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Moving into the kitchen, there were several others standing around, waiting on their food to cook in the microwave, but he set her on the counter and pulled her ankle into his hands, undoing the little buckle and checking it for swelling.
“I swear it’s fine. Doesn’t even hurt anymore. A silly twist on a rock. I’m good.” To prove her point, she wriggled her ankle in a circle, but he ignored her and grabbed her other ankle, pulling off the other heel as well.
“I’m finding you some other shoes right now.”
“Okay, don’t get all growly. I have some in my bag. I had the guys stop at my house and grab some more clothes and my boots. Just because y’all asked so nicely this morning.”
He felt the sarcasm but didn’t care. Zipping open the duffel bag she had dropped on the floor, her boots were laying right on top. He had expected to see some over-the-top boots with jewels or a bright color, something to accent her outfit, instead, they were worn-in and dusty. But his focus moved to the wrinkled paper stuffed in between the two boots. Picking it up, the single sentence stood out on the paper.
You can hide, but your destiny is with me.
“What is this?”
“It’s nothing.”
She snatched it from his hands, crumpling it up in her hand before clenching her fist down by her side. But he moved between her knees, uncaring who was watching, and grabbed her wrist, pulling it between them.
And he waited. Waited for her to answer him with the truth, but the longer he waited, the more erratic her heart beat, and it practically reverberated through his own chest. She took a shaky breath, and he was suddenly aware her other hand had grabbed his bicep, and he was gripping her thigh, pulling her body into his. In those few short seconds, everything was in slow-motion, her clenched hand the only thing between them.
What was it about this woman, that every part of her intrigued him, every sound she made stole his attention, and every breath she took invaded his senses?
His eyes dropped to her mouth—full, soft pink, and begging to be kissed. When she nervously licked her lips, he almost groaned, but he released her wrist instead.Only, he didn’t move away. He couldn’t. His beast howled at the surface, like it had since first seeing her on Friday night. He wanted her back in his lap, in his arms, in his bed, and those thoughts crowded his mind, testing his control.
This was what he imagined meeting his mate would feel like, that need and immediate fascination that had been described to him his whole life. But she wasn’t his mate. Her scent didn’t trigger his wolf, didn’t make him lose his mind. Yet, like he’d wondered since he first touched her, if they had some shared destiny at least. If so, that was something he needed to figure out. Or maybe this was how everyone felt around her. Was there some kind of magic running in her blood? That could be thereason good men acted a fool over her. A siren of old times, but that was a question for Rathlin, for another day.
Right now, he needed her to answer, so he caught her eye again, but she looked away. What was she hiding?
Chapter 12
Wednesday, November 17
12:10 p.m.
“Just another note from the stalker. He left a different one this morning that they found on my front door. When Travis went to my room to get my things, this note was on my bed. It wasn’t there last night, and it wasn’t there this morning when they searched the house.”
Her heart raced, the space between them so small, so charged with tension, she held her breath waiting for his reaction. So when he relaxed at her words, she was surprised. She thought more notes would mean tighter security and locking her away from him.
“Good.”
Releasing her nonchalantly, he reached down, grabbing her boots, and rummaging for a pair of socks. Sliding them on her feet, she didn’t protest, only letting him tug her boots on as well. Every touch, every inch closer to her body, calmed her wolf. Even when he infuriated her, she craved him.
“It certainly doesn’t feel good. Feels like my parents are in danger. Feels like my entire pack is at risk. Because of me.”
Gently this time, he pulled her hand between both of his and frowned. “Except he’s had every opportunity to hurt them ortake them as collateral. He didn’t. And the more risks he takes, the more mistakes he makes. He’s desperate, which means we will catch him soon.”
“Maybe.”
Her eyes searched his. He seemed so certain, so confident, and she felt like an exhausted mess. Especially with him this close to her, and especially the way he touched her ever-so-subtly. It was driving her wild. Being near him all morning had calmed her wolf and left her feeling more comforted than she had felt in months, but at the same time, more confused than ever.
His amber eyes felt like they were invading her soul, like she could be happy just breathing the same air as him the rest of her life, and that scared her. But her body? Her body was the biggest traitor of all, and she ached for him. Flashes of him pulling her closer, of him grabbing her ass and grinding his dick against her, filled her thoughts. Fuck. She needed to calm down, and looking away, the tension between them broke.
He stepped back hesitantly before pulling open one of the refrigerators, then a cabinet, and setting all the sandwich fixings on the counter beside her. Methodically, he began assembling four sandwiches, only pausing when she asked for pickles and no mustard.
Everything that she was afraid would happen was playing out like she was in a movie. How can every plan she made backfire? Every carefully thought-out effort to stay away from him had gone sideways. She wanted to kill Keoni this morning for suggesting Nassau be her babysitter. He knew what he was doing, knew she wouldn’t be able to resist her mate the longer she spent time with him.
She tried to stay angry with him, to find things that irritated her, so she could keep her distance. It wasn’t hard to get angry, with the push and pull between her heart and her head. But thenhe’d do something sweet, or protective, or hell, he’d just breathe sexily, and she was staring at him again, practically drooling.
When he’d put the ingredients all away in the fridge, he surprised her again, moving between her legs and pulling her from the counter by her waist. Naturally, she grabbed his arms for support and slid to the floor. They were so close it took her breath away, his hands circling her body, thumbs caressing her ribcage almost unnoticeably. It took a moment for her to realize he wasn’t letting go, that he had paused again, lost in his thoughts. So, she looked up at him, and without her wedges, realized how tall he was. But it was the frown on his face, the way he subtly inhaled her scent and looked confused. Shit. Was the necklace wearing off?
