17. Luella
Chapter 17
Luella
T he first rays of dawn filter through the trees, casting a soft golden glow over the forest. I lie on my back, my body aching from the night’s events, a harsh reminder of Colton’s brutal claiming. My heart pounds—sickeningly, a part of me wants more. But I can’t let him win.
Focus, Luella.
Colton watches me, smug, knowing he’s gotten under my skin.
“Enjoying the view?” I snap, forcing myself to meet his gaze.
“Always,” he murmurs, his eyes raking over my body in a way that makes me want to simultaneously punch him and press myself against him.
I shake my head. “You’re delusional if you think last night changed anything,” I say, my voice sharper than I intend.
His expression darkens, that predatory gleam returning to his eyes. “Keep telling yourself that.” Colton stands, looming over me. “The truth is, you can’t resist me,” he continues, his voice a low, seductive rumble. He pulls me against him, his lips crushing mine with bruising force, a reminder that I’m his.
My body betrays me, sinking into the heat of his touch, even as my mind screams to run.
“See?” he murmurs, tracing a finger along my jawline. “Mine.”
I swallow hard, trying to regain my composure. I can’t let him see how much he’s affecting me, how his words and touch make me bend to his wants and desires.
“Keep telling yourself that, Colton,” I respond, my voice steadier than I feel. “But I’m not some pet for you to possess. I have...other things to focus on.”
His eyes narrow, and for a moment, I see a flicker of uncertainty cross his features. He knows I’m hiding something, that there’s more to my presence here than meets the eye. But he doesn’t press the issue.
“Whatever you say,” he mumbles, stepping back.
I hold his gaze, refusing to back down. He may think he has me figured out, but he has no idea what I’m capable of. No idea of the depths I’m willing to go to achieve my goals.
As we make our way back towards the cabin, I can feel his eyes on me, watching my every move. But I’m no helpless victim. I’m a hunter in my own right, and I have my sights set on a much bigger prize than Colton Blackwood.
The sun is high in the sky as Colton and I make our way through the forest, our footsteps crunching on the bed of frosty leaves.
Colton walks ahead of me, his broad shoulders set in a tense line, his movements purposeful and controlled. He’s on high alert, his senses attuned to the slightest disturbance in our surroundings.
I can’t shake the feeling that we’re being watched as we navigate the winding trails.
Always trust your instincts.
Colton must sense it, too, because he suddenly stops in his tracks, his body coiled like a spring. I collide with his back, my heart leaping into my throat as I catch myself just in time.
“Stay close,” he commands, his voice a low rumble that sends a shiver down my spine.
Before I can respond, a figure emerges from the shadows of the trees, stepping into the clearing before us. It’s a tall, broad-shouldered man.
Colton instinctively shifts into a defensive stance.
The man regards us with a cold, calculating gaze, his eyes flickering between Colton and me with a hunger that makes my stomach churn.
“Well, well,” the man drawls, his voice a low, gravelly rasp. “If it isn’t the Blackwood heir himself. We’ve been looking for you.”
Colton doesn’t respond; his jaw clenches tight as he stares down the intruder. The man’s gaze settles on me, and a slow, predatory smile spreads across his face. He steps closer. “Hello, pretty.”
Colton’s body goes rigid, his hands curling into fists at his sides. “She’s not your concern,” he growls.
The man chuckles. “Oh, but I think she is,” he counters, stepping closer. “Your daddy wants her, and it’s my job to...” his gaze rakes over me, “deliver her.”
Before I can react, Colton launches himself at the man in a fit of rage. They collide with a sickening crunch, their bodies tangled.
I stumble back, my heart pounding as I watch the two men fight. Colton is a force of nature, his movements driven by a primal instinct to protect what he sees as his.
Me.
The man, however, is no pushover. He matches Colton blow for blow, his years of experience giving him an edge that even Colton’s raw power can’t overcome.
Suddenly, the man gains the upper hand, his fist connecting with Colton’s jaw in a sickening crack. Colton staggers back, his eyes glazed with pain and fury. The man seizes the opportunity, lunging forward and grabbing me by the hair.
I scream, my scalp burning as he yanks me against his chest, his arm snaking around my throat in a vice grip.
Colton freezes, his eyes wide with a mixture of rage and fear.
“One move, and I snap her pretty little neck,” the man snarls, tightening his grip on me until I can barely breathe.
I need to let Colton save me, even though I could kill this prick myself.
Innocent little lady. Play the part.
When Colton’s gaze meets mine, I see something shift within him. The darkness that has always lurked beneath the surface comes roaring to life, a primal force that consumes him entirely.
With a feral roar, he launches himself at the man, his movements a snap of savage violence. The man tries to fight back, but Colton is relentless, his fists raining down blow after blow until the man’s grip on me loosens.
I crawl away as Colton delivers the final, crushing blow. The man crumples to the ground, his body broken and lifeless.
Colton stands over him, his chest heaving, his eyes wild and unfocused. He turns to me, and for a moment, I’m terrified. This is a side of him I’ve never seen before, a darkness so profound that it threatens to swallow me whole.
But then, something shifts in his gaze, and the storm clouds seem to part. He reaches out to me, his bloody fingers trembling, and I find myself moving toward him, drawn in by the intensity of his need.
“Mary,” he rasps, his voice thick with emotion. “Are you alright?”
I nod. He pulls me against him, his arms wrapping around me in a fierce embrace that speaks of possession and protection in equal measure.
“You’re okay,” he whispers, his lips brushing against my ear. “I’ve got you.”
And in that moment, as I cling to him amidst the carnage he’s wrought, I know that I’m in too deep. Colton Blackwood has claimed me, body and soul, and there’s no turning back.