AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Good thing I’m not joking. If you think you can take me in a fight, you’re even dumber than I thought you were.”
“I wanted to hurt you,” Mark said. “I saw you lying in the bed next to me sleeping and I wanted to tear your throat out. I wanted to stain my teeth with your blood. It was close, Gordo. You don’t know how close it was.”
“But you didn’t.”
His claws extended, digging into his knees. “Because it burned.”
I frowned. “What did?”
He tilted his head back slightly, exposing the raven. “This. I thought—it felt like it was flying in the sun, and it burned.”
“That’s because I’m your mate, jackass. You’re bonded to a Livingstone now. The only way you get out of this is if I kill you myself, just like dear old Dad.”
“Do it, then. Kill me.”
And I said, “No.”
His eyes flashed violet.
“Gordo,” Ox said as he took a step toward us.
I turned and glared at him over my shoulder. “Don’t. Stay back.”
Ox looked like he was going to argue, but Joe put his hand on his arm, and he nodded.
I looked back at Mark. His knees were bleeding from his claws. “Do you trust me?”
“Yes,” he growled. “But I can’t trust myself. It’s here, Gordo.” He reached with a bloody claw, tapping the side of his head. “It’s taking you away from me. I can feel it. It hurts. It hurts like nothing I’ve ever felt before. And I’m trying to hold on. I’m trying to hold on to it as best I can. But it’s slipping through my fingers. I want you. I want you so bad.” He snapped his teeth at me.
I said, “Let go.”
That startled the violet out of his eyes. “What?”
“Let me go.”
Ox said, “Gordo, you need to—”
I held my hand up over my shoulder, and he fell quiet. “Give in to it.”
Mark snarled at me. “You would like that, wouldn’t you? Mated to me for less than a day and you’re already looking for a way out. You running again, Gordo? Just like always. Things get rough and Gordo Livingstone just fucking runs.”
I tilted my head to the side, trying to remain calm. “I’m not going anywhere. Listen to my heartbeat. Tell me if I’m lying.”
He stood slowly. His knees popped. His chest heaved. His eyes flickered between ice and violet.
Pappas threw himself at the line of silver again. I thought I heard a bone snap.
Carter stood stock-still, nostrils flaring as he stared at me. The timber wolf stood at his side. Kelly was watching me with a look of horror, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“Why?” Mark demanded, pacing back and f
orth. “Why are you here? Why are any of you here? You don’t want me. You don’t need me. I’m losing my goddamned mind, and you’re just sitting there like it’s nothing.”
“I don’t need you.”
He rushed forward, and I had to fight to keep from flinching. “Why!” he shouted at me. “Why! Why!” Each why was punctuated with a fist against the barrier.
I stood slowly.
