Read Online River Arrow (New Guardsmen Book 2) by Ella Drake - Free Book Online

with an angry flick of her hand.
    Jared’s breathing went ragged, but he didn’t reply. The silence stretched until she couldn’t help but gasp as it seemed to expand in her lungs. Knowing she shouldn’t, she couldn’t help but push at him. “This is where we live. It’s our home—even if sometimes it wants to suffocate me for being so small, so closed off. But if we don’t stop the violence, even in retaliation, how are we better than them? They’ve killed. Attempted rape. You’re just going to slice throats in retaliation and disappear as if nothing happened?”
    “Yes,” he yelled, right in her face. Hot breath with a hint of mint leaves washed over her. “I’m going to take it out of their hides and walk away from it.”
    His anger seethed all over her and she wanted to step back but she couldn’t. The last several hours had taken something from her and damned if she’d back down now.
    He kept going, the words like scraps of skin coming off her back.
    “But you’re right about one thing, Marigold.” He said her full name with an inflection that made her whimper. She didn’t even remember the parents who’d given her that name. Nobody had used it since, except the elders when they wanted to scold her. Jared didn’t sound like he was scolding her. He sounded like he was opening her soul and digging her out. “I don’t need anybody here. I don’t need to help you. I don’t need friends. I don’t need you deciding when I risk my life. And I don’t need you.”
    His mouth came down on hers and as if making himself a liar, he yanked her against his body to feel his need, hot and hard between his legs. His too short and angry kiss broke away and he whispered into her mouth. “Tell me you want me, Mari. You don’t need it. I don’t need it. But I want. I want you. Hot and aching and begging. Tell me.”
    “I want you.” Her voice quivered.
    “That’s what I wanted to hear,” he whispered. “But I wish you hadn’t said it, cause we can’t be together, can we?”
    He pulled back, leaving her tingling body vibrating, wordlessly begging for the missing contact, but she didn’t know what to say and before she could figure out what had changed in him, he continued.
    “Let’s get out of here. Let’s tie these assholes up and put them on the river to Memphis City. I’ll take them. You won’t. You’ll stay here and away from me. Because I will only say this once. If you step foot on my boat, I’m going to fuck you. And I’m not letting you go.”
    She drew back and her mouth dropped opened. His face in shadows, she couldn’t tell what he meant, or how to respond. He wasn’t exactly the kind of guy to joke but he couldn’t be serious. No way. Finally, she managed to ask, “What?”
    One little word that meant so many things and no way to say it all. Why wouldn’t he let her go? Could she step on his boat, knowing he’d never change? His life was the river. Danger. But he didn’t answer and didn’t give a clue what he meant or what he wanted—other than sex. Sex she could do. Well, certain kinds of sex.
    Instead of discussing anything, the future, the plan, or what the hell he’d do to those men, he murmured to her, “Grab your bow and follow me.”
    Long body stretched, muscles defined with exertion, he reared back and smashed his boot through the door. It slammed back on its hinges with a loud thump against the wall. With a roar, he dove straight for the guard sitting outside. The other man fumbled his weapon in the panic. They landed in a heap of flying fists. Steadying herself, she brought her bow into position. When a flash of color rounded the corner, she let the arrow fly.

Chapter Six
    Jared jolted as he landed on the guard. A man’s scream sounded nearby. Mari’s arrow had hit its target. She could handle her own while he took care of this one he’d tackled to the ground. His fist drew back and he slammed it into the temple of the gang member. The man’s eyes rolled