She knew, damn her. She knew what she was doing to him. She knew the agonizing need tearing through him and still, she was defying him, attempting to force from him what she had to know he had vowed not to give up.
“This time,” he growled furiously, his hips pressing into her, his c**k pounding at her lower stomach. “This time you win. But be prepared.” His lips were all but touching hers. “Be prepared, Liza, because you are mine. Mine. And I promise you, I will claim you soon.”
And it would be a claiming he swore she would never escape.
Her lips parted, he could see that mocking, sarcastic little tongue of hers getting ready to push him further, to shred the final threads holding back the animal inside him that was snarling for release.
And he could feel fate getting ready to completely kick his ass, because he knew, knew he was going to kiss her. It was just such an accepted, forgone conclusion that the explosion of splinters suddenly tearing from the wood post behind her took nearly a heartbeat to register.
A heartbeat that could have cost his mate her life.
CHAPTER 7
Liza knew the instant splinters of wood began raining around them exactly what had happened.
The report of a weapon couldn’t be heard, but with the cover a sniper would have in the woods surrounding them, a silencer would have been sufficient.
“Down!”
The word exploded from both of them as they went to the side, rolling over the small incline that led to the bank and the water lapping below as another projectile slammed into the picnic table.
“Oh yeah, the safest ride I’d ever take.” Liza snorted as she threw the Breed a hard glare. “Tell me you at least have a radio on you.”
Flattening against the incline, she had to resist the urge to peek over it and attempt to get a bearing on the shooter.
“We’re covered.”
Oh, he sounded far too complacent as he kept a tight hold around her waist and kept her from checking above to see if anyone was moving in on them.
Turning her head, she looked over at him instead. “Was this Jonas’s idea to draw someone or something out?” she asked, fighting back the urge to kick him, since Jonas wasn’t there to take the blow himself.
“If it is, then I’ll kill him myself,” Stygian grated as he removed one arm from around her and flipped his wrist over to stare at the face of his watch. Maneuvering the arm still holding her to him, he depressed the small cylindrical post at the side. “Rule, do you have eyes on the bastard?”
“Eyes on. We’re moving in. Stay where you are,” a voice came through the link as the watch face slowly disappeared to reveal the image of the Lion Breed Rule Breaker.
The urge to growl was beginning to tighten her throat.
“Bastards,” she muttered.
“Only technically,” Rule drawled without a change of expression. “Hold tight. We have a team moving in on your position.”
Hold tight her ass.
“We’re too exposed here,” she warned Stygian. “If they don’t have a bead on the son of a bitch firing at us, then we’re going to be screwed here.”
“Tell her to hold on to her panties,” Rule stated as though she weren’t even there. “We may not have a bead on the shooter, but we have thermal imaging all around you. He won’t get close enough to do any damage.”
“And did he have thermal imaging before we were shot at?” she questioned. “If he did, then he’s falling far short on the job, Stygian.”
Stygian didn’t say a word.
Glancing at him, she nearly rolled her eyes at the black and brilliant blue fury gleaming in his gaze.
“Are we going to sit here like paper targets waiting on some Breed-hating bastard to take us out?” she asked.
His eyes narrowed.
“Keep her there, Wolf,” Rule warned him. “We’re moving in. Dog’s team will have sights on him within seconds.”