Page 46 of Bad Demon

“No, you need to take me home first.”

Relic shook his head. “I can’t do that, Fern, but as soon as I get back, we’ll go to your place, yeah?”

“I’m ordering you to take me to my place. I own you, remember? And I’m not comfortable here, so you have to do it,” I said, my voice growing louder. I sounded like a bitch, but I had no control over that. It was my fear default, and right then, I was shit-scared.

“You’re not at risk here, Fern. Leaving you at your place on your own is more dangerous. Now, I’ve got shit I need to do, and keeping you here is how I’m protecting you.”

I charged for the door, but he hooked me around the waist, stopping me. I fought, gasping back my terror. Something else I’d learned over the years was to never, ever scream. I silently fought, my grunts and pants filling the room as Relic manhandled me like I was a rag doll. He pressed me against the wall, immobilizing me easily; one of his big mitts encircled my wrists while his other hand gripped my upper thigh, and his massive body pinned me.

“Stop,” he said low. “Take a fucking breath.”

“Let me go. I want to go home,” I bit out. “You can’t do this. You can’t trap me here.”

A rumbling sound vibrated through his chest and into mine. “I’m not trapping you here—”

“Please … please, you can’t … don’t lock me down here.” I was in full-on panic mode now. No, I wasn’t screaming or crying or yelling because that was not what I did, but the terror was so vast and so fierce that the panic took hold, and I was close to passing the fuck out.

“Look at me,” Relic growled.

I dug my nails into his arm and snapped my teeth at him because I was a demon, and instinct had taken over—scratch, bite, fight.

“Fern,” Relic barked, giving me a shake.

I froze and blinked up at him.

“You need to calm down for me, okay? Take a breath, baby, nice and slow …”

More rumbling vibrated from him to me. It should be terrifying, but something about it was … comforting. I dragged in a much-needed breath, doing what he’d said—because if I didn’t, I would definitely pass out, and then he could leave, and I’d be trapped.

“That’s it, Fern, and another one.” He pressed a kiss to my forehead, like he’d done to the alpha’s female, to that baby, like he cared, as if he cared about me. “Now, I need you to listen to me—really listen,” he said roughly.

“I’m not a fucking idiot,” I bit out because I wanted him to care, and that scared me even more. “I know how to listen.”

His lips twitched, and I barely resisted snapping my teeth again, biting that lower lip hard enough to make it bleed, then I’d lap at it, and—

Stop.

Oh, fuck, now, my body was getting all hot and bothered. I was afraid and turned on at the same time. That was so fucked up. I was so fucked up.Disgusting.

Relic breathed deep, and his eyes flashed, getting all glowy before another growl slipped from between his perfect lips, which made me feel even hotter. Oh gods, he could smell it …me. Of course he could. He knew I was scared, and he knew I was turned on. My face burned with humiliation.

“I’m not going to lock you in here, Tink,” he said as if he hadn’t just scented me, as if he didn’t know how hot and slick I’d gotten while I fought against him.

“Put me down,” I rasped.

He didn’t move; he just held me in place. “I need to do my job, and I can’t do that if I’m worried about you. So, I need you to stay here in my room. You’ll have the key. You can lock yourself in if you need to, but no one will bother you. You are safe here. I know you’re scared, but I need you to promise me you won’t leave, that you won’t try to go back to your place without me and put yourself in danger.”

He was pretending like he didn’t know what my body was doing, how it was reacting. He’d chosen not to shame me. I realized that his grip on my wrists had loosened, and if I wanted to, I could slip them free. I took another deep breath because I’d lost my shit just now, and there was no denying it. And as much as I didn’t want to stay here, going back to my place alone would be monumentally stupid.

“Who else has a copy of your key?”

“No one but me.” His voice was rough as hell. His eyelids drooped, and his irises were still glowing, but he was acting like nothing was wrong. “There’s one on my dresser and another with my bike key. That’s it, the only two.”

What choice did I have?

I blew out a ragged breath. “Okay, fine.”

ChapterEleven

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