Bound (3 page)

Madison didn’t know
if she’d done something wrong, but when Malcolm had taken the bounds off her and just stared at her, she felt this connection move between them. But then he’d left the club, left her standing there, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to ignore it, even though she wasn’t sure he’d want her prying.

That was a half hour ago, and despite the fact she should have let him deal with what was bothering him, she’d followed him. Yes, it was wrong, so very wrong, but she cared for him. As crazy as all of this was, because she didn’t even really know Malcolm, she couldn’t deny what she felt, and wouldn’t ignore it anymore.

So here she was, walking through the woods bordering their city, knowing Malcolm was here because his Harley was parked right at the edge of the tree line. She felt her heart race, her palms become sweaty, and as bad an idea as it might be, she didn’t turn around. She had to know what was wrong and if what she’d felt between them was just one-sided.

She just hoped what she was doing didn’t end up ruining everything … even if that everything was nothing more than Malcolm dominating her on stage.

M
alcolm growled when
he scented his mate. She was near, and her curiosity was going to get her killed. His fear of hurting her returned, and he started to panic. He didn’t want to hurt her. Madison had to leave or she was putting herself at risk.

Rushing toward her in his wolf form, it wasn’t long before he found her, stumbling over a fallen tree. Malcolm stayed hidden, watching as she winced, rubbing at her thighs. She had thrown a large jacket over her body, covering up her near nakedness.

She still smelled like arousal and sex. A heady combination, and from the short distance where he stood on four legs, he saw the trail of blood on her. Madison hadn’t taken the time to wipe away all traces of her injury.

Did she have a death wish?

There were a lot of mean motherfuckers who hunted in the forest, not just wolves. He was going to take her over his knee and paddle her full, rounded ass. Maybe he’d make her bleed just a little so that she understood the kind of danger she was in. Wolves were deadly, but so too were other shifters: bears, lions, panthers, they were all dangerous.

“What did I do wrong? I was good. I can take whatever he has to offer. I’m destined to be his. Why did he run?”

Her words were coming out in sobs, and he hated it.

Malcolm’s first instinct was to go to her, to protect her.

No! You’ll hurt her.

Stepping forward, Malcolm growled, alerting Madison to the danger she was in.

She turned toward him and let out a small squeal.

“Is that you, Master?”

He growled again.

She should be running. Every other woman would have been fleeing right now, and she just stood there, watching.

Her heart was pounding. Malcolm heard the rapid beating of her pulse.

Take her.

Mark her.

Claim her.

Mate her.

Being in his wolf form was too damn dangerous for both of them. He couldn’t let the wolf remain in charge. He couldn’t control the urges sweeping through him.

Dropping down, Malcolm shifted back into a human and heard her gasp. In the next instant, he stood in front of her.

“Do you have a fucking death wish?”

He pushed her up against the nearest tree, wrapping his fingers around her neck, and holding her in place.

“No, Sir.”

“Drop the fucking names. I’m Malcolm. We’re not at the club anymore.” In this place, he ruled over her anyway. She was just a human; he could easily kill her and wipe away the evidence. But he wouldn’t do that; he would never harm his mate. “Why did you follow me?”

“I wanted to make sure you’re okay. You ran out of there.”

“I wanted to be left alone.”

“Why did you run from me? I’ve never done anything to offend or displease you.”

Malcolm made a low, dangerous sound. “Stop.”

She bit her lip, and her eyes filled with tears.

Cursing, he pressed his head against hers. “You’ve got to stop. You don’t know what kind of mess you’re getting yourself into.”

“Tell me, please.”

Her voice was broken as she spoke, and it hurt him. The last thing he wanted to do was cause her any kind of pain, yet here he was, doing just that.

“Stop, please,” he said.

“Why don’t you want me? I give you more than any other sub. I open myself up to you. I love you.”

He slammed his fist against the tree, right beside her head, hitting the rough bark. Madison didn’t flinch.

“You’re right. You’re the best sub I’ve ever had. I’ve thought about you even when the club was closed. I want you, and that is never going to change. But I can’t have you.”

“Why?”

“I’m a fucking monster.”

“No, you’re not a monster. I won’t believe that.”

He laughed. “Then you’re a fucking idiot.”

“No, you don’t
get to talk to me that way. We’re not at the club, so I’ve got my own thoughts. My own mind. You’re not a monster.” Madison wasn’t going to listen to him do this to himself. He wasn’t a monster.

“I’m a shifter, Madison. I turn into a wolf. Don’t you think that’s enough?”

“No.”

“There are people out there who will disagree with you. Fucking a man who is not really a man is stupid, dangerous.”

“Stop it. Stop hiding from me.”

Malcolm growled and turned away. She watched him walk away again, and she’d had enough of it.

“Stop!” She screamed the word, and grabbed his hand. “Stop being a coward. You feel for me as well. I know you do; otherwise you wouldn’t keep running. You say you’re not a man, fine. Be a grown up, and stop running away.”

“You think I’m a coward?”

He wrapped his hand loosely around her neck and tugged her so that she was pressed against the front of his body.

“You’ve got no idea who you’re dealing with.”

“Then tell me.”

“No one knows where you are. I could snap your neck right now. It wouldn’t be hard. You’re brittle. You’re weak.” He leaned down, sucking on the ear that he had bitten. She’d not bothered to wipe away the blood.

Malcolm had never hurt her. She’d been open and begging him to punish her to the point of pain, yet he’d held back. Madison had seen the emotions in his eyes and had known he’d felt something more.

“Then do it.” Madison was tired of being threatened and being held at arm’s length. The truth was, she didn’t see herself in any kind of threat. She wanted him, craved him, and still he held back. She’d give him whatever his heart desired, and this is what it had come down to.

“What?”

“End this for both of us. You clearly hate me, otherwise you wouldn’t threaten to end my life. Do it and end this misery for the both of us. I love you, and if I can’t have you, I don’t want to keep on going.” She sobbed the words out. “You don’t know what it’s like to constantly want something that you can never have, but I do. I watch you all the time up on the stage, hoping I’d be the submissive that captures your eye. I’m not, and I can’t take much more; please make it stop. Be with me or make this need stop.”

M
alcolm stared at
this frail, fragile human. She was his mate, he scented that in the air, coming from her body like a floral aroma that made him drunk, intoxicated for her. He should leave, walk away, and let her live her life without his complications. She wanted him, that was clear, and he wanted her … his wolf wanted her. This was dangerous, he was dangerous, but that didn’t mean he was smart enough to say no to her.

Everything inside of him roared out to take her, to claim her, but he fought himself and that need. He’d been cruel to her just then, telling her he could hurt her, that she was an idiot for wanting him. It had all been in a ploy to get her to go, to see him for the monster he really was.

“I want you,” she said softly. She moved an inch closer, and he knew by the widening of her eyes that she could not only see, but also feel how hard he was for her. Hell, he didn’t have anything on, and he wanted her just as bared. They weren’t at the club right now, weren’t playing the D/s roles. Although he was a very dominant male, right now he was fighting with himself to be gentle, to go slow.

Malcolm knew he couldn’t walk away from her, even if it was the smart and safe thing to do.

“Be with me,” she said again.

“I’m a monster—an animal,” he said just as softly.

“But you want me; you wouldn’t hurt me.”

He could hear the certainty in her voice, and he shook his head. “You don’t know me, don’t know what I’m capable of.”

She cupped his cheek and he found himself letting in her warmth. God, he wanted her so fucking badly, just wanted to forget about everything and be with his mate. “I do want you, but I don’t want to hurt you.”

“I want you to hurt me in the only way you ever have … in the way I want you to.”

He growled low, his wolf right there at the surface.

“Just be with me, please, Malcolm.”

And hearing her beg, pleading for him, was his breaking point.

He tightened his hands on her clothes, and in a move that was purely animalistic, straight form his beast, he ripped every last article of clothing from her until she as just as naked as he was. He took a step back and looked at her body. He’d seen her before, while she was on stage, at his mercy. But right now he was seeing her as his mate, and he knew he wouldn’t let her go.

She stood still
while he looked at her. She was far from thin. But the way he looked at her, as if her body was made to be worshipped by him, made to be touched and sucked on, made her feel like she was a goodness. He’d never looked at her or anyone else for that mater, not while they’d been on stage. He made her feel like he
really
was seeing her.

Letting her head rest against the tree, she licked her lips, hoping she wouldn’t have to beg again, although she saw the desire in his face, in the sounds he made, and the fact he was so hard for her.

“You want me, want me to do whatever I want to you?”

She licked her lips again and nodded.

“Yeah, you’ll let me do whatever I want because you want this.” He was suddenly on his haunches before her, his hands on her thighs, and adding pressure to push her legs apart.