Page 32 of Wild Card
CHAPTER 9
Axel
I didn’t wantto end up in the back of Dalton’s cruiser—unless it was for a good time—but I couldn’t just hand Banshee over to uncaring assholes who’d dumped her on the side of the road. Social services had sent me home to neglectful parents twice, and for what? It only prolonged the pain.
I was just a kid. I had no voice in the matter. And neither did Banshee.
So I would be her voice. I would fightforher.
Dalton glared at me, the lines of his face stern as he crowded me against the gate.
“Do you always have to make everything hard?” he demanded.
I intentionally let my gaze trail down his body to the crotch of his pants. Hitched my lips up in a mocking smirk. “Seems to come naturally with you.”
“Damn it, Axel. This isn’t a game.”
I met his glare with one of my own. “It sure as shit isn’t. If you’re going to arrest me, just do it. But you’re not taking that dog.”
He let out an exasperated breath. “If I arrest you, what will stop me from taking her too?”
I growled in frustration and grabbed his arms. “You can’t do that!”
Dalton twisted out of my grip and grabbed my right arm, yanking it behind me.
“Ow, fuck?—”
In one smooth turn, he pinned my front against the fence, his big body pressing up against me from behind.
Damn. This was familiar.
Cool metal closed around my wrists. Okay, that was new—this week, anyway. Holden was going to string me up by my balls for getting arrested again.
“Why do you always push me, Axel, huh?” Dalton said harshly against my ear.
I pressed my ass back against him. “It’s fun to watch you squirm.”
Dalton tugged me around to face him. “You’re so fucking infuriating. I came here to help you, and all you do is antagonize me. You realize I could just go take that dog while you stand here cuffed. You couldn’t stop me.”
“Like hell,” I barked.
“You’re at my mercy,” he said, a spark of heat in his eye. “I’m in charge right now.”
“You like that, huh? Like controlling me?”
“I’d like shutting your damn mouth.”
“Pretty sure I’ve offered you plenty of ways to do that.” I licked my lips. “Push me to my knees right now. Shut me up nice andhard, Deputy Harvey.”
“I won’t be pushed over the line this ti?—”
I leaned forward, catching his bottom lip between my teeth, and tugged. He hissed, words breaking off.
There was a tense moment where I thought he might pull away and throw me into the squad car.
Then his mouth was on mine, forceful and angry but so damn good. It was a little painful, but it tasted like victory. I sucked his tongue, doing everything I could to break that control of his. I wanted more than an impulsive kiss this time.
I’d wanted Dalton to give in to the heat simmering between us for months now. To just fucking crack that perfect lawman composure for me.
