Page 11 of Crossed Fates

His gaze immediately went to the knife in my hand, his stance tense. “As though I’d trust you to help me.”

A fair reply. But I sort of wanted him to ask me anyway.

Silver poisoning, I thought again, mulling over the conversation Vex had engaged in with his unnamed colleague. Could this all be related somehow?

But what did silver poisoning have to do with trafficking innocent girls?I asked myself again.

My gut said it was somehow linked to whatever had happened to Alaric’s brother. Vex’s conversation clearly tipped off the suspicion.

However, if I were being completely honest, I did feel sort of bad about stabbing Alaric right as his father delivered earth-shattering news.

So I didn’t have a choice, really.

It’s the honorable thing to do, I realized with an internal sigh. “Look, I’ll drive you. But we need to get that wrapped up first.” I gestured to his injury with my chin. It looked pretty ghastly, and yet he didn’t even seem to feel it.

Strong wolf, I mused.Hot wolf.

That last phrase obviously came from my animal side. Not that she spoke in full sentences, more in feelings. But yeah, I blamed her for the electric sensation humming through my veins.

I blamed him, too.

Just for existing.

His smolder wasn’t helping. “Careful or I’ll think you’re apologizing.”

“If you consider that an apology, then you should go back to grade-school English and request a lesson on apologetic terms. Pretty sure they come in the form ofI’m sorryorplease forgive me, notI’ll drive you.”

The muscle-clenching in his jaw abated a little, his mouth twitching.

He obviously found me amusing.

Too bad the feeling wasn’t mutual.

“Seriously, do you want a ride or not?” I demanded.

Now that pretty mouth turned upward in a panty-melting smile.

Holy shit,I thought.That’s not fair at all. He shouldn’t just unleash that thing on unsuspecting women!

“Oh, I absolutely intend to take you up on a ride,” he replied, his tone shifting from gravelly to liquid sex in an instant. “But I need to heal first to give you a proper ride in return.” He winked, then caught my wrist in an expert move and twisted the knife from my fingers.

I’d still been standing with my arms folded, and the sharp edge came dangerously close to my breast; only, he raised it to my throat and backed me up against the wall, his expression lethally serious.

“Stab me again and I’ll lock you in a cage you can’t escape from.” The words were a breath against my mouth, our position change knocking me entirely off-kilter and leaving me weak and defenseless against him. He even had my thighs pinned beneath his.

Well, this is embarrassing. Nathan and Marc would be chewing me out for letting this sexy shifter distract me enough to get the drop on me.

I panted against him, not out of fear, but from a different sensation entirely.

He’d just disarmed me and pinned me with only one working arm.

And fuck if that wasn’t the sexiest move I’d ever experienced.

I really need to get laid more,I realized.

My arms hung at my sides, useless to his overpowering masculinity. I knew exactly how to break his hold—by digging my thumb into his wound and squirming out of his reach—but another idea crossed my mind. A dangerous one. A notion that I knew would bring him to his proverbial knees, similar to what he’d just done to me.

He released me before I had a chance to act on it, his narrowed gaze telling me he’d read the intention from my expression. “I have supplies at my place, as well as a car.” He slid the dirty blade into the hilt attached to his belt and pulled out his phone again to type something into it. “Cleaners will be here soon. Once they arrive, I’m leaving.” His sapphire eyes captured mine. “If you’re serious about helping me, feel free to follow.”