“I’ve seen you and know who you are.” He stood over her again. If he knew what was good for him, he would walk away and never return. “I know you’re trouble with a capital T and that says it all.”

Her eyes went wide at his last comment. The wheels seemed to turn in her mind. He had been told about her legendary temper, but had not seen it since her attack. In essence, they had won by making her a fearful woman, afraid to step outside of her home because she thought the world was a horrible place. Maybe if he pushed her away, made her dislike of him surface, she’d get back to who she had been and he’d return to do the council’s bidding.

She half-rose off the sofa. “How dare you?”

He took a step closer. “I dare, lady.”

“Damn you.” She quaked all over and raised her hands. “Damn you.” She pounded his chest with both fists, again and again until the fight went out of her. Her body convulsed with sobs.

His hands went to her shoulders to rub away her tension. “Giselle, you’re okay now. You’ll be fine.”

She looked up at him, pain etched his face. “What do you care?” She thrust him away with the flat of her palms.

He was taken aback by her strength, but wouldn’t let go. “You don’t have to shove me away because you’re angry at the world.”

Surprise flickered in her eyes. “Angry at the world? No, Ronan, I’m angry with you.”

“With me?” He was surprised. He had acted like a professional, like an elf should when his charge was human. Maybe he had pushed a little too hard, but he thought it would help her in the long run by making her remember who she was.
“With you.” She shrugged her shoulders, trying to remove his hands.

But he couldn’t let go. “Why? I’ve done nothing to you except be here to make sure no one attacks you again. And tried to bring you back to the world of the living.”

She chewed her bottom lip as if deciding what to say. When she did speak, it was in a low whisper and he had to lean closer to her to hear. “If all I am to you is a responsibility you don’t want, why do you always smell so good? Why do you always look so damn sexy? Get away from me if all you want is to teach me a lesson. I’ve had enough lessons in my life.”
He dropped his hands to his sides. This was his moment of truth, time for a decision, to be with her or to deny himself. “What are you talking about?”

“Huh.” Her wry gaze gave him the once over. “Go away. I don’t want you around because you need to be. Be here because you want to and no other reason. Even if we never…”

Giselle tried to shove past him, but he wasn’t giving up so easily. She had to get it all out so she—they could move forward. Making up his mind in a split second, he knew what he had to do. It was her wellbeing that mattered, not his. He grabbed her arm and pulled her so she faced away from him. Her perfume wafted up and drifted through his senses, a warm earthy smell, so unlike what he thought she would wear. He was lost. He leaned in. Her hair touched his face as light as an angel’s wing. “What is it you want, Giselle?”

His deep voice, laced with desire, touched her to her very core. “Who wants to know? Ronan, the protector or Ronan, the man?” she whispered.

coming soon