“Did it approach you?” Mayhem gruff voice pulled her gaze back to him. His jaw was clenched as he lowered his fork to his plate. “Did it harm you?”
Aubrey’s stomach plummeted. She felt like she had just said something so very wrong, the tension in the room pumping into her like a jackhammer. She shook her head, swallowed. “It approached me. I felt its breath…” She sucked in a gasp, lowered her gaze to her plate, her eyes burning with her remembered embarrassment.
Mayhem cleared his throat. “You felt its breath where?”
Aubrey shook her head. Her words caught in her throat. The confession too much for her. He could not know what this meant to her.
“Tell me.”
She swallowed again. Her mouth suddenly dry, her tongue heavy. “On my cheek.”
A gasp from Darcy. A low growl that forced Aubrey’s gaze up again. Danger. Something was wrong.
Mayhem wasn’t looking at her. His glare, his growl, was directed at Jaylon.
“I really don’t think it will be an issue, as long as you don’t wander into the—”
“It won’t happen again.” Mayhem snapped, holding Jaylon’s stare for a heartbeat longer. Something silent but threatening passed between them.
Jaylon clenched his fists, bared his teeth and then looked down at his plate, his head lowered.
Aubrey looked from him to Mayhem. What am I missing here?
“You have nothing to fear in the forest, Aubrey.” Mayhem pushed his chair back. “I think we’ll take a night off. I find myself in the wrong frame of mind for work.”
His departure sucked the air out of the room. For a heartbeat everyone was still, almost frozen.
Strange.
And then like a switch being flipped, the air came back in and the rest of the group quickly broke up. Darcy and Raven clearing up the dishes, waving away her offer to help. Dyami dropping his napkin to his plate and strolling out of the room without a glance at anyone. Leaving her and Jaylon, who sat in silence, his head still lowered, his breathing deep, eyes closed.
She opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, he was up, out of his chair and bolting from the room like his ass was on fire.
Aubrey followed him, determined to speak to him before he disappeared to…wherever he was going. “Jaylon.” She slid up next to him, touched his arm gently.
He jolted like she’d given him a shock. “Yes?” Cold demeanor met her gaze as he turned. Maybe she’d been wrong. Maybe he hadn’t been the one to set up the targets after all. His attitude now contrasted so greatly with her ideas of his generosity and thoughtfulness. He glanced at her hand, which still rested on his arm, and she pulled it away, feeling like she was once again making a huge mistake.
“I, ah, wanted to thank you.” She stammered at first, finding her tongue heavy, reluctant. “For the target area. It was very kind of you to think of me.”
“Why would you think that was me?” There was that cocky grin again, like he had some secret, some joke. He took a step toward her, crowding her back to the wall as he so liked to do. Grinning down at her now like a predator stalking prey. “Could have been anyone.”
She frowned, shook her head. “I-I-I thought…” Why was he fucking with her? Like he got off on unnerving her, making her feel awkward. She stared up at him, her mouth impossibly dry. She felt like an idiot.
His grin grew, his teeth flashing. “You’re welcome.”
Aubrey flinched. So it had been him. Why would he…?
Jaylon leaned forward, his breathing became rapid, his stare beyond intense. He licked his lips and she shivered.
She wanted that tongue on her, in her…and his grin said he knew it. What an ass.
“Forget it.” She pushed against his chest, wanting suddenly to be anywhere but there. The man was a control freak, enjoyed making her uncomfortable.
He captured her wrists, the back of his hands brushing against her breasts, and her nipples budded hard and fast. With a wicked grin, he yanked her arms up over her head, stretching her to stand on her tiptoes, bringing her almost to eye level. He licked his lips, his gaze burrowing into her. There was danger there, buried deep. It made her shiver with excitement and fear. “I can think of a few ways you could thank me properly.”
Chapter Nine
She struggled. He liked that.
“Let me go.” She twisted her hips as she lifted her knee to try and hit him. “You have no right—”
“You have no idea what you do to me.” He pushed against her, pressing his body to hers, caging her with his bulk. He nipped her neck, then licked the same luscious spot. Mmm, salty. “I want to fuck you, Aubrey.” He ground his cock against her stomach, knowing he was being rough, needing her to understand how desperate he was to sink into her.