Alpha’s Desire: Chapter 4

Jared

The next morning, I pull up at Angelina’s in her freshly repaired Toyota. Tank was a real bro to me and got it turned around fast. I owe him one, for sure.

I climb out and knock on her door. I texted her, so she’s expecting me, but when she comes to the door, she has a breathless, fluttery quality that makes me want to snatch her up into my arms and press her against the door for a kiss.

But I’m not here for kissing. I’m here for something far more distasteful. Something she wouldn’t forgive me for, if she remembered it. But, of course, she won’t remember.

“Hi.” Her lip-glossed smile beams so bright it would melt the fresh coat of paint on her car. I’m almost wounded by it. Like it gets somewhere between the cracks in my chest and fills me too full of her all-good light.

I lean against the doorframe to keep myself from stepping into her personal space. “Hi, yourself.”

She steps into mine, placing her hands on my chest and tipping her face up.

Oh fates, I’m not strong enough for this. I lower my head, but don’t presume and she gives me a peck on the cheek. I’m both relieved and horrified she didn’t go for my lips, because now the need to properly claim her mouth is so strong I have to take a deep breath and count to five. It’s like I’m a pup again, trying to keep myself from getting into a brawl.

And my tendency to brawl is exactly one of the reasons I have to keep my mitts off this pretty little human. She’s like a flower just bloomed and I’m the weed whacker that would mow her over. I know, I should leave the metaphors to the poets.

I settle for bringing my hand to her face—just briefly. I cup it and stroke my thumb along her cheekbone, my hand large and rough against her soft skin.

Her eyelids flutter, registering surprise and something else I can’t read. Hell, I’m surprised, too. Tender caresses aren’t usually my thing. I’m more of a hard fuck up against the wall type. Not that I’m not dying to go there with her, too.

I force myself to remove my hand and jerk my thumb toward the car. “She’s all fixed up, angel. Ready to go.”

She beams the thousand watt smile at me again. “Thank you. Um,”–she ducks back through the door and returns with my shirt in her hand—“Here.” She thrusts it at me. “All the blood came out.”

I take it from her, resisting the urge to bring it to my nose to inhale her scent on it. “You didn’t have to do that, but thank you.” I hesitate. I’m usually way more smooth with women, but I don’t want to do what I’m about to do, so I’m stalling.

“Oh, do you, ah, want to come in?” She steps back as if to let me through.

I shake my head. “No, baby. But can you drive me back to the club? And I just need to make a short stop on the way. Okay?”

“Oh.” Her eyes and mouth round. She’s so damn expressive, it’s a wonder she didn’t end up an actress, not a dancer. “Of course! I’m sorry, I—”

“No apologies.” I jerk my head toward the car. “Let’s go.” I smack her ass when she jogs past me with her purse slung on her shoulder. Then I instantly regret it. We’re not in the nightclub and she didn’t just straddle my shoulder. This is a normal day, in front of her house, and we’re not even dating.

Which doesn’t mean I don’t watch her sexy ass sashay toward the car in front of me. “Sorry,” I say. “That was out of line. I won’t do it again.”

“Oh good, I thought I was going to have to call some other bouncer from Eclipse to tell you hands off.”

She’s teasing, but the words other bouncer make my fingers curl into fists. But when she tosses a smile over her shoulder, I see she’s blushing, and it does something twisty to my gut. I want to rush up behind her and catch her around the waist. Press her to her car and spank her until her ass turns the same shade of pink. Bite her neck and wrap my arms around her. And about a half dozen more lurid things.

Damn, this girl never fails to work her magic on me.

She walks around to the driver’s side, but I say, “I’ll drive, angel.”

She turns and purses her lips into a smirk. “You’re the kinda guy who always has to be in control, aren’t you?”

I shrug. “Yeah.” I figure honesty’s the best option here. “And I like to take care of you. But if you really want to drive, I’ll back down.”

She shakes her head and walks around to the passenger side. “I don’t, really.” When her smile wobbles, my heart clutches.

“Oh baby.” I walk swiftly to her side of the car and fold her into my arms, trying not to crush her against my chest. It feels so right, so necessary to hold her. Different from what I’ve felt with other females. Have I ever needed to comfort another female? “Have you driven since the accident? Are you nervous?”

She accepts my embrace. “A-a little. Not nervous, really. Just—I don’t know,” she murmurs into my chest. “It scared the crap out of me, hitting you.”

I feel like an ass for not thinking she’d be traumatized and then bullying her into letting me drive. She needed to get right back on the horse, and I stole that opportunity from her.

I pull away and hold her arms, stroking her bare upper arms with my thumbs. “You drive, angel. I want you to feel comfortable.” I lead her around to the driver’s side and hold the door open. “Go on. It will be fine. I’ll be right beside you.”

I doubt having me right beside her will alleviate any anxiety, but I have to say it—the need to soothe her is so strong. My wolf, tense since the talk with Garrett, relaxes somewhat.

She climbs in and turns the key. A determined expression is on her face and I recognize that inner steel I’ve always known was inside her. The powerful drive in a human who appears so soft and flexible on the outside. This is the Angelina who conceived and executed the crazy idea of go-go dancers at Eclipse and wouldn’t take no for an answer until Garrett agreed.

Garrett—the toughest, no-nonsense alpha around.

The only sign of nerves I detect is the long inhale she takes before she pulls away from the curb, and then she seems to settle into driving.

“It’s fine, right? Just like getting back on the horse?”

Her smile holds relief and the way she slides her eyes over to me gets me hard. “Yes. Thanks. Sorry, I didn’t mean to—”

“No apologies. I’m sorry I didn’t think of it.”

“You’re really quite a gentleman, Jared.”

The laugh that issues from my throat has a dry scrape to it. “Does that surprise you?” As soon as I ask, I wish I hadn’t, because I know the answer. It’s the same reason my gut twisted when she said it.

Of course she didn’t see a gentleman in me. All she sees is the tattooed meathead that my parents always said would amount to nothing. The kid who never got his temper under control. Who’s not good at anything but using his fists.

And obeying his alpha.

I’m the alpha’s enforcer. The muscle that backs up Garrett’s law. Above that, I’m absolutely nothing.

She gives one of those adorable blushes that gets me hard. “No. It’s just, um, really coming into focus. Nevermind. I didn’t mean to say that.” She flaps her hand and blushes harder.

Damn. The fact I have her flustered thrills the dominant part of me and soothes the part that’s banging against the container because I don’t get to have her. I’m under her skin—at least for the moment—and I’ll take it.

“Where am I taking you?” She pulls the plump flesh of her lower lip between her teeth and I have to adjust my cock in my pants.

“Downtown, to the club. But we need to make a quick stop on the way. Also on Congress Street.” It’s hard to ignore the sticky sensation of dread in my own veins as I contemplate the errand.

She nods and drives downtown and I direct her to No Return, another nightclub up the street from Eclipse. I called ahead to arrange a meetup with a leech there. He’s a nice enough guy. I wouldn’t say I trust him, but I don’t distrust him either. Wolves don’t trust anyone who’s not pack, though.

She parks and looks at me expectantly.

“Come in with me for just a second. I want you to meet my friend Fox.”

She blinks for a moment.

Fuck.

Either she’s picking up my vibe or I’m a shitty liar. “It’ll be quick.”

But she grabs her purse. “Um, okay.”

I’m sure she’s wondering why I couldn’t just walk from here. It’s just a couple blocks to Eclipse—a guy like me shouldn’t need a chauffeur.

I walk around the side and catch her hand. She looks up in surprise and I shrug. “I know it’s inappropriate, but I’m feeling protective at the moment. Humor me, okay?”

Her laugh is full of surprise and it does something crazy to my body. A flush of warmth floods my limbs.

The club is closed, but I knock at the back door and it opens after a few moments. Fox—ever youthful, never changing—stands there. He’s got spiky blond hair and a faint British accent, even though he’s lived in the U.S. for over a hundred years.

He extends a cool palm and I shake it, even though my skin crawls. “Jared.”

“Fox.” I clear my throat. “This is my… friend Angelina.” Dammit, if I don’t want to say she’s my girl, not my friend. Friend sounds all wrong in a way that makes me want to punch a wall or throw a table.

“Hi.” Angelina’s still picking up the weird vibe, I’m sure, because her look is attentive. Not quite wary—that would kill me—but watchful. She’s trying to figure out what’s off here.

Fox extends his hand to take Angelina’s and when she meets his gaze, her focus goes soft, her expression blank.

Son of a bitch.

Seeing her under his power makes me want to hurl.

“What am I erasing?” he murmurs, not looking away from her.

White hot anger burns through me. Toward Fox. Toward Garrett, for making me do this. I can scarcely make myself speak, but I manage to snap, “She saw me regenerate.”

But then my hand snaps out of its own accord and I cover her eyes.

The moment I do, she starts to struggle—probably frightened. “Hey! What’s going on?”

“Nothing. Go wait outside.” I release her and put my body between her and Fox.

“What the fuck?” he grits.

I can’t find words because I don’t know what the hell I’m doing.

I blink and Fox is gone. Fucking vampires! I whirl around just as Angelina screams. Actually, she starts to, but it dies on her lips as Fox takes her under his power again.

“No.” My fist swings and connects with the side of Fox’s neck, sending him flying against the wall. If he were mortal, it would’ve snapped his neck. But he’s not.

Angelina screams for real this time and it echoes off the walls of the club.

Fox traces so fast I can’t see him before he punches me right in the mouth. With vampire strength. I end up on my ass on the floor, Fox standing over me.

I don’t make eye contact. Vampire tricks shouldn’t work on shifters, but you never know. I’m not taking any chances. I surge up and lunge for his waist, but he’s already traced to the door—the one Angelina opened. He slams it shut on her and she shrieks again.

The terror in her voice makes me see red. I pick up one of the round tables that line the wall and swing it at Fox. He traces away.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” His voice comes from behind me. He’s leaning up against the wall with his arms folded over his chest like he’s been there for long time. Fucking tricksy leech. “If she didn’t need to be wiped before, she sure as hell does now.” He traces again when I hurl the table. It smacks the wall and makes a hole in the plaster.

“You fucking look at her again, and I’ll run a stake right through your heart, vampire,” I growl.

“Vampire,” Angelina whispers on a gasp and shoves the back door open. “Vampires don’t exist.” She’s running before her feet hit the pavement.

Smart girl.

I whirl around, certain Fox will be gone, tracing after her, but he’s in the same spot.

“She saw me. She knows.”

“I know,” I choke. I don’t want to start a vampire-shifter war here. Fox was doing me the favor and I just fucked with him, big time, not to mention the damage to the club. I must look as pole-axed as I feel, because Fox’s ancient blue eyes hold compassion.

“You have twenty-four hours to figure your shit out. You know the laws. No loose ends.”

I don’t stay to argue. Angelina’s out there, terrified. I take off after her. “Angelina.”

She doesn’t stop. I catch up right before she makes it to her car and I catch her around the waist. “Wait, baby.”

She slams her heel back into my shin, then stomps down on the top of my foot, cracking the bones. At some point, my little dancer had self-defense training. For some reason, it makes me grin like a maniac to have her attack me.

But I remove my hands from her and hold them up. “Easy, easy. Take it easy, Angelina. I’m sorry.”

She goes still, but remains facing the car.

“I know you’re scared. I know you’re confused. I fucked up. Big time. But I’m not going to hurt you. I promise. And I won’t let anyone else hurt you, either.”

When she finally turns, tears shimmer in her eyes.

It tears my chest wide open.

Then, without warning, she dives for the door of her car.

I’m the biggest asshole in the world, because I slam my hand down on it to hold it closed. “Don’t run. Please don’t run from me. The only way I can make this work is if we trust each other.”

I don’t even know what I’m saying, but I guess on some level, it’s true. If Angelina bolts out of here, I will have no choice but to send Fox after her immediately.

And if she doesn’t?

That part I don’t know. I still should bring her in to Fox. My alpha gave me an order. Fox gave me a deadline. But I’ll be damned if I can do it.

Angelina

Vampires don’t exist. Vampires don’t exist. Vampires don’t exist. Oh my God, do vampires exist?

I’m shaking all over.

If she didn’t need to be wiped before, she sure as hell does now.

I’m not sure what just happened in there, but I think Jared brought me here to have my memory wiped. Or my brain wiped. And then he changed his mind. Either way, I’m not sticking around to find out.

There’s a vampire in there who would probably be perfectly happy to suck me dry, and now I don’t trust Jared.

That’s the part that hurts. And I don’t want to stand here and let him see how badly, either. When he slams his big paw across my car door, I duck under his arm and try to run for it.

Stupid move. He catches me before I’ve taken two steps. He hooks an arm around my waist and lifts my feet from the ground. I thrash and kick, trying to get my heels high enough to nail him where it will count.

“Angelina. Angelina. Oof.”

Yep, I kneed him in the nuts.

He reacts, but isn’t as disabled as I’d hoped. I go for his eyes, like they taught us in self-defense. My fingernail scrapes the skin of his cheek, but he catches both my wrists and pulls them behind my back. “Okay, okay.” And then it’s like he’s trying not to laugh, which sends my temper through the roof. “Baby, please stop fighting.” I definitely hear laughter in his voice.

“It’s not funny,” I snarl, kicking with my heels against his shins again.

He jumps back, still holding me by my pinned wrists. “I know it’s not. I know.” We continue to wrestle—me kicking, him dodging. “You’re just so damn adorable and it turns me on when you fight. I’m sorry—I’m sorry. Please, Angelina.” He picks me up and sits me on the hood of my car, crowding up between my legs. He still has my wrists pinned, but instead of wrestling, he’s going for an embrace. At least, I think he is. He drops his face down into my hair and breathes deeply.

And stays there.

I’m frozen. I don’t know what the hell to do.

He nuzzles my neck, the scruff of his five o’clock shadow brushing my cheek. Our breaths mingle in short pants. I swear I can hear both our hearts hammering as one.

He eases his hold on my wrists and slowly pulls away, like he’s testing to see if I’ll run again.

I draw my hand back and slap his face, as hard as I can.

He doesn’t look surprised. It’s as if he saw it coming and decided to let it fall.

My eyes water and I slap him a second time.

Again, he lets me.

And he has the grace to look sorry now, instead of laughing.

The tears track down my face. “Tell me what happened in there,” I demand, swiping at them with the back of one hand. “You brought me to a v-vampire? Why?”

“Fox has superpowers too. He can wipe someone’s memory.”

“But why…” Things are so surreal, my mind is whirring. I can practically hear things clicking into place. “The accident. Your superpowers. You don’t want me to remember. You brought me to a vampire to erase my memory.”

He closes his eyes and leans his forehead against mine. “Yeah.”

“What are you, Jared?” My voice cracks. “Not a vampire.”

If I’m perfectly honest with myself, I’d realize I’m terrified to hear his answer.

His large hand cups the back of my neck. Not threatening—soothing. His thumb rubs tiny circles on my skin. “Shifter—werewolf.”

“Werewolf? That’s… that’s impossible.”

He blinks and his eyes light with an inner fire. Like, seriously, they’re glowing.

“No,” I half gasp, half moan. “I’m losing my mind.”

“No, you’re not. You’re perfect. I’m the freak.”

My mind feels sluggish. “So your superpowers…”

“Speed. Strength. Super healing. And sometimes… I get hairy.”

“Hairy?”

“I turn into a wolf.”

“Oh my God.” We’re standing here discussing the impossible—vampires and werewolves—but it all makes sense. I should want to run screaming but, his honesty calms me down.

“But you can’t know any of this, Angelina.” I hear frustration in his voice. The memory of him hurling a table at the vampire flashes back. The level of violence in there sickened me. But despite the fact that he was the one who brought me there, he’d also been my protector.

I’m still trembling, and it only gets worse with his admission. “Please… just let me go.” I mean it when I say it, but the thought of him releasing me, of me getting in my car and driving away, actually frightens me more. I don’t want to be alone right now. Even though he’s the one who scared me, there’s a solidity to having him here. A certain comfort. And I definitely deserve more explanation.

“I… can’t do that, Angelina.” His voice is heavy.

“Then what are you going to do with me?” It’s barely more than a whisper.

“I don’t know.” He scoops his forearm under my ass and lifts me so I straddle his waist.

My arms automatically loop around his neck for balance. Even though I want to reject him—reject this, it feels sort of nice. “Take me home.” I do my best to keep the wobble out of my voice. To sound demanding, rather than needy. Because despite the trembling, my body has come alive against his, heat building everywhere we’re in contact.

“Yeah, baby. I’ll take you home.” He walks around to the driver’s side, but instead of opening the door, he traps my body against the car, his hard cock nesting right between my legs, his lips melding to mine.

I should push him away—punish him for what he’s done to me, but my lips have their own idea. I kiss him back, then assert myself by nipping one of his lips.

He laughs against my mouth and goes right back to kissing me.

Damn. Despite my resistance, every twist of his lips, every nudge of his hips fuels me. Power ebbs back into my limbs, builds with the heat in my core.

His hands turn rough, fingers kneading my thighs, squeezing the parts of my ass that are accessible. His tongue sweeps inside my mouth and he consumes me, licking, sucking, nipping, kissing. When he breaks the kiss, I’m panting.

I slap him a third time.

There’s no downside to it, really. It satisfies me and only amuses him.

He smiles and captures my hand, bringing it to his lips. “I’ll take you home, baby, on one condition.”

“What’s that?” I shove my hair out of my eyes, trying to stop the world from spinning.

“You invite me in.”

I don’t know why that makes my nose burn again. His recent betrayal still cuts me, I guess.

“Hey.” I don’t know how he sees my emotions so clearly, but he does. “I’m not making any presumptions here. I’m not asking to come to your bed. I lost your trust and I’m going to have to earn it back. I know that. I just think we need to talk. I owe you an explanation at least.”

I blink rapidly and bob my head, not trusting my voice for speech.

Regret washes over Jared’s face and he kisses my forehead, then eases me to my feet and settles me in the passenger seat of the car.

When he gets in, he scrubs his face with his hand before starting up my car. I fold my arms across my chest and stare straight ahead. Neither of us speaks for the short ride home.

At my place, he opens the door with my keys and lets us both in.

Why did he want to come in? For a moment, a hundred frightening scenarios run through my head and I take a few steps back.

He holds up his hands, palms out. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

“Why are you here, then?” Something about his request doesn’t add up.

“I’m here to… monitor you, I guess. I can’t have you calling anyone telling them what happened. I need you to understand what’s at stake.”

I give a single nod. Okay, that makes sense. I wrap my arms around my waist and perch on the arm of the couch. “So talk.”

He sits on the ottoman and waves a hand toward the couch. “Please, sit down.”

“Fine.” I sit down and he immediately scoots the ottoman forward, until he’s sitting right across from me.

“Angelina. I just want to say I’m sorry.”

I give a single nod. “Thank you.”

“And you should know you were never in any danger. Okay? I took you to get the memory of seeing me heal wiped, that was it.”

I purse my lips. “Then why did you stop him?”

Guilt flickers over Jared’s face and he rubs his forehead. “It didn’t feel right. I didn’t like seeing you under his spell.” He sounds reluctant to admit it.

Something shifts and rearranges inside my chest.

“I… I’m protective of you, Angelina.”

The thing that moved warms.

“I was obeying orders from my alpha, but I couldn’t follow through with it, and then I overreacted. But I promise you, no matter how it looked in there, no harm would’ve come to you. Fox wasn’t going to hurt you. I’ll never hurt you.”

I pinch my lips together because it feels like I’m going to cry again. “Okay,” I say on an exhale. “I believe you.”

Jared’s face transforms, the lines of tension easing, surprise lifting his brows. “You do?”

I nod. “Yeah.”

“Come here, baby.” I don’t move, but he plucks me from the couch and pulls me onto his lap. He buries his face in my hair and kisses my shoulder. “Okay.” He sounds relieved. “Good.”

“So now what?”

His arms around me tighten and the thread of tension is back. “Now.” He sighs. “I don’t know. Is there any chance you’d willingly go back to get your memories wiped? All of this?”

I try to lurch off his lap, but he catches me and pulls me back down. “Easy. I’m not going to make you. I’m just exploring possibilities.”

“No chance,” I say firmly. “No chance in hell.”

He chuckles. “Smart woman. And I love your fire, baby.”

“Couldn’t I just promise never to tell anyone? Take your secret to the grave?”

He’s silent for a moment, then he says, “Yeah. I’ll need that promise from you, baby.”

I swivel on his hard thighs to look him in the eye. “I swear to God. I’ll never tell.” I cross my heart and hold up three fingers, Girl Scout style.

His lips twitch and he grabs my fingers and pulls them to his lips. His kiss is soft—so much more tender than I imagined him capable of.

“Now you swear to me you won’t do it.” I hold his gaze.

He hesitates and disappointment runs through me thick and cold. But then he nods. “I promise I won’t wipe you, or let anyone else wipe you, unless you consent.”

His phone rings and I take the opportunity to jump off his lap. Not because I haven’t warmed back up to him. More because I have. This man is dangerously attractive to me.

He curses and stands up. “Hey.” He speaks into the phone. “No, not exactly.”

I hear a loud male voice on the other end and Jared sends a quick glance my way.

“Is it about me?” I ask.

He holds up his hand, like he’s telling me to wait and walks out my front door. I hear him out on the porch but I can’t hear what he’s saying.

Jared

“What in the fuck do you mean not exactly? Were my orders not clear?”

Not surprisingly, Garrett’s pissed.

I walk a few paces away from Angelina’s place. “I didn’t feel right about having that leech in her brain.”

“I don’t give a shit what felt right to you, an order’s an order. This is pack law, and you know it.”

“I don’t care.” I’m so far out of line I could be banished, but I don’t give a fuck now. I’ve already made my choice. I can’t—won’t—obey my alpha. I’m going to have to face the music now, whatever it is. “Anyone touches her—anyone tries to wipe her—and I’ll fucking kill them. That goes for Fox. That even goes for you.”

There. I’ve definitely dug my grave. He can banish me if he wants, I’ll take Angelina with me and protect her until the day I die.

Part of me fucking loves that idea, as awful as it is. An excuse to bind Angelina to me.

Garrett goes deadly silent.

My heart thunders in my chest and I have to work to keep from crushing the phone in my fist. If I didn’t hear Garrett’s sharp inhale on the other side, I’d think he’d already crushed his. He goes through phones faster than I can eat a box of Girl Scout cookies.

“Are you telling me she’s your mate?” Garrett’s voice is low and laced with danger.

I close my eyes, drawing in a breath, thankful the moon won’t be full for another two weeks. I’m barely keeping my wolf in check with the threat to Angelina.

“No,” I say at last, even though saying yes would solve this problem.

I can’t fucking mate Angelina. She’s a sweet little human. The mating bite would probably kill her, and definitely scar her delicate neck. Ballerinas don’t have hideous scars on their necks. Nor do they take beefy tattooed meatheads for mates—boyfriends—whatever.

Angelina has big aspirations and a bright future. There’s no way I could take all that from her. It’s not right.

But I also made her a promise. I said I wouldn’t let them wipe her.

So where does that leave me?

“What are you fucking telling me, Jared?”

I go for total honesty, because Garrett would see through anything else. “Listen, I don’t know. This girl means something to me. I wish it weren’t the case, but it is.”

Garrett goes silent again. When he speaks, his voice is tense. “I’m gonna give you two weeks. Figure it out. Either mark her and claim her as your own, or wipe her. In the meantime, you stick to her like glue. Make sure she doesn’t talk. Understand?”

I shouldn’t feel relieved. Two weeks isn’t going to solve this fucking mountain of a problem, but I am. It’s two weeks I get to spend with Angelina. Two weeks before… fuck.

“Loud and clear.”

“Good. And don’t think I’m not going to fuck you up when I see you next.”

I smile, because, well—I love Garrett. And I don’t care if he pounds me into the ground, because I deserve it. “Yeah, I know. Thanks. I still have Fox to deal with. He gave me twenty-four hours.”

“She knows about him, too?”

My limbs go heavy. “Yeah.”

“I’ll talk to him—tell him we have it handled.”

“Thanks, bud.”

“Jared.”

“Yeah?”

“Good luck, my friend.”

I give a harsh bark of laughter. “Thanks. I’ll need it.”

“Yeah, you will.”

I’m not even sure what he means, but I remember how crazy he went before he marked his human mate. Trey and I had to hold him back to keep him from attacking her during the full moon.

Does he think I want to mark Angelina?

I haven’t had the urge, but then I haven’t had sex with her yet. And the fates know she brings up all kinds of terrible desires in me.

Fuck.

My wolf probably does want to claim her. But it’s not going to happen. Because

I walk back inside and find Angelina walking out of the bathroom brushing her teeth.

It’s such a normal act of domesticity, but it goes straight to my dick, like everything she does. The idea of seeing her like this, as if we’re living together, rocks me.

“You want the good news, or the bad news?” I ask.

She bites the toothbrush to speak. “Good news.”

I grin like an idiot because she looks so damn cute. “Good news is you’ve been given a stay of execution.” I hold up my hand when her eyes go wide. “It’s a figure of speech, that’s all. I have time to figure this out.”

“Whabs the bab news?” she asks, toothbrush still clenched between her teeth.

“You’ve got a new shadow. I have to stick with you for a little while. Just until we’re sure you won’t talk.”

I expect her to tell me no fucking way. Maybe slap me again, which shouldn’t turn me on so much, but it does. Instead, she blushes right up to the roots of her beautiful red hair. “S-stick with me how? Stay here?”

I nod. “Don’t worry, I’ll take the couch. I’m not here to force myself on you. Just to…” I stop. Just to what? Decide if she’s my mate? Reconcile myself to wiping her? Find out how fucking hard it is to spend the night under the same roof as her without pounding between her legs for every minute of it?

She raises her eyebrows.

“—just to make sure. Like I said.”

She backs up toward the bathroom, pinning me with a thoughtful look.

What’s going on in that beautiful head of hers?

“Fine,” she says before rounding the corner and spitting into the sink. I hear the water running, but I can’t stop myself from following her.

I lean against the doorframe. “You know, every time you tell me fine with that pouty voice, I want to spank your cute little ass until you squeal?”

Her lips part and she stops drying her hands on the towel, as if I shocked her into stillness. I try to keep myself from looking, but the stiff points of her nipples poke through her thin t-shirt, and I smell the scent of her arousal.

I’d give anything to fuck her now.

It wouldn’t be hard to win her over, either. She’s already halfway there, just from my crude threat.

But I’m not going to do it.

Garrett didn’t assign me to stay here to get in her shorts, no matter how much they fucking turn me on.

And she deserves better than me.

So much better.

“I’ll let you off the hook this time,” I drawl, giving her what I consider my most charming smirk. “But consider yourself warned.” I saunter away, because if I stay a minute longer, she’s going to find out first hand just how badly I want to get those shorts off her, but I hear her breathless reply as I walk down the hall.

“I will.”