Read Online Bond Betrayed by Chandra Ryan - Free Book Online Page B

through the pain until his mind was as numb as his body. Only then did he turn off the water and step out of the shower.
    After wrapping a towel around his hips, he stilled with disbelief for a second as the not-so-distant chime of Nikki’s voice intruded on his hard-won calm. Of all the things he was certain about in his life at that moment, the most definite was that he shouldn’t be hearing her voice while standing in his bathroom. This wasn’t good.
    He opened the door to his bathroom and surveyed the scene in front of him before stepping onto the battlefield. As he’d feared, Nikki lay on his bed, still wrapped in that towel with the phone to her ear.
    “No, I don’t need Jacob to come over and rescue me. I’m quite comfortable where I am, thank you very much.” She didn’t miss a beat in her conversation, but her attention was focused solely on him now.
    “Out.” He’d whispered the word, but her challenging smile told him she heard it.
    She put her hand over the mouthpiece of the phone before saying, “That’s not really an order.”
    “Intentionally so. I’m trying to be more careful.”
    She smiled innocently at him. “Aren’t you a sweetie?” Then her attention returned to her conversation. “No, not you. You’re a pain in my—”
    “Please get out of my room, Nikki.”
    She sighed heavily. “I’ve got to let you go, Izzy. Now he’s being unreasonable.” She paused for a moment, her face draining of some color. “No you won’t! I will handle this my way. Goodbye.” She ended her call and turned her entire attention to him.
    “What do I have to do to get you to leave my room?” His voice betrayed the strain he held tightly in check.
    “Take off the towel.”
    He was done letting her manipulate him—for now, at least. “This isn’t a game, Nikki.”
    “I thought we agreed that it was.” She stood up and then took two steps toward him. “’I’m confused.”
    “You called it a game, I didn’t argue the point,” he clarified.
    “See, we agreed.” She took another step.
    “I can’t— We can’t do this. Not with me holding your bond.”
    “Come on.” She took another two steps. “I want you. You want me. We’re both consenting adults…”
    If she took one step closer, he’d be able to reach out and touch her—he’d be able to strip her of that towel. Only, he wouldn’t. “I wish I could be certain. But there’s no way.”
    She looked at him hungrily and took that last step. “There’s always a way. You just need to find it.”
    “Can’t you see how fucked up this is? I can’t even be certain that you want me to want that—to want you.”
    Her laugh was dark. “I’m a seductress. I want every man to want me.”
    “No. I won’t—” And then, as she ran a finger down his bare chest, it all became so clear. “If you decide at any moment you don’t want this—if there’s even a shadow of a doubt—for any reason, you have to tell me to stop. That’s an order, Nikki. Do you understand?”
    “Oh, I understand. But don’t expect me to say it.” With one pull, she freed his towel.
    He moaned as she grabbed the back of his neck and brought him down for a passionate kiss. Sparks that had been smoldering deep in his soul caught and lit to a roaring fire. His blood knew hers. Now his body wanted the same honor.
    Walking her across the room, he stopped when the back of her legs hit the edge of the bed. She was trapped between it and him. Not that she seemed to mind. She undid her own towel and then stretched against him. Every luscious curve and hard plane of her body was pressed against his.
    And damn if she didn’t fit perfectly. It almost hurt to take a step back. And, judging from her whimper of complaint, she wasn’t too happy about it either. But he needed the space to lower his mouth to one of her lovely breasts. As much as he enjoyed the feeling of her silky skin against him, he couldn’t explore her without pulling away from her. And he was going