Page 33 of Wolf Claimed
He reached for her, but she jerked away from him and moved to a section of wall that had only been dry-walled half way and reached inside the open space behind the drywall. Her eyes met his as she removed a holstered gun and stripped off the tape.
“My backup,” she said as she removed her right boot, strapped the holster to her ankle, and slid her foot back into the boot.
Her backup. A gun. Not him. Because she didn’t trust him enough.
Or she couldn’t stand to be with him a moment longer.
* * *
ALYSSA
While she normally enjoyed talking toRafe, right now his questions and his attitude toward humans had her on edge. Talking about her father threatened to push her over that edge.
She had to get out of the dorm, go somewhere she could run, and take her mind off of Woodrow Monroe. Running had become her salvation in her teen years once her dad allowed her to leave their house on her own. Before that, she had to endure his constant rantings and ravings about how shifters were destroying the country, risking every human life. Her bedroom had been her only escape until she gained limited freedom to run. And she suspected he only let her out to run, figuring she’d need to outrun a shifter one day. Ironic that he’d been right to some extent. Except now she had more than one shifter eager to hurt her.
When Alyssa headed for the door, Rafe intercepted her. “You can’t go out there.”
He didn’t think she understood the situation. “That’s why I have my gun,” she said, pointing to her boot.
“One gun against eighteen shifters. All it takes is for one shifter to get past your bullets.” Rafe slid between her and the door, regret filling his face. He didn’t want to trap her, but he wouldn’t let her leave. And she couldn’t push him aside. The shifter was too large and solid as a rock.
“I can’t stand here doing nothing,” she said, even though she knew he was right.
He threaded his finger through her hair, which felt so damn good, drawing most of the tension away. She loved when he ran his nose and tongue against her neck, but she resisted the urge to tilt her head again, inviting him to touch her.
Rafe had a commanding air about him, one that didn’t invite questions but made her want to wrap herself around him and share his warmth, his strength, his confidence. After she’d left home, she had spent years rebuilding her confidence. The interrogation today had broken her in more ways than she had realized. The old feelings of vulnerability had surfaced, and she felt so utterly lost. Except when she was with her team. All three of them. How could she explain that to any of them when she didn’t understand it herself?
When he tugged her hair, she lifted her head and Rafe took her mouth without hesitation or asking permission. This alpha took but didn’t force.
His tongue slid along the seam of her lips, firm and determined. All her resistance melted away. She wanted to blame it on the truth serum or even how she felt mentally beaten down, but she couldn’t. She wanted Rafe. Against all reason and logic, she wanted this arrogant, bossy shifter.
As he explored her mouth, his free hand skimmed under the hem of her shirt, slowly moving higher until a single finger dipped into her bra and slowly glided from the side to her hardening peak. She surrendered to the moan rising from deep within, let it escape so he’d hear it and continue touching her. His hands and the way he took control of her body felt too good, special, treasured even.
To her surprise, he responded with a deep groan that made her think of climbing this mountain of muscle and impaling herself with his cock. Over and over, all night long. Her hand drifted lower, past the top of his jeans, to the large bulge in his pants. As she stroked him, she felt herself getting wetter.
His fingertips brushed down and over her stomach before curving around to the small of her back, where he caressed her skin. She purred. . .purred. . . beneath his touch. Every worry melted away. Her father, the murder charge, the shifters who wanted her dead. She needed this, a strong touch that reassured her she wasn’t alone. That she was cherished.
“I want more from you,” she said as she leaned her head against his chest and breathed him in. “I want to see you naked.”
“You’ve seen me naked. Several times in the woods.”
“And you’ve seen me at the boathouse.”
A low rumble sounded from his chest.
“I want to feel your skin against mine. I want to feel you in me.”
He scented along her neck again before he reached her ear and sucked on her lobe. Then his hands and mouth left her without warning. She felt the loss as keenly as if he were a hundred miles away instead of mere inches.
“You belong to Tiernan,” Rafe said, those green eyes dulled.
“I belong to no one. I thought I made that clear.”
“You slept with him.”
“And you watched.”
He didn’t react, but he didn’t deny it either. He wanted more with her; she was sure of it.
