RED ROCK SHIFTERS

CHAPTER TWELVE

Jace wasn't distracted for long and after that brief moment, where pain clouded his gaze, he suddenly became even mor focused on me. I saw his gaze shift to my pulse point which was beating slightly too fast and then narrow on my eyes that were trying just a little too hard to convey innocence.

"Why did you keep her from me?" he repeated only this time he sounded more menacing and he had taken a few steps closer to me so that he loomed over me. It was meant to be an intimidation tactic and despite knowing this I did suddenly feel small and helpless next to his larger and stronger form. Anyone else might have backed down right then but I refused to be cowed. Straightening to my full height I glared at him. Did he really think that he could use that intimidation crap on me?

"Because you didn't deserve to be her father," I flung at him. I expected him to get angry at that and start a row that would distract him from his original question. Instead he broke in to a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. He moved towards me and I instinctively backed away. He gave a wolfish smile and I cursed under my breath even as my back hit the wall. Why had I run from a born hunter? I knew better than that. As soon as I had run I had become prey and Jace had every intention of catching me. He was quick on his feet and within seconds of my back hitting the wall he was there with his arms braced on either side of me effectively caging me with his body.

"You're lying to me," he said and his warm tone slid over me like a familiar caress. His whole demeanour was falsely positive as though he was trying to lull me in to a false sense of security. He leaned closer and his warm breath skated along my cheek. The moment felt sort of intimate and it was as though, just for a second, time had rewound itself and we were back in that small room behind the bar about to share the most intimate moment of all together.

"I'm not lying," I lied. He quirked an eyebrow at me and that small gesture called me a liar. He didn't call me on it though. Instead he moved even closer so that we were pressed close together with barely an inch of space between us. His head dipped and I felt the soft press of his lips against my neck. It had been so long since someone had touched me like this that for just a moment I allowed myself to enjoy his touch and relaxed in to his embrace. His lips trailed a fiery path along my throat and I was helpless to resist him. I tipped my head back to give him better access and held back a moan as one of his arms curled around my waist and lifted me up against him. My legs automatically wrapped around him and I shifted restlessly against him as I tried to alleviate the tension that was building inside of me. I had almost forgotten how out of control he could make me feel. It was as though he held some magical power that transformed me from my usually reserved self in to a wild and wanton creature who couldn't get enough of him. I didn't know what it was about him that made me feel like this. Every other lover I'd had before him had satisfied me well enough but it had never been like this. I'd never experienced this kind of heat and fireworks with anyone else before.

Jace kept one hand anchored firmly around my waist while he thrust the other in to my hair. He caught the back of my head and pulled me roughly towards him where he captured my lips with his own and delivered a passionate assault to my senses. I was lost to the sensations that he evoked within me and my entire being was narrowed down to this moment and the feelings that washed over me. I was barely even aware of my surroundings anymore and it felt like I would die if he wasn't inside me in the next twenty seconds.

"Not good enough to be a father but good enough to fuck?" Jace asked as he pulled away from me and it felt like he'd dumped a bucket of ice cold water over me. I could only stare at him stricken as his meaning sank in. This had never been about being caught up in the moment for him. He was using my own passion against me. Jesus. I had nearly let him screw me up against the wall with my daughter only a few feet from us and I hadn't even tried to stop him.