Bound by Vengeance (Born in Blood Mafia Chronicles #5)(22)

He stared down at her furious face, and the hard set of her lips. He wanted to kiss her again, taste her again, but he had learned to control his desires. The way she looked at him now, reminded him of the first time they’d met, of the looks every woman in society gave him. He stepped back before his anger could get the better of him like it had last time. He didn’t have time for another visit with Lola. And if he was honest, it had been as satisfying with her as usual.

Then take Cara. She’s yours.

She was. But he couldn’t imagine treating her like he treated Lola. Not just because Cara wouldn’t react the way Growl wanted but also because he didn’t like the idea of treating her that way. She was too precious.

He backed away from her and took up his phone again. Falcone wanted to see him in the afternoon. Growl doubted the man had a real job for him. Falcone wanted to hear gruesome details of what Growl had done to Cara.

He glanced her way. She still sat on the counter where he’d put her but she’d crossed her legs protectively and was watching him cautiously. Even like that, she managed to look graceful and ladylike, and absolutely out of place in his house.

Perhaps Falcone hadn’t just meant Growl as a punishment for Cara. Perhaps he’d also hoped to put Growl in his place, to show him that despite his years of service, he still wasn’t worthy.





CHAPTER TEN


Cara

My lips were still tingling from his kiss despite the disgust and anger toward Growl. He backed away slowly, with an expression I could not decipher. I hopped off the counter, wanting to get out of this compromising situation, and froze with fear when both dogs jumped up from where they’d rested in the corner of the kitchen.

The only dog I’d had closer contact to over the years had been Anastasia’s Chihuahua that she’d bought after it became an essential fashion item according to the magazines she perused. But that dog had been the size of a guinea pig with teeth barely strong enough to scratch one’s skin. These dogs however were monstrous in size and most likely character, just like their master. I sucked in my breath and backed up against the counter again. There was nowhere else I could go, and the way they watched me they would probably follow me anyway. My heartbeat fastened and I seized up completely.

The dogs didn’t move either but they looked tense as if they were ready to lunge at me if I moved the wrong way. Growl gave me a look that made it clear he thought I’d lost my mind, but he obviously wasn’t someone I trusted when it came to judging the danger and monstrosity of his dogs.

“If you act scared, you’ll make them suspicious,” he said like I was a child.

I glared at him. His words only worsened my fear and made me tense even more. Growl set down his coffee again and watched me like he was trying to figure something out. My own eyes darted between him and his dogs.

Growl stalked toward me, his arm coming my way. I flinched away, expecting a punch. He looked frustrated.

He froze with his arm in midair and the lack of understanding on his face grew even more.

“What are you doing?” he rumbled, slowly lowering his muscled arm. There were more scratches on his upper arm I noticed now. I was pretty sure they couldn’t all come from me. A red dot began spreading on his bandages slowly, and I grimaced. Growl lowered his gaze to his injured forearm and blew out a breath. “You are a lot of trouble,” he said merely. He raised his eyes to mine. I couldn’t read his expression.

“Maybe you should go see a doctor,” I said instead of the nasty comeback I had in mind. So far Growl had been more civil than I’d thought possible and I couldn’t risk provoking him into a change of mood.

“I don’t need doctors. I stitched the wound up myself. I’ve done it before. But you cut me pretty deep and I shouldn’t move the arm so much.”

I’d thought I’d barely left a mark on him with the knife from his reaction yesterday, but he was probably too careful to show the extent of his injury during a fight. Though calling the short struggle between us a fight was laughable.

“Why did you shy back?” he asked. I’d hoped he’d forgotten about my reaction to his approach.

I shrugged and turned my attention back to the dogs watching us. They still hadn’t moved from their spots at the end of the kitchen, except that the black one had sat down. “I thought you were going to hit me,” I said eventually.

Silence followed, until I couldn’t stand it anymore and lifted my gaze to find Growl staring at me with blatant confusion.

“Oh come on,” I muttered, growing angry, despite my best intentions not to provoke him, but his shock was ridiculous. “Don’t act like that’s impossible. I saw you yesterday. I saw you kill a man with your bare hands by twisting his neck.”

“Where were you? I didn’t see you anywhere.”

“In the cupboard.”

Growl nodded. “He was the enemy.”

“And I’m not?”

For some reason he seemed closer than before, and his scent finally registered with me. Not of sweat and blood and death like last night but fresh and musky. It seemed too normal for someone like him.

“No. Enemies need eliminating because they mean danger, and often death. You don’t.”

“I tried to kill you last night,” I said indignantly.

He didn’t say anything, and that was worse than an insult.