Free A Conquest Like No Other by Emma Anderson Page B

reaction to her mentioning his
tattoos when they had first met.
      “No, and I’m ashamed to say that I tried
everything within my power to ignore the mating bond at first.” His hand ran
over his stubble, while his gaze seemed to be begging for forgiveness.
    “Were you ever planning on
telling me?” Her emotions were equally split between the need for answers,
excitement that this gorgeous man had feelings for her, and panic at the
thought of a relationship with him. His rejection, while it stung a little,
only matched her own desire to deny her need for him.
    “Once I came to my senses, I had
every intention of telling you. But I also knew a little of your past, and I
wanted you to feel at ease with my presence before I hit you with our
intertwined futures,” Viper explained, rubbing his hand up and down her arm.
“To be mated to me means giving yourself to me wholly. Our joining won’t be in
just our living arrangements, but in our body, mind and soul. We will know each
other’s innermost thoughts, emotions and whereabouts. But to have that we must
trust each other immensely. That shield you surround your heart with,
protecting it from any further pain, is also protecting you from me. And
sweetheart, I need all of you. I won’t accept anything less.”
    “I’m scared, Tatts,” she said
honestly. Now that she had some answers, her fear had taken over her emotions.
    “I know,” he said, dropping his
hands. “But you need to work out exactly what you fear. Is it Watson? The idea
of being intimate with me? Or trusting again?”
    “All of them,” she admitted.
    “Thank you for being honest with
me, sweetheart,” he said, sending her one of his killer smiles. “Together we
can face your fears.”
    “How?”
    “Well since you are now living
with me, we’ll have more time to get to know one another. Together we will work
on your trust, and eventually your intimacy fears.”
    “Living together?” she stuttered.
“For how long?”
    “How about we agree to stick with
the living arrangements until Watson is caught,” Viper replied, pulling her
into his chest. “And I’ll work on extending it to forever.”
    How could this beautiful man want
to pursue a relationship with her? No man wanted a woman with trust and fear
issues, yet here he was asking for exactly that, a relationship. She had never
lived with a man. Sure Paul had stayed over at her place a couple of times a
week, but even when she had no reason to doubt the man, she never saw herself
living with him. Yet still he had managed to change her for all men, and not in
a good way.
    “Where am I sleeping?” she asked,
looking up to meet his gaze.
    “Why don’t we just take each day
as it comes and see where that leads us? But I will admit that I was hoping you
might want to remain in my bed. I promise nothing will happen until you ask it
to. I would never allow any harm to come to you, and that includes from me,” he
promised vehemently. “And that goes double for Watson. I won’t allow that sick
bastard anywhere near you. My only wish is that Detectives Morris and Redburn don’t find him first. I have my own form of
punishment in mind that won’t have him harming another being.”
    As tears rolled down her cheeks
at his earnest words, she conceded that his plan made sense. The truth was, it
was the only plan that would guarantee her safety. She had the next few days
off, which would allow her to stay at the hotel and spend some time with Gabby.
Hopefully by next week Paul would be back in custody and out of her life once
more.
    That last thought reminded her of
something else Viper had said. Wiping away her tears, she said, “Wait, the two
detectives from Gabby’s brother’s case were there!”
    “Yes.”
    “But why?” Her voice full of
panic. Why would they be involved unless they suspected that she or Gabby had a
hand in his murderer’s death. When Viper shared the words the two men had
spoken, it only brought up more questions.