eyes…different.” She couldn’t get the words out.
She felt drunk on desire. Her mind wouldn’t work.
A lazy, satisfied grin spread over his mouth as if he knew
exactly why she couldn’t form a complete sentence. “Unlock me.”
The compulsion behind his order hit her harder than any
other. Before she’d wanted to obey him. The command he’d just uttered demanded her obedience. She shoved away and fell on her backside for the second time.
“Harley, come here and unlock me. I want to make love to
you.”
He curled his fingers. A tug accompanied the simple motion.
The pull tightened the silky second skin he’d spread throughout her body.
She sat there, muscles tensed, and breathed through the
undeniable urge to close the distance. “What did you do to me?”
He watched her with hungry eyes but didn’t answer.
“Dammit, Calan, tell me the truth. Did you kiss me so you
could force some kind of control over me?”
“I kissed you because I wanted to save you.” The bite to his
words matched the glint in his eyes. “Now come here and release me. I need to
finish it.”
She wrapped her arms around her knees so she didn’t run to
him. “I don’t understand. I thought allowing you inside saved me.”
He flicked his gaze between her hand and her face. “It
started the process.”
His harsh tone didn’t match the seductive whispers from
moments ago. Wariness settled over her. She forced her attention from his and
glanced at her hand. In the center of her palm was a swooping X. She traced the
black lines.
“You will need to cover that. The redcaps will recognize the
sacrifice I made for you and report it to Dahm. You’ll end up in an eternal
prison too.”
She peered at him. He met her eyes but the look stamped on
them was one she couldn’t decipher. “What did you do to me?”
He didn’t answer her. Another curl of his fingers matched
the rough jerk on her body. She locked her knees but not before she took
several steps closer to him without realizing she’d moved. She glared at him.
He sighed. “Do not be stubborn, Harley. Come here.”
“No,” she bit out. “No, I will not be your puppet. Release
me!”
The yank cut off abruptly. She fell a third time but
scrambled up and ran for the door. An invisible hand wrapped around her waist
and spun her so she faced him. “You are not a puppet, but I need you to release
me. Both of our fates depend on it.”
“You tricked me, exactly as you did all those years ago. ‘Live
for me. Let me save you.’ Bullshit!” She strained against his unseen grip and
forced her feet to move. One step, two. She grabbed the doorjamb and hung on
for dear life. “Both times you acted for your wants, not mine.”
He stared at her for a long moment and finally released a
long, weary breath. “I am sorry, Harley. I truly am but this time my motives
include you.”
She shook her head. “No—”
“Take the night to think on what I’ve said then come back to
me. What’s one more day in hell?” He snorted, the bitter sound one she didn’t
want to hear. “Promise me, Harley. Return to me tomorrow night and deliver my
fate.” He shifted his gaze to her hand. “I gave myself to you. What will you do
with me?”
She lifted her hand and stared at the mark there. I give
myself freely to you, my Harley. I ask nothing of you in return. Take me,
treasure me or walk away, but know I will always be yours. She curled her
fingers and peeked at him from under her lashes.
“What did you do to me?”
He closed his eyes. You know the answer. When you realize
it, I’ll be here waiting for you.
She backed away without promising anything. No tug or
invisible hand stopped her. She climbed the stairs and ran, but she feared it
wouldn’t do any good. She’d been marked, in more ways than one, and the stamp
he’d left on her heart might be the one to destroy her, once and for all.
Chapter Six
Harley sat on a thick quilt in the middle of her living room
floor.
She felt drunk on desire. Her mind wouldn’t work.
A lazy, satisfied grin spread over his mouth as if he knew
exactly why she couldn’t form a complete sentence. “Unlock me.”
The compulsion behind his order hit her harder than any
other. Before she’d wanted to obey him. The command he’d just uttered demanded her obedience. She shoved away and fell on her backside for the second time.
“Harley, come here and unlock me. I want to make love to
you.”
He curled his fingers. A tug accompanied the simple motion.
The pull tightened the silky second skin he’d spread throughout her body.
She sat there, muscles tensed, and breathed through the
undeniable urge to close the distance. “What did you do to me?”
He watched her with hungry eyes but didn’t answer.
“Dammit, Calan, tell me the truth. Did you kiss me so you
could force some kind of control over me?”
“I kissed you because I wanted to save you.” The bite to his
words matched the glint in his eyes. “Now come here and release me. I need to
finish it.”
She wrapped her arms around her knees so she didn’t run to
him. “I don’t understand. I thought allowing you inside saved me.”
He flicked his gaze between her hand and her face. “It
started the process.”
His harsh tone didn’t match the seductive whispers from
moments ago. Wariness settled over her. She forced her attention from his and
glanced at her hand. In the center of her palm was a swooping X. She traced the
black lines.
“You will need to cover that. The redcaps will recognize the
sacrifice I made for you and report it to Dahm. You’ll end up in an eternal
prison too.”
She peered at him. He met her eyes but the look stamped on
them was one she couldn’t decipher. “What did you do to me?”
He didn’t answer her. Another curl of his fingers matched
the rough jerk on her body. She locked her knees but not before she took
several steps closer to him without realizing she’d moved. She glared at him.
He sighed. “Do not be stubborn, Harley. Come here.”
“No,” she bit out. “No, I will not be your puppet. Release
me!”
The yank cut off abruptly. She fell a third time but
scrambled up and ran for the door. An invisible hand wrapped around her waist
and spun her so she faced him. “You are not a puppet, but I need you to release
me. Both of our fates depend on it.”
“You tricked me, exactly as you did all those years ago. ‘Live
for me. Let me save you.’ Bullshit!” She strained against his unseen grip and
forced her feet to move. One step, two. She grabbed the doorjamb and hung on
for dear life. “Both times you acted for your wants, not mine.”
He stared at her for a long moment and finally released a
long, weary breath. “I am sorry, Harley. I truly am but this time my motives
include you.”
She shook her head. “No—”
“Take the night to think on what I’ve said then come back to
me. What’s one more day in hell?” He snorted, the bitter sound one she didn’t
want to hear. “Promise me, Harley. Return to me tomorrow night and deliver my
fate.” He shifted his gaze to her hand. “I gave myself to you. What will you do
with me?”
She lifted her hand and stared at the mark there. I give
myself freely to you, my Harley. I ask nothing of you in return. Take me,
treasure me or walk away, but know I will always be yours. She curled her
fingers and peeked at him from under her lashes.
“What did you do to me?”
He closed his eyes. You know the answer. When you realize
it, I’ll be here waiting for you.
She backed away without promising anything. No tug or
invisible hand stopped her. She climbed the stairs and ran, but she feared it
wouldn’t do any good. She’d been marked, in more ways than one, and the stamp
he’d left on her heart might be the one to destroy her, once and for all.
Chapter Six
Harley sat on a thick quilt in the middle of her living room
floor.
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