The Forgotten Heiress novel Chapter 83

"Alone." He spoke the word with an undercurrent of power as a reminder that he was still Alpha, as a warning that, even though he didn't look like it, he was still strong enough to rule; strong enough to defend himself. If he couldn't take care of himself, people would notice and how could he care for a pack if he couldn't care for himself?

Axel understood that but he didn't like it, he nodded and reluctantly went back to leaning against the car. "Be careful."

"Yeah, call me if Christian has any luck."

Axel nodded and as Nick walked away he sent out a silent prayer asking for Christian's success.

Dani was rolling out of her driveway, looking over her left shoulder when there was suddenly a knock on her passenger side window. She stepped on the breaks and all of the composure she'd managed to regain after her confrontation with Nick went flying out the window.

Her breath caught in her chest and a shiver of soul deep recognition raced through her body when she looked into Christians brown eyes.

She had not seen him in weeks and her treacherous heart skipped a beat at the sight of him.

With a not too steady hand she rolled down the window. "Today seems to be filled with surprises," she said, avoiding his eyes from fear that she would give her feelings away. "Like I told your master, I have things to do."

She released the brakes and started to back out again without giving him a chance to reply but Christian had other ideas. He reached down through the opened window, unlocked the door, opened it and jumped in. Dani immediately slammed on the brakes and looked at him.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm tagging along." Christian smiled at her as he reached for the seat belt and buckled up. "Where are we going?"

"You weren't invited, get out."

Christian shook his head and chided her. "Is that the way you talk to your-"

"Don't say it," she told him fiercely. "Don't you dare say it."

"It's not going to go away," Christian murmured. "I'm not going to go away."

Her hands tightened on the steering wheel until the blood went out of them. "Get out," she gritted.

"Tell me where she is."

"Go to hell."

"I'm already there." He told her softly.

It was wrong.

She knew it was wrong but all the pain she'd kept bottled inside surfaced and she wanted him to feel a fraction of the anguish she lived with every day. She wanted to inflict some of the sorrow that bore down on her soul. Wanted him to feel some of the agony she carried like a dirty little secret.

With every hit, the vault where she hid her grief opened a little more until she felt like exploding from within.

Christian closed his eyes, clenched his jaw and accepted every hit. He didn't raise his hands and try to stop her. He didn't try to protect himself; he took every blow as his due.

In reality her soft punches didn't hurt him.

It was the sight of her torment before she collapsed against him and the heart wracking sobs that hurt him like no blow ever could. Christian took a tentative breath and slowly, trying not to startle her, wrapped his arms around her.

Dani grabbed fistfuls of his shirt and he froze thinking she meant to push him away.

She only held on tighter and her tears undid him. Thinking of only halting her cries, he pulled back, cupped her face gently, closed his eyes and lowered his lips to hers.

Blindly, his mouth searched for hers.