Page 52 of A Trial By Blood

He glanced my way, and his eyes seemed to darken. “My emotions are volatile right now. I’m feeling a lot of things I can’t name. I remember some from when I was a child. At least, I think I’m identifying them correctly. Some are new. Relic helped me identify some of the things I was feeling last night. But the one I don’t need help identifying is anger. I’m angry, Rose, about a lot of things, and fighting helps me release some of it. So I fought for a while, then ate. Then I showered again and slept.” He looked away, and I was positive some color darkened his cheeks.

“You know you can talk to me, right?” I reached over and wrapped my fingers around his wrist. “You were there for me, for months you were there when I needed you. I want to be there for you as well.”

He seemed to freeze in place, then he lifted his hand, dislodging mine, but before I could pull it away, he grabbed it and held it in his, then rested it on his thigh. “Thank you,” he said roughly.

We drove the rest of the way like that, with him holding my hand, and he didn’t let go unless he absolutely had to.

When we pulled up outside the house, Ronan turned to me. “Reptile shifters are cold, and not just cold blooded. He’ll look to me as the dominant one between us, and I’ll have to let him believe that is the case. He’ll also make advances toward you if I don’t make it clear you belong to me.”

My back straightened. Did he actually feel that way? That I belonged to him? Goddess, I wanted that.

“Don’t mistake my behavior when we’re in there as me thinking you’re weaker. But I’ve seen this breed with their females, and he won’t give us the answers we want if he thinks I’m not in control.”

“In control of me?”

“Yes. He could attempt to take you from me if he thinks you’re unprotected.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“What a pig.”

Ronan watched me closely. “They’re protective and dominant. They can be outwardly jealous and hostile to anyone who gets close to their females. But they don’t mistreat their mates. They like to be in control, that’s all. They’re similar to hounds in that respect.”

I screwed up my face, but yeah, he’d pretty much described Warrick, and Draven as well. Though, Warrick and Draven would never try to control my sisters. That wouldn’t go over well at all. “What do you mean, try to take me?”

“If they see a female they want, they can be relentless at winning her.”

I frowned. “Why do you assume he’d want me?”

“Because you’re incredibly beautiful, Rose. Any male with two working eyes would want you.”

He thought I was beautiful. Do you want me? My face heated. “I’m not so sure about that—”

“I am,” he said. “Are you okay with me taking the lead?”

“Of course. If it’ll get us the answers we need.”

We got out of the car and headed up the driveway. Before we reached the door, Ronan took my hand again. “Stay close to me.” He knocked.

It opened a few minutes later. The male I’d seen naked and covered in blood and gore the night before stood before us, clean and dressed in a suit that hugged his well-built frame perfectly. His gaze went from Ronan to me and lingered. Interest lit his vibrant green eyes in an extremely overt way.

Ronan hooked his arm around my shoulders, a low growl rolling from him as he pulled me closer. The male watched this, studying us. “The female’s yours?” he asked.

What? Had he seriously asked that question?

“Yes,” Ronan said.

The other male took in Ronan again, like he was sizing him up. Was this actually happening right now? They hadn’t even exchanged names; the other male hadn’t even asked what we were doing there. This was utterly insane.

Finally, the male inclined his head. “What do you want?”

I opened my mouth, but Ronan tightened his hold on me, and I slammed my mouth closed again. “We’d like to ask you some questions about what was stolen from your collection.”

“What business is it of yours?”

“You aren’t the only one who’s been robbed. We’ve been hired to investigate and hoped you’d be willing to share what you know?” he lied.