Max nodded then headed into the building thinking that it was evidently a night of firsts. The first time he’d been in a fight with other shifters. He’d met his mate for the first time, and now, he was about to go out for drinks with colleagues for the first time, too. He couldn’t help but wonder what other firsts the night had in store for him.
Chapter Eight
Mia
Mia slammed her bedroom door a little too loudly then leaned up against it and closed her eyes. She’d spent the past twenty minutes being shouted at. At first her father was furious at her for going out at night without her guards and when she told him she’d been stalked and cornered by jaguar shifters, her father’s ire had increased tenfold. In the end, Mia wished she hadn’t said anything, but she figured he should know that the Mexicans had tried to attack her. She’d foolishly thought that he might actually give a damn. She bit back a bitter laugh. Like she didn’t know better. He’d cared alright, but only that she’d allowed his valuableassetto be put at risk. That’s all she was to him. An asset. And it was time she stopped hoping for otherwise.
In the past few days, the Mexicans had been targeting men who worked for Mia’s father, and they’d already succeed in killing quite a few. Mia had been very lucky not to lose her life too. The shifters had been about ready to pounce. If it hadn’t been for Max…
Mia shook her head. She could not think about that man. She hadn’t told her father that she’d met her mate and that he had essentially saved her life. When her father had asked how she’d escaped the jaguar shifters, she had made up some silly far-fetched story about a car full of men stopping at the curb next to them and scaring the jaguars away—as if that would have stopped them.
When Mia’s thoughts strayed back to that tall, muscular tiger, she groaned in frustration. Why couldn’t she stop thinking about him?
He’s our mate. He’s ours.
He’d made it abundantly clear that he didn’t want her. He was gone, and the sooner she accepted that fact, the better.
Never.
With a resolve born out of frustration, Mia decided on a course of action she’d never taken before—a night out at a local bar—alone. If she could get drunk, it might help her to forget about the night’s events. It might just quiet her leopard. She might even go home with someone if the opportunity presented itself. Mia had never had a one-night stand before. Technically, she didn’t like the idea of anonymous sex with strangers, but perhaps that was exactly what she needed right now.
No!Her leopard’s roar almost deafened her.We will never touch another. Only our mate.
She groaned in frustration.Fine. We’ll just…dance.
She slipped into a slinky black dress, and let her hair down. The dress was sexy enough to show that she meant business, but not nearly revealing enough to meet her father’s low standards. She enhanced her eyes with a little smoky shadow to complete the look.
When she was done, she sought out her bodyguards, who were watching television in the living area reserved for staff.
“I want to go out tonight,” she said when she found them. “To a bar.”
Their brows shot up in unison, and the taller of the two, Rick, hesitated. “Are you sure that’s wise? Your father...”
“Are you planning on waking him to ask if I can go?” she cut him off, a note of defiance in her voice. “I don’t think he wouldappreciate being disturbed, but it’s your funeral.”
The two men exchanged glances. The second guard, Tony, cleared his throat, “Your safety is our primary concern.”
Mia huffed out a laugh, “And I’m sure I’ll be perfectly safe in a crowded bar with you two to protect me. Isn’t that what you’re here for?”
Silenced by her logic, they complied. The driver, Tom, who had been watching television with them got to his feet. “I’ll bring the car around.”
The ride to the bar was tense, the only sounds the hum of the car engine.
When they arrived at the bar—a pulsing, neon-lit establishment, Mia paused at the entrance, the thudding bass of the music causing a thrum in her chest. This was it—her attempt to forget about Max and erase the pain of rejection was about to begin. As she looked back at her bodyguards, she saw worry etched into their faces. She forced a smile, but suspected that it didn’t quite reach her eyes.
“Don’t worry, guys,” she said, trying to instill confidence into her voice. “It will be fine.”
It was clear from the dubious expressions on their faces that they didn’t believe her, but she didn’t care. She just needed to distracted herself, just for a while. As she stepped into the room, the bar was a riot of noise and color, illuminated by the flicker of neon lights. Music blared from speakers mounted high on the walls, sending rhythmic vibrations through the crowded room. The smell of beer and perfume hung thick in the air, underlined by the low hum of enthusiastic chatter.
Before Mia could take a single step toward the bar to geta drink, a hand curled around her arm, yanking her from her thoughts. She turned to meet the hazel gaze of a handsome stranger. His hand was hot and firm on her arm, a stark contrast to his cool smile. Despite his good looks, she didn’t like him touching her and wondered briefly if the same would be true of any man in the bar. Because they weren’t him. She shook the thought from her mind, annoyed with herself. She’d come here to forget him, after all, and yet less than a full minute in the room and she was thinking about him again.
“Hey there, pretty lady,” the stranger said. “Can I buy you a drink?” His voice cut through the loud music, drawing her full attention.
Mia hesitated, her resolve waning. Even though she had come to the bar to get drunk, and to go home with a random man—despite her leopard’s objections—to help her to forget Max, now that the opportunity presented itself, she didn’t want to take it.
“I... I appreciate it, but I think I’ll pass,” she replied, attempting to extricate her arm.
His grip tightened, the warmth of his smile giving way to a stubborn determination. “Aww, come on, don’t be like that. Just one drink?”
