“Where have you been for the last six months?” she asked in response, barely able to get the words out from between her tight lips.
His hand slid along her jaw, and he gripped her hard, his fingers digging in until he drew a whimper from her.
“Lady, you don’t want to know where I’ve been. Not really. So why don’t we stop playing this game, and you tell me why a DaCosta jaguar is holed up in my place.” She felt his fingers dig in a little more. “And no lies. I’ve not had the pleasure of kicking anyone’s ass in a long time and really don’t give a shit if the ass is”—he ground his groin against her backside—“nicely rounded.”
Jaden’s mind whirled, calculating every angle possible. Could she trust him?
“I’m looking for something,” she muttered, as her mind frantically processed all of her options.
“Yeah, well, aren’t we all.”
Shit. She had no idea what she should do. Julian Castille had never figured into her plans for the night.
His hand slowly slid down her skin until it rested against the soft flesh that pulsed at the base of her neck. The beat was fast, and Jaden desperately tried to keep her jaguar at bay.
Her skin was on fire, aching. It felt as if she were being ripped in two.
“You’re a DaCosta. Convince me I shouldn’t just snap your neck and be done with it.”
Something in the air changed, darkness slithered around them, and she began to shiver as it clung to him and bled into her. His energy was empowered with strange nuances. It was potent, strong, and rippled along her skin until she felt nauseated.
Could she trust him? Did she have a choice?
“You didn’t seem to care about that three years ago.”
Jaden winced as her thoughts slipped from between her lips, a soft whisper, but vocalized nonetheless.
He stilled, and she tried to ignore the hard planes of his body as he gripped her even tighter.
“Three years ago doesn’t count anymore.” His voice was soft at her ear, in total contrast to the tense feel of his body. “If I’d known you were DaCosta then, I’d never have touched you.”
He does remember.
Humiliation scorched her cheeks with heat, and Jaden sought a place of calm. His words ripped into her harder than she’d like to admit. The man had been an invisible part of her life for longer than she cared to admit, and she’d been nothing more than the biggest mistake he’d ever made.
His hand slid from her neck, trailing a line of fire downward until he rested his large palm against her heaving chest. Her nipples were hard, and she flinched as his fingers passed over them.
Julian’s mouth was near her ear, and his breath sent tingles of energy across her skin as he spoke, his voice low and sensual. “But it’s a different world today, and right now you could be the devil’s bitch for all I care.”
Jaden’s pulse quickened even more, and her eyes widened as his left hand traveled down to her hip, where he gripped her hard. The unmistakable feel of his hard cock dug into her back, and the throb between her legs was unbearable.
What the hell is wrong with me? She should be kicking his ass but good instead of dancing on the edge. This game would not end well for her.
“It’s been too long, Jaden.”
Her tongue caught between her teeth as her name fell from his lips. The way he said it sent waves of pleasure rolling through her. It wasn’t fair. She wanted to hang her head in shame at the betrayal of her body.
He tipped her head up until it rested against his chest, and their eyes met as he looked down at her. Long moments passed, and the only sound heard was their heavy breathing.
He smiled, but there was a cruelty in the depths of his eyes that gave her pause and put her instantly on edge. “Yeah, way too long,” he said roughly. ?
??You’ll do.”
Then his mouth was upon hers, open, hot, and demanding.
In that moment, nothing existed but the two of them. And even though it was all wrong and dark and humiliating, deep inside, the cat began to purr.
Chapter 2