Page 33 of Wild Card

The hallway has dim lighting, but everything goes hazy as Jake hits the floor.

Thorne stands, stretching his neck from side to side. I’m not sure what I missed, but he has a cracked lip with a little dribble of blood. He didn’t even lose the baseball cap.

My head tilts.

That must be why I never spotted him.

He prowls closer, and my body instinctively backs away until my shoulders hit the wall behind me.

“Are you okay?” he asks, coming to a stop only inches away from me. His nostrils flare as I rub at my stomach, trying to fight the urge to pounce on him.

I don’t care if it’s wildly inappropriate.

That was hot.

“Hank,” Bear growls from farther down the hallway. “Get everyone out! We’re closed for the night.” He stomps closer, and my eyes widen as he doesn’t even blink at the two unconscious bodies. “I don’t know who the fuck you are, but take a step back before I break your neck.”

Thorne smirks and raises an eyebrow, like he’s asking if I’m going to de-escalate this situation or if I’d rather watch him and Bear go at it.

That could be hot, but it doesn’t hold the same appeal. Watching Thorne clean the floor with those jerks was one thing. It would give me no joy to see him and Bear fight.

“Bear, this is Thorne,” I say, mouth breathing to avoid being smacked with either of their scents. “Rush didn’t happen to mention him?”

Bear growls, the sound echoing around the hallway. “Why do you smell like that?”

“I don’t know,” I blurt out. “Is it a bad smell?”

“No, but I feel like there’s a good chance I’m going to have to kill some people on the way back to the bed-and-breakfast.” Bear sighs, elbowing Thorne out of the way. “Let’s get you settled into my office while I make sure everyone clears out.”

“I’ll stay with her.” Thorne grins in the way he knows makes my brain melty.

“Oh, no.” Bear shakes his head. “You knocked those two on their asses, and that means it’s on you to remove them from my property.”

Thorne snorts. “Can I toss them out the emergency exit?”

“I couldn’t care less how you get them out of here,” Bear says, stepping past him. “Just handle it.” He stretches around me to pop open the door to his office.

The look on his face is expectant, and my stomach wobbles at the thought of disappointing him.

I scurry inside to the sound of Thorne’s low laughter.

What the hell does he think is so funny?

Ugh.

Bear guides me to the corner cushion on the couch. I take a seat, pulling my feet up beside me. I’m barely settled before Bear tosses a jacket over my legs and chest and literally tucks it around my frame.

He squats down in front of me and pats my thighs over the coat.

“Tell me what happened?” He moves a huge hand to cradle my cheek, and I try to focus enough to speak.

My thoughts are hazy, at best, and everything tumbles out in a possibly incoherent ramble.

“…of all people, it had to be Thorne. He’s already cocky enough, but damn, he smells nice. You do too.” My head bobbles up and down as I nuzzle my face to his wrist. “So, so, so very good.”

“Ahh, shit.” He sighs, moving to brush the backs of his fingers over my forehead. “Did The Exchange tell you what to do if your heat happened to sneak up before they had a slot available for you?”

My eyes widen while my chest rises and falls with rapid pants.

---