Chapter 8
I tossed all night, replaying the scenes in which Sanchez nonverbally claimed he had a right to Fiona.
It had taken so much restraint last night not to let myself go off on him.
Before he came along, I was fighting my body's response to having her so near.
One of the turn-ons was the way her perfume mixed with her scent, making it a heavy-hitting aphrodisiac.
I wanted my hands and mouth all over her.
Leaving her at her bedroom door, without a kiss that time, last night had hurt.
I spent most of the night prowling the small house or lying on my cot in Gal’s room, thinking and dreaming of Fiona.
I lectured Rogue and myself on the need to be patient with her.
She was skittish. I had no idea what her past relationships were like.
However, it was a new day, and I wasn’t getting into anything other than ensuring she would go somewhere with me.
She was simply dressed in a sweater and jeans, without makeup or even her hair styled.
She yawned as if she hadn’t slept much herself.
She went straight to the coffee. A sigh of pure bliss followed her first swallow.
“Oh, I needed that. There’s something about fresh coffee in the morning,” she partially moaned. The way she sounded made my cock jerk and want to come to attention.
The house was quiet. The Katz men were around the table, drinking their own pick-me-up. I’d already had two cups. It was enough.
“What’s on your agenda today, besides sending out resumes, Fiona?” Galen asked her.
She hesitated and exchanged a glance with me.
“She and Keir have plans. They need to talk about a couple of things. We’ll go with Brax and the others to meet a few more of the people you mentioned last night.
The ones who know people who have been harmed, run off, or disappeared,” Gunnar answered for us.
I’d told him I needed to have time with Fiona to talk.
“Sounds good to me. After we’re done, we can see about having everyone come back to hang out here if they want. I know staying in a hotel is hard. I always hated them and the hard beds,” Galen grumbled.
“The ones at our hotel are overall rather decent, but I know what you mean. Some are worse than sleeping on the ground,” Gunnar agreed.
There was a bit more casual talk. I had to remind myself not to get impatient. Fiona kept casting nervous glances at me. It was another hour before Galen and Gal left with Gunnar. The sound of them driving away signaled Fiona to pace. I went to her.
“Fiona, let’s sit and talk. Stop worrying so much,” I urged. I gestured for us to leave the foyer and go into the living room. She did and took a seat on the couch. Immediately, I sat next to her.
She was projecting nervousness, but underneath that was the scent of her arousal.
I had been fighting mine, so I eased back on my control.
It was hard to block that, but I’d had centuries to perfect it.
Being able to block one’s own scent proved very helpful when hunting rogues.
I watched her pupils dilate when she caught a whiff of my pheromones.
Slight panic entered her expression. I chose not to address that directly, not yet.
“What did you want to talk about?” she asked, her voice cracking.
“Last night and Officer Sanchez.”
“What about Eithan?” she asked.
I detested that she called him by his first name. It suggested they were more than casual coworkers. I decided to get to the point.
“You told me about Sanchez’s remarks about us breaking up so you can be with him. Has he been saying other stuff to you? What did he say before I got there?”
“He hasn’t said anything other than what I already told you.
As for what he said last night, it was all about what we were doing there.
He told me he was with a high school friend.
I didn’t say exactly who I was with. He assumed my family, and it was his idea to say hello to them. They’ve met a few times in the past.”
“He said nothing personal?”
She hesitated, then answered, “He complimented my dress and said it enhanced my natural beauty. Why all the questions? I told you. I can’t tell him the truth about who you really are.”
“And who am I really?” I countered.
She frowned. “You’re a Sentinel, sent to find out who’s doing these terrible things to our kind. You’re protecting us and others.”
“That’s true, but that’s not all I am, Fiona.”
“What else is there?” she replied.
Was she that unaware, or was she playing coy? I couldn’t detect that she was pretending.
“I came here as a Sentinel. I stayed, yes, to investigate and protect, but that isn’t all. I had to meet you. And when I did, it was crystal clear to me that I had to stay and see if what I hoped was true was.”
“Hoped to be true?” she murmured.
“Yes. Tell me how you feel about me. What do I make you feel?”
Immediately, her scent grew stronger. I let mine out more. She began breathing slightly heavier.
“K-Keir, I don’t know what you mean. I’m thankful for your protection of my family and for your work to find whoever is behind the letter we received.”
“Is gratitude the only thing you feel toward me?” I questioned.
If she were only sexually attracted to me, unwilling for it to be more than sex, then I wouldn’t be able to do this. Sure, I’d had sex with plenty of women, human and shifter, over the centuries. And it was only ever about sex, nothing close to desiring one of them to be my mate.
That wasn’t the case with Fiona. If she wanted a superficial physical relationship, then as hard as it would be, as painful as it would be to deny myself and Rogue, I’d walk away.
And in doing so, I’d remain alone. There would be no way I’d hurt another by claiming her when I’d never be able to love her, not fully, the way a true mate would.
Her scent continued to tell of her desire, but along with it was subterfuge. She sat there saying nothing, looking down at her hands. Anger hit me, and I moved closer. She tensed as I gripped her chin. I lifted her head so she had to look me in the eye.
“What are you hiding? I can smell it, Fiona. Why hide things? Answer the question. Do you only want to fuck me? Or are you looking for more with me? Do you want to be with Sanchez? Is he the kind of man, the kind of relationship, you want? If so, why aren’t you with him now, in his bed?”
My voice was harsh. I let my frustration at her show. Rogue was inside pacing. He was angry that we might not be able to claim our mates.
If we claim them, she’ll grow to accept us, he told me.
If we do that, against her will, we’ll only ever have a shadow of what it could be. I need her love, even if you don’t need her cat’s love.
As I waited for her to answer, her eyes changed. I saw her leopard staring out at me. It was hard to explain to someone who wasn’t one of us how you could see the other half of someone in their eyes. If you watched closely, they became shaped like an animal’s eyes, not entirely human.
Suddenly, her hands came up, and she shoved me. I rocked back. Her strength was incredible for someone so small.
“What about you? Why pretend you’re so wonderful?
You’re looking for sex while you’re here.
Poor Keir, having to go without for a few weeks.
I forgot, you’re a male shifter. You can’t deny yourself.
No thanks, I’ll pass on the dubious honor of sharing your bed where countless others have been.
You’re right, I’ll share Eithan’s. At least I know I’ll be more than a fuck to him. ”
Her angry words struck like a blow. Then she yanked her chin free of my grip and jumped to her feet.
Before I could react, she stomped toward the door.
She swept her keys and bag off the nearby console table.
Her hand was on the handle before I moved.
My leopard’s reflexes and speed took me to her in less than five bounds.
I grabbed and spun her around, pushing her back to the door.
Fiona’s glare was hot. If it had been a real flame, I’d have been burned. She struggled as she hissed, “Let go of me before I rip your face off.”
As sick as it sounded, her threat made the fire inside of me increase. The worst thing in the world for me would be a docile, quiet woman. One who never spoke her mind, always did as she was told, and was obedient no matter what.
“If all I wanted was sex from you, I would’ve had you on your hands and knees the day we met.
I wouldn’t have tried to get to know you as a person.
I wouldn’t have cared whether you liked me or not.
I wouldn’t have bothered to get to know your family.
I would’ve forced you to submit to me based on physical attraction.
You’re a shifter. You would’ve given in if I pushed it.
My cock would be inside of you right now,” I snarled.
My fury and disappointment made me say those ugly things.
As soon as they left my mouth, I regretted them.
But it was too late. Fiona’s hand rose between us, and I glimpsed it.
Her hand was now a paw capped in vicious and sharp nails, a claw.
She swiped it across my cheek, tearing the flesh open.
I instinctively stepped away from her. She followed, and while I prepared for her to claw me again, since her hand was raised, I wasn’t prepared for the agony that bloomed inside of me when her knee met my cock and balls.
Blinding pain exploded throughout my body.
I dropped to my knees, hunched over. Her moving away and opening the door registered, but all I could do was croak out to her.
“Fiona, don’t,” I rasped.
“Fuck you, Keir Brady,” she yelled, then she was out the door.
I tried to get to my feet and go after her, but that move sent waves of misery throughout my body.
I fell back down. Unwilling to lie there, I tried again.
Even though it hurt so badly I wanted to vomit, I staggered out the door, hunched over.
I made it out to the yard in time to see her tearing off in her car.
Jesus Christ, what the hell had I done? I fumbled in my pocket for my phone.
When I got it out, I found Gunnar's name and called him. He answered after the second ring.
“Hey, you two done talking already? We’re at the first house. We’ll be gone for a while. I’ll warn you before we return.”
“Gun, she’s gone,” I said, strangled.
“What do you mean she’s gone? Are you okay? Where are you?” he barked, all gentleness gone.
“I’m at the house. She and I fought. She …she clawed me then drove my junk through my goddamn stomach. She got away from me,” I admitted.
Gunnar swore low and long. I waited impatiently for him to be finished.
“Alright, I’ll bring the two Galens home. You get out there and start searching for her. Do you have any idea where she might go?” he asked.
Instantly, the image of her in bed with Sanchez flashed through my mind. A deep, angry growl slipped out.
“She said she was going to Sanchez. She’s going to sleep with him,” I gritted out.
“What the fuck did you say to her?” he asked.
“Never mind that. I can’t let her do that. Not until I apologize and explain myself better. I need to know where he lives. If he’s at work, she’ll have to find somewhere else to stay, or go to him, get his key, and wait for him to get off work. Fuck!” I shouted.
I was back at the front door. I pulled it closed and locked it. I had a key that Galen Senior gave me. Once it was secured, I hobbled out to my SUV.
“I’ll ask Brax. They were checking into him, as you asked. They should have at least an address. I’ll call you back.”
“Thanks,” I said before hanging up.
Once I got my truck going, I pressed the gas pedal harder.
I knew I was driving above the speed limit, but I didn’t care.
I scanned the road ahead, hoping to see her car.
It was nowhere to be seen. Surely, she didn’t have that big of a head start on me.
When I stopped at the intersection of the main road that ran past her subdivision, I looked left, then right.
Traffic was pretty thick. No sign of her car.
It was a guess which way I should go. I headed toward the police station.
I had a fifty-fifty chance she’d be there.
Time seemed to drag as I weaved through the congestion. I was speeding, but it was harder to do in the traffic. My heart pounded. Rogue was growling inside of me, pacing, and upset. He feared we’d lose her due to my temper and stupidity. He wouldn’t even talk to me.
What felt like an hour later, but was no more than five or six minutes, my phone rang. I answered without pausing. It was Brax’s number on the caller ID.
“I’m not asking what happened right now. Here is the address of Officer Sanchez. I’d already asked Royal to investigate Sanchez. He had his address. I’m sending it to you. Where are you?” His no-nonsense attitude came through the phone.
“Headed to the police station. He may be working today.”
“True. Why don’t you let us go there? You need to head away from her place in the opposite direction. We’ll divide and conquer. Then, after one of us gets her back to the house, you two need to sit and talk. Sounds like you fucked up royally,” he observed dryly.
“Yeah, remember how you pissed Cerys off about Heron?” I asked.
Brax groaned. “God, don’t tell me it was that bad. Shit. Okay, you can salvage this. I did. It may take time and groveling.”
“If I drove her to sleep with him, I’ll never forgive myself. I was an asshole, Brax,” I confessed.
“I doubt she’ll do that. If she wanted to have sex with him, she would’ve done it before now. Don’t forget, she pretended you were her boyfriend to get him over his infatuation. I’ll let you know what we find. Watch yourself.”
“Thanks, same to you.”
As I hung up, I fumbled to bring the bottom of my black T-shirt up to wipe the blood away from my face. I’d forgotten it was bleeding until the feel of it running down my neck registered. I pressed hard to stem the bleeding.
I knew I must look stupid with my shirt hiked up and pressed to my face, but I didn’t care. My phone chimed with an alert. I had to let go of my shirt to open it on my phone. I pressed it and was taken straight to the directions for getting to Sanchez’s place.
Minutes ticked by as I navigated the traffic and worried. What Brax said was true about her trying to make Sanchez see she wasn’t into him, but it did little to settle my anxiety. As I drew closer to the address, my muscles tightened, and my stomach churned more. What would I find?