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A tree branch breaks, and it’s close. So, what do I do? I run.
* * *
Luca
I creep closer to Dove. My entire body courses with energy only found during the hunt. My senses are tuned to what I seek, which is a scared woman who is doing nothing to protect herself. Her footsteps have been loud as she ran, but not as loud as her uncontrolled breathing. Her scent lingers in the air. When I let her shower, she thought I was being nice. The thought is laughable. No, she used the rose scented body wash without thought, and not her scent is everywhere. It makes my mouth water. It makes my cock hard. Fuck. The things I’m going to do to her once she’s mine…
Dove whimpers as she tries in vain to hide. She’s too busy looking in the direction of where Henri is coming from to even notice that I’m there. I could grab her, but she’s not broken enough. Not yet. I want her sobbing as she looks up at me, knowing that her life now belongs to me. Soon. But not soon enough.
Dove runs, as if that will save her, and Henri chases. Grandfather always said that Henri was too emotional in the chase. He’d let his feelings reign, which is why he never won. Not against me. Now is no exception. He chases Dove, gaining on her. She’s the only thing in his sight. If he were wise, he’d look around to make sure I wasn’t near, but he’s always had more muscles than brains. I watch as Henri grabs Dove, pulling her to the ground. She screams, fighting him until she realizes who has her pinned. There’s a tangible moment where they look at each other right before his mouth crashes over hers.
Well, this is interesting.
They kiss as if they feared they would never see each other again. And it fucking pisses me off. How dare he go after what’s mine? Dove tenderly cups his face, whispering something. I can’t make out the words from here, but it’s enough that my cousin looks like he’s been pierced right through the heart. They kiss again as they struggle to get as close as possible. Henri fumbles with his belt, unbuckling it and pulling down his pants just enough to free his cock. He moves between Dove’s legs, showing her wet dress up around her waist and enters her in a thrust so powerful that her back pushes into the dirt. Her expression is marred in pain, but he kisses her until she rocks into his thrusts, her pain slowly replaced by pleasure. While he might be a brute, at least he has a heart. I won’t be as gentle with her when I have her. And Iwillhave her.
Henri’s thrusts become shallow, and he reaches between their joined bodies. Dove’s mouth parts as a silent scream leaves her lips. Henri is close behind her, his release much louder. The look that passes between them pisses me off. One might say it looks like love.Love. The mere thought is laughable. Something pulls deep inside of my chest, and I turn my back on them. Reaching into my pocket, I send Maurice a text. Time to put my plan into action so that this game can be over, and I can take my prize back to the house.
Maurice texts back, and I smile at my phone. The prize is almost mine. Now I just need the Brute to fall for my trap. In the distance, the hounds howl as they’re released from their cages. They, too, are excited about the chase. It’s been too long since I’ve taken them out, letting them do what they do best. Dove and Henri stand, fixing their clothes. Dove’s eyes are wide with fear, which makes me happy. Am I a beast for feeding off her fear? Yes. Do I care? Not in the least.
Henri says something, pointing in the opposite direction of the red light. Ah. He thinks he can save her by hiding her? He forgets that I know this land better than he does. But I’ll let him do this. When the chase is over, I want both of them to know that Henri played a part in Dove being caught. Henri rips the hem of Dove’s dress, so he can scent the area, and tells her to run. She takes off, like a scared little bird.
When Henri is alone, I step from the shadows.
“I wondered when you’d show your face.” He doesn’t even bother to look at me.
Pulling the gun from my waistband, I say, “And I wondered if you’d ever learn your lesson.”
He turns to face me, his eyes widening. “Weapons weren’t part of the deal.”
“Neither were you.”
I pull the trigger, watching as Henri falls to the ground. I move to stand over him. His eyes are glazed as he looks up at me.
“Don’t worry. You won’t die. But by the time you’re able to move, it will be too late.” I tap the barrel of the gun against his shoulder. “Horse tranquilizer. A bit ironic, don’t you agree?”
He grunts as if he’s trying to move, but he’s only fighting a losing battle.
“I’m off to claim my prize. Once you’re able to move, you’ll be escorted from the property. I expect the ring by the end of the week, or there will be hell to pay.”
Fire flashes in his eyes, and I laugh.
“Oh, it won’t be you I hurt. Grandfather’s will prevents that. It will be Dove who receives the punishment. Remember that when you think of going against me.” I lean in, lowering my tone. “I have grand plans for her. Plans that would make you sick to your stomach. This isn’t going to be a simple end for her. No, she’s going to suffer longer than anyone else just because I know she means something to you.”
I pat his cheek and stand. It’s finally time to get my prize.
11
Dove
My legs tremble as I run. Henri said I’d be safe coming this way, and that he would find me as soon as he could. There’s a voice deep inside of me that knows that this was a mistake. I was safer with him, but he told me to go, and so I did. But he should have caught up to me by now. He said it would only take a moment to put my scent in the wrong direction. My breath hitches in my throat. What if something happened to him? What will I do then?
Dogs howl in the distance, and this time I fall when I stumble. Pain shoots through my wrist as I scamper to my feet. Cradling my arm to my chest, I run, though each step brings pain so strong that black dots dance across my vision. Henri said there was an old hunting shack ahead, and that we could wait there until Luca had circled back to look for me. Ahead, I see the shack. It’s barely standing, but I think he was right when he said it will be enough to hide us.
Using the last of my energy, I enter the shack and lean against the wall, where I’m out of sight. My wrist is hurting so badly that I don’t want to risk looking at it in case I see something bad, like a protruding bone, so I close my eyes. It’s risky allowing myself to get lost in my thoughts, but what else can I do until Henri gets back to me? I think about the way he tenderly kissed me after catching me. My cheeks warm at the thought of what came next. I can’t believe we had sex. It’s not how I imagined my first time, but I’m not mad about it. It was like… it was like wehadto be with each other at that moment. Nothing else mattered.
I’m smiling when footsteps approach.
“I was worried you would not make it.”
