by Kym Grosso
“Kalli, I…I’m sorry, I have to go. Got a call to Japan in thirty minutes, and I need to get back to the office,” he explained. “I meant what I said. I’m sorry about how I reacted last night. I’m torn up over what’s happened to Toby, and it just got out of hand.”
“I’m sorry for not telling you the truth sooner. If I had told you, maybe the boys wouldn’t have gotten hurt,” she responded in a barely audible whisper. As much as she tried to push the pain down, she found herself starting to cry again. A tear ran down her already reddened cheeks; her mouth parted as her tongue darted out to lick her upper lip.
“Chérie, look at me.” Tristan cupped her face with one hand and wiped her tear with his thumb. He resisted letting his thumb slide in between her warm pink lips so she could suck his finger. Who was he kidding? He wanted her to suck more than his finger….just the thought of those plump lips, wrapping themselves around the hard length of him sent blood rushing down to his groin. He tried shaking off the dirty images running through his mind. Don’t be a selfish prick, Tris. Get it together. He had to look away and take a deep breath before continuing. He tried to focus on his words and not the very naughty things he wanted to do to her.
“What happened is not your fault. As for you and I, we’ll see, okay? I’m still kind of processing what happened, and I need to be on the top of my game in the next few days. Listen, I’ll see you tonight.”
Kalli swore he was going to kiss her as he ran his calloused thumb near her mouth. But instead of a kiss, he gently hugged her and stood to leave.
After he left, his words reverberated in her head: ‘As for you and I, we’ll see, okay?’ What was that supposed to mean? They’d almost made love yesterday, and now they were at ‘we’ll see’. She smiled sadly, wondering if everything she’d been feeling was real or if it was all in her imagination. It sure as hell felt real, but his lack of intention made her wonder if she needed to protect her heart. Emotionally exposed, she could not have felt more vulnerable.
Although playing with puppies blanketed her with love and happiness, a hot shower really helped to relax Kalli’s thoughts. It was if she let the stress wash down the drain while resolving to put on her big girl panties. She reasoned that no matter how much her hormones drove her crazy with lust, it’d be in her best interest to let her brain do the talking in the future. Allowing her heart to dictate how she handled the next few weeks in and around an Alpha would only lead to heartache. She was a well-educated, compassionate doctor, and it was about time she started acting like it. Forlorn lovesick teenager wasn’t at all working for her. Either Tristan would forgive her and own up to his feelings or he wouldn’t. In the meantime, it was time to buck up and get her act together. As the hot spray hit her face, she decided that it was time to snap out of it. Whether she liked it or not, she was stuck living with Logan, while trying to help catch killers.
Exiting the bathroom in nothing more than a towel, she gasped in surprise to find Logan waiting for her. Fixing his hair in the mirror, he turned and gave her a huge smile. She couldn’t help but blush as she admired how gorgeous he looked in his tuxedo. While she wasn’t generally modest, she felt extraordinarily underdressed, given she was naked under her tiny towel.
Logan looked her up and down. No harm done looking, he reasoned. Tristan was a damn fool for sending her away, and he might as well be the one to reap the rewards. He grew hard watching her nervously pull at her towel that barely covered her breasts. If she turned around, he was pretty sure that he’d be given another show of her firm little cheeks. Her long black wavy hair tumbled down her back in wet curls. Wide-eyed, she started laughing as he spun in a circle, showing off his fancy duds like a model.
“Nice tux, Logan. You’re looking good,” she commented. “But you do know as much as I love coming out of my bathroom to find a hot man waiting for me, this seems a little awkward.” She smiled and went about drying her hair with a towel, wondering what Tristan would think if he came in here this very minute and found her nearly naked with his beta sitting on her bed. He’d probably go ballistic. And he’d deserve it, the still angry part of her thought.
“Hot, huh? Wait until you see my slick dance moves, girl. Fred Astaire, baby,” he joked.
“Didn’t you tell me that Julie was bringing me something to wear to this Godforsaken ball?” she asked, changing the subject. One could only hope that she’d forgotten and then Kalli would have a valid excuse to bail.
“Ah yes, well, there is something special that was delivered. Not by Julie, though,” he affirmed with a wry grin.
She gave him an inquisitive look, wondering what it was and who had picked out the outfit. Walking over to the closet door, she saw an elegant deep red satin gown. Matching pumps sat on the floor.
“This is…it’s exquisite. Really, I’ve never worn anything like this in my life,” she exclaimed, admiring it up against her in the mirror.
“Come on now, don’t you docs do these shindigs all the time?”
She rolled her eyes at him. “Uh, no way. I’m strictly a working class girl. Did you do this, Logan?”
“No ma’am. It seems you’ve got yourself a secret admirer. But I’ve been sworn to secrecy so don’t bother asking,” he teased with a wink. “And as much as I’ve enjoyed looking at your fine body in that little towel of yours, we’ve gotta go soon or we’ll be late.” He stood and walked over to the doorway.
Kalli approached him, and on her tiptoes, kissed him on the cheek.
Logan put his hand to his face as if he’d been lovingly branded. “What’s that for? Not that I mind even one little bit.”
“For being such a great person to me after everything that went down last night; for taking me down to the shelter today; for letting me stay here. Lots of things,” she bubbled happily, guessing that Tristan had bought her the amazing dress. She returned it to the closet and went back to the dresser to brush out her hair.
“You’re welcome, Kalli. You know, you’re important to this pack, and to Tristan. Far more important than you even know,” he said cryptically.
Kalli smiled, unsure of how to respond. Whatever he was referring to was a mystery to her.
“Not so sure about that, but I swear I’ll do my best to help,” she promised.
He turned to leave her, and looked over his shoulder. “Oh, and Doc. Don’t forget to look in the box there on the dresser. There’s something special there that will look great on you.”
He wanted to tell her that Tristan had brought everything over for her, but it wasn’t his place to do it. All in good time, he thought, but hoped that he’d tell her soon. It could prove to be a long, miserable evening if Tristan didn’t address his feelings for her before they left. As Logan walked down the hallway, he prayed things would go smoothly.
Chapter Fifteen
The limo ride over to the Four Seasons had been nothing short of a nightmare. From the minute Tristan picked up Mira, she’d been peppering him with questions about Kalli and their relationship. In addition to the nonstop interrogation, she seemed overly affectionate, which only meant one thing: trouble.
It didn’t help that he couldn’t stop thinking about Kalli, since he’d left the shelter. His anger had dissipated after reflecting on her reasons why she’d been afraid to tell him. It wasn’t as if he didn’t know how tough things used to be in wolf packs. Forced matings and brutality used to be commonplace, but progressively, most packs had given up old practices. Both he and Marcel had consciously led their packs with authority and fairness, refusing to live barbaric existences. Burning with rage, he wished he could have prevented the abuse Kalli had suffered at the hands of wolves. It was no wonder she’d been afraid of him and Logan.
Intrigued, he’d found his attraction to her only grew deeper after talking with her at the shelter. Even though she was vulnerable, she still wanted to help him. Yes, she needed his protection. But she could have gone to the police and asked for protection. He was certain Tony would have given her sanctuary. And
he returned the favor by sending her to Logan, as if they hadn’t shared intimate moments. He saw the hurt in her eyes, knew she’d been crying because of him, yet aside from apologizing, things felt unresolved. He felt empty, as if he hadn’t said what he needed to say. Treating the request for her attendance at the gala like a business transaction, he’d neglected to mention that he was taking Mira, something he normally wouldn’t give a second thought to doing. But his connection to Kalli pulled strongly at his heart.
On the way home, he decided he needed to try to fix the mess he’d made of things. Even though cancelling with Mira wasn’t an option, he’d be damned if he didn’t straighten things out with Kalli during the gala. After his conference call, he’d visited with Ryan, happy to see that he was taking advantage of the female attention he’d been receiving at Julie’s. Thankfully, he seemed a little better emotionally and was even asking about getting back to work. While he was there, he consulted with Julie about the best place to procure female attire for the gala. At some point during his spree, he considered that he must have gone mad, to be shopping for a woman. And perhaps he had. He wasn’t usually the type to shop for himself, let alone someone else. In an effort to make amends, he sought to do something special for Kalli; to make it up to her even if his words hadn’t soothed her hurt feelings. If he was truthful with himself, he’d just admit that he wanted every man in the room tonight to know she was his, that she was wearing something that he’d given her.
The cynical part of him, who had invited Mira out of anger, claimed the purchases were nothing more than business expenses. Kalli was a means to an end. A decoy. A lure. Whoever was targeting him was keeping tabs on his pack, so he’d give them something to think about. They had the pills, but they didn’t have the research. He wanted them to know that he knew what they knew and was coming for them. A public show of confidence, in the wake of the death of one of his wolves, spoke of his strong constitution and power in this city. His wolves were not sheep, awaiting slaughter. They were wolves, out in the open, strong with their pack and ready to strike for the kill.
While it was true that he did want her at the gala for all those reasons, the primary reason was that he was fascinated with her. Secrets out of the way, he craved her touch, her kiss. Tonight she’d be his in every sense of the imagination.
“Tristan, do be a dear, and pour me a Grey Goose. This traffic is horrendous tonight,” Mira commented, jolting him from his thoughts. They’d come to a screeching halt in the evening gridlock.
Tristan poured and then handed her the tumbler. This was going to be a helluva night, he thought. The only saving grace would be seeing Kalli in the incredible dress he’d procured.
“Thanks.” She slowly sipped the warm liquor, wondering how long she’d actually have to work. “So anything I need to know about tonight? Parker and Mainer will both be there. Both have passed clearances, so I’m going to work them tonight, try to get a feel for whether or not they’ll consider selling their waterfront properties.” She rubbed a hand on Tristan’s thigh, coming precariously close to his crotch.
Tristan gently grabbed her wrist and placed it back into her lap. “Not tonight, Mir,” he warned. “And yes, I’d appreciate it if you’d chat up the mayor as well to see if there are any big deals or new players in town. He likes you and seems to have loose lips when in your company. Gotta keep an eye on the competition.”
“No problem, but you owe me a dance,” she flirted.
“We’ll see,” he hedged.
She pursed her lips, and rolled her eyes. “Seriously, Tristan? What’s going on? This night should be fun. And by fun, I mean we eat, drink, dance and then leave here and dance some more, like naked in the bedroom. You, me, maybe Logan, although he’s got his hands full with the human.”
He glared at her.
“Oh sorry, excuse me, hybrid, whatever that means. Come on, even you have to admit that if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, quacks like a duck…well, you get the picture,” she sniffed.
“She’s wolf. She just doesn’t know it yet,” he informed her.
“Yeah right, good luck with that.”
“I don’t need luck, chére. I’m Alpha, and she’s all mine,” he drawled.
Mira sat perfectly still, tensing every muscle in her body. “Are you fucking kidding me? Did you just say what I thought you said?”
“Watch your language, Mir. Geez,” he sighed. “I’m not going to repeat what I just said, because it won’t make a difference to you. You need to accept this, because eventually she will be part of Lyceum Wolves. I know you’re not crazy about it when I date other women, but jealously is so not becoming.”
Tristan expected that Mira would freak out when she found out he was going to bring Kalli into the pack. It wasn’t as if he planned to ask Kalli right away to join, because he didn’t want to scare her off. The more he considered the situation, the more he embraced the idea of keeping the lovely doctor in both his bed and his life. He wasn’t sure how it would work out or if they’d last, but without a doubt, she belonged in his pack, with him. Last night, he’d been so close to making love to her on his balcony. Even though he swore he needed the truth from her, he couldn’t be sure that if Logan hadn’t interrupted them that he wouldn’t have taken her anyway.
The electrifying connection between them was unyielding. And his wolf wanted her like he’d wanted no other. It scared Tristan, because deep down he knew the animal within would never be satisfied until he had her screaming his name, submitting to him in pleasure again and again. It conjured up all kinds of thoughts. Goddess almighty, he’d told Logan today that she’d make a good mother, and when he’d said that, he wasn’t just thinking of anyone’s kids. He was thinking of his own. He shook his head, laughing inwardly. Logan must have thought he’d lost his damn mind. He tried to stifle the longing, attempting to negate how deep his feelings ran.
Mira shifted in her seat, aware that he was thinking yet again of that stupid woman. Clearly he had a screw loose, she thought. “I cannot believe you’d even consider seriously letting that mongrel into our pack. After everything that’s happened? Ugh. You’re leading with your dick not your head,” she accused.
Tristan straightened in his seat, putting distance between himself and Mira. It was true they were friends, but there was a limit to how much nonsense he’d endure, even from her.
“Mira,” he growled loudly. “Knock it off. Kalli belongs with me. Do not antagonize her or me this evening. Am I clear? If you insult me again, there will be consequences.” He was done discussing his love life with her. If she didn’t get where he was coming from, then that was too bad, because frankly it didn’t matter. As Alpha, he would do what he wanted. She needed to move on and get over it.
Mira hadn’t been happy about Sydney either, but she’d survived it. But this was different; Kalli was wolf. The idea of another female wolf replacing her in his bed, let alone his heart, was driving her abhorrence. He knew it would come to a head, but tonight was not the time. She’d better curb her nasty tone, or she’d be punished. He wasn’t beyond admonishing her publicly just to prove the point.
“Look, here we are. Thank the Goddess we can get out of this car,” he breathed in relief.
To say Kalli had been disappointed when she found out that Tristan wasn’t accompanying her to the gala would have been an understatement. The fact that he was taking Mira with him only compounded the situation, curtailing any lofty dreams she’d held about pursuing their relationship any further. If someone had taken a fire hose and sprayed her down, her hopes couldn’t have gotten anymore dampened. The second Logan told her, she considered stomping back into her room, tearing off the dress and jumping into bed under the covers. But regardless of her previous lie, she was generally a woman of her word. She’d told him she’d go so she’d do it, even if she spat tacks the entire time.
As she and Logan advanced into the grand ballroom, the lull of conversation was accented by the orchestra playing Bolero. Arm
in arm, they glided into the sea of attendees, joining the upper echelon of Philadelphia society. There were so many people, drinking, dancing and conversing, Kalli failed to see the purpose of their attendance. No one would even notice her.
Logan’s chest puffed out slightly, honored at having such a beautiful date. When she had come into the living room earlier in the night, he’d nearly fallen onto the floor. She looked gorgeous in her form-fitting, sleeveless satin gown. The deep red fabric hugged her entire body from her breasts to her calves; a sash tied into a bow accentuated her small waist before falling into a long train. Her upswept curly raven hair gracefully displayed the lovely diamond stud earrings he’d delivered for Tristan.
Kalli had been beaming, right up until the moment he’d explained that Tristan wasn’t coming with them. At the news he was going with Mira, her mood flattened. No tears marred her perfectly applied makeup, yet her tightly drawn lips and hurt eyes revealed her swirling emotions. Logan wished Tristan had just broken his date with Mira, given his extraordinary shopping spree during the afternoon. While she was showering, Tristan had slid into her room unnoticed, bringing her dress and shoes. He had given Logan the earrings, telling him to make sure she wore them, and then made him swear not to tell her. Logan had tried talking him into taking Kalli, but Tristan insisted that he and Mira had business to attend to during the gala.
After essentially calling him out as an ass, Tristan had torn out of his apartment. Logan had been on the receiving end of Mira’s tantrums, so he understood why Tristan didn’t want to break the date. Mira would have been fit to be tied if Tristan had dumped her at the last minute. Tristan also persevered with his main excuse for not taking Kalli, which was that he was unable to concentrate on business around her. While that may have been entirely true, Logan was finding it hard to concentrate as well. Tristan knew damn well that he needed to make things right with Kalli. A few puppy hugs were hardly enough to mend fences.
