I could see his confusion, and could tell he was starting to doubt himself. He was a little out of it last night.
Somehow, though, I knew it wasn’t him last night. I didn’t know Brad that well, but I could tell he would never hurt me like that. The way he kissed me that night after the bar told me that much.
In my haze, I suddenly found myself looking around the room to see if I could spot anything out of the ordinary. I wasn’t sure what I was looking for, but the paranoia was setting in big time.
With a snap of his head, Brad looked up at me with concern. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
Oh, shit. He thinks he did this to me.
Feeling I needed to diffuse this situation as quickly as possible, I walked over to him and rubbed his shoulder. “Brad, you were fine last night. Honestly. I had a brilliant time.”
I looked at Louisa and she smiled. “Brad, I wouldn’t worry too much about it. I can tell you that Tyler is feeling rather good this morning.”
He looked up at me, hope in his eyes. “Really? I didn’t hurt you?”
I shook my head. “No, Brad. You never hurt me.”
Everyone seemed to calm a little…everyone but me. I knew for a fact I was going to stew about this all day. I was trying to figure out who could’ve gotten into my room. He knew my name, so it must have been someone I introduced myself to.
I thought about John and Jose, but I couldn’t picture their accents from last night. Jose had a slight Mexican or Spanish sound. John had a slight Scottish accent. The man from last night had a hint of London. He wasn’t cockney, but he wasn’t posh by any means, either. His voice was rough, commanding, territorial, and damn sexy. The thought of him both excited me and frightened me to death. I wanted him again, needed him again. I hoped he would come to me again. It sounded sick, but I couldn’t get him out of my mind. The way he touched me, the way he caressed me with enough edge that he wouldn’t hurt me. I know he marked me, but it felt erotic that he was staking his claim on me. It was almost as if he was telling the world I was his and, for some unfathomable reason, I wanted it to be true.
“Are you ready to do some snooping?”
Louisa’s voice stopped my daydreaming. “Sure, why not.” Placing my toast on the plate, I got out of my seat.
Brad still looked ill, and I couldn’t help feeling sorry for him. “Are you okay, Brad? Can I get you anything?”
Brad laughed. “I did that to you, and you’re asking me if I’m okay? I’m supposed to be an officer of the law who catches bad people, not become one myself.”
I pulled Brad into my arms. He stiffened, then wrapped his arms around me in a tight embrace.
“Brad, please don’t worry yourself over this. You did nothing wrong. What if I told you I asked you to do this to me?”
Abruptly, he pulled away. “Did you?”
I nodded, but felt the heat flush my cheeks. “I believe I did,” I lied. I couldn’t send Brad home feeling the way he did.
With his expression changing, I knew he was feeling better. “You know, you’re rather sexy when you blush.” He pushed his groin into me to make that point.
“Really?” I asked with a timid smile.
Brad nodded and came in for a kiss.
Chapter 12
Dean
I don’t know what came over me just then, but the sight of Brad wrapping his arms around her and kissing her had rage rushing through my veins. She wasn’t his to claim. She was mine. I owned her, and she should fucking realize that by now.
The thought had my fists clenching. I could feel my fingers digging into my skin. My heart was pumping, and my head was swimming with rapid visions of me sinking my cock and my teeth into her. I almost lost it. I almost ruined everything and ran out there to claim her as mine. It was a stupid, idiotic thought, and I knew that. But this woman brought out the worst in me every time. I wanted to take her, possess her, dominate her, ruin her. I wanted to ravish her, please her, consume her until I couldn’t take much more.
With the rage still pumping, I quickly noticed something…something I didn’t notice before because I was too busy filling myself with rage.
She didn’t want him. Her body language said it all. She even stiffened slightly when he leaned in to kiss her. It was unnoticeable to anyone else, but I distinctly saw it.
When he pulled away, she smiled awkwardly at him.
It was then that my rage calmed. It was then that my hands relaxed. It was then that my heart slowed and my jaw unclenched.
Then I realized something about her. I had been studying her far too long now not to know how she felt. I knew everything about her. From the shadows, I watched as she dressed, ate, brushed her teeth, even played with herself. I knew what made her tick. I knew exactly how she wanted and needed pleasing. And I was going to make damn sure I gave that to her.