Curves & Courage by Christin Lovell Page B

relieve the tension crawling through me. Every time I looked at her swollen, discolored face, I wanted to destroy something…someone. Covering her wounds earlier, I damn near shifted. She deserved to be protected. I’d suspected she was in trouble, that something wasn’t right, and I’d just let her walk away. I would live with that knowledge for the rest of my life. If I hadn’t let her walk away, she could have been saved from this last beating. And it would be her last. I would see to it.
    My wolf persistently climbed my inner walls, trying to break free, ready to break free. He was fighting his own internal battle, unsure of whether he wanted to claim her first or hunt down her father. His attention, his intentions, flip-flopped.
    I grabbed everything and took it to the table, making a second trip for two glasses of water. I prayed she drank at least one while we ate.
    Chapter 29
    Sophie
    The closer I got to an empty plate, the more anxious I grew. I’d ambitiously been trying to devise an escape route in my head, but it was more complex than I ever imagined. As long as Dan was at his computer, he could see every inch of the building.
    On the way in, I had noticed a stairwell door beside the elevators, but couldn’t figure out how to get from the stairs to the front door without the security guard noticing me.
    Worse, my gut was telling me that even if I slipped past everyone without being noticed Dom would hunt me down.
    The expression on his face kept growing more intense the longer we sat there. He’d devoured his steaks quickly. Meanwhile, my plate was still half-full. It was delicious, but I was too preoccupied.
    His arms vibrating caught my attention. He balled his hands into fists as his eyes lit up, a bright glowing honey. The vein on the side of his neck was protruding, his jaw clenched tight above it. His breathing was labored, his nostrils flaring in fury. “Don’t run!” His words were delivered through clamped teeth, his lips twisting in a snarl.
    I set my fork down, working to calm my body. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. When I reopened them, I felt the peace I needed descend upon me.
    I pushed my food aside and leaned over the table. I placed my good hand on Dom’s cheek. I gazed straight into his eyes, at his beast. “Calm down.” I made sure I used a sharp tone to get his wolf’s attention, if I didn’t have it already. “I’m not going anywhere right now.” I remained hovering near him until his body began to relax. “I’m not going anywhere for now,” I whispered. For now .
    Slowly, but steadily, Dom regained control. The way he looked at me was different though. There was some unrecognizable emotion in the pit of his eyes. His brows were creased as he gaped at me, despite his body finding tranquility.
    It wasn’t long before our heartbeats found a similar rhythm, beating in time together. Our breathing regulated to a shared pitter-patter. We were locked on each other, our bodies coming together despite our distance.
    He grabbed my hand, lacing our fingers. He stood and kicked back his chair. He never took his eyes off of mine. He watched me intently, powerfully. He rounded the table, never glancing away from me. He grazed his fingertips over my lips before sliding them through my wet strands, angling my head back a bit.
    My heart sped up with his, beating faster and faster as he closed the distance between us. When his lips brushed mine, I swore angels sung. He was light at first, gentle as I became comfortable. He didn’t press too hard, and he took care not to overwork me since my face was inflamed. He was amazing. He was comforting me with every touch of his lips, with every sweep of his tongue along my inner lips.
    He knew what he was doing. He knew exactly how to take my breath away. And that’s exactly what he did.
    My heart swelled, my soul pranced with delight as he captured me, enraptured me with his touch. It was like every stroke of his lips placed a bandage