“Time’s up.”
“I wasn’t finished!”
“You’re finished now.” He adjusted his grip, settling her more securely against his chest. She weighed almost nothing—a fact that made his protective instincts flare even higher. “Say goodnight to your team.”
Her face went crimson as every eye in the room turned towards them. The technicians stared openly, a few of them grinning, others looking nervously at the large, intimidating Alpha who had apparently decided to carry their boss away.
“This is kidnapping,” she hissed.
“This is taking care of you.” He headed for the door. “Derek, we’ll be in the penthouse.”
“Guest room’s already made up,” Derek called back, laughter barely contained in his voice. “Try not to break anything.”
“I hate both of you,” she muttered.
He just smiled and kept walking.
The elevator ride to Derek’s penthouse was conducted in pointed silence, Harper rigid in his arms while he ignored her glares. His wolf was smug, pleased to have his mate exactly where she belonged—close, safe, and about to get the rest she desperately needed.
“You can put me down now,” she said as the elevator doors opened.
“I could.”
“Are you going to?”
“Eventually.”
He carried her through Derek’s obscenely expensive apartment, past walls of windows showing off the glittering city skyline, through a hallway lined with modern art that probably cost more than Adrian’s truck.
The guest bedroom was more of a suite, with a massive bed, a private bathroom, and a sitting area that overlooked the city. He deposited her gently on the edge of the mattress, and she immediately tried to stand. “I need my laptop?—”
“No.”
“There’s still work?—”
“No.” He pressed a hand to her shoulder, keeping her seated. “The world will survive without you for eight hours, kitten. Let someone else hold the line.”
“But what if?—”
“What if you trust your team to handle it?” He crouched in front of her so he could look directly into her face. “What if you trust me to wake you if something critical happens? What if, for one night, you let someone else carry the weight?”
Her eyes glistened, exhaustion and emotion finally cracking through her defenses. “I don’t know how to do that.”
“I know.” He reached up to remove her glasses, setting them carefully on the nightstand. “That’s why I’m going to teach you.”
“Adrian…” Her voice cracked slightly. “What if they attack again while I’m asleep? What if I miss something? What if?—”
He silenced her with a kiss—soft, thorough, demanding nothing but offering everything. When he pulled back, her eyes had gone hazy, the frantic edge finally beginning to fade.
“Sleep,” he commanded, and this time he let the full weight of his Alpha voice roll through the word.
Her eyelids fluttered, and she swayed slightly.
“That’s cheating,” she mumbled.
“That’s being your mate.” He guided her down onto the pillow, pulling the covers up over her small body. “Rest. I’ll be here when you wake.”
“Promise?”
