Rahel’s massive frame looks ridiculous in the normal-people-sized hallway, his shoulders nearly brushing both walls. He’s squinting at everything, frowning at the flickering fluorescent light. “The wiring is shit here.”
I poke at his rock-hard stomach. “Not everyone has a fancy penthouse, Mr. Moneybags.”
He smirks, winking. “You do now.”
I roll my eyes, laughing as I unlock my door. The place is exactly how I left it: small, cozy, a little cluttered with books and baking supplies. With my grandmother’s quilt on the couch, photos on the walls.
Rahel steps inside and immediately starts checking out every corner, his shadows flickering at the edges of his tall, built frame.
“It smells like you,” he finally grumbles, then adds, sounding reluctant, “I like it.”
I laugh before tiptoeing to press a kiss on his full lips. “Why, thank you.”
I grab a suitcase from my closet and start pulling clothes out of drawers. I’m halfway through packing my underwear drawer when I hear heavy footsteps in the hallway, then a loud knock on my door.
“Destiny, you in there?”
I freeze. Oh, shit… Rahel goes very, very still. “Who the fuck is that?” Yep, monster mode activated.
“The building’s super,” I say with an eye roll, because that man has been a pain in my ass for a minute now. “Derek. He’s… kinda weird.” When I see literal smoke start to waft off him, I hurry to add, “but totally harmless!”
Another thud on the door. “Des!”
Rahel’s expression shifts to absolute murderous rage. “Weird how?” His shadows are spreading across the floor like splashes of ink.
“Babe, it’s nothing. I got it handled… just a lonely man.”
One second my mate’s standing next to me, the next he’s ripping the door open so hard it nearly comes off the hinges. Derek stumbles back, his eyes going wide at the six-foot-six brick wall of tatted, furious alpha filling the doorway.
“Can I help you?” Rahel’s voice doesn’t sound human even one bit. It’s layered, like multiple voices growling at once. Fucking terrifying. And hot as fuck! Holy shit, incubus alphas. Who the heck knew?!
Derek’s face goes pale. Then red. “Who… who are you?”
Rahel takes one step forward, with his huge-ass arms crossed over his gigantic chest. Eyes glowing, shadows spreading menacingly. And Derek stumbles back, almost falling on his ass. I’d laugh if I wasn’t focused on drinking up every single second of this interaction. Because my guy going all touch-her-and-die on this asshole is pure fucking gold! None of my smutty books prepared me for this glorious sight.
“The one who’s gonna rip your spine out through your throat if you ever even think about my mate again.”
“I… w…”
Rahel takes another step forward, and Derek hits the wall. The shadows pin Derek in place. His feet leave the ground, his body pressed against the plaster by living darkness. “I cansmellyour intentions, you piece of shit. Every disgusting thought you ever had about my omega. Every time you watched her. Wantedher. Thought about touching what’s fucking MINE!” He roars so loud I have to put my hands over my ears.
Derek makes a sound like a dying animal as a wet spot spreads across the front of his pants.
“Rahel.” I step into the hallway, my heart pounding, but it’s not from fear. It’s from something much more complicated. “Please, baby.”
His eyes are glowing, his fangs extended, claws out. The monster, under the pretense of a man, on full display.
Without turning my way, his guttural voice adds, addressing me, “He wanted to have you.” His voice is horrifyingly scary. “He thought about you. About your body. About what he’d do if he could get you alone.”
“But he didn’t, honey.” I put a hand on his arm. Feeling the tension, the violence that’s ready to unleash any second now. “He never touched me. And he never will.”
Rahel slowly turns to look at me, the glow in his eyes pulsing.
“Damn right.”
I nod. “Yes, so let the pathetic little man go.” Derek is literally sobbing now. “Please, baby. I want to go home, not visit you in jail.”
At that, Rahel’s face starts to relax, a small grin pulling at the corner of his mouth, and his shadows release Derek, who crumples to the floor in a shaky mess of piss and tears.
