“Ass is a body part,” Ian pointed out.
“Not the way you’re using it. Stop swearing,” Ilian said in his thoughts.
Ian grunted and went back to stirring. After some time, he put the bowl down and sat. Rubbing his fingers along the bridge of his nose, Ian glanced at the clock again. All the times they had fought, Sinai had always come back the next day. Then they would do it again. But this time she was staying away. He hadn’t caught a glimpse of her for almost a week. She was trying to get to him.
At the sound of the door opening, he stood and returned to work. He answered absently to Wesley. Then, as the others came in, he grunted. They all gave him space. Ian stifled a growl. He knew he had been a jerk the last few days, but couldn’t figure out what to do. Mechanically, he worked through the day.
“My kitchen. Out, snarky puss,” Ethan said.
Ian was surprised it was already six. He cleaned up quickly, ignoring Ethan as he worked around him.
“You really need to get the stick out of your ass,” Ethan said.
Ian turned to him and snarled. Ethan was unfazed. He flipped him the bird and continued mixing his cake.
“Take your bad attitude and get out of my kitchen,” Ethan warned.
“This is my business. And you work for me,” Ian countered.
Ethan set down the spoon carefully. “That can be changed.”
“Ge—” Ian stopped himself before he said it.
Ethan raised an eyebrow, as if daring him. Ian shook his head.
“You’re either fearless or have a death wish,” Ian said.
“You can’t kill me,” Ethan said matter-of-factly.
Ian blew out a breath, knowing he was right. He touched Ethan’s shoulder. Ethan nodded quickly, acknowledging it. Then Ian released him and ran his hands through his hair.
“I’m going home,” he said.
He glanced at the swinging door. It was his usual ritual to go out front and check on things, although he knew it wasn’t needed. Ian instead left. A while later, he pulled up to a house and got out. With determined strides, he went up the steps and then across the porch. He frowned as the door swung open without him touching it. He entered and closed it behind him. He took the stairs two as a time and strode left on the landing to a closed door. He opened it, went in, and approached the bed. Standing over it, he stared down at the sleeping woman.
Sinai’s hair spread loose under her. The pale yellow camisole she wore complemented her skin. The sweetheart neckline gave him an appealing view of the top of her breasts. Ian licked his lips. He wanted to pull it down and suckle her. He clenched his fist.
I’m not here for that. He would first tell her about leaving her door open, then demand to know why she hadn’t come by the bakery. He was not going to apologise.
Ian leant down. Her scent of coconut and shea butter filled his senses. He stiffened as another scent, just under it, came to him. Ian’s body rippled, and he reached for her. Sinai’s hand flashed up, and she levelled her gun at him. Ian made a flowing motion of his hand and took it from her. He grabbed her with his other hand and jerked her up off the bed then put his face close to hers.
“How the fuck could you?” he roared.
He released her in a motion too fast to see, then swatted the soap that appeared. He placed the gun on the bedside table, then grabbed her. He gripped her by the shoulder and shook her. Sinai didn’t fight him. Defiance was in her gaze.
“I did it to protect you.”
“Protect me?” he spat.
Sinai growled. “Yes, protect you.”
Ian shuddered uncontrollably. He let her go and ran back out of the door.
“Ian!” Sinai screamed.
Ignoring her, he ran down the hall, then leapt. He landed on his feet at the base of the stairs. He glanced back at her. She was standing at the top of the stairs, her chest heaving, making the pale camisole shirt move. Boy shorts of the same colour showcased her long legs. He raised his head and made a sound deep in his chest.
“Stay inside,” he warned.
Turning, he ran to the door, yanked it open, and ran across the porch. He leapt and hit the ground running. Heading for the trees, he ran and ran. Stopping in a clearing, he put his head back and looked at the sky as he let out a roar of fury.
Sinai covered her mouth with her hand. The rage on his face scared her. Ian turned and ran to the door, leaving.
“I did it to protect you.” Sinai whispered.
Everything she had done these last few months had been unravelled in one moment. She didn’t know how he had got through the wards of her house, or how he had seen the truth. Sinai ran down the stairs and swiftly out of the door. She caught a glimpse of Ian’s back as he leapt off the porch. She followed him as he ran into the forest behind her house. He was moving so fast she lost sight of him. The sound of his roar echoed through the trees. The noise stilled her in her tracks. Leaning against a tree, Sinai clutched the bark.
“It was all to protect you.”
A sound made her turn. She was knocked off her feet. Sinai gasped as she hit the ground hard. A large paw pressed in the centre of her chest. Raising her eyes, she took in the white tiger. The white and black stripes stretched across a face that was deadly, yet beautiful. It raised its lip in a snarl, then lowered its head. Sharp teeth came close to her lips.
Sinai’s heart was steady as she met its gaze. The tiger leaned its head to the side, studying her.
“Let me go.” Sinai’s voice was as calm as her heartbeat.
The tiger roared in her face. Her ears rang with the sound, and the hair on her body stood up.
“Come back,” she said in that same calm tone.
It roared again, then in a blink, fur became skin and the paw a hand. He laid against her, his naked skin hot to the touch. Sinai cradled him close. He raised his head. Furious steel grey eyes locked with hers.
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About the Author
Taige Crenshaw has been enthralled with the written word from the time she picked up her first book. It wasn’t long before she started to make up her own tales of romance.
Her novels are set in the modern day between people who know what they want and how to get it. Taige also sets her stories in the future with vast universes between beautiful, strange and unique beings with lots of spice and sensuality added to her work.
Always hard at work creating new and exciting places, Taige can be found curled up with a hot novel with exciting characters when she is not creating her own. Join her in the fun and frolic, with interesting people and far reaches of the world in her novels.
Email: [email protected]
Taige loves to hear from readers. You can find her contact information, website and author biography at http://www.total-e-bound.com.
Also by Taige Crenshaw
Club Immortality: Lay Me Down
Club Immortality: Burning Touch
Club Immortality: Silk & Shadows
Wilde: Wilde Seduction
Wilde: Wilde Rapture
Blackstone Haven: Power of Attraction
Blackstone Haven: Power of Instinct
Singleton: Hurricane
Phoenix Intelligence Agency: Indigo Rain
With Aliyah Burke
Kemet Uncovered: Talios
Kemet Uncovered: Devi
Kemet Uncovered: Linc
Kemet Uncovered: Saffron
Kemet Uncovered: Taber
Kemet Uncovered: Ashia
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Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
lken Inferno
Silken Inferno Page 11
