Page 27 of Assisting the Alpha
“Let me know how much I owe you.” He walks off before I can protest.
I quickly hurry to follow him past two closed doors and into an open-plan kitchen and living space decorated in navy, white and grey. With the lights on, the wall of glass at the far end of the room mostly just shows our reflections, and there isn’t a single item of clutter anywhere in the room. Somehow, it’s entirely Ethan.
“Sit. Talk.” Ethan looks absolutely done in, so I don’t comment on how abrupt he’s being.
I sit on the corner sofa and thank him for the glass of water he gets for me, and when he sits next to me, the whole story comes pouring out. I tell him way too much about my apartment, needing a new place to live, not having a deposit or first month’s rent saved, and being asked to move out early because the task force think I’m spying on them for him and his team.
“It’s okay if you don’t believe me,” I say. “It’s my fault I’m in this mess. I should have saved some money when I started working.”
Ethan’s mouth ticks up at the corners. “Most twenty-year-olds don’t save money. You’re not unique.”
Maybe, but I’m not sure that makes me feel any better. “Thanks for letting me stay here tonight.”
His mouth twists into a grimace. “Nyoka found out you worked for me because I told him at the clinic. It’s my fault you got kicked out several days early.”
“Whoa, hey, no, I thought I’d already told him. I wasn’t keeping it a secret. This isn’t on you.” Ethan looks doubtful, so I bump his arm with my shoulder. “I don’t blame you. But if you want to make it up to me, a night on this very comfortable sofa will do.”
That gets another twitch of his lips, and he squeezes my thigh before standing. “I’ll find you a blanket. I don’t have a guest room, but the bathroom is the first door on the left in the hall. My room is the one closest to the front door, so if you need me, come find me.”
By the time I’ve used the bathroom, Ethan has gotten me a blanket. He disappears into his room, and I take off my T-shirt and joggers since it’s a warm night. I tug the blanket over me anyway because it’s soft and smells like Ethan. Finally, I settle down to sleep.
I jerk awake with a hoarse yell, sweating and thrashing, the remnants of the nightmare still clinging to me.
“Hey, hey, it’s okay. You’re safe, Ayo, you’re safe. It’s just a bad dream.” Ethan crouches in front of me in nothing but his underwear.
I’m too freaked out to appreciate his hairy chest and strong thighs, only absently noting the tattoo on his shoulder. My heart is still racing and I can’t stop trembling.
Ethan reaches for me slowly. When I don’t pull away, he tugs me into his arms. I wasn’t expecting it—I thought he’d just put a hand on me or something—but I go willingly even though we end up sitting on the floor. He holds me tight enough that I eventually stop shaking.
“Sorry.”
“It’s fine.”
“I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“Ayo, it’s fine.”
I nod into his chest and burrow deeper, inhaling his reassuring scent, not wanting him to let go just yet. “What’s the time?”
“Around four.”
Shit, we’ve only been asleep a short time. “I’m okay now.”
He huffs, probably because I’m not letting up my tight grip on him. I yelp when he stands up, still holding me, and I wrap my legs around his waist for balance. “What are you?—”
“Shh, we need sleep.” His voice is deep and gravelly, and he carries me out into the hall, then into his bedroom. There’s a small amount of light coming from behind the curtains, but it’s too dark to see much. He puts me down on the bed, then climbs in beside me.
“Um, Ethan…”
“It’s a wolf thing. Deal with it.” He wraps me up in his arms again, this time lying down in an incredibly comfortable bed. He keeps distance between our hips, so I do too, but despite the fact that this should be weird or awkward, the way he makes me feel safe overrides everything else.
He pulls a sheet up over us, and I decide all my embarrassment and worries can wait until morning. Literally everything can be Tomorrow Ayo’s problem. Tonight, I’m going to snuggle up to my boss and make the most of the few hours we have before work.
This time, when I fall asleep, the nightmares stay away.
Chapter Eight
ETHAN
