Dark Fates (A Paranormal Anthology)(111)

He sighed and rubbed his cheek to hers. The softness sent a fresh puddle of liquid heat through her. Traitorous body or not, she didn’t want what he was offering, not when she had so many questions.

“Don’t ask me that again,” he whispered against her ear. No compulsion tainted the request. “Please. Tell me how I can ease your pain, and I shall, but no more questions.”

What planet was he from? She was definitely going to ask questions. Girl, if you don’t learn to shut that mouth of yours, it will get you killed. Her mother’s one piece of sage wisdom echoed at her from the past.

Fox—the memory of him telling her his name jiggled free—growled, and he nipped her earlobe. The sharp sting was almost a reprimand, and everything in her went low and tight. “Do you understand?” He released another soft growl, one that verged on a purr. The man was a walking or, in this case, lying, invitation to sin.

“I get you don’t want to answer my questions, but I’m not going to tell anyone you killed those men.” No one would believe her for one, and seriously? He’d saved her life. She wasn’t a ratfink.

That brought him upright, and he stared at her. “Stubborn.”

His response made her smile. “I’ve been called a lot worse.”

“By whom?” Danger lurked in that tone.

They were going in circles, and, if the firm press of his very happy cock pressing along her belly could be believed, they were going to stay right here, and then she’d be forced to try and wiggle out from under the sheet so she could accommodate him. Needing a distraction, she flailed for a reason to break this connection. “I need to pee.”

Humiliation stumbled through her. I need to pee? Maybe she should’ve invited him to kill her. It might have been kinder to both of them. Fox shifted off her and onto his feet. Before she realized his intention, he’d swept the covers from her and scooped her up into his arms. She tried to cover her breasts, but the movement caused an eye-popping pain to slice through her, and she gasped for breath on the short trip to the bathroom.

Once inside, he set her on her feet but kept his hands on her hips. Acutely aware of her own nudity and, worse, of his nearness and her body’s response to it, she trembled. He kept her steady and flipped open the lid on the toilet and then guided her to sit. Squatting in front of her, he rested his palm like a brand on her thigh.

“Um.” Her voice quivered. “You’re staying?” To watch her pee? Yes. Death would definitely be preferable.

“You’re pale, and your pupils are dilated.” As answers went, it was way better than a confession for a fetish. Still, she didn’t plan to pee with him sitting right there.

“And I’m not doing this with an audience.” Pointing toward the bedroom, she prayed her voice would stay steady. “Please leave.”

Confusion gave way to suspicion, and he swept a look around the bathroom. Rising, he moved with a kind of hypnotic grace and cleared away several items before walking to the door and then, still facing her, folded his arms.

“Nope. Not good enough.” She wasn’t sure who was more surprised. He’d killed a couple guys. Okay, fine. Sporting a woody while draping her like she was his personal altar of sex? Sure, that was fine, too. But this? This went too far.

“Out. All the way and close the door.”

His eyes narrowed. So, Fox didn’t like orders, either. Too bad.

“Seriously, even if I wanted to get something to hurt you with, my shoulder is killing me and you just took the weapons. I’m sure there’s a way to kill you with a toothbrush, but I don’t know how to do it. Please let me do this without you in here!”

Of all the situations she’d landed herself in over the last twenty-four years, this one arguably had to be the worst. “Maybe you could go find some aspirin.”

He straightened. “Is that an OTC?”

“Sure.” Why not? “Ibuprofen. Acetaminophen. Whatever. Just three minutes and I’ll be done, and then you can loom over me all threatening and hot and sexy-like.” She was doing really well until the last few words. Heat flamed in her face, and Fox’s mouth curved into a slow smile that had devastating consequences for her equilibrium.

“As you wish.” After a long, scorching look, he finally stepped out and pulled the door closed behind him. Sagging, Jubilee wanted to sink into the floor and disappear.

Then his voice drifted through the closed door. “Jubilee, don’t try to run. You wouldn’t get far, and we’ll both be a lot more comfortable in the bed than on the floor or in the woods.”

Oh, hell… The threat didn’t scare her at all. It turned her on.

When he didn’t say anything else or come back in, she managed to take care of business. Refusing to wait for him astride the porcelain throne, she walked on shaky legs to the sink and washed her hands. She glanced in the mirror and wished she hadn’t. She looked like hell. A part of her wanted to pick up the gauntlet of challenge Fox had thrown with that warning, but the more sensible part of her, all three centimeters, thought it would be better to stay where she was.

Another minute passed, and he didn’t reappear. She looked around his very nice, expensive bathroom. It had pretty tile, thick plush rugs, and black marble with silvery veins running through it. Who could afford something like this? A bathtub sat in one corner and a double-headed shower stall in the other. After more time passed, she shivered from the chill and walked over to peek out the door. The bedroom was empty.