Page 57 of Echo
We walked out, and I placed myself between my monster and him.
He put his arms out as if he wanted a hug, but I put my finger to his chest. He backed away without hesitation.
“You seem like you’re a good man. Don’t flirt with things that can destroy you.” It was too late for me, but hopefully, it wasn’t for him.
“I’d gladly allow you to ruin me.”
“Don’t,” I whispered to him. “Thank you for your company this evening. I’ve really enjoyed it. But if you’re smart, you’ll never come back unless you are delivering feed.”
“Who said I’m smart?” He opened the door to his truck. “I’m a simple farmer boy.”
I smirked at that as he backed up his truck and left my property. I stayed in the driveway until I was certain that Van had made it past the salt line. Wanting to make sure Echo’s real target was available to hunt. So his attention wouldn’t redirect to Van.
I turned on my heel, and Echo stood less than an inch from my nose. His strong chest was tense, highlighting the well defined muscle. “What do you think you’re doing?”
I went around him, walking to the front door. He followed me step per step.
“Little Rabbit.” The growl in his chest grew. “You want him?”
I waited until I crossed the threshold to face him. “I like the idea of a good man dedicating his life to me. I like the idea of a gentleman who’ll come play card games with me, because he’s worried. I like the idea of a man who feels lucky to be in my presence.”
He rested his forearms on each side of the doorway and leaned forward so we were face to face. “He’s a weak man who’ll neverbe able toprotectyou. You think he can fight the demons, wraiths, and anything else that is going to hunt you every day of your life? Why do you think Rinah women are always widowed so young?”
“My dad is still alive.”
“Is he a simple farmer boy?” Echo asked with enough scathing resentment to tell me exactly what he thought of Van.
My lips pinched together, not wanting to give him more firepower. Because he was right, men didn’t live long on my mother’s side of the family. Family reunions were droves of women with some men sprinkled in, mostly those women’s children.
“I heard your father on the phone the other day. He’s a hunter, like me.”
“And I’m tired of it,” I confessed. “All I am is currency that you bartered for, and I’mluckyyou accepted the trade.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Yes it is,” I cut him off. “That’s exactly what you meant.”
I slammed the door in his face and locked it. The door and walls rattled as he hit the door. A chill inducing growl ripped from the other side.
I put my headphones on once again, but it was hard not to notice the way the walls shook as I pressed labels on the jars of honey. I kept myself busy on tasks, but as the night fell his yelling grew louder and louder.
“Little Rabbit!” My nipples hardened.
Frames falling off the wall made it impossible to ignore. A crack slowly grew along the wall like a windshield after a rock hit it.
“Asshole.” I went to the locked door, pulling the headphones from my ears, but didn’t dare open it. “Knock it off. You’re destroying my house.”
“You’re mine!” His roar bellowed and sent a chill of fear down my spine. Somehow, someway, I’d pay for this.
“I’m perfectly aware of your ownership of me, and I haven’t left the land,” I reminded him. “You’re throwing a temper tantrum because you aren’t getting your way.”
“Let me in.” His words were punctuated with a slam against the door that resulted in more pictures falling.
“I said no!” I tried to yell over him, but there was no way I did. It was enough to make everything stop for a moment. “I refuse to let you bully me.”
“I want you by my side,” he snarled. “And I will do anything to make that happen.”
“Acting like this won’t make that happen.”
