Page 71 of Wolf.e

“What the hell is going on?” he asks as Gabriel and Ax make their way into the building.

Gabriel is to me in three seconds flat, scanning me for injuries or anything that would alert him that I’m not okay. He touches my face, my shoulders, to see if I’m marked, but I back away.

“We’re fine,” I say, averting my eyes.

He sets his jaw. “You’re done for the day. Let’s go.”

I turn my eyes back to his. “I’m here until three.”

“It’s your day off. And you’re done.”

The way he says it sinks into me and tells me not to argue, but I’m furious. I consider going with him just to give him a piece of my mind for not calling me all week.

“Got a prospect coming for your car. He’ll meet us at your place.” Gabriel doesn’t say another word, he simply nods toward the exit and turns to leave the building.

I watch as he takes a seat on his bike, no doubt in his mind that I’ll listen to him. I glance between him and Dell. The look of disappointment Dell wears is similar to the one I’d imagine my parents wearing in this scenario.

He lifts his hand in motion to the door. Silently telling me to go if I want.

Layla moves toward Dell and hugs him. “It’s nothing. We’re fine, this is a precaution. That other club is dangerous. Tell him,” she says to Ax, backhanding him in the cut.

“Of course,” Ax answers immediately. “Sorry, bro, guess we gotta do a better job of keeping that scum outta here.”

“Seems so,” Dell says, trying to sound authoritative but fails.

Layla makes her way over to me and looks out the window at Gabriel.

“I don’t know what this is with you two but you’re safe with him. Let him take you home,” she whispers as she hugs me.

She follows Ax out the door with a “text you in a bit” and I turn to face Dell one last time.

“You sure, Brinley?” he asks, and I don’t miss the double meaning of his question. Whether or not I’m okay and whether I feel safe to go with Gabriel.

I look between Dell, standing in front of me, and Gabriel through the window. One represents the life I had before—predictable, safe, boring. The other, although maddening, represents the unknown. Oddly enough, it isn’t even a choice. I grab my purse.

“See you Tuesday,” I say to Dell.

With one last glance to Layla and Ax standing by his bike I’m out the door, climbing onto the back of Gabriel’s. He hands me my helmet over his shoulder. I put it on and the anger I feel mixes with something else, something deeply satisfying as I wrap my arms around his waist and breathe him in for the first time in five days. He brings a hand down over mine and squeezes.

I’m still angry but the odd thing is I’ve never felt safer.

The moment we pull into my driveway I’m mentally making notes for myself. I get off the bike without a word.

Number one, call a security company and have them here in the morning.

Two, maybe get a dog? Yes, that’s what I’ll do—a Doberman.

I unlock the front door with the keypad as a prospect pulls my car into the driveway followed by another member in a pickup truck. I head straight inside, slam the door, lock it behind me and lean my back against it.

I hear Gabriel's voice through the open window talking to the prospect. I close my eyes and pray he just leaves. I don’t need him banging down my door. I need to save myself a little bit of dignity here. The weekend we spent together was… there are no words, but when he just stood at the edge of my bed and looked at me like he was done with me, that feeling is still way too fresh. Stupidly, for a split second while we were together, I thought maybe—just maybe—Gabriel felt the same way I did, like there was nothing on Earth that could ever feel as good as he could. Like our bodies were made for each other. Stupidly being the operative word.

I make my way through my house into my kitchen and fill a glass with water. As I’m about to take a sip, I hear the access to my keypad beep, followed by the horrifying sound of my front door unlocking.

He has my code? How?

Gabriel makes his way into my kitchen and tosses the key to his bike onto the counter. He says nothing, standing on the other side of the island. Knowing he can enter and exit my house any time he wants makes him seem even bigger, more intimidating.

His eyes drink me in like it’s been almost painful to be away from me. I push the smoldering feeling of his gaze from my mind. He’s been hurt, blood spots are visible through his white t-shirt on his shoulders, and I realize glass from the windows breaking must have cut him.

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