J.R. Ward the Black Dagger Brotherhood Novels 1-4 - J. R. Ward [593]
“Let go of me,” she whispered, heart beating hard.
“I’m not surprised.” His reply was quiet…quiet as a sharp knife laid on a table.
“About w-what?”
“You’re a female of worth. So you shouldn’t like me.” Those glittering eyes narrowed on her face. “You know, you really are the great beauty of the species, aren’t you.”
“No…no, I am not—”
“Yeah, you are.” Vishous’s voice grew lower and lower, softer, until she wasn’t sure whether she was hearing it or he was in her mind. “Butch is a wise choice for you, female. He’ll take good care of you, if you let him. Will you, Marissa? Will you let him…take care of you?”
As those diamond eyes hypnotized her, she felt his thumb move over her wrist, shifting back and forth. Her heart rate gradually slowed to the lazy rhythm.
“Answer my question, Marissa.”
She swayed. “What…what did you ask?”
“Will you let him take you?” Vishous leaned down and put his mouth at her ear. “Will you take him inside of you?”
“Yes…” she breathed, aware they were talking about sex, but too seduced in the moment not to reply. “I will have him within me.”
That hard hand loosened, then stroked her arm, traveling over her skin warmly, strongly. He looked down at where he was touching her, an expression of deep concentration on his face. “Good. That’s good. The two of you are beautiful together. A fucking inspiration.”
The male turned on his heel and stalked out of the room.
Disoriented, shocked, she stumbled over to the library’s doorway and saw Vishous going up the stairs, his heavy thighs eating the distance with no effort.
Without warning, he stopped and snapped his head her way. Her hand fluttered to her throat.
Vishous’s smile was as dark as his eyes were pale. “Come on, Marissa. Did you really think I was going to kiss you?”
She gasped. That was exactly what had been going through her—
Vishous shook his head. “You’re Butch’s female and whether you end up with him or not, you always will be to me.” He started up again. “Besides, you’re not my type. Your skin’s too soft.”
V walked into Wrath’s study and shut the double doors, thinking that little chat with Marissa had been disturbing as hell on a variety of levels. God, he hadn’t gotten into anyone’s thoughts for weeks now, but he’d read hers clear as day. Or maybe he’d just hazarded a guess. Hell, more likely the latter. Going by those saucer-wide eyes of hers, she’d clearly been convinced he was going to lay his mouth on her.
Wrong. The reason he’d stared at her was because she fascinated him, not attracted him. He wanted to know what it was about her that made Butch lay with her with such warmth and love. Was it something in her skin? Her bones? Her beauty? How did she do it?
How did she take Butch to a place were sex was communion?
V rubbed the center of his chest, aware of a piercing loneliness.
“Hello? My brother?” Wrath leaned onto his dainty desk, all heavy forearms and big hands. “You here to report or make like sculpture?”
“Yeah…sorry. Distracted.”
Vishous lit up and replayed the fight, especially the final part when he’d watched a lesser disappear into the thin air, thanks to his roommate.
“God damn…” Wrath breathed.
V went to the fireplace and chucked the ass end of his hand-rolled into the flames. “Never seen anything like it.”
“Is he okay?”
“Don’t know. I’d take him to Havers to get checked out, but there’s no going back to the clinic with the cop. Right now, he’s at my place with his cell phone. He’ll call me if things get ratty and I’ll think of something.”
Wrath’s brows disappeared behind his mirrored wraparounds. “How confident are you that the lessers can’t trace him?”
“Damn confident. In both cases, he’s the one that went after them. It’s like he smelled them or something. When he gets up close, they seem to recognize him, but it’s always him engaging first.”
Wrath looked down at the stacks of paper on his desk. “Don’t like him out there alone. Don’t like it at all.”
There was a long pause