“I sensed you when you were walking past the bakery,” he said quietly. “When I turned around, I saw you walking away. I don’t know why, but… something felt wrong. You weren’t your usual self. So I told Beau to close up for me and ran after you.”
He came after me. Because he was concerned. Because he could feel something was off. My chest clenched. I wanted to kiss him again. I nearly did. But I stopped myself.
This was stupid, wasn’t it? I was the one chasing him. I’d been the one pressing too close, pushing too hard. He’d just seen the truth, just caught a glimpse of the mess I was tangled in.
My debt, my fear, the shadows creeping into my life. Callum didn’t even know. None of the pack did.
And here I was, pressing Rafael against a door, kissing him like I didn’t carry baggage heavy enough to break a spine. Was I ready to drag him into my problems?
I didn’t know. I really didn’t know.
The debt wasn’t going away. Avery’s grip was still around my throat. But I couldn’t put my life on hold forever. Couldn’t keep pretending I didn’t want more just because it was inconvenient.
Still, I didn’t trust myself to say anything else without falling apart.
So I pulled back just slightly, enough to breathe, and murmured, “I’ll see you soon.”
I tried to keep my voice even. Tried not to sound like I was begging him to stay.
He nodded slowly. Every part of him looked reluctant, like his body wanted to close the distance again even if his brain was screaming don’t get involved.
“Yeah,” he said, voice husky. “Soon.”
And then he stepped back, turned away. Started walking.
I leaned against the doorframe, my chest still heaving, my lips still tingling. My body still strung out on the electricity he left behind.
I watched him until he turned the corner and disappeared into the dark.
Chapter 6
James/ Rafael
JAMES
I checked the locks again.
One. Two. Three. Four. Five.
I stood in the hallway, barefoot in plaid pajama pants and a threadbare T-shirt, staring at the deadbolt like it might spring open if I blinked. My wolf paced inside me, restless and uneasy.
I knew I was being paranoid. But tonight, that wasn’t enough to stop me.
I checked the peephole. Nothing. Quiet hallway. Faint hum of an old fridge down the hall. Still, I twisted the knob of each lock, tugged on the door to make sure it wouldn’t budge.
Then I did it all over again.
It wasn’t just the goon Avery sent that left me rattled. It was the way Rafael had looked when he stepped between us. Like he’d been one second away from tearing the guy’s throat out.
Like protecting me wasn’t even a question.
It had done something to me. Shaken something loose. Warmed parts of me I thought had gone cold. But also reminded me that Avery wouldn’t stop.
And now that Rafael was involved? Things were going to get messy.
Business first. I opened my banking app and sent Avery what I owed him for the month. My thumb hovered over the “confirm” button longer than it should have.
Like pausing would somehow make it hurt less, but it didn’t.
