Page 21 of Defeated

But I smile. “Thanks for the offer. Should I start packing the kitchen?”

“The kitchen can wait,” he says, not returning my smile because it’s fake as hell, and anyone would probably see right through it.

“It’s a bit late to be packing up a kitchen, and the pizza delivery will be here any minute. How about we put the TV on, eat and call it a night instead?”

“I—”

But he’s already striding toward the hallway. “I’ll be right back. Just need to grab something.”

He’s gone before I can stop him or call him back.

His footsteps echo down the entryway, and the front door creaks as it opens. I tiptoe to the front window and peer out to find out what he’s doing.

Pulling a bag out of the U-Haul, it seems.

As if he can feel my gaze, he turns to look my way. I nearly tumble right over the armchair backing away from the window.

I’m back in my original position when the front door snicks shut again, and Chris appears hefting the bag he pulled out of the U-Haul. It’s an overnight bag, and he smiles as he lifts it as if to show it off.

“I didn’t pack much since I practically live in a T-shirt and jeans. But I thought maybe you might want something else to wear to bed. I guess you could wear something of Colton’s?—”

I shake my head, interrupting him. “That doesn’t feel right if he isn’t here.”

“Then it’s one of my shirts it is, and I think I have a pair of sweats as well.”

Then before I know it, before I’ve even agreed to this, he’s leading me upstairs to show me the bedroom and he can change the sheets for me before the pizza gets here.

See? Maneuvered. Easily.

This time he’s ensuring I have something to wear to bed and the sheets are fresh.

And I’m not the least bit angry about it. Just… confused.

Also, kind of curious at this maneuvering ability he has.

He shows me the bathroom, pulls out a spare toothbrush I can use, and leaves me long enough to make up the bed. I still haven’t agreed to any of this, yet here I am going along with it without a word of complaint. He doesn’t strike me as dominant enough to be an alpha, but I’d believe he was with his ability to get what he wants.

All except one thing he asked for. That thing I would never let him maneuver me into.

I’m not about to agree to join a pack I’ve never met or go with this guy who is literally a stranger to me. He seems nice, smells even nicer, but who is he really?

It’s not the first time I’ve met a shifter who started off nice, who seemed to have my best interests at heart, but didn’t take long to show me his true colors.

Now I know better than to trust what people say.

I’ve had years to learn how to stop being so blind, trusting, and naïve. I don’t intend to make those same mistakes ever again.

8

CHRIS

It’s full dark outside and I haven’t moved from the window in hours.

I don’t know how I convinced Zoe to take Colton’s bed while I took the couch. Probably because I didn’t ask her. Just acted as if everything had all been decided.

I had a feeling if I hadn’t been so insistent, she’d have told me she had somewhere to stay, and I’d have found her sleeping in an alley down the street.

Worse, that she’d return to an unsafe apartment because she had nowhere else to go.

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