The Darkness in Dreams (Enforcer's Legacy, #1)(16)

She felt angry. Maybe her life was lonely, but she liked it that way. Worked hard to keep that way. Nightmares were tucked into separate boxes and she didn’t take them out, not even with Marge. But she recognized him, the man with eyes so dark they pulled the light from the sky. Recognized the faint echoes of a male voice. The sensations embedded in her skin, the glide of a dangerous hand, the warmth of whispers against her throat, building until she closed her eyes and tried to breathe.

Lexi was very aware they’d been alone on the path. He’d cornered her, stood lazy and ready. She’d wanted to tell him to go to hell. Thought it might be like burning if he touched her, held her. The hell could come afterward. When he went away.

And how did she even know that? It terrified her. There was a tingling on her wrist that was filled with him. An ache between her legs that was worse. She was so angry all she wanted to do was walk and keep walking.

That could have been why she never saw the man waiting in the jagged rocks. Hadn’t realized he was there until hard fingers crushed her hand.

“Wallace?” She looked at the grip and then up at the man who’d sent her to Montana to research a location, felt her heart thud with hazard. “What are you doing here?”

“Been looking for you, babe. And isn’t it so damn perfect you walked out here on your own.”

There was aggression in his voice. Once, Lexi found him edgy and attractive, thought he was an angel both dark and profane. But he was too arrogant to be comfortable, and personal boundaries were never respected. She couldn’t imagine why he was here. He still hadn’t released her hand.

Lexi tried to jerk her wrist free; he tightened his fingers.

“What the hell, Wallace.” Alarm rose quick and hard as she glanced over one shoulder, searching the path. “I’m not out here alone. Marge is with me.”

“Marge is preoccupied with her little tent. She won’t miss you for a while.”

The aggression was more threatening. Lexi stopped struggling. Wallace was stronger than he appeared, and when he dragged her toward the rocky cliffs, Lexi forced herself to remain calm. Fighting would only make him grip her more firmly, and she followed along on a path that was both steep and slippery. Gravel was mixed with ochre-colored sand. When a cleft in the rocks forced a new direction, Lexi pretended to stumble. Wallace turned, irritated, and she pressed a palm against her ribs.

“You’re not that out of shape, babe,” he said. “You were just trekking in Montana.”

“I’m not going with you, nice of you to notice.”

Wallace remained silent before whipping her hand against the rock. Blood began to trickle across her wrist.

“You’re a bright girl,” he said, “but we can do this the hard way if you want.”

There was no trace of guilt in either his expression or his voice. Lexi’s heart thudded. Without thinking, she kicked his knee; Wallace grunted, pushing her hard into the cliff. Blood pooled warm and wet against the back of her head and Lexi swayed slightly. The rocks began to spin. A bird screamed in the air above them.

For a fleeting second, Lexi thought Wallace regretted the attack. Then his expression hardened as he noticed the memory line.

“Did you like it when Arsen shifted?” His mouth had a slight curl that was chilling. “The girls always like it when we shift.”

Lexi watched him, tense and braced. Her hair was catching the sunlight, and she didn’t miss the way his eyes locked on the moving strands. He lifted his hand. She remembered being put down hard on the ground, realized he could do far worse. Had done far worse. The recording devices in her cottage and the night terrors hadn’t been enough; Wallace had come to Rock Cove to personally load the meditation app on her phone. She’d thought he was a friend. Had trusted him. Lexi told him as much.

Wallace made no response other than to glance around. The muscles in Lexi’s throat tightened and she was painfully close to tears. He returned his gaze to her wrist, to the single memory line beneath the skin.

“I don’t know why you’re upset,” he said. “It’s just dreams.”

“There’s no such thing as just dreams.”

“It’s easier if you don’t resist.”

“Then you do it,” Lexi said bitterly. “Your dreams have to be better than mine.”

Wallace refused to respond. There was a soft skittering sound in the rocks as if they’d disturbed some small creature. With an almost imperceptible movement, Wallace glanced at the cliff before looking upward to study the empty blue sky.

Lexi reached for the surrounding earth energies but found only the sand and the emotions swirling from Wallace. She realized he was a warrior, she got that now, felt angry that she’d agreed to go to Montana for him. Changed her schedule on short notice. Thought he was interesting and wanted to impress him. Felt more than stupid. She felt empty.

“Why waste your time with me, Wallace? I don’t remember anything even with all your efforts to force the dreams. I’m no one.”

“He isn’t.”

“This is about Christan?”

Wallace stood rigid for so long Lexi wondered if he’d answer her.

“That last life you spent with him,” Wallace said finally. “I thought you’d want to know.”

“I’d rather not remember.”