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temples. Fuck… He couldn’t do it. Fingers curling into his palm, he drove his fist into the wood floor beside her head. The oak boards cracked beneath the force, splinters cutting into his knuckles.
    Startled by the crash, she flinched, her terrified yelp piercing his heart, ripping a frustrated snarl from his throat.
    “Whoever this Liam is…Wherever he is… He’s gone!” she cried.
    At that moment, Haden wasn’t sure who he hated more, Liam, for leaving her vulnerable to him like this, or himself for being the bastard who’d hurt her. Rolling off Olivia, he came to his feet in one swift, fluid motion. “He’ll be back.”
    She could deny it all she wanted, but one thing he was absolutely certain of, there was no way in hell that warrior was letting this female go without a fight.
     

Chapter Three
     
    He sounded so sure, she almost believed him. Instead of leaving her sprawled on the floor, the demon grabbed her wrist and, none-too-gently, jerked her to her feet. Olivia put on her brakes to keep from crashing into him. She’d had quite enough up close and personal time with the guy—too much, actually. When she’d felt his erection digging intimately against her bottom, she was certain he’d intended to take more than information from her.
    The way he watched her, even now, sent a surge of dread rippling up her spine. Although his handsome face remained expressionless, a melee of emotions seemed to pass through those haunting sea-green eyes, each unable to bank the smoldering undercurrent of desire. She didn’t need to know him to see there was a startling depth in those windows to the soul—a depth born from years of pain and sorrow, and a coldness that left Olivia unsure if he intended to rape her, comfort her, or kill her—perhaps all of the above.
    Snarling a foul oath, he spun away from her. “Don’t look at me like that,” he snapped. “If I intended to fuck you, I’ve have done it long before now. God knows I’ve had plenty of opportunities.”
    Was that declaration intended to comfort her?—and a poor attempt, at that. The way he used her name with such familiarity told her this demon knew her far better than she wanted him to. Heat infused her cheeks at his vulgar words. She cast her eyes to the floor, embarrassed to meet his heated gaze. Given the inclination, he’d looked as if he could pounce on her at any moment. And considering the way he’d taken her down a few minutes ago, there wouldn’t be anything she could do to stop him.
    He seemed to be waiting for something—or someone. She glanced up to see him dragging his fingers through his tawny hair. It stood on end in a boyish disarray, deceptively softening his harsh, handsome features. He made a restless prowl from the living room to the foyer. Dare she hope he’d keep on walking? No such luck. He spun back around and gave her a surly glare as he advanced on her like a predator stalking its prey.
    “Seriously?” he growled.
    “Seriously, what? If you’re waiting for this Liam to magically appear, you’re going to be sorely disappointed. I don’t know where your precious stone is or why you’re so convinced that I do. And if that’s the reason Liam took my memory, then he sure as hell isn’t going to tell you either.”
    It was only a guess, and an unlikely one at that, considering what Tate had told her. But it sounded like a convincing enough argument right now—and just where was Tate, anyway? Great guardian he was turning out to be.
    Haden stopped in front of her and gave her a sweeping glance. “You’d be surprised what he’ll do once I’ve touched his circumstances.”
    Why did that sound like a threat? Oh, right, because it was.
    He chucked her under the chin with his knuckle in a patronizing display of affection and said, “Let’s just hope it doesn’t get to that.”
    Then, seeming to drop his guard, he studied her a moment. His hand lifted a little higher to cradle the side of her face. His touch was