More tightening pressure in his groin and he was forced to kick out his other leg or risk cutting off all blood to his cock.

Shit, maybe that’s what he needed. That or a swim in the Arctic Ocean.

He also knew that she was alone. She looked so sad all the time, but the second someone started talking to her she plastered on a sarcastic smile and fake personality. Why’d she do it? Those were questions he burned to get an answer for, but first there was something driving him.

He watched her pour a glass of water and settle into a chair in front of the empty fireplace; Jacks crossed to her and took the seat next to her. She glanced at him for the first time since returning and Jacks didn’t miss the nervous darting of her eyes.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

Her thing eyebrows lifted past her bangs and her blue eyes peeked quickly at him then fluttered away. “Nothing’s wrong. Except the whole Kategan losing their land thing.” She shrugged as if to say ‘no biggie.’ Jacks relaxed in the chair, kicking his legs out in front of him to relieve that damned bulge in his crotch. Fucking dick never listened. If it had, he wouldn’t be in this situation to begin with and Rome’s mate wouldn’t have been cut up like Zorro went at her.

He didn’t miss the fact that Vera watched his legs then trailed up them to stop at his cock that was trying to push its way out of his zipper. Her cheeks flushed and he would have given a tooth to know what she was thinking at that moment. He knew what he was thinking: her sweet little tongue sucking his cock, right now with her between his legs.

“I know that’s bothering you, but that’s not what I meant. Something else happened while you were gone.”

She glanced away from him and scoffed. “And you guessed that because you spent some time working with Ms. Cleo and some of her psychic abilities rubbed off on you?”

“No, because when you came back the tears were dried up, but your back was so rigid it was a wonder your spine didn’t snap.” She turned and glared at him. This man had a knack for details that drove her past frustration and into gonna-start-slapping mode.

“Well aren’t you a regular Sherlock Holmes.” He didn’t even crack a smile, just stared at her, waiting. Sighing heavily, she shook her head and said, “If you must know then Dmetri and I had a little talk.”

She must be evil because a delicious feminine thrill flared inside her when his eyes darkened with anger, and his hands curled into loose fists. She could easily envision him wielding that big knife she’d seen him sharpening and carrying that shiny black gun on the table with intimate familiarity.

“About what,” he said between clenched teeth. She smiled at him, actually smiled. Not that fake one either, but a beautiful, thrilled smile that made his heart feel weird in his chest.

“About how he drugged that wine he gave me with an aphrodisiac.” He nearly threw himself out of the chair, but then she was on top of him in the blink of an eye.

Her eyes were glowing, not brightly, but a dim glow that reminded him of catching a deer in the headlights. He caught her hips in his hands as she crawled over his body, wrapping her arms around his neck and rubbing her cheek across his stubble like a cat. She’s lykaen not human. It was a little too late to have reservations about that now, dipshit.

“God damn,” he said, his throat so dry it was a croak. She rubbed her hands through his short hair and it took every ounce of his will not to roll his eyes into the back of his head. She was trying to distract him. Fuck that.

“What was in the aphrodisiac?”

“Vampire blood.”

His arms looped around her waist and brought her flush against his big chest. She gave a soft little sigh and snuggled into him. Damn she smelled good, felt good. He wanted to lift up her dress and feel all the glorious skin that he knew was baby soft, but he needed to know something first. Something that had been driving him crazy all day.

“Why didn’t you want me to take you from behind today?” She stiffened so quickly against him; it took a second for his mind to register the change. The soft woman he’d been holding now felt like a block of ice. She started to pull away so he snatched her wrists to keep her there, locking his arm tight around her. And she fought him, he could feel her using her strength to push against him...testing him. When she finally lifted her gaze to his it was hard—all the heat of the moment gone like a blown-out match.

“That’s none of your business.”

“Yes it is. I’m here to protect you, which makes it my business. There’s something between us, which also makes it my business. And I want to be inside you right now, which really makes it my business. I swear I’m not going to leave you alone about this until you tell me.”

She looked away, rolling her eyes. “There’s nothing between us right now but your ego.”

“Bullshit,” he said holding her closer, forcing her down into his arms. “Don’t lie to me, Vera. I don’t know what this is, I’ve never felt this before, and I’ve felt a lot in my life. Fear, horror, pain, shock, but this...I know you feel it too. Tell why you didn’t want me to.”

It was an order if she’d ever heard one. And she didn’t know what it was. It could have been his order, his persistence, her worry over the Kategan land, or some evil fairy sitting on her shoulder goading her, but she looked away and told the truth.

“Dmetri used to be aggressive in bed. I loved it. I think...I craved it.” His whole body clenched beneath hers and she rushed to finish. He was so much like an Alpha that she to keep reminding herself he was only human. “Now I know it wasn’t him. I loved him. I let myself go with him completely, gave him everything I had, and it wasn’t enough. He didn’t want me anymore and...” Somehow, she kept her voice soft and low.

“Since him I’ve never let a man dominate me in bed or anywhere else. It was in bed that I lost a piece of myself to him.” She laughed, the sound unsteady and high. “I used to always be so afraid to let myself go, completely, sexually. With Dmetri, I got to do that, I got to give the reigns of control over to him. I guess a part of me is afraid that if I lose that control again, it will just happen all over again. I really don’t think I could survive two broken hearts.”

This time when she pulled away, he let her go.

She went to the window and watched the night sky rain. It beat against the window, filling the room with dull tings.

Jacks’ mind was processing her words at the rate of a dialup connection. His heart was heavy in his chest yet beating fast like he’d been running. He wished like hell there was a training manual on what to do in this situation. He was left with no choice but to listen to his instincts. He strode to the window, spun her around, and caught her against him.

It was as if she’d been waiting for him this whole time. She wrapped her arms around his neck like he was her lifeline. He’d always been an honest man; it was something his mom had taught him from a young age.

So when he cupped her cheek, tilted her lips towards his, and said, “You can trust me. I don’t know how or why yet, but I know that I’m not going to leave you alone. There’s something about you that’s captured me. I don’t know what it is, but I’m going to find it, figure it out, and along the way I’m going to learn every inch of your body.”

Vera shook her head in desperation. “No, no, no.” She was still repeating the word when he bent down and captured her lips in a hard, dizzying kiss.

He let up for air, pushing her back against the wall. His big, rough hand found the edge of her dress and was lifting it, then he was touching her bare bottom with a greedy, hungry touch. The ache inside her deepened and bloomed.

“Yes, baby. Yes. You know this is something, right here between us, don’t deny it.” He leaned down to her ear and in a ragged voice said, “I hate liars, baby.” She couldn’t think with him touching her. His hands were on both off her ass cheeks, squeezing and keeping her close with his possessive touch.