Before he moved closer to the yelling, he smiled gently at Natasha, shook hands with his brother and father and then broke into an all-out sprint. Just knowing where to find her eased a lot of tension.

Tate brought her back to him. He'd found her in the airport, sedated her, called for Orlando's help and safely returned her to Scotland.

Down a few slanted hallways, he turned one corner and then another. Her loud screams of anger played out like a sweet melody to his ears. The pounding on the door seemed to echo out and just call for him all the more. Yes, when it came to Tabitha, he wasn't a simple madman. He acted like a raving lunatic.

"Natasha! Natasha!" She was relentless. "I wouldn't let them lock you up like a caged animal! Get me out of here! I don't want to be here! I want to go home! This isn't my place anymore!" Her fists and what sounded like her feet seemed to take turns moving into the heavy wooden door of his room. "I don't want to be here! Do you have any idea what they are going to make me do? Somebody, help me!"

Faster and faster, he ran through five thousand square feet of the compound until he stood outside his bedroom. As suddenly as he arrived there, her pounding stopped abruptly.

Mercy h.e.l.l. She feels me here. He slumped down against the opposite wall and stared at the key dangling from the lock. Catching his breath, he slowly let it out so she wouldn't hear him. It didn't matter. She showed her hand when the wild rant stopped all at one time.

His broad shoulders continued to rise and fall as he sat on the floor. He wanted to go inside. He also wanted her to calm down first. Maybe she felt more at ease after she sensed him on the other side of their bedroom door. Their matrimonial bedroom. He liked the sound of it so much he almost said it out loud.

It took her at least twenty minutes to call out to him. "I know you're out there."

"You feel me here, don't you?" He felt a sudden smile turn up the corners of his mouth.

"You shouldn't have ordered Tate to bring me back here." Her voice maintained amazingly calm.

"I can't imagine anywhere else you'd rather be than here with me." He snickered to himself.

"f.u.c.k you!" Her feet went into the door with repet.i.tion once more.

"Yes, we've discussed this before, remember?" He smiled only wider.

"d.a.m.n you, Almonzo! I hate you!" Another round of booms and bams sounded off, this time into the wall. Perhaps the threshold panels needed a break from her swift little kicks or perhaps she thought the sound would be louder.

"You love me." He stood up and walked over to the door. He put his palm on the frame. "And I love you." His forehead went there next.

"I love you about as much as I like having menstrual cramps." Disgust certainly fueled her chosen words. He wished he'd witnessed it.

"Pleasant. Nice image. Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Being a smarta.s.s becomes you, love."

"You become the company you keep. It's one of the reasons why I plan to make immediate changes in people a.s.sociations."

"People a.s.sociations? Hmmm, interesting." He toyed with the key in the doork.n.o.b moving it back and forth between his fingers. With a grunt, and definitely against his better judgment, he turned it.

She was on the bed now and sat perfectly still when he entered. He wanted to pull her to him, but decided based on the expression covering her face, he should take things slow. He sat down beside her.

Tired eyes glared at him.

"I guess you broke your a.s.s again."

"Tailbone, and no, I didn't." She made a cute little sarcastic face at him and then looked away. "From what I understand, you sold my a.s.s out."

"Not quite." He took a deep breath. "Tabitha, I don't blame you for this."

"Do you even understand what will happen if we go through with this ridiculous ceremony?" She questioned.

"Yes."

"I don't think you do."

"Tabitha, you will die without a vampire to bleed you now. You don't have a choice. Provisions are made for secondaries because without them, our women die."

"I did have choices until you took them away from me."

"Tabitha, if you'd only been honest with me about your relationship with Darian-"

"Don't you dare make this my fault. Your heritage is to blame, your old laws and stupid elders who are more perverted than the vampires they claim to rule."

Almonzo broke out into hysterics. He happened to agree with her about the elder perversion. "You could manage a smile too."

"I'd rather kill you than laugh with you at the moment." She didn't have any trouble looking at him directly when she wanted to cut his heart out, he noticed.

Spreading his arms wide, he asked her what he felt confident would break the ice. "Then what is stopping you?"

"I don't have a dagger or a sword to use. Give me one and I might."

His hand went over his heart. "Hurt me more."

She stood. "Just so you know, I'm going back to the States."

He quickly jumped up to stand beside her. "When do you plan to leave?"

"Tomorrow."

"I can be ready by midnight." He grinned.

Her eyes narrowed. "I think not. Almonzo, this is serious and the sooner you can accept it, the better off..."

A hungry mouth tore across her lips and cheek before moving to her neck. d.a.m.nation, she didn't fight it and he didn't care if she tried. He'd heard her feisty little threats, and didn't give a s.h.i.t if she wanted to be angry. She could be mad until the elders called another Summit meeting for all he cared. He ached for her and just kissing her right then healed him. It soothed the hole in his heart, the one she left vacated whenever she wasn't at his side.

Pulling away from him, she warned, "Stop. Stop it now!" She didn't need the daggers she wanted to pierce through his body once she used her pupils for the same intended purposes.

A hand rested on her hip and her eyes blazed with a s.e.xy-hot rage. Oh yeah, it burned h.e.l.l-hot. "I can't imagine what you would want with a wh.o.r.e like me."

"Oh that promiscuous comment kind of p.i.s.sed you off, I see." He swept in for another kiss and came up short of stealing her lips. "Let's forget about it."

Her hands flew against his chest. "What did you and Darian do, gamble for me? Hmmm? That's it, isn't it? You sat down and played cards just for me. What were the stakes? A f.u.c.k for life?" Her skin turned redder with each sentence. Every question she asked seemed to anger her all the more.

"You want to know what the stakes were?" He moved into her fast and secured her arms in front of her. "This." His lips slanted over hers. She tried to break free, turn her head one way or another but he followed her with a hungry mouth and tongue. Finally, he gave up. He continued to hold her arms out in front of her, one hand clasped around both tiny wrists.

They were practically nose to nose. Tempers challenged and fueled the mental animosity as much as the lingering s.e.xual energy.

"You suck." The words almost inspired a smirk.

"Not yet." He grinned. "But I will."

Her nostrils flared, really they did, because if they didn't, there wouldn't be a lot to laugh about and he couldn't help but chuckle.

"What now? You think this is funny?"

"Not really, no, it isn't."

"Are you trying to apologize?"

"Will you accept one from me?" He started to move them toward the door. He kicked it closed and glared back at her.

"I don't know. Should I?"

"Depends on a lot of things. Why do you need an apology from me?"

"You dumb, arrogant a.s.s!" Her little cheeks colored a brighter shade of red. "You don't think you owe me an apology, do you? Oh, but of course you don't. Spenser men don't apologize. h.e.l.l, no. Why would I be so simple-minded as to think such a thing? G.o.d! I hate you!" She tugged her arms free at the same time she spat her words.

"Fine. Then hate me." He moved forward in pursuit. Backing her up against the wall next to the bed as he did so, his gaze stayed focused on her. "Hate me all you want but first, Tabitha, you are going to love me."

His hand fell to his shirt and he unb.u.t.toned the first round pearl and then another one. He decided to h.e.l.l with it. He tugged at the third and then just ripped it off. He never liked himself in pink anyway.

A dimple formed in her cheek for a minute. It didn't settle there but he saw its existence when it flashed there all the same. "No, I don't think so. You basically doubt me and accused me of caring for Darian."

"I did. I'm a jealous b.a.s.t.a.r.d."

Her eyes watered. Maybe she needed him to apologize. Maybe he should get it out of the way. h.e.l.l, he had all but begged. Now, he just wanted to touch her.

His hands went to her face.

His pride went to h.e.l.l.

His mouth moved closer and his lips slanted once more. Steady thumbs locked below her jaw. His apology and his promises stained his own lips before they burned into hers. "I love you." A slow kiss proved it. "I'll never hurt you again if you'll just forgive me." A lingering tongue gently stroked against hers. "d.a.m.n it, when it comes to you I am nothing more than a jealous, arrogant a.s.s who will stop at nothing to make sure no other man touches you-" Then the realization struck. "That is, after the ceremony is complete."

Tabitha's tears ran gently down her cheeks. "You destroyed me, Almonzo. I wanted to die. I never want to know this kind of pain again. And now, I'm not sure I will live if I have to go through with this thing your mother told me about. This ceremony seems so...so...wrong."

"I know, baby, I know. I am sorry." His lips dipped and he thought it made everything better.

But it didn't.

Tabitha decided if a man needed s.e.x, he would say anything. He would expose his soul just to vacate his pants and she didn't like playing by those rules. d.a.m.n, he did look good enough to eat. It didn't matter. He wasn't going to get off that easy. h.e.l.l, no. He let her walk out of the Monte Carlo onto the empty streets of Las Vegas and he didn't try to stop her.

She moved under his arm and headed to the dresser. There, she propped her elbow on the low rise of the heavy furniture. Casually, she c.o.c.ked her hip out. "I want to know where your rage came from and what provoked it? Was it Darian or was it because you knew you were keeping this inevitable trilogy ceremony from happening or..."

"It does not matter now." He started toward her.

Her palms flew in front of his chest and she decided she was pretty good at halting his forward movements. "I need to know, Almonzo, or I won't get over this. Oh sure, we can f.u.c.k. We can mess around. It won't heal my aches and pains. I'm hurt. I want you to know all about it. I want you to know that you don't get to kiss me and make it better because my heart, my heart, Almonzo, is in a lot of pain."

Watching him accept what she had to say mattered to her. She wanted him to feel her agony and accept the same defeat she'd been forced to accept two days ago when he allowed her to walk away.

He sat down on the bed again. She watched him as he ran that sinful hand of his across the length of his face. She loved it when he did that. She didn't know why, she just did. She saw him do it only on occasion. Generally, if he did it in her presence, it signified she gained the upper hand, usually meaning he'd exasperated all options and couldn't meet her on common ground.

She also saw the gesture after he had a long, tiring day. More than once, she'd wanted to go to him and rub his masculine shoulders. Now, maybe she would have the opportunity. That is, after she made him understand that he didn't just toss her to the wayside whenever he felt like it.

"Okay." His arms stretched behind him and his legs fell open. What she'd give to be in between them. She quickly cursed herself for the twisted little thought.

He looks downright edible. She decided it wouldn't hurt her to sit down on the bed next to him.

She walked over and sat down. "Okay?"

He gave her that look-the one that said he played right into her hands so his needs would be met.

"Stop looking at me that way." She snapped.

"Ah, Tabitha, give it up. A man knows when he allows the woman in his life to have the upper hand, even if it is only for a minute here or there. He gives it to her with the full knowledge he's allowing her to have it outright. Why? Well, because to do so gives him an edge. One that will give him a straight-up advantage later on and right now, I'm willing to call a truce. It will benefit us both, I promise." His mouth met her neck and his lips parted around a vein he would soon take. She recognized the way he primed it just by a simple oral ma.s.sage.

She congratulated herself on defining his motives before his eloquent revelation.

"Tabitha, I want to know, I need for you to tell me about you and Darian. I know you didn't sleep with him by your own free-will but I also know there had to be something between the two of you before you met me."

He just had to ruin a good thing. He turned the tables on her again.

Tabitha felt her airway constrict. "Why do you think I have something, or feel something for Darian?"

"I don't really think it. I know it. Call it a gut feeling."

"I think you're fairly jealous, as you said before." She sort of understood why. Darian Sabbat happened to be a hunk of a man. A woman wouldn't consider it a misfortune to be in his presence. Never mind his bed.

Almonzo studied her before he spoke. "Remember who you are dealing with, Tabitha. I am your life partner, we're together and will remain together whether you like the idea right now or not but keep in mind, I read other people well. I'm a businessman and I know what I see. You and Darian had ... something significant."

Tabitha found it difficult to look at Almonzo and tell a white lie so she decided to fib and look the other way. "He never meant anything to me."

"You choose to lie to me and that in itself says a lot about you and your relationship with Darian."

The lying thing failed so plan B had to be straight-up honesty. "Fine, you want to know, I'll tell you." Her voice quivered. "I cared about him, okay? I liked him very much. He gave me everything in a short period of time. Thank goodness he was traveling a lot then and I didn't have very many opportunities to have s.e.x with him..." Her voice trailed off. Almonzo didn't let her off the hook.

"You wanted to sleep with him?" He sneered. "And now I guess you'll get your wish." He sounded disgusted.

"Almonzo! Why do we have to do this?" Tabitha stalked around the room.

"Because, d.a.m.n you, I love you and I want to know that you love me too! You've never once said it. Not one time. I need to know if you haven't told me because you don't know if you do or if it is by d.a.m.ned stubbornness or because of Darian Sabbat or, heaven help us all, some insignificant mortal man!"

"I do not love Darian Sabbat." She defiantly glared at Almonzo.

His lips pursed and he nodded in acceptance. "And you do not love me either."