“Now that’d make me a king-sized asshole, wouldn’t it?” Warrick snarled. But Quinton’s words coiled around him inside, gripping and holding on. Screaming there was a grain of truth to it.
“Maybe. But it’d also make you human,” Quinton said quietly.
“I’ll never be human.” He laughed bitterly and tried to shrug off the chill that slinked down his spine.
Dammit. He couldn’t still be harboring thoughts of having Sienna wiped. Could he?
“It’s all irrelevant.” He shook his head. “Just, please, don’t say anything to Sienna.”
“A little late for that.”
Warrick’s gaze snapped up to the rearview and his stomach dropped. Sienna still rested her head against the window, her body relaxed, but her eyes were wide and sparkling with fury.
“And somebody better fill in all those gigantic potholes in your locker room conversation.” Her tone scalded as she finally lifted her head from the window. “What exactly did you do to me and how does it involve my future.”
Next to him in the passenger seat, Quinton let out a hissing breath and cursed softly.
“I’ll explain later, Sienna,” Warrick muttered, curling and uncurling his hands around the steering wheel.
“No, dammit, you’ll explain now.” Her voice rose and he heard the telltale click of her seat belt coming undone.
“Oh damn,” Quinton glanced over his shoulder. “Sienna, sit down. Warrick—”
Warrick glanced in the rearview. Jesus, she was climbing toward the front of the van. He looked back at the road in time to see the red glare of taillights as the car in front of them slammed on the brakes.
“Son of a bitch!” Warrick slammed his foot down on the brake and the van lurched to a stop.
Sienna pitched forward, slamming into the back of Quinton’s seat with a groan.
Hell, was she trying to kill herself? Warrick pulled the van to the side of the road, put it in Park and turned off the engine. His jaw clenched and his fury warred with concern as he saw Sienna rub her forehead.
“Are you all right?” he asked, keeping his tone tempered.
“Fine,” she muttered, and ran her tongue over her lip, frowning. Probably checking for blood.
The second van that had been behind them slowed down as it passed, and Warrick waved them by irritably and shook his head.
“Get back in your seat, Sienna,” Warrick ordered. “Or so help me God I will climb back there and—”
“Shut it, Warrick. I’m not sitting down until I have answers. You.” Sienna grabbed Quinton’s shoulder and forced him to turn and look at her. “What’s Warrick not telling me?”
Quinton didn’t say anything, but Warrick saw his gaze slip to Sienna’s neck. Shit. Sienna must’ve seen it too, because her hand fluttered up to the marks there.
“This? It has something to do with where Warrick bit me, doesn’t it?”
“Don’t answer that,” Warrick snarled.
“Tell me, Quinton. It’s not just a harmless little love bite, is it?”
Quinton shrugged her hand off and turned to meet Warrick’s gaze. Warrick’s gut clenched and he held his breath. Something flickered in the older agent’s eyes. Understanding. Sympathy. Warrick’s chest expanded with the hope that Quinton would keep his mouth shut.
“No. They’re not just love bites,” he said instead. “Warrick claimed you as his mate.”
Chapter Seventeen
His mate?
Sienna reared back from Quinton and fell into the seat behind them. She shook her head numbly.
When he’d bitten her, he’d claimed her? Made her his mate?
“But that’s not possible,” she mumbled, her gaze sliding to Warrick. But his back was to her, and he was entirely too still. “You can only mate with another shifter.”
“Shifters can mate with whomever the hell they want.” Quinton’s tone had bite. “But to mate with a human means he gives it all up. His career. His acceptance within the shifter community.”
Sienna’s stomach roiled and nausea swept through her. She shook her head faster. “No. He wouldn’t do that. Warrick’s career means everything to him.”
Quinton laughed, a harsh, grating sound, and stared at her neck again. “Obviously he did do that.”
Oh God. Oh God, how had this happened? She stared at the back of Warrick’s head, silently begging him to say something. But he remained silent and eerily still.
Warrick had given up everything for her?
She was his mate.
“It was an accident,” she blurted. “A heat-of-the-moment thing. I’m sure he didn’t realize.”