[Briar’s POV]I remain in place, staring around, taking in the space that looks almost unlived in while my savior, or possibly my downfall, heads toward the kitchen and grabs a beer.“Want one?” He asks, peeking at me over my shoulder. “Or do you intend to just stand there looking like a statue?”“I…” I begin, wondering if that was a rhetorical question. “I’ll have one.”“Atta girl,” the man chuckles, moving toward me and passing me a bottle of some cheap beer that probably tastes like the toilet water at a frat house. “Sorry it isn’t fancy, but this is all I got.”“It’ll do,” I say, moving toward a chair and taking a seat. “Alcohol is alcohol, right?”As I speak, I try to keep my voice even, doing my absolute best to keep my nerves from being noticed, but from the way those golden eyes burned into me, I knew I wasn’t doing a very good job.“Hey,” the man says, taking a seat across from me. “Tell me something.”“What?” I ask, taking a sip of my beer and wincing from the taste. “What i
[Briar’s POV]I stare in disbelief at the psycho bastard who watches me until the doors to the elevator I stand silently in closes, making a decisive line between us both. Only when I can’t see him anymore do I collapse against the wall while my heart begins to hammer in my chest.“Fuck,” I hiss, reaching up and pressing my hand against it. “What the fuck is wrong with him?”This single question repeats itself again and again in my mind as the events that unfolded this evening flash in my mind, making me realize that I really dodged a bullet, but that wasn’t even the thing that mattered the most. Now that I could think straight, I was realizing that all along Jeffrey could have had the answers that I was seeking in regards to my brother.“Fuck!” I growl, punching the elevator wall as I try to come to terms with the fact I let a golden opportunity get away from me. “I almost achieved my mission!”My voice reverberates around me like they belong to others who mock me for not realizing t
[Ciaran’s POV]Later, I lounge on the couch, a bottle of whiskey in one hand and a cigarette in the other, as the scent of my little mate continues to linger around me, taunting me and making me want to rip the fucking city apart to find her and claim her as my own.Fuck. Who knew that a mate bond could be so suffocating and so fucking frustrating? If I had known, I would have turned and left the minute her delicious scent started enticing me. If I had just left, I wouldn’t have gotten to lose myself in it, to feel her warmth against me, or to even learn the cute expressions that she was capable of making.“Dammit,” I growl, bringing the whiskey to my lips and chugging the rest of the burning liquid. “Get your shit together, Ciaran.”I wasn’t a man who was allowed to let himself indulge in such things. I didn’t live in a world where I could keep someone so weak and yet so strong beside me. I already knew that the best thing for us was for our paths to never cross again, and to make su
[Briar’s POV]A shiver races down my spine as I turn my key in the lock to my apartment, causing me to freeze while I wonder if someone is cursing me. Deciding that I was probably overthinking things and being a little too paranoid given the events that just happened, I quickly scurry inside, where I find my roommate, Crystal, lounging on the couch with a drink in one hand and the TV remote in another.She’s dressed in nothing but a long t-shirt and underwear with her long, dark, curly hair tied in a bun atop her head, and by the look on her face and the questioning gleam in her dark eyes, I know that she has been waiting for me to get home.“Hey,” I announce, strolling forward while keeping my expression blank. “Whatcha watching?”“Oh, you know,” she responds, her gaze narrowing. “A show about a girl whose best friend randomly disappeared from her night gig and was unable to be reached.”“Wow,” I smile, knowing that I was in trouble from the annoyance in her voice. “That sounds like
[Briar’s POV]The next morning, I stand in front of the precinct, my adrenaline pumping and my determination rising. This was it; this was the step I worked so hard to take, and now that I was here, I wasn't going to let anything stop me.Appear in front of me again and I'll fuck you.That dangerous man's voice pops into my head unbidden as I realize that once I’ve stepped foot through those doors, the possibility of us meeting was highly likely.“Oh well,” I mutter, pushing that handsome bastard’s face and voice aside. “You’re the one that appeared in front of me to begin with.”Settling on this, I begin to move, heading inside and up to the reception desk where a young man with slicked-back brown hair sits.“Yes, ma’am,” he says, eyeing me, his gaze slowly trailing up and down my body. “How can I help you?”“I’m here to meet with Detective Miles.” I respond, giving a smile. “I’ve got an appointment with him at nine.”Nodding, the man checks his computer, and when I’m certain he find
[Briar’s POV]Later, I sit at a table with Miles, a glass of beer sitting in front of me along with some appetizers that I happily nibble on while Miles recaps our time together at the academy. As promised, after he got off work, he texted me the location of a pub that wasn’t popular so that we could talk peacefully, but to my surprise, it was busier than I was expecting.Maybe it was because a live band was playing for the evening, or it was because pool was only a dollar a game, but the place was crawling with big dudes who looked like they bullied others for funsies. However, I didn’t give a shit about them and found myself enjoying Miles's presence and the stories he was recapping from our time together in the academy.“...And then you told him that you’d kick his ass with your arm tied behind your back.” Miles laughs, taking a swig of his beer. “Do you know how shocked I was to hear such a thing? Especially from a tiny little creature like you.”“And I stood behind that.” I point
[Ciaran’s POV]I lead my little mate through the bar and out toward the parking lot while everything in me screams to stop this and just leave her. However, unlike the first time we met, the bond feels so much stronger, and I can’t stop my wolf as it begs to have a taste of her. And frankly, this evening I wasn’t in the mood to be cautious, not when fate was continuing to bring her to me. However, there was something that didn’t make sense and that bugged the fuck out of me.She recognized me and my threat.Frowning, I reach my car and yank open the door to the backseat, and not wasting any time, I throw her inside and then climb in, slamming the door behind me. And once inside, I’m trapping her wrists between my hand, taking note of how fucking tiny they feel in my grasp. All I had to do was squeeze a little, and they would break.A human. I was mated to a fucking human. Me. Mated to such a weak being. What kind of fucking joke was this?“Why?” I grunt, trying to make sense of what w
[Ciaran’s POV]I don’t move, my fingers hovering just beneath my little mate's pants, waiting and begging to dive beneath them where her soaked cunt is waiting. Goddess, it’s frustrating to wait for the go-ahead, but I wasn’t one to force anything on anyone. With all the women throwing themselves at me since I was young, I had my pick of playthings, but never in my fucking life have I wanted anyone as much as I want the woman beneath me right now.Take her.Take her.Take her.The words keep repeating themselves in my head again and again, urging me to just fucking move since she wasn’t saying no, but I remain in place, waiting and watching as the eyes of my little mate slowly darken.“What will you choose?” I ask, leaning forward and biting her shoulder so a moan escapes her. “Do you want me to give you what you and your body want, or will you continue to deny your desires?”“I…” she begins, her thighs attempting to tighten around my knee. “I…”“Open them.” I growl, reaching down and
[Ciaran’s POV]I don’t move, my fingers hovering just beneath my little mate's pants, waiting and begging to dive beneath them where her soaked cunt is waiting. Goddess, it’s frustrating to wait for the go-ahead, but I wasn’t one to force anything on anyone. With all the women throwing themselves at me since I was young, I had my pick of playthings, but never in my fucking life have I wanted anyone as much as I want the woman beneath me right now.Take her.Take her.Take her.The words keep repeating themselves in my head again and again, urging me to just fucking move since she wasn’t saying no, but I remain in place, waiting and watching as the eyes of my little mate slowly darken.“What will you choose?” I ask, leaning forward and biting her shoulder so a moan escapes her. “Do you want me to give you what you and your body want, or will you continue to deny your desires?”“I…” she begins, her thighs attempting to tighten around my knee. “I…”“Open them.” I growl, reaching down and
[Ciaran’s POV]I lead my little mate through the bar and out toward the parking lot while everything in me screams to stop this and just leave her. However, unlike the first time we met, the bond feels so much stronger, and I can’t stop my wolf as it begs to have a taste of her. And frankly, this evening I wasn’t in the mood to be cautious, not when fate was continuing to bring her to me. However, there was something that didn’t make sense and that bugged the fuck out of me.She recognized me and my threat.Frowning, I reach my car and yank open the door to the backseat, and not wasting any time, I throw her inside and then climb in, slamming the door behind me. And once inside, I’m trapping her wrists between my hand, taking note of how fucking tiny they feel in my grasp. All I had to do was squeeze a little, and they would break.A human. I was mated to a fucking human. Me. Mated to such a weak being. What kind of fucking joke was this?“Why?” I grunt, trying to make sense of what w
[Briar’s POV]Later, I sit at a table with Miles, a glass of beer sitting in front of me along with some appetizers that I happily nibble on while Miles recaps our time together at the academy. As promised, after he got off work, he texted me the location of a pub that wasn’t popular so that we could talk peacefully, but to my surprise, it was busier than I was expecting.Maybe it was because a live band was playing for the evening, or it was because pool was only a dollar a game, but the place was crawling with big dudes who looked like they bullied others for funsies. However, I didn’t give a shit about them and found myself enjoying Miles's presence and the stories he was recapping from our time together in the academy.“...And then you told him that you’d kick his ass with your arm tied behind your back.” Miles laughs, taking a swig of his beer. “Do you know how shocked I was to hear such a thing? Especially from a tiny little creature like you.”“And I stood behind that.” I point
[Briar’s POV]The next morning, I stand in front of the precinct, my adrenaline pumping and my determination rising. This was it; this was the step I worked so hard to take, and now that I was here, I wasn't going to let anything stop me.Appear in front of me again and I'll fuck you.That dangerous man's voice pops into my head unbidden as I realize that once I’ve stepped foot through those doors, the possibility of us meeting was highly likely.“Oh well,” I mutter, pushing that handsome bastard’s face and voice aside. “You’re the one that appeared in front of me to begin with.”Settling on this, I begin to move, heading inside and up to the reception desk where a young man with slicked-back brown hair sits.“Yes, ma’am,” he says, eyeing me, his gaze slowly trailing up and down my body. “How can I help you?”“I’m here to meet with Detective Miles.” I respond, giving a smile. “I’ve got an appointment with him at nine.”Nodding, the man checks his computer, and when I’m certain he find
[Briar’s POV]A shiver races down my spine as I turn my key in the lock to my apartment, causing me to freeze while I wonder if someone is cursing me. Deciding that I was probably overthinking things and being a little too paranoid given the events that just happened, I quickly scurry inside, where I find my roommate, Crystal, lounging on the couch with a drink in one hand and the TV remote in another.She’s dressed in nothing but a long t-shirt and underwear with her long, dark, curly hair tied in a bun atop her head, and by the look on her face and the questioning gleam in her dark eyes, I know that she has been waiting for me to get home.“Hey,” I announce, strolling forward while keeping my expression blank. “Whatcha watching?”“Oh, you know,” she responds, her gaze narrowing. “A show about a girl whose best friend randomly disappeared from her night gig and was unable to be reached.”“Wow,” I smile, knowing that I was in trouble from the annoyance in her voice. “That sounds like
[Ciaran’s POV]Later, I lounge on the couch, a bottle of whiskey in one hand and a cigarette in the other, as the scent of my little mate continues to linger around me, taunting me and making me want to rip the fucking city apart to find her and claim her as my own.Fuck. Who knew that a mate bond could be so suffocating and so fucking frustrating? If I had known, I would have turned and left the minute her delicious scent started enticing me. If I had just left, I wouldn’t have gotten to lose myself in it, to feel her warmth against me, or to even learn the cute expressions that she was capable of making.“Dammit,” I growl, bringing the whiskey to my lips and chugging the rest of the burning liquid. “Get your shit together, Ciaran.”I wasn’t a man who was allowed to let himself indulge in such things. I didn’t live in a world where I could keep someone so weak and yet so strong beside me. I already knew that the best thing for us was for our paths to never cross again, and to make su
[Briar’s POV]I stare in disbelief at the psycho bastard who watches me until the doors to the elevator I stand silently in closes, making a decisive line between us both. Only when I can’t see him anymore do I collapse against the wall while my heart begins to hammer in my chest.“Fuck,” I hiss, reaching up and pressing my hand against it. “What the fuck is wrong with him?”This single question repeats itself again and again in my mind as the events that unfolded this evening flash in my mind, making me realize that I really dodged a bullet, but that wasn’t even the thing that mattered the most. Now that I could think straight, I was realizing that all along Jeffrey could have had the answers that I was seeking in regards to my brother.“Fuck!” I growl, punching the elevator wall as I try to come to terms with the fact I let a golden opportunity get away from me. “I almost achieved my mission!”My voice reverberates around me like they belong to others who mock me for not realizing t
[Briar’s POV]I remain in place, staring around, taking in the space that looks almost unlived in while my savior, or possibly my downfall, heads toward the kitchen and grabs a beer.“Want one?” He asks, peeking at me over my shoulder. “Or do you intend to just stand there looking like a statue?”“I…” I begin, wondering if that was a rhetorical question. “I’ll have one.”“Atta girl,” the man chuckles, moving toward me and passing me a bottle of some cheap beer that probably tastes like the toilet water at a frat house. “Sorry it isn’t fancy, but this is all I got.”“It’ll do,” I say, moving toward a chair and taking a seat. “Alcohol is alcohol, right?”As I speak, I try to keep my voice even, doing my absolute best to keep my nerves from being noticed, but from the way those golden eyes burned into me, I knew I wasn’t doing a very good job.“Hey,” the man says, taking a seat across from me. “Tell me something.”“What?” I ask, taking a sip of my beer and wincing from the taste. “What i
[Briar’s POV]My eyes grow wide as I stare into the golden depths of the large man that I’m pressed against. What on earth was he saying right now? Was he actually capable of doing such a thing? And why on earth wasn’t I scared out of my fucking mind over what he just did? Was I crazy? Did I lose my sanity because of what I just experienced?“Does your silence mean you want me to fuck you here?” The man rumbles, snapping me out of my daze. “It looks like you’re more kinky than I thought.”“No!” I gasp, not wanting to do such a thing here. “That isn’t…”Shit. He was being serious; what on earth was I getting myself into? All I wanted to do was escape and never see this man again. Of course, I already knew that meant that after tonight I couldn’t possibly come back to this place, not after what happened. RIP those beautiful tips.“Then let’s get going.”I don’t get the chance to respond before the man is tugging me, pulling me out of the room where Jeffrey’s body remains waiting for who