TWENTY ONE

Loren

I should be more angry about what a wasted morning that was.

Only I’m too busy trying to figure out what game Kivrayn is playing. Why did he stop to help me? Why pull my car out of the ditch and follow me all the way to Cambridge just so he can drive me home again? Was he just trying to make sure I didn’t get in to see Percy?

He seemed genuinely mad that I got into the car with that guy. I can’t make head or tail of it, just like him stalking me.

Unless....

Maybe this is some misplaced kind of protective instinct. Could that be what it was those other times too, when he complained about the cut of my dress and followed me to the bar?

The thought makes me quiet as I play back over those times we’ve clashed in my head. Come to think of it, was that why he turned up on my date with Erik?

“You’re deliberately following me, aren’t you?”

Kivrayn doesn’t look at me. Instead he keeps his eyes on the road, but the tip of his tail flicks against the floor of the car, making a thump. “As I tried to explain to you earlier, yes. I followed you. I deliberately rescued the rental car you abandoned on the side of the road and followed you to make sure you didn’t get murdered and dumped in a river somewhere.”

I snort. “I wasn’t going to get murdered. Jack was actually a very nice guy.”

“Jack, is it? I’m sure he’s perfectly nice until he’s hacking your cold dead body up to fit it inside the plastic barrel he bought from the hardware store.”

“Jesus.” I can’t help laughing. “You’ve got a sadistic mind, you know that?”

Kivrayn’s brow lifts. “I prefer the term strict, actually. I’m not deeply into pain. I’d rather punish a sub in other ways.”

I can’t control the way my pussy flutters at his words. At the way he turned the conversation down another path. A very, very tempting path.

He shakes his head. “I find it very inconvenient how distracting you are.”

“Me? What about you? You changed the subject!” I’m still laughing, though. Somehow this doesn’t feel like our usual bickering.

There’s silence for a while. I consider turning on the radio, but he’ll only hate whatever I choose and I’m hesitant to break whatever truce this is. I should be thinking about my next move.

After a while, Kivrayn sighs. “I need to find someone to fuck.”

“You and me both,” I tell him. You’d think after a night like last night, I’d be feeling satisfied. Truth be told, all I’m feeling is flushed and excited and keyed up for more. I forgot how great sex feels. It’s been so long.

Why the hell did he have to be the one to make me remember?

Idly I flick open the dating app I downloaded on my phone. Not that I have any data. All I can do is scroll through the list of guys I’ve already rejected or the ones who never answered me back. “Why are there so many useless guys out there?”

I’m not really talking to Kivrayn, so I’m surprised when he answers. “Out where?”

I gesture at my phone. “Online? In person. You name it. All of them useless.”

“All of them?”

I roll my eyes which is a complete waste of time since he’s not even looking. “Yes. All of them,” I say pointedly.

“Maybe they just don’t know how to deal with you.”

“Oh, and you do?”

Now he looks over and I suddenly get goosebumps remembering exactly how he dealt with me last night. “Don’t I?”

Fuck.

I keep my mouth shut, unable to give any satisfactory response.

He smirks. “Thought so.”

I glare out the front windshield. “Well then, I guess you’ll just have to fuck me again, won’t you? Since you think you’re so good.”

“I don’t think. I know . And I won’t be doing that.”

“Why not?” Not that I wanted it until a moment ago, but now that I think about it, I kinda would like one more turn on that ride. I have the feeling he has even more tricks up his sleeve that I never got to see, and I’m suddenly hella curious.

I don’t have to like him to fuck him again. I didn’t have to like him the first time, did I?

He opens his mouth, closes it again, then finally answers. “I said no.”

I watch him carefully. He’s gone back to staring at the road, even when we have to stop at a set of traffic lights.

There’s a telltale tic in his strong jaw.

“What aren’t you saying?” I push.

“I’m not saying to leave it alone, Loren, because I thought I made that clear. The answer is no.”

I let out a little huff of frustration. God, how can he sit there with those two massive weapons in his lap practically crying out for my attention and tell me no? I’ve been thinking so hard about what he said about giving me both of them that I’ve probably strained something.

Why fuck me once and then pretend he doesn’t want to touch me?

I can’t help one more little poke. “I know you enjoyed it. Don’t try to pretend you didn’t.”

“I said no!” His words are loud even over the engine and the noise of other cars.

“Touchy.”

He says nothing.

After about ten minutes of stony silence, I finally sigh. “Fine. Your loss. I’ll be in the bar tonight, though, if you change your mind—”

That muscle in his jaw jumps again, but he still says nothing.

“—Picking up someone else.”

Kivrayn lets out a low growl. “You will not be picking up someone else.”

He clearly doesn’t like the thought of me with someone else. Clearly wants to fuck. So why not? What’s his problem?

I can’t help myself. “Oh yeah? Better come stop me, then.”

We sit in silence all the rest of the way back to London, where he drops me off outside my hotel. It doesn’t even occur to me until I’m in the elevator going up to my floor that he never once asked for the name or address and that I just let him take my rental car.

Shit.

I should probably be more concerned about that. The truth is, I highly doubt he’ll do anything but return it to the company. Which is strange behavior, but so is everything he’s done today.

It’s only early afternoon, so I hang out in my room for a while, making phone calls that go nowhere and eventually painting my toenails and ordering room service.

I can’t help hoping that he takes my threat seriously about tonight and shows up. I have a feeling if he does, we’ll end up back at his hotel again, and the thought sends a hot thrill through me like I haven’t felt in ages.

Kivrayn’s definitely dangerous, but the problem with that is, I like danger.