Nightfall (Devil's Night 4)

I flashed my eyes to the refrigerator, gauging the distance.

Searching the counters, I spotted a trio of glass apothecary jars and reached out, swiping one onto the floor between us. It crashed, shattering everywhere, and he paused a moment, a smile in his eyes as I continued to back away, making my way for the fridge.

“This won’t end with you in my sleeping bag this time,” he warned.

I grabbed another jar and shoved it to the floor, backing up some more and closing the distance. If he charged me, he’d slip on the glass.

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” I taunted. “You’re still not the alpha.”

The dark eyebrow above one of his eyes cocked, but he didn’t stop, continuing toward me.

The pulse in my neck thumped, my stomach swimming, but…as the glass crunched under his shoe and his gaze held mine, the pulse between my legs throbbed, and I almost cried.

“Do you know why I’m here?” I asked.

“Have you been bad?”

I locked my jaw, but I remained silent.

A wicked smile spread across his face, and I knew this was it. I didn’t think it would happen like this, but I always knew it was coming.

“You know,” I said. “Don’t you?”

He nodded. “Don’t you want to explain?”

“Would it matter?”

He shook his head.

I gulped. Yeah, didn’t think so.

He served two-and-a-half years in prison because of me. And not just him. His best friends, Damon Torrance and Kai Mori, too.

I dropped my eyes for a moment, knowing he didn’t deserve it, but I also knew I wouldn’t have done anything differently if I could. I’d told him to stay away from me. I’d warned him.

“I wish I’d never met you,” I said, almost whispering.

He stopped, glass grinding under him. “Believe me, girl, the feeling is fucking mutual.”

I backed up, but my hand brushed my leg, and I felt something in my pocket. I continued making my way for the fridge, but I reached into my pants and pulled out the hunk of metal, seeing a folding knife with a black handle.

Where did this come from?

I didn’t carry knives.

I dropped the net and unsheathed the blade, holding it out in front of me, but he shot out and grabbed my wrist, prying my fingers open. I fought against it, trying to keep the weapon, but he was too strong. I cried out as I couldn’t hold it anymore and it fell to the floor, clanking on the marble.

Whipping me around, he fisted my collar and brought me in, pinning me between his body and the counter.

He looked down into my eyes, and I breathed hard, a lock of hair brushing against my mouth.

“You like alphas?” he challenged me.

I sharpened my eyes on him. “We want what we want.”

He glared, those words far more familiar than he wanted to remember, and if I weren’t so fucking scared, I’d laugh.

Growling, he picked me up and threw me over his shoulder. “Time to meet one then,” he said.