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Without ungluing his gaze from mine, he rips off the duct tape on my wrists–the same tape I’ve been futilely twisting and tugging for the last two hours–with his bare hands. He balls the mess up and shoves it under the seat then pulls his shirt off my head. His gaze falls hungrily on my exposed bra and bare belly.
I try not to be flattered, but my body doesn’t get the memo. My nipples stiffen and peak under my bra. Every part of me seems to freaking love Abe’s attention. And now that he’s admitted his interest to me, it’s much, much harder to hate him.
It’s like the two of us are in on the same secret. I mean, of course we are. Everything that happened tonight is a shared secret. But him saying he’s attracted to me was like the turning of a key in a lock.
The activation of an “us”. Something we can’t return from.
His hand returns to my throat and once more, he strokes his thumb lightly over the place on my neck where the vampire bit me. The second that creature looked into my eyes, I could hear his commands in my head.
Don’t move. My body went still.
Then, You didn’t see a wolf tonight. I tried to think of wolves, but couldn’t even picture one.
I “remembered” Abe–in his human form–catching me falling off the cliff, but nothing after.
And then suddenly I was in the vampire’s bedroom having my vein drained. But I felt certain Abe would stop him. I didn’t believe for a second that he would leave me at the mercy of the blood-sucker.
And I’ve never seen anything so badass as that door flying off the hinges and a furious Abe coming through. Knowing he was probably scared made it all the more heroic. Knowing he was scared for me was downright swoony.
“Does this still hurt, Lauren?” He’s being genuine Abe–not the cocky asshole from school. This is a guy I could actually fall for. Which scares me.
“Of course, it fucking hurts.” I shudder, remembering how it felt to be enthralled by the vampire.
I’m lying. It doesn’t hurt much at all. I’m still buzzing–feel good hormones rush through my body like I just orgasmed or had a great workout. The heaviness that has surrounded me, the fog I’ve been living in for the past year, seems to have cleared for the moment.
So there is a gift to this fucked up night.
Also, I cried. That might be the biggest gift of all.
“Take me home, Abe,” I say because it’s all too much to absorb. Not that Abe is a werewolf or I was bitten by a vampire. No, the part that’s really shaking me is my feelings for Abe.
I need to get out of his car. Get home and climb in my bed and just dream this night away. Maybe tomorrow things will make sense.
He puts the car in drive. Neither of us speaks again until he pulls up in front of my house.
I throw the door open to get out, but he grabs my wrist. “Hold up.”
I try unsuccessfully to shake him off.
“You say a word to anyone about this–”
“Go fuck yourself, Abe,” I tell him.
“No, Pearls.” He transforms back into his cocky asshole persona right before my eyes. There’s a puffing of his chest. A lift and thrust of his chin. A jeering sort of expression around the mouth.
I want to slap that expression right off his face. I brace for whatever assholery will come from his mouth.
“Here’s how it’s going to go, princess. I will keep your mom’s letter as insurance. If you talk–if you say a word to anyone about what transpired tonight–I will make you watch as I burn it to ashes.”
Chapter Nine
Abe
I prowl closer to the Sterling mansion. It’s midnight, but I can’t sleep. I popped my window open and crawled out, staying in human form this time as I stalk my prey.
I should be glad I made Lauren Sterling hate me again.
She punched me in the jaw when I threatened her, which didn’t hurt me, but probably bruised the hell out of her knuckles.
