"I wouldn't have hit them, and they know it," he scoffed, as if her question was preposterous.
"Could have fooled me."Lola eased back into her seat once they were on the main road back towards the ferry.How had the morning turned into such a disaster?
As they drove, Callon picked up his phone and touched the screen, then put it to his ear."I'm putting you on duty," he told whoever was on the other line.Then he began to make sounds that were not human.She remembered he'd made the same sounds when they'd been with the four cats in front of the huge estate.He was speaking to whoever it was in the animal language they understood.Lola wondered what it was he obviously didn't want her to know.
"That's an order," he finished in English and then ended the call.
The rest of the drive was spent in tense silence.They rode in the car on the ferry, the air so thick it threatened to suffocate her.Back in the city, the stop and go traffic was driving her insane.The closer they got to NNP, the more her stomach twisted and bile began to rise in her throat.As much as she wanted away from him, there was an equally strong emotion to fix things between them.Why, she asked herself.It's not like they were anything more than acquaintances, and by the way he was acting, she'd be shocked if they ever saw one another again.
She went back and forth in her mind on whether to say something, and her need to know got the better of her.Tossing her dignity out the window, she asked, "Did I do something?"Her hands fidgeted with the bottom of her shirt as she waited for his answer.
"What are you talking about?"he asked gruffly.
Lola turned to look at him.His eyes were firmly set on the road and his grip on the steering wheel had his knuckles turning white.
"You went from being all possessive, and 'You're mine, we're destined for one another, the tattoo matches mine and we will be together,’ to 'Time to take you home, have a nice life.’”She answered and was proud of how steady her voice was."So, I'm a little confused as to what happened."
He was quiet long enough, Lola thought, perhaps, he wasn't going to answer.
"You didn't do anything wrong," he growled, the anger and frustration in his voice palpable.His jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed as he tried to suppress the boiling emotions within him."I need to think.I have responsibilities that I must consider.I've never let my emotions lead me...It's not what I do."He ran his fingers through his hair in agitation."You shouldn't make decisions based on feelings either," he said sharply, his body radiating tension like heat from a fire.His body did that partial-shifting thing that happened when he was emotional.
Pot meet Kettle, she thought."I don't need you to tell me how I should make my decisions, Callon," she said coolly."I'm a big girl, and perfectly capable of handling my business."
"Is that so?"he snarled."Then why are you in a car with a male you met yesterday, who told you he's a supernatural being hellbent on claiming you as his mate?Does that sound like handling your business?"
Lola's eyes widened at his words, and the cruel tone in which he delivered them.It was as if he'd struck her, but the blow was felt against her heart instead of her face.
"Dammit all, I stalked you for three weeks, Female.And instead of telling someone, you asked to speak to me on a streetat night.Doesthatsound like good decision making?"Callon's breathing was rapid as he spoke, and his sharp teeth flashed at her with every word.He came to a jarring halt at the next light, and Lola realized they were only a couple blocks from NNP.
"You're right.”She slipped her purse strap over her neck so it would hang across her body, and held her phone in her left hand as she opened the door with her right."It was foolish of me, andisfoolish of me, to be in a car with a crazy man, not to mention one who is willing to treat me as you have for the past hour.Thank you for being the voice of reason that I obviously needed."
"Lola," he snarled, his face shifting to a half-man half-lion form with a feral gleam that scared her."Get back in the damn car."
"Lesson learned, Callon," she said in a calm tone.Lola knew if she raised her voice, or allowed the emotions inside of her to get the upper hand, she'd start crying."Good luck with all those duties and responsibilities.Don't follow me anymore, or I will make the responsible choice and call the police."She slammed the door and took off at a jog without paying attention to the traffic.A horn honked and the hood came to a screeching stop only inches from her legs.Her gaze snapped up, and she held up her hands."Sorry," she said and then continued running for the sidewalk.
"LOLA," Callon's voice was a roar.She wondered briefly if the rest of the people around heard that, or just the regular sound of a man bellowing like a fool in the street.
She didn't look back.Lola jogged, biting her lips the whole time to keep the moisture that had gathered in her eyes from falling.I will not cry, she told herself.Not for a guy I just met.No matter how amazing he seemed,or how incredible it was that he'd introduced her to something fantastical.She had no idea how she'd go about her life as if she hadn't just learned something so amazing.
She hit the door of NNP so hard that it swung open and snapped back, nearly hitting her in the face.Only her hands, which were still up from pushing it open, kept it from smacking her.
Lola didn't bother looking around.She made a beeline for the employee door that led to the back, ignoring Katy and Maddie's voices.She needed to be alone.She needed to get her crap together before all of her emotions burst out of her."Pull it together, Lola.Don't you dare lose your shit."
"Why are you about to lose your shit?"Katy's voice came from behind her a second after Lola entered the back room.
"And why do you look like you're on the verge of tears?"Maddie asked next.
Lola bent over, one hand resting on her knee while the other dangled as she held her phone.She tried to catch her breath.She really needed to consider exercising.Thankfully, her inability to breathe due to her little run through New York City, was distracting her from the fact that she'd just had her squashed heart handed to her on a platter.
"Bad day," she panted.
"I thought you were with mystery guy that you wanted to get to know better," Maddie said."What happened?"
"Did he do something?"Katy's voice took on the tone she reserved for when she was getting ready to let her wrath lose on someone."Did he hurt you?"
Lola tucked her chin down until it nearly touched her chest.She squeezed her eyes closed, and tried to focus on something that would bring her peace.Unfortunately, the only thing she could think about was Callon's face.The one he showed her the previous night, this morning, and the one she'd left behind in the car.The one that truly showed the very deadly animal that lived inside of him.
"Lola," Maddie said as she gave her a nudge."Girl, you're scaring us.What's going on."
