Page 74 of The Lieutenant

Her sharp breath and the way she looked at me was a clear indication she wasn’t immune to her dark cravings or to the man determined to unravel her.

I raked my eyes down the length of her body before taking her drink away. Just to make an additional point with the men still being stupid enough to toss glances in our direction, I slammed the tumblers on the edge of the table. I’d been able to smell the fear rolling off their heated bodies.

After taking her hand, I walked us toward the center of the dance floor. She swung her arms over my shoulders while I held her hips. As we moved together, the desire was nearly explosive.

“You’re the most possessive man I’ve ever met,” she told me. Her eyes were glassy, her lush lips pursed.

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” I would never consider myself a dancer. I’d never cared for the activity, but she felt good in my arms whether on the dance floor or in my bed.

“Of course you do. Tell me why I shouldn’t hate you.”

“Does that mean there’s a chance you don’t?”

She tilted her head. “Maybe, but I’ll need convincing.”

“I should tell you to keep hating me. In the end, that will be much better for you.”

“But you don’t really want that. Do you?”

No, I didn’t. In fact, I needed her to trust me more than she had with anyone. “Let me think about this.” As I rolled my knuckles across her burning cheek, a tiny moan escaped her mouth. It was all too intense, fueling the fire to the point I’d need to get the hell out of there very soon.

“Don’t think too hard.”

“Because I’m the only man who’s ever taken you to bed who ever took the time to learn your body. I’m the only man who allowed you the freedom to be yourself. Because the moment I drove my cock deep inside your tight little pussy, you experienced your first true experience of sheer ecstasy. Because you’re aware I think of you as the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. And lastly, because you know when you’re around me, there is no other woman who could ever entice me nearly as much.”

My words weren’t meant to impress her, but as we locked eyes as we’d done so many times before, I could tell I’d caused a hard fluttering of her heart. I sensed her increased arousal, the sweet fragrance of her tight pussy a powerful aphrodisiac. We mightbe considered toxic together, but as she licked her glossy lips, we both knew where this night would lead.

“Tell me, sweet kitten. Did that convince you that I’m the only man who you should ever consider allowing into your bed?”Or your life?

“Yes,” she whispered in a breathless tone, but I captured it, the desire inside becoming uncontainable.

In that moment, I couldn’t stop thinking about having her luscious body underneath me, our sweat-slicked bodies becoming as one. The heavy beat of the bass was incapable of drowning out the roaring hunger in me, the thunderous sounds as my rapid heartbeat sent echoes into my ears.

Her gaze flitted to mine, her chest rising and falling from her ragged breathing. I slipped my hand around the back of her neck, bringing her onto her toes. She trembled out of her own heightened level of desire.

“I keep telling myself we can’t be doing this,” she added.

“But you can’t push me away because that’s not what you truly want.”

“No, it isn’t. What are you doing to me?”

“Bringing you back to life.” I was finished with talking for now. I had all the time in the world to grill her about her past, her present, and her future. What I had on my mind was entirely carnal.

I took her by the hand, pulling her through the club to the main entrance. She kept up with my long strides, the two of us drawing the attention of several people as they allowed us to pass through. I pushed my way out the door, the two bouncersforced to scramble to unfasten the velvet ropes. Now all eyes were on us, the only two celebrities entering the club that meant anything. The merciless man in me allowed a smile.

The air was crisp, the night sky brightened by the moon and a cloudless night. Her heels clipped quickly on the sidewalk before I walked us across the street where I’d parked. She’d picked up speed, hopping onto the sidewalk. I released her hand, grabbing the key fob from my trousers, the single flick unlocking the doors.

Just before I opened the passenger door, I heard the screech of tires. I jerked my head toward the sound, instantly noticing a dark vehicle careening around the corner. My instincts kicked in. This was a hit. “Get down!” I pushed her onto the concrete, immediately reaching for my weapon.

Shots were fired, two pinging against the back of my Ferrari.

“Havros,” Kara screamed as she grabbed the edge of my jacket, trying to pull me out of harm’s way.

The vehicle slowed, allowing me to catch sight of a man in the passenger seat, a weapon pointed in our direction. “Stay down.” I took aim, firing off several rounds before he had a chance.

At least one was a direct shot, but the driver wasn’t stopping. Yet I felt the pressure of Kara’s body close and I’ll be damned if she didn’t attempt to get up. The moment her face appeared above the roof of my car, the asshole took another shot.

I pummeled her to the sidewalk, collapsing on top of her. Tires screeched again, the driver gunning the engine.

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