Page 12 of The Bounty

I’m still gaping as Killian stops the car and gives me a pointed look.

“Our neighbors are big fans ofEden,” he says. “So, if youdomanage to run, they’ll just use you as a bargaining chip for access.”

Even if I wanted to, I have no energy to run. My scent would likely carry down the neighborhood, and I don’t have the strength to climb over the gated fence.

“You may not see it now, Olive, but we’re your only allies in Los Angeles,” he adds.

Again, with the plurals. Who else is in this house?

Fear creeps down my spine and poisons my veins until I’m immobile.

I shiver and my teeth chatter as I stay frozen in my seat, unable to move.

“Olive? Shit.Shit.”

The passenger door opens, and Killian is there, his icy eyes wide as he regards me, his face inches from mine.

“I can’t go in there.Pleasedon’t make me go in there,” I choke out in a hoarse whisper as he regards me. Emotions dance on his breathtaking face before he smooths it down into a quirk of his lips. He kneels in front of me, and his scent surrounds me. I inhale it greedily, my defenses lowered as I struggle to hold on to the last of my sanity.

I’m sotired.

“No one is going to hurt you in there,” he promises. Then, his eyes darken, the hint of instability reappearing. “At least, not unless you want us to.”

I recoil, pushing myself back into the seat.

“Fuck.” He hisses, shaking his head. “That’s not—what I’m trying to say is, Olive, you need to eat. You need to sleep. And we have to patch you up, so you don’t need to visit a hospital.”

I nod, exhaling and meeting his eyes.

“If you try to touch me, I’ll kill you,” I promise, my voice wavering.

At that, he grins, a smile so carefree it’s disarming. Even through his frightening exterior, he’s…charming.

“I don’t doubt it for a second,” he murmurs, reaching out an inked hand to grab mine. He brings it to his lips, his eyes never leaving mine. “Butfuck, baby, I’d love to see you try.”

Oh.

Oh.

His lips are softer than I expected against my hand, and my traitorous Omega mind imagines them elsewhere…

“Now, you have two options,” he whispers, intertwining our fingers, already ignoring the threat I made. He somehow makes the act erotic, his massive hand encompassing mine. Electricity seems to shoot through our fingers, and there’s an intense pull in my chest as I hang on to his every word. “You act like a good girl and come in with me…or…”

I bite my lip, waiting for the other option.

“I carry you inside. Either way, you’re coming.” He says the last sentence slowly and deliberately, his voice low and husky.

I’m sure he said it like that on purpose, and his words have their desired effect.

The smallest amount of slick drips out of me, despite the heavy suppressants that pump through my body.

Still holding my hand, he grins like the Cheshire cat, the dim light of the car shining in his blown pupils. “Do you want to be my good girl, Olive?” He whispers. “Or do you want to be bad?”

My head swims with arousal, fury, and exhaustion.

It’s too much, and I can only stare at him in shock.

“I think you have to carry me,” I admit, my cheeks flushing in shame.