Twelve

She left Arlin’s cabin and, to be honest, the fact that he allowed her out of his sight amazed her. Considering she just met him yesterday, his over-protectiveness seemed quite obvious. And annoying. She would not permit anyone to cosset her ever again.

Then she grinned as she left his street and turned onto the dirt road leading to her own cabin. Of course, with the way he drove his cock into her, she just might permit him to try. She could still feel him between her legs, knowing her pussy lips were swollen and aching. Months had passed since a man made love to her, not that she would call having sex with Kyle making love, and she would savor the soreness for the rest of the day. She could have remained in bed all day enjoying his body. She chuckled. The look in his eyes when I bit him was priceless. Shifters and their whole mate mark thing crack me up. Turning the tables on him was nice. She sighed contentedly, slipping her hands into her pockets. She had heard all about shifters and how fast the attraction to their mates erupted. How could someone live in Bull Creek and not know the mating habits of shifters? However, she never understood it until that morning and seeing Arlin standing there in his pajama pants, shock covering his face at her outburst. God, it was so worth it. His assumption that she’d know why he did it and accept his actions baffled her. Men. Shifter men, especially.

Of course, she had to admit, as much as it annoyed her that he did it, she truly appreciated his cleaning up her place after the crime scene people left. The thought of returning home to a disaster, knowing Kyle had ransacked her place, was almost too much to stomach. Her mother really wasn’t to blame for giving her location away. It wasn’t like Eve told anyone why she left Kyle, feeling the shame usually associated with domestic abuse, even if it wasn’t her shame to bear but Kyle’s. She was embarrassed at the time. The truth was, she was still embarrassed, even though she tried to overcome it. Talking to her friends helped quite a bit. And to Arlin. Revealing her secret lifted the burden of keeping it from her shoulders, and she actually felt herself walking taller. None of what she endured had been her fault. Kyle was a sick bastard, who needed help. Serious help. He wouldn’t get it from her, though. The only thing he would ever get from her was the point of her knife, and she would have no regrets about doing it.

Her eyes popped wide, as she jerked a hand to the sheath at her waist. The empty sheath. She closed her eyes and groaned as she pictured her knife sitting on Arlin’s kitchen counter. How on earth could she forget her knife? This is what happens when she allowed herself to become distracted.

Pausing in her tracks, she debated within as to whether or not she should go back and get it. With a shake of her head, she decided against it, realizing that she wasn’t sure when the glass repair guy would arrive. For all she knew, the man already waited at her cabin, pacing, or giving up on waiting and leaving. She needed those windows fixed so she could stay at her own place tonight, instead of Alanna’s. She liked her friend, but not as a roommate, and especially not with Josh trying to sneak into Alanna’s bedroom late in the night. She giggled as she shook her head, beginning her trek again. For two shifters who knew all about mating, Alanna and Josh did everything except the marking. They were hornier than any other…

“So, I see without me, you’ve turned into a bed-hopper.”

Eve jerked around to see Kyle standing there, staring at her with disgust on his face. Her heart raced, drumming in her ears, her breathing caught in her throat as fear shook her, making her knees, her arms, tremble. She slid a hand down her waist to the sheath, swallowing more fear as she remembered it was empty. She took a deep breath. I will not be afraid. I will not be afraid. “For the record,” she snarled at him, “I’m not a bed-hopper as you say. Even if I was, however, it’s no longer your concern or business. You gave up that right when you hit me that very first time. It just took me a while to realize it.”

“I hit you?” he sneered. “You’re blaming me for all of that? You were a sad individual when I met you. I made you into something, gave you everything, took care of you.” His voice rose as he spoke, and she watched as he took a couple of steps closer. However, even though she trembled, she refused to back down. Oh, she was very much afraid, but she would face that fear. “Yet, you just couldn’t stop pissing me off. You never appreciated everything I did for you. Selfish. You’ve always been selfish. Never satisfied.” He was so close to her, she could feel the spittle from his outburst strike her face. She flinched but refused to move.

“Then you should be happy I left.” She straightened her back, doing her best to appear taller, stronger. “Why are you following me?”

He shook his head. “You never appreciate what I do for you.” He shrugged. “I was worried about you. I know how much trouble you have getting along with people and staying organized. I came here to make sure you were all right, and all I get for my trouble is a smart mouth and a snotty attitude.” He reached out, gripping her arm and jerking her toward him, sneering into her face. “Is that any way to treat the man who’s always taken care of you? Huh?”

“Let go of me, you ass!” Eve jerked her arm out of his grasp, trying to shove herself away from him. She spun a little, stumbling from the force of her reaction. “You don’t own me.” She turned back around, regaining her balance, only to feel him backhand her, sending her spinning around, stumbling to the ground.

Catching herself with her hands, the tiny pebbles digging into her flesh, she jerked her gaze back around to stare at him, tears stinging her eyes. He loomed over her, his eyes narrow slits as he growled at her. “I will always own you, Eve. Always.” He straightened, his arms dangling at his sides as he gazed up the road. “I’m giving you until tonight to get your belongings and head back home.” He gazed back down at her, an artificial smile turning the corners of his mouth up. “Don’t make me come back for you.” He winked, and then turned and walked off.

She watched as he walked away, his hands in his front pockets, his lips pursed as he whistled. If she had her knife, she’d run after him and sink the blade into his back.

Rustling could be heard off to the side of the road. She turned just as a giant tiger hopped over a fallen log and padded his way toward her. His lithe body moved with grace as he padded over to where she lay sprawled on the ground. When he reached her, he butted his head against her shoulder, pushing her slightly as he purred.

She sighed as she reached up and scratched his head, leaning into him. “It’s okay, Stripes. I’ve suffered worse.”

Arlin growled as he turned his face in the direction that Kyle vanished, sniffing the air.

Eve nodded. “Yeah, you just missed him.” She moved her hand to scratch behind the tiger’s ear as he growled louder. “Yeah, I wish I had just missed him, too.” She fell back into him as Arlin sat on his haunches, his tongue lolling out the side of his mouth. So much for escaping.