Page 14 of Beautiful Butterfly

“I remember.” Several emotions flashed through Alister’s eyes. Fear, anger, and determination. He pulled from Wyatt’s lap and grabbed some clothes from his drawers.

Drawers Wyatt had cleared out for his mate to use.

“You don’t have to worry about me going out.” Alister slid on a pair of shorts that cupped his ass nicely. “Now that Paris refuses to let me quit him, I can hang with my bestie whenever I want to leave the house.”

“You were sold.” Wyatt got out of bed and moved toward his mate. “How do you not comprehend that, butterfly? It might be illegal, but men with that kind of money don’t give a rat’s ass about the law. In his depraved mind, he’s paid for you, so he owns you.”

“You have that kind of money,” Alister argued.

“I’m not depraved,” Wyatt ground out. “I actually work to uphold the law, Alister. It’s my job to take down scumbags like him.”

Was his mate in shock and not thinking straight? Alister was brushing aside the danger as though he dealt with this kind of thing on a daily basis.

“I thought you’d be happy that I have a babysitter, although I despise that word.” Alister pulled a sleeveless shirt over his head, the color complementing his exquisite eyes.

“Guardian, supervision, whatever the hell you want to call, it won’t change the fact that it’s not me protecting you!” Wyatt had no idea why Alister wasn’t taking this more seriously, and it was seriously pissing him off.

Twice now his mate had been hurt. Wyatt’s heart couldn’t take a third time.

“Try warden.” Alister glared at him. With his hands up and palms out, his mate pulled his shoulders back and took a deep breath. His tone calmed and became civil when he spoke again. “I hear you. I see you. I validate your feelings and concerns.”

“Okay.” Wyatt took a deep breath as well. He spoke in the same calm tone. “Do you validate the fact Sloane accepted money for the sale of you and the purchaser is going to want Sloane to render his goods?”

All Wyatt wanted was for his mate to recognize that there was someone out there who might track him down and try to take what he perceived was his. He also wanted Alister to take more precautions than just a babysitter.

Alister balled his hands and scowled. “I acknowledge that the transaction is bullshit because it isn’t legal and Mr. Mysterious is fucking with the wrong guy if he thinks for one second he owns me.”

“So we’re back to square one,” Wyatt snarled as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

“I’ve been in danger since Sloane targeted me,” his mate pointed out. “I understand that I might have another goddamn grimy loser after me. Even so, I’m not going to hide under the bed, Wyatt. I’m fed up with deranged assholes, and although I’ll be extra cautious, I’m not going to stop living.”

Before he let his anger explode, Wyatt stormed from the bedroom and headed downstairs to the kitchen. There weren’t enough deep breaths to calm his cheetah. What if Sloane told the buyer where Alister was? No one knew the buyer’s identity. The guy could stand behind Alister in line at any number of places and not a single person would be the wiser. He could lure Alister away with charm, claiming to need help with some nonexistent problem.

A million scenarios raced through Wyatt’s mind, each one more terrifying than the previous one.

The last thing he wanted to do was keep Alister locked up in the house, but the mere thought of some perverted son of a bitch touching Wyatt’s sweet, naïve mate filled him with primal rage.

Wyatt’s head snapped up when he heard the front door open. He growled and headed toward the living room, stalking outside to the sight of Alister’s hips swaying as he walked down the driveway.

“Are you fucking serious right now?”

Twirling around, Alister appeared startled. “If you’re going to scream and curse at me, you could at least have the decency to be naked while doing it.”

“I have never met anyone more frustrating in my life!” Wyatt thundered.

“Check your tone, kitty cat.” The frost in Alister’s pale blue eyes threatened to give Wyatt hypothermia. “Just because you fuck like a dream doesn’t mean you can boss me around. I need to get my car, so unless you’re going to take me, I’m walking to town.”

Wyatt rubbed his hands over his face so fast and repeatedly he should have gotten friction burn. “What happened to hanging out with Paris anytime you want to go out?”

“I left my phone in my car so I can’t call him.” Alister marched down the driveway and turned toward the sidewalk.

“I’m five seconds away from putting you over my knee, butterfly,” Wyatt snarled as he took off after his mate.

Alister looked over his shoulder, saw Wyatt bearing down on him, and let out an ear-splitting squeal as he took off. “Don’t you dare try to arrest me!”

Wyatt reached him in seconds and hauled his mate off his feet, then tossed him over his shoulder.

“Help! I’m being strong-armed by a luscious brute in popping muscles and ink!” Alister gripped the waistband of Wyatt’s shorts as he kicked his slim legs up and down.

---