Page 19 of Savage Fire

She had no idea what business Fang had with Toke, and she knew enough not to ask. Club business was club business, and Tessa honestly couldn’t give a shit if she knew what was going on or not. As long as “club business” didn’t interfere with “Tessa’s business”, Tessa was just fine with being ignorant.

“Alright, lady,” Skathi huffed as she plopped down on the couch beside Tessa, a butter cookie in her hand. “Now that you’ve consumed your quota of sweets, it’s time to talk about what’s going on in that head of yours.”

Tessa made a pained groan and wished she’d had more cookies to stuff in her mouth.

“Come on,” Skathi prodded, “I know you. I know that you are overthinking this date, and you’re probably feeling bad that you agreed to go in the first place. I know that you and Fang have had this weird, heated back and forth going on for months now. And I know you’re wary about starting anything with him—”

Tessa snorted loudly. “That’s an understatement,” she grumbled, scoffing.

“So…are you excited or apprehensive about tonight?” Skathi’s tone was gentle, coercive, like she was skillfully pulling a thorn from the paw of a wounded puppy.

God, she wanted to tell Skathi the actual root of her issue with Fang, but that would lead to too many invasive painful questions she didn’t want to answer. Ever.

“I think Fang is the hottest, sexiest man I’ve ever seen. But he’s also the most dangerous. I’m not talking about physically—I trust that man with my life. He’s proven to me that he can be counted on to keep me safe, to lay his life on the line for me….” Her memories immediately jerked to that terrible night in the warehouse, where Fang seemed to slink from the smoke like a specter, coming to her aid. He’d saved her life that night…and her soul all those months following.

But her heart wasn’t safe with him. Right?

As if reading her mind like a goddamn Danish voodoo priestess, Skathi asked, “What about your heart? Do you think your heart is safe with Fang? I know the men of Savage Raiders. I know their lifestyle isn’t exactly what one would call…moderate. They enjoy life; the danger, the success, the booze, the women…. But they are also loyal, honest, protective, and brave.”

“I know that, Sky. I know Fang is one of the good ones, that I can count on him to be loyal, protective, and brave—and honest to a point. He’s never hidden the fact that he enjoys access to club pussy. He’s only ever been upfront about what he wants to do with me, that he wants me in his bed. But I also know that once he finally has me there, it’ll only be a matter of time before he gets tired of me and goes off to chase the next woman.”

“So, you think he’s only after you because you’re a challenge?” Skathi asked, an eyebrow quirked.

Tessa shrugged. “What else am I supposed to think? The man is a living sex god who can have any woman he wants, and probably has. What’s he want with a woman like me other than to be able to crow about the conquest once he’s captured me? From that first meeting when I didn’t play his flirtation game, he’s only ramped up his techniques.”

“When he was helping you after the attack and your surgery…what was he like then? Personally, I think you’ve only scratched the surface of the kind of man Fang is. It doesn’t take a mind reader to see that there’s more to him than he lets people see. Sometimes, I can swear I see longing in those chocolate eyes of his. Like he is yearning for something.”

“Yeah, the next wet hole,” Tessa sassed, ignoring the tang of sourness on her tongue.

Skathi remained quiet, her golden eyes probing Tessa’s face. Finally, she sighed softly.

“You really don’t think much of yourself, do you? Anyone can see that you’re beautiful, Tessa. Certainly, you aren’t the Western world’s ideal of beauty with your height, curvature, and modesty, but youarebeautiful, Tessa. And Fang sees that. He wants that. Why else would the man pursue you so hard?”

Reeling at Skathi’s remarks, Tessa slowly shook her head. “Because I didn’t fall for the Latin lover fuckery he’s so good at wielding?”

The cell on the cushion beside her chimed a text notification, making Tessa pick it up.

PENDAJO: I’M HERE. WHERE ARE YOU?

Taking a moment to slow her suddenly quickened breathing, Tessa replied:

I’M WITH SKY. I’LL BE OUT.

When she glanced up at Skathi, Tessa saw the small smile on the woman’s face.

“That your date?”

Tessa nodded, swallowing the ball of nervousness in her gullet.

“Yeah…. I’d better get going.” She forced a smile to her lips even as a thrill of dread and excitement moved through her. “Wish me luck.”

Skathi laughed. “You don’t need luck. Fang is more than just the flirt you know, Tessa. I can tell. Do me a favor….”

Standing, Tessa turned to Skathi. “What’s that?”

“Be honest with him about what you expect. I think you’ll be surprised; he might want the same things.”

Withthatbouncing around in her head, Tessa ran sweaty hands down her legs and headed toward the clubhouse common room.

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