Page 97 of Pursued

The bathroom door opened, and Mila stood framed in the doorway in nothing but one of my T-shirts. She’d showered, her hair a wild dark mass around her shoulders. The shirt barely reached her thighs, showing off long, tanned legs and the sweet curves of her hips. The soft white cotton clung to her damp body, revealing the shadowed outline of her nipples and the curly black hair of her mound.

Clutched in her hand was the switchblade I’d given her in Montauk.

My mouth dried. She looked both sexy and badass at the same time.

“Get out,” I told the guards without taking my eyes from her. “And shut the door behind you.”

“Yes, sir. We’ll be on the seventh floor if you need us.”

I waited until the door closed behind them before speaking. “I called you,” I told Mila. My voice sounded harsh in my ears.

“You did?” She glanced at the phone. “I was in the shower. Is something wrong?”

“Not now.” I dragged in a breath, forced myself to calm. “Come here.”

25

Mila

Istared at Gabriel. The only illumination in the bedroom came from the metal-star lampshades. In their soft glow, his face appeared mysterious, the sculpted planes in stark relief against the darkness.

Our eyes met, clung. He held out a hand. “Come here,” he repeated.

I set the switchblade on a nightstand. Even having heard his voice and knowing in advance he was on his way back to the penthouse, I’d instinctively snatched up the knife before opening the door. My heart was still pounding from the flood of adrenaline. I had a feeling it would be a long time—if ever—before my hyper-sensitivity to possible danger calmed.

The dozen steps I took to him seemed more like floating. He waited, lean and dark and mine. Only when I had set my hand in his was I anchored again.

He turned me so my back was against the door. A tap on the control pad, and the lock clicked shut.

He set his hands on the door, caging me. A thrill went straight to my clit. God, that dominant stuff always did it for me, and the man knew it. Or maybe it was just natural for him, but either way, it worked.

Coming on top of the shot of adrenaline, it made me instantly wet.

“Joey’s okay?” he murmured.

I nodded, my gaze on his mouth. The lower lip was a little fuller than the upper lip, which somehow made it so sexy.

“Thank you.” I lifted my eyes to his. “I mean that—I don’t know how I can ever repay you.”

His gaze seemed to eat me up. “I’d do anything to make you happy, Mila. You must know that.”

“Yeah?”

“Anything.” His thumb traced my lower lip.

Pleasure shivered down my spine. My eyelids drifted down.

“Even release you from our blood bond.”

“Mm.” I barely heard him. His heady masculine scent filled my senses. I could practically taste it on my tongue.

“Right now, I could still break it. But I’ll be honest. If you stay much longer, I don’t think I could let you go.” His fingers traced over my collarbone.

More pleasure slid over me. My breasts grew heavy, the tips prickling with need. But I forced my eyes to open as I replayed his words in my head.

“Let me go?”What the fuck?“But you said I was yours, now. That youloveme.”

His eyes closed as if he was in pain. “I do. I’ll always love you.”

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