He cringed, even now, as he thought of how rough he had been with her. He had not eased her, had not shown her the warmth he felt for her. He had been unable to. Had they not been rescued, then Bainesmith would have used it to torment her, to hurt her.
“I won’t release you, Faith.” He shook his head as he met her angry gaze. “I can’t release you. I wouldn’t know how.”
“Why?” She dragged her fingers ruthlessly through her hair, sending the silken strands in every direction. “You don’t want me, Jacob. Not really. If you did, you would have come for me.”
“I didn’t want to hurt you,” he bit out. “Is this so hard to understand, Faith? I had no idea you weren’t terrified of me. That you didn’t want to be left alone. I practically raped you…”
“Oh, for God’s sake.” Disgust filled her voice, censure lighting her expression. “Do you take me for a fool, Jacob?”
He crossed his arms over his chest, watching the anger building in her as he sensed her arousal rising. He could smell it, just as he had the night before in the jeep. And despite Wolfe’s letter, it still confused him that she could want him, desire him, despite his rough treatment of her. But she did, and he would be damned if he would hold back any longer.
It was different when he thought she feared him. Now that he knew she didn’t, there wasn’t a chance in hell that he would do without her much longer.
“I don’t take you for a fool, Faith,” he assured her smoothly. “But do not take me for one either. I may have been wrong in my reasons for giving you time to grow, but that doesn’t mean I will compound my mistakes by giving you more time. Consider yourself mated, Faith. I won’t let you go.”
He watched her eyes widen. Saw the surprise that filled her expression. She had actually expected him to somehow release her. He ignored the sharp pain in his chest at that thought. Nature had given her to him. Had taken a creation of man and made it perfect, delicate, soft and gentle, and given it to him for his own. He may not have handled it well starting out, but he would be damned if he would attempt to help her find a way to escape it.
Jacob more than admitted that she could have done better than him. He was a killer, an Enforcer. It was his job to seek out the captive Breeds, rescue them, and destroy the monsters who created them. He had more blood on his soul than he could ever clean away. But the scent of her need, the heat of her body, wiped away the memories of that bloodshed.
“You can’t force me, Jacob,” she bit out, facing him furiously.
He had never seen her so angry. Had never seen that flush along her cheekbones, the glitter in her eyes, both of fury and of arousal. Her body was tense, primed for battle and for sex, and he was more than willing to give her both. Just not at the same time. He would be damned if he would let his own savage nature take control of him again.
“I will not rape you,” he corrected her. “But neither will I let you go. I have a job to complete here before we can return to the Pack. But when we return, Faith, we will return as mates.”
Her eyes narrowed. He could see her mind working, the arguments she was trying to come up with.
“And if I do not agree to share your bed?” she asked him, her teeth gritted.
Then he would slowly become a blithering idiot, he groaned silently.
“Can you honestly deny wanting me?” he asked her instead. “And before you speak, let me tell you now, Faith. I can smell your need, the lust that fills your body even now. Will you lie to me, merely to save yourself embarrassment?”
A bitter laugh escaped her. Bitter and angry.
“I never denied wanting to f**k you,” she bit out explicitly, causing him to flinch at the description. “That doesn’t mean I have to do it.”
Jacob frowned. Dealing with this new, aggressive Faith was more difficult than he had first thought it would be. Wolfe’s letter hadn’t quite gone into enough explanation to prepare him for her.
“This is true. It’s not something you have to do.” He shrugged. Hell, what did she expect him to say? He wasn’t going to order her to do it.
Her lips firmed then, her eyes narrowing further. She still didn’t look pleased. He was just trying to find stable footing amid the tempestuousness she was displaying. He couldn’t make her share his bed. Though it was an intriguing thought.
“Not something I have to do?” she asked him slowly, propping her hands on her h*ps as she watched him. “Tell me, Jacob, exactly what will be required of me during this enforced stay with you? Or am I here for you to merely torment?”
“Torment?” Jacob shook his head, confused and finding it more than difficult to follow her reasoning. “Faith, I have no desire to torment you. Did I not just let you dump me on my ass? Did I retaliate? Did I mount you and force you to take me? Dammit, you’re my mate, not my slave. Do whatever the hell you please, but you will stay.” His voice slowly rose as his own frustration began to get the best of him.
He advanced on her until they were nearly nose to nose. He had to forcibly restrain himself to keep from touching her, tasting the heat that rolled off her in waves. In all his life, his control had never been tested in such a manner. He could not remember a time when he had been so filled with conflicting desires and needs that his body nearly shuddered from them.
“You are too bossy, Jacob,” she yelled back fiercely. “You are arrogant, lordly, and an ass**le to boot. I have no desire to be under your thumb for one day, let alone seven.”
“Do you prefer my thumb or my body?” he growled back. “Don’t push me, Faith. My control has never been at its best where you are concerned, and infuriating me in this manner does not help.”
“So it’s my fault now?” she argued back, her black eyes bottomless, hot and excited. Damn her, she didn’t even bother to hide the fact that his anger was arousing her. “Poor Jacob can’t control himself, so it’s all Faith’s fault. Come on, Jacob, surely you don’t expect me to fall for that?”
“Faith, you are pushing me.” His voice lowered, the rough rumble that echoed from his chest surprised him. Only during extreme stress or fury did the animalistic growl vibrate in his chest in such a way.
Faith’s eyes widened, and damn her, he could literally taste the heat flowing from her core. The smell of her arousal was wrapping him in a bond of lust he was finding hard to deny.