Page 72 of Power of Shadow

It’s something personal. Something very important to him.

The playful, seductive, and magnetic Ryker disappears, replaced by a cold and uncompromising Ryker. It’s his armor, his mask, and his defensive wall all at once.

“Hey, I’m sorry,” I whisper. “I didn’t mean to get on your nerves or to be so nosy. You’re right; it’s none of my business. Sometimes I can be such an insensitive bitch—”

Ryker’s hand grabs my hair at the roots and wraps it around hand in three movements. He pulls on it, and I respond with a hiss. My head tilts back to ease the pain a little, his face once again close to mine.

“Never talk about yourself like that again. Do you understand?”

Speechless, I accept his words like a prayer.

Isn’t it strange? The person who until now was my enemy, my rival, is slowly turning into my protector. Even from vigilante justice.

My heart skips a beat.

Ryker doesn’t wait for my answer. His lips collide with mine.

It’s a shame he didn’t tell me anything about the Pact that I hadn’t already learned from Alex’s files.

Chapter 16

Ashley

I’m so fucking horny I can barely think straight. My thighs squeeze together, and a whimper escapes my throat. Biting my lip until I taste the metallic tang of blood.

It’s not enough. Rubbing the most sensitive part of my body against the fabric of my pants isn’t enough.

Christ. I didn’t know it could look like this.

Everything inside me is trembling. Maybe on the outside too. I have no idea because he has my undivided attention.

Ryker, or the Jackal, has brought me a mouse to play with, like a cat. His new prey lies between us on the floor of an abandoned warehouse.

It’s my first time here. In this whole situation, I don’t even notice my surroundings. All I see is the Jackal and our victim lying there, bleeding out.

The Jackal’s methodical approach, his calculated movements, his control over the situation, his power blow me away. The first few minutes of this encounter were enough to make me wet between my thighs.

I bite my lower lip harder, and this slight movement draws the Jackal’s gaze to my face. His eyes darken, and I understand exactly what he’s thinking.

I can picture exactly what’s going through his mind.

Yes, this is the first time we’ve worked together. And yes, this is also the first time neither of us is covering our faces. We’re not pretending to be someone we’re not in front of each other. And that this whole thing turns me on so much says a lot about me.

“Baby, if you don’t let go of that lip right now, I’ll fuck you in a pool of his blood,” he warns me in a low, hungry voice.

These words work like magic because I actually release my lip and smile gently at him. I submit to him, and that’s something I’ve never done before.

Who are you, Ash? Who is he?

“You’re so sexy when you work.”

A sigh precedes his words. “Do you see how hard it is for me to work here?” He addresses the man writhing at his feet. “Not only do you not want to talk to me, but Satan sends me an angel to tempt me. How am I supposed to keep my head straight and not be distracted by this walking sin?” He spreads his arms to show he means no harm. “Be a good man and help out a guy in need.”

With admirable speed, the Jackal’s leg finds its target on the victim’s body, kicking him in the stomach.

My breath catches in my throat.

I’m sick. Until now, I didn’t know how sick I was. Working with the Jackal opens doors in me that were previously closed, illuminates a hidden secret, and develops a new level of hunger.