Release!: A Walker Brothers Novel (The Walker Brothers #1)(25)

“I don’t hate it,” I rushed to assure him. “It’s amazing.” I was telling the truth. The ring was magnificent, but I was terrified to have it on my finger. “But it means something to you, and I don’t want anything to happen to it.”

“Nothing will happen. And it looks good on your finger. It fits almost perfectly.”

Yes, it did. His mother must have had almost the same ring size. “That’s not the point.”

“You need to wear the ring, and I hope you’ll wear the other stuff I bought for you. That jewelry is all yours. I bought it.”

I tried taking deep breaths to control my panic. I couldn’t believe he was trusting a woman who had done time for stealing expensive jewelry with a priceless heirloom, and a ton of other expensive gems. What was he thinking? Yeah, he’d said he trusted me, but I hadn’t realized quite how much…until now.

Trace really does believe I could never steal anything.

He sat down in a brown leather chair near the pile of gifts, then grasped my hand and yanked me down onto his lap. I struggled for balance, but finally righted myself with Trace’s protective grip on my waist, and my arms wrapped around his neck.

I looked down at him from my perch on his thighs, sighing as I saw the hungry look on his face. “I’m not sure I can do this.”

“Are you backing out of our deal?” he growled, his grip tightening around me.

I shook my head. “No. But all of this is mind-blowing, Trace. And for obvious reasons, I hate jewelry.”

“This is different, Eva. And I love seeing my mother’s ring on your finger.”

“Why?” I asked curiously.

“Because it means that for now, you belong to me.”

I didn’t have time to babble a response before he snaked a hand around the back of my neck and pulled my lips down none-too-gently to capture my mouth.





Chapter Nine

Trace



I knew from the moment I saw my mother’s ring on her finger that I was screwed. Every well-meant intention I’d had to keep my hands off Eva had completely flown from my mind.

Yeah, I knew I shouldn’t touch her again. She’d been a virgin, and I felt bad enough for the way I’d taken her, but that didn’t matter anymore.

She’s. Fucking. Mine.

My hand moved to her silky hair and I fisted it to try to regain control as I claimed her mouth just as thoroughly as possible, my dick demanding to be inside her.

My heart slammed hard and fast against the wall of my chest as she moaned against my lips, music to my ears.

I wanted to f*ck her again, this time slow and gentle like I should have done last time. Problem was, I wasn’t sure I could stay in control with Eva. I wanted to own her: heart, body and soul. I wanted to be so deep inside her and make her feel so good that she’d never want another man.

In a way, I’d actually been screwed since I’d realized she was a virgin. Primitive emotions had swamped me then, grappling with my common sense. All I could think about was that I didn’t ever want her to have any other man…except me. Hell, I probably would have felt the same way if she hadn’t been untouched. I was just that obsessed with her.


I broke off the kiss and rasped against the soft skin of her neck, “I won’t do this again. I can’t f*ck you again.” Jesus, I hated it when the higher, more noble emotions got in the way of me getting what I wanted. I’d much prefer to give into the barbarian and take what I wanted.

“Why?”

The disappointment in her voice damn near broke me. “It’s not fair to you. I was a greedy bastard, and I never even thought to ask if you were a virgin. It should have been different for you.”

It should have happened with a man you loved, a guy who could make you feel special.

After everything she’d been through, she deserved that and more.

“It did happen just the way I wanted it. No one has ever made me feel the way you do, Trace. Please don’t regret it,” she pleaded.

That was the problem. I actually didn’t regret it. I relished the fact that I was the only damn man to be inside her, and it made me possessive. I didn’t like feeling that way, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself when it came to Eva. “I don’t,” I admitted reluctantly. “And it’s going to be hell when we have to sleep in the same bed.”

“Why would we do that?” she asked in a distracted voice, a tone that made me realize she was sexually frustrated. Immediately, I wanted to satisfy her need.

“You’re my fiancée. Don’t you think it would be a little strange if we don’t sleep together?” I knew that would be a big red flag for my brothers.

“I suppose,” she answered wistfully.

“We’ll manage,” I said abruptly, moving her slowly off my lap before I could act on the impulses bombarding me, the instinct to claim her again.

She wriggled as she went to stand, and I had to hold back a groan as her luscious ass moved around on my swollen cock. Christ! It took everything I had not to strip her naked and have her ride me into oblivion right here in the chair.

Watching her as she fidgeted, messing nervously with her hair and then smoothing imaginary wrinkles from her jeans and sweater, I felt the sudden need to protect her. Eva had come to enough harm in her short life, and she didn’t need further pain from me.