Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 50512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 253(@200wpm)___ 202(@250wpm)___ 168(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 253(@200wpm)___ 202(@250wpm)___ 168(@300wpm)
“And you’ve already run this by Saint, I’m assuming?” he asks.
“Yes.”
“And he doesn’t want to risk you.” It’s not a question.
“No, but you can understand his judgment is a little clouded with our new bond,” I counter.
“Understandably.”
“Yes, understandably,” I agree. “But let’s pretend it was Talon or Ajax or Zachariah Samuel needed for the vote. Would they hesitate to use that to their advantage?” When he doesn’t immediately respond. “Would you object to the idea of using them to finally put an end to this war?”
“No,” he finally answers. “It’s not a bad idea. And if it was any one of the hunters or even an assassin, we’d be perfecting the plan before putting it into place.”
“Exactly.”
He tilts his head back and forth before smirking. “Okay, I’m in.”
Surprise ripples along my body. “Seriously?”
“Yep. It’s a solid idea. The best one we’ve had come to us in months.” He jerks his head to the side. “You ready now?”
I glance down at my attire—a simple sun dress and sandals—but shrug. “Absolutely.” No way I’m losing my shot because I’m worried about the casualness of my outfit.
“Good. Follow me.” He chuckles, shaking his head as we weave through the king’s residence until we come to the garage. And by garage, I mean car museum, because whoa there are a ton of vehicles stowed in here.
“Shouldn’t you run it by the others? Get them ready?” I ask as he walks by a row of motorcycles.
“You think I can’t take him down by myself?”
“I think it’s naïve to underestimate him,” I counter.
“You’d be right about that.” Dagon pauses in front of a blood-red Ferrari and holds the passenger door open for me. “After you.”
Anticipation bubbles in my blood. We’re going to do this. We’re going to get this done and then Saint and I will be free to live the life we’ve been dreaming of. I sink into the passenger seat, a mixture of hope and fear swirling together.
“Going somewhere, mate?”
I jolt in the seat, nearly smacking my head against the window at the sound of Saint’s voice. He’s sitting behind the wheel of the car.
“Sorry. Hunter code.” Dagon flashes me an apologetic look as he bends to see through the open window. “In her defense, Saint,” he says, eying him. “It’s a solid idea.”
Saint bares his fangs at Dagon.
Dagon shrugs and speeds out of sight, leaving only me and Saint left in the garage.
I stare him down. “I won’t apologize.”
“I’m not looking for one.”
“How did you know I’d ask Dagon?” I ask. “Digging through my thoughts?”
“I don’t need to,” he says, opening the door and climbing out of the car. He’s around to my side before I can even reach for the handle. “I know you.” He gently pulls me from the car, shutting the door behind me. “You’re close with Annika. Dagon would be the first choice.”
“If you know me, then you know I won’t give up on this idea.”
He stalks toward me, inching me toward the front of the car until I’m caged between the hood and him. “I know,” he says, hands gliding along my hips. “And you know me,” he continues, bending to drag his lips along my jaw. “You know I won’t stop fighting to keep you safe. Even from yourself.”
Tingles erupt everywhere he touches, but I do my best to hold on to some semblance of control. I slide my hands beneath the light jacket he wears, my fingers easily finding the hilt of one of his blades in the holster he wears whenever he leaves. I grip one, drawing it out as fast as I can, and point the tip at his neck.
Adrenaline courses through me, desire pulsing along our mating bond so fiercely it’s hard to think of little else. “I could make you take me,” I say, wielding that knife at his throat.
A grin stretches over his lips, his pupils blown out as he looks down at me. “That’s my vicious little mate,” he growls, hands flexing on my hips. “You’re learning.”
The tension between us is sharper than the blade I hold, and the longer he holds my gaze, the more my resolve crumbles. I would never hurt him, but I can’t deny how much I like the scents rolling off of him right now—desire, heady and deep. I learned as much from the chase last week, my mate loves a challenge. I’m more than happy to deliver that for him.
“I’ll never give up,” I admit, holding the knife steady.
“I’d never want you to.” He moves faster than I can track, disarming me in a blink. One second the knife is poised at his throat, the next it’s back in his holster and he’s dropping to his knees before me. His hands climb up my legs and beneath my sundress, shoving it upward before he tears my underwear off with a simple flick of his fingers.