denim barrier, causing a languid rush of desire to flood her veins. It was hot and demanding, the distant howl of a coyote punctuating the wildness lurking inside her.
Cadence snapped her attention back to reality, chastising herself for her loss of control. Glancing away from the object of her unholy obsession, she noticed several small logs and sticks lying in a pile near the fire. It was within her reach. If he were to—
Jonah dropped onto one knee, reaching to straighten his bedroll.
SHE DIDN’T STOP TO think. She just grabbed one of the thicker logs with both hands and without a second thought, whacked him on the back of the head. He grunted, but didn’t go down completely, catching himself with his other hand. Cadence didn’t take the time to check, but bolted for the darkness – and freedom, beyond the camp.
Her heart pounded with exhilaration, while her feet took her farther and farther from Jonah. She’d need to remove her clothes, as she usually did, before shifting into the panther. As soon as she could risk it, she would stop, roll her clothes into a bundle and carry them in her teeth. The panther ran much faster and she would gain more distance that way.
Suddenly, she saw stars as a solid force rammed into her from behind, knocking her to the ground. The air in her lungs was expelled in a loud whoosh as she hit the dirt and for what seemed an eternity, she couldn’t draw a breath. When she did, she wheezed and choked, spitting grit out of her mouth, creating clouds of dust with each breath. Tiny pebbles dug into her cheek. Every bone in her body wanted to crack under the crushing weight on top of her.
A large hand clasped the back of her neck, fingers like a vice. Of course it was Jonah. Who else could it be? She felt his heavy breaths fanning her ear – could smell his scent.
“You little bastard!” he rasped near her ear. He roughly crammed his knee into her back. “I oughta kick the shit out of you right now.”
She couldn’t move. If she did, a bone would surely break, probably more than one. He held her immobile, restraining her as easily as a child with a rag doll, filling her with rage. She snarled like the animal she was.
Jonah fisted his hand into the back of her shirt and hoisted her to her feet. Twisting one arm behind her back until it almost snapped, he literally dragged her back toward the camp, her feet barely touching the ground.
Cadence’s heart pounded with something other than exhilaration this time – it was fear. Images of the last time a Kincaid had manhandled her flitted through her mind, and suddenly she wasn’t so sure this Kincaid could be trusted to stop before he killed her.
But she had to control her terror, had to fight to contain the beast that was attempting to emerge in a natural instinct to survive. She would not be responsible for another man’s death – even if it meant sacrificing her own life in his place.
When they reached camp, Jonah gave her a shove and she landed on her bedroll. She grunted in pain as her shoulder met the ground hard. She slowly inched her body so she could watch him. He was standing near the fire several feet away, bent over, his hands resting on his knees. He was breathing hard.
She noticed a thin line of red trailing from behind his ear, which was covered mostly by his dark, thick hair. It had trickled down the side of his neck. Just that small bit of blood, the fact that she’d been the cause of it, turned her stomach. Oh, God! Cadence prayed she hadn’t hurt him too badly.
She had to say something. “I’m sorr—”
“Don’t,” he ground out, “say a word.”
Jonah hung his head, closing his eyes for a moment. He took a deep breath, letting it out in a harsh sigh, and then moved to pick up a length of rope. He brought it over to where Cadence lay and with jerky movements, tied her hands behind her back. When he grabbed her ankles, pulling them backward, she let out a protest. “What – what are you
Cadence snapped her attention back to reality, chastising herself for her loss of control. Glancing away from the object of her unholy obsession, she noticed several small logs and sticks lying in a pile near the fire. It was within her reach. If he were to—
Jonah dropped onto one knee, reaching to straighten his bedroll.
SHE DIDN’T STOP TO think. She just grabbed one of the thicker logs with both hands and without a second thought, whacked him on the back of the head. He grunted, but didn’t go down completely, catching himself with his other hand. Cadence didn’t take the time to check, but bolted for the darkness – and freedom, beyond the camp.
Her heart pounded with exhilaration, while her feet took her farther and farther from Jonah. She’d need to remove her clothes, as she usually did, before shifting into the panther. As soon as she could risk it, she would stop, roll her clothes into a bundle and carry them in her teeth. The panther ran much faster and she would gain more distance that way.
Suddenly, she saw stars as a solid force rammed into her from behind, knocking her to the ground. The air in her lungs was expelled in a loud whoosh as she hit the dirt and for what seemed an eternity, she couldn’t draw a breath. When she did, she wheezed and choked, spitting grit out of her mouth, creating clouds of dust with each breath. Tiny pebbles dug into her cheek. Every bone in her body wanted to crack under the crushing weight on top of her.
A large hand clasped the back of her neck, fingers like a vice. Of course it was Jonah. Who else could it be? She felt his heavy breaths fanning her ear – could smell his scent.
“You little bastard!” he rasped near her ear. He roughly crammed his knee into her back. “I oughta kick the shit out of you right now.”
She couldn’t move. If she did, a bone would surely break, probably more than one. He held her immobile, restraining her as easily as a child with a rag doll, filling her with rage. She snarled like the animal she was.
Jonah fisted his hand into the back of her shirt and hoisted her to her feet. Twisting one arm behind her back until it almost snapped, he literally dragged her back toward the camp, her feet barely touching the ground.
Cadence’s heart pounded with something other than exhilaration this time – it was fear. Images of the last time a Kincaid had manhandled her flitted through her mind, and suddenly she wasn’t so sure this Kincaid could be trusted to stop before he killed her.
But she had to control her terror, had to fight to contain the beast that was attempting to emerge in a natural instinct to survive. She would not be responsible for another man’s death – even if it meant sacrificing her own life in his place.
When they reached camp, Jonah gave her a shove and she landed on her bedroll. She grunted in pain as her shoulder met the ground hard. She slowly inched her body so she could watch him. He was standing near the fire several feet away, bent over, his hands resting on his knees. He was breathing hard.
She noticed a thin line of red trailing from behind his ear, which was covered mostly by his dark, thick hair. It had trickled down the side of his neck. Just that small bit of blood, the fact that she’d been the cause of it, turned her stomach. Oh, God! Cadence prayed she hadn’t hurt him too badly.
She had to say something. “I’m sorr—”
“Don’t,” he ground out, “say a word.”
Jonah hung his head, closing his eyes for a moment. He took a deep breath, letting it out in a harsh sigh, and then moved to pick up a length of rope. He brought it over to where Cadence lay and with jerky movements, tied her hands behind her back. When he grabbed her ankles, pulling them backward, she let out a protest. “What – what are you
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