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asked between clenched teeth.
    â€œYou’re to stay here.”
    â€œSo I’m to sit around here with my thumb up my ass?”
    â€œThat’s all up to you. You’re in charge here while I’m gone.”
    â€œWhat the hell?” Jack shot to his feet and kicked the chair, sliding it across the floor. “You’re going to track down that bastard and leave me here?”
    Ryker stepped up, nearly nose to nose. “Yeah. When you learn to stay out of my personal business, then we’ll talk about your place in my organization.” He waited to see if Jack dared to challenge him.
    â€œI don’t like it.” Jack turned away.
    â€œGet over it,” Ryker bit off. He looked over at Marie. Her paleness revealed how much their arguing bothered her. “Jack, go. Now,” he said without taking his attention off her. Time for them to talk. Plus she needed to rest.
    Then he’d get with Liam to plan how they’d rescue the women and get an antidote from the Wizard for Marie. His men better think up a good plan as they were headed for Gatlinburg in forty-eight hours.
    Before he left, he’d make sure she was well taken care of. If successful, he would return from the mission before she realized he’d been gone. His absence should give her time to rest.
    But he knew there was no way he would. Not after tasting her.

 
    C HAPTER S IX
    M arie moved to the sofa. The way Ryker’s gaze tracked her every movement gave her the jitters. She needed to be as far away from the bed as possible in the suddenly small room. Sure, she wanted to touch him again. But the drug had already dirtied what she’d dreamed of having from him for so long—the closeness brought on by lovemaking. Yet, what they’d shared couldn’t be considered lovemaking. Not when he hated every minute of it.
    It was a given. If he’d enjoyed being with her, he’d have climaxed. Their past be damned. That was it. She knew how his mind worked. Having sex with her had been a duty. A way to protect her as he always had—no matter the cost to him personally. He’d helped her and nothing else. No different than he had when Theo had been alive and demanded payment for leaving Marie alone.
    She had to quit harping on it. Just erase it from her memory. She could manage for the next few weeks on her own. She owned some battery-operated friends. They would do. They would have to.
    â€œNo matter how far you try to get away from me, I’m not letting you out of my sight tonight. Not until I know you have it under control.” Ryker walked behind the sofa. She felt him lift a lock of her hair. “I’m the only one who can help you.”
    She twisted around. “I’ll be okay without your help.” He dropped her hair as if guilty of something. What had he been doing? Smelling her hair?
    â€œI don’t think you understand. Jack won’t be helping you.” Ryker leaned over the back of the sofa, cupped her face, and kissed her. His tongue stroked hers. The moist caress heated her blood. Her thighs clenched.
    Was the drug amplifying her reaction to his touch?
    The tingle of a million ants crawling over her skin gave her the first clue. She whimpered. Then her first flashback washed over her, building a need larger than any other.
    She climbed the back of the sofa and wrapped her arms around his neck. He grunted when he lifted her and she squeezed. Without thought or care, she crossed her ankles at the small of his back. Using all her strength, she held on.
    â€œI don’t want Jack or you.” The words came out of her mouth but they both knew one was a lie. Her fingers dug into his shoulder blades. She couldn’t get close enough to Ryker. Her heartbeat sped up and felt like it would burst. “What are you waitin’ for?” From the moment she understood what it meant to be with a man, she’d wanted Ryker and only Ryker.
    He carried her to