Deadly Game (GhostWalkers, #5)(38)

He wanted her submissive, but not due to his mind control. His fantasies were sexual domination, not taking away her identity or her free will. If she was submissive, he needed her to want to give herself to him, to trust him that much, but the moment her mouth found his, the volcano inside him nearly exploded.

It had been so long since he’d been able to feel pleasure. He had thought sex lost to him. His arms came up around her body to bring her in close to him, so he could feel her breasts pressing into his chest. He took command of the kiss, one fist in her thick blond hair, forcing her head back while he explored her mouth, his tongue dueling with hers, taking possession, not giving her a chance to do anything but respond.

He swore an electric current ran through his body and sent fire racing through his bloodstream. For a moment he couldn’t think one coherent thought, only feel his raging hard-on, the shock of his body more alive than it had ever been. Her body moved against his like hot silk, her mouth warm and moist and perfect, her lips sensual. His teeth tugged at her full bottom lip, fingers biting into her skin. He wanted her, right there, right then. Nothing could come between them. He needed this more than he needed to breathe.

Her tears registered; a soft sob cut through the heat of hot lust and brought him up short. He felt her face, the tracks of her tears, felt the drops on his neck. Abruptly he jerked away from her, breathing heavily, trying to regain his sanity. “What the f*ck have I done?” he asked softly. “I’m sorry, Mari.” He knew he was a bastard, but not this—never this—and not with her.

When had his commanding call turned sexual, and why? Why would he do something like that, knowing how powerful the chemistry between them already was? He couldn’t remember changing the command, forcing sexual compliance. Had he done that? What kind of a man was he? “I swear to you, I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

He wiped the tears from her face. “It will never happen again. I was calling you to me, bringing you back, not trying to make you accept me sexually.” He pulled his shirt over his head and tugged it over hers, settling the warmth around her, giving her protection and him a measure of relief. She was so beautiful, and he was destroying any chance that she could ever think well of him.

“You were punishing me.” Another sob escaped, although she struggled to hold it back. “Because the other men saw me naked. You were punishing me.”

Had he done that? He shook his head. “No. I was calling you to me.” Could he really be that despicable? He didn’t trust himself with her anymore. He couldn’t be around her. She wasn’t safe and never would be again. Damn his father. Damn Whitney. Mostly just damn Ken Norton to hell.

Jack! It was a sharp command, something he rarely did with his brother, always allowing Jack to take the lead, but this time was different. This time, Mari was involved, and he wasn’t going to take any more chances with her. What if I hadn’t stopped? His body still shuddered with need. His hands wouldn’t let her go, needing to keep contact with her. If there was a hell, he was already in it.

Jack burst through the brush, gun in hand. He took in Mari’s tear-streaked face, her sobs, and Ken’s horrified mask. “What the hell happened here?”

“Find her a pair of jeans. If they’re too big, they’ll slide over that lightweight thing the doc put on her leg.” Ken tried to distance himself from what he’d done. There was no taking it back, no changing it. The monster lived and breathed, was alive and well and clawing for supremacy. I nearly raped her, Jack.

She looks willing enough to me.

Shut the f*ck up and take care of this. We had a deal. We made a pact. It was all well and good when you thought it was you. You made me promise to put a f*ckin’ bullet in your head, but now that it’s me, you threaten her instead of taking care of me.

Jack gave him a hard look and stepped forward, deliberately close, so close Mari’s body was up against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her as if he might lift her away from Ken, all the while watching his brother carefully. When nothing happened, he buried his face in her neck and inhaled deeply.

Ken went very still, his silver eyes never leaving his brother’s face.

“Does my sister know you’re a pervert? Get the hell off of me. You’re not sharing me.” Mari’s outrage lessened the stream of tears.

“If you’re such a jealous bastard, why aren’t you tearing my head off, Ken?” Jack demanded, ignoring Mari’s comment as he stepped away from her. “The old man would have pulled his gun and shot us both.”

“Get her the jeans and then get her the hell out of here.”

Mari held her breath. He was leaving her with the others. She should be happy, thrilled, but instead she was terrified. “No.” She shook her head, said it softly, a plea she couldn’t stop. “No, you have to stay with me.”

He framed her face with both hands. “I can’t. You have to understand. I don’t trust myself with you.”

“It’s all right. It is. I threw myself at you. I feel the connection the same as you do. It wasn’t just you.”

His thumbs brushed at the tearstains almost tenderly. “You didn’t throw yourself at me and you know it. Mari, I’m not going to take a chance on hurting you. I’m not a good man.”

“Like hell you aren’t, Ken,” Jack interrupted. “I don’t know what’s going on, but you’ve never treated a woman with disrespect in your life.”