Please, just let her be all right.
His mobile beeped and he spun in the chair, his fingernails protruding as he reached for it. Jack. He immediately answered. “Did you find her?”
“No, but I do have an update. The main thing is she is all right, wherever she is.” Thank fuck. “I had to go the unconventional route but luckily many humans are still open to being bribed.”
“Go on.” He didn’t need an update on human behavior, for fuck’s sake. He needed to know about her.
“She’s left her job. She cited an emergency and said she couldn’t come in any more. Her boss was on good terms with her, and as she’d pulled no stunts during her time there, he agreed to severance without pay.”
“Any more news?”
“That’s all for now. But at least she didn’t just go missing—”
“Find her, Jack.”
“I’m trying my best, boss.”
As Shaun hung up the phone, his wolf raged. If she had suddenly resigned from her job, there was something wrong; he fucking knew it. Was it because he refused to hand that damn shop over? When she left that day, why the hell did he think it would be that easy? That she would so easily adjust to losing the property after she’d spent so long fighting for it? Put herself in danger fighting for it? He’d sensed something was not right, but when he asked and she told him she needed time to think, he just accepted her bloody answer. His instinct had failed him because he’d been too concerned with wanting things to be right between them. So caught up with the need to be with her that he’d missed her damn pain. Some fucking shifter he was.
When his phone rang again, it was Ethen, the fae. “Shaun? Long time, no see.”
“I’ve been busy—”
“So I hear.” The fae sounded entertained. He was a hard fucker, ruthless when he needed to be, but that frivolous part of him often led Shaun to wonder if he had a split bloody personality. The supernatural’s mood swings were the reason he avoided him and preferred to hang out with Blade whenever he was at Eclipse. “Anyway, you wanted us to keep an eye out for a lady friend?”
Right now, he didn’t care about Ethen’s tone. If he had news of Angie, he was his best bloody friend. “Is she there?”
“No, she hasn’t been in. But the other name you gave—Sharon Iman—she’s booked for tonight, in Haven. Her ticket’s not been presented yet, so I’m guessing she hasn’t arrived.”
Shaun released his breath, leaning forward on the desk. “I’m coming over. Thanks, Ethen. I owe you.”
Shaz would know where Angie was, she had to.
LESS THAN AN HOUR LATER, Shaun stopped his Porsche in front of Haven. He tossed his key at the valet, not even turning to check which direction he took his car in before he marched into the lounge. His eyes flitted around the stenciled screens and candle lit tables. She was not here yet. But there was the fae, sat at a table and waving at him to come over.
He had no choice but to join him, considering he had informed him about Shaz’s intention to visit the venue tonight. He walked past groups in cozy arrangements and couples whispering sweet nothings and then slammed his body down on the crème sofa opposite Ethen. The fae’s braids were gone, and his blond hair had been cut, cropped at the sides and heavy on top; his sharp features meant the fae carried this hairstyle off like a pro, too. A supernatural who few could pass without taking a second look. His blue eyes fixed to Shaun as a waiter stepped nearer, hovering by his shoulder. “Drink?”
“Usual,” said Shaun.
The waiter was familiar with how he liked his drink and soon returned with a whiskey on the rocks. When Shaun took a sip, his eyes were on the entrance.
The fae picked up his cocktail—a disgusting concoction with cream in it—and stared at Shaun over the rim of the glass. He then leaned back, smirking. “Who’d have thought it? Shaun Taylor losing it over a female?” Shaun ignored his words as he took another sip of whiskey. “Tell me, what’s she like? Must be special.” Shaun was not about to discuss his personal business with this fucker. “What species is she? Vampire, shifter, fairy…witch?”
“A human.”
The fae laughed. “I never had you down as the sarcastic sort.” He paused, staring at Shaun. “Wait. You mean it?” When there was no answer, “You’ve fallen for a fucking mortal? And I thought you were one of the sensible ones.”
“I haven’t fallen for her.” But what else was this, if he hadn’t? If this was just sex, why had he felt like ripping out someone’s throat when he thought she’d gone missing…that she might be in danger?
The fae whistled, low. “How did it happen?”
He had no bloody idea. And why the hell was he so damn obsessed with her? This place was full of attractive females. In a few seconds, he could pick out ten that were giving him the eye, each as hot as fuck—so why did Angie, with looks that had not even done it for him the first time he saw her, have this effect on him?
He only knew that he needed her, and his biggest mistake had been to make that damn promise about returning the property to her. He’d been in this business long enough to know that kind of shit didn’t go down well with men like James and Drake. But he’d had a rare moment of weakness when she talked of her childhood memories, told him the shop was all she had. And he was now paying for it…
His eyes went to the entrance again, attracted by a flash of red. Shaz. As she glanced around the room, he waited, expecting—hoping?—that Angie might join her, even though she hadn’t booked for tonight. That hope was dashed when Shaz entered the venue to sit at a table alone.
“What’s up?” asked the fae.
“Her friend’s arrived. Shaz.”
The fae smirked, following his gaze. He turned to Shaun and then whipped his head around to take another look. His smile dropped at the sight of Shaz as she smoothed down her short red dress, and his eyes flashed white.
“You know her?” asked Shaun.
Ethen shook his head. “First time I’ve seen her.”
You wouldn’t think it, the way he’d reacted. Shaun didn’t give a damn about what had caused the fae’s eyes to flash at the sight of Shaz. He didn’t give a fuck about what went on in anyone else’s life right now. He needed to find Angie. “I’ll be back soon.” Ethen nodded, his eyes on the glass before him.
Shaun stood, and an unfamiliar trepidation followed him to Angie’s friend. Part of him was shit scared of what she might tell him. She looked up when he stood over her. Her eyes narrowed and red mouth screwed into a scowl. “You?”
He glanced at the sofa opposite her. “Mind if we talk?”
“Yes, I do. I have a date arriving soon. A human.” Good for her. But he was having this conversation. He sat. “Hey, I said—”
“Just a few minutes, Shaz.” There was a jolt of pressure inside his head, and he knew that his eyes had flashed. Her eyes went wide. “When your date arrives, I’ll leave. I promise.”
“All right, then.” Her lips set in a line. “Spill.”
“Where’s Angie?”
“What do you care?”
He sighed, deep. “I want to know where she is, Shaz.”
“Why the hell would you want to know after treating her the way you did? Twat!”
Fucking charming. He sensed they were being watched and glanced over at the fae. He had adjusted his position to stare at them but now turned away again, picking up the creamy concoction as he tried to appear as if he had no interest in anything but the drink.
“Look. I didn’t mean to hurt her—”
She shook her head, sending her red hair flying back. “You should have thought of that before you took the shop from her. You know what it meant to her, didn’t you?”
“It was just business—” Why the hell was he explaining himself to her?
“I don’t give a fuck about all that. What do you want from me?”
“She won’t answer my calls.”
“Do you bloody blame her?”
No. But he needed to talk to her. “
Just put us in touch, will you?”
“She doesn’t want to keep in touch with you. And to be honest, I haven’t spoken to her for a few days, either. Not since she left.”
“Left?”
“Yes. And she’s got a new phone number. She said she’ll contact me once she’s settled. Although that doesn’t mean—”
This human was trying his damn patience. “What do you mean, left?”
She rolled her eyes as if she couldn’t believe she’d been saddled with such an idiot. “She’s left Manhattan.”
Fear and anxiety gripped him, tightening around his chest and constricting his breathing. She’d gone? “No! She can’t leave…”
She shrugged as his voice broke off. “Sorry, mate. She has. And she won’t be back.”
“Why?” And how the hell could she leave without seeing him? Without speaking to him?
“Seriously, Shaun? You’re asking me why? What did she have to stay here for? You know it was more than fucking for her, don’t you? That she cared about you?” Yes, part of him had known, even when he wanted to deny it. “But you treated her as if she was only good for sex and nothing else. The only other thing she cared about was the shop, and even that’s gone to make place for your luxury bar. So why the hell would she hang around?” She glanced around the venue. “If you’re looking to get laid, plenty of options here. Forget about my friend. You’ve hurt her enough.”
“Am I disturbing something?” They both looked up at the handsome mortal. He glanced between them both, his eyes landing on Shaz. “I thought we’d arranged—”
She glared at Shaun. “The shifter was just leaving.” Her expression transformed as if by magic when she turned to the human. “Don’t worry, babe. I’m done with supernaturals.”
The man gave Shaun another look, his hands clutched together and lips tight. “It’s all right,” said Shaun as he stood. “She’s all yours.”
By the time he reached the area where the fae still sat, Shaun had his phone out. There was still no response from Angie, and that grip around his heart tightened. He took the seat opposite Ethen and then tried her number again. Still fucking blocked. Shaz said Angie had changed her number. He didn’t doubt that, but she must be checking her old number for messages and calls. He opened the message tab and then paused, not knowing what to write. What the hell was he supposed to say, when he didn’t understand this pain that exploded inside him at the thought she was gone?
Would he see her again?
The idea that he might not nearly sent his wolf into a rage. Damn it, he wouldn’t let her go. She was his. The realization came like a slap in the face. He couldn’t be without Angie; he needed her.
“How did it go?” asked Ethen. When Shaun glanced up, the fae’s gaze was fixed beyond him, at the table where Shaz sat.
“Still working on it.”
Was this how it would be without her? Empty. All that sex, money, power? Meaningless, as if it wouldn’t do anything for him anymore. Why the fuck did he only realize what she meant after he’d lost her? This was the kind of stupidity he always cursed humans for.
“Shaun?”
He glared at the fae. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
Ethen cleared his throat. “Her friend…Shaz, was it? That’s her boyfriend? The guy who’s sat with her?”
What the hell? Was there a disease spreading around the club, making mortals attractive to supernaturals? “I got the impression it’s nothing serious—they’re just on a date.” But judging by her dress, she intended for it to go beyond dinner.
When the fae lifted his arms onto the back of the sofa, his biceps bulged and tattoos pulsed. He glanced at Shaz again and then shook his head. “Forget I said anything. She’s a bloody human.” His mouth twisted as if he’d tasted shit. “I’m not stooping to that level—sorry, man, I didn’t mean it like that—”
“It’s all right.”
After the fae returned to his drink, his eyes kept flitting to Shaz, his anxiety mirroring Shaun’s own. Part of Shaun was on the verge of shaking Ethen and telling him that if he wanted Shaz, he should fuck the rules and what other people thought. Yeh right, I’m one to talk, aren’t I? Hadn’t he driven Angie away just to remain on the right side of mobsters such as James and Drake?
A stupid mistake, one he was going to correct.
He picked up his phone and emptied his emotions into a message. Angie. I am sorry about everything. You didn’t deserve to be treated like this. If you give me a chance, it won’t be like before—he paused…what the hell was he so scared of?—I want a relationship with you, a proper one. Please get in touch. I’m worried about you. Miss you lots. Shaun x
SLEEPLESS NIGHTS HAD LEFT ANGIE exhausted, which didn’t help when she had so much to sort out before moving to Boston. She took a break from packing and sat on her red sofa. Cardboard boxes lined the khaki walls of her living room, but she tried not to think of them as she closed her eyes and rested. A few more days, and she’d be out of this little one-bedroom apartment. Out of Manhattan.
When she handed her notice in at work, citing an emergency, her boss had been more understanding than she’d expected him to be and agreed to the immediate termination of her contract. And then the uncertainty about her future set in. She had savings that she hadn’t squandered on lawyer’s fees, and they would keep her going until she found another job. Her boss was ready to give her a reference based on her—until now—immaculate record, which helped. But the thought of being in a new borough alone, with no job and friends—and no Shaun—was downright torture.
When would she get a break? It wasn’t that long ago that she was struggling to get over Bill. And now she was forcing herself to get over a shifter. Only this time, the pain was ten times worse. Stupid, when they’d only known each other for a few weeks. How had he gotten under her skin so quickly?
Her phone rang, and she opened her eyes to a call coming in from Shaz.
Her best friend had told her she was going to Eclipse tonight—had even tried to convince Angie to come along, but there was no way she could risk bumping into Shaun. Leaving like this was one thing, but resisting him when he stood before her, another.
“Hey, Shaz, how was your date?”
Her friend grunted. “Not as hot as I’d hoped. I tell you, once you’ve had a supernatural, it’s hard to go back to humans.” Angie didn’t need telling. She had the feeling that the shifter had ruined her for all other men. “But I’m working on it. I’m going to have a normal relationship. Anyway, enough about me. How’s the packing going?”
“Nearly done.” She tried to keep her tone casual. “Did you see Shaun, by any chance?”
“Yes.” Angie’s heart thumped against her ribs. “And he came over, asking about you.”
“What did you say?”
“What you told me to say. That you’d left Manhattan, and I wasn’t in touch with you. I also said you’d got a new number, in case he insisted I call you.”
“Thanks, Shaz. I appreciate it.” There was silence on the other side. “What?”
“He seemed gutted when he found out you were gone.”
“Shaz—”
“Look, are you sure you want to leave without speaking to him? He seems into you. Big time.”
And that only made it worse. “It’s over. I don’t want to see him again.”
“I know I’ve been going on about how I’m off supernaturals, but it doesn’t mean you have to be, too.”
“But it’s not only that. He’s involved with the mob. And how do you think I’ll feel the day he brings my parents’ shop down and puts a bar up in its place? I could never forgive him for that.”
“Well, if you’re sure…”
“I am, Shaz. I need to get out of here, but when I’m settled, you’re coming over for a weekend.”
Her friend perked up at that. “Try stopping me. With any luck, we might find a humans-only version of Eclipse.”
When Angie hung up the phone, she felt better. The good ol
d Shaz effect. She put her mobile on the table and returned to the boxes. But the monotony of packing soon returned her to that desolate place, the one where it felt as if everything was over. She glanced at the boxes surrounding her—endless things that meant nothing. She could drag them to the end of the world, and they wouldn’t make her feel any more alive. Why was she wasting so much time taking this junk with her?
Because there was nothing else to do.
The two things that mattered the most—the shop and Shaun—were gone.
I’m a fucking idiot, I really am. Why the hell did she still hanker after the shifter, when he’d thought of her as nothing more than good sex? Well, now he was free to fuck anyone in that club. That hurt.
She would do what it took, but she would get him out of her damn mind. He was probably in that place every night, picking up a new woman. Guys like him didn’t go for relationships; he’d said so enough times himself. And she couldn’t settle for anything less…not anymore. And what about the fact that he was about to destroy her shop?
But why the hell wouldn’t he leave her alone?
She’d blocked his calls and avoided unknown numbers, but that didn’t stop him from trying to get through to her or leaving messages. Had the sex been that great for him? But even if it was, that was something he wanted at his own convenience, for as long as it suited him. He would have fucked her in that damn suite at Eclipse until he got bored…and then that door would have opened for someone else. If she had stayed, he would have only broken her heart.
My heart’s already broken.
Marked By The Alpha (Blood Moon Book 1) Page 12