Chapter 28
Alex was just out the door when Recker’s booming voice startled her as he asked from right behind her, “What’s your answer?”
“Jesus!” she flattened a hand on her chest as she spun. “What is your problem,” she snapped angrily. “Go away, Recker!”
He crossed his arms over his chest and planted his long legs. Staring down his nose at her, he asked again, “What is your answer?”
“To what?” she asked as heat crept up her throat. Did he hear our conversation? It was humiliating to think that he’d eavesdropped on Monroe’s proposal. It’d be even worse if he knew she was considering it.
“I heard him, siren. A breeding program? Really? You can’t seriously be considering it.”
“If I am, it’s none of your business. And stop calling me that!” Turning, she stomped away but only made it a few steps before her feet left the ground. She was hauled up and over Recker’s shoulder.
“Damn it, Alex,” he snarled. “Why are you always running away from me?”
“Damn it, Recker,’ she countered through clenched teeth. “I’m not running from you, and you have two seconds to put me the fuck down!”
He didn’t. She knew he wouldn’t, so just like the first time they met, she reached back and yanked on the hair at the nape of his neck before punching him in the kidneys with her other hand.
“Ow! Damn it!”
And just like the first time they met, a resounding crack filled the air when he slapped her ass hard. Alex yelped, and they both stilled for a moment. It was just a moment too because one second later, she was going buck wild crazy on his shoulder. Fists flailing, legs kicking, mouth cursing up a storm, Alex took all her pent-up frustrations out on Recker. And why not? He deserved it! He was the reason she’d fled the Estate in the first place. He was the one who couldn’t stand to even look at her up on that stage. He was to blame for all of this.
She fought him all the way down to the second floor where he carried her effortlessly through the halls. Alex bucked hard once, and Recker nearly dropped her. Startled, Alex yelped and wrapped her arms around his waist as she hissed, “Don’t you drop me!”
She didn’t see what happened but was glad she was clinging to Recker because he suddenly slammed to a jarring halt. There was an impact that felt like he’d run into something, which was confirmed when Recker snarled, “Watch it!”
She tried to peek around his body to see what was happening. That’s when she heard Chief’s voice.
“You!” There was a pause before Chief snarled, “You hurting this woman again, Walker?”
Her eyes slammed closed. Oh, dear God.
“Chief, get the fuck outta my way. Now!”
It was humiliating having her ass in the air and facing the action when she couldn’t even see. Alex wiggled trying to get down, but Recker’s hand just below her ass tightened enough to get her to still.
“Put. Her. Down!”
No, no, no! She was about to plead for Chief to just let them pass, but Recker’s next words had her mouth slamming shut.
“Try to interfere with me and what’s mine, and I will fucking end you, wolf!”
His?
There was silence a moment before a growl rattled up from Recker’s chest and vibrated against her thighs.
“I didn’t know she was yours,” Chief conceded.
Yeah, Alex thought. Me either.
“She is. Now, move!”
Chief must have moved because Recker started walking again, and this time, Alex simply hung limply over his shoulder.
She was carried to her suite, and it pissed her off that Recker pounded in her code and shoved right into her place. How in the hell did he even know what her code was?
Once they were inside her suite, Recker finally put her on her feet, and when she stood facing him, she was taken aback by the look of fury on his face.
“Are you seriously considering this breeding program, Alex?”
“What do you mean yours?” she countered, evading the question as she planted hands on her hips and stared up at him defiantly.
“Fuck!” he bellowed, plowing his hands into his hair and pacing away from her. He went all the way to the furthest wall in her sitting room and turned to face her, hands still buried in his hair as he pressed his shoulders into the wall. “You’re impossible, you know that?”
She didn’t answer.
Dropping his hands, he asked, “Are you really willing to contract yourself to some man who doesn’t even know you? Hell, who hasn’t even seen you?”
Still, she was silent.
“Don’t you want a real relationship, siren?” Thick arms crossed over his chest, and for some weird reason, it looked to her like he was trying to hold himself back.
“Don’t you want a man who adores you?” he continued. “A man who actually wants you?”
She shrugged.
“Being wanted is a big fucking deal for most people.”
It was to her too, but she’d never admit it. How could she? No one had ever wanted her and to point that out to Recker was tantamount to pointing out how undesirable she was to the one person she wanted to like her. She shrugged to cover her insecurities. “I suppose.”
“You suppose?”
Glancing up, her eyes locked on Recker’s as he shoved off the wall. His arms, which had been crossed, slowly lowered as he stalked toward her. A grin twisted his lips, but it didn’t match the suddenly hungry look in his eyes. “You don’t think being wanted is a big deal, siren?”
Alex fidgeted nervously, trying and failing to tear her eyes from his. “S-sure. If you’re into that sort of thing.”
Slowly, he stalked closer, his movements almost vulturine as he studied her intently. “You don’t think you’re into being wanted?”
Her teeth dented her bottom lip as Alex tried to calm her racing heart. Something unknown, unseen, was ratcheting up with each step Recker took toward her.
She shook her head, “I don’t…” Words failed her a moment, and she frowned, “What…what did you ask?”
Recker grinned. “Wanted. Do you know what it feels like to have a man actually want you?”
“It…it’s probably overrated. Lots of people make relationships work without investing emotionally.” She was rambling now, and she knew it, but couldn’t stop. “I could do that. It can’t be hard. I could do that.”
“Are you finished,” he asked.
His voice was low and calm, but his eyes were churning, flashing with some intensity that almost felt like a warning that kept Alex from answering.