“I don’t know,” she exclaimed. Frustration bubbled to the surface and she paced around the room, stopping to kick the footboard of the bed. “I want to scream! Or hit something! Or break something!”
* * * *
Carl grabbed her arm, keeping his grip firm but gentle enough not to hurt her. “I don’t think your mother will appreciate you breaking anything.”
She turned to look at him, her eyes filled with tears. The raw vulnerability staggered him, forcing his protective nature to the surface. She looked so lost and he was helpless to resist her as he pulled her into his arms and kissed her hair. She clung to him tightly, burying her face in his chest. “I don’t want to lose you, Carl.”
“I know.” And he did. He didn't understand what was between her and Alec, but there was no doubt in his mind about what he shared with her.
Kayla looked up at him, her cheeks flushed and her lower lip quivered. He wiped one errant tear away, wishing he could wipe away all her hurt so easily. He bent down and kissed her, tasting the salt of her tears mixed with the natural sweet and spicy taste that was all Kayla. She deepened the kiss, her fingers trembling as she tugged at his shirt with an almost desperate urgency.
Helping her along, he removed his shirt and tossed it aside. His willingness seemed to embolden her and she pushed him toward the bed. He took a step back, bumping against the footboard, and landed on the soft mattress. With a single-minded determination, she climbed on top of him, straddling him as she pulled her dress over her head. She shook out her hair and he felt the blood from his head rush south at her impassioned boldness.
She reached for his belt buckle and he inhaled sharply when her clever fingers yanked it off him. Aware she wasn’t feeling particularly patient and at this point, neither was he, he shifted her and unhooked his pants. Kayla slid her body down his, pulling them off. He growled and reached down to pull her up, crushing her against him. Entangling his hands in her hair, he devoured her mouth. His tongue slipped inside her willing lips, mating with hers in a fervent dance.
“I need you, Carl. I can’t wait.”
Her desperate plea touched him and he reached down, finding her hot and ready for him. With a groan, he slid inside her welcoming heat. She trembled at his invasion and clung to him, wrapping her legs around him and urging him to move faster. His pace was relentless and she whimpered, her nails scoring down his back, begging him not to stop. When she finally cried out, shuddering in release, he exploded inside her.
Carl collapsed on top of her, struggling to catch his breath. Aware he was probably crushing her, he shifted his weight. She made a small noise of discontent at his movement and her arms tightened around him. He smiled at her reluctance to release him.
Her dark hair was splayed out on the pillow and her eyes were closed. He lightly ran a finger over her lips and then brushed his mouth against hers. She opened her eyes and looked at him tenderly.
“I’m going back with you when you go,” she whispered.
Carl just looked at her for a moment, letting her words register. He rolled over to stare up at the ceiling, trying to decide how best to respond. Kayla propped herself up on one arm to look down at him. She lightly traced her finger over his chest. “I thought you’d be happy. Don’t you want me to go back with you?”
Alec’s words echoed in his mind and he knew there would likely be consequences for what he was about to say. He had already come close to losing her once today and he wasn’t willing to do it again without a fight. Carl felt a slight twinge of guilt as he said, “Kayla, I’m crazy about you. Of course, I want you to come back with me. But I also know this is temporary. Alec made that clear to me. He told me yesterday that you ‘belong’ to him and you’ve always ‘belonged’ to him. What you told me a little while ago reinforced that.”
His words had the desired effect. She sat up, her eyes narrowing. He could almost see the heat of her emotions as her temper flared. “He told you I ‘belong’ to him? Screw that. I don’t belong to anyone. I’m not going to have my life controlled. If I want to be with you, I’m going to be with you. It doesn’t have to be temporary unless we make that decision.”
Carl watched her throw her legs off the side of the bed. She stood up and snatched her clothes off the floor. He raised an eyebrow as she dressed, her movements clipped and abrupt. “I’m going back with you and that’s final. I don’t give a rat’s ass what anyone else says about it either. My home is on the surface and that’s where I belong.”
Carl bit back a smile. He knew he was riling her up even more but he couldn’t resist. “You’re incredibly beautiful when you’re angry.”
She scowled at him, her lips turning downward into an adorable pout. “I’m not angry. I’m freaking pissed off. I’m sick and tired of everyone trying to control me. To hell with them!”
She turned and stormed out of the room. With a curse, he scrambled to locate his discarded clothing so he could go after her. It looked like he'd pushed her a little too far.
* * * *
Alec looked up to see Kayla emerge from her bedroom. He didn't miss her mussed hair or disheveled appearance. He felt a rush of anger at the thought of a simple trader touching what was his, but he kept his face an expressionless mask.
Kayla's gaze locked on his. Her shoulders straightened and her fists clenched as she marched toward him like a solider prepared for battle. He could feel the fury rippling off her in waves. Before he had a chance to wonder at the cause, she swung her fist at him. His eyes widened, but he caught her hand before she could make contact.
“Damned mind reader.” She jerked her hand away from him and hissed, “I don’t belong to you. Just because we may have shared energy and there’s some sort of bond between us doesn’t mean I belong to you. How dare you say that.”
Alec looked into her furious green eyes and reached for her hand, wanting to soothe her. She pulled away, denying both him and their connection. “Forget it. Don’t you dare put your hands on me.”
Carl entered the room and although he hid it well, there was a smugness in his demeanor. Alec glared at him, wanting to punish him for his insolence, but his hands were tied unless he wanted to further alienate Kayla. “I’m assuming you’re responsible for this?”
Carl didn’t reply.
“Carl’s not responsible for anything,” Kayla retorted and poked her finger against his chest. “I want to know who the hell gave you the right to say I belong to you. I’ll be damned if I ‘belong’ to anyone.”
Alec looked down at her, gauging her emotions and deciding how best to proceed. He wasn't used to dealing with enraged females. Most women in the Inner Circle would simply treat him with cool disdain if he ruffled their feathers.
Sensing arguing with her would only inflame her further, he lowered his head and held up his hands in a contrite gesture. “You’re right. It was a poor choice of words.”
Kayla’s eyes narrowed, but she wasn’t pacified. “I’m going back to the surface with Carl tomorrow. Whatever happens with this whole connection thing happens. But I’m going to live my life the way I want to live it.” She crossed her arms over her chest, as though daring him to countermand her declaration.
Alec schooled his features, ignoring the sharp pain in his gut at the thought of her leaving. He'd thought they'd come to an understanding and she'd even seemed receptive to exploring their bond. He reached below the surface to read her emotions and what he found surprised him. Behind her false bravado and anger, she was terrified.
He pulled back, not wanting to upset or push her further away. She needed time and that was one thing he could give her. “If that’s truly what you want, I won’t try to stop you, Kayla.”
“Good. Because I’d kick your ass if you tried.” She spun on her heels and headed back toward her room. The door slammed behind her and Seara stood up in concern.
Veridian gave an apologetic shake of his head. “Give her a few minutes. She’ll calm down soon enough.”
Alec gave Ca
rl a harsh look. It took all of his restraint not to lash out at Kayla's lover. “I’d like to speak with you privately.”
“I bet,” Carl replied and followed him to the safe room. When the door closed behind them, Alec turned to Carl. He decided not to mince words. “So you decided to play on Kayla’s emotions to get her to do what you want?”
Carl folded his arms over his chest and returned his gaze evenly. “I happened to mention your comment from yesterday. That’s all.”
Alec was quiet for a moment. “Kayla and I are bonded. That bond cannot be broken or altered. Because of that connection, I know she loves you. I also know if I were to raise a hand against you in any way right now, she would resist me and our bond even more.”
At Carl’s silence, Alec continued, “Since this is what she believes she wants, go ahead and take her with you tomorrow when you leave. But I want you to keep in mind that the day will come when she returns to me. There isn’t anything you can do to stop that. When that happens, I promise you I won’t forget your indiscretion, Trader Carl Grayson.”
Carl's eyes hardened and Alec knew this wasn't a man who would easily relinquish his hold on her. He felt a modicum of respect for his determination, but Carl's next words left him feeling cold.
“Then I’ll face whatever comes. I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow or the next day, but as long as Kayla’s with me, I’ll gladly meet it head on.”
Without waiting for Alec to reply, Carl turned and left the room.
About the Author
Jamie Waters has been dreaming up stories ever since she was a child. She lives in North Carolina with her son. When she’s not pursuing her passion of writing, she’s reading on her Kindle, painting or spending time with her family.
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Acknowledgements
A special thank you to Tracy and my mother for believing in me and encouraging me to keep writing. You showed me how to get lost in my head and find my way back out.
I'd also like to thank my son, James. Without our spirited 'what-if' debates and the laughter that usually accompanied, this book wouldn't be possible.
The Two Towers © 2014 by Jamie A. Waters
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, or events, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
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Cover Art © 2014 by Suzannah Safi
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eBook ISBN: 978-1-77127-510-1
First eBook Edition *April 2014
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