Stunner (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress 0.75)

“Well, I just wanted to say happy birthday. I hope you find what you’re looking for.” Raising my empty glass, I nodded and headed for the door.

He moved so fast he nearly upset the almost full bottle of scotch as he dropped it back onto the shelf. Arrogance wouldn’t allow him to let me walk out on him so easily. This was what I’d been trying to avoid.

The den was small. It wasn’t hard for him to block my way out. He slid in front of the door like a snake, danger lurking in his eyes. Just as fast as he’d blocked me, Raoul had me pressed against the wall near the door.

The empty glass slipped from my hand, its fall cushioned by the carpet. My wolf roared up angrily within me, ready to tear a strip out of the male that dared to manhandle me. I snarled up into his face and he laughed.

“Let me go, Raoul. There are plenty of women out there for you to choose from. Don’t make this a battle of wills. You can’t win.”

“It’s my birthday, you little tease. I know you want it. I can smell it all over you.” His voice was rough. His wolf was testing his control.

I’d be lying if I said that not a single part of me wanted him. As much as I loathed Raoul, part of me would always belong to him. I hated that and I’d made a vow to myself that he had gotten all he was going to get from me.

“I’m not a toy for you to pick up when the urge strikes you and then to forget about when the novelty wears off,” I hissed. I jerked my head back when he leaned in to kiss me, banging it against the wall. It had my wolf ready to come out fighting. I didn’t want it to come to that.

“Novelty?” His breath was warm on my face. The scent of scotch mingled with his cologne. “Sweetheart, you are one of a kind. That kind of novelty never wears off. Let me show you what you mean to me.”

Here we go. This is how it always went with us. I resisted his advances. He took that as an invitation to try harder. Conflict ensued.

“But you already have. You’ve shown me exactly what I mean to you over the years.” I let my lips brush against his as I snarled, “Nothing.”

A growl rumbled low in his throat. His hands tightened on my arms and I made a tiny, pained sound. He was hurting me and instinct drove me to react. I brought a knee up, ready to slam it into his groin. His reflexes were stellar but he wasn’t faster than me. The blow landed, crushing the breath from him.

His reaction came swift and shocking as he backhanded me, hard. Stars exploded behind my eyes, momentarily obstructing my vision. I tasted blood from my split lip. It had me rounding on Raoul with a psi ball burning hot and ready in my palm.

A pained expression marred his face. He leaned over the desk, gasping for breath. Pain rolled off him in waves to taint his energy with a flavor that was both enticing and bitter. I would have let that psi ball fly if Shaz hadn’t chosen that moment to open the door.

“Alexa?” He stopped dead in the doorway, taking in the scene before him. Confusion registered in his jade green eyes, followed quickly by understanding.

I didn’t hesitate to flee the room. With Raoul otherwise occupied, there was nothing to stop me. I shoved past Shaz, almost knocking him off balance as I went. He turned to follow me, my name laced with worry on his lips.

He caught up with me at the front door. With a warm hand on my arm, he pulled me to a halt. Shaz’s platinum blond hair was in disarray and he reeked like Belle. So that’s why Raoul had come to me. His regular plaything had turned her attention to a much younger playmate. Typical.

“Alexa, are you alright? What’s going on?”

“I’ll be fine once I get the hell out of here. I knew I shouldn’t have let you talk me into coming here.” I needed someone to blame but Shaz wasn’t the one. I tried to rein my temper in. He didn’t deserve to take the brunt of it. “That jackass doesn’t understand that when I said it was over between us, I meant it.”

Shaz gazed toward the den, his features hardening. “Did he do this?” His touch was gentle when he brushed a finger over my cut lip.

“Yes. But to be fair, I did kick him in the balls first.” I threw my hands up in exasperation.

“That doesn’t give him the right to hit you.” Shaz wasn’t known for having a temper but the heat in his gaze betrayed his anger. Just another reason to adore him.

I yanked the front door open, sighing as the cool night air caressed me. “Honestly, Shaz, it’s nothing compared to the scars he’s left behind. I’d rather take a smack any day over the hell he’s put me through.”

“Wait.” Shaz followed me out onto the front step. “Are you heading home? Do you want me to come along?”

I looked past him to the party still going strong in the kitchen, overflowing into the backyard. I wasn’t going to ruin Shaz’s fun because of my own personal issues.