“You look tired.” His eyes were dark and shadowed, his sexy mouth bracketed with deep grooves.
“Do I? You look drop-dead gorgeous, as always.” He delivered the compliment in so dry a tone she couldn’t take it seriously.
“I’m sorry.”
He looked at her then, arching a brow when she didn’t elaborate.
She exhaled in a rush. “I should’ve made a greater effort to tel you about the plan to pair you with Raze. I didn’t think you’d like it, and I chickened out instead of arguing with you. Later, when the plans changed, I avoided the argument altogether by burying it. Trying to bury it. I apologize. I’m not proud that I was a coward about it.”
Elijah studied her, his gaze so intense she nearly squirmed in her seat. It was driving her crazy to sit so close to him with such a yawning gap between them. Every inhale brought his scent into her nostrils, making her heart pound. She knew he heard it, knew he’d sense her hunger just as he had when they’d first met in the Bryce Canyon cave.
He resumed eating, his gaze on his plate. “Apology accepted.”
Relief fil ed her so quickly she got dizzy. That was probably why it took her a heartbeat or two to realize she wasn’t going to get any more from him.
“That’s it?” she demanded when it settled in. “That’s al you’re going to give me?”
“What more did you want?” he asked cool y, scooping his sunny-side-up fried egg onto a triangle of buttered toast. “You apologized. I accepted.”
Her eyes burned. Coming so swiftly on the heels of relief, her disappointment blew the lid off her already volatile mood. “I think I hate you.”
His knuckles whitened on his utensils. “Tread careful y, Vashti.”
“What the f**k do you care? No, don’t answer. You already have, loud and clear.” She slid out of the booth and walked away.
There was a moment of terrible silence.
“Damn it, Vashti.” His silverware clattered onto his plate behind her. “God-fucking-damn it.”
She raced the distance to the Explorer, desperate to get away before he saw her crying. God…she real y was a hot mess. And for what? A sexy lycan who strung legions of panting women along for kicks? Stupid. The whole thing was stupid. She’d been way better off with a dormant sex drive and the lycan working for the Sentinels.
He reached the driver’s-side door just as she locked it with her safely inside.
“Vashti.” He’d never looked more furious. His eyes were wild and glowing, his voice guttural. “Open the door.”
Flipping him the bird with her left hand, she turned the ignition with her right. “Enjoy your breakfast, asshat. I’m going to grab a bite to eat myself.
Fuck if I’l starve myself for you.”
His palm slapped against the window, sending hairline fractures exploding through the safety glass. “Vashti. Don’t run. I won’t be able to control myself if you run.”
She gunned the vehicle into reverse, sending gravel flying from behind the tires. She was on the road a second later, having no idea where she was going and grateful that there wasn’t another soul on the winding rural road.
Pine trees crowded thickly against the serpentine ribbon of asphalt, casting shadows over the highway that perfectly suited her mood. Tears coursed down her face. So many goddamn tears. She’d thought she cried herself dry during the night. It infuriated her that there were more yet to be spil ed.
Gripping the steering wheel in both hands, she screamed to purge the sick, roiling tension inside her. Then she screamed again as she hugged a curve in the road and came face-to-face with a massive chocolate-colored wolf. In the split second it took her to realize she was going to barrel right through him, her world ground to a shuddering halt. She stood on the brakes, distantly felt the antilock system vibrating the pedal madly beneath her feet. The wheels didn’t lock. The car didn’t slow nearly fast enough.
Bracing for the impact, she stiffened into a board… …and nearly lost her sanity when Elijah leaped onto the hood, scrambled over the roof, and jumped off the back.
The Explorer slid into a cutout on the side of the road and came to a jerking stop. Vash slammed the transmission into park and hopped out.
“Are you f**king insane?” she screamed with fists clenched at her sides.
His wild green irises were aglow above a vicious snarl. Al animal, with none of the man in them. He was absolutely crazy.
And she was in big trouble. Huge.
She was faced with the choice of fighting or fleeing. Holding up both hands, she forced her restless body not to move. She debated her options— tearing into him with teeth and claws, ripping him to pieces physical y as he’d done to her emotional y, or just running as far and fast as she could.