Page 21 of The Wolf She Shouldn't Desire

He steps closer to me, practically leaving no space between us. “No, I haven’t forgotten, but I’m not some blind ass fool who is going to ignore this. I want a name, darling.” Hischest rumbles and vibrates in the sliver of air between us as a growl takes up resident in his chest.

“First off, stop growling at me, and second, youaregoing to ignore it. It’s done and over with. There is nothing you can do about it. Why do you care anyway?” His behavior is throwing me off balance with confusion while also trying to ignore the warmth that is trying to creep into my chest.

The growling dissipates, but the fierce look on his face remains. He leans closer to me bringing his lips to my ear. His warm breath caresses my skin as he speaks. “Want to bet? Give me a name, and I’ll show you how I’m going to rip the fucker’s hands off for harming you and feed them to my wolves as a chew toy for them to destroy completely. There will be no chance of reattaching it, and no chance they will ever leave a mark on you ever again.” He completely ignore the question I asked him, but I don’t push it.

I close my eyes and shiver from the pleasure the violent image his words paint in my mind. But I sigh and shake my head as I step back from him.

“As entertaining as that sounds, you still can’t do anything without starting a war between your pack and my coven, and in turn the two species in this city, Jordan.”

“How would going after the person who laid their hands on you accomplish that?”

He really isn’t going to drop this or understand why he can’t do anything unless I tell him.

“It was my father,” I snap at him. “There are you happy now? You got your name, but like I told you, you can’t do anything about it. So, fucking drop it!” We both breathe heavily into the space between us before I add a “Please” a few seconds afterwards when he just continues to glare at me.

We stare at each other in silence. He can’t possibly still be thinking to go after who hit me once he hears who actually did it.He would endanger his pack, and I’m nobody to him, no matter how he is acting right now.

Without breaking eye contact, he moves to stand close to me again and leans down so his lips gently touch the area where my face was bruised significantly an hour ago. I melt with the warmth that finally breaks past my resistance to ignore it and floods me with that one small simple gesture. Why he decided to kiss my face, I have no idea, but I don’t protest or pull away as I revel in the warmth it causes in me for a brief second before he pulls away, ending the contact sooner than I’m willing to admit. He stares at me for a second again before nodding his head in acknowledgment to drop the subject.

“I have to go before Danny comes looking for me.” Before he says anything else, I rush out the door and head to the bathroom like I had originally intended—this time in somewhat of a daze—while trying to comprehend what just happened. We went from hissing and growling at each other to him tenderly kissing my cheek. That man is throwing me through a loop and off balance every time we come near each other. And I’m left conflicted. I enjoy being near him, but I know I shouldn’t.

I gather my wits quickly in the time it takes me to use the bathroom, wash my hands, wash the side of my face where he touched me so his scent isn’t as strong on me because the last thing I need is for Danny and the others to start asking questions I can’t answer, and head back to my group with all thoughts of Jordan effectively tossed out the window. For now, at least.

Chapter 11

Talia

Back at the table, I down my drink and chug the second one waiting for me. All the men eye me but it’s Nolan who asks, “Everything alright?”

“Peachy,” I grumble. “I’m going to go dance. Any of you going to offer to join me?”

Damien gulps down the rest of his whiskey before slamming his glass down on the table. “Fuck it, I’ll come with you.”

I smile. “Ever so noble.”

“Yeah. Yeah. Let’s go.”

We dance a few songs but nothing provocative. Damien and all the others here are like brothers to me. None of them or I have ever had the inclination for a different dynamic. It would feel incestuous if we did even without us actually being related. After three songs, Asher takes Damien’s place. They all rotate until I’m lastly dancing with Danny.

“What’s going on, Talia?”

“Nothing, I’m dancing and having a good time.”

“You know that’s not going to work with me. Something was different when you came back from the bathroom.”

“Okay, I don’t want to talk about it then.”

“Alright, but you know I’m here for you. I’m more than your guardian.”

“I know.” I glance at him tenderly. “Thank you.”

Once the song ends, we return to our table. I plop down on the couch and grab my drink.

“I saw Eddie roaming around,” Nolan comments.

“Good,” I comment in return. Eddie is one of the few coven members assigned to come and keep up on the ongoings, gossip, and such that occurs at Depraved when any of the six of us can’t be here. I’m off duty, so he can take care of it even while I’m here.

“Speak of the devil,” Asher mumbles. Asher and Eddie don’t get along well. Likely to do with how Eddie acts before he thinks, which has caused one or two incidents where others, including Asher, have had to save his ass.

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