Page 38 of Rogue Wolf Hunter

Jace stood. “Do what you like. It doesn’t need to concern me.”

“So that’s it?” She set her own mug down on the counter, a little too forcefully. “You just drop this steaming pile of shit in my lap and expect to leave?”

“No one said anything about leaving.”

“I thought that was the plan? To get the hell outta Dodge?”

He’d never dare tell her it, but that hadn’t ever been the plan. At least, not since she’d speared him with that look of disappointment. Like she expected more from him.

Expected him to be some sort of hero.

“Plans change.” He scratched at his stubble.

She grumbled, and thankfully, she didn’t press him further. Though somehow, shedidend up riding in the Chevelle with him all the way back to the apartment. Hell if he knew why.

He was eager to place some distance between them. For levity’s sake. But she kept coming at him like a Conrail freight train he didn’t have the strength to stop.

Once they were safely inside the burner apartment, Jace had fully cemented his plans. In any case he’d need a hell of a lot more artillery than was currently on him. Breaking into E.U headquarters would require that.

Crossing the sparse apartment space, he retrieved a black duffel bag from the bedroom and headed to the arms closet.

Francesca stood there, lingering awkwardly near the doorway, watching him. “So, do you intend to fill me in on the new plan, or are we making this up as we go?”

“There’s nowein this.” Jace shook his head. “Not a chance, sweetheart.” He tore open the weapons chest, removing another semi-auto and flipping off the safety lock. He didn’t know what the hell she was thinking, but whatever scenario she’d concocted in that pretty little head about them making friends, teaming up, he wanted no part in it. He couldn’t, wouldn’t, cause her to get further involved in this mess. No way in hell.

He might as well place a target on her back.

He cast her a glance. “Look. I appreciate you letting me crash at your place, but like I said before, you’re free to leave.”

“So that’s it then?” She dropped her hands to her sides with an audible flop. “You won’t even hear me out?”

Jace paused. What part of no didn’t she understand? “You think I didn’t know about that little rendezvous with your packmate down on the street last night?”

Her eyes widened. Clearly she’d thought he was asleep then, but he’d been trained to wake at the slightest sound, the smallest movement. She hadn’t been so stealthy.

“Any plan of yours is no doubt going to involve your pack. When shit hits the fan and word makes its way to HQ, you want them caught up in this?”

She started to respond, then hesitated.

Good.That seemed to knock some sense into her. At least, temporarily.

Her hands made their way to her hips, and his gaze shouldn’t have followed the movement there, shouldn’t have lingered, but he couldn’t help himself. He could still feel the curve of her against his hands, the way she’d melted for him.

That was quickly becoming a problem with her.

Falling to temptation. Changing plans. That much was clear.

“So you save my life and then expect me to never see you again?”

He cocked a half-grin. “Don’t go getting all emotional on me now, Princess.”

He tried to tell himself that she didn’t mean anything deeper by that, but his head was too busy reeling from the consequences of his actions. Formulating alternatives. Making plans. Tempting as she was, she was just another block in the road he had to deal with. Another complication in a life already full of clusterfuck after clusterfuck.

He couldn’t allow it to be anything more than that.

His thoughts turned to the rage that’d coursed through him the previous night. When Chet had threatened her. Jace couldn’t stand the thought of watching someone hurt innocents, but Lord knew he’d seen plenty of injured and hurt women out on the street far too many times before. Kids, too. He’d always felt a drive to protect them, sure. Not to be a hero, but to do his job. Protect those who couldn’t protect themselves. The way no one had ever done for him. But nothing outside the realm of logic and reason. Nothing that would get his ass handed to him, or hold the potential for weakness.

Nothing like he’d felt in that interrogation room.

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