last night. There had been so much blood, too much blood.
But today you’re okay. Why?”
“You saved me.”
The pain in her temples flared. She shook her head, trying
to will the pain away. “That’s-that’s impossible.”
Horace looked up at her.
She could feel the press of his gaze.
“It is impossible, isn’t it?” she asked.
“If you remember what happened last night, Faith, you know
the truth.”
Now she felt a need to rub her throbbing temples.
“But it hurts to remember.”
“Then don’t. Go,” Horace said. There was a power in his
voice. Faith had heard him use that power before. “Go back to your university.
Forget that you ever met me. Forget about last night. Live the life you were
meant to live.”
Though she nodded that she would forget, Faith knew she
could never forget him. Deep down she knew fate wanted her to take this path.
Horace needed her .
She reached out and closed her hand over his. It took
considerable courage for her to risk yet another rejection. But she refused to
give up. Not on him. Though she barely knew Horace, Faith couldn’t find it in
her heart to give up on him. They’d been made for each other. What had happened
last night had happened for a reason.
Faith climbed onto his lap and straddled his hips. It wasn’t
about whether he wanted her or not. She already knew he wanted her.
Without saying a word—words seemed too risky right now—she
pressed herself against the length of Horace’s hard chest. Swirling her tongue,
she flicked the nub of her piercing against the velvety skin of his ear.
“Don’t to that,” Horace groaned, but he didn’t push her
away.
Encouraged, Faith sucked on his earlobe. His skin tasted
salty and warm. Hmmm, what an enticing flavor. She wanted more. She wanted him.
She tried to unbutton his blue cotton shirt, but he caught her wrists with an
unbreakable grip and held them over her head.
When she tried to tease his earlobe with her pierced tongue
again, he pulled away.
His gaze pressed down on her until the air felt too heavy to
breath. He studied her. Taking in every piece of her. Making her feel delicate
and vulnerable.
“This is wrong,” he said.
But Faith could tell Horace’s defenses were breaking. She
wiggled against the bulge in his pants. She’d done it to tease him, but she
ended up teasing herself.
“This is what you want.” She bit his shoulder. His arousal
jumped. She bit him again.
“Oh, hell…Faith…” Horace took her into his arms and crushed
his lips against hers. This time when she reached for his belt, he let her
unhook the buckle.
“My, my, my…” a voice from the door startled them both.
“You, my stubborn foundling, are supposed to be dead.”
A dark-haired man, who Faith would later have one hell of a time
describing, walked toward them. He held a huge gun that he kept trained on
Horace’s back. And when he spoke, his lips didn’t move. “Never mind, I’ll
simply kill you again.”
Chapter Seven
Kill him ? Faith’s heart slammed into her throat. The
dark-haired villain, with a deadly glint in his eye, aimed the gun directly at
them. She had no doubt he meant to do them harm.
Horace grew very still. His grip tightened on Faith’s hips.
“Now, let’s not be hasty. Let us talk about whatever is—” Horace started to say
but the dark-haired man shook his head. The force of the movement seemed to
slap Horace in the face. He jerked his head back in pain.
“There’s nothing to talk about, Lion. The contract has been
made. But I do feel like I need to say something first.” The assassin
clucked his tongue. “I never would have guessed you would treat your woman so
carelessly. She’s not a whore, but your mate. She should be honored.
Celebrated. Not tossed to the floor and taken like some common…like some common…”
Words seemed to fail the villain.
“Who are you?” Horace asked. He shifted Faith in his arms,
shielding her with as much of his body as possible from