Page 25 of Scavenger's Oath
Lashing out, my hands fly to either side of her head, knitting my fingers into her hair so tight she squeals.
Wincing, her body tenses, shoulders lifting. She trembles like I'm the thing that chases her in her nightmares.
“Don’t look at me like that,” I roar, voice breaking. “I saved you! You had nothing. Just another scavenger waiting to be torn apart out there. And I fucking saved you.”
Her expression changes, staring at me with those huge eyes filling with tears—blue and deep as the goddamn ocean. They twist something in me every time she looks at me like that. As if I'm exactly what she needs, but she just doesn’t know how to say it.
“I didn't have to,” I sneer. “Phoenix didn't want you. Zane didn’t care. But I—”
Releasing her hair before I hurt her, I grip her by the arm, yank her off the bed as she yelps and slam her against the concrete wall.
“I can take care of you,” my voice cracks with desperation. “I can give you everything you need.”
I’ve tried so hard to stay away and give her time. But I press into her harder, clinging to the heat of her body and burying my head into the crook of her neck, inhaling that smell again.
The sweet scent of her hair fills my lungs, and I groan. Shampoo?Where has this little doe come from, smelling like that?
My dick throbs, straining against my zipper as I fight the urge not to bend her over and claim her right here and now. My hips instinctively thrust against her warm body, begging to find purchase between her legs.
“Why can’t you see that? Let me take care of you,” I mutter, yanking the strap off her shoulder to expose her glowing skin.
“I’ll be all you need.”
Watching my own tattooed fingers trail over her flawless pale skin, I trace down her collarbone, following the curve of her breast.
But she flinches and my eyes flash back to hers. Silent tears stream down her face and those pretty eyes plead with me as she shakes her head faintly.
The second rejection stabs into me, releasing a poison into my veins.
My lips curl back, bitterness bursting on my tongue. “Be grateful!” I roar, fisting her top and ripping it off her body in one go.
Her hands immediately fly up to hide her pretty pink nipples, but her hands barely cover the generous swell of herbreasts.
Snatching her wrists, I yank her hands away so I can see her properly.
She doesn’t get to hide from me.
A sob racks her body, the sound breaking through my blind rage.
I look up at her face again, and all I see is terror in her contorted face.
This isn’t how I wanted it to go. It’s not supposed to be like this. She’s supposed to be grateful. Swooning over her saviour.
I back away, shellshocked, as she hunches over, trying to hide her body again. Tears stream down her face as she cries as if I broke her heart.
“Why did you make me do that?” My voice cracks with panic and regret as I back out of the cell. “Why did you make me do that?” I repeat in anguish.
Grabbing the cell door, I slam it shut and lock it, retreating as fast as Ican.
Chapter 9
Zane
I heard it all.
The slam. The shouting. Her choked cries.
But I know better than to interfere.
