She still felt as if he were a mystery wrapped in an enigma, as if everything she knew about him was on the surface. She didn’t know what made Dominic Lombardi tick.
He didn’t seem to know how to take things slowly. He’d barreled into her life and demanded … everything. Maybe that’s how it worked with wolves, but she was human and didn’t believe in love at first bite.
Zoey still needed time to think and make sense of all this, so she needed to get out of here while she still had the willpower to do so.
“I can’t stay any longer, thanks,” she said. “Breakfast was amazing. You were amazing. Unfortunately, I need to give myself some extra time to get to work. I’m sensing obstacles.”
“Sensing … what? I thought you were a garden witch.” He looked puzzled.
Oh crud. Apparently, he didn’t know everything about her, and she’d like to keep it that way. If he didn’t know about her map skills, that made it easier to hide from him.
“Yep. Sure am. You are not wrong.” She tried to wriggle out of his arms.
He tightened his grip around her waist. “Tell me more.”
She tried to duck, but now he had her caged too tightly. Her struggles were having an effect on him; she could feel that effect—long and thick and hard—pressing into her stomach. If this went on much longer, she’d lose all motivation to leave.
“I can wait all day,” he murmured into her hair.
She tipped up her head and glared. “You are an absolute jerkoff!”
He smiled down at her. “I’m having fun. How about you?”
She scowled. “I’m going to be late.”
“What a shame.”
Zoey let out a hiss of frustration. She’d already lost the job working for Kalinda; she couldn’t afford to lose the bike messenger job too.
“Fine! I’m also a map witch. Let go of me.”
He released her. “What is that?”
“I have a connection to the earth, and because of it, I can find my way around pretty well.” He arched an eyebrow. “Okay, I can find my way just about anywhere. I can also sense obstacles. And the problem is, I’m sensing a lot more obstacles these days, all over town.”
Dominic’s brow wrinkled. “What kind of obstacles are you running into?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. My magic doesn’t tell me that. It could be a traffic jam, a rampaging troll, road construction … my magic just lets me know where things will either slow me down or stop me completely.”
Dominic’s muscles bunched with tension. “That can’t be a coincidence. We have enemies. We’re in a feud with the Bianchi Pack. They are strictly forbidden from interfering with females, but … I don’t trust them. Come stay with us. I can keep you safe.”
“Do I still have a choice?”
Dominic hesitated before saying “yes” with great reluctance.
“Then no,” she sighed. “If I go with you, I’m afraid I’d never get to leave. And I still have a life, Dominic.”
That earned her a scowl. “At the next full moon …”
Zoey met his gaze coolly. “You underestimate my abilities, Dominic.”
His eyes filled with dark possessiveness. “And you overestimate my patience.”
Before she could say anything else, there was a knock on the door. Dominic’s expression went sour with annoyance.
“Dammit. Romano has the worst damn timing.” He stalked off to answer the door just as her phone beeped with a text message from Danielle.
“R U boinking a Moretti Pack member???”
Zoey hurried into the bathroom so she could speak in privacy and called her friend. Danielle answered on the first thing.
“What the hell?” Danielle demanded.
“It’s complicated! Dominic Lombardi’s wolf bit me on a full moon. Apparently, that means he thinks I’m his mate.”
“Then tell him you’re not!” Danielle sounded appalled.
“Gee, why didn’t I think of that?” Zoey said, annoyed. “He’s Moretti Pack, Danielle, and he claimed me publicly.”
“You mean, you’re going with it?”
Was she? Zoey hesitated. “He’s … not what I thought I was.”
“Do you know why all the businesses have been closing up? I found out. Everyone’s talking about it. It’s the Moretti Pack. The pack deliberately raised their protection fees so high, they couldn’t stay in business anymore, and lots of the business owners are just leaving the city so the Moretti Pack can’t murder them. People are spending their life savings just to escape them. They’re ruining the city, Zoey. Please tell me you’re not okay with that.”
Zoey felt an odd flare of protectiveness toward Dominic. Where had that come from?
“Come on, Danielle, those are just rumors. We all thought it was the Moretti Pack behind the garbage problem, and it turned out it was just a corrupt neighborhood liaison. The pack took care of it. Why would they force businesses to shut down? Then they couldn’t collect money from them. That would hurt the pack, not help them.”
“Spoken like someone who’s got a rich new boyfriend and is forgetting who her real friends are. You never used to come up with excuses for them. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go walk twenty blocks to the nearest coffee shop. You have fun playing mobster’s mate.” Danielle hung up on her.
Frustrated, Zoey stalked out of the bathroom. Dominic shot a sour look at Romano as he served himself pancakes. Romano waved cheerily at her.
“Romano, we’ve got to stop meeting like this,” Zoey said.
“Yeah, yeah. And you guys didn’t have sex.” Romano gave her an exaggerated wink.
She brushed him off with a wave and turned her attention to Dominic.
“What do you know about all the businesses closing in our neighborhood? They’re just disappearing. They pay protection money to the Moretti Pack, right? You must be keeping track of them.”
The warmth in his eyes vanished. It was as if a door had slammed shut in her face. “We don’t speak of pack business to non-pack members.”
She felt as if someone had dumped a bucket of ice water on her head. Who was this man? One minute he was inviting her in, letting her see little pieces of himself, and making her feel as if she were special and magical. The next minute, he was everything she’d hated and feared from the minute she’d arrived in Encantado.
The other Dominic made her melt like butter on a hot sunny day. But this cold, hard stranger standing in front of her? She would not be the mate, or wife, of this man.
“I see,” she said tightly. “I see a lot. Things I really don’t want to see. Thanks for last night. It was … interesting.” She flung the verbal shrapnel right in his face, and he flinched. Good. She’d meant it to hurt because she felt like he’d just punched her in the stomach.
Holding her messenger bag, she turned around and walked into the bedroom before shutting and locking the door behind her.
“Zoey!” Dominic bellowed, his voice so loud the door shook.
She shot out the window and onto the fire escape just as he kicked in the bedroom door with a sound like a bomb going off.
Scrambling down the ladder, she dropped to the ground with a painful thud and disappeared around the corner. She’d leave her bike at Sergio’s for now; she had another bike stashed in an empty warehouse in the warehouse district. Dominic was about to learn how hard it was to track down a map witch who didn’t want to be found.
Chapter Fifteen
Z oey muttered curses under her breath as she glided to a stop in front of her building. It had taken twice as long to get here because obstacles had popped up in front of her everywhere she went.
She’d been hiding from Dominic for a week and had only come back because she needed to pick up some clothes. Ever since she’d stormed out of Dominic’s apartment, she hadn’t gone to work and had drained most of her funds. Luckily, she’d been able to crash in an abandoned building on the east side and found food using her dumpster-diving skills.
She a
lso intended to make Danielle talk to her, whether Danielle wanted to or not, which was why she’d brought coffee with her. She wasn’t above bribery.
She stepped off her bicycle, trying to determine what was different about her neighborhood. Then it hit her: it didn’t reek of garbage.
The air was sweet and fresh; it smelled like a walk through a flower garden.
At least Dominic had kept his word.
Still feeling gloomy, she went to Danielle’s apartment and rapped on the door until Danielle answered. It was only noon, way before Danielle liked to wake up.
When Danielle opened the door, Zoey shoved the cup of coffee at her. Danielle grabbed the cup and took a swig, letting out a sigh of appreciation.
“You look awful.” Danielle looked Zoey up and down. “I thought your new gangster boyfriend would pay for you to go to a salon and dress you in designer clothes. So he’s not just a criminal, he’s a cheapskate?”
“Gee, I missed this.” Zoey elbowed past her into the living room and flopped onto the couch. “I asked Dominic about what’s happening with the local businesses. He wouldn’t answer me, so I left and haven’t spoken to him since. I haven’t been able to go to work or stay in my apartment because he’d be able to find me. And it’s not my fault his wolf bit me on a full moon and now he thinks he’s stuck with me.”
Danielle took another sip of coffee. “Well, you did bring me caffeine,” she said grudgingly. “I’m sorry he makes you feel like he’s stuck with you. Sounds like a douche.”
Zoey sighed. “Okay, in fairness, he doesn’t really make me feel like he’s stuck with me. According to him, it’s more like some kind of weird fate thing. He’s very flattering, and he’s the only guy I’ve ever met who’s ever made me feel like an actual fairy princess. He’s kind of a moody dick … and very stalkery.”
Danielle tilted her head to the side. “Like, sexy rom-com stalkery, or restraining order stalkery?”
“Umm, well, I—”
“The first one,” Danielle interrupted drily. “He isn’t terrible to look at, I guess … for a criminal. What are you going to do?”
“He’s got this idea he can claim me on the next full moon. I was thinking, maybe if that date comes and goes, he’s not allowed to claim me after all?”
Danielle just gave her a skeptical look and finished her coffee. “And when that inevitably fails?”
“Wow, such crushing pessimism! I’ve really missed this!” At Danielle’s sour side-eye, Zoey laughed. “No, I really have, and I haven’t thought that far ahead yet. I’ve just decided to believe it’ll work. Now, do you know if there are any pack members upstairs in my apartment?”
“Nah, but they’ve been watching the building from the apartment across the street. You’re in the clear today though. They left about an hour ago because there was a report of ghouls in the northwest. They made it into a subdivision and ate a mailman.”
“Yikes. Poor guy. I’d better hurry and get my stuff.”
Zoey raced upstairs and packed some clean clothing. When she came back down, she knocked on Danielle’s door again so she could say goodbye.
“So you’re just going to go back to sleeping in a squat for the next two weeks?” Danielle said.
Before she could answer, Lorenzo stepped out of his apartment. His face lit up when he saw Zoey.
“You’re back!” he cried out.
“Well, that’s a surprising change in attitude,” Zoey said suspiciously. “Do I owe you money or something?”
“You’re in with the Moretti Pack!” He hurried over to her, aglow with eagerness.
“No, I’m not.” She shook her head decisively. “That’s over. It’s not happening.”
“It’s not?” A whiny note crept into his voice. “Can you call them back? Did you do something wrong? You can apologize, can’t you? This could be my ticket in!”
Andrea burst out of her door wearing an apron, with flour on her hands. Stewart was right behind her. “Ticket into what, Lorenzo?” she demanded.
“Nothing.” His face flushed and he glowered at the ground.
Andrea turned to Zoey. “So now you’re recruiting children into gangs?” she said accusingly.
“Of course not!” Zoey said, appalled.
Andrea’s eyes drilled into her. “My son was about to go back to school, and then that meeting happened where those horrible criminals killed Jordan. Lorenzo’s been talking about that pack of animals nonstop. It’s enough we paid protection money for nothing, but my son will not become a mobster.”
“Jordan was ripping us off,” Zoey corrected. “They addressed the problem the minute they found out about it. I mean, you can see the proof of it. They cleaned up the streets, they built that wonderful community garden.”
“They are still extorting the local business owners out of existence. They murder their enemies, and they kill anyone who crosses them. It’s a dangerous and immoral lifestyle, and Lorenzo will have no part of it.”
“Cut it out, Mom!” Lorenzo protested woefully. “Now she’ll never introduce me to the Capo.”
Andrea glared harshly at Zoey and grabbed Lorenzo’s arm. Pausing, she flashed a despairing look at Stewart. “Today’s not good for a coffee date, Stewart.”
His face fell. “Well, that takes the cake, doesn’t it?” He peered at her anxiously. “Get it, because you were making cake but now you’re not?”
Andrea just looked at him blankly and dragged Lorenzo back into his apartment.
“She always laughs at my jokes,” he muttered and wandered off, shoulders hunched.
“I did that,” Zoey said, stricken. “That was all me. I ruined everything. I turned Lorenzo into a wanna-be thug, and I made Andrea hate me, and I ruined her and Stewart, and …” Her voice trailed off as she blinked back sudden tears. She loved to look on the bright side, but it was hard to see a bright side to ruining her friends’ lives.
She waited for Danielle to say something crushing and sarcastic.
“It’s okay,” Danielle said weakly. “You didn’t screw up too badly. Everything will be fine.”
Wow. Things were pretty bad if Danielle was the optimistic one.
“Thanks. You’re not the worst friend ever, no matter what anyone says,” Zoey said.
Danielle laughed. “You pretty much are, but you’re my only friend who’s not super old like Andrea and Stewart, so I guess I’m stuck with you.” Danielle wrinkled her brow. “Try not to die or anything, okay? I have a hard time making new friends. Lots of people say I’m bitchy and whiny.”
“I don’t believe that for a second. It implies some people actually don’t think you’re bitchy and whiny.”
Danielle flicked Zoey on the head with her forefinger. “You’re lucky I’m too tired to give you a beatdown for that comment. Well, tired and lazy.”
“Right, I’ll come back when you’ve got more energy and we’ll duke it out,” Zoey scoffed. “I gotta run. I’ll see you around.” She left the apartment, hopped on her bike, and headed back toward the east side.
Right away, she sensed an obstacle.
Frustration welled up inside her. She’d started checking the newspapers, and listening to the radio, and there was no reason for these obstacles. No car accidents, no rampaging creatures.
Obviously, they were specific to her, and she was getting fed up with it. Suddenly struck by inspiration, she pictured the obstacle as her destination so she could locate it. She circled around and dodged through back streets until she was able to sneak up behind it—or rather, her.
Watching the road Zoey would have taken, Giuliana sat in a van that was idling on a narrow side street.
Zoey hopped off her bike, stormed over to the van, and banged on the window. “Hey!” she bellowed. “You want me? Come and get me!”
Startled, Giuliana scrambled out of the van, slamming the door.
“You do know I’m a wolf, right?” She marched up to Zoey. “I can literally make you into sushi and eat you.”
�
�I promise you’ll suffer fatal indigestion.” Zoey smiled at her unpleasantly. “And I’ll rip off parts of your face you won’t be able to grow back.”
Giuliana glared at her. Apparently, she’d expected Zoey to be easily intimidated. She wouldn’t be the first to assume the cheerful, funny, chubby girl would be easy to run over. Giuliana was about to find out she was very, very wrong.
Zoey had been bullied in grade school, until her parents took her to self-defense classes.
After that, her bullies started suffering a lot of bloody noses and loose teeth. Zoey had to spend plenty of afternoons in detention, but her parents had no problem with that whatsoever. While she couldn’t win a fight against a wolf, she had been taught ways to leave permanent marks on them.
“How did you spot me?” Giuliana demanded.
“Magic in the blood. I have skills.” Zoey folded her arms across her chest. “You keep stalking me, and now I’m here. Say your piece.”
Giuliana drew herself up to her full height. “Fine. Stay the hell away from Dominic. Tell him you’re not interested. Make him want to end it.”
Seriously? All this grief because Giuliana was jealous?
“I have told him I’m not his mate. He’s not listening. Something about his wolf choosing me on a full moon. You’re a wolf; you should know what he’s talking about.” She shrugged. “Not much I can do about that.”
“You don’t seem to get it.” Giuliana’s eyes glowed a creepy yellow-orange. “Do whatever it takes to end it. You’re not going to mate with him.”
“That’s not up to you, Giuliana.”
“Isn’t it?” Giuliana bared her fangs. “You’re not good for him. End it, or I’ll end you.”
“You’ll try.”
Before Giuliana could say another word, Zoey lashed out with a quick foot sweep and knocked her on her butt. Hopping on her bike, she shot off through traffic, dodging expertly. Giuliana shifted and tried to chase her, but she was no match for the map witch. Zoey headed for the eastern side of town, the Bianchi Pack’s territory. Surely, Giuliana wouldn’t be stupid enough to chase her.
Mated to the Capo (Mafia Wolf Shifters) (Encantado Shifters Book 1) Page 12
