to kill them all. Every single one. Slowly. Painfully. The wolf was good at giving pain. “In order to get close, how many times did you strip and?—”

She moved fast for a human. No wonder she was such a good hunter. In two seconds, she was across the room. Her index finger jabbed into his chest. “Watch it, wolf, or you’ll make me lose my temper.”

Right. Because that was scary. Last week, he’d beheaded a four-hundred-year-old Born vampire. So compared to him, a curvy brunette was oh-so-terrifying.

He lifted his claws and let them skate down her cheek. “Don’t make me lose mine.” His threat was lethal. Or it should have been, but it was complete bullshit. He’d never use his claws on her. He’d already seen the marks on her beautiful skin. When they’d made love, he’d felt her scars.

Other wolves had sliced her sweet flesh. He never would.

Her breath stilled on a rasp, but she met his gaze. No fear showed on her face. She should have been terrified. Instead, herlips tightened, and she bit out, “None, okay? There haven’t been any others.”

Wait…none?

“Despite what you think…” She jabbed him again with that finger. “I’m not a whore. I don’t sleep with men just because of my job.” Then she whirled away.

I hurt her.Her shoulders were up, her back straight, and Gage felt like shit. But he still asked, “So what made me different?” As a hunter, she should have been repulsed by him. All the other hunters he’d met sure had been.

Hunters.Humans who’d learned the paranormal score and were out to keep the world safe—by getting rid of all the supernaturals.

They were as vicious as any shifter, as ruthless as the vamps, and as conniving as the demons. In short, hunters could be damn near perfect at killing. Unless you found their weak spot.

His gaze drifted over Kayla’s body.Hello, weak spot.

“Maybe I wanted you,” she said, not glancing back at him, but striding slowly toward the opposite wall.

Good thing she wasn’t looking or she would have seen his shock.

“Sometimes, you want something so badly that you’ll doanythingto get what you want.” Her voice had dropped, but because of his enhanced hearing, he had no trouble making out her words

You’ll do anything to get what you want.He knew that feeling. Hell, he waslookingat the thing he wanted most.

Enough to risk the pack.

She turned to face him and her features were a blank mask once again. “So, no,” she said, “I didn’tscrewyou for the job. I did that part all for myself. Because I wanted to be with you.” Kayla shook her head. “Sometimes, I make dumb choices. Sue me.”

He’d rather screw her again. And again. But they’d get to that fun task soon enough.

“What’s your excuse?” Kayla wanted to know as one dark eyebrow rose. “So you tagged me as a hunter day one, fine, I get that. Go you. But why keep pretending? Why do the whole courting bit? Why marry me?”

Was she really that blind? Had to be. Otherwise she’d realize she was the one who held all the real power. “Poor little hunter.” He shook his head and tried to look like he felt sorry for her. “What happened to make you this way?”

Her other eyebrow arched, and a faint line appeared between her brows.

“So untrusting,” Gage continued slowly, softly, and the memory of her scars beneath his mouth flashed through him.Poor little hunter.

“You’re awerewolf,of course, I don’t trust you!”

“Wolf shifter,” Gage corrected as he cleared his throat. She knew the distinction. Calling him a werewolf was just insulting. “The moon doesn’t make me howl. I do that, whenever I want.” Nothing controlled him. No one. Werewolves were monsters made up by Hollywood. He was the real deal.

“And you do whatever you want, right?” she snapped. Her hands were fisted. Someone was feeling all feisty. Good. He didn’t like her emotionless mask.

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