Page 31 of How to Flirt with a Hellhound
“What? Can’t hear you, Dex. Sounds like you’re in a fucking tunnel. It couldn’t possibly be because you’ve refused to join the twenty-first century and use bluetooth and instead have your phone scrunched up on your shoulder, could it?” Liam teased.
“You’re a fucking hellhound. You can hear me just fine, asshole,” I griped.
I heard more clicking, then Liam whistled softly. “Well shit, this isn’t very pretty. I take it the original email address is your human neighbor?”
I was scanning the emails for the first time now that I’d sent them. This fucker was twisted, and I desperately wanted to go over to Toby’s and… I didn’t even know. I had the urge to lay over him in my hellhound form, which was just fucking stupid, but my protective drive was beating at my skull. “Yes,” I ground out, my voice guttural.
The clacking stopped again. “Dex, are you alright?” Liam asked.
All I could was growl low in my throat.
“Ok, stop reading the emails,” Liam said calmly.
Everything was taking on a red haze, and my eyes were glued to the screen. I knew I was still growling, but I couldn’t help it.
“Dex!” Liam shouted, and I jerked backwards, blinking a few times.
I grunted in reply.
“Stop reading the emails. Close the computer. Do it now, Dexter,” Liam commanded.
I chafed at the order, but I did it anyway.
“Take a few deep breaths. Toby is safe. He’s next door to you, isn’t he? Is he home now?” Liam asked.
I stood up and walked over to my window, cracking it open. I listened and smelled the air. Yes, Toby was still home. Of course he was—I would have heard if he left. I could hear him puttering around the kitchen, and his smell was faint on the breeze. It also smelled like he was cooking something. Or, more accurately, burning something. I smiled despite myself.
“Yes, he’s home. He’s burning dinner,” I commented.
“Better?” Liam asked.
“Yeah,” I responded. “I just…” I trailed off, not knowing what to say. Finally I just muttered, “He feels like pack.”
Liam was quiet for a moment, and I expected a million questions, but instead I just heard the clacking of keys start up again, and his voice was business-like when he responded.“Well,ok then. Let’s get this stalker shit figured out so we can keep your Toby safe.”
Liam was an asshole at times, and he was totally the big brother of the group, but he always had my back, and I was so thankful for that. Sometimes he really did know exactly what we all needed.
“The house offer?” I asked, wondering if that was also a loose end.
“Ah, yeah, sorry. That wasn’t me, but it was the pack. Jude told Corbin about it, and Corbin did his witchy mojo shit and read some tea leaves or some such thing, and he told me about it before he put the offer in. The property is huge—it’s comprised of three actual lots if we wanted to build additional structures—and there’s even a fully furnished pool house in the back that would serve as an apartment for someone who needed more space,” Liam replied.
We were probably both thinking of Atlas. He was the loner of the group, with good reason, and although he was pack, he liked his space, too.
“Ok, so about this stalker…” Liam started, and I grunted in reply.
He continued to chatter on about IP addresses and VPNs and other weird IT initials that made no sense to me, and I just grunted along, happy that he was looking into things.
This would probably mean that someone, whether it was Corbin, Jude, or Liam, would show up soon, but suddenly that didn’t sound so bad. It would be someone extra to help me protect Toby, and that was all that was important to me at the moment.
Somehow my sweet, cute neighbor had become more important to me than I thought possible, and I didn’t know what I would do if something happened to him. I pitied any fool whotried to harm him. I would burn them and everything they held dear down to protect my Toby.
Chapter 13
Toby
Ok, so cooking wasn’t my strong point, right along with anything involving power tools. I thought about asking Dex over for some takeout, but then I wondered if that seemed a little desperate. After all, I’d seen him a few times today already. Plus, I knew he was looking into the internet creep, and I didn’t want to distract him. Or be a hassle.
I sighed, pulled out a fork, and opened the fridge, grabbing a tub of chicken salad I’d picked up at the market. I ate it with the fridge open, staring mindlessly into the void looking for something more appealing to eat.
