Page 12 of Hunted to the Altar
A flicker of something crossed his face, too quick for me to catch. Regret? Amusement? I couldn’t tell. “From the people who want to hurt you,” he said. “The ones who took you. The ones who are still looking for you.”
My stomach twisted at his words, my mind racing to make sense of them. “You know nothing about me,” I said, my voice trembling. I couldn’t help feeling like he could see through all my walls.
“Oh, but I do,” he said, stepping closer. “I know everything about you, Nina. Where you live. Where you work. What you’re afraid of.”
I backed away, my pulse pounding in my ears. “You’re insane,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “Get out.”
“I can’t do that,” he said, his tone almost tender. “You’re mine now. And I’m not going anywhere.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Samuel
The silencein her apartment stretched taut, like the moment before a violin string snaps. I watched her, my gaze never leaving her trembling form as she backed away from me, her chest rising and falling in uneven breaths. Her fear was palpable, a living, breathing thing that fed something dark and primal inside me. It should have made me feel guilty. It didn’t.
My little bunny had always been fire—the way she looked at the world, the way she fought to survive—but tonight, she was cornered prey, and I was the predator who refused to let her go. Her deep brown skin gleamed under the dim apartment light, the rich undertones reminding me of polished mahogany. Her wide, expressive eyes, with a hint of desperation, locked onto mine. Even in fear, they carried a spark of defiance that made my chest tighten. Her wild curls framed her face in untamed chaos, the contrast between her vulnerable, trembling lips and her bold presence only feeding my obsession.
She shook her head, her curls bouncing with the movement. “You need to leave,” she said, her voice trembling but defiant. “You don’t belong here.”
I stepped closer, slow and deliberate, letting the weight of my presence press down on her. “On the contrary, Nina,” I said, my voice low and even. “I’m exactly where I need to be.”
Her hand darted toward the lamp on the table, but I caught her wrist before she could lift it, the fragile bones of her arm dwarfed by my hand. Her full lips parted in a sharp inhale, her eyes widening as she struggled against my grip.
“Let go of me,” she hissed, twisting her arm to break free. Her voice carried strength, but the tremor beneath it betrayed her.
I tightened my hold just enough to still her movements. “I’m not here to hurt you,” I said, my voice softening. “But you’re not safe, Nina. Not here. Not anywhere but with me.”
Her laugh was bitter enough to cut. “You think locking me away is protecting me? You’re the one I need to be protected from!”
Her words stung more than they should have, a flash of something raw and unfamiliar sparking in my chest. I released her wrist, taking a step back, but I didn’t give her the space she wanted. I couldn’t.
“Do you think this is a game?” I asked, my voice hardening. “You think the people who took you before won’t try again? That they won’t finish what they started?”
She froze, the fight bleeding out of her as her expression crumbled. I’d struck a nerve, and the guilt I should have felt never came. Instead, I stepped closer, my voice dropping to a whisper. “You don’t have to like me, Nina. But you’re going to trust me because the alternative is far worse.”
Her lips parted, but whatever retort she was preparing died on her tongue. Instead, she turned and bolted, her bare feet slapping against the hardwood as she made a break for the door.
My pulse surged as she ran, the primal part of me waking up fully. I let her get just far enough—her fingers brushing the doorknob—before lunging. She twisted the lock, and I could almost hear her gasp of triumph before I slammed the door shut with one hand and caught her around the waist with the other.
“No,” I growled. “Not this time.”
She kicked and flailed, her nails clawing at my arms, but I didn’t loosen my hold. I felt the sharp sting of her nails cutting my skin, but it didn’t matter. Her fight was nothing compared to my resolve.
“Let me go!” she screamed, her voice raw with desperation.
I leaned in close, my breath brushing against her ear as I whispered, “Run all you want, but you’ll never escape me.”
With a sudden burst of energy, she broke free, slipping from my grasp and darting toward the kitchen. Her bare feet skidded on the tiles as she grabbed a knife from the counter. She gripped it with both hands, trembling but determined.
“Stay back!” she yelled.
Her defiance burned even brighter than her fear. It was intoxicating.
“Put it down, Nina,” I said, my voice calm, measured. I took a step forward, watching her eyes widen as she realized I wasn’t stopping. “You will not hurt me.”
“Don’t test me,” she warned, but her voice cracked. Her fingers twitched on the handle of the knife, and I could see the way her breath hitched as she struggled to keep her composure.
I smirked, taking another deliberate step closer. “Do you think a knife will stop me?” I asked, my voice low and dangerous. “Do you think you’re the first person who’s tried?”
