Zeke (The Boundarylands #6) - Callie Rhodes Page 0,43

focusing on his task as though she wasn't even in the room. It was clear that she hadn't managed to get through to him, not even after dragging her sore ass out of bed and nearly falling down the steps and breaking her neck. If he'd heard her at all, he was unconvinced.

This, Darcy realized, must be what karma felt like. This was divine retribution for all the sweet talk and false promises she'd made to get what she wanted and get out fast—the one time she desperately needed a man to believe the truth, he couldn't seem to hear it.

Well, karma could suck it. For the first time in Darcy's life, she felt like she truly belonged someplace. Belonged to someone. And she wasn't about to have it ruined by the ghost of some selfish twit who ruined not just her own life, but two others besides.

Darcy gritted her teeth and pushed herself up and out of the chair, her body trembling with the effort. Zeke immediately dropped the pan and rushed to catch her before she could fall.

"How many times do I have to tell you to stay put?" he barked, grabbing her under the arms.

"I wouldn't have to keep getting up if you would stop running away," she retorted. "I just told you—I was honest as I could be and—"

"I need time to think," Zeke cut her off. For a moment, she was suspended, held up by his huge hands, her feet dangling above the floor.

The next moment he swooped her up into his arms.

She couldn't have been more surprised. Zeke was maddeningly hard to figure out and completely unpredictable. No, strike that, Darcy thought. If you paid attention—and she was definitely paying attention—there were clues to what he was thinking. And after spending all this time with him, she had begun to piece together the puzzle.

Stony silence signaled thoughts whirling under the surface. Abrupt action meant he'd come to some kind of a conclusion. And that familiar, hooded look in his eyes meant they would soon be tearing off each other's clothes.

But for the moment, he simply held her, cradling her just as he had before, and the momentary fright he'd given her faded away. She leaned into his warmth, pressing her face to the soft flannel of his shirt and letting her eyes drift closed. She felt so safe in his arms, as though they were surrounded by an invisible shield that would defend them against all danger and harm—and that shield was Zeke himself.

Damn, a girl could get used to feeling this way. She could drink it in every day of her life and never get tired of it.

Darcy knew now that her connection to Zeke, the bond that was only growing stronger with every passing hour, wasn't new. It had been there from the very beginning, starting as a tiny seed that was planted when she first caught sight of him on the side of the road.

Awakening her omega nature had sent the bond’s roots down deep, lodging permanently between them, twining its branches to lock them together. She saw it as clearly as if it was an actual tree, a mighty oak that nothing could destroy.

But now, she needed to make him see.

"You've had ten years to think, Zeke," she said as gently as she could. "Now, it's time to let go of the past and move forward."

"But—"

"No buts." Damn, it felt good to be the one to say that for once. "Why don't you go and draw us a bath?"

His brows shot up. "Us?"

"Yes, us." Darcy did her best to hide her amusement. "There were two of us in that room rutting like wild animals for the past few days, in case you don't remember. We could both use a good scrub."

Of course, there probably wouldn't be a whole lot of scrubbing before they were distracted by other activities. But there was plenty of room in Zeke's huge clawfoot tub for two…even if things got vigorous.

Zeke's consternation gave way to a rumble emanating from deep in his chest as he thought over her proposition. Darcy might not have an alpha's highly tuned senses, but she could tell that a part of him wanted to retreat to the kitchen to brood some more.

But she wasn't about to let that happen. If she couldn't get Zeke to listen to her words, she could for damn sure get him to listen to her body.

"Now, please," she said coyly, pretending to yawn while arching her