Free Primal Possession by Katie Reus

stood so that he was half blocking both women.
    Part of Jayce wanted to pummel Liam for covering his view of Kat, but his most primal side gave Liam credit for protecting the females. Most males, even hardened warriors, were scared of Jayce. A trickle of unease rolled off Liam, but he wasn’t shitting-his-pants afraid like so many other wolves. And he was ready to fight if need be. Jayce wouldn’t admit it out loud, but that wolf’s stock had just gone up in his opinion.
    Kat still hadn’t noticed him, so he paused by an empty high-top table near the edge of the small dance floor far enough away from the bar. He pulled out his cell phone. Liam was staring him down with a mix of curiosity andaggression, but Jayce ignored the other wolf for the moment. He hit speed dial one, then waited and watched.
    Kat laughed at something the redhead said, then glanced at her purse sitting on the bar. She fished out her phone. When she spotted his number, she glared at the phone, then tossed it back into her purse. The redhead asked something, but Kat just shook her head and waved a dismissive hand in the air with those long, elegant fingers of hers. Fingers that had raked over every inch of him.
    It shouldn’t matter. He’d known the kind of reception he’d get from her. But seeing her outright reject him pierced him worse than any injury he’d suffered in battle.
    Kat tucked a strand of her long, dark hair behind her ear and nodded at the redhead. For a moment her glance flicked away and that’s when she spotted him. He pushed away from the table and didn’t pause in his determined stride.
    For a fraction of a second her eyes widened in shock, but just as quickly she glared at him. She jumped off her bar stool, elbowed Liam out of her way, and marched toward him. Placing well-manicured hands on jean-clad hips, she covered the last few feet between them, mindless of the loser wearing an ascot who tried to get her attention.
    “What the hell are you doing here?” Those pale blue eyes of hers held him captive. They flashed angrily and his entire body went on red alert. He loved it when she looked at him like that. Maybe he was messed up in the head, but he loved her angry. That anger usually translated to heat in the bedroom. Their makeup sex had always been off the charts.
    He fought to breathe until she punched her finger in the middle of his chest and he realized she was still talking.
    “When someone doesn’t return your calls, that means they don’t want to talk to you. Get it? I do not want to see you or talk to you.” Her words were practically a growl.
    “I’m not here for you,” he said, keeping his voice intentionally devoid of emotion. His statement was sort of the truth. He wasn’t
solely
there for her. Well, tonight he’d come to the lodge for her specifically. He’d planned to visit the Armstrong-Cordona ranch in the morning. Since Liam was here, he lied in an attempt to salvage some of his pride. Pathetic.
    “What?”
    “I’m here to see Liam.”
    “Oh.” She faltered slightly but she was still pissed. “Well, good, then. I see the man I plan to fuck tonight, so I’ll just see you later. Or better yet,
never
.” Without pause she stomped away.
    Fuck?
Kat never talked like that. She rarely said the word, even when she was turned on. Hell, she rarely cursed at all. Blood rushed wildly in his ears. He turned to find her sashaying toward some pretty boy with a popped collar. His inner beast roared to the surface.
    Jayce quickly looked at Liam as he forced himself to control his breathing. The urge to shift forms was powerful, but he shoved his inner beast back. “I’ve got to take care of something, but I’ll talk to you later. Tell your brother I’ll be at the ranch tomorrow morning around eight.” Jayce noticed that the redhead’s eyes widened in fear as she backed away toward the bar, no doubt because his eyes had likely changed from their normal gray to black, but he didn’t care.
    Liam