the tunnel. They passed an alcove, and he pulled her into the darkened recess, pressing her against a wall.
“We should be safe here. At least for a while.”
The warmth of his body seeped through her shirt, and she could feel the hard ridges of his muscles. Her breath hitched, and she closed her eyes. Why did she react so strongly to a man she barely knew? He wasn’t even human, for Pete’s sake. “What does that mean?”
He stepped back, opened the door hidden behind him, and walked into the room.
“Come on before someone sees you.”
Mumbled voices grew louder down the hall, and she could hear at least two people approach. She steeled herself and toed into Jaxx’s domain. The door snapped shut, and Jaxx led her toward the couch and swept his arm wide, offering her a seat. She eyed the chair, her gaze skirting across clawed-up fabric. Heat flamed up her neck, remembering what had happened the last time they’d both been in the room.
Jaxx leaned back against the kitchen counter, his hands reaching back to clamp on the stone. “When Saint finds out you’re missing, he’ll come for us. He has questions, and I need to know the answers before he does.”
Kenzie stared at Jaxx and wondered why it mattered to him. She was a no one, and he must have taken a great risk sneaking her out of a cell, clearly breaking the rules. “Why?”
His brows jerked up to his hairline, forming a line across his brow. “Why? So I can figure out what needs to happen next—”
“No.” She shook her head “Why are you doing this?” Her hand gestured to herself and then around the room. “Why bust me out? Your leader…”
“Alpha,” Jaxx corrected.
“Your alpha doesn’t look like a man that would tolerate rule breakers.”
He froze, his muscles tensed, and he stared at her for a long time. “If you’re concerned for your safety, don’t be. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Saint had been the biggest wolf she’d seen, and after everything that happened at Delmac, she’d seen more than enough wolves for a lifetime. Power rolled off the male in physical waves. If he was that formidable as a creature, she could only imagine what Saint the human must be like. “It wasn’t me I was afraid for.”
The creatures within Shadow Moon were Jaxx’s family, and from the little she knew about family, betrayal always burned hotter when it came from those you loved. She didn’t doubt for a second there would be repercussions.
Jaxx moved across the room and closed the distance between them, his eyes flaring a vibrant green. “You’re afraid for my welfare?”
She thought of her sister and the years of abuse she’d suffered, all because of her. “I don’t like people getting hurt because of me.”
A deep rumble hummed in Jaxx’s throat, the sound lit her body like a match striking its box, and an instant flame flickered to life. Leaning forward, he braced his arms on the wall, closing her in. The scent of Jaxx licked at her senses, their bodies nothing more than a whisper apart. She swallowed. Heat radiated from him, engulfing her in flames. Her breasts felt heavy, and her body pulsed with need. Tingles shot to her eyes. Jaxx’s features enhanced to crystal clarity. “What’s happening to me?”
“You want me. And I’ll be only too happy to accommodate your needs,” he whispered a moment before his head descended.
Her hand shot out and rested on his firm pec. She had every intention to stop him. His lips brushed against hers, soft yet demanding, and her brain fibrillated, unable to string together a simple thought. Functioning on pure, primal instinct, hunger took over. The only thing satisfying her palate—Jaxx. Fisting her hand in his navy tee, she held him close. His hand snaked around her waist, and he yanked her closer. The hard length of his erection pressed deliciously against her stomach. With fevered motions, Jaxx trailed kisses down her neck, lingering where he had bitten her. His teeth grazed the area, and she moaned. Pleasure sizzled to her clit.
“Fuck, I want you so bad,” he muttered against her neck.
Arousal pooled in her panties at the admission. In one swift move, he lifted her up, his erection pressing right where she needed it. The cool wall pressed against her back. Her hands roamed his body, sliding over well-honed muscles. He claimed her lips again. Running her hands up his neck, she cupped his face. Tongues danced, and hands