Chapter 110
[ 1,011 words ]
Hazel
You have a purpose.
You have a purpose.
You have a purpose.
I repeat the words to myself.
I’m a vain hope of drowning out Liam’s words.
Alone.
With him.
Stuck with him.
The heat of his large can as it crowds mine sends a strange feeling up my arm.
Warm.
Tingly.
Fucking….good.
I snatch my hand from under him.
“Fine. Then make yourself useful and skim through those books. I’m looking for the best place to t a forge in the mountain. I need information on rock formation and sediments.”
For a moment, he doesn’t move, just looms over me like he has every right to be in my personal space.
Finally, he steps back and takes the seat across from me.
His sharp blue eyes hold mine as he looks at me.
No, not just looks, he focuses on me, puts all his attention into the task as if nothing else could be bothered to have it.
Then he grunts, before pulling a book towards him and leisurely flipping it open.
Mercurial son of a bitch.
I look back at my own book, but the words just blur together.
Since the first time we met, he has varied from pissing me off to practically pissing on me with his macho male bullshit.
Sure, our start was… bumpy, but I wasn’t going to let his lack of trust, or his distracting, hard, tan, and completely naked body distract me from getting my best friend out of that shithole.
I got her out, saved our friendship with the truth, and now find myself facing off against the past I thought I left behind.
Standing beside those my family considers enemies.
I don’t need this man, or wolf, all up in my space.
Especially when he’s walking temptation, and I’ve never been good at denying myself what I want.
“A forge?” he finally asks.
“Um-hum,” I intone, not looking up from my page.
“Can you even work a forge?”
The doubt in his voice makes me look up, and from the tilt to his lips, I know that is exactly what he wanted.
“Ransom can.
Which is another stroke of luck for you because I don’t know where else you’re going to come across what we need without stealing it.
But metal and fire, those are simpler to acquire.”
“How does he know?” Liam asks that deep, sexy rumble, making me wish he would shut the fuck up.
Well, at least he was being civil.
“Hunters make their own weapons. This isn’t the 16th century. You’d be hard-pressed to find a blacksmith ready to arm the king’s soldiers.” I shrug.
“Just one of the many skills they keep alive.”
Liam studies me.
I tapped on the table, directing his attention back to the book in front of him.
He raises a brow.
“Are you trying to order me around, sunshine?”
“Someone’s got to keep us on track.”
“It’s going to take a lot more than a finger to tame me.” He stands abruptly and holds out his hand.
“Let’s go.”
I lean back.
“Where?”
His wolf flashes in his eyes.
“Afraid I’ll take you to my lair and have my wicked way with you.”
My cheeks heat, thinking of how wicked we could be together, and that only makes me angry.
I smooth my features, slipping on a haughty mask and purposefully ignoring the innuendo.“I’d have you on your knees before you could even try anything.”
“You say that like I wouldn’t drop to them willingly.” He doesn’t hide his perusal of my body.
I press my thighs together, trying to get rid of the image of that powerful body between my legs.
Then, as if he hadn’t just been playing games with my slutty libido, he says, “Come on. I have the perfect lace for your forge.”
I stand and walk over to him without snark.
I’m fully blaming that on my unbalanced equilibrium.
He holds out his arm for me to walk in front of him.
“I don’t know the way,” I say, still moving until I’m right beside him.
“Don’t worry,” He takes a smooth step behind me, so close I’m sure if I shifted on my feet, my ass would press against him.
“I’ll guide you.”
The words shouldn’t sound so provocative.
I need to get my mind back on track.
“Lead the way.”
Liam gives direct, clear instructions that take us down further than I would have thought suitable rooms and spaces went.
Is it dusty and filled with the smell of fresh dirt, sure, but it isn’t an unworkable shape.
“Turn left,” Liam orders.
When I do, I come to an open, cavernous room with uneven, high walls that travel up to a point blocked out by shadow.
“We can tunnel a discreet ventilation system that would exit towards the top.
We can also dig a fire pit here,” He pointed to a space at the right, “Which would give Ransom room for anything else he needs.”
“You’re right.
It is perfect.” I put a hand on a cocked hip.
“What is it you do for the pack again?”
I don’t know why I asked the question.
Knowing more about Liam isn’t exactly going to help me keep the distance I need.
“I’m head enforcer.”
He clearly took pride in that.
“That explains why Ronan put you with me.”
My wolf prowls towards me.
No.
Not my wolf.
Liam.
His scent is masculine, oak and vetiver, with whispers of minty freshness.
He gets so close that I have to look up to keep eye contact.
He fingers one of my curls, watching it as if he is mesmerized by it.
It’s only as we stand here that I realize how very alone we are.
“What should we do now?” he says almost lazily.
Fuck like animals.
“Um, gather some supplies.” His eyes slip to mine, and the heat in them stokes the embers of my libido I’m trying to calm.
“Iron,” He follows the coil of hair down, his knuckles ghosting over my jaw, “And a hammer,” I lick my lips, and he traces the movement.
“A thick wooden bench.
I think Ransom has everything else.”
“Mmm.” The sound is a low, drawn-out growl.
“I thought you didn’t like me,” I say, hoping it will douse whatever the fuck this is.
His hand collars my throat, and my breath hitches.
“I don’t have to like you to want to fuck you.”
Well.
Shit.
He leans in close enough to feel his breath on my lips.
“And you want me to. I can smell it.”
Christ.
Fucking shifter senses.
I don’t bother denying it.
“Doesn’t mean it’s gonna happen.”
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