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At twenty, in college, she’d fallen for the man she’d thought was so sexy, so badass because he worked for her father. Ten years ago, Joe seemed larger than life, and when she found the boldness to ask him out, she’d been over the moon because he accepted. Her sister Shae, her closest sister, told her to be careful of her heart, but she hadn’t listened. For a while, nothing mattered except Joe, and when he took her virginity,
she gave it willingly because he already owned her heart.
Looking at his mouth now, she recalled his kisses. Joe’s loving held tenderness with every touch, and because of it, she’d comforted herself with the fact that he cared about her. Loving her more than the job was the problem.
He turned and strode away from her. She wanted to tell him to get out, but some part of her desired him to stay.
“I want us to get back together,” he said, and she gasped. He faced her, determination in his eyes. “That’s why I’m here. I told your dad my plan, and he agreed to make me your protector. He knows I will die to keep you safe.”
She bit off a screech and balled her hands into fists. “Are you serious? When are you and my dad going to get it into your heads? I run my life, not you. I make decisions about whom my lover will be, and it’s not going to be you, Joe. We broke up three months ago. You should have moved on by now.”
“Like you have?”
She blinked at him.
“I saw you let those things kiss you.”
“It’s part of the job,” she bit out. “My sisters do it all the time.”
“This is your first assignment. You can’t afford to take chances. I think—”
“I don’t give a rat’s ass what you think. Get out of my room.”
“Shiya.”
“I mean it, Joe. Get out!” She stomped over to the door, yanked it open, and waited for him to pass by. He didn’t move. “If you don’t leave, I’m calling my dad right now and telling him you’re here for me and not taking your job seriously.”
“He knows me better than that.”
“Do you want it in his head?”
He frowned. “We’ll pick this conversation up again. Check in. Follow the chain of command, Shiya.”
She resisted yelling “fuck you” and slammed the door behind him. After clicking the lock into place, she removed her clothing, threw on a robe, and grabbed a mini bottle of alcohol from the refrigerator. She didn’t even check to see what it was before she poured it over a glass of ice. With the lights turned low, she sat in the alcove by the windows and raised the blinds so she could look out at the water. The liquid gave a satisfying burn as it slid down her throat, and after a few sips, she began to mellow out.
Was it wise to jump into bed with Birk and Kotori with so many unresolved emotional issues over Joe? She didn’t know, but then again, if her heart was taken, she couldn’t fall in love with them. She could leave this at sex, and why should she feel guilty either way? Any man who felt fine about sharing his woman with another did not love her. Birk made the offer. He admitted to doing it before. She was nobody special to him, and she wouldn’t dare consider a serious relationship with a shifter. Enough said.
* * * *
The next morning, the knock on the door revealed Kotori, and Shiya smiled up at him. “Hey, you, where’s Birk?”
Kotori, smoking hot in jeans and black jacket, exuded a magnetism that drew her into his arms for a quick kiss. That she did so surprised her, but neither of them resisted the impulse. Rather than push his tongue into her mouth, though, he left it at parted lips and a brief suck on her lower one. All kinds of delicious sensations stirred in her lower region as she pulled him inside so she could get her coat.
She thought she saw a frown on Kotori’s face as he breathed in, but it disappeared as fast as it surfaced. “He had an emergency surgery, but he will catch up with us later.”
Shiya paused in pulling on her coat. “Aw, is the animal okay?”
He stared at her for a minute.
“Kotori?”
“He’ll be fine. Birk’s good at what he does.”
“A regular Dr. Dolittle?” she joked and then chided herself. She had to stop making these stupid mistakes, insinuating that he could talk to animals because he was one, or they would catch on to her.
She submitted when Kotori did what Birk had done. He buttoned her coat for her and lifted the collar to be sure she would stay warm. Not wanting to think of what would come later when her job concluded, she pushed the darker thoughts aside. Kotori hadn’t bothered to respond to her question.
She wondered about what he’d said the night before about always speaking the truth. Was that his method, to not answer anything he would have to lie about?
