I hold out my hand. “By the way, I’m Axel Wulf. W U L F.”
After she wipes the slobber off her fingers, she shakes with a firm grip. “Gwen. McGee. Spelled like it sounds.”
Chapter 3
You can’t throw me to the wolves. They come when I call. ~anonymous
Gwen
“Wait!”Heart racing, I sprint to the ambulance driver’s window and knock until he rolls it down.
“Yeah?” As the paramedic shifts gears into drive, I press record and hold out my phone.
“Where are you taking him?”
“Bee-bee.” His response matches the name of my imaginary childhood playmate.
“Is this it?” After I show him my maps app, he nods once and drives away.
Wanting to follow, I search for my keys. Then, I recall my boss drove us all to the bar, and moan.
“Fucking great.” My fingers scroll through applications until I find the correct icon. Before I can punch it, Mr. Sexy, who I thought already left, speaks behind my shoulder.
“I can bring you. My car is right up the block.”
Jeesh. Stalker-vibe much? “Sorry, I don’t get in cars with strangers.”
He grabs my phone and deletes my ride application. “Between 2017 and 2020, nearly ten thousand sexual assaults were reported against this company's drivers, which resulted in a multidistrict lawsuit. I’ll drive.”
“Fine. Escort me to your awaiting white horse, Sir Knight.” A broad sweep of my arm later, I follow his lead.
When we pass the candy store, I remember the rest of my coworkers in the bar and cringe.
“Oh shit.” I text Callie and when she doesn’t respond, I call, but it goes straight to voicemail.
Surely, someone on our team informed them of the commotion on the beach.
“What’s wrong?” My silver-haired companion shoots his gaze at myhand-helddevice.
“It’s nothing much. My boss isn’t picking up, which isn’t like her. I wanted to tell her about Henry.” Recalling the weapon, I may or may not have seen, my pulse spikes. What if the suited man found her, too?
While I tamp down a panic attack and put my heels back on, my escort studies my face. “Perhaps, she hooked up for the night?”
As if.I snort out a laugh. “She’s married, has three kids, and is so in love with her Aussie bodyguard, it’s sickening.”
In silence, we walk for a few more blocks until he points to a dark SUV. “This is me.”
He clicks the fob, the car starts, and the door locks release. A gentleman, he opens the passenger side door and holds my hand as I lower onto his thick, plush leather seats.
“Wow. Cushy ride.” It must’ve cost him a bundle.
“Rental. I splurged.” He pops the back hatch for Bear, rummages around in a garment bag for a suit jacket and slips it on.
I hide my disappointment. The man’s torso is a work of art and should remain uncovered.
My guardian angel, who sounds a lot like Beyoncé in Austin Powers, slaps me across the face.Baby girl, he is more wolf thanman. His sharp incisors will bite out your heart and eat it while it beats.
Weirded out by my subconscious, I chant, “Hydrogen, helium, lithium, beryllium…”
