by Beverly Rae
Oh no, he didn’t! She’d thought she was angry before. But the fury boiling over in her now put her previous ire to shame. How dare he threaten me! First, he tears up my car, then he bites me like some caveman—or more like a sabertooth tiger—and now he has the nerve to threaten to break down my door?
“Devlin, back off or I’m going to bite your balls off.” Crap, would he think that sounds as sexy as I do? Her mind was on kinky sex when she’d just been bitten. Was she as crazy as he was? She threw the blood-soaked cloth to the floor, grabbed the bandages from the medicine cabinet and plastered on a quick bandage.
“I’m worried about you, babe.”
A red stain spread across the bandage. Enough was enough. She’d put herself in danger with this stranger long enough. Determined, she swung open the door.
She registered Devlin’s surprised expression as she charged at him, relishing the fact that he moved as fast as he could to get away from her. He’d gotten dressed in the meantime, and his shirt flew open in his attempt to get out of her way. But she kept at him, punching her finger into the middle of his solid chest.
“I told you to back off and I meant what I said. And don’t call me babe. I’m no one’s babe. Especially not yours.”
Devlin’s startled look transformed into deep furrows on his brow. “Will you stop acting like I beat you up? I realize I screwed up but, after all, it’s only a bite.” He widened his stance, a fortified front to withstand her furious attack.
“A bite? Only a bite?” Tala laid one hand on her bandage and the other fisted on her hips. “You drew blood. Who the hell draws blood while having sex? When I wanted to play rough in the sack I didn’t have bloodshed in mind.”
The gleam in Devlin’s eyes slowed her down, and uneasiness rippled through her shaking frame. How could he stand there and act like what he’d done was no big deal? Even if he did look sexy as hell. Even if part of her wanted to jump his bones again.
Tala sucked in a big gulp of air and tried to steady herself. Hell, for a second there, she’d wanted to bite him back.
“I didn’t mean to bite you.” At least he had the decency to look contrite. “Okay, maybe I did. A little. Besides, we were making love. Not having sex.”
Man, how I’d love to smack him. Making love? Is that what he thinks? “Love hurts, is that what you think? Are you one of those guys?”
“No. But I wasn’t the only one wanting the rough stuff. You did, too.”
She ground her teeth together and resolved to keep his butt on the line. “Don’t try to change the subject.”
Devlin’s big brown eyes met hers and his eyebrows—such masculine, heart-stopping eyebrows—lifted in an imploring manner. Almost the way the she-wolf had looked at him earlier. As if asking for help. As if asking for understanding from a kindred soul. An aw went down from her brain and straight into her heart. Why was she such a pushover for this guy?
Devlin reached around her and tried to draw her into his arms. For a second, the temptation to snuggle against his broad chest almost broke her determination, but she stepped back, keeping clear of him.
“I don’t think it was an accident.” She peered at him, knowing in her gut something else was at the bottom of what he’d done. “It was more.”
He let his arms fall to his side, not following her as she moved away from him. “Okay. You want the truth? Well, here it is. I wanted to mark you.”
“Mark me?” What the hell did he mean? “Like branding a cow?
Devlin stammered, opened his mouth several times to speak and then closed his mouth, his lips forming a tight line across his face. Had he started to tell her something? Perhaps the real and total truth? She studied his face for some meaning behind his actions and saw him mentally shut down.
“Uh, of course not. I wanted to mark you as in…”
“As in what?” She took a step closer to him, hoping he’d come out and say what he found so difficult to say. “Just tell me.”
“As in giving you a hickey.”
Tala jerked in stunned response. “A hickey? You bit me trying to give me a hickey?”
Devlin tucked his head, averting his face from hers. “Yeah, I know. It was a stupid thing to do. I guess I just lost control when I started to give you a, you know, and got a little too excited.”
She couldn’t help it. She had to laugh. “What are you? Thirteen? Since when do grown men give hickeys?”
He shot her an exasperated expression, one filled with anger, embarrassment and frustration. “Can we get off this subject?”
“No. If you’re going to give me a hickey like some stupid teenager, then I want to know we’re going steady.” Okay, where the hell had that come from? One minute I’m determined to throw him out and then in the next I want him to proclaim his love for me.
“Steady? So, like, does that mean you’ll go to the prom with me?” Devlin’s expression was priceless, taking away some of her steam.
But not enough of it. “It was a joke.” Sort of. “Where the hell were you raised, Devlin? You can barely drive a car, you still give hickeys and you have an uncanny way with wolves. Were you raised by a pack of wolves or something? By nature-loving hippies? What gives?”
His features hardened, vanishing the twinkle in his eye, and he spit his words at her. “Look, I’ve had enough. I messed up and I apologized. Now get over it.”
The volcano boiling within her finally let loose, exploding in a rage. She hissed between her clenched teeth, “Get out, Devlin. Get the hell out of my home.”
His jaw worked and he glowered at her, but he didn’t budge an inch. “You’re making a bigger deal of this than you should. Grow up, Tala.”
“You’re telling me to grow up?” Whirling, she marched to her front door. As she knew he would, Devlin followed on her heels. Thrusting the door wide open, she shouted and pointed into the hallway. “I said, get the hell out of my home!”
Devlin snarled at her—a snarl that weakened her knees—strode out into the hallway and stormed by Mrs. Puwoty, scaring the poor old lady. The octogenarian screeched in fright, clutching her hands to her chest in her bumbling attempt to sidestep him.
The instant he’d left, an ache greater than she’d ever known assaulted Tala, leaving her chest tight and her body shaking in the aftermath. Trying to put on a brave front for Mrs. Puwoty, Tala attempted a small, tight smile, nodded at the older woman and closed the door.
ƒ
Devlin entered the quaint shopping district and tucked his head, not wanting to make eye contact with the people strolling from store to store. He walked on, ignoring the sounds around him until his rage calmed to a low simmer. Yet still he couldn’t figure out who made him the angriest: Tala or himself.
He let the tension roll out of him with a low growl that sent a young woman carrying an infant scurrying to the other side of the street. She and her baby let out plaintive wails. Great. Now I’m scaring young mothers and babies. What next, Dev, terrorizing school kids?
How had he lost control of the situation? Should he have told Tala the truth? Should he have told her he’d marked her as his mate?
He’d been ready to do just that but her anger had thrown him. He shook his head and started to growl again, but stopped when he caught the anxious expression of an old man who stood rooted to one spot, warily watching him. Instead, Devlin spread his lips in what he hoped passed for a reassuring smile and waved. Crap. Add giving old men heart attacks to my list.
Had Tala thrown him out for good? If so, how would he get back into her life? Although rage permeated his body, another more dangerous feeling lay just below the surface. Heartache. His heart was in pain. He’d heard others talk about heartache but had never really believed it possible, chalking it up to overemotional fools. But now he knew. This kind of emotional hurt made getting physically injured seem like a skinned knee.
“Devlin.”
His friend’s familiar voice brought him to a standstill. Conrad. He swept the darkening street around h
im and picked out a black shape resting against a light pole. Striding over, he grabbed him, enveloping him in a bear hug.
“Thank God you’re okay.” He put the big man at arm’s length and ran his gaze up and down his body, checking for anything out of place. “I see you escaped the hunters in one piece.”
Conrad’s echoing grin dropped at the question. “Well, duh. Since when are four inept hunters a match for me? In fact, I had a great time playing with them.”
“Just as long as you’re okay.” Devlin cupped Conrad’s cheek in his palm and nodded. He kept nodding as a diversion, giving him time to he draw back his arm. He socked his friend in the nose, knocking him to the ground.
“What the fuck?” Conrad lay on the ground, holding his hand over his bleeding nose. “Why’d you do that?”
“Why the hell are you following me? And why the fuck are you out messing with hunters when you’re supposed to be handling business for me while I tend to a personal matter? Shit, Conrad, I count on you to do what I say. When you don’t, you’re going to suffer the consequences.” Devlin’s pitch was deep and threatening, too angry to worry about the people staring at them.
Several people scurried away from them. Conrad hollered after them, as though they were worried for his safety, instead of fleeing for their own lives, “No, no, everyone. Not to worry. I’m fine.” He pushed himself to his feet, calling to the few remaining onlookers. “Just a minor squabble is all. No problem.”
Devlin growled at him, clenching his fists to keep from striking him again.
“You didn’t have to hit me, you know. We could’ve just talked like civilized men.” Conrad still pinched his nose even though the bleeding had already stopped.
“Yeah, but it wouldn’t have felt as good.”
“Oh, so funny, dude. Not.” Conrad eyed him. “Seems to me you’re angry about something other than my scoping out you and your female.” He hooked his arm around Devlin’s shoulder and led him toward a hole-in-the-wall bar. “First of all, if you’d leave your damn phone on, I wouldn’t have to track you down. I wanted your input on an important business matter.”
Devlin scowled and knew he’d jumped to the wrong conclusion. But that didn’t mean he was going to apologize. “What kind of important—”
“Never mind now. I handled it. And as far as the hunters were concerned, dude, they were after you. I was just keeping your hide off some jerk hunter’s wall.”
Devlin started to protest, but Conrad dragged him inside the bar. The awful combination of tobacco, human body odors and liquor hit Devlin’s sensitive nose and he coughed, trying to rid himself of the stench. “Me? It looked like they were after your sorry butt. Not mine.”
“Ah, well, mine would make the more handsome trophy. But that’s where you’re wrong.” Conrad slid onto a barstool and motioned for Devlin to do the same. “Those scumbags wanted to ambush you and your lady friend. Fortunately for both of you, I sidetracked them.” He drew the bartender’s attention. “Two draft beers.”
Devlin waited for the bartender to set their drinks in front of them before questioning his friend. “So the hunters were after me. How’d they pick up my tail? Er, trail?”
The big man choked on his laugh. “How do they ever pick up a trail? Sheer luck most of the time. But the point is, they know we’re here. Both of us.” He dragged a long swig from his glass, winked at a neon-red-haired girl sitting at the edge of the counter, and nudged Devlin. “Talk about picking up some tail…”
Devlin sipped his drink, then flipped his phone on. “Yeah, I guess. The trail, not the tail. How did you know where to find me tonight?”
Conrad raised his glass at the girl, who was joined by two girlfriends. “Don’t look now, D-man, but there’s a trio of honeys at three o’clock.”
Devlin glanced at the girls, noted the caked-on makeup. Their obvious attempt to look more sophisticated and attractive had failed, and he grimaced at their skimpy outfits. Hookers? He studied them closer and came to a different conclusion. Nope, not hookers. Worse. Barflies on the prowl. He accidentally made eye contact with one of them. A redhead. Damn. I hope she doesn’t think anything of it. After Tala why would I want anyone else? “Answer my question.”
His friend puffed out an exaggerated sigh. “No biggie. I looked up her address. You’d think someone like her—you know, on television—would be unlisted, but she’s not. So I kind of hung around until you came storming out.” He grinned and slugged back his drink. “What happened?”
“That’s none of your business.” Devlin eyed his friend hard enough to make him turn away.
The redhead, her hair sticking out at all angles, waved at Devlin and ran her tongue over her even redder lips.
Yep, all I need is some bar bimbo after me. Stay away, Red. Devlin groaned, wished he was with Tala, and confronted Conrad again. “So you found me. Now what?”
“I figured you might still need my help after the problem at the zoo.” His grin grew wider as the redhead cupped her boobs and jiggled them at them. “Besides, if the mopey expression on your face is any indication, you could use your good ol’ buddy right now. What’s up? Your female kick you out already?”
Conrad’s quick assessment of his situation dropped his mood another ten notches. “Sort of.” He frowned, annoyed at the twinkle in his friend’s eyes. “But it’s only temporary. Once she calms down, she’ll forget all about my, um, mistake.”
“Um, mistake?” Conrad scooped up a handful of peanuts from the bowl on the bar and tossed them into his mouth. “Oooh, sounds interesting. You must have fucked up big time for her to boot you to the curb this fast. I mean, you two looked rather chummy strolling around the zoo. Like two little puppies in love.” To add insult to injury, he broke into a rendition of “Puppy Love”. “And they called it puppy luh-uh-uh-uv.”
“Cut the American Idol audition.” Devlin noted the other customers smiling—laughing—at them and wished for invisibility. “I don’t need your help. Other than doing what you’re supposed to be doing—handling the business while I take some time off.”
Not fazed by Devlin’s reaction, Conrad shrugged off his admonishment. “What’d you do to piss her off? You break into the vet clinic butt-naked again and hit on the kitties? Got a feline fetish you haven’t told me about?”
Devlin set his drink down on the bar with a loud bang, drawing the bartender’s attention. “Never mind.”
But Conrad was Conrad which meant he didn’t rattle easily. He downed the last of his beer and ordered another one. “So ’fess up? You say something bad about the zoo or vets? I’d imagine she wouldn’t like you dissing her work very much.”
Devlin frowned. “It was no big deal. I got a little too aggressive in bed. I bit her—”
“You bit her?” Conrad’s nonchalant attitude disappeared in a flash. “Did you mark her? Oh, shit, you did, didn’t you? So she’s the real deal, huh?”
“No, I didn’t. I started to, but I restrained myself. Just in time. And yeah, she’s the real deal.” No need for him to know just yet that I really did mark her. Not until Tala and I get back together. Devlin swallowed a gulp of beer and reflected on his predicament.
“Well, don’t worry none. She’ll cool down. Eventually.” Like someone switching on a light, the concern vanished from Conrad and the happy-go-lucky grin was back in place. Cupping his hand around Devlin’s neck, Conrad drew him closer and whispered, “How about you and me have a little fun tonight? You know. Before you go getting hooked up with one female for the rest of your life. Better live while you can, dude.” He jerked his thumb at the slutty trio and winked at Devlin. “Good thing your wingman is here to help you get laid.”
Devlin sneaked another peek at the girls with the wild hair and tight clothes. Maybe before he’d met Tala, but not now. The chunky blonde blew a kiss at him and he hid the cringe he felt. “No thanks. But if you want to, don’t mind me.”
“Aw, hell, come on. I can’t let my best bud down. Consider it an unplanned
bachelor party.”
He slid off the bar and Devlin caught him by the arm. “No, C. I’m not interested.”
“Sure, boss man, no problem. But what’s wrong with a little harmless flirting?” Conrad flashed him a wicked sneer and tugged his arm free. He sauntered a few steps toward the women then stopped and turned back. Wrinkling his nose, he sniffed the air. “Damn, Dev. Do you smell something rotten?”
A shadow came out of the crowd, heading straight for Conrad. Devlin’s warning growl came too late. A hunter smashed a bottle over the big man’s head, buckling his knees and sending him crashing to the floor. Devlin howled and threw himself at the hunter standing over his friend with a jagged bottle in his hand. Other patrons scattered to the sides of the room.
“Argh!” The hunter scrambled backwards to elude Devlin’s attack and tripped over his own feet, landing on his back. He flipped onto his hands and knees, and tried to scramble out of reach, one hand still clutching the broken bottle.
Devlin clutched his collar and flung him against the bar, ripping the man’s shirt. The man’s head lolled to the side.
“Get them!”
Devlin saw two more hunters running toward him and roared his anger. Letting a small part of his power loose, he grabbed each of the men by the neck and lifted them into the air.
“Kill ’em, sweetie!” The Bar Bitch Trio jumped up and down, clapping and cheering.
Devlin held the hunters high and bashed their heads together, delighting in the responding crack. Reveling in the force coursing through him, he bobbed a short bow and saluted his fans.
The bartender, apparently used to brawls, stood, arms crossed in a patient yet bored manner. He scowled at Devlin but didn’t say a word.
“Don’t look now, but another one’s headed this way,” the redhead warned.
Conrad, recovered and standing beside him, patted Devlin on the shoulder as he rubbed the back of his head. “Shit of an asshole. He really whacked me.”
“Good thing you don’t use your head for anything important, huh?”