Read Online Two To Go: Bayou Heat (Pantera Security League Book 2) by Alexandra Ivy, Laura Wright - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Alexandra Ivy, Laura Wright
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nothing.
“It wasn’t until after they’d snatched me that they realized I wasn’t…normal.”
Although he’d been made a Pantera by blood infusions, Max had seen a few of the pure Pantera male children who had been brought to the lab. They’d been vicious fighters who’d been able to take out more than one guard. He’d always wondered what had happened to them. Maybe he’d find out.
“Did you bite them?” he asked.
Fierce satisfaction settled on her face. “Maybe once or twice.”
“Good.” He studied the shadows that lurked in the back of her eyes. Her memories haunted her, perhaps even more than his did. Maybe because she hadn’t dealt with them. “What happened after you were taken?”
She licked her lips and released an irritated breath, clearly wanting to tell him to go to hell. Deep-seated distrust flickered in her eyes. She didn’t open up, to anyone, he’d be willing to bet.
“They took me to the jungle and dumped me in the river. Are we done now?”
Max sucked in a sharp breath and released her arms. He took her face in his hands. It was impossible to imagine being just five years old and not only being ripped from your family but tossed in the middle of a jungle.
It didn’t matter if she was Pantera or not.
“Damn.” Sympathy twisted his gut into a tight knot. “You were just a baby.”
She shrugged. “It was fine. I may not have been able to release my cat, but she helped me to survive anyway—until I was taken in by a local village.”
He wasn’t fooled for a second by her nonchalant tone. How did he get in there? Her heart? “You must have been terrified.”
Her lashes swept downward, hiding her eyes. “Like I said, I survived.”
Anger blasted through him. Frustration too. She wouldn’t be broken. Those walls. Those damned walls she kept not only building, but fortifying. Hell, he’d shared his nightmare with her. If this was going to happen between them, she needed to be able to trust him, open up to him.
“Why can’t you just admit that you were frightened to be a child alone in the wilderness?” he pressed. He waited for her to meet his glare. When she didn’t, he leaned down to nip her lower lip in warning. “Elyon?”
She muttered a curse, then her lashes lifted to reveal eyes that glowed with annoyance.
“Yes, I was afraid,” she snapped. “Satisfied?”
Max ignored her burst of temper. He suspected that trying to earn her trust was going to be an ongoing battle. But he’d win. He was a stubborn beast.
“No,” he said bluntly. “I don’t like when you do that.”
She blinked, almost as if she didn’t even realize that she’d so effectively shut him out.
“Do what?”
He held her gaze, his fingers tightening around her wrists. “You’re not allowed to hide your emotions from me.”
She pressed her lips together, eying him with blatant suspicion. “Most males are happy not to have to deal with emotions.”
He bent his head, pressing his lips against hers in a fierce kiss. “I’m not most males.”
She melted against him. “True.”
He continued to kiss her. No battles of the tongue and teeth. Just slow, drugging passion to share as their flesh heated up once again.
“No more hiding,” he commanded, lifting his head to study her flushed face with a brooding gaze. “Deal?”
She wrinkled her nose. “I’ll try.”
His lips twitched with humor. What a shocker. She’s stubborn too. “Who finally came for you? Who found you? A Pantera?”
She was caught off guard by the question. “Yes, Raphael found me.”
Without warning, Max was the one who was fighting back a surge of anger. A male’s name had crossed her lips. After he’d just tasted them. He didn’t like the way her features had softened and her scent deepened at the mention of— “Raphael?” he ground out.
One eyebrow drew up at his fierce tone. “He’s the leader of our species. Of the Pantera.”
“Is he your lover?” he snarled.
“No, of course
“It wasn’t until after they’d snatched me that they realized I wasn’t…normal.”
Although he’d been made a Pantera by blood infusions, Max had seen a few of the pure Pantera male children who had been brought to the lab. They’d been vicious fighters who’d been able to take out more than one guard. He’d always wondered what had happened to them. Maybe he’d find out.
“Did you bite them?” he asked.
Fierce satisfaction settled on her face. “Maybe once or twice.”
“Good.” He studied the shadows that lurked in the back of her eyes. Her memories haunted her, perhaps even more than his did. Maybe because she hadn’t dealt with them. “What happened after you were taken?”
She licked her lips and released an irritated breath, clearly wanting to tell him to go to hell. Deep-seated distrust flickered in her eyes. She didn’t open up, to anyone, he’d be willing to bet.
“They took me to the jungle and dumped me in the river. Are we done now?”
Max sucked in a sharp breath and released her arms. He took her face in his hands. It was impossible to imagine being just five years old and not only being ripped from your family but tossed in the middle of a jungle.
It didn’t matter if she was Pantera or not.
“Damn.” Sympathy twisted his gut into a tight knot. “You were just a baby.”
She shrugged. “It was fine. I may not have been able to release my cat, but she helped me to survive anyway—until I was taken in by a local village.”
He wasn’t fooled for a second by her nonchalant tone. How did he get in there? Her heart? “You must have been terrified.”
Her lashes swept downward, hiding her eyes. “Like I said, I survived.”
Anger blasted through him. Frustration too. She wouldn’t be broken. Those walls. Those damned walls she kept not only building, but fortifying. Hell, he’d shared his nightmare with her. If this was going to happen between them, she needed to be able to trust him, open up to him.
“Why can’t you just admit that you were frightened to be a child alone in the wilderness?” he pressed. He waited for her to meet his glare. When she didn’t, he leaned down to nip her lower lip in warning. “Elyon?”
She muttered a curse, then her lashes lifted to reveal eyes that glowed with annoyance.
“Yes, I was afraid,” she snapped. “Satisfied?”
Max ignored her burst of temper. He suspected that trying to earn her trust was going to be an ongoing battle. But he’d win. He was a stubborn beast.
“No,” he said bluntly. “I don’t like when you do that.”
She blinked, almost as if she didn’t even realize that she’d so effectively shut him out.
“Do what?”
He held her gaze, his fingers tightening around her wrists. “You’re not allowed to hide your emotions from me.”
She pressed her lips together, eying him with blatant suspicion. “Most males are happy not to have to deal with emotions.”
He bent his head, pressing his lips against hers in a fierce kiss. “I’m not most males.”
She melted against him. “True.”
He continued to kiss her. No battles of the tongue and teeth. Just slow, drugging passion to share as their flesh heated up once again.
“No more hiding,” he commanded, lifting his head to study her flushed face with a brooding gaze. “Deal?”
She wrinkled her nose. “I’ll try.”
His lips twitched with humor. What a shocker. She’s stubborn too. “Who finally came for you? Who found you? A Pantera?”
She was caught off guard by the question. “Yes, Raphael found me.”
Without warning, Max was the one who was fighting back a surge of anger. A male’s name had crossed her lips. After he’d just tasted them. He didn’t like the way her features had softened and her scent deepened at the mention of— “Raphael?” he ground out.
One eyebrow drew up at his fierce tone. “He’s the leader of our species. Of the Pantera.”
“Is he your lover?” he snarled.
“No, of course
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