Page 36 of She Belongs to Me

I moved more stealthily through the trees, stopping every few seconds and listening. It would appear she was doing the same thing. But I gathered a whiff of her perfume, a dead giveaway. After moving forward by a few feet, she made the critical error of either tripping or getting tangled in briars. Her moan indicated her frustration.

And it was close.

She was close.

So much so every muscle in my body tingled with anticipation. I wanted her more than I cared about decency. I’d question my motives later, but not now. Right now, I had two things in mind.

Bringing her back to safety.

More important? Making certain she knew her status in my household. It had been a long time since I’d been blindsided. I felt damn good. Something to covet.

To need.

The shadows were deepening, but I noticed just a slight flash as she sprinted the other way, running faster that I’d thought she could.

Yet it wasn’t long until I’d caught up with her, easily able to wrap my fingers around her arm.

“No!” she snarled and whipped around, not hesitating to crack her hand against my face.

The force she used hurt like hell, but it also excited me.

When she attempted to repeat the move, I grabbed her wrist, holding it midair. “That wasn’t being a good girl.”

“That’s part of the problem. You’ve mistaken me for a good girl.”

Of course she was playing her own game. She was perhaps one of the best people I knew. Her ethics were not to be challenged, her work habits unheard of. But here, around me, another side of her prevailed.

I liked the other side of her, one that had no issue letting go, and it spurred me on.

She tried to kick me and I blocked it easily. Using her left hand, she ripped at my shirt, doing nothing more than yanking it from the waistband of my tight trousers.

“You like to play rough?” I asked, the tone of my voice entirely different than I was used to.

“I don’t like anyone to think they’re stronger than me. I’m a fighter.”

That she was. The conviction in her voice was strong, more so than any female I’d come into contact with, my sister included.

“And so am I.” There was no excuse for my behavior of the entire last few hours, but now, this was a delicious game and nothing more. She’d instigated it and I was enthralled with just how far she’d go. I had no intention of forcing her to do anything. I had my questionable qualities, but insisting a woman do something against her will? I would never stoop that low.

With Alexandra, it would seem she’d brought out another side of me. It was one my family wouldn’t recognize. Hell, I didn’t.

But damn if it wasn’t fun.

The hunt.

The capture.

The hunger.

Almost instinctively, I wrapped one hand around her lovely, long throat, driving her step by step against one of the largest olive trees. I had no idea how the woman would react. At first, she shoved her palms against me, hissing as if I’d crossed every line in every book.

I was certain I’d need to let her go, which I was prepared to do. But her next action was one I would never forget.

Even if it could drive us both into some level of purgatory.

Using both hands, she ripped my tee shirt, exposing my chest.

And she laughed as if she was the one in charge.