Chapter 4
The despair in Misti’s eyes, the tears rolling down her cheeks, the agony twisting her beautiful features, they all made Anders want to pull her into his arms to try and soothe her. Only knowing that she’d shove him aside, or worse, try to kill him again, prevented him.
She had come so close to killing him. He had almost wished for death. There wasn’t a means for their situation to end well, not for either of them. And it’s all my fault. Because he had allowed his cock to dictate his actions.
Well, he had never claimed to have much common sense.
“He’s gone,” she whispered, her words hardly carrying to him in the windless air.
“I did try. I… I’ve made a real mess of things.”
“Yes, you have.” She placed Gerald’s hand on his chest and stood, hands on hips. He tried to keep his gaze on her face, but it wasn’t easy. Her kissable lips twisted into a scowl, but her flashing eyes aroused him, the curve of her neck enticed him, and the wrinkling of her nose as she drew in a shaky breath had him torn into pieces. His she-wolf was hurting.
He had no right to think of her as his. He had no claim on her. She hadn’t allowed him to, and frankly, he couldn’t blame her for that. Their being together would mean a life on the run. During his exile, he had thought himself free from the Shadowed Stars, but then his father had called him out of the blue, and he realized he had been trailed the entire time. There was no way for them to be together.
And yet, he still wanted to fight for them. That was why he had pleaded his case to the Red Nightwalker guard. At the very least, he had wanted to try and ensure Misti wouldn’t be forced to become an exile herself. Although her father is as vicious as mine. It’s possible he’d demand her head for her betrayal.
There was so much he didn’t know about her, but he was drawn to her beauty, her fierceness, her power. She was strong and capable and unlike any other woman he’d ever been with.
Or maybe he just didn’t want to be alone in what could be the last few hours of his life. Because once he had decided to sleep with her and not kill her, his own life had become forfeit. Plus, not only did his father and his pack want him dead, so did her father and her pack as well.
Wordlessly, she began to use a large stone as a means to dig. He kneeled beside her and helped. The soil here was loose, and with him changing his fingers to claws, they were able to dig a grave fairly quickly.
Only after they had buried and covered Gerald did she speak. “Gerald trusted you,” she said slowly, as if she couldn’t believe that.
“He did.” Anders wanted to add that she could trust him too, but he refrained.
“Jason used poison… I wonder if Father knows about that, if all guards now have poisoned blades.” She shuddered.
“Are you cold?” His own body felt almost too hot despite his nakedness, but he would hold her and keep her warm, and if his hands should start to wander…
Misti ignored him. “Why would Father keep that from me?” Her gaze turned positively murderous. “He has been shutting me out and keeping me in the dark for years. His own daughter. He has always resented that I was born without a penis, as if that was my fault. He’s the one who supplied the sperm! And that’s all he provided me over the years.” Her chest heaved as she drew in deep, shaking breaths.
“Your father and mine are a lot alike.”
“Both assholes, huh?”
“With non-assholes for children.”
That enlisted the smile he’d hoped for. “I know I’m not an asshole, but you…”
“Hey, I haven’t been anything but a perfect gentleman to you.”
“A perfect gentleman doesn’t rip thongs.” She sauntered toward him, hips swaying, breasts bouncing.
“A minor lapse of judgment.”
Misti placed a hand on his chest. “Will you pay for it?”
“The thong?”
“The sex.” Her eyes were half-lidded, and she bit her lower lip. Damn, she was amazing. Just her standing there and looking at him was enough for him to get rock hard.
He claimed her hand and lifted it to his mouth. Gently, he kissed her knuckles. “I’ll pay for it, yes.”
“With what?”
All he wanted to do was lift her into the air and slam her down onto his cock. He wanted to taste her sweet juices, to make her orgasm so strongly she shrieked his name loud enough for it to echo. He wanted to pleasure her and be pleasured in return.
“I’ll accept any punishment you deem necessary.”
She parted her lips, revealing her perfect white teeth. “And if I claim your throat?”
“I already offered it to you.”
Her eyes narrowed. “I fought you legitimately and?—”
“My life is all but forfeit. If even you will turn against me, what other recourse do I have than to try and find a measure of death that will not be as painful as the ones our fathers will bestow on me?”
She yanked her hand free from his grasp and touched his neck. “You held back, yes, but you could have thrown me from you at any time.”
He nodded. It was impossible to read her facial expression.
“I was ready to kill you,” she murmured.
“Are you glad you didn’t?”
Her tongue darted out and licked her lips. Suddenly, she pulled his head down and kissed him. It was almost chaste, and rather quick, but full of promise as well.
“You might say that.” Her fingers entwined around his neck, and she swayed her body closer to his.
“I would do just about anything for you,” he blurted out.
Misti pulled away, her eyes suddenly cold. “Why would you say that?”
He sighed and reached for her hand, but she crossed her arms and glared at him. The truth might not help him here, but a lie might make things even worse.