“Don’t you think I tried to make it more?” he exploded. “You’re like fucking ice sometimes. How is this meant to be anything more when you won’t let me in? You don’t open up. You treat me like a glorified booty call.”
That was… pretty true.
“I’m sorry you feel that way,” I said, wrestling with the heat flooding my face. “I enjoyed our time together.”
Yikes. Wrong thing to say.
His face twisted. “A year of my life wasted, and you enjoyed it? That makes it all fucking better. You can’t seriously be kicking me out tonight. Where am I meant to stay?”
Maybe that was mean. Oops, didn’t care. “In your car. It’s not so bad. Bye, Logan.”
A siren wailed overhead, the shrill sound blasting through my ears. Jumping, I spun, searching for the sound.
An alarm?
Logan bowled past me, snatching up his bag and shirt. I stumbled out into the hall, and he slammed the door shut, storming down the stairs. My jaw dropped as people started streaming from their apartments.
Spinning, I twisted the handle.
Mothershitter!
He’d locked me out of my apartment.
I was dressed in a thong and midriff sweater! “You piece of shit!”
The sound was lost to the shrieking alarm.
“Uh, miss?”
I faced a red-faced older man, biting back my temper. Wasn’t his fault I was pissed.
He seemed determined to look only at my face. “We, uh, need to gather across the road by the river. Fire alarm procedure…”
As though my be-thonged ass was the fire, he hurried away.
I rubbed at my face.
This day couldn’t get any worse.
10
I was that person. I’d never really been that person.
Now, however, I had a two-metre span around me. No one wanted to be too close to thong girl.
Lights flashed against the night sky, dragging attention with the waning moon behind thick clouds and the valley pitched in darkness. In another situation, I might have found the old school fire engine that screeched to a halt in front of the apartment building adorable. But I’d just watched Logan screech his way out of Deception Valley five minutes ago in his fancy Audi, so adoration was out of reach.
Firefighters poured into the building. Judging by the lack of smoke and flame, I wasn’t too worried.
Which was a good thing because my saxophone was in the building.
I paused at the thought. Did I have that when I left The Dens?
Shit.
Awesome. Fucking great.
“Hey, beautiful. Heard the sirens.”
Leroy. I cast him a flat look, arms folded. “Yeah. Alarm went off.”
Suited up, he took the spot beside me. Shouldn’t he still be at work?
“Not that I’m complaining about the view, but would you like my jacket?”
I almost cried—the theme for the night. I couldn’t help sniffling. “Yes, please.”
The black suit jacket was warm as he dropped it around my shoulders.
“Anything you want to talk about?”
“How much time have you got?”
“In all honesty, not that long. You’d need to keep it quick.”
Laughing, I bumped his shoulder. “Not a talker.”
“Yep, picked that up. You look like more of a puncher.”
His instincts were on point. Though the few times my temper resulted in that, I’d felt terrible for weeks after. “It’s the hair. Sometimes I lose control.”
“Tell me about it,” he said, amusement plain in his warm voice.
I frowned. “What?”
A firefighter approached the crowd, pulling off his white helmet.
“Looks like you’ll be inside soon,” Leroy said. “Keep the jacket for now. Mandy said she found your saxophone, so just drop the jacket off when you come for that.”
I’d intended to never enter The Dens again. “Sure. Thanks.”
“No problem. And I’m sorry about the whole mix-up with the casino. Alarick was upset after your conversation. He thinks you may feel tricked. But anyway, if it helps to change your mind, The Dens is more than a casino. We’re a family. From what I saw before your boyfriend turned up earlier, you’d fit right in.”
The firefighter stole my attention.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the building has been checked and cleared. The alarm was triggered by significant damage to the central alarm system of uncertain cause. If anyone witnessed anything, please come forward. Otherwise, we thank you for obeying evacuation procedure. You can rest assured the building will be monitored until the alarm system is back in place.”
Significant damage. Who would do that?
Although, there were a tonne of drunk people around tonight.
The crowd dispersed—only a small portion filtering back into the apartment itself. The rest were curious onlookers who’d either stayed to see the fire engine or my ass.
I wrapped Leroy’s jacket tight around me, but I wasn’t sure it would help with the ice around my heart. “Thank you, Leroy. Look, please tell Alarick there’s nothing to worry about. This has nothing to do with him and it’s…”
I shrugged lamely.
Leroy bumped my chin up with his hand. “You’ve got it. Maybe go put pants on now.”
I locked the apartment door, back in possession of my keys thanks to the firefighters. Fucking Logan.
I glared through tired eyes at a smirking couple. They held their heads together as they swept past.
“…thong…,” the woman muttered.
Ugh. I thumped my forehead against the wood when they disappeared down the stairs. People remembered who I was. The definite downside to dark auburn hair. Blondes and brunettes had it good.
I left the building, my white summer dress a direct contrast to my low mood. Sleep came thin and hardly at all after Logan started blowing up my phone with messages. When I finally did get to sleep, I woke to find the sheer white curtains on the street side flapping around.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t afford to spend a day wallowing when no money was coming in and I had a four-hundred-and ten-thousand-dollar debt hanging over my head.
I leaned on the fence, closing my eyes to better listen to the pounding river water.
No job.
A month of free accommodation.
No boyfriend.
People I truly liked.
Queen’s Way.
Rhona and Herc.
I rubbed my temples. That was the giant problem. I didn’t want to go back, but in my situation, I had to find employment. Queen’s Way had a population five times the size of this place—therefore, my old town was the responsible and logical choice.
My last port of call was Herc.
I drew out my phone, ignoring Logan’s new messages as I dialled Mum’s brother. Who lived in a massive manor with one million staff.
Jesus. I felt like such a dropkick.
“Andie. Morning.”
I squeezed my eyes shut. “Hey, Herc. Do you have a minute?”
“Always. Is everything okay? I heard about the alarm situation last night. The repair crew are handling it now. Looks like a large animal took a chunk out of it.”
That side-tracked me. “Really? What kind of animal?”
“Bear, I’d say. They can cause a bit of trouble. Can’t say I’ve heard of one going for an alarm system.”
Yeah, that seemed weirdly strategic. “It’s not about the alarm. The job at The Dens fell through. I just wanted to call to see if you could put out those feelers you spoke about.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” he said after a brief pause. “I hope it wasn’t anything to do with the Thana name.”
“No, nothing like that. Unemployment just puts me in a jam. I’ve started looking for work in Queen’s Way again, but if you could ask around here, that’d be great.”
“I’ll do it immediately. I’m happy to extend the rent-free period of the apartment, too, of co
urse. Is there any particular rush to be employed again? We’d hate to lose you to the big wide.”
Was a near half-a-million-dollar debt worthy of rushing? I couldn’t rely on the house sale—which could take months, during which time I’d lose more money on interest. “I appreciate you doing that. And yeah, it’s necessary. I’m not in a position to stop earning.”
To say the least.
“I hear you. Have you got enough money for food?”
Yet another reason to visit The Dens. I was owed pay for last night’s shift. “Yeah, I’m set with that.” For a while.
My insides were quailing right now. I loathed this vulnerability. No, scrap that. I hated showing vulnerability. Even to someone as unassuming and generous as Herc.
“I’m glad to hear it. Listen, don’t worry on the job front. I’m aware of several jobs you’d be perfect for.”
I pressed a hand to my cheek. “Really? That’s great news.”
“Really. But since I’m doing you a favour, can I ask one in return?”
I tensed. Like what? “Okay?”
“Come for lunch at the manor. I could really do with company today. A tenant, Wade, is heading into town in an hour and could pick you up?”
Wade from the lake? He’d seemed cool.
Herc’s favour was a poorly veiled attempt to feed me, but the least I could do was say yes with what he was doing for me. Maybe spending a day in the apartment as I tried and failed not to read Logan’s messages wasn’t the most exciting prospect.
“I’d like that,” I replied.
A bare minute after the conversation ended, Herc sent confirmation of pick up and Wade’s number.
Wade texted me a second after.
Ha! I have your number.
You’ll never be rid of me meow.
The word meow was followed by a heart-eyed cat emoji. I shoved my hair—still dead straight—behind my ear. My smile splattered on the pavement as Logan texted again.
I’m sorry, babe. Let’s talk tonight.
I shouldn’t have gone after your mum like that.
Yeah, and I shouldn’t have leapt down his throat for it either. I had the sickening feeling that I used anger over Mum’s debt and the rumours back in Queen’s Way to shove Logan away. I switched off when he deployed the love bomb.
A whole year, and I’d dropped him like nothing.
Not that I was going back to him. What we’d shared was over, but shouldn’t I feel horrible? The break-up was part of my low mood today, but not one of the major players. I felt far worse about losing the music job and learning what The Dens was.
What did that say about me?
I’d thought we were perfectly happy and going somewhere before last night.
Was I really an ice queen?
My stomach rumbled as I texted Logan back.
I’m sorry for some of the stuff I said, Lo.
The year with you was a lot of fun, but I’m moving on now.
Take care.
Too cold? Ugh, I didn’t want to lead him on.
Send.
I had forty-five minutes until Wade picked me up. Dammit. My excuses to delay the inevitable had run dry.
I inhaled, trying to push away the embarrassment from my emotionally charged conversation with Alarick last night. He had to be at least five years older than me, and that gap seemed bigger today.
Too soon, I stood under the massive sign. The Dens. How the hell did I never put two and two together?
An A-frame sign occupied half the foot path, but Hairy wasn’t present at the door.
I clutched my small over-the-shoulder purse tight, Leroy’s jacket in my other hand. Hesitation filled me, and I gritted my teeth. The place was a casino, not a den of wild animals. Not even strategic, alarm-destroying bears.
My lips twitched.
Squaring my shoulders, I entered The Dens.
Please don’t be here. Please don’t be here.
Mandy wasn’t working. The male bartender from two nights before was here.
“That Leroy’s, sweetheart?”
Peering left, I smiled at Hairy. “How did you know?”
A black suit jacket was a black suit jacket.
“He stinks.” He waggled his dark brows. “Your sax is in the office. Alarick thought you may want your pay for last night too.”
I blew out a breath. “I do. Is he around?”
“Not today. Just leave the jacket on the desk in there, would ya?”
Phew. One look at those honey eyes would send me cartwheeling into emotional territory. “Sure. I hope to see you around.”
The distinctly un-hairy male shot me a look. “You’re not leaving for the big wide?”
“Uncertain.”
Hairy’s expression softened. “We hope you stay, but if not, please say goodbye before you go.”
That made me feel bad that I hadn’t wanted to come here at all. The staff really did feel like a family. What a shame they ran a business that ran other families into the ground.
It was a moral ground I couldn’t relinquish.
I snuck a sad peek at my gold stripper stage, crossing the floor.
A bouncer didn’t block the staff quarter this morning, and I entered into a dark hall. Offices branched off either side. I squinted into each, working down until I reached the end—and largest—office.
My sax case sat on the black desk, visible through the windows framing the dark door.
I pushed inside.
A forest green leather couch ran wall to wall. Nature paintings covered the walls. The polished desk took up most of the space, and a large chair sat behind, two simple chairs in front. Computer screens occupied the desk along with neat piles of paper.
This had to be Alarick’s office.
I scanned the empty hall and moved to the closest painting—a high angle of a tree. Rich and lifelike, the depiction couldn’t compare to actually standing at the base of such a massive tree in person.
Going back to Queen’s Way would be a life of me staring at a painting instead of seeing the real thing.
My chest tightened painfully.
“Andie.”
Every muscle in my back tensed to snapping point, and I gasped, whirling. “Alarick. You scared me.”
He wasn’t in a suit today. Jeans and a fitted black T-shirt. Oh my god; he’d shoved a black beanie over his shoulder-length dark brown hair.
“I returned for my sax,” I said lamely. “Hairy said you weren’t here. I had to drop off Leroy’s jacket.”
“I forgot something.”
Silence fell hard as we watched each other.
Remembering I had the power of movement, I placed Leroy’s now crumpled jacket on the desk. “So—”
“I heard the alarm in your building was triggered last night,” Alarick said, crossing his large arms.
He was blocking the exit.
“Yeah, bears tampered with the system. Probably on purpose,” I mumbled, resting my hands on my sax case.
How the hell did I forget my sax? That had never happened.
I wouldn’t have thought it possible.
“Won’t you look at me?” Alarick said in a rough voice. Not angry. Almost like his chest was a concrete mixer. I shivered, not liking the marked change from his usual smooth-as-jazz tones.
Through my lashes, I met his honey gaze, managing a second of contact before my throat squeezed. Yep, knew they’d undo me today.
An envelope sat on the desk beside the case. “Thank you for the pay.”
“You’ve decided then?”
My skin prickled as he walked behind me. “The Dens isn’t the place for me, Alarick.”
“Respectfully, I disagree,” he countered in the same harsh voice. “You do belong here, but it’s your choice to make, no matter how much I wish I could change your mind. I can’t… I won’t keep you here.”
I turned then.
I couldn’t not.
“What do you mean by that?” My whispered words circled us, cuttin
g us off from the world and—damn it all—I craned my neck to meet those dreadful, beautiful eyes.
“Isn’t it obvious?” His eyes roamed, resting on my lips.
“This doesn’t make sense.” Nothing past this being the last time I saw him—would let myself see him—made sense.
I couldn’t leave without something more. Something to remember.
Just a simple touch.
I lifted a hand to his chest, but in a blur, Alarick intercepted the contact, pressing his warm, calloused palm against mine.
The roaring crescendo of a train blaring filled my senses, and air whooshed from my lungs in a blast, heartbeat ripping through my ears, as I was thrown flat on my back.
I rolled, choking for air.
Alarick cursed and drop to my side, and I managed to drag in a strangled breath.
“What was that?” Eyes huge, I panted on the ground. “Why did that—? What just happened?”
He didn’t immediately answer. “Has that ever happened before?”
“A drop attack? Never. My mum used to have them from low blood pressure.”
But that wasn’t strictly true. I had a drop attack near Alarick the other day.
“You need to see a doctor, Andie.”
I groaned, rubbing the back of my head.
He helped me sit up, and I froze at his touch, sagging somewhat when it became clear I wouldn’t end up in a heap again.
Why had that happened twice in his presence? Did he short-circuit my brain? It couldn’t be him. I mean, obviously, that was impossible. And he’d touched me at least once before without anything happening.
“I’m overheating,” I moaned, lifting my hair off the back of my neck.
The summer dress was on the shorter side and low cut. It wasn’t like I was rugged up, but that confinement was suddenly too much.
Warm was a fucking understatement.
I was boiling.
“What’s happening?” My breath came quick.
I dropped my head back, hands bunching at my stomach. That felt good, so I swept them lower, pinning Alarick with a look no man could misinterpret.
My hair tumbled around my shoulders and breasts; the slithers elicited a gasp from my parted lips.
Alarick watched me hungrily, unmoving except for the rise and fall of his muscular chest under his black tee.
Shifter Wars: Supernatural Battle (Werewolf Dens Book 1) Page 11