James (Skin Walkers #18)

Skin Walker Sentry, James, is known for his jokes and good humor, but when he comes face-to-face with his past, there isn’t anything funny about it. Prim is the woman who wrecked him all those years ago. She’s his enemy, and regardless of the passion they once shared, James is determined to put her where she belongs, in a cell.

PrimRose is done running from her past. The last time she saw James, his eyes had been filled with cold, merciless hatred. She’d been forced to betray him, and he’s never understood why. Now, seeing him again after all these years, any hope for a relationship is vanishing beneath his cruel disdain. Prim knows she’s to blame for the ice that surrounds his heart, yet she’s praying that the secret she’s kept all these years and the sacrifices she’s willing to make might just warm him to her. It was a risk coming to StoneCrow, but for a shot at happiness, Prim was willing to risk it. Now, she’s just praying she survives James’ wrath.

*This is book 18 in the Skin Walkers series. Since each book in this series focuses on a different couple, they can be read as stand-alones. Readers may prefer to read them in order for maximum enjoyment.

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Hurt her! James’ mind roared, but his inner beasts rallied, No, she’s a female. Protect her! Head warring with his heart, James ignored them both as he snarled at Prim.

She was shaking her head in denial, and he couldn’t have stopped himself from tightening his grip on her throat if he’d wanted to.

Instantly, she stilled.

Beneath his hand, the delicate column of her throat convulsed as she tried to swallow. Quietly, he studied her. For long silent moments, he simply regarded her. She was insultingly beautiful. More beautiful than he even remembered her being. It only served to piss him off more.

“James, let her go. She…” King began.

James cut him off going nose to nose with Prim, “You’ll call me Sir,” he demanded on a snarl. “Do you understand?”

When she didn’t respond, he demanded more firmly, “Do. You. Understand?”

Swallowing hard again, Prim nodded as best she could.

“Say it,” he commanded.

She managed to wheeze out, “S-Sir.”

“You made a mistake coming here,” he growled. “You never should have come, because now, you belong to me. These Walkers don’t know you, Prim.” He leaned in, baring his teeth as he snarled, “But I know you. And I will have my vengeance.”

She inhaled sharply at the warning, and a grin wanted to wreck his face. He was garnering too much enjoyment from her fear to allow it.

Studying Prim, he watched her lips thin into a disapproving line. Her eyes brimming with tears a moment before they went hard. Internally, she was throwing up walls to guard her tenderly bruised pride. He just knew it. He knew her. But, she couldn’t hide from him. She wouldn’t break either. Not for him. He could see it in the defiant tilt of her chin, in the almost angry way she waited for further instruction. This close to her, actually touching her after all these years, was raising up all kinds of ghosts he long thought dead. That cavernous hole she’d ripped right in his middle—the one he’d filled up over the years with jokes and pranks, with the laughter of his friends—was suddenly vacant and gaping at him in a silent scream.

Destroyed. She’d destroyed him all those years ago, and now here she was.