Page 10 of Deadly Wolf Bite

She doesn’t trust me.

Didn’t Dutch already warn me of that?

So why does it hurt when I see the evidence?

Instead of rushing back to her, I march into my bathroom, turn the shower on, and kick the shit out of the trash can. It hits the wall and bounces off before rolling across the tile. With the water turned up to scalding, I step beneath the spray and let it wash away the rest of my burning ire.

I’m mostly angry with myself, anyway.

If anyone’s to blame for Lexi’s secrets, it’s me.

I broke things between us before I knew I wanted them whole. And I’m the only one who can put us back together. In the meantime, I plan to do everything in my power to hit Franco and Dom where it hurts. I’ll make them regret coming after Lexi if it’s the last thing I do.

No one touches my mate and gets away with it.

5

LEXI

Grey is quiet as we drive. Even the call from his father didn’t subdue him like this. Whoever he called as he left my room earlier must’ve said something to piss him off, though I don’t ask what. I’m not confident enough to pry. Not with the secret I’m keeping.

In the side mirror, I spot a dark car with tinted windows trailing us. Would Franco be dumb enough to put a tail on me as obvious as this one? Would Ramsey?

“Relax.”

Grey’s voice snaps me out of my thoughts. He lays a hand over mine. I look down and realize I’ve been picking at my cuticles.

“The car behind us is my security. Remember that car we took home from the engagement party?”

I dart another glance at my mirror. Sure enough, the car and driver are the ones we used for our engagement celebration a couple of days ago. My thoughts drift to what we did in that car on the way home. And in his bedroom after.

Grey’s hand is warm where it rests over mine for one beat, two…

He removes it and drapes it over the e-brake instead.

I suppress a sigh and turn my attention back to the window, watching the city whir by. As we drive through downtown Indigo Hills, music streams softly through the car’s speakers. I let it wash over me, enjoying the lazy, vibey acoustics after what feels like a lifetime of club beats or “stripper ballads,” as Violet called the slow songs she always selected for her stage performances.

A pang of loneliness hits me in the gut.

I don’t miss my job at Shady Shag’s, but I do miss Violet, my only friend. She’s probably a mess from my disappearance. I don’t remember much of my exit—okay, abduction—that night because I passed out from the shock of seeing Grey transform into a wolf right before my eyes, but it must seem like I vanished into thin air.

Even if I can’t go back, I wish I could at least let Violet know I’m okay. The phone Grey gave me yesterday has tempted me more than once, but I can’t bring myself to reach out to her with it. Tech is traceable, and I have no doubt Vincenzo would use Violet to hurt me. Could Grey’s courier get her a message? The one he used to retrieve my things?

A quick glance at him makes it clear now isn’t a good time to ask. His jaw is set, the muscle flexing as he grinds his teeth. He’s definitely upset, which reignites my own fear.

I look away before he can see me staring.

Fidgeting again, I play with the enormous engagement ring he insisted I wear today. The diamond is heavy and blinding, not at all what I would’ve wanted if this engagement were real. But it’s not. It’s me playing a part, pretending to be someone I’m not.

And this gaudy ring symbolizes that perfectly.

“You don’t like it.”

My head whips up at his words. He looks from me to the ring and back again, his gaze perceptive enough that I don’t bother to deny it.

“It’s not what I would’ve chosen,” I say carefully.

His mouth curves ruefully. “I guess choice wasn’t exactly part of the process for either of us.”

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