Page 46 of Wolf

Sprocket? The weirdo stiffens and glances to his right and left while I turn my head. Holy crap! I didn’t think a man could be so tall and well…huge. He’s a veritable giant, towering over me, even in the ridiculously tall boots.

His pretty blue eyes meet mine and he winks. Heat paints my cheeks, and I drop my chin as he turns back to Sprocket and barks, “Well?”

I flinch at the deep, booming demand as Sprocket, whines, “It’s a free country.”

The giant chuckles and I shiver. Beyond his ginormous form, he has a stripe of hair standing on end across his head, dyed a rainbow of colors that I can’t help but stare at. How did he get his hair to do that?

He’s also wearing the same vest as Wolf. While I’m relieved that this man may be able to help me find Wolf, I’m also appropriately cautious.

Maybe this was a mistake?

“Free country? Ain’t nothin’ free, Sprocket. You know that,” the giant says, spreading his arms. “Now I’m feelin’ pleasantly relaxed which is why I’m letting you go, but don’t come back. Got me?”

Sprocket’s shifty gaze bounces from me to the giant before he nods. Bemused, I watch him disappear into the trees before turning back to the giant patiently waiting.

“Um, sorry,” I stutter when he grins. “I’m looking for someone.”

I don’t know what he wants but I’m hoping it’s not trouble because there’s nothing I can do against this wall of muscle. Nothing…

“No problem, darlin’. But you’re breakin’ my heart because I don’t think you mean me,” he says with a smirk and another wink for good measure. I can’t help but be charmed by his twinkling blue eyes and sexy smile.

I also don’t know if he’s serious because he’s easily twice my age. Beyond that, he doesn’t hold a candle to what Wolf makes me feel with a grouchy frown.

“Uh,” I say, shaking my head. “I’m looking for Wolf. Have you seen him?”

The giant’s smile drops, and I suppress a shiver at how just that changes his facade from friendly and flirty to downright menacing. Wow.

Cocking his brow, he says, “Wolf? Darlin’, you may be lookin’ for him but he ain’t lookin’ for you.”

Okay, that was way harsh but not untrue I concede. Either way, my cheeks flame once more as I say, “I’m not…I don’t. I just need to see him.”

“Fucker always gets the good ones,” he grumbles. “Okay, c’mon. He’s probably down by the track.”

Although I already checked down there, I’m hoping he knows more than I do. So, I stumble after him in the boots, wishing I had just worn my damn tennis shoes. It’s not like I’m here to impress the jerk.

Still, images of his dilated eyes perusing my form in these torture devices send a shiver through me and I admit, I want him to see me in them, even if only to remind him of what he’s missing.

At the edge of the track, the giant waves at me and says, “Wait here.”

I’m not about to argue because I’m not sure I can walk any further anyway. Instead, I lean against a tree as he disappears into the crowd before closing my eyes.

My stomach is a roiling mass of nerves at the thought of seeing Wolf again and despite my desperate reminder to keep it together, my body has other plans.

Except the longer I wait, the more frustrated I become. My feet are killing me. Images of Wolf with the pretty chick at the Saturday Market dance over my vision and the giant hasn’t returned. Maybe it is true. Maybe Wolf doesn’t want to see me.

Now what? Willing back a surge of pathetic tears, I push back through the crowd. My heart jumps into my throat when I think I see Miriam but when I shout her name, a girl I don’t recognize turns.

Despair claws at my chest and I stumble to a stop. This was useless and now I have to figure out how to get home.

Yay.

Chapter 13

Lilli

Spinning in a circle, I finally see the giant, but he’s so far away. When I try to push through the crowd, I end up near the idling race cars. The last race must be over because a new series of vehicles has taken their place.

When I step on a rock and twist my ankle again, I growl and drop to my butt before wrenching on the right boot. Whatever. I’d rather walk barefoot than subject myself to this for any longer.

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