It had been freaking torture sitting next to him at dinner thinking about having sex, wanting to have sex, and if he put his hands on her right now, she’d probably just give in and take him down to the snow. Or at least try to. He was making it a lot easier for her to forget the risk to him if they finally gave in and had sex, so he should probably lose the attitude.

“That’s it.” He lowered his chin and strode directly at her.

She jumped. “Fine.” Without waiting for him to stop, she tried to run for the passenger side door and slipped on the ice.

He caught her by the arm to keep her from falling. Then he dragged her back toward the driver’s side.

She tried to pull back, but her boots couldn’t find purchase and just slid along where he wanted. He jerked open the door, lifted her inside, and shoved her over with his hip as he sat in the driver’s seat.

Scooting over, she glared at him. Yeah, she could open the door and run, but she’d end up right back here. There was no way she could outrun an immortal hybrid. “Did you say landmines?” Her head jerked as the conversation came back. Landmines and electrical currents? On the fence she’d tried to move?

“Yes.” His voice was grim as he set the vehicle in drive and turned around in the storm, crunching into snowbanks on either side of the driveway.

“You didn’t think those were facts I might want to know?” Her voice rose.

His head turned, in slow motion, and his gaze captured hers. “I didn’t think you’d be foolhardy enough to venture out at night in a storm with the entire Kurjan nation on your ass.”

Well. Since he put it like that. “I’m trying to save your life.”

“That’s not your job.” He turned back to drive over the thick snow piling up on the driveway. “There’s a simple truth you need to get into your stubborn head right now. I know you were raised human, but my world is simple. No soldier, no immortal male, would ever let his mate risk her life for his. Period.” He lifted a hand. “I don’t care if that’s politically incorrect or not how the humans live these days. That’s fine for them. But it’s in our very nature, my very nature, to put your life before mine. Before almost anybody’s, in fact.”

They weren’t true mates. “We didn’t really mate,” she reminded him.

“I did.” He pulled the vehicle into the garage. “And you’re about to. Get inside the house, Grace. Now.”

Chapter 26

Chapter 26