the collar had rubbed on her skin. She hissed when he prodded the area. He shot her an apologetic look. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay. Is it bad?”
“It will heal.”
“With scars?”
“They’ll be faint.” Overwhelmed by the need to reassure her, he kissed the top of her head. Their gazes clashed in the mirror’s reflection, his a bit wide-eyed at the realization of how intimate he was behaving toward her and Ivy’s bright with wonder at the sudden shift in their relationship. Back in the relative safety of their cell, he had been able to maintain control, but out here, with Ivy at constant risk, his inner beast was too dominant. His dragon wanted to mate her and be done with it.
Clearing his throat, he said, “We’ll get a pretty necklace to cover them, if they bother you.” Realizing he had just offered to buy her jewelry, he headed off a heavy discussion by picking up one of the boxed toothbrushes encased in plastic and ripping open the packaging. He thrust the new tube of toothpaste at her, too. “Here.”
“Thanks.”
Ivy looked so damned happy for the chance to properly brush her teeth. She had been making do with a tube of toothpaste, a cup of water, and her finger every morning and night. With full bellies and clean mouths, they were directed to the showers. When it became clear the Knights intended to watch, she grew frightened and embarrassed. Disgusted with those lecherous assholes, he touched her cheek and commanded her attention. “Look at me.”
She stared up at him with such anxiety. “Mad, please…”
“I’ll shield you. After a hot shower, you’ll feel better. If they see anything, it doesn’t matter.”
“Why not?”
He lowered his face until his lips ghosted along the shell of her ear. “Because I’m going to kill them for everything they’ve done to hurt you. Whatever they see tonight, they take to the grave.”
She went rigid as his harshly whispered words registered. When she pulled back to peer up at him, her eyes had gone completely reptilian in appearance. The golden irises were now flecked with ruby, and her pupils were elongated and thin. His vow to seek vengeance on those who had harmed her had awoken the dragon’s bloodlust within her. Her scent shifted slightly, and he drew it deep into his lungs. He muscled down the primal need to mate that her changing scent provoked.
Gathering her courage, she stepped back and peeled out of the shirt he had given her. She covered her small breasts with one arm and placed her hand down to shield her sex. Turning her back on him, she moved under the closest shower head and twisted the knob. Hot water soaked her hair and spilled down her back.
Entranced by the sight of Ivy’s body, he raked his needful gaze along her naked skin. He had always been fond of bigger women. Zaftig was the term Griff always used for the women he chased, but that definitely wasn’t a word that could describe Ivy. Built like a ballerina, she seemed so fragile. His mind took a natural detour, and he wondered what it would be like to have her in his bed. If she ever invited him between the sheets, he would have to be gentle and easy with her. She was much too precious to harm with carelessness.
God, how he wanted her. Shedding his clothes, Mad tried to regain control over the hormones raging through his body but failed miserably. He used his bigger frame to block the Knights’ view of Ivy’s wet, soapy skin. With their arms chained together, they had to work in unison to get clean. Although she was cooperative, he didn’t miss the way she kept her eyes fixed forward on the tile and refused to look at him.
She gasped when he swiped his lathered palm down her back. There was no way she could reach that patch of skin herself, not with the heavy chains weighing down her arms, so he did the gentlemanly thing and helped her. As his hand glided along the curve of her spine, he suddenly wished they were far away from here. A hotel, his house, her dorm
“It’s okay. Is it bad?”
“It will heal.”
“With scars?”
“They’ll be faint.” Overwhelmed by the need to reassure her, he kissed the top of her head. Their gazes clashed in the mirror’s reflection, his a bit wide-eyed at the realization of how intimate he was behaving toward her and Ivy’s bright with wonder at the sudden shift in their relationship. Back in the relative safety of their cell, he had been able to maintain control, but out here, with Ivy at constant risk, his inner beast was too dominant. His dragon wanted to mate her and be done with it.
Clearing his throat, he said, “We’ll get a pretty necklace to cover them, if they bother you.” Realizing he had just offered to buy her jewelry, he headed off a heavy discussion by picking up one of the boxed toothbrushes encased in plastic and ripping open the packaging. He thrust the new tube of toothpaste at her, too. “Here.”
“Thanks.”
Ivy looked so damned happy for the chance to properly brush her teeth. She had been making do with a tube of toothpaste, a cup of water, and her finger every morning and night. With full bellies and clean mouths, they were directed to the showers. When it became clear the Knights intended to watch, she grew frightened and embarrassed. Disgusted with those lecherous assholes, he touched her cheek and commanded her attention. “Look at me.”
She stared up at him with such anxiety. “Mad, please…”
“I’ll shield you. After a hot shower, you’ll feel better. If they see anything, it doesn’t matter.”
“Why not?”
He lowered his face until his lips ghosted along the shell of her ear. “Because I’m going to kill them for everything they’ve done to hurt you. Whatever they see tonight, they take to the grave.”
She went rigid as his harshly whispered words registered. When she pulled back to peer up at him, her eyes had gone completely reptilian in appearance. The golden irises were now flecked with ruby, and her pupils were elongated and thin. His vow to seek vengeance on those who had harmed her had awoken the dragon’s bloodlust within her. Her scent shifted slightly, and he drew it deep into his lungs. He muscled down the primal need to mate that her changing scent provoked.
Gathering her courage, she stepped back and peeled out of the shirt he had given her. She covered her small breasts with one arm and placed her hand down to shield her sex. Turning her back on him, she moved under the closest shower head and twisted the knob. Hot water soaked her hair and spilled down her back.
Entranced by the sight of Ivy’s body, he raked his needful gaze along her naked skin. He had always been fond of bigger women. Zaftig was the term Griff always used for the women he chased, but that definitely wasn’t a word that could describe Ivy. Built like a ballerina, she seemed so fragile. His mind took a natural detour, and he wondered what it would be like to have her in his bed. If she ever invited him between the sheets, he would have to be gentle and easy with her. She was much too precious to harm with carelessness.
God, how he wanted her. Shedding his clothes, Mad tried to regain control over the hormones raging through his body but failed miserably. He used his bigger frame to block the Knights’ view of Ivy’s wet, soapy skin. With their arms chained together, they had to work in unison to get clean. Although she was cooperative, he didn’t miss the way she kept her eyes fixed forward on the tile and refused to look at him.
She gasped when he swiped his lathered palm down her back. There was no way she could reach that patch of skin herself, not with the heavy chains weighing down her arms, so he did the gentlemanly thing and helped her. As his hand glided along the curve of her spine, he suddenly wished they were far away from here. A hotel, his house, her dorm
Similar Books
