Javi wrinkles his nose. “Doesn’t it get boring having to ask permission for everything?”
Taking my phone out, I don’t look up as I begin typing. “It’s not permission, but even if it was, it’s none of your business. Not wanting to die, or take unnecessary risks, isn’t a hardship. If you’re going to be here, you need to get used to the way we do things. You don’t need permission when you go hunting, though you will take the guard you’re assigned, and let Hollis know when you’re leaving. But when you’re working with one of us? You must follow protocol.”
He sighs like I just told him they were out of his favorite brand of lollipops. “Fine.”
My phone vibrates with a text, which is mostly swear words in three different languages, but he signs off on Javi’s little excursion.
“Let’s go.”
“I’ll drive!”
Testing my weight on my bad leg, I decide it feels good enough to not need a cane, and so I follow the crazy man out of the office.
Javi has the back door to the shelter unlocked within seconds of Hollis giving us the go ahead. I am concerned at howquickly he can do that, but considering lock picking is one of Tennant’s many talents, I decide to let it go.
The dogs immediately start barking and I wince, pulling out my phone to turn my hearing aids as low as possible, while still being able to hear Javi.
Javi coos at all the dogs, stopping at a few that get his attention, and I wonder if I’m going to have to drag him out of here, so we don’t come out with more animals than we need. Not that we need any. Except, of course, we do, because fucking Javi promised two to the new motherfucking family therapist we’re supposed to be hiring.
Running away sounds better and better with each passing minute.
When we get to the cat room, Javi squeals. I stare at him, seeing the blush on his cheeks in the dim light of the shelter.
I don’t want to think he’s cute, but…fucking hell, he seems almost human in the semi-darkness—even in the ridiculous pink T-shirt, dark-blue corduroys, and suspenders with red and pink hearts.
“Okay, I’ll start on this side, you do the other.”
I stare at him. “What are we doing?”
“We have to take them out, so I can know which ones are the best fit!”
“Just pick two!”
“No! They need to have the right vibes.”
“They’recats. Their vibes are tiny serial killers!”
He narrows his eyes. “Oh, I see, you’re an animal hater.”
“Just…stop,” I say in a commanding voice. “Fuckinghell, you need a Goddamn spanking.”
Those eerie multi-colored eyes of his glimmer in the dim lighting. “I’m not one of your Boys,Daddy. But if you keep flirting with me, I’m going to get a complex. Especially sinceI recently learned that Hollis doesn’t take too kindly to people touching what’s his… Not that I care.”
Taking a step closer, I pull out my knife. “I know what you did with Ten. I don’t care, what he does sexually is his business, as long as he communicates with the rest of us, but you’re a different breed that brings out my protective side, and not in a good way.”
Javi leans forward, the knife between us. “Promises, promises, Jude…”
Pressing the knife against his stomach, I watch as his lips part, missing if he makes a sound, but the way he leans further into it tells me he likes the threat. He wants it.
My heart pounds, and my traitorous cock hardens.
I shove him backward, hearing his grunt as he hits the bank of cages behind him. With my knife still pressed against him, I step into him and take his mouth with mine, hissing when he fuckingbitesme.
The blood in my mouth—even though it’s my own—hardens my cock further, and I press my hips against Javi’s, feeling his matching erection.
He’s shorter than I am, and fits so fucking perfectly against me that the thought is fucking terrifying. Pulling away, I look down at him, aware that sometime between me pulling my knife and kissing him, he pulled his own, and it’s now pressed against my side.
“Next time, I’ll stab you for real, Pazzo Papero.”
