She froze in his arms and lifted her head, horror flashed across her face. “Crap, you didn’t do anything to me, did you? I just… I have so few memories of that time. I mean, we’re not mated or anything?”
“No, of course not. I’ve never bitten you.” His fog of desire for her lifted a bit as the familiar sting of pain pinched his heart. The reminder that he wouldn’t be biting her, or anyone else. “I never claimed you. You probably would’ve known.”
Her cheeks reddened before she blinked and glanced away. The relief on her face was evident. “Right, of course. And I mean, why would you have? You’re right, we would’ve known. So you think there’s some kind of subconscious bond then?”
“Hell, I wish I knew. I have no idea what happened, but ever since that night… I feel responsible for you. Protective.”
She gave a broken, distressed laughed. “You sound like you’re offering to be my nanny.”
“Grace, what I want to do to you is not suitable for kids.”
A tremble ran through her and she laid her forehead against his chin. “You need to stop, because dammit, this is so inconvenient.”
“You think I don’t know that? Hell, Larson already warned me to stay away from you.”
“What?” Her head lifted again and she finally did step back. “Larson knows about this? How? I mean, dammit, Darrius, I didn’t even know about this.”
“He sensed my growing attachment to you.”
“Attachment?” Her laugh rose to a higher pitch as she began to pace the room. “That’s such a strong word, how about we not use it. What happened tonight was lust. And we made the mistake of acting on it. Which I’m thinking won’t be happening again.”
The fact that she’d called him by his first name didn’t slip his attention, but he didn’t call her out on it. He actually liked the intimacy of it—he’d begun calling her Grace when they weren’t at work. Masterson was too damn formal for the things he wanted to do to her.
“Maybe it is lust,” he agreed mildly and crossed the room and caught her hand, lacing his fingers through hers. “But I can’t ignore what happened between us tonight. I want you, Grace.”
For a moment it almost seemed like her eyes got misty, and then her mouth thinned and she gave a terse shake of her head.
“Well, news flash, this isn’t just about you, Hilliard. So forget tonight happened, because it was a one-time deal.”
“Why? We’re both consenting adults. Why would acting on it be a mistake?”
“One, Larson already told you to back off—”
“He’s worried that I’ll hurt you.”
That threw her for a moment, and finally she laughed. “Well, out of all my concerns, that’s not one of them.”
“Okay, then what’s the other reason you’re against us exploring this?”
“Jesus, you’re dissecting this situation like a frog in high school biology.” She cast him a look of disbelief. “We work together, becoming fuck buddies is not a good idea.”
He barked out a laugh. “You think we’d be the first coworkers in history to get it on? Come on.”
“It’s different with us. I work in a male-dominated field. You don’t understand what that’s like.”
With suddenly clarity, Darrius did understand. He understood exactly what this was about, and where she was coming from.
“I get it. Before Yorioka you were the new agent and the only girl. Did you feel like you had to prove yourself to us?”
She blanched, and judging by the wariness in her gaze, he’d nailed it.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“I can promise you the guys have never disrespected you in anyway, Grace. You’ve always been one of us—we don’t see gender.”
That last bit was a lie. The team had always been a little more protective of Grace because she was a woman. The wolf sides of the men were genetically programmed to protect the females in the pack—it was as much a part of them as breathing.
Still, he had no doubts Grace was as good of an agent—if not better—than any of the men.
“And if anything did happen between us, that’s where it would stay. Between us. I’m not the type for locker room conversations.” He brought her hand up to his lips and flipped it to kiss the inside of her wrist. “We’d be good together, you know it as much as I do.”
She closed her eyes and he felt her pulse quicken beneath his thumb.
“I understand rejection may be something of a novelty to you, but I promise the slight sting to your ego will fade.”
When she opened her eyes again, her gaze was a vacant, hard stare that indicated she’d withdrawn emotionally. And as much as he wished it might be, it wasn’t his ego that stung. It was on a much deeper level.
What the hell was wrong with him? Of course he’d been rejected before, and he never had a problem bouncing back. And yet here he was nearly begging Grace to go to bed with him? For real? Shit, he needed to get the hell out of here and come back to his senses. Big-time.
Darrius released her hand and stepped away, finally remembering another reason that he’d shown up tonight. Concern. “I’ll leave. But do me a favor.”
With her arms folded across her chest, she gave him a wary glance.
“Be careful. I’m not convinced that near hit by the minivan today was an accident and I don’t think you are either.”
She hesitated just long enough to validate he was right on his hunch.
“I just wasn’t paying attention to my surroundings.”
And yet still she lied. Irritation gripped him as he turned and made his way back toward the door.
“You’re a damn shifter. You’re always paying attention,” he called out as he left. “Just take my advice and keep alert.”
Grace waited until the door shut and then ran unsteady hands through her hair.
Shit. Make that shit times a billion.
She’d just had the hottest make-out session of her life, and it was with Darrius Hilliard.
This was so wrong in so many ways. She’d chalked it up to lust. Okay, maybe. But, she’d had lust before. Lust pretty much ruled you between the legs and had little to do with the heart and mind.
Whatever had happened between Darrius and herself had been like lust on crack. The intensity of it had dug into the marrow of her bones and held on. She’d basically kicked him out, but in no way did it diminish the need and heat still burning in her body.
Damned inconvenient was an understatement. She didn’t want to get involved with any man right now, but if it had to be someone, why couldn’t it have been with some random guy she met at the dry cleaners or something?
But a fellow agent and friend?
Darrius hadn’t taken long to figure out why she was freaking out. He’d pinpointed it right away. But she had set rules for herself when she joined the P.I.A.—it was strictly business with the guys, not a damn nightclub to get her flirting on.
Not that she flirted. Ever, really. She wasn’t good at it. As a teen she’d been the girl who liked to spar with the boys in martial arts, not for the chance to flirt and feel feminine, but to prove she could fight just as well as any boy.
In college it hadn’t been much different. Instead of the dance clubs, she’d frequented the shooting range.
And it wasn’t like she didn’t like men. Every now and then she had the urge to sleep with one, though nothing like the urge that had hit tonight with Darrius. She wasn’t a virgin—she’d had sex before. It, like flirting, was something she didn’t consider herself good at. Which she would never admit aloud, because who the hell failed at sex?
If she rated her sex life to this point, it’d be meh to decent. But she knew, without a doubt knew, by what had happened earlier that if she slept with Darrius the rating would be off the chart.
“Bad idea, Grace. Really bad idea,” she muttered to herself.
The sound of a toilet flushing had her attention snapping back to the fact that her sister was still in the house. Aubree came o
ut of the bathroom a moment later and then just stood in the hallway, not moving.
“Bree? You okay?”
Her sister jolted, her glance sliding toward Grace. Obviously she hadn’t seen her at the end of the hall.
“Grace…yeah, I’m fine.” Aubree looked away. “I just think that something I ate isn’t agreeing with my stomach.”
Pushing Darrius to the back of her mind, Grace strode forward, brows knitted with concern. Her sister did look awfully pale.
“Can I get you something? Antacid? Some milk?”
“No, I’m fine. I think… I’m just going to go home. Did your friend leave?”
“Yeah, a few minutes ago. Can I give you a ride? Or did you drive the Jeep out here?”
“I drove. I’m fine, really.” Aubree gave her a quick hug, avoiding her gaze, and then scooped her backpack off the floor. “I’ll talk to you later.”
As the door slammed shut, Grace flinched. Was it possible her sister had heard, or even seen what had happened between Darrius and her? If so, no wonder she’d left.
Sex had never been a topic that frequented their conversations. Maybe because Grace rarely had it, and Aubree was so much younger than her and likely still a virgin. Walking in on her big sister in a hot and heavy make-out session would probably have sent her running.
With a sigh, Grace locked and bolted the door again before heading back to the kitchen to clean up her dishes. She glanced up at the clock and frowned. Almost eight? Yikes, the night had gotten away from her.
She was only on her second dish when someone pounded on the front door. “Grace!”
Her sister’s frantic voice drifted through the thick wood and Grace rushed back to unlock it, concern sweeping through her.
“What’s going on, Bree?”
Pale and trembling, Aubree stepped into her house, folding her arms across her chest. “My tires are flat.”
“You have a flat tire?”
“Tires. All of them.” Looking dangerously close to tears, she bit her lip. “Grace, I think… I think someone might’ve slashed them.”
Grace barely let her finish before she’d pushed past her and out the door to investigate for herself.
The long gravel drive was shrouded in darkness; just the small motion light on the side of the house illuminated the black Jeep.
Crouching down, she ran her fingers over the tire and felt the definite split in the rubber where someone had indeed slashed them.
Son of a bitch. Her pulse quickened and her jaw clenched with unrestrained fury. Was it possible that whoever had come after her today was back?
She stilled at he sound of branches snapping deep into the woods off her property. So faint, a human wouldn’t have heard it.
“Grace?” Gravel crunched as Aubree made her way back outside.
“Go in the house,” Grace ordered, her voice soft and offering no opportunity for argument. “Lock the door and don’t open it until I return and tell you it’s safe.”
“But what are you going to do?”
Ignoring the fear in her sister’s voice, Grace stripped herself of the clothing that would hinder her shift.
“If someone tries to come inside there’s a gun on the top shelf in my bedroom closet,” Grace said firmly. “You understand? You don’t ask questions, you just shoot.”
“You want me to shoot someone? Grace, I’ve never even used a squirt gun.”
“I don’t think you’ll need it, but if you do, you’ll have to be a fast learner.”
Naked now, she glanced behind her to see her sister still hesitating by the Jeep. “Dammit, go, Bree.”
Her sister gave a cry of distress, but spun on her heel and moved as quickly as her limp leg allowed.
Hearing the door slam shut, Grace turned and sprinted across her yard. Her body shifted as she leapt over the wooden fence and when she hit the edge of the forest she was all wolf.
She followed the sound of branches cracking as someone ahead of her moved quickly through the trees.
A growl of fury erupted past her muzzle as she tried to gain on whoever the hell it was. One thing was for sure, the fact that he’d dragged her sister into this was a big mistake. Big.
The flash of movement ahead meant she was getting closer. Grace quickened her pace, weaving between trees and leaping over large branches that blocked her path.
She spotted him up ahead. Another wolf. Driven by rage, she leapt at him, catching him on the back just as he turned to face her.
Snarling, his canines flashed white in the darkness as he slid away from her.
Driven by rage and fear, she couldn’t process the realization that his scent was familiar to her. But it made her pause long enough for him to get the upper hand and knock her to the ground.
She struggled beneath him, attempting to roll him off her as her teeth snapped at his neck and her claws dug into his sides.
But he was too quick, and much stronger than her. And only when his jaws closed around her neck—not enough to puncture, but enough to take control of her—did his scent fully sink in.
Her gaze snapped to his, and the fury there had her flinching in her wolf’s skin.
Seeing the silent command in his eyes, she allowed herself to shift back to human as he did the same. Her awareness returned with the occasional sounds in the forest and the smell of the evergreen trees.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing out here?” Darrius ground out.
Chapter Nine
It was almost hard to breathe, let alone talk, with the weight of his body pinning her to the damp dirt of the forest floor.
She tried not to look at the bulging biceps that bracketed her head. But the hips that pinned hers down, and the thickness of his cock that pressed against her stomach were a bit harder to dismiss.
“Jesus, Grace, I almost killed you.”
Still in the grips of shock, partly from their position, she couldn’t stop the derisive laugh. “Sorry, buddy, but I think you have that backward. I believe I’m the one who nearly ripped your throat out.”
“Bullshit.” His glower indicated he didn’t share her amusement. “Now answer my question. Why the hell did you follow me?”
“Because I didn’t realize it was you.”
Darrius cursed softly and then pulled himself up and off her. Thankfully he was too close still and the darkness of nightfall kept her from seeing more than his naked chest. And lowering her gaze would just be stupid. Tempting, but stupid.
For a moment there was almost a sting of disappointment, and there was no way she was going to analyze it.
“That wasn’t too smart coming out here like that. You need to be more careful.”
“I can take care of myself.” She brushed some small twigs off the backs of her legs.
When she glanced back up to give him a hard look, she caught his gaze sliding over her. The flare of his nostrils and sudden hardness in his jaw meant he struggled to control his reaction to her nakedness.
Though he shouldn’t have, because nudity was part of the shifter lifestyle. Clothes were shucked before shifting, or everyone’s clothing budget would be through the roof.
Still, she couldn’t quite desensitize herself completely with Darrius as she did with other shifters. And it was clear he struggled with the same thing.
His dark body was toned and tight in all the right places. The slash of a six-pack cut over his belly, and for just the briefest moment she imagined what it would be like to trace each square with her tongue.
Shaking that sensual thought free, she brought her mind back to the situation at hand—which was not Darrius’s abs.
“I came out here because I was chasing someone who slashed the tires on my sister’s Jeep.” A possibility snaked around in her mind and she took a step back from him, suddenly wary. “You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”
“What the hell are you talking about?” His mouth flattened into a tight line. “Someone sabotaged your sister’s car?”
“Wait, you think I did it?” He barked out a harsh laugh. “Don’t be stupid.”
“Well, you were still on my property, the only other person around that I’ve noticed.”
“I’m not the only one around.” He turned and strode around their immediate area.
Oh my God, his ass is like marbled perfection. The thought flew through her head before she could stop it. Thankfully his back was to her, so he couldn’t see the way her face flamed red.
“When I left, I heard someone on your property and went after him.”
That got her attention. Her gaze shifted from his perfect-ten behind and upward again. Dammit, he’d turned around just in time to catch her staring at parts of him she really ought not be staring at.
“You heard someone? Did you see anyone?” she asked.
He gave a brisk shake of his head. “No. I think I scared him off when I left. He must’ve struck while I was inside.”
And while I was distracted by your tongue in my mouth. Shit. She needed to be so much more careful.
So Darrius had heard someone too. She hadn’t really suspected him capable of slashing Aubree’s tires, but the question had needed to be asked. Besides, what would his motive have been? Darrius charmed women, he didn’t terrorize them.
“Well, thanks,” she murmured grudgingly. “For chasing away whoever the bastard was. Probably some teenage prank.”
She turned to walk away, but his words stopped her.
“You don’t believe that any more than I do. Why are you making excuses when so many messed up things are happening?”
She paused and turned back to face him. “Because until I decide whether they’re messed up or not, I’m not hitting the panic button.”
“Let me stay with you tonight.”
Her sharp laugh was swallowed up by the trees around them. “Didn’t you just try that line back at the house?”
He moved toward her. “I’ll sleep on the couch. You can trust me. My request this time isn’t motivated by me wanting to have you flat on your back.”
The air in her lungs suspended at that last line, and she tried to exhale, tried to say something, but all she could focus on was the image his words evoked.
Savage Betrayal: Savage, Book 2 Page 8