Her voice comes out raspy. “What are you talking about?”
I edge closer and push my leg between her thighs. A choked moan slips from her throat. “Are you wet for me, Kitten?”
She presses her lips together and sets her gaze on the wall behind my shoulder.
“Not human enough to feel bad for carving up women’s chests but human enough to get turned on by being collared.”
Freya’s eyes flash and her hands snap up to grab my wrist. “Who said I don’t feel bad?”
It’s the most emotion I’ve seen her show and it’s enough to make me second guess myself for a moment. That’s all she needs to break my hold. She moves lightning fast till she’s out of arms reach, her chest rising and falling with heavy breaths.
“Never touch me again,” she says.
I curl my lips in disgust. “Don’t worry Kitten, I’d rather stick my dick in a beehive than fuck a murderer like you.”
Her cheeks flush. “Screw you Elijah, I haven’t killed anybody.”
I step forward.She raises her hand to slap me, but I catch her wrist and tug her in close.“You don’t get call me that.” The only person who’s ever called me Elijah was my mother.
Freya’s eyes burn. “Then don’t call me a murderer.”
I shrug, still holding onto her wrist. “If the name fits.”
Freya shrieks and tries to wrench her arm from my grip. When I don’t let go, she stomps on my foot. She’s too small for it to hurt much but I release her so she’ll calm down. Only, letting her go doesn’t help. She claws at me.
She’s a detective, she must know how to fight, but it’s like she’s in a frenzy. I try to grab her arms to get her to stop, but every time I touch her, she shrieks again and lashes out, her nails scratching at my skin.
Footsteps pound against the wooden floor as River, Jude, and Oz run into the corridor.
“What the hell is going on?” River demands as Jude narrows his eyes on me.
“What did you do?” he asks.
“Nothing,” I say, tilting my head back so Freya can’t reach my face. “Will someone do something about this?”
River and Oz drag Freya off me. She doesn’t calm down till she’s pinned against the wall again and River’s snapping cuffs around her wrist. It’s not till she’s stopped thrashing about that I see the tears streaming down her face.
“Fuck.” I run my hand over my jaw and stalk back into my room. I should apologize but half of me feels like she deserved what I did, what I said. The other half knows the way I justbehaved was despicable and I’ve earned the sock to the face River’s parting glare promised.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Jude
I GLOWER AT Eli’s back as he walks away. The dopamine hit from the adrenaline rush slows my brain down enough that I don’t make any rash decisions.
I don’t know what Eli did, but I have no doubt it’s his fault Freya’s upset. I’m a little surprised I’m so protective of her after such a short amount of time but unlike River I’m not one to suppress my emotions.
According to my parents that’s just one of my many weaknesses, being ruled by my feelings. They don’t rule me though, I just feel them more strongly than most and I’m not egotistical enough to try and ignore them. If I’m feeling something, there’s a reason and listening to that always works better than burying it. Right now, I’m feeling like I want to whisk Freya away and make sure she never has reason to cry like this again.
I stride over to River and draw Freya to my side. “I’ve got her,” I say, “you go deal with Eli.”
River’s jaw sharpens, his dark eyes lingering on Freya for a moment before he gives a brisk nod.
He heads towards Eli’s room, and I put my arm around Freya’s shoulders. “Come on, Angel.” The tears have stopped falling but she’s almost catatonic as I walk her to my room on the other side of the corridor.
“I guess I’ll just wait here then,” Oz calls as we leave him in the hall. I glance over my shoulder and smirk at the dry look on his face.
He focuses on Freya. “You all right going with him?”
