Free A Tiger's Bounty by Terry Bolryder

why she shouldn’t be able to get back to her normal life by now.
    That didn’t make it any easier, though.
    “I guess so. From what I’ve been able to find out, it was all just bad luck, so as long as you steer clear of anywhere they might expect to find you, this should all blow over.”
    Amber seemed disappointed at that, though. Maybe because it wasn’t the explanation she was looking for?
    “So you’re saying it’s okay if I go stay with my friend?” She stood before him and folded her arms.
    “Honestly, I’m just trying to do the right thing. I can’t keep you from your life more than I already have. This whole thing has been unfair for you. You’ll probably be better off staying with them.”
    What Jace couldn’t say was he wanted her here instead. That if he could, he would be with her forever and always protect her and love her.
    But that didn’t change the reality of their situation.
    Amber walked off with a huff, frustrated about something. From the bedroom, he could hear her packing up her stuff. He left the food and came to her, seeing her toss clothes and other things into the small piece of luggage she’d brought with her. It only further demonstrated how little she had left.
    Jace realized he wasn’t helping her at all. Just wasting her time. Time she could be using to get back to her goals or use to find a nice guy that could offer her everything he couldn’t. A normal life.
    One that didn’t involve a lowlife like him.
    It wasn’t until earlier that day when he’d kicked in the door of his own bathroom that he realized his world was as dangerous as it was and that having someone like Amber in it wasn’t right.
    “What’s up?” Jace asked Amber, who was fuming silently about something.
    “It’s just… I don’t know,” she said, trailing off as if searching for the right words. “All of this is just so sudden. I don’t know what to think of it.”
    “I understand. A lot has happened,” Jace said, trying to be helpful.
    To his surprise, Amber came over to where he was standing and threw her arms around him, nuzzling into him tightly. “I guess this was all just too good to be true?” she asked into his side.
    “Yeah. I guess so,” he replied, putting his arms around her. He could feel her breathing, a little faster than normal, and wondered what she was thinking.
    This was for the best, was all he could tell himself. The best for her at least.
    Amber looked up at him, and the view of her perfect, heart-shaped face with just the slightest hint of sadness in her eyes almost broke him. He leaned down and kissed her, long and gentle, relishing the feel of her plump lips and her soft body against him.
    “Do that again, please,” she petitioned quietly.
    He did so, this time dipping lower while tilting her chin up to meet his mouth. Whenever he kissed like this, it felt like forever. Like it accessed something unfathomable in his soul that he’d never known existed.
    He would perhaps miss this most when she was gone.
    “Will I see you again?” Amber asked.
    “As much as I’d love that, hopefully not. If the men that were after you see me anywhere near you, it would just put you in more danger. And there’s a lot of people out there who are interested in doing me and anyone close to me harm.”
    Jace wished he could explain what it was he did, but the less she knew, the safer she would be.
    And the more able she’d be to forget about him when she left.
    “Then can we have one more night together?” In her eyes, he could see her sadness. But Jace knew if she knew the truth about him, about what he was deep inside, she wouldn’t feel this way. The ideal of him was so far from the truth.
    Jace hesitated. His body responded to her instantly, and his tiger had already formed a bond with her unlike any other woman on the planet. He could handle it, and he wanted to pleasure her, one last time. The question was, could she?
    “I’m a big girl, Jace. I know what I want and I