(Dis)content (Judgement Of The Six Book 5)
(Dis)content: Chapter 7

“I know you’re hot, but I’m not into guys.”

Ethan’s wry words cut through my light sleep. My eyes popped open as I recalled Carlos in bed with Ethan, and I sat up. Light from the parted curtains illuminated the room enough so that I could see.

Ethan was on his back with his head turned so he eyed Carlos, who lay on his side facing Ethan. It looked a bit too cozy, and I could understand Ethan’s concern.

Grey remained still with his eyes closed, though by the smile tugging at his lips and the waves of humor rolling off him, I could tell he was awake.

Carlos opened his eyes and glanced at me before eyeing Ethan.

“You’re safe with me.”

I wasn’t sure that was the reassurance Ethan was looking for.

Ethan turned his head as he searched for me. He eyed Grey for a moment before meeting my gaze.

“Did he spoon me? I feel recently spooned.”

“Minor spooning,” I said, keeping a straight face. “Pants off, but boxers on.”

Ethan sat up and swung his legs off the bed.

“You’re warped. How can such a twisted mind hide behind that pretty face?”

“You like warped.” I couldn’t stop the grin.

“Lucky for you. If no one is calling dibs on the bathroom, I’m grabbing it for the next ten minutes.”

“All yours,” I said, lying back down.

As soon as the bathroom door closed, Grey got out of bed and left the room.

Don’t look. Don’t look. I turned my head and looked. Yep, Carlos was staring at me.

“Want to tell me what that was about last night?” I asked.

“No.”

“You keep too much in. You’re going to give yourself an aneurism.”

He didn’t say anything, but I didn’t expect him to.

For the next ten minutes, we stared at each other. It drove me crazy that I didn’t know what he was thinking or feeling.

When the bathroom door opened, I bolted out of bed to grab my bag and claim some alone time. It wouldn’t pay to take a shower yet; I needed some time on the treadmill before we headed out. So, I splashed some water on my face before brushing my teeth and combing out my hair. After pulling the mass back into a ponytail, I braided it.

Ethan was the only one in the room when I reemerged. He sat on the bed with his shirt off and the tube of cream in his left hand.

“I think you’re milking this,” I said, setting the bag down.

“Guilty. So, you wanna tell me how I ended up in bed with Carlos?”

Ethan handed me the tube. Then, he managed to pull off his own shirt while I squeezed some of the athletic cream onto my fingers.

“You were right,” I said as I started to rub it in.

“Hold up. Say that again. Only this time, say it like you’re selling it.”

“Shut up.” I poked his side, then went back to spreading the salve. “Carlos caught me on my way to the bathroom last night. He said we were switching and took my spot. At first, I thought he meant I should sleep with him.”

Ethan snorted.

“Like to see him try,” he said.

I grinned, remembering how I’d tried to knee Carlos.

“I think he’s jealous of you,” I said as I stepped back to signal I was done.

“Good. Guess what he did before he left?”

“What?”

“Changed into workout clothes.”

That sneaky giant…

“Want to go for a run outside?” I asked.

Ethan bent down and lifted his running shoes. He knew me too well.

* * * *

It was early enough that the sidewalks were still clear. Ethan and I ran in unison. We didn’t run together often, but when we did, he stuck to me. I liked the sound of our feet hitting the pavement together.

The gestapo caught up to us seven blocks from the hotel. Grey’s worry gave them away. I didn’t slow down or give any indication that I’d noticed them tailing us. Ahead, I spotted a fast food chain restaurant. I veered that direction.

Sweaty, but not yet breathing too hard, Ethan and I stepped inside. I ordered double of everything we would normally eat. To go.

“You always play nice,” Ethan said under his breath.

He was right. I did. When I could. I tried to make up for the times my mood swings wouldn’t let me be nice.

Ethan carried the bags, and I carried the large orange juices. Grey and Carlos were waiting just outside the doors. The sight of Carlos in his tight exercise clothes made my palms sweaty. I ignored the weird phenomenon and pushed my way through the doors. Carlos’ gaze swept over me then locked on my face. I pretended not to notice and focused on Grey instead.

“Grey, you’re going to need something other than jeans if you plan on taking up running.” I handed him an orange juice.

“If the point of the exercise is to burn off the emotion you absorb, doesn’t stopping for breakfast defeat the purpose?” he asked.

“Sleeping in a hotel defeated the purpose before the breakfast run did. If you would have felt what was coming from the room above us…”

He winked at me and took a bite of his breakfast sandwich.

“I’m going to have to tell Gabby to stop ratting me out,” I said, handing a juice to Carlos.

“She didn’t.”

“How did you replace us?”

Grey answered by tapping the side of his nose before taking another bite.

“You should have showered,” Ethan said to me under his breath.

“Shut up. I don’t stink.” Did I?

He laughed at my frown and dug into his sandwich.

“Might as well walk back,” I said as I unwrapped my own food. I wasn’t about to run with the two of them following us. The whole point of leaving the hotel was to give myself some distance from Carlos.

Grey turned and started walking. Carlos hung back, waiting for me to follow. What did he think I would do? Run away? Where would I go? They had the cars. I rolled my eyes and sped up to walk beside Grey.

“Hey, Grey…do you fight?”

He grinned at me, a twinkle in his eye.

“Nah. I’m a lover, not a fighter.”

Darn. I needed a partner before we left. And it wouldn’t be Carlos or Ethan.

My partner happened to replace me as we rounded the corner near the hotel. Luke stood waiting by the doors.

“Isabelle, may I speak with you for a moment, please?”

His proper speech made me grin.

“Sure thing. What’s up?” I stopped to talk to him while everyone else went inside. Carlos lingered just on the other side of the doors. I wished Michelle had never said anything because my stomach wouldn’t settle down around him.

“Bethi wants to speak with you. Alone.”

“Alone seems to be pretty hard to do around you people.”

“You’re safe with me. He knows it.” Luke tilted his head toward Carlos.

What did I care if Carlos thought I’d be safe? And why was Luke concerned about what Carlos thought?

“Because I’m Mated,” Luke said as if I should have asked why. “Werewolves don’t stray. Ever.”

Luke smiled. I didn’t like his smile. And I didn’t like how he glanced at Carlos. I hated conversations with hidden meanings. It was like those stupid picture books where you had to replace the guy with the red and white striped hat. I didn’t have time for games.

“Yeah…I don’t really care. I’ll talk to her. But after, you owe me twenty minutes in the exercise room. Deal?”

He appeared to like the idea.

“Deal.”

No doubt, he was remembering the beating I’d dished him at Ethan’s back door. Good. It would make the sparring more interesting.

Luke reached for the door and held it open for me. After we passed him, Carlos silently fell in behind us. I should have bought him a bigger shirt. There hadn’t been any bigger shirts.

Luke went straight to the exercise room, and I was surprised to see Bethi already there.

“You look like crap,” I said, taking in the shadows under her eyes and her pale complexion. Worry, fear, and desperation clouded the air.

“The dreams…you need to help me,” she said.

I knew what she meant. And I wanted to help her; I couldn’t imagine dreaming about dying over and over again. But I also knew what would happen when I did what she wanted.

“You’re going to turn into a crackhead.”

“I hear it’s a sexy look,” she said with a shrug.

I glanced at Luke. He watched Bethi with concern. When he felt my regard, he met my gaze and nodded. He’d seen Gabby. He knew what could happen. I sighed.

“Fine. You can sit on the sidelines. I’ll pull a little while I can drain it. But you have my back at the next stop.”

She eyed me for a minute then nodded. I liked her more for not asking what I wanted from her before agreeing to my terms.

“Ready to dance, Luke?” I asked with a grin. He moved to the center of the room.

I felt a wisp of vengeance and smirked at him. Yep, he was remembering the punch to the face. I rolled my shoulders and shook out my arms. I’d be using my fists this time.

“Luke.”

The way Carlos said his name had me turning. Carlos remained focused on Luke.

“Relax. She knows what she’s doing,” Luke said.

I wondered what Carlos would do if Luke managed to make contact.

Facing Luke once more, I waved him forward. He went right for my face as I’d expected. Pay back. I blocked it easily and let him stay on the offense. He grinned wickedly and started moving too quick for me to deflect. I winced at the openhanded whack to my side.

Carlos growled behind me. He actually growled? It almost distracted me. Annoyed, I pulled. Bethi’s desperation flooded me, as did Luke’s smugness. I grinned at him as he lost his momentum. Then, I jabbed at his face. He jerked his head back at the last second, so my knuckles only whispered along his jaw. Bethi giggled.

“Luv, who are you rooting for?”

“My sister,” she said with a grin. “She needs to win.”

Her giggle wasn’t real. I felt no humor coming from her. Just more worry and fear. I breathed again. Her fear filled me, and Luke’s annoyance burrowed under my skin. I scowled when he slowed further.

“Focus, Luke. You know what I do. I steal emotions. It weakens you. So stop feeling. If you’re not feeling, I’m not stealing.” I jabbed at his face again. This time I connected. It wasn’t hard, though. I didn’t want to hurt him.

I felt his burst of frustration.

“No frustration,” I said, dancing away from his slow counter-jab. “Get rid of it, or I’m taking it.”

I pulled again. He’d managed to get rid of his frustration because I didn’t get a thing from him. However, Bethi’s worry seeped into me. She heaved a relaxed sigh.

“Carlos, she needs to go,” I said without taking my eyes from Luke.

Luke grinned at me and swung again. I leaned to the side, ducking under his arm, and came back up with a fist to his jaw. I caught him in the same spot as before. He grunted.

“I’ll be right back,” Carlos said.

Out of the corner of my eye, I watched him walk Bethi from the room. I stopped pulling and laid into Luke.

* * * *

I stared out the window, resisting the urge to ask if we were there yet.

“Are we there, yet?” Ethan asked in a whiny, high voice.

I grinned. God, we thought alike.

“No. And if you ask again, I’ll pull this car over,” Winifred said.

Winifred had learned to keep her emotions in check, so it made it hard to tell if she was teasing. I looked at the mirror and caught her smile. At least someone else in the car had a sense of humor besides Ethan and me.

Carlos sat in the front with Winifred. His precise posture and silence annoyed me after his stunt last night. He obviously felt something. Why keep it so hidden? I shook my head slightly. No. I didn’t care. I didn’t want to know. However, I did appreciate that his emotional nothingness helped make the ride somewhat bearable.

Ethan, on the other hand, had grown a little lax in his boredom, and I felt something from him every now and again. I couldn’t blame him, though. It had been a long car ride so far, and we hadn’t made much progress as we zigzagged across the state.

Despite the emotional ease within the cab of the car, every time we passed another vehicle on the road, I inadvertently absorbed emotions. It tended to happen too quickly for me to block; Winifred drove like a demon.

As the sun crested the sky, so did my impatience to get wherever we were going. My skin tingled with it, and I struggled to resist the urge to smack Carlos in the back of the head just because he was so annoyingly calm…and because I was itching for a fight.

“Seriously, are we almost there? I need a break.”

Ethan glanced at me, studying my face.

“Gabby is guiding us through their nets. As soon as she replaces a safe place for us to stop, Michelle or Charlene will make arrangements for somewhere to stay the night,” Winifred said.

“So, in other words, you don’t know when we’ll stop.” The thumping behind my eyes intensified, and it had nothing to do with anyone else’s emotions. It was plain ol’ annoyance from me.

“Try taking a nap,” Ethan said.

“It’s past that.”

He frowned, and I could see him flex his right hand. He was testing his shoulder, most likely trying to gauge if we could pull off onto a back road for a little sparring.

“Not happening,” I said, taking his left hand.

He didn’t ask what I meant, so I knew my guess was right. I’d just have to sit in the car and wait out the ride like everyone else. Carlos shifted in his seat and glanced back at our hands. I narrowed my eyes at him.

I managed to contain my irritation for another two hours; although, I did have to give up my hold on Ethan’s hand. Ethan remained quiet beside me, his worried glances telling me I wasn’t successful at hiding my problem. My grip on the door handle tightened with each passing mile. A tiny part of me was thinking about opening it and jumping out. Not to die but to escape. What, I wasn’t sure. The car remained soothingly mellow.

“Gabby’s found a safe spot. She apologizes that it has taken so long. She said the Urbat changed their pattern slightly, and she wanted to watch it for a while to be sure they wouldn’t come back.”

“How could you possibly know that?” I asked.

Winifred met my gaze in the mirror.

“As an Elder, I can communicate with our kind in my mind. I asked Sam, Sam asked Gabby and relayed what she said to me.”

What she was saying twisted in my head. Werewolves could do everything, it seemed. Everything except leave me alone. I almost twitched with the need to glare at Carlos. This was all his fault. I so didn’t want to know anything more about what his kind could do.

“Whatever. How long till we get there?” I bit out.

“It’s another hour away. But she said the way is completely clear now. Would you like me to replace somewhere to stop?”

“Yes.”

Winifred took the next exit. She didn’t go far. Two turns brought us to a semi-rural road with fields between the houses. She pulled over beside one field.

My breath clouded as I stepped out. It was cold enough to shiver, but I barely noticed. The rest of the cars pulled up behind us. I didn’t bother searching out one of the other guys in the group. I walked into the dead field, knowing Carlos already followed.

When I turned, his gaze swept over my face. His expression gave nothing away. I grew even more annoyed and realized my need to vent wasn’t so much the emotions I’d absorbed but rather my own emotions I had tried to ignore.

Once he was close enough, I attempted to punch him in the head. I was irritated that he could so successfully block his emotions from me. I kicked out at his knee. And, pissed as hell over the stunt he’d pulled in the bathroom, I spun close and drove an elbow into his ribs—a new move for him. His grunt made me grin; and I spun around, trying to hit the side of his head. He caught my arm and pulled me close.

“Behave.”

What? Me, behave? I saw red. Sparring went out the window, and I attacked. Who the hell did he think he was to tell me what to do? My body obeyed every thought, and my moves blurred as I hit, kicked, elbowed, and kneed him. I used everything. Some moves connected, and I had the satisfaction of hearing a grunt. Most moves he deflected. Within just a few minutes, I was panting and less angry.

I stepped back, signaling an end to the fight, and looked up at Carlos. His eyes burned with an unnamed emotion.

Eh, maybe I should have behaved.

Before I could apologize, he seized me and tossed me over his shoulder. The cold wind bit into my overheated legs, and below me, the ground zipped past. Just as quickly as the movement had started, it stopped; and he set me on my feet.

“What the hell was that?” I asked, pushing my hair out of my face so I could see.

He stood too close, leaning over me in a menacing way.

“I was about to ask you the same thing,” he said softly.

I swallowed hard.

“I’m sorry. I was angry.”

“Yes. I know. Why?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” I glanced over his shoulder and saw the cars in the distance. They were no bigger than an inch. I could barely discern the people milling around them.

He reached out and held my face between his large hands.

“Isabelle, I’m struggling to control my patience with you. Why were you angry?”

My gaze flew to his, and I snorted.

“Struggling? You? I don’t think you even have emotions to struggle with.”

A flood of complete, hopeless wanting hit me so hard my knees buckled. Carlos didn’t let me fall, though. He shifted one arm to my waist and held me tight against him. The contact along with the deluge of want hazed the world around me. I swam in his need and grew just as desperate with it.

He tipped his head forward, his lips brushing the curve of my ear.

“All of what I feel would frighten you.”

The tickle of his breath against my skin made me shiver. I pressed closer, needing his touch, wanting his attention. The compulsion to wrap myself in him, in who he was, robbed me of any other thought.

I brought one hand up to place on his shoulder and turned my head to breathe him in, deeply. He shuddered and groaned.

Humming with need, I touched my nose to his neck, nuzzling him, drowning in my want. Gently, I trailed my nose along the column of his neck, exhaling as I went.

He whispered my name. Then, suddenly, it all disappeared. The desperation. The need. The heat inducing desire. It all vanished. Only a lingering ache churned in my stomach.

I froze in Carlos’ embrace and shook with my anger, realizing what he’d done.

He exhaled slowly and with a gentle kiss against the shell of my ear, stepped away.

For a moment, despair pulled at his expression, then that too carefully closed off. Though I was mad at him, I was angrier with myself. Ethan had warned me to watch my back. I hadn’t been watching.

With an irate toss of my hair, I turned away from him and started the walk back.

Enough emotion had been vented that my skin didn’t feel tingly and tight. I frowned, considering the emotion he’d just shared. Though I’d felt every ounce of it, I’d absorbed very little. And it had only been one emotion. I hadn’t felt whatever else he’d been feeling. No one felt just one thing. Ever. What kind of control did Carlos have?

* * * *

The rest of the drive finished in silence. Ethan wouldn’t look at me, and I wondered what he thought of the scene he’d witnessed in the field.

When we pulled up in front of the hotel, I moved to stand near Bethi. She gave me a curious look but didn’t say anything. Michelle and Emmitt went to check in. When they came back with four room keys again, I spoke up.

“I need a separate room.”

Michelle glanced at the Elders.

“Why?” Winifred asked.

“I’m going to pass out if I have to keep sparring at this rate. I need more isolation.”

“She’s right,” Bethi said. “She can’t help herself. Isolation protects her.”

Winifred glanced at Grey. Grey looked at the ground. I refused to look at Carlos.

“Emmitt, will you check to see if they have another room?” Winifred asked.

It felt like I was committing a crime with the way everyone silently watched me. Emmitt came back with another room card and handed it over.

“Thank you.” I looked down at the number. “If it’s all right, I’ll just keep to my room.” I didn’t wait for them to approve but grabbed Ethan’s hand.

No one stopped us, and when we were halfway down the hallway, I exhaled in relief. Ethan didn’t say a word as I unlocked the door and motioned him inside.

Once the door closed behind us though, he turned to study me.

“Talk to me, Z. What happened?”

I sat down on the bed and looked up at him.

“Turns out he’s not a robot.”

“What made you think he was?”

“He didn’t leak anything, Ethan. Ever. He was a complete void. Even when you’re blocking, I have a sense of what you’re feeling.”

Ethan sat next to me.

“That’s because you know me better than anyone else.”

“That’s just it.” I set my head gently against his damaged shoulder. “I know you. I don’t know him. I don’t want to be near him anymore.”

“Z, what happened out there?” he asked softly.

I sighed.

“He opened himself and let me feel just one emotion. It was too much. It burrowed under my skin, and I felt what he felt. It was like it was my own emotion. I couldn’t tell the difference.”

“What did he feel, Z?”

I closed my eyes and turned my head to hide my face against Ethan’s shoulder.

“God, he wants me.” My stomach tightened at the remembered emotion.

“Lots of guys have wanted you, but you typically don’t kick their butts for it. You really laid into him, Z. You were nicer to Brick.”

I cringed, knowing he was right.

“I was so mad. At the car ride. At the people chasing us. At this dumb trip. At him for being so damn nothing all the time. I thought coming with them to see if I could get rid of this thing I do was a good idea, but maybe it’s not. I just want to go.”

He finally wrapped his right arm around my shoulders and gave me a squeeze.

“This is the right decision for now. You’re just afraid.”

I lifted my head.

“What?”

“Carlos made you feel something you didn’t want to feel, right? It freaked you out.”

Yeah, it definitely freaked me out. I set my head back on Ethan’s shoulder and exhaled heavily.

“Do you need to spar again or are you feeling all right?” he asked.

“I’m good. Bored after the long drive, but good.”

“What do you want to do?”

“Let’s just watch some TV.” I didn’t want to leave the room and risk running into Carlos again.

“Sounds good to me.” He stiffly dropped his arm, stood, and moved to the head of the other bed. He got comfortable then waved me over with his left arm. I gave a weak smile and joined him. I needed Ethan to get better.

I just needed Ethan.

* * * *

The next morning we packed up and joined everyone in the lobby. I wasn’t looking forward to another day in the car or facing Carlos. The negative emotions drifting from the group told me no one else wanted to spend another day driving either.

“We thought we might go out for breakfast,” Winifred said as we approached.

“Good,” Ethan said. “I’m starving.”

There’d been no room service the night before since the hotel didn’t offer any. And raiding the snack machine in the hall had been unsatisfactory. It had either been understocked, or the rest of the group had hit it first. Fruit snacks and chewing gum had done little to curb Ethan’s appetite.

We threw our bags into the car then walked the three blocks to the restaurant. I enjoyed the stroll and lingered at the back of the group with Ethan. Despite my intention to ignore Carlos, I found myself studying him. He walked beside Grey near the front of our procession. Everyone else chatted, but they were quiet. I couldn’t help wondering what Carlos was thinking. Had he been upset by the separate room? Was he worried I’d shared a bed with Ethan? Why did I even care? He had to know we’d want a separate room after he’d made me switch beds. I mean, I wasn’t about to make Ethan sleep next to Carlos again, though I didn’t think Ethan had actually minded. Yet, if Ethan wouldn’t share with Carlos and Carlos didn’t want me bunking with Ethan, that meant I’d replace myself snuggling with Carlos.

The remembered sensation of Carlos’ mouth against my ear made me shiver.

“We need to get you a better jacket,” Ethan said.

His hunched shoulders were near his ears as he struggled to stay warm, too.

“We’ll be warm enough once we’re eating or back in the car,” I said quietly. The cold didn’t bother me as much as the idea of sitting in the car with Carlos.

The quaint restaurant had the typical breakfast offerings. Jim made me smile when he hopefully asked if they had a buffet. The small dining room obviously didn’t have one. I didn’t know why he bothered asking.

I ordered an omelet then played tic-tac-toe with Ethan on the back of my placemat. He won most of the games.

“You cheat,” I said, setting down my blue crayon.

He grinned and shook his head at me.

“It’s tic-tac-toe. Cheating’s impossible. Don’t be a sore loser.”

Playing the game and the banter never fully distracted me from Carlos’ steady gaze from across the table. What would he do if I kicked him in the shin? I was so tempted to replace out. Only the possibility that he might turn into the mad dog I’d seen in the alley stopped me. I didn’t want Ethan to get hurt because I was annoyed.

When the food arrived, Emmitt immediately asked for the bill. I glanced at Gabby. She was in her sonar world again, and I wondered if she’d seen something to cause the need for speed. I ate quickly as did everyone else.

“Ethan,” Winifred said as we walked out the door. “Could I speak with you for a moment?”

I slowed down with him, but she waved me ahead.

“It’s all right, Isabelle. You go walk with Gabby.”

I was obviously not wanted. Ethan nodded that he was okay, so I turned and caught up with Gabby and Clay.

“I’ll be your third wheel for this walk,” I said.

Gabby didn’t answer, just stared straight ahead. I leaned around her to look at Clay.

“She been doing this a lot?”

He nodded and cast her a worried glance.

I nudged Gabby with my elbow, and she blinked and turned to look at me.

“What are you seeing?”

“I’m not sure yet.”

“Meaning…”

Her brow wrinkled.

“They’ve been sweeping for us since we ran into them at your hotel. It’s like they’re doing a grid search. I’ve been slipping us through the holes in the lines. Sometimes, it seemed as if they caught a scent trail and repositioned to net us. When that happened, I would confuse our trail with a highway or high population area.

“They’re still sweeping for us, but there are larger gaps in some of their lines. Not many. A few. I’ve been trying to see where the men might have gone, but I don’t see any large groupings other than the one in northern New York. The holes are random so far. It’s making it easier for us to slip by them.”

She paused for too long.

“But…” I prompted her.

“It feels too easy,” she said, fully looking at me.

I knew what she meant. When the river of life gave you a floatie, there were definitely rapids ahead.

“Ignore the big gaps then and go for the smaller ones.”

“That’s what I was thinking, too,” she said with a nod.

“Did you talk to grandma and grandpa about it yet?” Grey felt more like an Uncle than Winifred and Sam.

“I haven’t mentioned it yet because I was trying to figure it out. But I’ll talk to Sam when we’re on the road again.”

I nodded as if I cared whether or not she shared the information, then looked over my shoulder. Ethan kept pace beside Winifred. His gaze swept the sidewalk before him as he listened to her. He looked sad. What was she saying to him?

At the hotel, the groups separated into their designated cars. Except Winifred and Ethan.

“Z, I’m going to ride in the party bus and give you a break for a bit. Have the big guy pull over if you need something.”

My mouth dropped open as he pivoted and climbed into the SUV with Winifred. There were three vehicles. Winifred’s car, the SUV that Sam drove, and the car that Thomas drove. Thomas, Charlene, Jim, Emmitt, and Michelle had climbed into one car. Sam, Gabby, Clay, Bethi, Luke, and Grey had already disappeared into the eight-passenger SUV.

Slowly, I turned my head and found Carlos watching me. My eyes narrowed. I rolled my shoulders and went to the car. It didn’t pay to sit in back in protest. I went to the front passenger seat and made myself comfortable.

Carlos immediately joined me. He didn’t even seem to notice I was there as he adjusted his seat, mirror, and steering wheel. He buckled then glanced at my seatbelt. I buckled in, glaring at him the entire time.

I waited until we cleared the city limits before I spoke to him.

“So, this is how we’re playing it? I ask for a room that doesn’t include you, and you finagle a car ride alone with me? What are you hoping to prove? How fast you can piss me off?”

His fingers twitched on the steering wheel.

“I thought we could talk,” he said evenly.

“About what?” If he mentioned the field, I’d punch him in the head.

“Michelle said she spoke to you.”

Oh, hell no. That subject was just as bad. I debated telling him to shut up then decided to play dumb. Maybe he’d give up.

“About what exactly?”

When he spoke, his voice was soft like the lull in the eye of a hurricane.

“I know you feel the pull. I see it every time you look at me. Why are you fighting it?”

Because fighting is what I do, I thought.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. What pull?” I kept my voice curious and confused. Stupid man. Did he think I was about to talk about him with him?

His hands tightened on the wheel again.

“Do you know why we’re alone in this car?”

Well, that was an abrupt change in topic.

“No clue. Fill me in.”

“I’m barely in control, Isabelle. Grey thought you’d be safer if I was busy driving.” He completely looked away from the road to stare at me. “But you’re not.”

The car stayed perfectly in the lane. Not even a tiny bit of veering. That was scarier than his words.

“Okay. Okay. Just look at the road already.” He was freaking me out.

He didn’t listen.

“Tonight, when we stop, we’ll go back to four rooms. Not five. Do you understand?”

Did he just try to tell me what I was going to do? Yes. He did.

“If you value Ethan’s safety—”

I reached out, grabbed the steering wheel, and yanked it to the right. The car swerved with a screech as he immediately counter-steered. He braked hard and pulled over to the shoulder. We were still on back roads. As soon as the car stopped, he turned to look at me, thunder in his eyes.

“Don’t ever try to threaten me,” I said in a low voice.

“Don’t ever risk your safety again.”

I shivered at the menace in his words. His intense gaze made my stomach dip and my middle heat. He inhaled slowly, deeply. Both his hands still gripped the steering wheel. Yet, they shook.

Emotion flooded the air. This time there was no question regarding its origin. Helplessly, I breathed in his absolute, desperate need. His steady gaze never left my face as he lifted one hand from the steering wheel and reached out toward me. His need to touch me became my need to be touched. I could barely breathe because of it. I closed my eyes, trying to deny the feelings that I knew weren’t my own. But I was helpless against his need. It was too all consuming.

I leaned forward.

When a fingertip brushed my cheek, I exhaled shakily and my eyes flew open. I wanted more, but he was still in the same spot, only allowing himself a small touch. The pads on his fingers feathered over my skin from cheek to jaw, a light, gentle stroke that left a burning trail. The need for more consumed me.

No, this wasn’t me. It was him.

I was drowning in what he felt and couldn’t save myself.