\[William’s POV\]
When we arrive at Emerald Moon, I grab Elise and throw her over my shoulder while Marty and Rosco watch on.
“What are you doing?” She demands, attempting to break free. “Let me go!”
“Be good,” I snap, smacking her ass and earning myself an explosion of laughter from Marty. “Rosco,” I continue, turning my gaze to my cousin’s narrowed one. “You can handle things from here, correct?”
“I can.” He confirms.
“Great.”
I don’t wait for him to question what it is that I’m doing before I’m heading into the packhouse and beelining straight for my room. When I arrive, I nearly break the fucking door down to get into it, and once I’m in, I throw Elise down on the bed.
With wide eyes, she stares at me until I’m pouncing, pinning her beneath me.
“Where?” I growl, sticking a hand under the shirt she wears and sliding it up.
“Where what?” She asks in exasperation. “I don’t understand cave man. You’re going to have to be more specific.”
“Where the hell did they touch you?” I snap in frustration.
Honestly, it took every fucking thing in me to not kill those bastards when I entered that room and found Elise undressed like that. If she wasn’t strong enough to be able to handle them, then there was no fucking way to know what kind of situation she would have been in.
‘She wouldn’t have been allowed to do what she did if she couldn’t handle herself.’ Rue points out, though even he seems annoyed.
‘Shut up.’ I snap, shoving him aside.
“Tell me!”
Slipping the shirt over Elise’s head, I stare down at her exposed torso, looking for any signs of her body being touched.
“What are you even doing?” She asks now, drawing my gaze up to hers. “You’re acting like a possessive boyfriend.”
“And?” I ask, my anger spiking. “Do you have any idea how worried I was while you were alone with those bastards? Just the thought of another man touching you drives me fucking crazy. I honestly just want to hide you away and keep the rest of the world from ever seeing or touching you.”
“Wow,” Elise giggles. “That is quite the proclamation for someone who only fucked me. Sorry, but I’m not a thing to be possessed, so if you’re looking for a woman like that, then..."
I don’t give her the chance to finish her words before my mouth is claiming hers, and to my satisfaction, her lips open, allowing my tongue to begin to fight for dominance against hers.
Groaning, she wraps her legs around my waist, and before I can stop what is happening, she is flipping us so that she is on top.
“If you want to fuck me again, just say.” Elise giggles, rubbing her ass against my quickly growing erection. “I may be opposed to anything serious, but I’m always down for a good time.”
Frowning, I stare up at her as she throws her hair over her shoulders and begins to caress her own breasts.
“And if I don’t want just a fuck?” I ask, grabbing her hips and holding her in place. “What then?”
For a moment, Elise doesn’t speak as she stares down on me, but with each passing minute, I can see that damned wall coming back into place.
“Sorry,” she says, attempting to break free of my hold. “That is one thing I won’t do.”
“Why?” I deman, flipping us again so she is beneath me. “Is it because you don’t think that I’m worth taking a chance on, or are you that fucking afraid to let someone else in?”
Once again, Elise just stares at me, and when her lips twitch into a pinched expression that screams her annoyance, I know she isn’t going to let me in.
“Way to ruin the mood.” She sighs, beginning to wriggle. “Let me go. This won’t go any further.”
“I won’t.” I hiss, unwilling to let things end like this. “Not until you tell me the truth.”
“The truth?” She repeats, raising a brow. “And what truth are you looking for? I’m pretty sure I’ve made it clear that all I’m interested in is physical. I don’t have the time or patience for the emotional stuff. If that’s what you’re after, then I’m the wrong woman for you.”
“You aren’t,” I counter. “You’re the perfect woman for me.”
Even if she had a bad reputation, I knew that Elise was strong, and even if her words were sometimes harsh, she had the best intentions with anything she said. Add in the fact that she refused to play the victim even when she was falsely accused, and she was definitely one of the strongest people I had ever met. Everyone around me for as long as I lived just wanted power—nothing more, nothing less. But Elise just wanted freedom.
“Fine, I can’t claim you.” I say slowly. “But can you at least give me a chance?”
Dammit. How was it possible that a woman would actually have me here, begging for a chance? It was nothing like I’d ever experienced, except with Marigold, of course.
“I think.” Elise finally sighs. “You’re just looking for someone to take the place of your dead mate, and because I’m not throwing myself at you like all those other women, you’ve taken a mild interest in me. However, soon enough, that interest will die out, and this will end. So why can’t we just keep it light and fun?”
Why? Because I knew that wouldn’t be possible. With each passing day, I was falling more and more for the woman, whether she accepted me or not. I knew that the longer we did whatever it was we were doing, the deeper in I would get, and I wasn’t one to let something I wanted out of my reach.
“Because I’m a selfish man.” I husk now, leaning down and kissing her lips. “When I want something, I won’t stop until I have it.”
“You’re making me sound like a possession again.” Elise points out, though she doesn’t fight to get me off of her. Instead, she bucks her hips so they rub against my dick.
“Not at all.” I grin. “I’m just saying that by the time I’m done with you, you’re going to want me just as badly as I want you.”
“Is that a bet?” Elise asks, seeming interested. “And what is the reward if I win?”
“You’ll be free to go when you finish helping me clear Crystal Fang of all those with ill-intentions.” I respond. “And,” I continue, kissing her again. “If I win, then I’ll be putting a ring on your finger to bind you to me for all eternity.”