“Oh, just passing through, and I saw the most amazing sight. Fuck, you actually look like a woman tonight. Almost fuckable.”
“No, you didn’t,” I bark. “You didn’t see anything.”
James grins. “It’s going to cost you.”
“How much?”
James leans close and licks his lips. “Give me a blowie.”
I don’t let him see the dismay in my eyes; I just harden myself and cock my head to the side, watching as he sidles even closer.
“Come on, Casey, it will be a secret between us. What Jonas doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”
“What Jonas finds out will get us killed,” I say back just as quietly.
“What Jonas hears from me will get your ass put back in the hole, that pussy smashed, and your date will be the latest entertainment if you don’t make good.”
“Leave him alone.” I glance at my date. “You remember what I told you?”
He nods stiffly, and I realise he’s as close to terrified as I’ve ever seen anyone. I wonder how many times he’s been hurt for being who he is.
“Go. Don’t look back.”
He leaves without any more warning, not even looking back, but I’m already skirting around James, drawing his attention. He licks his lips and reaches out, grabbing my upper arm and spinning me around so I’m facing him.
“He’ll give you to me anyway, when you're his. You may as well stop fighting. The gathering is in three weeks, and then it’s all over for you, little wolf.”
I try to pull my arm free, but I can’t. He squeezes hard, and I let out a groan that makes his eyes fire up.
If I hit him, how long until the pack shows up on my mountain? They’d find my guests for sure.
And just like that, as if my thoughts conjured them, they appear. A silver wolf, flanked by a white one, stepping out of the shadows, growling, violence and threat dripping off them in waves.
James just gives me a knowing look.
Angel snarls at him.
His face drains of blood. “I was just kidding; I wouldn’t have let her go through with it.”
I keep my lips pressed together. It’s unlikely James would know that these aren’t Foster Wolves; very few people ever get to see their other forms.
They continue to advance.
“You'd better leave, James. Clearly, I owe them a conversation.” I force myself to sound resigned and unhappy, but I’m really trying not to laugh.
James takes another step backwards and then another. Within minutes, I’m standing alone in the park, shoulders slumped, while Wrath shifts into his human form, snags my wrist, and drags me to where we left the car.
I’m pushed into the passenger side while he gets in the back with Angel. Khaos looks at us with a raised brow.
“What happened this time?”
Angel lets out a sound that silences the entire car.
Khaos sighs heavily. “All right, tell me what happened.”
Angel throws his head back and starts to laugh. I cross my arms under my breasts and glare out the window, refusing to speak.
“Well, it was going really well inside the restaurant, but then they went for a walk,” Wrath begins.
