Chapter Twenty-One

Hadley

Watching his face close down on me is one of the most heart-breaking moments of my life. Realizing that I've pushed him too far nearly breaks me in half.

"Never mind." Moving from the bed, I straighten and walk toward the door. "You answered my question. I'll make sure to be gone by morning."

I know he heard me talking to Kaiya. I know he was pissed about what he heard. Seeing his erection push against his jeans, the only logical explanation I have is that after hearing everything, he doesn't want to deal with broken goods.

Before the handle can twist in my hand, he grabs my wrist, spins me, and slams me against the wall. My other wrist is captured and both are held above my head while he stares down at me intently. His breathing is harsh and my nipples are painfully hard as he pins me against the wall with his chest. I wish I didn't have this reaction to him, that I could be disgusted with him too, but it simply isn't the truth.

"Christ, woman." The quality of his voice is raw and honest. "What is your fucking problem?"

"I don't have a problem, Wolf."

The amount of sarcasm is daunting now. I want him to do something. I've been on pins and needles around this man for two weeks. They won't let me leave the damn club. Wolf doesn't like it when there are too many people around me if he's not here, so I am isolated. They won't let me leave and go back to my own life, which in turn makes me beyond irritated.

I have no outlet for anything, and my vibrator is at home in a drawer, so I'm frustrated. All of this has apparently caused me to turn into a raging bitch. But I want him to show some balls and make a fucking move.

Day in and day out, I watch him watch me. Even when I was black and blue, his gaze never wavered. He never treated me differently. Now, when he has the chance, he won't do it because he heard my story. My past. No one wants damaged goods. Feeling tears pricking at my eye, I try to convince myself that it's the anger fueling those tears, not the heartbreak.

He slams my wrists against the wall to get my attention then proceeds to lift my hands higher. I'm now on my tiptoes and this causes me to arch my back, pushing my breasts harder into his chest. He's deadly serious.

"Don't fucking call me that!"

"It's your name, isn't it, Wolf?" I challenge him yet again.

I won't call him by his name. Brandon is someone I care for and might even love if I let myself. Wolf is an asshole and I need to remind myself of that at this moment.

"Brandon."

"Well, that's not what everyone else calls you, now is it?" I keep poking at him, hoping if I piss him off enough, he'll let me go, and I can get my shit and return to my regular life.

His eyes are dark, like storm clouds over the open ocean. He leans his head in and whispers in my ear. "But you're not everyone, are you?" He finishes the sentence with a nip to my earlobe.

A moan escapes me and my body goes lax in his hold. I don't understand what the hell is happening here. I'm so turned on I feel like I might spontaneously combust any moment. I thought he was disgusted after hearing about my past but that's not what's happening right now.

Only the hand holding my wrists and his chest pressed to mine keep me vertical. I want this man so bad. I have since the first time I laid eyes on him. My pussy is slick with need for him and I can feel my tights getting wet down my thighs. He releases one wrist to clamp it together with the other, using only one of his hands. His hand caresses down from my wrist, over my elbow to my shoulder. He doesn't stop or pause because he knows he doesn't need to. He skims it lightly over my right breast, barely grazing my nipple and then down my side and around the back to grab my ass. He lifts my leg and hooks it around his hips and grinds his hard-on against my pussy.

The moan that escapes me is wanton and I can't find the will to care because I don't.

"Do you really think I don't want you?" he asks, grinding his cock harder into my pussy. "Do you really think I'm just going to stand by and watch some other man touch you? Have what's mine?"

My eyes are closed and I hope to God that's a rhetorical question because I simply cannot answer him at this moment

"I'm giving you space." He pulls away from me and gently sets me back on the floor. My eyes open and I find his gaze intently on mine.

"I'm giving you time to heal. I can't be another person who hurts you. So I need you to be healthy and happy before I take you. Because when I take you, babe, I'm never letting you go. Understand?"

Watching him take a step back, I feel like I'm losing him. "Help me heal then."

His eyes find mine and they are filled with confusion. He doesn't understand what I want. I lift my shirt and reveal my body to him for the first time since the day I woke. I know there are still fading bruises and that the mark from the bullet wound will never completely fade. His gaze is like a caress on my body and he seems to be holding himself back. He's rigid from head to toe, but I see the desire on his face.

"Take it away, Brandon."

His eyes return to mine and I know that he sees the tears that are ready to spill yet again.

"The last hands I had on my body were his. The last memory I have with a man is with him. Help me change that."

I've barely finished speaking when he is on me. He cups my face in his hands and gazes at me before planting his lips on mine. This isn't a soft or romantic kiss. This is a claiming. He holds me to him and plunders my mouth. Fucking in and out of it with his tongue. Running my hands up his back, I push them through his hair, dragging him impossibly closer. He pulls back, breathing hard and staring straight in my eyes.

"If I knew that's what you needed, I would have done it the minute Doc cleared you." He grabs my ass and lifts me effortlessly into the air, and my legs automatically wrap around his waist.