KYLIE POV:The lights are on in the little house we rented near the university. I chose that locale because it's chip and there are plenty of restaurants and shop within walking distance. I always pick places where it's easy to blend in. "Mémé?" I push open the door and then stop. Something feels off. Hairs prickling on the back of my neck, I step in, trying to identify what's different. Nothing seems out of place. "Mémé?" It comes out sharp, and I hope she's not in bed already.I look around the kitchen and see unpacked grocery bags on the floor. Alarm bells go off full force.My phone rings. I dig it out of my pocket and stare at the words number blocked. Normally, I would never answer, but somethings not right, so I swipe the screen and put the phone to my ear. "Hello?""You did not follow our instructions." The voice is computer generated. A surge of anger rips through me. "Fuck your instructions.""We're fucking your grandmother. You should have d
I flash my brightest smile as I head into Jackson's office. "Your coffee, sir." I walk around to his side of the desk and stand too close as I lean over like a sex kitten to deliver it. His secretary gapes in the doorway."Watch it, kitten or I'll punish you here, too," he growls in an undertone. "What?" I ask innocently. "Cancel all my appointments and close the door, Vanessa. We have a situation to deal with here," he says to his secretary as he opens his desk and pulls out a wooden ruler. He lays it on the desk between us, shooting me a meaningful look. Despite it all- Despite the lack of sleep and worrying sick over Mémé, Despite my daunting task of getting the thumb drive, a charge of pure sexual desire runs through me.Hell, yes, he can spank me again.He's going to want to do far worse when he realizes what I'm going to do. And that through sobers the lust right out of me.I hold out my palm. "Thumb drive.?"I'm really not sure he's going to hand it to me, but, after a momen
I work to get through the firewall and the infosec code. I do not allow myself to think of what will happen if Jackson come back before I've succeeded. Or if I can't get in. Or if they don't let Mémé go. I only see the characters on a screen. A puzzle to solve. Sixteen minutes later, I'm in.No time to celebrate. I grab the thumb drive and insert it into his port. "I'm sorry, Jackson. I'm so fucking sorry. It auto-launches, code unfolding before my eyes with lightning speed.I get up from his chair, pick up my things, and walk swiftly out. I don't acknowledge his secretary. I travel down the hall, like I'm headed for the bathroom, and slip into the stairwell. Eight stories then a parking lot, and I'll be in my car. Except I already know I've been had. They're not letting Mémé go. How could they frame me if an old lady is telling a story about being kidnapping?So I just committed another felony act and destroy the old company I've ever admired for nothing. Worse I've destroyed whateve
KYLIE POV:I make it to my car and peel out of the parking lot. I head in the direction of downtown, but I have no idea where to go. It's time to bail I've done this at least twenty times.I know how to erase my existence and put up a new on in another city. Another country even, But I'll be dammed if I'll leave Tucson without Mémé. So I just need somewhere to lie low. To wait for the blackmailers phone call that fear isn't coming. I drive to Bank of America, where I have a safety deposit box. Maybe I can get in before the FBI puts an alert on anything to do with my present social security number.I walk briskly into the bank, tugging the hem of my T-shirt down, wishing I'd worn the heels today.I withdraw all my saving in cash, give them my ID, and ask to have my safety deposit box. They send me to an office to wait. Three minutes go by five.Please let this one thing go right for me.The overweight manager with a nineties hairstyle return with the box.
The hairs on the back of my neck stand up as I walk to the Range Rover in the solar panel-coverd parking. I lift nose the air and snift, but all I smell is the cool spring air of the desert.The moon beckons me, makes me itchy to shift and hunt for Kylie. I reach the vehicle and stop.A dark head is visible in the passenger seat of my car. I know immediately it's her.My body surges into emergency mode, the shift upon me. I don't know what to think someone's murdered her and put her in there. Or that she's waiting to kill me. Or she's committed suicide and left her body for me to find it.I know its Kylie, and getting to her is a goddamn emergency, I rip open the door.She's not dead. She's not even hurt. And she's not holding a gun.All I find is a pale, tear-streaked face punctuated by huge, miserable eyes.Relief and fury simultaneously flood my viens. I haul her out of the car by her wrist and slam the door. I don't smell fear on her, but she's docile like she knows she deserves m
Since when?" he asks sharply, like he already knows. "Since my parents died. She's all the family I had," I modify my stomach lurching."Is she dead, kitten? Do you know it in your gut? Reach beyond the fear. Yes or No?"No.Relief slips around me like a blanket. "I don't think so," I croak. I'm fascinated by Jackson's reliance on gut instinct over logic. A man with a brain like his? if he trusts it, so do I.Jackson gives a single nod. "Then we need to crack this code and find her."I square my shoulders, the mantle of purpose returning. My brain launches into dissecting what I've seen of the malware. I pull out my computer. "Mind if I work in the car?""I'd be pissed if you didn't."We drive another ten minutes in silence with me studying the unlaunched code I copied from the thumb drive earlier. When we reach Jackson's mansion, the automatic gate swings open, and he pulls into the drive.I snap my laptop closed and shove it on my bag, looking up at the house. Jackson's black wolf
JACKSON POV :I wake up with my fangs and Kylie's scent my nostrils. No wonder I dreamed about owning her hot little body the entire two hours I slept. I must have marked her in every position in my sleep. I shouldn't feel rested, but the sexual frustration pumps me with energy. Claim.Mate.Mark.My wolf fucking loves that she's in my house.I force myself to get in the shower with the spray on ice cold so I won't go hunt her.It doesn't help I'm still ready to dominate her when I get out.Chase her up a rocky mountain, knock her to the ground, and sink my teeth so deep into flesh, she'll scream....Yeah, and that would kill her. She'd be screaming, all right, and it wouldn't be ye, Jackson.I skip the suit and tie today, opting for a button down and khakis. My employees have been up all night working, I don't need to show anyone up.Kylie's scent hits me hard the moment I walk out my room. My cock swells against the zipper of my pants. I find her in her room
I want her here every morning, making me coffee while I cook her eggs. I want to watch those gold-flecked eyes peeking over the top of her mug as she tells me something brilliant. I want to earn that easy smile by saying something humorous.Record scratch, I'm not funny guy. I never say anything humorous except I had in the Elevator. I'd made her laugh then, Around her I turn into someone else. Someone better, You're not the bad guy.I dip four pieces of cinnamon raisin bread in the egg batter and drop them onto a heated skillet doused with melted butter."I'm going to head into the office after we eat. I want hourly updates. Unless you're sleeping."I whirl around to pin her with my sternest look. "You do plan on getting some sleep?" She lifts her mug of coffee in the air. "Not for a while. Don't worry I do my best work when I'm half delirious.""Not on my watch. You need rest." She rolls her eyes, and I smack her bottom as she passes by.My cock hardens at her yelp.Sam stares out