I can feel his eyes on my ass as I walk ahead of him. Damn but its making me hot. When I think of what he did inside with the brick and the chains, my insides flutter. He’s such an asshole, but he makes up for it with pure sexiness.

We are near the area where we parked the bikes when I hear a shot ring out. Before I can move, I feel a weight on me and I’m falling. As I hit the ground, the air is punched out of me, leaving me gasping. “Are you okay?” I hear Ceric’s concerned voice in my ear, but until I get my breath back, I won’t be able to answer, and his weight on top of me isn’t helping.

“God . . . Nova, answer me” he insists urgently against my hair just as I hear another shot ring out, and then I remember what happened back in the building, and I start to panic. These guys disintegrate if they get shot. I start to struggle, urgently wanting him to move. “Stop, Hellcat, you are going to get hurt. I will lift a little, but don’t move.” As soon as I feel his weight ease off me, I use all my energy and pull upwards and to the side, unbalancing him, as he wasn’t expecting my sudden movement.

“Fuck,” he groans. But before he can move, I’m lying flat on top of him. “What the fuck, Hellcat? What are you doing? You are going to get yourself killed,” he says angrily, trying to dislodge me, but I have my feet on each side of his legs, anchoring myself against him. My hands and arms are protecting his head from any bullet that might be aimed at us.

“Please stop. Stay still,” I whisper roughly as I hold on to him. “Ceric, please.” He must hear my panic, because he stills suddenly.

“Why?” he asks. I can hear the concern in his voice at the desperation of my hold on him.

“You will get shot,” I grumble. I feel his hands come up towards my head. His fingers entwine in my hair, and he pulls my head up so I’m looking directly into his eyes. Only then do I realise that the shots have stopped.

“You could also get shot,” he says as his dark chocolate-brown eyes bore into my soul. His look is so piercing that I’m starting to feel my head spin.

“But I don’t disintegrate.” I hear him catch his breath, and then his eyes fill with a tenderness I never thought I would ever see from him. Why am I feeling so light-headed? Did I get shot and didn’t even feel it?

“Hellcat, I don’t disintegrate if I get shot, only if I die,” he says gently. “But, Hellcat, if you ever put yourself in danger like that again after I specifically tell you not to do something, I will spank your ass until you can’t sit for a week.”

“Humph.” Ungrateful bastard. I start to wiggle my body to try to get up, but I hear him groan in pain. His hands grip my hips, holding me still as his breath whooshes out. Only then do I feel his mighty hardness against my leg.

“Are you two going to be long?” Caelius quips. “I’m sure you will be more comfortable at the compound, unless you are waiting for someone else to start shooting at us again.” At his interruption, Ceric gently lifts me off him, and then he’s getting up. Still holding my hand, he helps me up too.

“Are you okay, sweetheart?” Bion asks from beside us, a concerned look on his face.

“Just a little dizzy, but I’m sure that’s understandable after what we just went through.” To be honest, I’m more than a little dizzy, and I can feel a tremor course through my body. Maybe I’m in shock, and who could blame me after what I saw today?

“Ceric, I think the bonding has begun. We need to get her to the compound pronto,” Bion says gruffly.

“What do you . . . mean?” I say, but my body is starting to shut down. My vision starts to darken, and then I feel arms around me. I know whose arms they are without having to see the person. Only one person has ever given me this overwhelming feeling. His heat surrounds me just as I feel my body start to convulse.

“Hellcat!” I hear his concerned cry just before I black out. Maybe I was shot and I’m dying.

A tingling feeling is spreading all the way from my head down to my toes. Did I die? I have never felt so at peace, such harmony within myself. When I feel lips against my neck, my eyes pop open and I tense in reaction. There’s a muscular arm around my waist, and my ass is cradled against someone’s very engorged groin.

And by the moistness pulling between my legs, I know just who it is. How did I get here, and why am I in bed with Ceric? My mind is still foggy, and my body isn’t responding to my brain as his lips continue their perusal of my sensitive neck.

Damn, this man is good; he can make me forget my own name. His hand on my lower stomach is drawing patterns, making me want to move so his hand can slip lower. I move my ass slightly, just enough to feel his length cradled against my ass cheeks. At the friction, he groans, the sound against my neck vibrating straight to my breasts, hardening my nipples.

“What are you doing?” I was meaning to snap at him, but my voice is breathless, my body so sensitive that every breath he takes heightens my awareness of his closeness.

“Good, you’re awake. I was starting to worry,” he says gruffly, turning me until I’m lying on my back, looking up at his lust-filled eyes.

“How long have I been out?” I couldn’t have been out that long, could I? Looking down at myself, I see that I’m still wearing my torn jeans and dark-grey T-shirt. The only thing missing are my boots. Ceric, on the other hand, only has his low-waisted jeans and no T-shirt. My eyes rove the expanse of his chest, stopping at a beautiful stone he has hanging around his neck. The colour is a deep red with streaks of black against his tanned chest.

I saw his bare chest before when fighting with the Keres MC. At the time, I nearly forgot where I was when seeing all the male hotness before me, but now, with his ruggedness so close to me, I find myself unable to think about anything else except to touch his tanned skin. Lifting my hand, I lay it over his stone and against his heart. I hear his breath hitch at my touch, and his answer is a rumble of sexiness that instantly has me squirming with want.

“It must be three hours now.” Drawing closer, he kisses my forehead; my heart skips a beat in excitement.

“What happened?” I don’t usually get overwhelmed, but with everything I have been through in these last few days, it’s understandable.

“You touched me,” he says in his rumbly voice. “Now you’re mine.”

“Woah, what do you mean?” I shriek. I see him wince at my high pitch. “And stop touching me. I can’t think when you touch me.” I hurriedly sit up, but he holds my arm, sitting up as well.

“Calm down. Just let me explain, okay?” he snaps.

“What do you want to explain? I wake up and you’re in bed with me. Without my permission, I might add, and then you have the audacity to say that I’m yours.” His fingers on my arm are strong and unmoving. “Well, buddy, for your information, I’m not yours or anyone else’s. The only person I belong to is myself,” I huff angrily, once again trying to free myself, to no avail.

“Damn stubborn woman, just listen,” he growls. “The reason you started to convulse is because you touched me. As soon as we touched, our bonding began. There is no going back. You are mine and I am yours now.” His eyes are weary as he scowls at me.

“In your dreams. Do you really think I’m going to be with a man who has probably had more women than a sieve has holes? I don’t share, so therefore, you have the wrong woman.” Ceric finally lets go of my arm. Jumping up from the bed, he lifts his hands and strokes his fingers through his hair, pulling it by the roots.

“You are so damn frustrating. There is nothing you can do. We are bonded. You won’t be able to be away from me for long, or me from you. It will be emotionally and physically painful. I know you have this idea about me, but you are the only woman I want now.”

“What a whole lot of crock, and for how long will that last until you see the next woman you can’t live without?” I want to believe him so bad, but everything I have seen about him tells me he’s a player, and I have seen women destroyed because of men like him too many times to ever want to place myself in a position like that.

“It’s not like that. Once we Elementals bond, that’s it. You’re it for me; there will be no other women ever again,” he roars. His hands are now low on his hips, accentuating his V line. My mind wanders for a second, but I reluctantly take my eyes away from his hot body and look at his eyes to try to concentrate on our argument. He’s way too handsome for any woman to keep her thoughts in place when he’s around.

“And how many women have you said that to?” I ask distractedly, as I notice that his beautiful chocolate-brown eyes have lightened to a brownish gold colour, shining with an intensity that captivates me.

“Fuck this,” he says angrily. Stalking towards me, he grabs both my arms. I squeak in alarm as he lifts me off the bed until I’m standing before him. Before I can utter a word, his lips are crashing down on mine. In surprise, I open my mouth to complain, and he takes the opportunity to plunge into my depths. My mind goes blank as I feel his possession; his mouth devours mine. His body moulds mine to his. I feel his hard muscular frame against my softer curves.

He lets go of my arms, and his hands slip to my waist, lifting me up off the floor and pulling me closer against him. I encircle his waist with my legs as I feel his hardness cradle against my heat. He continues to kiss me until we’re both breathless, panting in lust. My hands are holding his head, my fingers twisted in his hair as we devour each other.

I feel the bed under me as he lowers us; breaking the kiss, he continues kissing down my neck as his hands stroke my ribs just under my breasts. My nipples pebble in excitement, begging for his touch. I open my eyes slightly as he nuzzles my neck, breathing in his intoxicating essence. My eyes move up from his hair, and then I tense.

Above us is the deflated male doll hanging limply. I see the knives have been removed, but the doll is still there, as if reminding me of what this man is. What the hell am I doing? I have to get away from him. I completely forget myself when around him.

Placing my hands on his shoulders, I push, but he doesn’t budge. I push harder. “Let go,” I huff. At my words, he tenses. Lifting his head, he looks deep into my eyes. “Let me up,” I repeat.

After a second, he lifts himself off me. Sitting on the bed next to me, he drops his head into his hands, his elbows resting on his knees, as he breathes in deeply a few times. As I lay next to him, I also try to calm my breathing and my traitorous body that even though I pushed him away still craves his touch.

After a minute, he lifts his head and then gets up. “I know that you don’t believe me, that you think I’m just passing the time with you, but I’ll show you that you’re special.” He lifts his T-shirt off a chair and pulls it on. “You can fight it as much as you want, Hellcat, but know that you’re mine and I will never let you go.” With that, he turns and leaves the room.

I lay there for a few minutes, stunned at his words. I really wish that what he says is true, but I can’t let myself believe him. I have learned in life that words are easy to utter. If he means what he says, he is going to have to show me. I will give him the opportunity to convince me. I must just make sure that I keep my heart safe while he tries, because I have a feeling it will be way too easy for me to love Ceric.