Page 28 of Dane's War

“Shut it,dolcezza,” Dane orders, his eyes flashing vibrant sapphire with his command.

“Don’t tell me to shut it, you big jerk.” I don’t know what comes over me, but I never intended to do what I do next and bring my knee up. If Dane weren’t as fast as he is, I’d have nailed him right in the middle. Instead, I find my knee grabbed as he moves, lifting me until I’ve no choice but to wrap my legs around his waist. “What are you doing?” I demand. “Put me down.”

“Not happening,” Dane growls, jumps the ditch, and moves into the woods. He keeps moving for the longest time before stopping and pressing me into the bark of a very wide oak tree.

“What do you think you’re doing? Put me down.”

I shove at Dane’sshoulders, but to no avail. He doesn’t budge, go figure. The big brute was the size of a flipping mountain.

“Why were you walking home?” he demands, his nose pressing into mine. With me pressed to the tree, my legs around his waist, he presses his hands into the massive tree on either side of my head.

“I want to go home, so I was going home.” If I could’ve shrugged, I would’ve.

“You want to go home,” he repeats, eyes narrowing, his lips right there, our breath mingling. “Why?”

“Because I want to,” I answer.

“Why?” he repeats.

“Because I want to.” Again, I tell him. I have no intention of telling him how his ignoring me bothers me. Hurts even.

“Why?” Dane growls.

I didn’t think he could get even closer, but somehow, he manages to do just that.

“Because,” I breathe.

“Swear to fuck, woman, answer me. Why the fuck do you want to go home?” he demands, his fist slamming into the bark next to my head.

My breathing becomes heavier, and I jump as a small piece of bark breaks off and hits my cheek. Slowly, I focus fully on his eyes to see they’re not just that of the man, but the wolf was watching me too. They were both mad. Madder than mad. He was downright furious. Furious in a way I don’t understand. It wasn’t like he wanted me there. If he did, wouldn’t he have taken time out of the past three days to talk to me? We’ve barely spoken since the night I cried in his arms. That was the only day I’d spent time with him where he’d spoken to me. Treated me kindly. Showed he wanted me in any way.

“Raine,” Dane snarls my name.

My eyes drop to his lips, and I lick my ownnervously while giving him the only answer I find myself being able to give him. “You don’t want me here.”

“I don’t want you here?” The words come out to the point of not being able to understand him completely. “What the fuck do you mean I don’t want you here?”

“I don’t —”

“The truth,” he snarls, interrupting me.

“You don’t want me here,” I repeat on a breath and lick my lips. “You made it abundantly clear over the past three days you didn’t.”

“How do you figure?”My answer doesn’t seem to satisfy him. If anything, it makes him further pissed, considering how his snarling voice grows even more of a harsh, animalistic, snarly sound.

“Dane, you already know the answer to this. I shouldn’t have to explain. Just let me go so I can go home.”

“You rejectin’ me?” he demands.

I jerk back ever so slightly and blink up at him. “What? No. Why would I do that to you?”

“You want to go home. I’m trying to give you time. Let you have time to be able to come to terms with us, with the fact I’m your mate.”

“How can I come to terms with something . . .better yet, why do I have to come to terms with being your mate? It’s fate that wants us to have this,” I ask. Growing up, my mom told me about fated mates and how it’s not just a beautiful thing but it’s a blessing. “You ignored me every day for three days now. Not once taking the time to check on me. See if I needed anything. Spent time with me just talking . . .”

I didn’t get to finish what I was saying to him, only because his lips were on my lips. His tongue in my mouth. It was a kiss unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. Hot. Wet. Sensual. Hard. All in one. I didn’t think such a kiss could happen, but here, Dane is proving it to be possible.

The kiss is long and grows longer with each twirl of his tongue with mine. Dane’s hands move away from where they are pressing into the bark of the tree, one going to my hip while the other curls around the back of my head.

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