by Mila Young
“Never said I sunbaked or splashed about with the seaweed and fishes in my birthday suit, but if I go that far south, I’ll enjoy the occasional stroll in the late evening along the shore. A girl’s gotta keep her pale complexion.” I cringed at how cliché I sounded. Damn, woman, rein it in.
“You have a beautiful glow to your skin.” He stared at my neck, his attention gliding down my chest and my arms. I tucked them against my sides out of reflex because everyone always asked, “What happened?” and “Who burned you? Poor thing!” I hated it. Loathed the pity.
But Dean reached, and for a split-second I pictured him kissing me. Fire swarmed my face, but instead, he grabbed me by the forearms. Band-Aids dotted my skin, along with round burn marks.
“Don’t hide your scars. They’re gorgeous.”
My breath caught in my chest, and I lost any response because he didn’t stare at me with judgment, but lust. He unbuttoned his shirt halfway down to his tight board stomach and drew aside the fabric across his chest.
I bit down on my lower lip, convinced I’d melt in a heartbeat if he was stripping. I gawked at his muscles and strong pecs. No hair, either—perfect for caressing.
My hands tingled with the urge to touch him. But my attention settled on a jagged injury crossing his left breast, the flesh healed but pebbly.
“A gift from a serial killer who tried to carve out my heart.” He pulled the fabric down over his shoulder to a zigzag wound. “The time I got tossed out a window by a young man high on a new drug. That one turns people into crazed zombies. These scars are my speed humps in life.”
I smiled because I loved that analogy. “Well, mine must have been some fucking big speed humps if my parents used me as an ashtray.” My words sounded sorrowful in my head, but that wasn’t my intention in the slightest.
But when sorrow flitted across Dean’s face, I stood up, my hands stiff by my side. “I don’t need your pity.”
He took my hand and stared at me while his fingers traced the unevenness of the flesh across my wrist.
“Don’t let your scars define you.”
“Yeah, I know that shit. But I’m not a wounded dog and have risen above the crap from my past.” Yet it still bothered me because my injuries were on display for everyone to judge what they didn’t understand.
“Sometimes, it’s not just you who struggles with your past, but people needing to process what’s been done to you.”
I huffed and lowered my attention to my boots. Made sense, I guessed. I’d never looked at it from that perspective.
Fine, Dean had a kind soul, I’d give him that. He thought things through and wasn’t scared away by tragedy, facing it straight on. No dodging the topic. His straightforwardness was refreshing and reminded me of Knox.
His attention jerked left, toward the bottom of the hill, and I followed his gaze to Ryder strutting in our direction.
I released Dean’s hand, not wanting the critical stare or questions that would follow. Bad enough I didn’t understand why I couldn’t make myself leave Dean’s side.
“I was wondering how long you two planned to chat because I’m starving and if you’re staying here much longer, I’m going to catch my own meal.” Ryder was serious, but Dean cocked a brow.
I nudged Dean in the ribs. “He’s only kidding and knows it’s illegal to hunt in shifter form outside approved jurisdictions.”
Both men exchanged glances and looked my way.
“What?” I gripped my hips.
“You think I’ll arrest him for hunting?” Dean stood, shaking his head, his mouth pulled into a smile. “I don’t agree with the shifter division bullshit, so go for it. Have a ball.”
Ryder closed the distance between us and clapped a hand on his back. “If only we had more cops like you, we’d be on our way to an improved society.”
Both men stood at similar height and width. And for those two seconds, I let myself go there, picturing them both with me. Naked, of course. As one does when in the company of two hot men.
“Sephy, are we going for food?” asked Ryder.
“Um yep. Let’s go before you get all cranky and furry.” I turned to Dean. “Wanna join us?”
“Hell, yeah, he does.” Ryder moved by my side, his arm brushing mine. “I found the best diner where they serve Aussie food. Meat pies, barbecued lamb, something strange that looked like a cigar called a ‘chiko roll,’ and other weird stuff. You guys eat bizarre food down under, just saying.”
Dean chuckled. “Sounds incredible, but I’ll take a raincheck. It’s been a long day, and I have to be in early at work. Oh, and I’ll need your statements in the morning if you can spare an hour down at the station?”
“Of course.” I couldn’t stop staring at Dean, and he kept his eyes locked on me too. “We’ll give you a lift to your car then?”
He lifted his chin and took in a deep inhale, a guttural sound rolling through his chest.
It was strange, and Ryder must have thought so too because he cocked his eyebrow at that.
“Thanks, but I’ll walk. I’m not ready to leave the woods.” Dean stretched his arms in the air and cracked his back.
“You sure?” I wanted to reach out and grab his hand, force him to join us, continue our chat, but Ryder butted in.
“You heard the nice detective. Let’s go.” He grabbed my wrist and pulled me down the hill.
I stumbled after him and called over my shoulder, “See you tomorrow.” Hell, what was wrong with me? One minute I hated the guy and the next I drooled over him. I couldn’t help myself near him. And I wanted more.
Dean stared my way and winked with a suggestive expression, then turned away and stalked toward the forest near the ruins. What was up with him?
By the time we reached the Jeep, I wrenched my arm from Ryder. “Why were you so rude?”
“Get in the car!” His voice hardened, and I shook my head.
“Something’s wrong with him,” Ryder insisted.
I swiveled in my seat. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“The growl. The glint behind his eyes. Him wandering through the woods at night. You want to know who the fuck does that? Shifters.”
I stiffened. I’d never given it a thought that he might be more than human. I had no issues with it, but the authorities sure wouldn’t allow one onto their team. “You think he’s a shifter? Did you smell it on him?”
“Human mixed with something electrical or muddy. Fuck knows! But he isn’t normal. Only smelled it when the wind hit me from his direction. I bet he’s a koala shifter, and he’s dying to hang in a tree and eat leaves.” He smirked, and I whacked him in the arm.
“Stop being an ass. If he were a shifter, he wouldn’t be a detective. They test everyone’s blood before they’re allowed on the police force.”
Ryder switched on the engine and soon we merged onto the freeway in no time. “Well, that detective you were drooling over isn’t what he seems.”
8
“I made no such promise!” I licked the spicy sauce from my fingers.
Ryder pointed a buffalo wing at me, wiggling it as if it were an extension of his finger. “You said to swing by your place later today and you’d help out.”
My mouth opened, then shut again as I waded through the colossal list of events from the day, then the memory struck like the hot sauce burning my lips. “Ah, right, at the park.”
“Now you got it.” He stuffed the chicken piece into his mouth and pulled out a clean bone.
“I wasn’t thinking straight.” I reached for another wing, then dipped it into blue cheese dip. “These are divine, and I’m sure I could pack away half a dozen.”
Ryder huffed as he sat across the table from me in my apartment. “You’ve already had eight. You’re terrible at math.”
I checked the bowl piled high with clean bones, but most of those were Ryder’s, as he’d inhaled them like nobody’s business, and why we had ordered three dozen. He had the appetite of a lion… literally.
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“Why are you counting how many I ate? Quickest way to give women a complex.” I pouted.
He burst out laughing and gripped his stomach. “You’re the last person who ever needs worry over how much she eats, and I adore your body regardless.”
I huffed and tossed him my bunched-up tissue, but he caught it and wiped his mouth. “And I counted because I wanted to see how many I’d have left.”
On my feet, I strolled into the kitchen, washed my sticky fingers, and returned to the table. “So, what do you think is going on with Detective Dean Rush? You’re a lion with a great sense of smell and all that, so you must have sensed something else, right?”
He cocked his head sideways. “If I didn’t know you so well, I’d be jealous.”
I stiffened in my seat. “What’s that supposed to mean? And I’m not interested in him. Just curious.”
“Um. Men have always been drawn to you and you don’t discourage them, but hey, I’m an understanding man because you’ll always love me.” His arrogant expression had me faking a laugh.
“You’re so full of it and haven’t changed. But seriously, back on the topic. What did you sense?”
Ryder wasn’t half-wrong about having a special place in my heart. But those were memories created when we’d been together. At a time when we’d helped each other through tough situations, and we’d been inseparable. Now, I could only describe our past like a great symphony. Most days, my heartache was silent and manageable. Other times, it bellowed in my head with spurts of anger. And now in his presence again, the tunes grew soft.
“As I said,” Ryder continued, “I can’t deny he’s human, but there’s a smell lingering beneath his scent. He’s hiding something, so stay away. That’s all I’m saying.”
“Then I’ll ask him?”
Ryder choked on his food and slammed a hand into against chest before washing the food down with soda. “Yeah, ’cause someone with a secret will blurt it out to a stranger. What if he’s a serial killer and you become his next victim? Shouldn’t you be worried he might classify you as a dangerous witch and get you evicted from your home?”
There was way too much to process, yet some of Ryder’s concerns were valid. “Okay, fine. Tell me what I need to do to help you out before you hunker down here and eat my local diner out of chicken wings.”
He shrugged. “You’re the expert. I guess I need you to visit my place and see why it’s trying to kill me. And speaking of which, can I crash here tonight? I’ll take the couch—unless you need a snuggle partner?” He wriggled his eyebrows.
Nothing was ever that simple for curses or hauntings, but he was right about me needing to check it out before he could go home. “Don’t you have anyone else to stay with for the night?”
“I’m low on cash, and I already owe a few friends favors so can’t call them.” He gave me the puppy-dog eyes, and I was on my feet. “Fine. But don’t freak out Raven when she comes home.” Actually, I’d message her now, so she didn’t jump out of her skin when she found someone sleeping on our sofa. By the time I hit send on my cell, Ryder had the dinner remains tossed in the trash can and was washing the plates.
My phone dinged. I expected Raven’s reply, but instead it was Knox.
Hey, you all right after this morn?
I replied. Yeah, all good. I want to sleep and forget the day. You?
Shitty day. Want company?
I stared at his response for a long moment, trying to decipher if he’d just sent me a booty call. Surely not, because Knox was keeping himself focused on his priest training. This was just a kind gesture, him thinking I needed companionship. If I was alone, I’d take him up on the offer. But I was too tired to deal with Ryder and Knox behaving like cavemen when together.
A yawn pushed through and after today, I was ready to sleep for a week straight. The phone showed 11:06 p.m., so I typed out a quick reply. Will take a rain check. Exhausted. Good night.
Dean had said the same thing back at Stonecircle. Hell, he was worming into my brain. I turned to find Ryder had finished the dishes. Well, maybe he was worth keeping around.
My phone dinged once more. Knox again. Don’t think I forgot. Happy birthday, beautiful. I owe you a night out.
My stomach fluttered. He remembered every year and made a fuss, though I hated to celebrate. I never knew the exact date I was born, but blood tests had confirmed I was three when I’d been found. So I declared my birthday on the date the family discovered me on the curb of the road. And while I refused to tell anyone else it was my twenty-first today, the message from Knox had me smiling.
“I’m going to bed and we’ll head out first thing in the morning,” I said. “Let me grab you a pillow and blanket and you can use Raven’s shower to freshen up.”
Before I turned away, Ryder perched his ass on the edge of the sofa, feet away from me. “Thanks, Sephy. I know you’re still pissed at me, and I ruined what we had. I can’t undo my mistakes, but I want you to see I’ve changed. Been attending counseling to help control my anger.” He paused for a long moment, staring at his hands. “Anyway, I wanted to say thanks. It’s nice to hang out like we used to.”
No response came to mind at first at his confession, which, for him, was a massive leap of improvement. But it didn’t wipe clean the slate between us. Besides, I wasn’t sure I was ready to jump into a relationship, as I’d been enjoying the whole not-having-a-guy thing, so they were all on the market for my taste-testing. No judging because it wasn’t like that. It was the freedom to think of myself for a change. Especially when my pulse raced way too fast not only in Ryder’s company, but in Knox’s, and yep, I was adding Dean in there too.
I refocused on Ryder, who was waiting for me to speak, when a humming started in my ears. Almost like a tune. I rubbed my ear, hating the sound. “That’s fantastic. I’m super proud of you.” I didn’t dare reach over and touch his arm or hug him in congratulations. His eyes glimmered with that familiar look, promising me a night of orgasms if I made the first move. But I couldn’t bring myself to reopen that can of worms… not yet… not until I sorted out my shit first.
“Good night, Ryder.”
In a fantasy world, I’d get my pick of men and keep them all. Why choose, right? And with that thought, I marched into my room, needing a damn cold shower.
“So that’s it? Nothing else needed for my statement? No body search?” I smirked at Dean.
He lounged behind his office desk, studying me. The room was neat. No wall family photos or accolades. The blinds remained shut behind him, darkening the room, yet his eyes seemed to glow, or it could have been the fluorescent lights overhead.
“Are you hiding anything on your body?” His husky voice and that Aussie accent had my gut twirling. Hell, were they butterflies? And who in the world was this guy to have such an effect on me? His gravelly and deep tone came with a pinch of sugar, and I melted in my seat.
“Guess you’ll never know.” I winked and reclined, adoring this cat-and-mouse amusement when all I could think about was crawling across his desk, imitating a feline. But I recalled Ryder’s words about Dean hiding a secret.
Dean leaned forward, his arms folded in front of him. “You sure you wanna to play this game, Sephy?” Damn, listening to him could bring me to orgasm. He held my stare, not moving. Just as I’d expect a predator to do from within the shadows before he attacked. And a fantasy sparked in my mind of him making me his prey. God, what was wrong with me?
I ran a thumb over my lower lip, and his gaze followed each precise move. I took a deep inhale, filling my lungs, lifting my chest for a moment. Long enough for his attention to dip to my breasts.
“Something I should be worried about?” I pouted, and he settled back in his leather chair. “After all, you were acting strange last night, walking around in the woods as the sun went down.”
His mouth widened, and the corners lifted. “Was there anything else you wanted to add to the statement?”
Yep, he avoided the topic way
too smoothly, and damn Ryder for being right. Anyway, it wasn’t my problem if Dean concealed his shifter side or whatever he hid. I inched to the edge of my seat, curious if I’d been mistaking his dangerous side for temptation. Then again I wasn’t the best judge of character. I admit, I sucked at it and often fell for people’s manipulation. You’d think after my past, I’d pick them out in a crowd, but no, each time I kept falling hook, line, and sinker.
“Nothing to add. But have you gained any leads on the missing girl overnight?”
“Not yet. My crew searched the woods through the night but not a clue. The forest is huge, so she could have gone anywhere.”
“Her brother must be terrified.” We had enough shitheads in our city without adding the fire and brimstone kind on the loose.
“It’s a horrible situation, and I’m keeping him updated.” His business-like voice killed me because no matter what, I couldn’t get him to become the sweet-talker from yesterday.
When neither of us said a word, I stood and patted down my fire-engine red skirt I wore with a black T-shirt. Skirts weren’t normally my thing, but today warranted it. And yes, it was for Dean. Sue me. I’d borrowed one of Raven’s short ones. She’d slept after a long night with her client as I crept into her bedroom. I’d left her a note in case she looked for this skirt.
“Am I free to go?” I asked, and Dean in no time rounded his desk, towering over me.
“Yes. And can I suggest you and your boyfriend stay out of the woods until we find the girl? For your own safety.” His eyes narrowed, the muscle in his jaw twitching.
I jerked to a stop and looked up at him. “Ryder isn’t my boyfriend. He’s my ex who wishes he was with me.” But damn, he had a lot to make up for before that happened.
Dean tilted his head and grinned. “That’s not what he says.”
“Well, I’m sure I would know if I was dating someone.” God, Ryder was cockblocking Dean from making a move on me? And shit, my emotions were a clusterfuck right now. Ryder had crushed me. I still liked him despite his betrayal, and I hated myself for having those feelings. But I’d moved on with my life. And Dean played on my mind more then he should have. Maybe it was the chase I adored and the way he stared at me like I were his lollipop.
