“Take your time.”

She twisted her head to stare down at him. She’d made it about ten feet off the ground. He stood under her. “Maybe you should back away in case I slip. I’d hate to land on you.”

“Just twist in the air so you fall sideways and I’ll catch you. Tense your body if it happens.”

“I think I’ll climb up and then down. I don’t have your grace. I’d just go splat!” She faced the wall and reached up for another handhold.

“What the hell?” The snarled words startled her.

Kat’s hand slipped but she managed to recover since she had solid footholds. She turned her head again and watched Darkness across the room. He looked furious as he glared up at her.

“What are you doing?”

“Climbing.”

“She’s doing good,” Jinx assessed.

“I told you to give her a tour, not allow her to use our equipment.”

“She has experience.”

“Kat?” Darkness bent and tore off his boots. “Don’t move.”

“I’m fine.”

He ignored her and pushed Jinx back. He bent at the knee and she gasped when he jumped. He landed on the wall beside her, grabbing onto handholds and finding footing. He maneuvered next to her and used his longer arms to stretch around her until he pressed against her back.

“Turn and wrap around me.”

She refused to let go. “I’ve got this.”

“Do it,” he snarled.

The look on his face wasn’t something she could ignore. He was enraged and his eyes were almost black. He bent a little and braced. “I can take your weight. Just release with one hand and twist your body. Wrap one arm around my neck and then the other. You won’t fall.”

“I wouldn’t have fallen anyway.”

“Kat,” he hissed, “do it or I’ll tear you off and just fall back so you land on top of me. You could get hurt that way.”

He braced his arms wider and gave her room to move. She followed directions and ended up clinging to him. He pressed her body against the wall and let go with one hand to hook an arm under her ass. He hefted her higher.

“Wrap your legs around my waist.”

She did, with his help. Her upper arms were braced against his shoulders. He climbed slowly down until his feet reached the floor. She eased her hold and slid down him until she stood in front of him.

“I was fine.”

He growled low but fixed his angry stare on Jinx. “We’ll discuss this later. Take her to Security to finish the tour. Don’t let her play with our weapons while you’re there, either, or put her in a uniform and take her to the wall to discover how rude the protestors are…for the fun of it.”

“Can we have a minute alone, Jinx? I have a few words to say to Darkness that aren’t for polite company.”

“Um, sure.”

She waited until the door closed behind him. That was her cue. “What is wrong with you?”

“Me? You could have fallen.”

“I was doing fine until you almost scared the hell out of me.”

“You’re not Species. You could have broken your neck if you’d fallen from higher up.”

“I would have been fine. You were also really rude to Jinx. He was just trying to make the tour fun. It was until you arrived. Is he in trouble? That’s messed up, Darkness. It’s my fault. I insisted on climbing.” It was a little white lie. I’m dressed.

His lips pressed into a tight line.

She tried to notch down her temper. “I don’t know why you’re acting this way. Just don’t tear Jinx a new one, okay? He didn’t do anything wrong.”

“You’re protective of the male?”

“I guess. He shouldn’t—”

Darkness moved fast and grabbed Kat around her waist, yanking her off her feet. She slammed into his chest hard enough to knock the air from her lungs. He held her so tightly that it took her a second to suck in a breath.

“Do you want to share sex with him?”

She stared into Darkness’ eyes and felt a shiver of fear. The cold look in them would have frozen lava. “No.”

His nose flared.

She opened her hands cautiously and placed them on his biceps. “Are you jealous?”

He didn’t say a word to admit or deny it, just held her gaze. Some of her fear eased. She had faith that he wouldn’t hurt her since the worst thing he’d done was to put them at face level in a bear hug that wasn’t painful.

“Don’t start mind games,” he warned softly. “Do you understand? I’m not a male who plays well.”

“I’m not.”

“Are you interested in Jinx?”

“No.”

He blinked and his hold eased. “Yet you are defending him.”

“He didn’t do anything wrong. For someone who doesn’t do commitment, you’re acting irrational. You realize that, don’t you?”

He lowered her to her feet and backed away, letting her go. “He’s waiting to take you to Security.”

“You don’t want to talk about this?”

“No. Forget it.”

As if. She stepped forward but didn’t touch him. “You’re jealous,” she accused.

“I was worried.”

“About me wanting to nail Jinx?”

His upper lip curled and his fangs showed. “Stop, Kat.”