Defying Pack Law by Eve Langlais Page A

blond hair in disarray and twinkling green
eyes. His lips quirked at her perusal, and she found herself
unconsciously moving closer, caving in to his request. As soon as
she realized it, twelve years of habit kicked in. She halted
herself and smiled sweetly. “Not likely.” Then, offering a mental
apology, she kneed him.
    She didn’t stop to admire his lovely shade of
purple, although she did cringe as she heard him gasp for air as
she fled out the open bedroom door and ran smack dab into an
implacable chest.
    “ Caught you. Again.”
    Dana sighed as she looked up at
Nathan, who steadied her with hands that kept the sizzle in her
body going. Damned hormones. She expected to see storm clouds in his eyes at
her impromptu flight, but instead, he met her gaze with a smile so
sweet it made her knees wobble. He mistook her sudden swaying for
something else and tightened his grasp on her.
    “ Are you all right?”
    She couldn’t answer with words, but did blush
as her action of the previous moment caught up to her.
    “ Where’s Kody?” he asked, his smile
fading. “Did he do something?”
    “ Who?” Then she clicked in. “Oh, if
you mean Blondie, he’s having a private moment with his nuts right
now.” Nathan winced, and she grinned. “Care to join
him?”
    He dropped his hands from her and stepped back.
Dana could almost see him mentally debating whether to cup his
hands over his groin or not. “I thought I’d give him a hand
escorting you down to dinner. I’m beginning to think I should have
brought John too.”
    “ Wimp.” She pushed past him,
shivering at the electricity that coursed through her body at the
simple touch.
    “ Hot damn, Nathan. I think she broke
me.”
    Dana bit her lip as she heard Kody
moaning he’d never make love again. Well
that would be a shame, because by the feel of him, he’s got a lot
of love to give.
    She made it down the stairs and then
stopped dead at the view. Floor-to-ceiling windows spanned the two
stories of the home and looked out over a forest. The house,
perched on some kind of bluff, had a fantastic view, which somehow
seemed familiar. But, I don’t remember
ever being in a house like this .
    “ Beautiful, isn’t it?” Nathan’s
breath tickled her ear. He’d snuck up on her and she barely held in
a startled shriek. “I had it built specifically for you. I remember
how you used to love coming to this spot and holding out your arms
and claiming that when you stood there, you felt like the queen of
the forest.”
    Dana turned to look at him. “You remember that?
God, I was only, like, eight when I used to play that game. I
didn’t even think you knew I existed back then.”
    “ Oh, I knew. I might not have shown
it until you were older, but I always kept an eye on
you.”
    His confession disturbed her, and Dana turned
away again to move closer to the windows. Now that he’d pointed it
out, she could recognize some landmarks, while other areas looked
alien. The forest had grown considerably in her absence, and the
realization of their location made tears prick her eyes. “You
brought me back to the compound.”
    “ I brought you home,” he
corrected.
    Dana couldn’t face him with her eyes wet.
Instead she reached a hand out and touched the cold glass. “Home
for you, maybe. But to me it was a hell I couldn’t wait to escape.”
Especially once Nathan betrayed her.
    “ I can’t change the past, Dana. I
wish I could if it would make things right between us.”
    “ Yeah, well, you know what my dad
used to say about wishes. Speaking of whom, where is that old
bastard? I’m surprised he’s not here with a silver leash to make
sure I do his bidding.” Dana couldn’t help the bitterness when she
thought of her father. She’d had years to realize his treatment of
her was unhealthy and abusive. Even now as a grown woman, she
shivered at the fear he’d trap her and force her to do his bidding,
make her life a living hell.
    “ He’s dead, Dana. He died of