Chapter 2

Cora

His mouth crashed into mine, possessing me with his kiss. Immediately, I was consumed by him. Every other thought, fear, and stressor that had plagued me fled in an instant.

He pulled me into his apartment, his muscular arms crushing me against his broad chest. I let myself be consumed by him as he directed me toward his bedroom. He pushed me down onto his bed.

One minute I was clothed and the next I wasn’t. He tore layers from me savagely.

And I let him. I allowed myself to be lost in him, to lose myself to his skilled hands.

His kisses were rough as he pressed his lips to my neck. I felt the scruff of his stubble scratch pleasantly and moaned.

A growl escaped him when he heard it. Whatever thin leash had been holding him back snapped.

His hands claimed me. His mouth devoured me.

I gasped and whimpered, utterly at his mercy. He was clearly well-practiced, and I let him take the lead, giving myself over to him and my own pleasure. Everywhere he touched seemed to light up, to burn beneath him.

When he entered me, I gasped at his size. Every thrust brought me closer to climax, the tension building between us.

He really knew what he was doing.

This stranger, this escort, was the perfect escape. When he brought me to the edge, when he broke me apart and made me cry out, I didn’t think there could be a better feeling in the world.

I needed that moment more than I knew.

***

Sunlight was already glaring through the curtains, assaulting my eyes. I blinked once. Twice. My head throbbed from the whiskey and bad decisions of the previous evening.

I rolled over and checked the watch I had hastily thrown on the unfamiliar nightstand last evening—8:00 a.m.

“Shit,” I hissed, jolting upright. I had exactly one hour before I’d be officially late.

I threw the covers off and jumped to my feet, my heart thudding against my ribs like a warning bell. As I reached for my clothes, the sound of running water came from the bathroom. More details from the night before came rushing back to me.

Zach and Amy’s betrayal.

Daisy’s advice and a few shots of whiskey.

The escort.

My stomach flipped. There were so many things racing through my mind, but the most vivid of them all was the memory of his hands. His smell was still lingering on me, deeply masculine and delicious.

No. I was in no shape to be thinking about him. Not now.

Getting dressed felt like a race against time and shame. Just as I reached for my bag, I realized with a jolt that I hadn’t paid him for his time.

My face burned. Had it come to this? Paying a man for his attention?

Fumbling through my pockets, I came up with a pitiful handful of crumpled bills. Great. Nothing screamed “thank you for the night” like loose change.

I tossed the cash on the table and rushed out, hoping it was enough. Maybe if I was lucky I would never see him again.

I skirted into the building a minute before 9 o’clock, just barely arriving on time, But I had no time to dwell on my small win.

“How long are you planning to keep your junk here? That spot’s for the new hire,” came a voice I’d hoped to avoid altogether.

Amy.

I turned just in time to catch the box she flung at me, the corner of it smacking against my forehead. It was too early to deal with her like this, and my head had already been pounding from last night’s whiskey.

I staggered, just barely biting back a retort, and noticed a paper fluttering inside.

A transfer notice from the Sales Department. My heart dropped.

“‘Reassigned to the President’s office’?” I read aloud, stunned. “What is this?”

Amy’s smile was as sweet as it was venomous. “Signed by yours truly. I decided it was time for a change.”

“I didn’t do anything wrong. On what grounds?”

My heart was racing in my chest. This couldn’t be happening.

She shrugged, too satisfied. “Just on the grounds that I’m your supervisor, sweetheart.”

My fist clenched around the paper. This wasn’t just a transfer; it was a power move. And it had its intended effect: humiliation.

But I couldn’t let her win. Not when I had someone counting on me.

I looked at my phone, which I was clenching desperately to remain upright. Riley’s little face grinned up at me from the lock screen.

My strength. My reason.

“Oops, only five minutes left until reporting deadline. Maybe you’d rather go home and cry—alone?” Amy pouted mockingly and glanced at her watch for emphasis.

It was all I could do not to shout at her in front of all of our coworkers. Who did she think she was? I narrowed my eyes at her, wondering what would happen if I decided to publicly hurl her affair with Zach in her face.

Angrily, I grabbed the box and made my way to the top floor of the company building. The CEO’s office loomed ahead, glittering with luxury. The top floor felt like another world. I took a deep breath, trying to calm the bubbling anger in my chest.

Maybe this wasn’t all bad. Sure, most junior assistants were glorified errand runners, but the salary was better than sales. And if I played my cards right, maybe I could work my way up.

The office buzzed with energy. Everyone was on edge, whispering about the new CEO’s arrival. I rarely saw the werewolf colleagues in the company this serious.

“Hey, you—new girl,” someone called. “Go take care of this.”

A stack of prep work landed in my hands. Decorations, catering coordination, IT setup—it felt like planning a royal visit. Must be one hell of a boss.

By the time I finished my first list of assignments in my new position, sweat clung to my back, and my legs ached. Just about then, the announcement came: the CEO canceled the induction meeting.

I scoffed at the message. Typical.

But the silver lining? I got off work on time for the first time in seven years.

I picked Riley up and we headed to his checkup. At least, that was the plan. On the way there, between songs Riley and I were happily singing along to, the secondhand car I was driving started making a grating noise.

We barely got another few yards before the car sputtered, coughed, and died.

“Of course,” I muttered, as I punched on my hazards. I tried to hide my panic from Riley as I got out of the car.

We couldn’t miss this appointment. I wasn’t certain when the next time I would be free to take him would be.

I stepped out onto the road, stuck out my hand, and prayed for a miracle.

I began frantically trying to hail a car, waving down anyone who passed by. But they all kept going, merciless as they continued driving. One of the cars had even honked at me teasingly.

Just as I was about to give up, the universe finally delivered my miracle wrapped in a sleek, black luxury sedan. The passenger window rolled down, and I froze.

Him.

The escort.

His gaze locked onto mine, and I felt the temperature drop ten degrees. His jaw was tight, expression unreadable—but those eyes? Unmistakable.

Recognition flashed between us like lightning. I could see him hesitate, and I stiffened, waiting for him to acknowledge this strange feeling passing between us.

But he said nothing. Just unlocked the door.

I hesitated for half a second before climbing in, heart pounding like a drumline. I had been intimate with this man, but I didn’t really know him. It wasn’t like I had many options, though.

Riley happily chattered in the back seat as the escort drove, oblivious to the awkward silence threatening to choke me.

I realized, with a sinking heart, that I might’ve insulted the man beside me. I had no idea how much escorts made, but leaving a few crumpled bills? That was low. Disrespectful, even.

As soon as we pulled up to the clinic, Riley flung the door open and dashed up the steps in pursuit of a promised lollipop.

I turned to him. “Listen, about the money—”

His expression changed instantly, darkening like a storm. I could practically hear his molars grinding, almost like he wanted to devour me.

I swallowed dryly, feeling my heart stutter in my chest. Before I could finish apologizing, Riley tripped over a step.

“Riley!” I screamed, lunging forward.

And then—he moved.

One moment the escort was standing next to me. The next second, the man appeared on the opposite set of steps, tightly holding Riley in his arms.