Bending Steele Read Free

stumbled, but only enough that she
managed to wedge a leg between his and catch him behind the knee.
Hexe gave a growl as he crashed down on top of her, but it was the
hoarse whoosh of air sliding from her lungs that roused a happy
rumble from his chest.
    She struggled, twisting the knife around, but
he pinned one wrist above her head, snagging the other with his
free hand. Her hips pinned under his, he straddled her. He slammed
her wrists into the snow over her head. Steele’s lips tightened and
she went still.
    He didn’t for a second think she’d
yielded.
    “Drop the blade.” Her jaw tightened and Hexe
dug his thumb into the sensitive pulse of her wrist. “Drop it,
Steele.”
    Pain flashed in her quicksilver gaze, but she
didn’t yield until her hand spasmed and the blade tumbled loose of
her grip.
    She grimaced. “What now?”
    He’d won the first round, but Hexe knew
better than to think the rest of this would be easy. She would be
slow to tame, slow to heat, but he’d seen metal turned molten
before and she reminded him so much of her namesake. She’d bend,
soften.
    “You’re mine for the next two weeks.”
    Her lips curved into a sneer and Hexe had to
fight not to lean down and steal a kiss.
    She knew Wintersong, knew the Marks. She’d
known what would happen if she lost. She had hoped to win the fight
and deny him. Hexe grinned.
    “I’ll play nice.” His gaze drifted to her
lips again, “But I won’t be giving you back your blade.”
    Her hips flexed slightly under hers, her
whole body arching as she tried to reach for it. Hexe held her
fast, waiting. With a frustrated sigh, she stilled beneath him
again. He pinned both wrists with one hand, and swept the knife up
into his free hand. Her gaze sharpened and he didn’t miss the fury
that passed through her frost tinged eyes. But he recognized the
confusion there too, in the way her eyebrows drew down.
    Then she seemed to shake it off and tensed
underneath him, her hands curled into fists.
    “That’s fine. I’ll steal yours.”
    He had no doubt she’d try.
     
     

Chapter
Two
    He’d won. Steele had to admit she hadn’t seen
that coming. It didn’t mean anything. In the end, she’d still walk
away. But she didn’t get it. As King, damn near any other
single female in the tribe would want him. She didn’t. So why
her?
    I have my reasons . His words echoed
through her head, but they didn’t make any sense. She should have
guessed the Mark would come eventually. He’d tried numerous times
to get to know her. To talk to her, sometimes being so damn sweet
about it she’d wanted to scream. She liked the tribe for the
company, the presence of others. It kept her from going insane
sometimes.
    But she didn’t want more. She sure as hell
didn’t want the hard length of his arousal she felt pressed against
her hips. Sex could be so innocuous at times. Without emotion, it
was just an act. But it could also be dangerous. Could lead to
stupid things like love. Trust.
    And that wasn’t an option.
    Hexe lowered his head a notch, his breath
warm against her lips. She thought of reaching up and biting him,
but his hand tightened over her wrists, one thumb pressing down
painfully. A warning. His eyes were hooded, locked on her lips and
she knew what was coming. Steele sucked in a soft breath and
clamped her jaw shut. He could kiss her but he wasn’t going to get
far.
    A smile tipped his lips. There was a softness
in his green eyes that she hated, because he always seemed to see
more than anyone else. The rest of the tribe was willing to let her
be. They took her at her word—or sometimes knife—and stayed away.
Everyone except Hexe. The bastard had never gotten the hint.
    He always pressed just a tad farther, toeing
the line between bluffing and her having to take action. So many
times it’d been over stupid shit. He’d tried to share one of his
kills, tried to get her to come join the group, tried to just walk
with her out in the mountains. She’d