Read Online Hunting Lust (Orion the Hunter Part Three) by J.D. Chase - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: J.D. Chase
Ads: Link
‘all psycho’ at all! I’m just protective of you.”
I could hear a trace of humor in his voice. Humor was better than anger, right?
“You are not mine to protect, Norman Bates!” I taunted.
“Don’t call me that! Never call me that!” he snapped. Okay so I misread it – no humor here!
“Okay, okay … jeez. I was only joking,” I shot back. “I didn’t really think that you’d kill me and hide my body.”
He pulled my hand from the door handle and spun me around to face him, holding me firmly by my upper arms. I’d never seen someone look so angry. If I’d thought he looked murderous before, I’d been mistaken. The look on his face took looking murderous to a whole new level. Everything about him radiated restrained rage. I tried to swallow but my mouth was too dry.
I opened my mouth to tell him that he was hurting my arms but no words were forthcoming. I forced my eyes shut to escape from his menacing stare. My whole body was rigid with shock and fear. Except my heart, that was beating almost out of my chest.
Suddenly, I was pulled into his arms and embraced tightly. Very tightly. It must have felt like hugging a tree because I was still as stiff as a corpse. My brain was trying to keep up with his mood changes and failing dismally. I was beginning to suspect that he was bi-polar or something. This couldn’t be just down to control freakery, surely.
“I’m sorry, Issy,” he whispered softly into my hair. “I’m making a real mess of things, aren’t I?
I didn’t respond but I did begin to relax. Although my gut instinct was to flip out and either demand an explanation or insist that he left, I reasoned I would get further if I kept him calm.
“You could be doing better,” I said, deliberately keeping the tone of my voice light. I tried to pull back and give him a reassuring smile before asking him to explain but his vice-like grip tightened further. So this is what emotional exhaustion feels like! Well, it’s too much damn hard work!
“Lucas,” I squeaked. “You are crushing me. Can we at least sit and talk?”
He grunted and then pulled me down, as he sat on the bed. I landed across his lap and immediately, his arms bound me to him. Although I was only wearing my bra and panties, there was nothing remotely sexual about our contact. I think we were both reeling from Lucas’ barely contained rage.
“Are you okay?” he asked as he smoothed my hair off my face. All trace of the anger he’d displayed just moments ago had gone. He looked totally calm and rational.
“I think so. I’m finding it hard to keep up with your moods and your outbursts though.”
He looked pained for a moment but then his expression cleared. “The only thing I have that’s worth a damn is my company and I would do anything to safeguard it. It’s been my number one priority since I started it. I can’t remember possessing anything else that was remotely important to me … well, I do love my iPod, but I could live without it. Since I met you, nothing else matters. The business can practically run itself and I’ve had a goal in mind since I started the company that I’ve been obsessed with obtaining, but now … I’m not so sure that it’s worth the effort.”
“What’s the goal?”
I noticed that his eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched – just for a second – before his impassive expression returned.
“It doesn’t matter,” he said dismissively. Liar! I knew from that slip of his mask that it did matter. That goal was personal and was born of anger or revenge. I decided to let it go for now but resolved to bring it up at another time.
“Okay. So why aren’t you concentrating on pursuing your goal anymore?” Please don’t let it be because of his feelings towards me!
“It’s just not my number one priority now,”
I could hear a trace of humor in his voice. Humor was better than anger, right?
“You are not mine to protect, Norman Bates!” I taunted.
“Don’t call me that! Never call me that!” he snapped. Okay so I misread it – no humor here!
“Okay, okay … jeez. I was only joking,” I shot back. “I didn’t really think that you’d kill me and hide my body.”
He pulled my hand from the door handle and spun me around to face him, holding me firmly by my upper arms. I’d never seen someone look so angry. If I’d thought he looked murderous before, I’d been mistaken. The look on his face took looking murderous to a whole new level. Everything about him radiated restrained rage. I tried to swallow but my mouth was too dry.
I opened my mouth to tell him that he was hurting my arms but no words were forthcoming. I forced my eyes shut to escape from his menacing stare. My whole body was rigid with shock and fear. Except my heart, that was beating almost out of my chest.
Suddenly, I was pulled into his arms and embraced tightly. Very tightly. It must have felt like hugging a tree because I was still as stiff as a corpse. My brain was trying to keep up with his mood changes and failing dismally. I was beginning to suspect that he was bi-polar or something. This couldn’t be just down to control freakery, surely.
“I’m sorry, Issy,” he whispered softly into my hair. “I’m making a real mess of things, aren’t I?
I didn’t respond but I did begin to relax. Although my gut instinct was to flip out and either demand an explanation or insist that he left, I reasoned I would get further if I kept him calm.
“You could be doing better,” I said, deliberately keeping the tone of my voice light. I tried to pull back and give him a reassuring smile before asking him to explain but his vice-like grip tightened further. So this is what emotional exhaustion feels like! Well, it’s too much damn hard work!
“Lucas,” I squeaked. “You are crushing me. Can we at least sit and talk?”
He grunted and then pulled me down, as he sat on the bed. I landed across his lap and immediately, his arms bound me to him. Although I was only wearing my bra and panties, there was nothing remotely sexual about our contact. I think we were both reeling from Lucas’ barely contained rage.
“Are you okay?” he asked as he smoothed my hair off my face. All trace of the anger he’d displayed just moments ago had gone. He looked totally calm and rational.
“I think so. I’m finding it hard to keep up with your moods and your outbursts though.”
He looked pained for a moment but then his expression cleared. “The only thing I have that’s worth a damn is my company and I would do anything to safeguard it. It’s been my number one priority since I started it. I can’t remember possessing anything else that was remotely important to me … well, I do love my iPod, but I could live without it. Since I met you, nothing else matters. The business can practically run itself and I’ve had a goal in mind since I started the company that I’ve been obsessed with obtaining, but now … I’m not so sure that it’s worth the effort.”
“What’s the goal?”
I noticed that his eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched – just for a second – before his impassive expression returned.
“It doesn’t matter,” he said dismissively. Liar! I knew from that slip of his mask that it did matter. That goal was personal and was born of anger or revenge. I decided to let it go for now but resolved to bring it up at another time.
“Okay. So why aren’t you concentrating on pursuing your goal anymore?” Please don’t let it be because of his feelings towards me!
“It’s just not my number one priority now,”
Similar Books
