Page 23 of Protecting The Gray Wolf
This isn’t normal. Running away from her thoughts and him, she made it to the seating area. Bypassing the couch—it was big enough to hold the two of them—she dropped into a comfortable club chair. Kade followed, but instead of taking the couch, he shoved her purse out of the way and perched on the edge of the sturdy wooden coffee table. Legs spread, hands linked in front of him, and elbows on his knees he studied her. The pose was relaxed. He was anything but. Intensity bled from his pores.
“Tell me about Solange Dupree.”
Luna locked her hands around the arms of the chair and squeezed the soft fabric. The rabbit hole she’d fallen into kept getting deeper and deeper. She replayed everything she’d already told him. Twice to make certain she wasn’t misremembering. “I never told you her last name.” It came out as a strangled whisper.
What in the name of God had she gotten herself into? “Do you know her? Is this some kind of sick game you two play?” Had she been targeted for some reason? Her stomach roiled at the possibility. “I’m an idiot. I gave you all my work. Hell, I practically begged you to take it. There will be witnesses, too—the courier, the doorman, possibly the reservations clerks. I can’t go to the authorities and say you stole it. Congratulations.”
If his jaw got any tighter, a bone was going to crack. A vein pulsed in his neck. He was pissed. Too damn bad.
She jumped to her feet. “Thanks for nothing.”
“Sit down.” He didn’t yell, didn’t raise his voice. If anything, it dropped deeper. She flinched but shook her head.
“No.”
His arm shot out to stop her.
“I’ll scream.” Surely, someone would hear her. Fear had a taste; it was bitter and foul. Sweat beaded on her brow. Her throat tightened, making her threat to yell a lie.
Fight or flight. He was too damn big to fight. Putting both hands against his chest, she shoved. Caught off guard, he pitched backward. She ran for the door. She’d barely made it two steps before a big arm banded around her waist and plucked her right off her feet. She kicked back with her heels.
“Stop fighting me. I’m not going to hurt you.”
Like she’d believe him. She had, and the hurt of his betrayal was almost as bad as the loss of her work. That could be replicated. She doubted she’d ever lower her guard enough to trust another soul as long as she lived. Lesson learned. Kick someone enough times and they finally got the message. People couldn’t be trusted.
She threw her head back, trying to catch his nose. He swore, managing to duck out of the way. “Let me go.” The demand came out as more of a plea.
He buried his face in the curve of her neck. “I can’t.”
Physically and mentally exhausted, she stopped struggling. There was no way she could win against his strength. If she was smart, maybe she could lull him into believing she’d given in and watch for another opportunity.
“I don’t know Solange Dupree.” Ignoring her snort of disbelief, he forged on. “But I know the name. I recently learned I had an enemy. Want to guess her name?”
“That’s not possible. We never met until last night. Why would she bother with me?”
He slowly lowered her so her feet touched the floor but didn’t remove his arm. “It’s a long story.”
She snorted. “Not like I’m going anywhere.” Not yet, at any rate. The door was a matter of feet away, but it might as well have been miles—with a gator-infested moat in between.
Sighing, he unwound his arm. “I won’t keep you against your will.”
Wait. What? She turned, certain there must be some kind of catch. His lips were tight. His stormy gray eyes burned with anger. Her earlier fear dissolved, which made no sense.
He’s angry at himself, not me.
He was also telling the truth. “Why? Why let me go?” Seconds before, he’d blocked her from leaving.
“Having you afraid of me is worse than losing you.” He straightened and put his hands on his hips. “I’ll let you go, but I’ll follow. If you don’t believe anything, believe this. Solange will stop at nothing to capture me. If that means she has to hurt you to do it, she will. I can’t allow that.”
Luna rubbed her fingers over her forehead. “I feel like I’m missing half the conversation. Nothing makes any sense. Why does she want you? And why do you care what happens to me? I’m nothing to you.”
He reached out, as if to cup her face, but dropped his hand back by his side. “We’re connected, you and I.”
Damn it, she felt it, too. As much as she wanted to deny it, pretend it wasn’t real, the link existed. “Why? How?”
“I keep telling you. I’m the gray wolf.”
Chapter Nine
