“People rave about how you can save animals on death’s doorstep, yet refuse to share any actual details. You’re this elusive mystery they’re stubbornly loyal to.That’swhat I need. Skill and discretion. If I were to go to a regular doctor, my father would find out by the end of the day.”
When she narrows her eyes, silently scrutinizing my face as if searching for a reason to take a chance on me, I suck in a deep breath and confess, “My father’s stepping down and is preparing to hand over the company to either me or my brother. And Sebastian…” I whoosh out a weary breath. “He’s not a goodperson. If he gets access to that kind of power, people are going to get hurt.”
“So what do you need me for?” she asks, arms crossed and leaning against the door with an eyebrow cocked.
“My abilities are… on the fritz, for lack of a better term.” Hope flutters as she suddenly stands up straight, giving me her full attention, so I plow on. “My family runs a private security company. I used to have impeccable control, but lately, I’ve started having an issue with,” despite my best efforts, heat floods my cheeks. “Spontaneous, erratic power surges. Naturally, it’s a huge liability if I short out a security system I’m installing or fry a car if I’m working as a bodyguard for a client, or-”
She interrupts, “You weren’t born with it? It’s new?”
I frown. “Yeah, started a little over a month ago. At first, I thought it might be self-sabotaging or psyching myself out over taking over the family business and it was due to stress. But it’s gotten progressively worse to the point I had to replace my last client’s Escalade after playing it off that there was a tracker I caught and fried before putting him in a new transport. Pretty sure he suspects something was off, but there isn’t enough evidence for him to call me out on it, and since he got an upgrade, I was able to sweep it under the rug.”
She chews on the corner of her lip, lost in her thoughts as she stares at the wall over my shoulder. “I’m really not the best person to help you with this problem.”
My heart sinks. “Please.” White-knuckling the exam table, I catch her gaze so she can see the desperation in mine. “My brothercannotinherit the company. If he does, people are going to get hurt.”
She eyes me warily. “What do you mean?”
I take a deep breath and admit, “My brother is an expert at manipulating people, so my father brushes off my concerns thinking I’m just trying to tear him down so I look like thebetter successor. I don’t have enough evidence to prove it, but the people Sebastian’s been hanging around the last six months? They’re twisting him into someone I don’t even recognize anymore. He’s darker, crueler. And has gotten even better at playing the hero by beingfirst to the scene within minutes after something terrible happens, almost like he knew it was going to. People like that?” I watch as it dawns on her exactly what I’m implying. “They shouldn’t have access to the security cameras and systems the company installs in myst’s homes that trust us to protect them.”
Holding my gaze, she weighs my words for a solid minute before she eventually breaks with an annoyed groan. “Damn it,fine.But I don’t makeanypromises, and if I can’t help, you don’t get to say shit about it because you went into this knowing I’m not claiming to be a doctor, okay? But-” she shifts on her feet, dropping my gaze. “I’ll try my best.”
Fuck, she’s cute. Even if this blows up in my face, I don’t think I’ll ever regret taking a chance on her.
“You never gave me your name.” It comes out more forcefully than I intended, but she doesn’t seem fazed.
“Kiara Sterling.” She offers her hand, and my mouth suddenly goes dry when I see the tattoo on her wrist marking her as a center. I can’t deny there’s a small moment of disappointment when I take her hand and don’t feel the telltale shock travel up my arm from a fated bond or see her mark emblazoned on my wrist, but I immediately shrug it off.
It doesn’t matter that she isn’t my fated mate. All that matters is that she’s mine.
Chapter 11
Devlin
“Who the fuck is this guy?” I narrow my eyes on the man leaving my girlfriend’s clinic without a pet. Didn’t come in with one either. But that pep in his step as he gets into his truck? I’m guessing it has more to do with a certain pretty vet than picking up any meds he might need for his dog.
I thought I had weeks to prepare, to ease her into the idea of moving in with me. But tall, dark, and douchebag torched the long game the second he set his sights on my girl.
I cock my head, considering my options. Torching her house so she’ll be forced to turn to me for help could work.
No, I should save that for if we need to skip town so people think she’s dead and don’t come looking for us.
Kiara walks in front of the window, giving me the perfect view to study her from the shadows across the street, and my heart beats a little faster. As soon as I officially decided to keep her, the idea has consumed my every waking moment. I’ve never letanyonein my personal space before. At one point, I had hoped my brother would be the first, that he’d have an interestin my work. A partner in crime was an intriguing concept to consider and what drew me to this little myst haven nestled away in the mountains in the first place, only to find him happily bonded and content in life. I don’t fault him for not remembering me; he was a toddler when our parents kicked me out of the house, after all.
Still. It hurts that I’ve spent the better part of my life chasing after someone that doesn’t remember my name.
No, I needher.She’s just so… so soft, and sweet, and when she smiles, it’s like staring directly at the sun. Brilliantly bright and so beautiful it hurts after spending a lifetime alone in the shadows.She’sthe thing I’ve been searching for my entire life without even realizing it.
Kiara grimaces, placing her hand against her stomach before sighing and walking out of sight. I stiffen as realization hits me like a freight train, nerve endings buzzing with the sudden flood of restless adrenaline and rage. Not only was she left alone in a town full of unmated, desperate supernaturals, walks to work and home alone in this weather, but she'sstarving?
Nope. Unacceptable. Not on my watch.
Lower back aching, I place the last piece of the puzzle inside the rope snare. Worth the effort though, because damn; this might be my best work yet. Or at least, the most important.
“What the heck? Oh, that’s a pretty book,” my obsession murmurs from down the hallway and I grin.Got her.A sharp intake of breath. “This one has holographic foil and sprayed edges!” She continues to follow the bookish breadcrumbs until she reaches the stack at the end, turning before she steps foot in the snare to frown directly at where I’m hiding in the shadows,seamlessly blending into the wall. “Are you seriously using books like candy to lure me into a trap?”
I frown in confusion that she clocked me at all.No-onehas ever been able to sense me hiding in a room. I’ve made a career out of it.
Red alert, it’s a traaaaaaap. A pretty, irresistible trap.
