Page 24 of Fury

Her shoulders sagged. “And this is exactly why us getting too friendly is a bad idea. This investigation is a serious matter. I intend to resolve it no matter what.”

He held up his hands in surrender. “Don’t worry, Agent Bishop. I’m fully aware how serious this is. I’ll be here to help you however I can.” And to make sure she didn’t find out too much too soon. His future involvement with her would require kid gloves from here on out.

She shook her head, obvious frustration stamped across her face.

“I really don’t know how to take all of this.” She waved her hand around them. “You flirting. Me letting you. You say you want to help, but I get the feeling that isn’t your plan at all.” She sighed, letting her hands fall to her side. “You know what? Forget it. I’ve got to go.”

She turned away from him and he grabbed her arm to stop her. She stilled, but did not turn back to face him so he stepped closer until they were just inches apart.

“This isn’t just flirting, Ms. Bishop. I’ve told you what I want. If I have to wait for now, so be it. If I have to help you investigate an event I’d rather keep in my past. Then so be that too. What I won’t ever do, is forget it. Not the fire, not the seriousness of your agency, nor you.” He let go of her arm. “Never you.”

“But— “

“Go to your hotel, Penny. Get some sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She stood still for a moment more as an emotional wave radiated from her. His nostrils flared at the variations of her scent as she grappled with everything he’d said. There was anger, annoyance and impatience readily apparent. But when he filtered through all of that noise and got to the core of her, that’s where the reality of Penelope Bishop resided. She was curious, intrigued and still aroused.

Oh yeah.

She might not know it yet, but she belonged to him.

Something shifted inside him when she took the remaining steps to her car and climbed in. Both the wolf and the man did not want her to leave. She brought out the primal side in him and right now he wanted nothing more than to bend her over the porch railing and claim her. Thoughts of his fingers buried in her hair as he took her flooded his mind. He hated waiting. In fact…

He took a step off the deck when her car started. She didn’t have to leave. He could make her stay.

“Don’t worry she’ll be back.”

Sawyer’s body went still. He wasn’t surprised that Creed had spoken since he’d heard him coming well in advance. But he wasn’t sure how he felt about talking to him right now. He’d needed some time with his thoughts before he reported in.

“I know. She’s scheduled to return tomorrow to continue her investigation.”

“How much does she know?”

“Nothing more than we want her to. Although, she knows there’s more to the story.”

Creed came up beside him, tension rolling from him in thick waves.

“What did you say to her? I thought you were handling this?”

Sawyer barked with a twisted laugh. “Agent Bishop doesn’t care to be handled. She’s strong. And smart. I don’t think she’s going to make this easy for us. There’s a stubbornness about her. Something that is driving her to succeed on this case in particular.”

“Sounds like she told you quite a bit. Although, I’m not surprised. You have always had a way with the ladies. Nothing seems to change that.”

Sawyer bit back a frown. His best friend and pack mate meant no harm by referring to his injuries. Facts were facts and Creed liked to call them as he saw them. He didn’t hold back for the sake of pity. Something he’d counted on from his friend.

“What do you think she’s up to?” he asked.

There was a lot going on in his woman’s mind right about now, but he didn’t feel the need to share all of those details with Creed. He didn’t have to. While the scent of Penelope’s arousal had dissipated quite a bit since her departure, it still clung to the air like a thick sweet fog reminding him of what she meant to them.

“I think we have bigger problems than what Agent Bishop is up to with her investigation,” he admitted.

“What do you mean?”

Sawyer shoved his hands in his pockets and steeled himself for the storm.

“I think she’s my mate.”

Creed turned and glared at him. “Are you for real?”

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