Page 76 of Vicious Luna

“Then where the fuckismy place, Avery? Huh?” he growls, pushing off from the dresser and closing the remaining distance between us. “Because it’s not with The Guild anymore. You saw what just happened out there. And it’s not here, since everyone still sees me as the enemy. And it’s obviously not with you, since you can’t seem to stand to look at me.”

I jerk my chin up, meeting his eyes as he stops just short of our chests brushing. “I’m looking at you now. Happy?”

“Nah, I’ll be happy when you stop being such a stubborn bitch and admit I saved your asses out there today. That maybe I’mnotthe enemy.”

I press my palms against his chest. “You fucking kidnapped me!” I shout, shoving hard but failing to move him.

“Mypeopledid,” he clarifies, “and yours did the same thing when I showed up, so I guess we’re even."

“We’re nowherecloseto even.”

“Then let me fucking help!” He buries a hand in his hair, tugging at the strands. “Like I said before, if you’d just let me access a computer, I can cripple their systems. And I might be able to get us a man on the inside if I can try to send a message…”

“Why should I trust you?” I scoff.

Cam’s brow furrows, his frown deepening. “You mean you still don’t, after today? Yousawwhat fucking happened out there.” He throws out an arm, gesturing wildly. “You know who shot at me, right before you pushed me out of the way?”He leans down, putting his face right in front of mine. “My fuckingdad. The man who raised me.”

I draw a sharp gasp, eyes widening in surprise.

“Yeah,” he scoffs, shaking his head. Then he turns and paces away a few steps, pivoting to stride back toward me. I drink in the way those inked, muscular arms of his bunch and flex as he reaches up to drag his hands through his hair again, testing the very limits of the fabric of that tight black t-shirt. He’s usually so good at schooling his features, but for once, I can actually read the emotion on his face as he paces back in my direction, shoulders slumped and eyes pained.

“Cam,” I breathe, reaching out for him.

“Don’t,” he barks, swatting my hand away.

I frown, stepping close enough to rest a palm against his chest. “What are you gonna do, lock me up?”

His eyes collide with mine, the muscle in his tightly set jaw feathering. “I’ve made mistakes, Avery. A fuck ton of them. But now I know how fuckingwrongI was about shifters, okay? And I just... I wanna set things right.”

I stare back at him, my pulse hammering and the bond between us burning brightly in my chest. My wolf presses forward, Cam’s eyes shimmering with gold as his own peeks back.

He shakes his head, flickering his gaze away. “Or you could just stuff me back in that cell and take your chances,” he mumbles. “Face it, you need me.”

I roll my eyes, dropping my hands to my sides. “I don’t need anyone.”

“You sure about that?”

I cut him a glare.

Cam reaches out as he steps in closer, cupping my jaw in a hand and tilting my face up toward his. “Look, you don’t have to like me,” he says in that deep, rumbling voice, staring into my eyes. “You can hate me for all I care. But you know I can help.”

I huff out a breath, averting my gaze. “I doubt the others would go for it,” I admit.

“Then make them listen,” he murmurs, drawing my gaze back to those dark eyes of his. “You’re a goddamn force, Avery. You never let me win an argument. Drives me fuckin’ crazy, but if there’s any situation where you should apply that, it’s now. Let me help you guys win this.”

The close proximity of his body and the way he’s cradling my cheek in his warm, callused palm is scrambling my brain. His scent is like a goddamn drug, his gentle touch making me crave even more contact. My heart rate kicks up a notch as he wets his lips with his tongue, gaze dropping down my form.

“Fuck, I swear I can smell when you’re turned on,” he grumbles.

A blush of embarrassment immediately rises to my cheeks and I jerk back, flustered, brushing his hands away.

“If you need me to get on my knees again, I’m at your service,” he drawls, the corner of his lips lifting in a little smirk.

“Fuck you,” I snarl.

“I can do that, too.”

I stare at him, suddenly at a loss for words while my chest rises and falls rapidly with my ragged breathing. Honestly, I’d love to diffuse this argument with a quick and dirty fuck, but this definitely isn’t the time or place. Ugh, but the way he’slookingat me…