Page 53 of Hunted By Them

She shivered, her hands gripping my uniform shirt.

“You make me want to rip your clothes off and claim you right now,” I groaned.

She looked down at Connor, but didn’t say anything before she kissed me hard and rubbed her body against mine. I was ready to pounce. The snap of a twig broke the kiss, and we turned toward the noise. There, standing in the center of the clearing, bathed in moonlight, was the largest buck I’d ever seen. We held still as he lifted his nose into the air, then snorted. The steam from this nose rose into the night.

Connor coughed, and just like that, the buck turned and darted into the dark forest once more.

I glared at the man on the ground. Of course, he’d ruined the special moment.

“Grab your pack,” I said, and she quickly picked it up and swung it over her shoulder.

With a growl, I hauled Connor upright by the cuffs and directed him toward the trail. Each step was a battle not to crush his skull and be done with it.

Sage followed like a shadow, her boots crunching leaves, her hand lightly touching my back like she thought I might disappear. I was never leaving her again, and she was never leaving me. Call me possessive, I didn’t fucking care. Sage Harlow…my Sweet Daisy, was mine.

We stepped out of the bush and onto the main trail where I’d left the truck.

“What the hell are you going to do with me? Don’t you know who I am? My father will eat you alive.”

I looked at Sage. “Does he always talk this much?”

“Yes, he’s always annoying,” she sighed, crossing her arms.

“Bitch…” Connor spat.

I spun Connor around and pushed him up against the back of the truck, my knife to his throat.

“Call her that one more time and I’m going to carve your tongue out of your mouth and watch you choke on your blood.”

Connor was used to puffing his chest out and pounding it to get whatever he wanted. He liked to pretend that he was an alpha male. Out here…he was nothing.

“Do you understand?”

Connor nodded, fear in his eyes.

“Good.”

Then I punched him so hard that blood flew from his mouth and he collapsed, knocked out.

“No one talks to my Sweet Daisy like that.”

I dropped the tailgate and picked up the ignorant ass. Tossing him into the bed of the truck, I didn’t care that he was in a weird and uncomfortable position. He was nothing but trash. I slammed the gate shut.

Sage stood beside me, her face streaked with dirt, but her chin lifted like a queen. She looked at Connor, then at me.

“What happens now?”

I rested a hand on her shoulder, my mask and claws heavy in my mind.

“Now, Sweet Daisy…you let us handle him.”

Her lips parted, but she didn’t dispute it and gave a single nod.

The forest finally exhaled, letting me know the threat was contained.

The hunt hadn’t ended. No, it was far from over.

The fun had only just begun.