Page 18 of Hellhounds Never Lie

Eventually I loosened my grip on his arm, but I still didn’t release him. I brushed my fingers over his skin. I’d probably given him bruises. And not the fun kind.

I sighed. Although maybe it sounded a bit like a sob.

“It’s okay, little witch,” Dillon whispered. “Everything is okay.”

I couldn’t make myself speak. Or nod. Or do anything except trail my fingers up and down his muscular arm. My ex, he’d been a lot smaller than Dillon, and he’d done so much damage. It was peculiar how I wasn’t afraid of Dillon, even with all his muscles and his massive body and the legendary supernatural strength that came with him being a hellhound.

I knew he would never hurt me. I didn’t understand why I felt that way. Sure, I could pretend it had to do with Van knowing I’d brought Dillon home with me. After all, he probably wouldn’t hurt me even if he wanted to, since we’d be seeing the Chief of Police again tomorrow.

But that wasn’t why I trusted him not to hurt me.

This stranger—this beautiful sexy man—made me feel safe and secure. It was as if the Eternal Magic had reached inside me and brushed away my fears so I could let this man close.

So why the hell had I freaked out on him?

“Did I hurt you?” Dillon asked softly.

“No.” I rushed to get the word out.

“Can you tell me what happened? So I don’t do it again?”

Dillon thought there might be another time. I shuddered in relief and pressed my face to his palm. He cradled my head in his hand. I wasn’t ready to talk about that tonight, so I shook my head slightly.

“It’s not you.” I forced the words out.

I’d thought that would make Dillon relax, but instead his body became more rigid. “Did someone else hurt you?”

The rumble of menace rolling through his question made me smile.

“If someone hurt you, I will kill them.”

At least that’s what I thought he’d said. To be honest, his words were difficult to understand because his voice had dropped into a low growl.

Had he just threatened to kill for me? And if he did, that probably shouldn’t turn me on, right? Then I remembered what he’d said earlier… He couldn’t lie. I lifted my face away from his hand, needing to see his expression.

The fire of his hellhound blazed brightly in his eyes when my eyes met his. Smoke curled out from his nostrils and mouth. As a fire mage, I’d always loved the scent of smoke and Dillon’s embodied everything I loved: a hint of ash, a sweetness of burning applewood, and a classic smokiness that triggered the feelings of warmth and home. The soothing scent reminded me of the bonfires my family used to have in my childhood backyard. They were good memories, ones I’d almost forgotten under the weight of everything that had happened since then.

“Did someone hurt you, Ash?”

I opened my mouth to explain, but I didn’t have the energy to talk about all of that tonight. Dillon’s warm fingers brushed lightly over my cheeks in a soothing caress.

“I’m sorry,” I said.

“We don’t have to do anything tonight. Maybe we were going too fast anyway. I’m finding it hard to go slow with you though.” His cheeks darkened slightly, and I wondered if that was him blushing.

“Hard?” I couldn’t resist poking at the word like a pubescent teen, even though given how I’d stopped everything I should probably have kept my mouth shut.

“Yes.” Dillon smiled. “Hard in so many ways.”

I smiled back at him, happy that he’d let me try to lighten the mood.

“The things I feel for you.” Dillon looked into my eyes. “It feels so right even though we’ve only just met. I don’t want to rush this between us. If you need time, it’s okay. Or even if you never want to dothatwith me… I’m here, Ash. For as long as you want me. Unless you’ve changed your mind.”

I swallowed. “I… I feel the same way. Just, uh, maybe be patient with me. I didn’t know I would react like that. I just…”

Dillon took my hand in his and drew it to his lips. He kissed the back of my hand. “It’s enough to know you want me too.”

“I do,” I said, probably a bit too eagerly.