Abandoned and Unseen (Branded Packs #2)(40)

Turning to the side, he inched his way through a narrow crevice, at last stepping into a small valley that was protected by a circle of towering hills. She had a brief glimpse of several cabins and a long, wooden building that she assumed must be the community center for the Unseen before Tucker was carrying her into one of the cabins that were nearly hidden in a copse of pine trees.

Opening the door, he stepped inside. Then, slowly lowering her to her feet, he flicked on the lights.

Surprise raced through her. How were they getting electricity? A generator? Solar? Bootlegging it from the SAU?

With a shake of her head, she took in the comfortable space. There was an open living room filled with large, overstuffed furniture and an attached kitchen with the bare necessities. Across the wooden floor was a dining table with two chairs set next to a large window, and a cabinet filled with dishes. At the back, there were two doors leading into separate rooms. She assumed that one was where Tucker slept, and the other was potentially a bathroom.

It was basic but nicer than most of the homes the shifters were forced to live in at the compounds.

“You might as well make yourself at home,” he told her in his low, husky voice.

She stiffened, turning to meet his stubborn expression. “Don’t be an idiot.”

The gorgeous black eyes narrowed. “Babe, you’re wearing on my last nerve.”

She blinked, unable to believe his arrogance. “Are you kidding me? I was just fine until you stuck your ugly nose in my business.”

His hand lifted to touch his nose. “Ugly?”

“And now you bitch at me?” she continued, in full fury. “I should-”

Her words were cut off as a loud chirp sliced through the air.

“Don’t move,” Tucker commanded, pulling a phone from his pocket and pressing it to his ear as he stepped out of the cabin.

Nicole glanced toward the kitchen window, trying to judge if she could sneak out without him seeing. Unfortunately, she’d barely managed to take more than a couple of steps to the center of the room before Tucker was stepping back into the cabin and locking the door behind him.

Still holding the phone in his hand, he moved to stand directly in front of her.

Nicole’s mouth went dry.

In the moonlight, he was stunning. Now, he was…

Spectacular.

The white-gold hair that looked as soft as satin. The sculpted features. The midnight dark eyes.

A dangerous thrill inched down her spine.

Thankfully unaware of her sizzling arousal, the bear folded his arms across his chest and glared down at her pale face.

“Start talking.”

She met him glare for glare. “Am I your prisoner?”

“Yes.”

Well, hell.

“When my Alpha discovers what you’ve done…” Her words trailed away as he held out the phone.

“You want to call and tell him?” His smile was one of pure challenge. “Go ahead.”

For a crazed minute, she actually considered calling Holden and telling him exactly where she was and how the Unseen had treated her, then she came to her senses. Her Alpha would probably tell Tucker to lock her up and throw away the key.

She shrugged a shoulder. “Why are you doing this?”

He tossed the phone on a nearby chair, his eyes smoldering with an emotion she couldn’t read.

Anger? Frustration?

“I’m asking the questions,” he snarled.

She jerked at his tone, her hands clenching at her sides. “You know what?” She pointed a finger in his face. “Fuck you.”

“Okay.” Without warning, he reached out to grab her shoulders and yanked her against his hard body. “We can do that.”

Her mouth parted in shock, but before she could protest, he was leaning down to seal her lips in a kiss that jolted her to the tips of her toes.

****

On some level, Tucker knew he was acting badly. He hadn’t intended to virtually kidnap the woman. Or haul her into his arms so he could at last taste the sharp sweetness of her lips.

But he couldn’t stop himself. When he’d come through the trees to see her crouched within sight of the searching guards, something had exploded inside of him.

She’d scared the hell out of him, and he’d simply reacted.

Okay, maybe he’d done more than react. He’d gone a little ape-shit crazy.

But now that he actually had her warm, fragile body pressed against him, and her lips were parting in silent invitation, he was no longer thinking about the terrifying risk she’d taken. Or the reason he’d brought her to his private lair.

All he could do was drown in the tidal wave of intoxicating pleasure that was crashing through him.

From the second he’d caught sight of this female, he’d been consumed with a relentless hunger. As if some need he hadn’t known he possessed was suddenly sparked to life. And now that he’d actually tasted her…

Nothing was ever going to be the same again.

With a restless movement, he unzipped his hoodie and tossed it aside. He wanted to feel her against his skin. Hell, he wanted to rub against her until she was saturated in his male musk.

Perhaps even more alarming, his bear wanted to maul her. In the best possible way.

Wrapping his arms around her slender waist, he pressed her against his body, a shudder shaking through him as their combined heat threatened to combust into a raging inferno.