Page 45 of Bear Facts

Shane shrugged, continuing to enjoy her satin hair beneath his fingertips. “I’m a great guy.”

“Yeah? I think it was because I looked like shit.”

Shane’s instant interest in her in the woods hadn’t cared, but he shrugged again. “If you want to think so.”

“I need to wait.” Freya took up her earlier theme. “To find out how all this plays out. I don’t want to get my heart tangled in a relationship, and this relationship right now is only a convenience. For both of us.”

Shane wasn’t sure about that, but he’d go along with whatever she said. At least, until his cock decided to give up. He wasn’t thinking too straight right now.

“And I truly am totally exhausted.” Freya went limp on top of him, her head resting on his shoulder. “I need to sleep.”

If she thought her warm weight on him would soothe Shane down, she was mistaken.

But, as Shane had just told her, he was a great guy. Her attraction to him tonight was mate frenzy, triggered by his claim and her need for a safe haven, but Freya’s hunger had now abated, leaving her tired and relaxed.

Shane forced himself to sit up, scooping Freya up and depositing her on the bed beside him.

“Tell you what.” Shane rose, shook out the covers, and settled them over her. “You get some sleep, and we’ll argue about it in the morning. Maybe all day tomorrow. Or all week. As long as it takes.”

He heard himself babbling, but his nonsense words seemed to ease her. Freya yawned.

When Shane turned away, thinking he’d grab a quick and very cold shower, she caught his hand.

“Stay?” The request was quiet, hesitant.

Shane debated his answer only for a moment. Then he stripped back the sheets and scrambled quickly into the bed, dragging the covers over them both. Freya had snuggled down on her side, resting her head on her bent arm on the pillow. Shane spooned against her back, one hand on her hip, and gazed down at her.

“Good night, my Freya,” he whispered.

Silence. Freya’s eyes were closed, and her chest rose and fell with a long breath.

“You’re supposed to say, Good night, Shane.”

No answer. Freya drew another breath, her body releasing into much-needed sleep.

Shane stayed awake in their nest, enjoying her nearness as rain drummed on the roof, sleep eluding him for a long time.

Xavier Escobar frowned at the computer screen. He was the last one working tonight at the small office complex that held DX Security, staying late to unravel the puzzle that was Althea Webster’s private security firm.

Shane had provided a good description of the woman, her guards, the Shifter with her, their weaponry, and their vehicles, including license plate numbers. Shifters had formidable powers of observation, and Shane was one of the best. He never boasted of his ability, but it was there.

Xav would get Freya’s take on Althea’s setup tomorrow—as in, how Freya had contacted her and fixed the interview, though Xav had already learned a lot about that process. If a person wanted to hire Althea, or go to work for her, they called a phone number on an otherwise blank black card that could only be obtained by referral.

The seeker was then put in touch with someone else who would arrange the meeting with Althea. There were many layers between the woman and the world.

He’d come across intriguing information after he’d returned from Shiftertown this evening, which was why he was sitting in the office so late, the window above his desk black with night and streaked with rain.

Althea had started inquiring about something very interesting, in encrypted emails that Neal had found and Xav had decrypted. He was reading the startling details when the back door opened.

Instantly, Xav killed the light and turned off his bright computer screen. This office was very secure, which was why he didn’t worry about sitting alone in the night on a quiet backstreet in Las Vegas.

On the other hand, someone had just managed to get past the complicated lock on the rear door and was moving through the office as though they knew exactly where they were going.

Emergency lighting was always on at low intensity in the hallways, and this outlined the intruder, who paused in the hall outside Xav’s office.

Xav tightened, but he switched on the light again.

“Lindsay,” he said in a neutral tone. “What’s up?”

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