Page 85 of Heroes & Hitmen
My stomach does a little flip when he moves to pull open the passenger door, holding it for me like he’s some kind of gentleman. And despite my best efforts, I can’t bite back my smile as I step past him and slide into his truck, pulse pounding harder as he shuts my door and jogs around to the other side.
I try to tell myself that this isn’t a big deal; that it’s just another thing to pass the time. That in the grand scheme of things, Ares is a blip– a brief spark before I vanish for good. But with the way my heart’s beating out of tune and my wolf’s howling at the prospect of the run, I know I’m only lying to myself.
CHAPTER 27
Ares
There’snothing like the anticipation of a run. The feeling starts as a burn in my chest, growing and spreading until every cell in my body is begging for release. It’s not just a want, but a need. A primal urge that’s impossible to ignore.
It isn’t the city itself that has me feeling seconds away from ripping out of my skin lately. My human side is drawn to the noise, the crowds, the relentless thrum of it all– but a wolf isn’t meant to be cooped up for weeks at a time. Mine has been chewing on the inside of my skull for days, demanding to be set free. Between these shitty job assignments and the maddening game of hot and cold Miley’s been playing, my inner animal is going a special kind of stir crazy.
It won’t be long now. We’ve made it out of the city, the skyline fading behind us as the trees ahead get taller, clustered tighter together along the road. Soon, we’ll be running free.
Miley’s been giving me turn-by-turn directions from the passenger seat since we left campus. I keep looking over at her, thinking how good she looks riding shotgun in my truck, while she keeps sneaking glances my way like she’s not sure if this is a date or a hostage situation. She’s always got her guard up; always bracing herself for disaster. If anyone needs to run until the rest of the world falls away, it’sher.
“Take this next left,” she directs, pointing out a narrow driveway that’s half hidden by trees.
I hit the brakes and whip the turn, my truck bouncing past aweathered sign warning that this pothole-ridden road is a dead end for ranger access only, not a public entrance to the preserve.
Semantics.
“This place is perfect,” I murmur as the forest closes in around us. “Nice and remote.”
She makes a scoffing sound in her throat, but her lips quirk at the edges like she’s trying not to smile.
“What?” I ask, shooting her a side-eyed glance.
“You sound like a creep.”
“Was that a compliment?”
“In your case, probably.” She shakes her head, a smirk tugging at her lips as she turns her attention back to the windshield. “You can pull off here,” she says, nodding toward a break in the trees ahead where the shoulder widens.
I veer off where she indicated, shifting the gear into park and killing the engine. My entire body hums with excitement as I toss off my seatbelt, pocket my keys, and swing the door open to hop out.
Miley’s already two steps ahead, out of the truck and moving toward a narrow game trail that cuts through the thick brush lining the road. She glances back toward me impatiently, waving for me to hurry up, then ducks into the trees like she just assumes I’ll follow.
Which, of course, I do.
The trail is tight and overgrown, twigs snagging at my clothes as I hustle to catch up. Though we aren’t far from the city, it’s gloriously quiet out here– just the chirp of birds, the scuttle of small animals, and the whisper of leaves overhead. The air is dense with the scent of damp earth and pine, my wolf growing more restless beneath my skin as we push deeper into the forest.
Eventually, we reach a break in the trees that gives way to a small clearing. It’s a decent distance from the road, surrounded by thick brush, and open enough to strip down and shift.Perfect.
“Here?” I ask, my inner animal so close to the surface that my voice comes out as a rough growl.
Miley just nods and turns away without a word, popping the button on her jeans and sliding them down her hips.
As if turning her back will stop me from shamelessly checking her out.
My hungry gaze stays locked on her body as I quickly strip down to nothing, eyes greedily drinking in every inch of smooth, bare skin. She undresses methodically, folding each item of clothinginto a tidy stack on a nearby log. Even out here, she moves like she’s under surveillance– precise, careful, never more exposed than she has to be. It’s only when she finally glances over and catches me staring that she lets her guard down a fraction.
“Enjoying the view?” she teases as she spins to face me, folding her arms under her boobs and lifting her chin in challenge.
Of course, my eyes immediately drop to her rack. Can’t help it– she’s got the prettiest tits I’ve ever seen. My pulse kicks up a notch, and I wet my lips with my tongue before dragging my gaze back to hers, giving her a lazy wink. “Always.”
She huffs out a breath, clearly unimpressed, but the blush blooming across her cheeks and the quick flare of silver in her eyes tell a different story. The tension in the air crackles between us as we stare each other down, both of our wolves obviously close to the surface. And while I’m tempted to annoy her some more, the forest is calling.
The moment I drop my mental barriers and give my wolf the green light, he bursts from my skin in a rush of heat and sensation. A thousand nerves fire at once, bones snapping and rearranging, body reforming in a wild, glorious blur. The world around me sharpens. I smell everything– the wet earth, the rot of old leaves, the lingering sweetness of Miley’s skin. My hearing’s so dialed in I can pick up the steady thrum of her pulse as she calls her own wolf forward, and I glance over just in time to catch her shift.
