Sacrifice of Passion (Deadly Legends) by Melissa Bourbon Ramirez Page B

it? What’s wrong?”
    She shook her head, her fingers clawing at her hair. “Oh, my God,” she moaned. Her eyes had muddied and her voice trembled, its seductive edge gone.
    His heart constricted. Had he hurt her somehow? “Laney?” He reached to stroke her face, but she turned her head.
    “No,” she said in a harsh whisper. “I need to leave.”
    Was she playing some sort of game? “The deal was making love,” he said tightly.
    “There’s no deal.”
    What the hell was she talking about? “You’ve got to be kidding. Then why the hell else are you here, in my bed? Naked?”
    “I’m sorry. I didn’t know…”
    He stared at her, his frustration mounting. “Didn’t know what?”
    “I…” She looked around, eyes wide. “I have to go.”
    Pushing away from him, she climbed off before he could stop her.
    “What the hell? We’re not done here.” He sat up, reaching for her. “Laney. I want you.” Screw that. He needed her. Beyond that, he was getting ticked off. He didn’t go for game-players. Had never pegged Laney as one. Would never have thought she’d crawl into his bed, get him to make her come, then take off like a bat out of hell. Anger flared and clouded his mind.
    As she pulled on her pajamas and her top, he bounded off the bed, grabbing her arm. “What the fuck is this about, huh?” His heart pounded, all the pent-up desire for her funneling into his veins. He gritted his teeth. “Are you trying to punish me? Why? What did I ever do to you?”
    She grew pale. “You weren’t there.”
    “You keep saying that!” He fumed. “No, damn it, I wasn’t there. And yeah, I should have been straight with you. I didn’t want to elope,” he blurted. “I wanted your parents to approve of me. I wanted you to have a real wedding—”
    “It doesn’t matter now,” she whispered. She moved toward the window, turning to face him, pain written on her face. “You weren’t there to stop him.”
    His blood turned to ice. “What the hell are you talking about?” But before he finished speaking, she was through the window and running across the yard.
    Slamming his hand against the windowsill, he let out a string of curses. This was insane. He was naked, with an aching erection, and she was confusing the hell out of him. What had just happened?
    He shoved the window shut, throwing the lock, and barreled out the back door, turning the key in the deadbolt behind him. Zach was sound asleep, Sheila curled by his side, which meant he could make sure Laney got back home. Keep your distance, he told himself. He wasn’t going to chase her or scare her, but he could make sure she got home safely.
    “Damn it!” He drove his truck across his property, trying to get a trace on her, zigzagging back and forth over the treed land. Finally, after what felt like hours but had to be only minutes, he spotted a lone figure in his headlights passing in front of the Chain Tree and onto the West ranch, past the little cabin, and on toward the house.
    He exhaled. She was safe.
    Throwing the truck in Park, he watched her until he was sure she’d made it inside, letting himself think about what had just happened and what the hell had she been talking about. He hadn’t been there to stop who? From what? Or was this payback she was giving him for his inane deal? She’d left him high and dry, with only his hand to finish the goddamned job. And the feel of her, the taste of her, the scent of her was branded on his soul.
    He was done playing games with Delaney West. Next time, he’d be the one making her ache for him the way she’d left him aching for her.

Chapter Ten
    Delaney woke with a start. She slowly shook the sleep away and was immediately bombarded with the memory of what had happened last night. After nearly wrecking her car, she’d been so unsettled by what had happened with Vic that she’d stood up Carmen and had come home, gone to bed exhausted, and then…
    She’d awoken in Vic’s bed, naked, writhing on