Fatal Strike (McClouds & Friends #10)(104)

“How can I trust you in this mood? You’re angry at me.”

“Yeah,” he said. “I’m angry. Do you trust me anyway?”

“Why are you acting like this?” she demanded.

“Because it’s how I feel,” he said. “I’m in no mood to fake.”

She struggled to free her hands. “What do you want from me?”

“A straight answer. Do you trust me? Yes or no.”

She sobbed for breath, lifting herself to meet him. He had no clue where he was going with this inexplicable power game, but the dark mood had him in its grip. He wanted her surrender.

He kissed the arch of her trembling throat, feeling the delicate play of bone and muscle and tendon beneath his teeth, licking, sucking. Biting. Dragging his teeth, a delicate, teasing scrape as his hips pumped and rocked. There were tears trickling in front of her ears. He kissed them away, savored their salt. They were his, too.

He worked himself inside her with all his skill, making sure he was sliding his cock right over that spot deep inside, that glowed red hot for him. Driving her closer to her climax—then drawing back.

“Do you trust me?” he asked again.

Her body did. It was a hot liquid kiss around his cock, with every deep stroke. But he could feel the rest of her still holding back.

“Open your eyes,” he said sharply. “Tell me.”

She obeyed him. Tears spilled from the corners of her eyes.

“Yes,” she said, her voice trembling. “Yes, I do trust you.”

Maybe it was the words that brought her off, maybe it was something that he did with his body. He didn’t know or care, just held himself motionless while she came and came, her * throbbing and clenching around his cock. His mouth fastened over hers, his heart pressed against her heart. Drinking in his reward.

He waited until her eyes fluttered open again, and spoke, his voice hard and clear. “Promise me you won’t do the human sacrifice thing again,” he said. “Promise me you’ll get on that bus and disappear.”

She opened her eyes, tears streaming. She jerked at her trapped hand, still pinned to the pillow. “Let me wipe my face,” she said.

“Swear it.” He was squeezing her fingers too tightly. He loosened his grip, but he didn’t let go.

“Miles—”

“Do it, Lara.” He didn’t do the coercive mind jab, but both of them felt it there, snarling and lunging at the chain.

She bit her lip til the color fled, and shook her head. “I can’t.”





Lara stared into his furious face, unnerved. His eyes burned.

“You can’t,” he repeated.

She shook her head. Her voice was frozen in her throat.

“Are you f*cking kidding me?” he said.

She shook her head again. “I can’t say that to you. I have no idea what’s going to happen, what we’ll encounter, what choices I’ll have to make. I won’t make a promise that I don’t know I can keep. Especially not to you.”

“You’re telling me you’re just going to—”

“No!” she protested. “I’m not telling you any such thing! I’m just not making irresponsible promises. I don’t follow orders well, so don’t get all alpha on me. And stop pinning my hands. You’re being a controlling bastard. And that hurts.”

He let go of her hands. She flexed her aching fingers.

“Don’t try to manipulate me with sex, ever again,” she added tartly. “That’s a dirty trick, and totally unfair.”

“Why not? It doesn’t work on you anyway. It makes you come, but your precious integrity is intact. So why not go wild with the kinky power plays? It’s just a f*cking parlor game for you.”

“Stop trying to intimidate me. You’re being ugly. And I hate it.”

They stared at each other, bodies still locked together.

“You know my ex, Cindy?” he said. “She may have been a selfish, lying slut and a lightweight piece of fluff, but damn, I could always count on her to do what was in her own best interest. I never had to worry about acts of suicidal heroism from her.”

“You’re a fine one to talk,” she retorted. “You’re being irrational. I have no plans of doing anything crazy, or—”

“Stop. I don’t want to hear it. You won’t promise. End of story. Nothing you could say can make that easier for me to swallow.”

She reached up, stroking his stubbled cheek, and dared to speak anyway. “I won’t do anything stupid. I promise that,” she told him gently. “And you can always trust me to tell you the truth.”

“Oh. That’ll be a big comfort when you’re dead,” he snarled.

She heaved, shoving at his unyielding weight. It was like pushing on a steel girder. “Get off me. You are pissing me off.”

Her wiggling underscored that fact that their bodies were still joined. He was deep inside her, as thick and throbbing as ever.

He noticed her gaze, and glanced down, with a harsh laugh.

“Yeah. I’m still hard. Bummer, that. I should have come when you did, but no. I was too busy jerking you around, being a controlling bastard.”

Her hands flattened against his chest. Conflicting feelings trapped her voice in her throat, but he read her face. His eyes went cold.