Page 9 of Draco

He snorted, the rude sound infuriating me as he spoke. “I don’t think so.”

“I’ll never stop running. I’ll never stop trying to escape. I’ll never stop fighting.” I wouldn’t give away how far I was willing to go, because then he might remove any opportunity for me to do what I had to when the time came.

“I figured. But I’m faster. I’m stronger. And I’ve got rope.” The corners of his lips lifted into a wicked grin that made my heart beat too fast, and every drop of saliva in my mouth dry up.

A flash in my mind of him tying me down and pleasuring myself and him filled my thoughts, and I swallowed a moan. His whole body snapped taut, and I glared at him. His eyes locked on mine, heated and supercharged.

I wasn’t used to being toldno. People listened to me. My name, my position, my reputation meant people did as I asked or as I said for fear of risking my father’s anger. Nobody wanted to piss him off. So they did what I wanted.

Except this guy.

“I dare you to tie me up. If there’s so much as a rope burn on me, my father will have your hide.”

At my words, his eyebrows met over a crease in his forehead, then straightened back out. “I’ll take my chances.” Again, he flashed that infuriating grin. “Better rope marks than a missing daughter.”

Crap. He had a point. I bit down on my lower lip to keep from saying something stupid. It didn’t matter what my father thought. I didn’t really care. The only reason I didn’t want to be tied up was so I could fall on my knife if necessary.

If I was tied up, I’d have to get clever in my ideas to escape.

Step into traffic, maybe.

Because I was serious. I’d die before letting anyone drag me back to my father.

6

Draco

Listening to her thoughts, hearing how quickly she sorted through dark ideas to make certain she never went home again caught me off guard. She was serious. There was no hesitation, no sadness, no fear. Her plan, if she were dragged back to her father, was to make sure we were only dragging back something he could put in the ground.

As morbid as it all was, I couldn’t help but be curious. While she warmed up next to the fire, I began to ask questions. “Tell me about your father.”

Her blue eyes met mine. “He’s a wonderful man.” Those full lips said words her mind didn’t agree with, but the façade didn’t waver. “He was a lawyer back in the day when that meant something. He made his way to DA and finally took a judgeship.”

Pain filled her thoughts, and I caught a flash of a little girl begging him to come play tea party with her. The memory faded with him calling a woman—a maid—to come play tea with her. Her disappointment and sadness overwhelmed her, and she wrapped her arms around herself.

Before me, she hugged herself exactly as the little girl in her memory had done.

“That must have been hard for you.” I spoke gently, not wanting to upset her or make light of what she’d been through. But as I listened to her, really listened, I realized I’d been all wrong about her. I’d thought her this lucky, privileged girl who could never want for anything. As it turned out, she was starved for love and affection.

Which might explain her intense urges to hop in the sack with me, but that was neither here nor there. I wasn’t going to pull a Stryker and fall for the woman in my care. Not now, not ever. I’d keep her safe, and that wasall.

“So, what are you? Some kind of mercenary?” She leveled me with a stare of disdain.

I shook my head. “Not quite.” She could go on guessing forever and never figure this one out.

“That smirk makes you look like a dick.”

I lifted both shoulders. “Perhaps I’m a dick, then.” I didn’t give a fuck what she thought of me. I was here to do a job. Protect her.

“You could let me go, you know. Holding people hostage is criminal.” Her beautiful eyes narrowed.

I shook my head. “I’m not holding you hostage. Your family is well aware you’re in our care and have given us the go-ahead to do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”

Internally, she snorted, daring me to keep her safe as an image of her stepping in front of a bus filled her mind.

Sorely tempted to snap right back at her that clearly she was unstable and needed supervision since she couldn’t be trusted to keep herself safe filled me, but I brushed it aside. I wasn’t going to be petty and childish and argue with this woman.

“It’s not personal. It’s just a job.”

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