“Syn.” His fast footsteps closed in behind me, but I wanted to get out of here. My heart thundered while tears blurred in my vision as I kept imagining being trapped in that room. Tied up. Tortured by that fucking monster.
But just as Hendrix seized my arm, something familiar caught my attention from the images stuck on the wall in front of the desk.
Green eyes, deep red hair… Me. I was staring at myself in one of the photos pinned to his wall.
My throat constricted as my veins turned to ice.
I wrenched myself from Hendrix’s grip and marched toward the desk, finding a photo of me being dragged into the compound by Hendrix. That was when I noticed there were others of me pinned to the wall, along with other random shots. Me up on the balcony. Another one of me standing in the hallway with Caspian staring at the painting.
I was going to be sick.
“What the fuck!” I cried, and I shook so hard that I wasn’t sure I could even sleep with the lights off again. “Why are there photos of me here?” My voice quivered.
Hendrix stood behind me and turned me to face him, then he seized me into his arms. I craned my neck up. His jaw clenched tight, staring down at me. Those deep blue eyes captured me, held me when I wanted to run.
His brows furrowed before he said, “I think you were going to be his next victim.”
I might have cried out loud, though it was hard to tell when my knees gave out and the room blurred.
Hendrix scooped me up into his arms, and he carried me back out of the cabin.
He set me on my feet on the grass, and the cool breeze did wonders to clear my head. He cupped the sides of my face, holding me close to him. “Like I said before. You are safe. He’s gone, and I’ll always protect you.”
“He deserved to die,” I whimpered, shaking.
“Yes, Joe did.”
Hendrix stunned me. I found myself drawn to him from the beginning, from his angular jaw to his captivating smile. Except, he also scared me, and he still hid the truth from me about his rejected mate. He still told his brothers I was available to be shared.
I cursed under my breath at how I both craved and wanted to run from the same person. Yet, as he stared at me with blue eyes that sparkled beneath the moonlight, I had no doubt the man would always be dangerous.
He eliminated a real monster and saved me from ending up in that depraved man’s cabin. For that, I owed him.
“Thank you,” I murmured softly.
He offered me a half-grin, and after what we’d seen, I shouldn’t have been studying how perfect he was, how the fire I felt inside for him roared behind his gaze as well. I reached up and stroked his rough jaw, suddenly feeling like it was just us two.
A tantalizing feeling zipped down my back all the way to the heat between my thighs. Call me crazy, but the comfort of him eliminating Joe had me wanting to crawl into his arms and stay there.
I stopped breathing for a moment as the magnetic pull between our bodies wrecked me. No matter what I thought, my body betrayed me around him… and his brothers.
I nodded, and his massive hand rubbed my back, soothing me. “Come, I’ll get you back to your room safely.”
With no idea what was going on with me and my reaction to Hendrix, I put it down to the crazy night and how scared I’d gotten.
We reached my room quickly, and I strode inside. I heard the click of the door closing behind me and turned to find Hendrix in the room with me.
“What are you doing?” I murmured, confused slightly.
“You’ve had a traumatic night. I’ll keep watch over you so you can sleep peacefully.” He stood still like a statue, making no show of leaving. “Better get changed quickly.”
I was almost lost for words. Something about his behavior left me speechless, and while I wanted to tell him to leave, I also craved the company. I didn’t want to be alone.
So, I rushed into the bathroom, washed up, then put on my PJs, then on bare feet, I padded toward the bed and climbed in.
He crossed the room and shut the balcony door I’d left open earlier. After switching off the light, he carved through the dark room like a wolf, coming right for my bed.
He kicked off his shoes and pulled the sheets aside.
My breath caught in my throat, stuck for words at first. Did he really think he was just going to get into bed with me?
I stared at him, quizzically, even if he couldn’t see me. But he didn’t seem to care and lay down with me, also getting under the covers.
“What do you think you’re doing?” I shuffled to the other side of the queen-sized bed, pushing the blanket aside to get out.
Large, strong hands snatched me around the waist and hauled me across the bed until my back hit his chest, and I was being spooned by him.
“I promised you I’d keep you safe all night.” His voice came out deep and rough like he was struggling to remain calm. I wasn’t sure this was such a good decision.
I blushed crazily with how tightly knit our bodies were pressed together, and that masculine scent of his undid me. He laid one arm under my head, and his other settled over my hip, almost possessively.
Silence spread between us, and I didn’t move. I was too hyper-aware of his fingers twitching against my skin, of his warm breath on my cheek.
My mind wandered to how conflicted I felt--thankful for him eliminating the man who was going to hurt me, but still pissed at him. I also had to remind myself that rejected females like me didn’t have dreams coming true. And I had to wisely choose my fights. So for that reason, I said nothing about his rejected mate…. Not yet anyway.
“Everything I do is for a reason, Syn. Don’t question me again. I need you to trust me.” He leaned down and kissed my shoulder, almost like a promise of a warning. “You are mine. I will fight and kill anyone who dares to come between us.”
I tensed against him, and his hold tightened.
“Goodnight, Syn,” he said, the words final, and he shifted in bed to settle down, his arms claiming me and keeping me locked in place.
I laid in bed, breathing in his masculine, Alpha scent washing over me. Heat pooled between my thighs while my mouth parched. This perfect man who made me furious also made me feel things I shouldn’t.
And against the urges he brought out in me, I somehow managed to not give in to my desires. I gritted my teeth and shut my eyes.
Because I wouldn’t give in to him. I wouldn’t let him win.