Uncharted Territory (The Compass Series Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page A

making the hollow at the base of his throat visible. His brown eyes are probing, roaming over me. When he speaks, I recognize the jaded voice that rebuked the blond giant, but he doesn’t sound bored anymore.
    “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
    My lips part, and I blink a few times. “Okay.”
    “Tobias really scared you, didn’t he?”
    I purse my lips and, with some embarrassment, admit, “Yes,” and shake my head. Jesus, Burke, are you going to burst into tears the next time you break a nail? Get it together.
    “It’s all right. He’s a scary guy. But he’s just a bully. He wouldn’t have hurt you.”
    “Okay.” I’m unable to keep the doubt from my voice, and dammit, where is my vocabulary? This guy—this very handsome, very alluring man—is going to think I’m an idiot. I can’t stand the thought.
    “Look.” He leans in, his cheek a hair’s breadth from resting against mine, his hand on my arm. This time I don’t flinch. I like the feel of his long fingers through the lace of my shirt. “Do you know how many people are here tonight?”
    “No.” Where’s he headed with this?
    “I do. One hundred eighty-three. And do you know how many of them are talking about you?”
    “No.”
    “Every. Single. Last. One.” He drums a finger on my arm with each word, sending waves of pleasure through my body with every tap. “We covet new toys, and not one of us was going to let Tobias get his hands on you first. You’d never come back.”
    “What makes you so sure I’ll come back now?”
    He leans back and smiles, shrewd. Shit. I am in trouble. There’s something about this man…
    “Won’t you?” He cocks an arched brow, and every thought I have in my head stops, every feeling I have making a break for my pelvis. The words spill from my mouth in a way that can’t be stopped.
    “Yes, sir.”
    His hand tightens around my arm, and something flashes in his eyes. Unlike when Tobias grabbed me, it feels good. I’m startled when he winds an arm around my waist and pulls me flush against him, but I don’t tell him to stop. I don’t want him to stop. He slides his other hand into my hair and pulls. Not hard, but with enough insistence that I give in to the demand and tip my head until I’m looking in his eyes.
    “There’s a good girl.”
    I do my best not to let him know that my knees have gone weak. I want, more than I’ve ever wanted anything, to hear him say those words again.
    “Let’s go find Mr. Walter. I need to speak with him. I’m Hunter, by the way, Hunter Vaughn.”

Chapter Four
    ‡
    Year One
    “I ’m—”
    “I know who you are.”
    I close my eyes briefly and sigh, impatient with myself. Of course Hunter knows who I am. He said everyone’s been talking about me.
    “I’m a little put out that Mr. Walter didn’t bring you straight to me when you arrived.” He lets go of my hair but runs his fingers through my loose curls instead of merely releasing me. Taking up my hand, he tugs me along with him. He walks with long, sure strides, and I have to scramble to keep up. It’s not easy in these shoes. He leads me to a set of double doors and, without knocking, pushes into the room. Rey and Tip-to-Toe are sitting on far ends of the same couch, deep in conversation, and look up when we enter.
    “Rey, Joseph.”
    “Hunter,” they reply in unison.
    “A word, Rey?”
    Tip-to-Toe—or Joseph, I suppose, although I like my way better—excuses himself and ducks a nod at Hunter on his way out. Hunter is still clasping my hand, and I stand there awkwardly as Rey surveys us. On the one hand, I never want Hunter to let me go. The cage of his fingers around mine is unyielding, and the proprietariness is a glow that spreads up my arm, licking at my heart before diving south. On the other hand, if I belong to anyone here, it’s not Hunter.
    “I believe this belongs to you.”
    “She does.”
    There’s an edge to Rey’s voice, and I feel like I’m a bone that two dogs