Steve gave me a wide, close-mouthed smile. He looked like my childhood pet hamster when he shoved all the food in his mouth. Didn’t look the ‘enforcer’ type at all. My eyes narrowed.
“Why were you at the gas station that day?”
Steve gulped down the contents in his mouth and shrugged. “Duh. It’s a gas station.”
“But you didn’t buy anything. Why were you there?”
Steve shifted in his seat and glanced at Wick, which answered my question—Steve had been following me on Wick’s orders. Their faces looked apprehensive, as if bracing for a thunderous reaction. They wouldn’t get one. If I’d been in Wick’s position, I’d have me followed too.
Shaking my head with a chuckle, I turned back to the stairs. “I’ll be in my room.”
“Want some company later?” Steve called out. A low growl vibrated the air behind me, followed by a thump. When I looked over my shoulder, Steve rubbed his shoulder with a smile and Wick looked murderous.
“Sorry, it’s a zombie-lover free zone.” I smiled. He’s baiting you, I sent to Wick.
I know.
I never heard anyone huff in my head before. It felt interesting, to say the least; like my brain cells were candles and he blew them out, but only for a moment, because then they were back up and running.
Steve pretended to pout, but his eyes sparkled.
Wick’s grin spread across his face and he gave his enforcer a triumphant look.
I couldn’t help it. “Don’t look so pleased, Wick. Same rule applies to you.” I spun on my heel to everyone’s laughter. Everyone’s but Wick’s.
We’ll see, he shot back. We’ll see.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Sandwiched between Clint and Allan, I couldn’t shake the feeling I was a donut being delivered to the police station. When we piled into the SUV earlier for the drive to Ethan’s mansion, I tried to call shotgun so I could sit in the front with Wick. It took one shake of Allan’s head to stop Wick from agreeing, and Allan pulled me into the back with him instead.
“I’m surprised you’re here,” I said, and turned to Clint. Seeing him for the first time since I thwarted his attempt to enslave me as a pet, I expected him to be more upset about the whole thing, yet nothing about his demeanor implied hostility. In fact I couldn’t get any impressions of his mood. Relaxing back into his seat with loose limbs and slow easy breaths, he looked like he should be wearing yoga pants and chanting “Om.” Why wasn’t he pissed off? Should I be worried? My scalp prickled and my stomach felt like a snow globe being shook by a five year old. What was he up to?
Earlier tonight, I’d been relieved to be free of Clint. But now? Now this empty feeling in the depths of my stomach kept expanding, the mere presence of Clint reminding me of how close I’d come to enslavement.
“Why’s that?” Clint asked.
“You’re too valuable to Lucien.”
Clint shrugged. “Ethan tried to assassinate me. It’s not something I can ignore.”
“Ego can’t take it?”
Clint laughed and shook his head.
Allan’s lip twisted, the movement small, and almost imperceptible, but I managed to catch it from the corner of my eye. I guessed correctly, then, or close enough.
“But if something were to happen…” I let my voice trail off.
Clint smirked. “Worried for me? I’m not without my own skills. Something Ethan should’ve realized. If he had known, he would’ve left me alone.”
“Known what?”
Clint’s smile widened and he shook his head. “Nice try, kitten. I’m sure you’ll figure it out soon enough.”
“Allan gets to call me kitten. Not you.” I said. When did I become okay with the Japanese Hulk using that nickname?
“It fits.” Clint reached to do something to my face, caress it maybe? I batted his hand away before it reached me, and not in a playful way. Who knew where it had been.
“Being your sex slave was taken off the table.”
Clint looked away.
“Are you pouting?”
He turned back toward me and gave me a flat stare.
“I’m guessing yes.”
“I will have you, Andy,” Clint said. “You will screw up and I will be there ready to claim you.”
The intensity of his eyes bore into mine. I cleared my throat and looked away, and my wolf, not liking the submissive move, growled so deep and low in my subconscious that I didn’t realize right away Wick snarled from the front seat.
Clint’s eyes glanced to the tense Werewolf before returning to me. “And no one will do a goddamn thing about it.”
****
The wind sliced past my skin like a butcher’s knife through a chicken bone, so strong it hacked against my exposed flesh.