Page 84 of Big Bad Wolf

Ruby stomped down the stairs to the kitchen and found Rafe leaning against the counter, nursing a cup of coffee. He looked like shit. Good.

He didn’t bother to smile when she walked in, just watched her. She lingered in the doorway, not wanting to actually get close enough to him to get to the coffee maker.

“Morning.” His voice was like black coffee, hot and rich. He had circles under his eyes and his hair was tied back messily at the nape of his neck. His stubble was dark and thick. Damn it, she was wrong. He didn’t look like shit at all. He looked sexy as usual. How fucking dare he?

Ruby opened her mouth to tell him off, but Rafe spoke first. “I’m going to see the pack today. I’ll get you their protection and then I will leave you alone.”

Wait. What? He was leaving? Just like that? She hadn’t even told him off yet.

He turned away, avoiding her shocked stare and poured her a cup of coffee. Two teaspoons of sugar, no milk. Damn it. He remembered how she took her coffee. Could he be any more infuriating? He put the mug on the counter and slid it toward her. A peace offering. Well, screw that.

“You’re leaving?”

He nodded. “I think that’s best.”

“Why?”

“It’s time to stop playing house, Ruby. You’re a human. I’m a wolf. This doesn’t end happily for us.”

Ruby gaped at him. “That’s bullshit.”

He growled. “The pack will protect you better than I can,” he said, blowing past his earlier statement. The one that had Ruby’s heart breaking.

“And if I don’t want the pack to protect me?”

He blew out a long-suffering sigh. “Don’t be difficult about this, Ruby.”

“Ha!” She threw her arms up in the air. “Don’t be difficult. Okay, yep. No problem. I won’t be difficult at all. I will make this very simple for you, Rafe.” She’d stalked closer as she spoke, and Rafe stepped back until he hit the counter behind him. She put her hands on his chest, and he sucked in a breath like her touch burned.

“I don’t want you here anymore. And I sure as fuck don’t want any of your wolfy friends here either.”

“Ruby—”

“No, don’t Ruby me. You can’t just tongue-fuck a girl like that and then run off!”

“Ruby.” His voice was low and pained.

“You can’t keep toying with me like this, Rafe! Today it’s ‘I’m leaving’ but then you’ll be back telling me you can’t stay away, you can’t live without me, and you’ll be kissing me like it’s the end of the goddamn world!”

“Ruby!” His brows pulled together as he grabbed her arms, gripping tight enough to hurt, tight enough to make her stop her tirade.

“What?!” she snapped.

“I’m trying to do the right thing.” He dropped his forehead to hers, panting with the effort to keep it together. But Ruby was falling apart too.

“This doesn’t feel like the right thing,” she whispered.

Rafe pulled her to his chest, and she let herself collapse against him, burrowing into the solidness of him, the safety. She whimpered and he kissed the top of her head, pressing his lips to her hair, murmuring that he was sorry over and over again.

“I need to talk to Knox,” he said at last and she pulled back to look at him. She was sure the make-up she’d put on this morning was smudged. Rafe swiped a thumb across her cheekbone, rubbing at her ruined eyeliner. “I can’t… I can’t do this alone. I need the pack.”

She knew what that confession must be doing to him, how hard it would be to return to his brother, to the pack that had disowned him.

“I’ll come with you.”

“No.”

“Rafe!”