some of them insisted upon shaking her hand or grabbing hold of her arm.
It wasn't until she was safely out of view of the saloon below that she burst into motion and fled with inhuman speed to her room. She crashed through the door and spun to slam it shut as she battled against the hot wash of tears that filled her eyes. Trapped, she'd never felt more trapped, humiliated and infuriated in her entire life.
All she could do was stand in the middle of the room with her good hand fisted as her body trembled. There was no way she was going to be maneuvered into marriage with Calvin, and there was absolutely no way she was going to let that other baboon downstairs touch her again. She didn't care what she had to do, but whatever it was she was going to find a way to get them both out of her life. Even if she had to drive a stake through their hearts herself.
CHAPTER 8
Jack didn't look up again but he felt it when Hannah strode past the table and across the room. He heard the patrons calling out greetings to her but she disappeared upstairs a few minutes after her arrival. He could feel William's gaze boring into him from across the table as he tapped Millie on the butt and urged her off of his lap. He'd succeeded in trying to appear as uncaring as possible but now he just wanted to get Millie away from him.
"Thanks for being my good luck charm." He flashed a grin that he knew would disarm any exasperation from the woman and it didn't fail to do so now.
"Anytime handsome," she said as she blew him a kiss.
Jack watched her walk away but his thoughts were no longer on her. Anger still festered in his chest as he finally met William's gaze across the table. He hadn't told his friend anything about what had occurred at the donation center but William had been staring questioningly at him ever since he'd returned.
It wasn't often he was in a bad mood but he'd still been seeing red when he'd stormed back into the tavern. Millie's attention had helped to salvage some of his pride, but it hadn't cooled his ire anywhere near as much as he'd thought it would. Instead his foot was beginning to tap, and despite his every intention not to let it happen, he felt his gaze slide toward the stairs.
"Jack." He reluctantly turned back to William. A hundred questions seemed to be reflected in his friend's eyes but he didn't ask any of them. "It's your turn."
He glanced at the full house in his hand and tossed it on the pile of coins in the middle. "I fold."
A muscle twitched in William's cheek but he didn't say anything more as he turned to the other two humans playing with them. It had become quieter inside the bar when Calvin had entered, and like last night the noise didn't return to its higher levels. Ellen retreated to the stage in the corner and lifted the flute to her mouth, but even the mellow music that flowed forth didn't relieve the tension in the room.
It certainly didn't ease his. He knew that Hannah didn't want to be with Calvin, that much was obvious, but he didn't know what had happened to him earlier. The mere thought of the man touching her had been enough to make his blood boil. His normally jovial attitude had vanished in an instant and something almost primal had surged forth to take its place. He'd had to fight the urge to tear Calvin's throat out. That pleasant thought caused his fangs to prick and lengthen even now.
Shit , he thought. What is wrong with me?
He needed a few minutes to gather his thoughts and regain control of himself. His gaze slid back to the stairway but she had yet to reemerge and he didn't think she was going to help calm him down anyway. In fact, he was certain that she was the one thing that might completely unravel him.
Pushing away from the table, he rose to his feet. "I'm going for a walk."
"Want me to join you?" William asked as he pulled his winnings toward him.
"No."
Jack gave Calvin a brief wave before walking out the door.
***
He'd spent more than a few hours swimming in the
It wasn't until she was safely out of view of the saloon below that she burst into motion and fled with inhuman speed to her room. She crashed through the door and spun to slam it shut as she battled against the hot wash of tears that filled her eyes. Trapped, she'd never felt more trapped, humiliated and infuriated in her entire life.
All she could do was stand in the middle of the room with her good hand fisted as her body trembled. There was no way she was going to be maneuvered into marriage with Calvin, and there was absolutely no way she was going to let that other baboon downstairs touch her again. She didn't care what she had to do, but whatever it was she was going to find a way to get them both out of her life. Even if she had to drive a stake through their hearts herself.
CHAPTER 8
Jack didn't look up again but he felt it when Hannah strode past the table and across the room. He heard the patrons calling out greetings to her but she disappeared upstairs a few minutes after her arrival. He could feel William's gaze boring into him from across the table as he tapped Millie on the butt and urged her off of his lap. He'd succeeded in trying to appear as uncaring as possible but now he just wanted to get Millie away from him.
"Thanks for being my good luck charm." He flashed a grin that he knew would disarm any exasperation from the woman and it didn't fail to do so now.
"Anytime handsome," she said as she blew him a kiss.
Jack watched her walk away but his thoughts were no longer on her. Anger still festered in his chest as he finally met William's gaze across the table. He hadn't told his friend anything about what had occurred at the donation center but William had been staring questioningly at him ever since he'd returned.
It wasn't often he was in a bad mood but he'd still been seeing red when he'd stormed back into the tavern. Millie's attention had helped to salvage some of his pride, but it hadn't cooled his ire anywhere near as much as he'd thought it would. Instead his foot was beginning to tap, and despite his every intention not to let it happen, he felt his gaze slide toward the stairs.
"Jack." He reluctantly turned back to William. A hundred questions seemed to be reflected in his friend's eyes but he didn't ask any of them. "It's your turn."
He glanced at the full house in his hand and tossed it on the pile of coins in the middle. "I fold."
A muscle twitched in William's cheek but he didn't say anything more as he turned to the other two humans playing with them. It had become quieter inside the bar when Calvin had entered, and like last night the noise didn't return to its higher levels. Ellen retreated to the stage in the corner and lifted the flute to her mouth, but even the mellow music that flowed forth didn't relieve the tension in the room.
It certainly didn't ease his. He knew that Hannah didn't want to be with Calvin, that much was obvious, but he didn't know what had happened to him earlier. The mere thought of the man touching her had been enough to make his blood boil. His normally jovial attitude had vanished in an instant and something almost primal had surged forth to take its place. He'd had to fight the urge to tear Calvin's throat out. That pleasant thought caused his fangs to prick and lengthen even now.
Shit , he thought. What is wrong with me?
He needed a few minutes to gather his thoughts and regain control of himself. His gaze slid back to the stairway but she had yet to reemerge and he didn't think she was going to help calm him down anyway. In fact, he was certain that she was the one thing that might completely unravel him.
Pushing away from the table, he rose to his feet. "I'm going for a walk."
"Want me to join you?" William asked as he pulled his winnings toward him.
"No."
Jack gave Calvin a brief wave before walking out the door.
***
He'd spent more than a few hours swimming in the
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