Page 18 of Haze

I don’t know what happened earlier today. There was anger and rage, and I had every intention to tell Finn off and get him out of the lab today. How did I end up kissing him? How did I lose control like that?

I don’t remember the last time someone made me come. My thighs clench at the memory of Finn pressed against me. It wasn’t even sex. It was a finger bang in your office. Pull it together.

Finn doesn’t pass us directly. Instead, he takes the route a few tables over, purposefully catching my eye and avoiding Brayden. With a smile, Finn convinces the hostess to seat him in a booth, a hair to the left of my field of vision.

Brayden, the idiot human, is oblivious to a well-known predator, with decades of bloodshed on his hands, behind him. Furthermore, based on the glare on Finn’s face, he’s more than ready to end Brayden’s sad little existence.

Stalking is a new one. Fighting, demanding, and attempting to take more than I’m willing to offer are all ordinary occurrences from wolf males who are drawn to me. They’re clueless about what the draw is. If they knew, they’d probably want me less. No one wants a mate who has no value. Finn won’t figure it out; I won’t let him. Regardless, never have I ever had a man go so far as to stalk me like prey.

Brayden starts to prattle. “I really appreciate you taking care of me. Well, not taking care of me.” He laughs, and I want to gag. “I really think I’m going to get it this year. It would mean a lot if I could stay and help you fix the problem for wolves. Though, from what I understand, it’s safe for wolves to be with humans during their heat. It makes it more enjoyable to have a partner.”

Predicting where he’s going with that sentence, I cut him off. “Oh, well. What do you have for us to look at? It’s O-Chem with Doctor Kenzie, right?”

“Okay.” Brayden drags out the word, then runs his tongue over the front of his teeth before pointing down at his book. “I can never keep my electronegativities straight, and my last tutor said there was some sort of device to help, but I can’t find that notebook. And the professor says they have to be in order.”

I alternate my attention between delicately avoiding Brayden’s flirting, actually explaining chemistry, and avoiding my wolf’s demands to look over at Finn. If Brayden spent half as long trying to comprehend that carbon is literally the most important thing in the world as he did making passes at me, we could be done and I could go home.

Cheese curds arrive, and they’re the one reprieve I have against the Y chromosomes battling it out for my attention. Fried cheese will always be my first love.

Fried cheese doesn’t give orgasms. My wolf huffs, drawing my attention from the basket of greasy goodness to Finn.

* * *

After two hours at the table, the only thing I’ve accomplished is that I now have a belly full of delicious fried cheese. Brayden is grasping only a third of what I’m saying, and I’m getting crabby. I’ve hinted more than once in the last thirty minutes that we should end the session for tonight. Brayden insisting on ‘one more thing’ after ‘one more thing’ after ‘one more thing’ is getting problematic.

I’m picking up my water glass when Brayden crosses a new line. His hand reaches across the table and pets the back of mine. I stiffen.

Dirty brown eyes lock on mine. “I really appreciate you doing this, Lena.” He gives me a slimy smile and a fake laugh. “Huh, I don’t know if you know this, but...”

I live in fear daily. Will today be the day someone figures it out? Will today be the day I can’t hold it together? How many people do I disappoint today? But none of those questions, which I’ve asked thousands of times, compare to this moment.

Brayden’s other hand runs up my inner thigh underneath the table.

My wolf whines. Struggling, she doesn’t know what to do. It feels wrong, and we’re uncomfortable.

Doubling down on the locks I use to hide away unpleasant feelings, I glare at Brayden. Removing my hand from my water glass, I avoid his hand above the table. I move to try and brush his hand away from my thigh.

Instead, Brayden captures my hand, holding it in my lap. I’ve been so wrapped up in making Brayden give up for the night that when my eyes dart to Finn’s table, I’m shocked that he’s not there.

Seriously? He waits two hours and, when I could use a hand, now decides to give up?

My wolf whines. Panic sets in with her. I hold steady. I remind her we can do this. Brayden’s only human.

“I really like you, and I’d really like it if you’d let me take you—” His hand finally lets go of mine under the table, and without any more words, he retreats backward, leaning away from me in his chair.

“Kathleen, Mr. Bachman.”

The retreat makes sense.

The deep, rounded vowels of an Irish accent continue. “Fancy seeing the two of you here.”

I’ve never in my life been so grateful for an overbearing alpha male to interrupt a conversation in my entire life. And that’s saying something when your brother is The Leviathan.

Brayden’s eyes dart from Finn and then down to me. His eyes narrow aggressively. My guess? It’s caused by whatever stupid dominant look Finn must be giving him. I don’t bother turning my head to see it. The face doesn’t matter because it won’t be directed at me.

My wolf slowly melts inside. She lets go of the freeze response and watches with me.

Brayden’s nostrils flare. He grinds his jaw for a moment.

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