Page 124 of Dangerous Men

Sebastian’s voice is loud as a gunshot in the quiet of the alley.

“Let her go,” he says, an undercurrent of barely controlled rage in his voice.

Tasting her will have to wait. I sigh, deflating against her body.

I glance over my shoulder, and there he is, my little brother. I’m not surprised he caught me, not surprised he’s upset. The only surprise is the gun clenched in his hands, pointed at the ground.

I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve seen Sebastian draw his gun.

Turning back to our rabbit, I see she’s looking at him, her eyes flickering between the two of us.

“Of course he’s watching. Doc loves to watch,” I tell her. I don’t like the way she’s looking at him, like she expects to be saved. Gripping her jaw, I turn her back to me, so I have her full attention again. “Has he told you that yet?”

She blinks those big brown eyes at me and doesn’t answer. I don’t think she’s understood a single word I’ve said. But that’s okay. There’s plenty of time to make her understand.

Such a pretty little rabbit.

I run my thumb up to her lips, collecting that drop of blood and sliding it into her mouth. She shudders, trying to yank her head back.

But just for a second, I feel her tongue slip over the pad of my thumb, tasting that blood.

“That’s it,” I tell her, pressing my hips harder against her. Her mouth parts in a little gasp. “Tell me how it tastes, little rabbit.”

The sound of Sebastian flipping off the safety switch on his gun is an unexpected shock.

My shoulderstense.

I can count on just one finger the number of times Sebastian has shot someone. That’s the only time he’s ever needed to.

“Last warning, Viper,” Sebastian tells me, meeting my gaze without a hint of fear when I turn to glare at him. “Let her go.”

I drop my thumb from her lips just in time to see her mouth the wordViper, her face going pale.

So, our little rabbit knows who I am. That’s very interesting.

Almost as interesting as the gun Sebastian has pointed at me, ready to fire.

It would kill him to have to shoot me. That more than anything is the reason I let go, stepping back and letting our rabbit drop to the ground.

The second her feet are back on land, she bolts straight for the door she came out of, not even sparing Sebastian a glance as she runs inside.

Run, little rabbit, run.

I don’t mind a little chase. And I’m going to have so much fun with this one when I get her down in our wet lab to play.

44

SEBASTIAN

My hand shakesas I lower my gun.

It’s subtle, just a tremor. But it’s a crack in my mask I don’t expect. A sign of just how lost I’ve become.

Viper stares after Sydney for several long seconds after the door closes behind her, a wistful smile on his face. I’ve seen that look before, that obsession. But never when looking at a woman.

We’re absolutely fucked.

“You shouldn’t have tried to keep her from me, Doc,” Viper says, shaking his head. “You know better than that.”