AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He stepped toward her now, the heat from his huge body pervading her. “I’m the alpha. Am I not?”
“Yes…”
“So, what I say goes. And I am saying the reason someone is watching over you is for your own safety. Got that?”
Harlow swallowed, the sound so loud in her ears it surprised her. “Well… if that’s the truth, and it’s not because you think I can’t be trusted… Yes.”
“Well now, looks like the matter is settled then,” he added. “You can continue your job at Wisteria, but there’s one condition. Seeing as though having a watcher is so offensive to you, you can take Zachary or someone else, if you choose, along with you.”
She looked up at him, still wrapped up in a haze of confusion and pheromones. “Sure,” she said, her voice small now. “As long as Zachary doesn’t mind.”
“Zachary does as he’s told.” Atlas’s voice was both cold and gruff.
“Of course… So, I’ll leave you to get on.” She turned and made for the door but stopped when he spoke again.
“I was just about to eat… Would you like to stay for dinner?”
Harlow was so taken by surprise she couldn’t find the words, eventually managing a nod and a surprised, “Thanks.”
“Good, well come and take a seat.” He led her through to a large but simple dining room, leaving and then returning with a pair of dark bottles. “Beer okay?”
“Of course,” she took a very welcome sip from the bottle.
“Good, cos it’s all I got.” Harlow didn’t doubt that at all. She looked at the tall guy in front of her, covered in nothing but muscles and tattoos. Other than beer and hard liquor she couldn’t imagine anything else being on his list of beverages. Maybe a very strong coffee in the mornings and a protein shake or five.
“Need a hand with anything?” she offered.
“Nah, I’ve got it,” he snapped, and once again she wondered if she’d said something out of place. She took a few more swigs of beer as he went out to the kitchen, returning with two plates that smelled great.
“Hope you like pot roast.” He set it down gently in front of her.
“Sure, this looks amazing.”
“You sound shocked,” he bit back.
“Not at all…” Maybe she should just stop right there. Everything she said seemed to annoy him. But still, she couldn’t help but be pulled toward him, almost like the tug from the full moon.
“So you’re definitely sticking around then.” It was more of a statement of fact than a question, but she answered anyway.
“If I can,” she replied. She was wary of going too far with any more of her requests. She’d already asked for safe haven, confronted him about the watcher, and was now eating at his table. He grunted and said nothing further, leaving her wondering what was going on.
“Do you like it here?” he spoke after a while.
“I do,” Harlow replied. “And I’m grateful for everything you and everyone else have done to help me.”
Again, there was silence, as though he just couldn’t bring himself to receive the gratitude she genuinely felt, keeping her at a distance as if on purpose.
“Do you like it here?” Immediately Harlow knew how stupid the question was, but there was no taking it back now.
“It’s home.” He finished up the last mouthful of meat and placed down his fork. She felt like she could reach out and touch the energy between them, in just that small space across the table as his eyes raked over her. “That’s all that matters.”
She looked back at him. “Thank you for dinner. It really was great.”
“No problem.” He sat for a moment just looking at her, and she knew he’d be able to hear the quickening of her heart. She should say something, but she didn’t know what. After a few moments, he stood and tucked his chair back under the table. “So, we good then?”
Wait, what?
“Yeah, I mean sure.” She did as he had just done. “Can I help you clean up at least?”
