were just-”
Her father started to laugh hysterically, an insane quality to his voice. Carmen blinked in shock and looked desperately at Shi, whose hand was on the blade at his waist. “Go get the doctor, Carmen,” he ordered, without looking at her.
A second later, her father launched himself at Shi. Carmen screamed and took off for the hall, shouting for help, until she watched Nico Moore, the leader of the Royal Guard, and several other wolves, rush forward. She turned back to find Nico and her father rolling around on the ground, in vicious battle.
Eleven months later...
It was after sunset when Shi stopped at the door of The Benedanti bar inside ‘Hotel Italy’, and instantly he knew she was there. He knew by the sweet spicy scent of wolf and woman. He knew by the way his skin prickled and his blood burned in his veins. Leaving had killed him, and each day away had eaten him alive, but it was the only way to be sure there could come a day when he could be with Carmen. And he would be. She was his mate. He knew it with every part of himself. Still, he’d tried to convince himself that time and distance would change the way she made him burn. He didn’t want to care about her. He didn’t want to fear for her. He didn’t want to find out he’d been destined for a mate who was a Rebel and fallen in love with a woman he could never have. But there was no escaping what he felt. Just being in the same building as her and he was on fire, burning up with need.
“Long time no see, man,” the doorman, Lucas Smith, was a tall, burly dark haired wolf who ensured the humans on the other side of the hotel didn’t make it inside the VIP location. VIP because, unknown to the humans that frequented the casino, it catered to the wolves they didn’t know existed, most especially the Royal Guard who protected their council. Lucan arched a brow. “Where ya been? I thought you Guardsmen stayed close to the council and kept them all warm and fuzzy and safe.”
“My warm and fuzzy skills needed recharging and like you give a shit anyway.”
Lucas’s lips twisted wryly. “Hey man. I give a shit. Just don’t get warm and fuzzy with me.”
“Not a problem,” Shi assured him, clearing the high doorway meant to accommodate the common height of a male wolf, in his case, six feet four inches. Shi didn’t do warm and fuzzy, but had an especially intense distaste for the kind of warm and fuzzy meant to hide deceit that had stuck with him the past hundred years, since the slaughter of his family. Since this place had become home. Only it hadn’t been home the past eleven months. Not since Nico had all but shackled him and shipped him off on special assignment, away from temptation and the slammer. His gut clenched.
Without even saying goodbye to Carmen. Because Nico was right
, he reminded himself.
You wouldn’t have said goodbye. You had to let him do it for you.
It was true. Shi knew this. And while Carmen’s father had seemed to recover without memory of the attack, the risk of triggering that memory too soon could be grave. Which brought Shi to the question he’d had since Nico’s short phone call and command he return. Why had Nico summoned him when Carmen’s birthday was still a month away? Whatever was going on had to be big because Nico didn’t take unnecessary risks.
Shi paused at the top of the set of stairs that separated him from her, the sound of old school rock n’ roll blaring through the wooden floors. Everything inside him screamed to go to her, when he knew how dangerous that was, how forbidden she was.
Damn it to hell Nico, what am I doing here and why is she at the same place I am?
With a low growl, Shi raked a rough hand through his long, red-streaked black hair, steeling himself for the impact of seeing the woman he’d left until he knew for certain their future. He hit the bottom step and brought his old familiar hangout into view, the packed stools at the mahogany bar
Her father started to laugh hysterically, an insane quality to his voice. Carmen blinked in shock and looked desperately at Shi, whose hand was on the blade at his waist. “Go get the doctor, Carmen,” he ordered, without looking at her.
A second later, her father launched himself at Shi. Carmen screamed and took off for the hall, shouting for help, until she watched Nico Moore, the leader of the Royal Guard, and several other wolves, rush forward. She turned back to find Nico and her father rolling around on the ground, in vicious battle.
Eleven months later...
It was after sunset when Shi stopped at the door of The Benedanti bar inside ‘Hotel Italy’, and instantly he knew she was there. He knew by the sweet spicy scent of wolf and woman. He knew by the way his skin prickled and his blood burned in his veins. Leaving had killed him, and each day away had eaten him alive, but it was the only way to be sure there could come a day when he could be with Carmen. And he would be. She was his mate. He knew it with every part of himself. Still, he’d tried to convince himself that time and distance would change the way she made him burn. He didn’t want to care about her. He didn’t want to fear for her. He didn’t want to find out he’d been destined for a mate who was a Rebel and fallen in love with a woman he could never have. But there was no escaping what he felt. Just being in the same building as her and he was on fire, burning up with need.
“Long time no see, man,” the doorman, Lucas Smith, was a tall, burly dark haired wolf who ensured the humans on the other side of the hotel didn’t make it inside the VIP location. VIP because, unknown to the humans that frequented the casino, it catered to the wolves they didn’t know existed, most especially the Royal Guard who protected their council. Lucan arched a brow. “Where ya been? I thought you Guardsmen stayed close to the council and kept them all warm and fuzzy and safe.”
“My warm and fuzzy skills needed recharging and like you give a shit anyway.”
Lucas’s lips twisted wryly. “Hey man. I give a shit. Just don’t get warm and fuzzy with me.”
“Not a problem,” Shi assured him, clearing the high doorway meant to accommodate the common height of a male wolf, in his case, six feet four inches. Shi didn’t do warm and fuzzy, but had an especially intense distaste for the kind of warm and fuzzy meant to hide deceit that had stuck with him the past hundred years, since the slaughter of his family. Since this place had become home. Only it hadn’t been home the past eleven months. Not since Nico had all but shackled him and shipped him off on special assignment, away from temptation and the slammer. His gut clenched.
Without even saying goodbye to Carmen. Because Nico was right
, he reminded himself.
You wouldn’t have said goodbye. You had to let him do it for you.
It was true. Shi knew this. And while Carmen’s father had seemed to recover without memory of the attack, the risk of triggering that memory too soon could be grave. Which brought Shi to the question he’d had since Nico’s short phone call and command he return. Why had Nico summoned him when Carmen’s birthday was still a month away? Whatever was going on had to be big because Nico didn’t take unnecessary risks.
Shi paused at the top of the set of stairs that separated him from her, the sound of old school rock n’ roll blaring through the wooden floors. Everything inside him screamed to go to her, when he knew how dangerous that was, how forbidden she was.
Damn it to hell Nico, what am I doing here and why is she at the same place I am?
With a low growl, Shi raked a rough hand through his long, red-streaked black hair, steeling himself for the impact of seeing the woman he’d left until he knew for certain their future. He hit the bottom step and brought his old familiar hangout into view, the packed stools at the mahogany bar
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