Ecstasy Untamed (Feral Warriors #6)(19)

Faith watched him, her instincts jumbled and confused. "I've spent a lifetime rescuing girls from men who would use them and abuse them. I won't be one of them."

His mouth thinned, then relaxed. Slowly he nodded. "Fair enough." But there was something about the rigidness of his shoulders and the way his right hand clenched and unclenched that told her this argument was far from over.

She was perplexed at fate's having chosen her for this man. They were so different. He was an aristocrat, and she hung with the street kids. If she were a gambler, she'd wager they'd never make it as a couple, regardless what fate decreed. She'd wager that in six weeks, she'd be back in Warsaw trying to coax Paulina into trusting her again. Back to living alone, sleeping alone, with Feral House and her warriors nothing but a bittersweet memory.

"Wondered where you were."

Hawke looked up from his plate as Wulfe sauntered into the dining room, then returned to the thick, savory slices of roast beef Pink had brought out to him a short while before.

Wulfe sat down beside him and poured himself a glass of ice water from the pitcher on the table. "You missed a fun time at dinner." He leaned back in his chair. "It's like he thinks he's the new general sent to lead the troops. He's pissing me off."

"Join the club." At least his brothers felt the same. This would be so much worse if Maxim were genuinely a nice guy whom everyone else liked.

Hawke glanced at Wulfe. "Faith?"

Wulfe looked at him for a long moment, sympathy slowly deepening his gaze. "You're smitten with her," he said quietly. "I saw the way you were watching her during the reception."

Hawke turned away, digging his fork into another bite of meat. "No one uses the word smitten anymore."

"Doesn't change the fact."

Hell. "I don't know what I am. Yeah, actually I do. I'm a f**ked-up mess."

Wulfe's dinner-plate-sized hand landed lightly on Hawke's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Wings. You're too good a guy to be dealing with so much shit. If I could take some of it off your shoulders, I would."

Hawke met his friend's gaze and nodded. "I know."

Lyon and Kara walked into the room a moment later. "There you are," Kara said quietly.

Hawke grunted. "The moment I don't show up, everyone assumes I've flown the coop."

"I had a feeling you'd decided to avoid another confrontation." Lyon held out a chair for Kara, then seated himself. "That was a wise move."

Hawke nodded and took another bite. Hell, wisdom had nothing to do with it. He still couldn't shake the sight of that stunned look on Faith's face when he'd gone feral. Or the crazed jealousy that nearly flattened him every time he saw Maxim's arm around her. He'd wisely stayed away from dinner because his control had been razor-thin, and he'd feared he'd lose it completely and rip the bastard's head off. None of the Ferals would have minded, he was sure. But Faith would have really looked at him in horror, and he couldn't bear that.

Lightning bolted across his skull, fiery fingers crawling across the inside of his head, setting off the hawk's angry cry.

Dammit. Enough! I'm not hurting you intentionally!

"You okay?" Lyon asked, watching him worriedly.

As the talons released him, Hawke nodded. "Fine."

Lyon pinned him with his gaze for several seconds, apparently deciding not to press the issue. "I think it's best if you stay out of Maxim's path until we bring him into his animal. Hopefully, he'll be more agreeable afterward."

Wulfe grunted. "Do you really think that's going to happen?"

"Goddess, I hope so."

"Where is he now?" Hawke asked, then wished he hadn't. The last thing he wanted to hear was that he'd taken Faith up to bed. He had no business feeling that way! She'd come with Maxim. She belonged to Maxim. But the wildness inside him vehemently disagreed. Mine.

"The media room," Wulfe said. "Lyon managed to elude Maxim after dinner, so he cornered Paenther."

"Poor Faith," Kara murmured. "She's so embarrassed by the way he's acting."

"We'll bring him into his animal in the morning." Lyon sighed. "At least then I can put him on nightly draden-hunting duty. Maybe the draden will wear down that outsized ego of his. Before we have to beat it out of him."

Hawke smiled dangerously. "If the draden fail, I'm first in line."

But he wouldn't be, of course. The moment he started fighting, the damn hawk took over. He was of no goddamn use anymore.

A movement in the doorway caught his eye. "Faith." In the dress she'd worn during the reception - a soft, clingy, black number at once modest and sexy as hell - she eyed them with dismay and embarrassment, and a look that told him she was about to turn and bolt. After watching Lyon and him go feral earlier, he could hardly blame her.

"Hi, Faith," Kara said, having followed his gaze. "Come join us."

To Hawke's relief, Faith nodded and started forward, slowly at first, then with less hesitation. He felt sorry for her, certain that her partner's disfavor had her wondering if she was even welcome anymore. When she reached the table, she dropped wearily into the chair beside Kara.

"Is everything okay?" Kara asked gently.