Page 54 of Big Bad Wolf

His throat tightened, strangling him.

Ruby tugged her arm back when they made it to the living room. “What the hell is wrong with you?” she hissed.

“I…” Rafe squeezed his eyes shut, willing the image of Scarlet’s bloody flesh from his mind. Except it wasn’t Scarlet anymore. She’d been replaced in his mind by Ruby. “I just…” He couldn’t breathe. His lungs forgot how. What if they’d gotten to her? What would they have done?

Did the Highland pack want Ruby and her sister dead?

Or just scared?

Or did they have other plans for the Bellerose sisters?

Then Ruby’s hand was on his arm. “Okay, big guy. Take a seat.” She guided him to the couch and sat beside him. Her hand was cool on the back of his neck as she gently pushed his head between his knees.

“Just breathe,” she whispered and slowly, his throat loosened and his lungs took up their job again.

When he finally managed to look up at her once more, there was so much damn concern in her eyes it nearly sent him into a tailspin all over again. He pressed his fingers into his thighs, digging in until the pain distracted him from the soft look on Ruby’s face. He did not deserve that look.

“What happened?” she asked, sitting back on the cushions, her legs crossed beneath her.

“Did you go anywhere?”

“No. You said not to, so I didn’t⁠—”

“Good.” His voice was rough. Too rough. Everything he said sounded like he was angry with her. But it wasn’t her. It was everything else.

Her hand was on his arm again, her fingers tracing his muscles. He hadn’t bothered with a shirt.

“What happened?” she asked again and he remembered she wanted honesty.

He let out a long sigh and glanced toward the kitchen. They could hear Lena shuffling around, cleaning up.

“Come with me.” Ruby tugged him up from the couch and led him upstairs to her room, resettling on her bed. He sank down beside her, his feet on the floor, forearms resting on his thighs, his gaze on the floorboards.

“There were more wolves here. Today. I could smell them in the yard. Wyatt and others.”

“Oh.” Ruby’s voice was quiet.

At some point it had started to rain. Thunder rumbled in the distance. “I wasn’t here—” He lifted his face to look at her and found her big dark eyes staring at him. “You could have been hurt.” He couldn’t help it; he had to touch her. He cupped her face in his hands and swept a thumb across her cheek bone. She softened under his touch. So soft, so willing. Her lips parted, and he suddenly wanted that red lipstick smeared across his body.

Goddamn it. He nearly growled, pressing his forehead to hers, and her lashes fluttered closed.

Chase her through the woods, tackle her in the dirt, hold her down…

Theo’s words ran through his head. It was all too easy to picture: Ruby beneath him, her breath coming fast and needy, her whimpers and moans, her lush thighs wrapped around him…

Shit.

He pulled away, running his hands roughly through his own hair. Ruby blinked her eyes open and raised a dark brow, but she didn’t push him. Didn’t comment on the raging erection that was so obvious in these damn shorts.

“Did you find out anything from your brother?” Her question was casual but the throaty quality to her voice told him she was just as affected as he was.

Rafe scoffed. “Nothing. It was a wasted trip. Just reminded me how much he pisses me off.”

She laughed a little at that and moved closer to him on the bed. Lightning flashed and lit the dim room, thunder louder than before.

“What time do you need to be at work?”

“We don’t have to leave for another hour.”