Free In Blood and Worth Loving 3 Kiss Cover by Marilyn Lee Page A

That doesn ’ t make me feel any better about what happened last night, Adrian. ”
    “ He ’ s out of control because of his feelings for you. Why else would none of the dire consequences he might have implied actually happened? ”
    “ He did more than imply them, Adrian. I think the only thing that saved me last night was the fact that I ’ m Rayna ’ s friend. ”
    He narrowed his gaze. “ You can ’ t believe that ’ s the only reason. ”
    She rubbed her sore wrists. “ I do. ”
    “ Then let me school you, Desiree. I know Conner better than anyone else. So believe me when I tell you the fact that he did lose control in such a frightening way is a sure sign of the depth of his feelings for you. He is the most controlled full-blood I ’ ve ever known.
    “ If he didn ’ t care, he wouldn ’ t have lost control with you. I know you were frightened, but he would not have hurt you. ”
    She balled her hand into a fist and hit the table. “ He did hurt me! He put his hands on me, Adrian and he shook the hell out of me! I thought he was going to… ”
    “ Oh honey, I – ”
    “ He called me a silly bitch, accused me of slutting around, and said I was a fool if I thought he couldn ’ t rape and kill me! He gave me the distinct impression that he might have killed a woman who angered him before, but I suppose you ’ re going to pretend not to know anything about that. ”
    He compressed his lips before he replied. “ Most full-bloods have done many things a human woman might find beyond the pale, Desiree. ”
    “ Is that a yes or a no, Adrian? ”
    “ It ’ s a reminder that you should not attempt to judge us by human standards. We are not human. Sometimes we do not feel bound by the rules that bind humans. ”
    She blinked. “ Meaning you think it ’ s okay to shake the hell out of a woman whose only crime is falling in love with you? ”
    “ No. I don ’ t think that ’ s okay. I doubt if it matters to you, but I read his ass the riot act about that. ”
    “ You ’ re right. It doesn ’ t matter to me. ” She narrowed her gaze. “ You probably think being a full-blood makes it okay to kill people? ”
    “ If you ’ d like to know have I ’ ve killed anyone, the answer is yes. I ’ ve killed far more people than you want to know about. ”
    “ How many of them were your lovers? ”
    He leaned across the table to look at her with a cool look in the blue eyes so like Conner ’ s. “ That ’ s between me and Brandi. ”
    She knew he had a right to be annoyed with her. He ’ d always been kind and generous to her. Her beef was with Conner. Not him. “ Fine. Keep it between the two of you, but why are you here if you don ’ t want to discuss anything of real importance? ”
    “ I came to do what Conner couldn ’ t; to ask for your understanding and forgiveness for last night. ”
    “ And just why the hell can ’ t he do that himself, Adrian? ”
    “ Because he ’ s in no shape to see you. ”
    “ Or maybe it ’ s because he has no more interest in seeking my forgiveness than I have i n giving it! ”
    He sighed, running his hand through his hair. “ You ’ re angry and you have every right to be. ”
    “ You ’ re damned right I do. I think he rattled every bone in my body. So let ’ s hear your but. ”
    “ But I am telling you he ’ s sorry for last night. The moment he left you he sought me out and he was almost inconsolable. Please. Please, honey. I know you have every right to do it, but don ’ t write him off just yet. Give him a little more time to work through and accept his feelings for you. Please. ”
    She sucked in a deep breath. “ Part of me wants to, but I can ’ t get over how he treated me last night. His putting his hands on me in anger like that was bad enough. But then he made it worse by making me feel as if I ’ d be the last person he would fall in love with … if he did romantic love. I deserved far better than what he gave me last night. I ’