President of Crimson Havoc. Ex-military. The man everyone expected to be unshakeable.
Right now I looked like a man on the edge of staking a claim he had no right to.
“That’s enough,” I muttered.
I needed distance. A plan.
Step one: get Kellan out from under my nose. Ember could handle him, keep him busy, keep him safe… keep him away from me before I did something we couldn’t come back from.
I’d sleep in my office for a few days. Pretend last night didn’t happen.
And then… when Rowan delivered the bastard… I’d hand Kellan back.
My whole body snarled at the thought.
That’s how it has to be.
I shut off the tap and forced myself to move.
When I opened the bathroom door, he wasn’t still in the bed the way my stupid instincts expected.
He’d made it. Perfectly. Tucked corners, smooth sheets… I don’t know why I’d expected him to be lying around waiting.
Instead he paced beside the bed in my oversized T-shirt, his fists tugging at the hem like he didn’t know where to put his hands.
The sight hit me low and hard.
His eyes lifted to mine, and something sharp and unwelcome pulled tight in my chest. His expression was soft and a little uncertain, and he tried—really tried—to hide it with that stubborn chin tilt.
My resolve wobbled.
“Don’t look at me like that,” I said, voice rougher than it should’ve been.
“Like what?” he asked, chin lifting again. Not submissive. Not meek. Just brave enough to make my pulse stutter.
“Like I didn’t just make the biggest mistake of my life.”
His mouth pressed tight. Hurt flickered in his hazel eyes, but he shoved it down fast. He sat at the edge of the bed like my words had knocked the fight out of him.
And I wanted to kick myself… and apologize,insteadI grabbed my jeans and pulled them on, grabbed a clean shirt, and reached for my cut. I hesitated… then tossed it so it landed across his lap.
“Wear that,” I said.
His brows went up. “Why?”
“Because I said so.” I met his gaze. “And because this place is full of alphas who aren’t me. You wear my cut, they stay the hell away.”
Kellan held my stare, then looked down at the leather in his lap, his fingers curling over my name patch. Something in me eased, a deep, primitive thing that didn’t give a damn what was smart.
“Lock…” he started.
“Don’t.” I dragged a hand over my face. “What happened shouldn’t have happened.”
He flinched, and I felt like a bigger asshole than ever.
“You’re too sheltered to know anything, Kellan. Not the danger. Not the politics. Not what it means when an alpha like me wants you.”
His eyes sharpened… hurt and heat and challenge all tangled together.
