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He studied me, his jaw tightening.“You know who’s got you, yeah?You know it’s me, don’t you, Sutton?That you’re safe?”His tone was harsh, short, abrupt, a contradiction to the things he’d said and the look in his eyes.

Yes, I knew I was safe.He would make sure no one hurt me.He’d protect me, like he had before, but who would protect me from him?From the damage he could do to my heart and soul?He’d rejected me.He was here now, but he wasn’t staying.I had to remember that.My head was woozy.I probably had a concussion.I was struggling to think clearly.I knew I should tell him I didn’t need his help, but right then I did.

He hurt you, and he’ll keep on hurting you.

“Yeah, Jagger, I know exactly who you are,” I said, finally finding my voice.

His throat worked, his nostrils flared, but he said nothing, just quickly dressed, climbed onto his bike, and held out his hand to help me on.

I didn’t want to go on the back of his bike.I didn’t want to be anywhere near him, certainly not that close.That’s what my head was saying, but my heart wanted to stay in his arms and feel safe for a little while longer.

“Just take me back to my car.”I’d allow myself that small reprieve from my convictions, just long enough for him to take me to my car, and then I could ignore him again for the rest of my life.

He shook his head.“Someone’s already seeing to that.I’m taking you home.”

Shit.I turned back to where Rome and Warrick had been, but they were already gone.

With no other choice, I climbed up on the bike behind him and wrapped my arm around his waist, hanging on to his shirt the best I could with the other damaged one.Jagger started the bike, walked it back, then turned and headed out of the forest.

I’d never been on a bike before, and sitting like this, I was far too close to him.My front was plastered to his back.Goddess, I could feel his heat through his leather vest, and the way his upper body expanded with each of his deep breaths.

It was a beautiful torture.

How many times had I imagined this since I realized who he was, since he went back to Hell.I’d thought about this, especially after Fern shared how much she loved riding with Relic.Now I was finally here, on the back of his bike—but he wasn’t mine.This meant nothing, not to him, because he didn’t want me.

Because he would never want me.

My head was fuzzy, and my limbs felt weak.Yeah, I was definitely concussed, and I was going to blame that for the stupid, pathetic thoughts rolling through my head.

The worst part was that being this close to him, confirmed what I already knew.Jagger was my mate.There was no doubt, not for me.

Exhaustion was settling in and it was getting hard to hang on, but we were almost at my house.I blinked, shaking my head when shadows began dancing at the corners of my eyes?—

My hand slipped from around Jagger’s waist, and I started to tilt sideways.One of his big arms shot back, wrapping around me, holding me to him as the bike slowed, then stopped.

He climbed off the bike somehow, scooping me up at the same time, then maneuvered me in his arms.I was too weak and drowsy to protest.

I could hear him talking, but his voice was distant.He was doing a lot of cursing and barking at me to stay awake.Total déjà vu.

He got back on the bike, with me across his lap, my head against his shoulder and my legs over his arm that held the handlebars, then he hooked the other arm around my waist, holding me close.He said something else, but I couldn’t understand this time, my mind was buzzing too loudly now, and the shadows in my head were overtaking my vision completely—then everything went dark.

When I woke, I was in my bedroom and Jagger was sitting on the bed beside me.He had a bowl of icy water and a cloth, and he was wiping my face.

“Good,” he growled out.“Now stay the fuck awake.”He wiped the cool cloth across my brow, frowning.“You got a couple of big eggs on your head, female.You should’ve fucking told me you weren’t feeling right before we got on the bike.You could’ve fallen off and fucking killed yourself.”

Why was he still here?Boo?I searched the room, then spotted him hanging from the light above, watching.He obviously didn’t see Jagger as a threat or he’d be dive-bombing him and chirping his head off.“You can go now.I don’t need a nursemaid.”

He ignored me and continued to swipe the cool cloth down the side of my face.“Not going anywhere until we sort out these wounds and I know you’re out of the woods with this concussion.Not like anyone else is here.”

He was right.Crap.

Jagger scowled again as his gaze slid over my face.“Did that fucking wolf do all of this damage?”

“Not all of it.”

“What the hell were you doing in there, Sutton?”His eyes flashed.“Those wolves were seriously in the wrong, the way they treated you, but you were in their territory, and from the sounds of it, you broke into one of their buildings.”His movements turned stilted.He looked agitated.“And with the way you look, when you do your thing…”

My gaze shot up to his.“The way I look?You mean like an ugly fucking demon bitch?That’s how that wolf described me.It’s how my family saw me too.How about you, Charming?Is that what you see as well?”