Jack’s brows furrowed.
“I mean, Kyren isn’t the type to go rampaging around the city, killing willy nilly. If he killed someone, it was for a reason. So don’t… don’t judge him too harshly for this.” I tried to force an encouraging smile, but feared it came out more of a grimace.
Jack cocked her head to the side, thinking on my words, then leaned forward and pecked me on the lips. “I won’t. Thank you for getting me out of the house.”
“It was my pleasure, but…” I cupped the back of her neck, not letting her pull away just yet. “I’m going to need a bit more than that. My Jack kisses battery is running dangerously low.”
She giggled, our breath brushing against one another’s lips. “Your Jack kisses battery? Really?”
I faux pouted. “I’m getting quite desperate, you know. Who knows what will happen to me if I don’t get it refilled soon?”
Her hands slid behind my neck, fingers tangling in my braids. “Well, we can’t have that now, can we?” Her mouth brushed against mine.
I flicked my tongue out, tasting her lips, then I dragged my teeth over her lower lip and sucked it into my mouth. Jack groaned, pressing herself as close to me as she could get over the center console. My hand crept under the bottom of her shirt, needing to feel more of her as I swept my tongue against hers, savoring every sound that came out of her.
Just as I was about to pull her into my lap, a round of cheers and hoots came from outside the car.
Pulling away from the kiss, I glanced over Jack’s shoulder to find five of the seven of her dads watching us from the front steps. Jack rolled her eyes at their antics, her cheeks turning an adorable shade of pink.
“Sorry about them,” she muttered, unbuckling her seat belt and moving to remove my jacket.
“Keep it,” I told her and then caught her hand before she opened the door. “And you should be proud you have parents who care so much. One day, you’ll miss them, no matter how embarrassing they are.”
“Yeah.” Jack swallowed, her eyes softening. “Anyway, I’ll call you later?”
“You better.” I lifted her hand to kiss it before releasing her to her dads.
They crowded around her, jostling and teasing, but I could feel the love coming off them in waves.
Except for one of them. He was tall, dark in features, and glaring at me like he was trying to decide if it was worth killing me if it would make Jack unhappy.
Looks like I had my work cut out for me if I wanted to win over all her dads. Which was fine by me. She was worth it.
The whole way home, I thought about Jack and her dads and how much I wished my dad was still around to tease me about my love life. Not that he had ever done that.
I tried to imagine my dad treating me the way Jack’s dads treated her and scoffed. No, my pops was more about duty and responsibility and less about love and fun. If he said anything to me about dating Jack, it would be that she wasn’t a werewolf and asking how was this going to help the future of our pack.
Because, in his mind, nothing else mattered. Not even his children’s happiness. He’d made that completely clear when I had told them I was leaving with Kyren.
Parking my car on the street, I contemplated how to approached Kyren on what he’d done. There was no telling what kind of mood he’d be in once I got inside. He could he drowning in his shadows for all I knew. Or completely unfazed by it all.
Unfortunately, the only way I was going to find out was by going inside and facing him.
I blew out a long breath and jogged up the steps. I didn’t bother to knock as I unlocked the door and stepped inside.
Silence greeted me.
“Kyren?” I called out through the apartment, searching for the telltale sign of my lover and friend. “You here?”
I sniffed the air, catching wind of his scent further into the house, and it grew stronger with each step. Eventually, I stepped into his office and found him sitting in his chair in front of the fireplace, reading a book, one leg over his other knee. He didn’t seem to have a care in the world or show any evidence he had just ripped someone apart and left an ominous message in blood like some television psychopath.
“Kyren…?” I began, not sure what kind of mood I was going to find him in. “How’s it going?” I shoved my hands into my pockets and tried to seem nonchalant as I walked toward him.
“Hmm?” He lifted his head from his book, blinking those long dark lashes of his in my direction. “Did you say something?”
I sank into the chair opposite him, hoping that if I was at his level, he’d be more willing to open up to me about what happened. “I asked how you are.”
His brows furrowed his eyes dipping back at his book, flicking the page before answering. “I don’t know what you mean.”
