The beast saw her as his mate. She was his future, his one and only. Seeing the human who betrayed her pretend to care made Rodrigo’s vision turn red. The taste of blood swam in his mouth, coppery and sweet.
This was wrong. Everything about it was wrong. It was like the mask Brock wore was slightly askew. Rodrigo got a small glimpse of the evil that lurked beneath. He wanted to haul the man out of the apartment by the collar of his shirt, but what would Lily think? She would accuse him of being jealous. She would think he was abusing his power as a shifter.
Rodrigo was not the tyrant Dante had once been. He wasn’t going to throw people around to make them bend to his wishes. He wanted them to know that he was a good person. As it was, Lily barely believed in him. The way she glanced from Brock to Rodrigo, made him wonder if she was grateful for her ex’s presence.
Did she think Brock was here to protect her from him?
“Everything is fine, Brock. You don’t have to stay.”
Her words lifted a weight from Rodrigo’s shoulders. He dragged in a breath and felt his chest fill with bright hope. There was a chance she didn’t hate him after all.
Brock glanced over his shoulder at Rodrigo, brows furrowed with obvious ill intent. “No. I think I should stay. You sounded so scared in your voice mail. You wouldn’t have called me if you didn’t think I could protect you.”
“Yeah, but…” she tried to say before Brock cut her off.
He held up a hand, his nose in the air. It was clear he would hear nothing else.
Brock’s hand closed around Lily’s wrist, and Rodrigo saw red all over again. His growl was audible. It shook through the room, but Brock willfully ignored it. Rodrigo took a step forward. Brock pulled Lily along, acting as though he didn’t see the threat behind him even though Rodrigo know Brock only moved because he was afraid. The man kept his eyes low, but Rodrigo glimpsed the whites around them.
Rodrigo didn’t get the chance to hurt Brock, though. They didn’t hear Bullfrog’s growl over Rodrigo’s, so when the small dog struck, it took them all by surprise. Brock howled and looked down. The little dog had attached itself to Brock’s leg. Bullfrog shook his head back and forth.
The sound of tearing fabric and a high-pitched scream filled the small apartment. Lily clapped her hand over her mouth, but not before Rodrigo caught her laugh. Her eyes glittered with amusement. It was Rodrigo who bent and gathered the small dog.
Bullfrog wasn’t ready to give up his quarry, but after some coaxing, the dog released its grip on Brock’s leg. Rodrigo moved to lift the pantleg and see how much damage was actually done, but Brock leapt away from him. Horror was written across Brock’s face.
It was Lily who sighed. “For someone studying to be a doctor, you’re awfully dumb. Rodrigo won’t turn you into a shifter just by touching your blood.”
Rodrigo nodded. “I would have to bite you to change you. Bullfrog, while a valiant protector, is not a shifter.”
Brock backed away. The anger in his eyes was obvious, a fire he projected at both Lily and Rodrigo. “So, that’s how it is? I prostrate myself before you,” he said with his eyes on Lily, “and you ignore me for a dog? You’d throw away all the years we spent together to fuck an animal? Are you sure that’s how you want to live out your days?”
There was something oddly threatening about the way Brock delivered his last line. Rodrigo was done. He was ready to shot put Brock into the sun and watch the man bubble and burn.
“Get out,” Rodrigo growled. It was a warning growl, a threat he wouldn’t follow through on if only the man would leave.
His skin crawled. The smell of blood was on the air. That could have been it. Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was missing something. He felt like a clue was staring him in the face, but he didn’t know how to decipher it. He would have been frustrated had his concern for Lily not overridden every other thought.
Once Brock stormed out, the door slamming behind him, Rodrigo marveled at his own control. It was growing better with each passing day. Had this happened weeks ago, he would have shifted. He would have hurt Brock.
Now, he squatted on Lily’s floor with a French Bulldog tucked in one arm.
“So, you called your ex before me? I am wounded,” he teased.
She explained herself again. Rodrigo knew it was his fault, that he’d given her the impression that he would not be able to help her. He swore to do better. He would convince her, by the end of the night, that he would be there for whatever she needed. Whenever she needed him.
Once he caught the kidnapper, she would be safe again. But, for tonight, he would see if she needed him. A part of him hoped she did. He didn’t want to leave. He wasn’t ready to part ways with her. The night was still young, and Lily looked at him like she might want him to stay. Her lower lip was between her teeth.
He wanted that lip between his teeth, but was too afraid of what she would do. If she was still afraid, if she was angry at him, she would push him away. He could give her space, but he wanted to pull her into his arms more than anything.
His mate. His love.
He didn’t know how to tell her.
“You aren’t going to leave me again. Are you?”
He let out the breath he’d been holding. “Not a chance in hell.”
Chapter Sixteen
Rodrigo didn’t leave that night. They slept, entwined in each other’s arms. While they were comforted into a deep sleep, Bullfrog took the liberties of chewing on a pair of skate shoes and a purse strap.
Lily looked down at her new pet, hands on her hips and ruined goods at her feet. Bullfrog looked up at her with a stupid smile on his face. He had no idea what he’d done was bad and, to be honest, she didn’t know how to punish him for it. She knew that if she went about it the wrong way, she could confuse him and push him away.
“I seriously underestimated you.” How could a dog missing three canines still do so much damage?
Lily had moved forward, into a brand-new life. She’d gotten herself a dog and thought things had moved forward with Rodrigo. The haze of lust and affection from the night before had worn off, though. He was gone, and she wasn’t sure why.
The night before left her confused and troubled. Rodrigo had answered her call. Without hesitation, too. He showed up for her when she needed him. And he hadn’t made a fuss or blamed her for anything.
Brock had arrived, too. He hadn’t answered his phone, but he’d made an effort. At first, it’d made her wonder if he could truly love her still. It gave her hope that he wanted to change for her. Then, he acted like he always did.
No, that performance had been something more. It’d been in defiance of Rodrigo. It’d been a dominance battle, a kind of pissing contest. She knew Brock wanted her back, but that seemed strange. Even for him.
Groaning, she grabbed a pair of joggers from the floor and a cropped sweatshirt. Rodrigo stirred on the bed. He blinked at her, a slow smile spreading over his face. The sight of it made her heart flip. She let out a breath and her gut unclenched.
As long as he was near, she was safe. She knew it like she knew the sun was a star. It was a fact that had taken a bit to learn, but now that she knew it, she could not refute it. All she feared was losing him. This mission he doggedly pursued threatened not only her, but his life. She recalled the night he’d showed up covered in blood. How he’d nearly passed out as he healed.
Surely, that had been caused by this kidnapper. This stalker.
She didn’t believe that the pack could have done that to him. He was too smart, too caring. She thought his pack could see that, too. Rodrigo cared about everyone he came into contact with. It didn’t matter who they were to him, he did his best to keep their life safe.
Even if it hurt him.
He’d stayed away to protect her. But now he reached for her and drew her back onto the bed with him. He held onto her like she might disappear at any moment. She knew because she held onto him the same way.
Eventually, Bull
frog leapt onto the bed and plopped onto Rodrigo. The dog drooled onto Rodrigo’s face. She panicked and tried to push Bullfrog back, but Rodrigo just laughed. He tousled the dog’s ears, still grinning.
No day in her life had ever felt like this. Yes, there was still a lot hanging over their heads. Brock’s blood was still on the floor. They hadn’t bothered to clean up the meager droplets before laying down together. Someone in town was hurting people.
Yet, behind closed doors, Lily could believe that she was in heaven. Rodrigo’s laugh was rich and deep, the realest thing she’d ever heard in her life. His happiness was genuine. She could almost taste it on her tongue, like tangy orange juice in the first rays of morning light. She could taste it because she, too, was just as happy.
“I’m going to go out and get coffee,” she told Rodrigo.
She thought he would say okay and roll back over. Instead, he lurched out of bed and fumbled for his pants on the floor. She watched, confused, until he found his wallet. Holding her hands up, she was ready to say that she could pay for it herself when he handed her a thin slip of paper.
She stared down at it, head cocked to the side in confusion.
“Take it! I bought it for you…uh, a while ago. I just didn’t know how to give it to you.”
Slowly, she pulled the slip of paper from his grip. The familiar logo of her favorite coffee shop was emblazoned on the corner. It was a gift certificate.
For fifty dollars.
She laughed incredulously. “You’re ridiculous. You didn’t have to do this!”
He shrugged. “What does requirement have to do with anything? I wanted to do it for you, so I did.”
She was stunned.
“Well,” she began. “When you put it like that…”
He leaned across the bed and kissed her, a gentle touch that asked if he could take more. She pressed into him and he cupped the side of her face, greedily taking as much as he could. She groaned and nearly collapsed back onto the bed to give him everything.
She pulled away, panting heavily. “Coffee.”
Bullfrog clawed at the front door.
“And time to walk the dog.” Rodrigo laughed and pulled his pants on. “I’ll go with you.”
She couldn’t help it. She smiled. This wasn’t what she was used to. Six years of her life had taught her what a relationship was. She thought she knew everything. That was a long time. Yet, every minute with Rodrigo was a new lesson. He showed her how things could be better. How much happier she could be.
She slipped into her sandals and grabbed the leash off the wall. Rodrigo pulled on his shirt to reveal that it was the one she’d given him the night they made love. He paused on his way to the door and picked up something from the pile of stuff she’d bought for Bullfrog.
“Is this a bow tie?”
She studied what he held up and nodded. “It certainly is.”
He shook his head.
“I’m going to get him a Christmas sweater when it comes time, too. You’re going to have to deal with it.”
“As long as you aren’t going to put me in a silly sweater and a bow tie, I think we’re good.”
Were they talking about the future? Was this a real thing? Were they a couple? Lily didn’t have the guts to ask. She didn’t want to ruin the good day she was having. She was happy, and if he told her they weren’t anything, then everything would come crashing down around her head.
She wanted to believe for a little while longer.
The sky outside was dotted with a few fluffy clouds. The morning air was chill and still held a touch of moisture from the early dew. She took a deep breath and reveled in the newness of the world. The night before was over. It wouldn’t happen again.
Yet, that was a lie she fed herself. Kind of like how she told herself she and Rodrigo were a couple when she didn’t know for sure.
If she stopped and let her thoughts catch up, her life felt sideways, like she was slipping down a slope and into the maws of a monster she hadn’t seen coming. There was someone in town who wanted to hurt her and shifters. She glanced up and down the road, as if the kidnapper might jump out of a bush and rush at her.
It made her heart race.
Rodrigo was nearby. So long as he was at her side, she knew she was safe. But he couldn’t always be there. He had to catch the person hurting his pack. He couldn’t do that with her. She was human and weak.
She wished she could be more, for him. Maybe if she had been stronger, he wouldn’t have had to worry about her in the first place. If she was like him, then she would be able to protect herself.
Bullfrog kicked at the mulch in the small garden and pranced over to her. He looked up and his tongue lolled out the side of his mouth. He would protect her, the look said. Though she didn’t know how well a dog that could fit under Rodrigo’s arm could protect her. Especially from someone who could hurt Rodrigo.
They continued down the street. She couldn’t escape the feeling of being watched. Running her hand over the back of her neck, she told herself that she was just being paranoid. The truck from the night before and Rodrigo’s news had her on edge. It was all she could think about.
She should have been more concerned with labelling what it was she and Rodrigo had. Her stomach should have been fluttering with thoughts of love and the first steps toward a possible future together. Instead, she was worried about death and danger.
Rodrigo took Bullfrog while she went into the coffee shop. The dog sat at his heel, content with life. Her lungs clenched and she couldn’t breathe. There would be no future if these kidnappers took Rodrigo from her. She couldn’t beg him to stop his search. That would only put someone else in trouble. Still, she felt the gut-punch of fear as she stood in line.
She made it to the front and struggled to speak. The barista eyed her warily, clearly tired from the early morning rush. Lily managed to order two coffees and the clerk slipped her a small bag of dog treats for Bullfrog.
Outside, Lily paused. She looked up at Rodrigo. In that moment, she nearly begged him to put off his mission. She swallowed and shook her head.
“What is it?” he pressed.
She let out a nervous laugh. This was too much. She didn’t realize the flurry of emotions that would hit her when she finally got the romance of her dreams. Lily felt everything all at once. Fear. Lust. Apprehension. Anxiety. She didn’t know which emotion to prioritize and so they all screamed at her at once.
No other romance had ever felt this way. She thought that had been a good thing, that the relationship was great when no emotional bumps tossed her around. Now she could see that her past had been filled with dead relationships. She was supposed to feel, but her past experiences hadn’t prepared her for that.
She found a few words. Maybe not the right words, but something to say. Immediately, Lily was cut off by the buzzing of a cellphone. Her stomach plummeted. Rodrigo drew the flat smartphone from his pocket and scowled at the screen.
“Give me a moment?”
Before she could nod, he was already pulling away. Lily kicked herself for not telling him how she felt earlier. If only she could have spat it out. But she felt the chance slipping away, Rodrigo being pulled back into his mission. The one that could very well claim his life.
She didn’t like this kind of fear, but she managed a smile when he glanced back at her.
***
Rodrigo answered the call, one eye on Lily and Bullfrog.
“Carol is gone.” Van’s words were strained, each syllable a small torture for the man.
Aire rushed from Rodrigo’s lungs like he’d been punched. “What do you mean she’s gone? Like she went home to see family?” He lowered his voice. “Like she’s dead?”
“I don’t know! No one has seen her for at least twenty-four hours and when we knock on the door upstairs, there’s no answer.” There was a jingle of keys in the background. “Dante has the master key. He’s going up to check on her.”
Rodrigo had let the kidnapper go th
e night before. He’d turned his back on his mission to save Lily, to keep her safe. And it cost him.
He felt gutted, like every bit of what made him Rodrigo had been ripped out and thrown on the floor before him. Nothing was left but the knowledge that he was useless. He could do nothing. He could save no one.
There was a chance she was asleep. Dante hadn’t opened the apartment door yet. Carol could be upstairs and not answering anyone. Rodrigo held onto hope, even though he knew deep down that she wouldn’t be there. Not after he’d gotten so close to the kidnapper.
There was a price to pay for his failure. If it was not Lily, then it would be someone else.
He wanted to roar to the heavens above. He wanted to tear the world apart and rearrange it so that it made sense, so that no one would have to hurt anymore. It felt like every time he turned around, there was blood on his hands.
Brock’s didn’t count.
Lily approached him. What’s wrong? she mouthed.
His shoulders bunched. He didn’t want to tell her. If he could, he would keep her away from everything wrong in the world. Away from blood and violence, away from the beast inside himself that could barely be tamed.
His beast huffed at him. Lily had tamed him.
Every step she took toward him was like water over flames. By the time she reached him, the fire of his anger had been doused. His stomach still churned, but at least he could think straight. He drew in a breath through his nose and tried to steady himself for what he was about to say. This was the last thing he wanted to do.
Rodrigo wanted to take Lily back to her apartment and find new ways to love her. He wanted to take her to dinner and bring dessert home.
Not this. Anything but this.
“Rigo…” Van’s voice strained, like he was choking on tears. It was an unusual sound from the usually lighthearted shifter. Rodrigo listened as Van coughed and a growl replaced the strangled sound. “Carol isn’t upstairs. She’s missing again.”
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