Page 39 of Callen's Captive
CALLEN
Kate was still trying to get rid of him. First there was all that talk about returning to his pack whenever he wanted, and now she had basically kicked him out of the motel office, sending him on a food run. Granted, they needed to pick up the food, but it was the way she had dismissed him, and all because he’d growled at the asshole clerk. It was one small growl, and that clerk deserved it with the way he was flirting with her.
From Kate’s expression, she hadn’t been pleased with the clerk’s flirting either. Her body language showed she’d been in that type of situation before and knew how to shut down unwanted attention. She might be small, but his Kate was full of fire and not the least bit shy about standing up for herself.
Was he underestimating her, and that’s why she didn’t want him around? He wasn’t trying to control her.
Callen nodded to the female cashier of the diner. The young woman was striking and had a pleasant smile, but she was no Kate. There was no light in her face, not like his Kate.
“Hi. I’m picking up an online order. Number 271. Hamburgers and a salad.”
She looked at the computer screen. “Mr. B. Foot?”
Very funny, Kate.“Yes.”
The cashier went in back to grab the order. Callen drummed his fingers against the counter. He and his wolf were both on edge again, and it wasn’t because he had left Kate down the road. The fact that she had survived on her own all these years proved she could take care of herself.
He had seen buildings with four-feet thick concrete walls that crumbled faster than the walls she had built up around herself. He didn’t know how to get past those damn walls of hers. The woman was confusing. Smart, beautiful, and passionate, but definitely confusing. And stubborn. He couldn’t forget stubborn.
Callen didn’t want to take her away from her mission, not forever, just long enough so he could check in with Damien. Besides, she needed a chance to breathe, away from the mercenaries, away from the city with its judgmental humans.
“Here, sweet-cheeks,” the cashier said with a smile as she placed the paper bag with plastic containers on the counter. Whatever Kate had ordered smelled good. The cashier checked the computer again. “Says it’s all paid for. Come back anytime. Ask for Cherie.”
He ignored her smile, nodded his thanks, and headed into the night. If he wasn’t careful with Kate, she’d run again. It took her a while to trust. He would have to be patient with her. Did she even like him? As a friend, yes, he was sure of that, but as something more? He didn’t have a read on her yet. The kissing had been fine, great in fact, but then nothing. She had pulled away when he’d had his hand on her very full breast, but he’d sensed a reluctance about her too, as if she didn’t want to pull away. Damn, he needed to stop thinking about touching her, as it got him hard every time.
Callen headed down the road, already dreading staying in the seedy motel. The place had all of three cars in the parking lot. Kate had intentionally picked the establishment because it was rather isolated and therefore less likely to attract police or mercenaries. No one with an ounce of sense would go near the place, except Kate. She had survived by leveraging places like this dump.
Only half the motel’s exterior lights were working. Even the office was dark. No, closed. The pink neon ‘closed’ sign was lit up and casting a weird hue onto the wet pavement. Callen’s hackles rose. Kate wasn’t anywhere in sight.
* * *
KATE
The gun wasin the pack on her shoulder and there was no way to get to it. She tried to shove her panic aside and think.
The creep flipped a switch by the door, and the motel’s pink neon ‘closed’ sign lit up bright enough that no one would come near the office. That’s when she kneed him. He grabbed his balls, and she kicked him in the thigh, throwing him off balance. He crashed to the floor. Hands shaking, Kate fumbled with the door lock.
“Bitch!” he shouted. Still coughing, the man pulled himself up, one hand still cupping his crotch.
Kate finally got the deadbolt to turn. As soon as she flung the door open, she shot out of the office and ran straight into Callen.
He steadied her, his face scrunched up in concern. He took one look at her, dropped the food, and charged into the motel office.
“No, Callen!”
She couldn’t move fast enough. By the time she reached the office, the clerk was already unconscious; his face was a bloody mess. Callen continued to beat him. Kate grabbed hold of his arm, trying to pull Callen away from the clerk. A fly had a better chance of pulling an elephant away from water.
“Please, Callen! Don’t kill him!” she shouted, tears streaming down her face.
Callen suddenly stopped, pitched his ears toward the street, grabbed her hand, and raced out the back. She didn’t know where they were or how far they’d run when he finally stopped and started checking her over. His hands smoothed over her face, her arms, all of her.
She shoved him away. “Don’t!”
He tried again, and she shoved him again—hard. “Stupid, stupid, stupid. I should have known better. I sent you away to avoid trouble, and I’m the one that found it instead. You need to go, Callen. Before being with me gets you caught again.”
Slowly and cautiously, he kissed the top of her head and then drew her into his arms. Her fear and anxiety began to dissipate, and she stopped shaking. Being in his arms shouldn’t feel so good, so right, but it did.
Anger flared in those amazing brown and yellow eyes, but the rest of him was soft and open to her.
