“Yeah?” I set my bowl on the side table and crawled into his lap. He smiled as I lifted my hands to his silver hair and gently patted the top of it. “Like this?”
His nose crinkled, and his canines flashed with his toothy grin. “Yes.”
“Good. I can give you all the pats until we get home.”
Lake closed his eyes and leaned into my touch. “The thief came to you earlier today, didn’t he?”
“You sensed him in the carriage?”
“No,” he answered. “He must’ve masked his presence with the shadows. But I sensed your emotions. And your… arousal.”
Guilt slammed into my chest. “I’m sorry. If it upsets you, I won’t—”
“No reason to apologize.” Lake pushed his face against my neck. “Maddox, Briar, and I have already given our blessing for you to be with him, should you choose to do so. My only concern is for your safety.”
“Would you actually tell me if you were upset?”
“Yes,” Lake said without hesitation. “I’ll never lie to you, Evan. Or hurt you.”
“Such a loyal pup.” The voice came from the left of us.
Lake bared his teeth and tightened his hold on me.
Rowan was perched on the windowsill, the curtains ruffling with the evening breeze. He wore a hood, and a dark green scarf was pulled up, covering the lower half of his face. The hilt of the long dagger strapped to his hip gleamed from the glow of the lanterns lighting the room.
He reminded me of an assassin. He sure as hell moved as stealthily as one. Not even Lake had detected him.
“State your business here, thief,” Lake said with a snarl.
“My business is currently straddling you, pup.” Rowan tilted his head back and lowered the scarf, revealing a crooked smile that did annoying things to my stomach. “Come away with me, little treasure. The city awaits.”
“Huh?”
“You’ve been itching for an adventure, right?” Rowan motioned to the sights beyond the window. “That adventure is calling. How kind of me to offer my services to escort you.”
“Kind. Right.” I looked outside, feeling a pressure in my chest. I really wanted to go with him. To see things I hadn’t before.
“He’s not going anywhere with you,” Lake interjected, not loosening his hold on me in the slightest.
Rowan clicked his tongue. “Now, now. You’re breaching the terms of our deal. I gave the captain information, and in turn, you’re supposed to stay out of my way in regard to Evan. I upheld my end of that bargain. So be a good boy and let him go.”
Growls reverberated in Lake’s chest, one after the other.
“Hey.” I took his face in both my hands and pressed our foreheads together. Those growls instantly silenced. “Rowan won’t hurt me.”
I was like ninety-eight percent sure of that, anyway. Maybe a strong ninety-five percent.
“And if he does hurt you?” Lake’s hard tone contradicted the vulnerability in his purple eyes.
“Then you can bite him, I guess.”
Rowan scoffed.
“I don’t like this. You going somewhere alone with him.” Various emotions crossed Lake’s face. Fear, irritation, love. “I lost you once and swore I’d never let it happen again.”
“You won’t lose me.” I moved my hands to the back of his neck and lightly massaged. The muscles were insanely tight, feeling more like boulders. “Wherever I go, I know you’ll always find me.”
The softest of whines tore through his throat. “Say my name if you need me. No man or beast is strong enough to keep me from you. My human.”
“My wolf.” I rested our foreheads together again before sliding off his lap. He grabbed my hand before I went far and, with great hesitation, let our fingers brush together and fall apart. “I’ll see you when I get back.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
“You may be waiting for a while,” Rowan said before hopping from his perch and offering me his hand. “Hurry along, little treasure. The night is young, and we have places to see.”
I placed my hand in his, putting my trust in him.
Rowan tugged me closer and hooked an arm around my waist. “Hold on tight.”
And then, he leapt from the window.
