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“Sometimes you don’t get closure. You just move on.”
-Unknown-
LUCREZIA
I smile at the elderly man as I hand him the invoice, and watch him walk away. Mr. Embers is our longest-standing customer, with his old-school Mustang. It was his wife’s, he’d told me once, and he doesn’t have it in him to get rid of it.
But as the antique keeps breaking down, it’s been costing him a pretty penny. Unknown to him, Lucas has been fixing the car on his own money, only charging him half of the labor. It basically amounts to paying around twenty-five percent of the repairs.
“Was he happy?”
I jump, then turn to see the devil himself staring at the closed door.
“Yup, as always.”
I try not to read into Lucas’ coming closer, and the stare I feel on me. My skin prickles at the attention until I can’t stand it any longer.
“Did you need something?”
Lucas opens his mouth as if to respond, but Finn barges in looking as panicked as I’ve ever seen him. “You need to come. Now.”
“What is it?” Lucas turns to him, none too worried.
“It’s Dom and Tristan.”
I drop my pen and they both turn towards me. I flush, but don’t cower in front of them. “What happened to Dom?”
Something passes in Lucas’ eyes—annoyance?—but I’m too focused on Finn to try and decipher it. “Finn?”
With one glare from Lucas, he shakes his head and says nothing. They both take off, leaving me fuming and biting my nails.
Dominic
My fist connects with Tommy’s face and I hear a satisfying crunch. It’s one of many, but Tristan doesn’t stop me.
We’re not animals: I offered Tommy to fight me like a man. But it seems he only likes picking on defenseless women. His pitiful cowering form, curled up from my last hit, almost makes me stop.
Then I remember Luz's tears, the panic in her gaze, the trembling in her body...
Like I said, almost.
I pull my arm back, aiming for another punch, when the door bursts open. Lucas takes in the scene, his fists clenching at the obvious disobedience he sees. After a deep breath, he stalks in followed by Finn. My Irish friend glances down at Tommy, then at me and Tristan.
“This isn’t how we do things.”
My wolf snarls, agitated, but Tristan’s arm on my shoulder holds me back. “Lucas approved this.”
Our alpha bares his teeth, onyx eyes glittering with anger. “I never agreed to this. I told you to run him out of town.”
“You can be damn sure I have with this.” I move towards him, ready to pick him up, but Lucas steps between me and Tommy.
“Finn and I will handle this. Go back to Lucrezia, or for a run. Whatever it is, do something that gets your mind off bloodshed.”
I glare past him to Tommy. His face is a mess of bruises and blood, but he’s still breathing. Way too fucking much for my taste.
Finn, with Tristan’s help, pulls me out of the room and into the fresh air. “You’ve both crossed a line.”
“Spare me, man.” Tristan pushes me down the stairs, scowling at Finn over his shoulder. “You would have done the same—have, in fact, done the same. So stop being a hypocrite.”
I know he’s talking about what landed Finn here, in a remote town, rather than the lush emerald pastures of his native country. He had a good firm, a good practice as a lawyer, once upon a time. Before he threw it all away by taking justice in his own hands.
It’s why he’s such a stickler for rules, the best among us. Still, he’s out of my head as soon as we get in my truck, and Tristan drives straight for the shop.
Before I get out, I shake his hand. “I owe you one.”
“Trust me, it was my pleasure.” Something flashes in his eyes, a confirmation he got as much out of the justice we handed out as I did.
Luz is already halfway out of her chair when I enter, and she jumps in my arms. There are no customers around, so I take no shame in digging my hands under her ass and hoisting her up in my arms.
She squeaks, but her arms wrap tighter around my neck as she buries her face in my chest. Moving us backwards, I place her on top of her desk and pull back, remaining between her spread legs.
“Miss me?”
She smacks me lightly, trying to scowl but failing. “You scared me!” Her cheeks are flushed, eyes sparkling with something akin to relief, and suddenly I don’t care about games or fake relationships.
I drop my mouth to hers, not asking permission but taking. Luz moans against me, pulling me closer as she opens her mouth to my plundering. My hands move to her waist, feeling the heat of her skin through the top she’s wearing, and desperately wanting to touch bareness.
My wolf rumbles, agreeing with my needs, but I know it’s too soon, and too fast. So instead, I do the next best thing and kiss her like she’s the sweetest wine, getting lost in it.
Lucrezia
When Dom entered the shop, I thought my heart would burst in relief. Now that he’s busy kissing me like the world is ending, I no longer care about my questions, only that he’s okay.
Someone clears their throat and we pull apart guiltily—me more so than Dom. He seems annoyed if anything, scowling over his shoulder.
“This better be important.”
I peek past him to notice Tristan entering, closely followed by Lucas. The latter takes one look at us and storms back out, slamming the door behind him. My gaze shifts to Tristan, then Dom. “I caused this, didn’t I?”
“Nu, draga mea.” I love how his voice grows deeper when he speaks Romanian, and his endearments bring butterflies to my stomach. “That’s just Lucas being Lucas. I’ll take care of it later.”
I push him away, and jump off the desk. Dom wraps an arm around me as naturally as breathing, but it’s not enough to detract me. His comment reminded me of one very important question.
“What happened? Lucas and Finn took off here like they were being chased by the devil himself.”
Dom shares a silent look with Tristan, then peers down at me. “We stopped by Tommy’s motel. I may have gotten a little too carried away with emphasizing how he needs to stay away from you.”
I bite my lip, frowning. The last thing I want is him to get into trouble on my behalf. “Dom...”
He places an index against my lips, and follows it by a kiss on my forehead. “Lucas is touchy because I got there first, and might have gone overboard. Don’t worry about it.”
“Don’t...What about cops?”
Dom snorts, and it’s picked up by Tristan. “Trust me, they won’t be an issue. You really shouldn’t worry.”
I bite hard on my lip at the impossibility of what he’s asking me, trying to rephrase. “I really don’t want you getting into trouble.”
“I won’t.” Dom kisses me again—this time to shut me up, I think—and Tristan clears his throat again.
“Ai, que amor... You guys are sickly sweet, you know that?”
I pull back from Dom, and another thought enters my mind. This whole thing started as a way to get Lucas’ attention, but it’s no longer that for me. If nothing else, the panic I’ve felt while waiting for him to return is a pretty good sign that things have progressed.
Is that the case for Dom, though? I try to search his gaze, but can’t read anything past his amusement at Tristan’s tone.
∞ ♦ ∞
Lucas doesn’t come back that day, but Finn shows up right as we’re closing. He dusts the snow off the sweatshirt he’s wearing, then glances in the garage where Tristan and Dom are tinkering with our latest client’s car.
Tristan is the first one out the door, followed by Dom. By the time the three of them are in the reception area, the air is stifled with tension, and it’s making even me uncomfortable.
After another beat, Finn lifts his hands up in mock surrender. “You know why I told Lucas, mates. No hard feelings?”
Tristan looks to Dom, whose gaze darts to me. Then he faces Finn. “What happened with Tommy?”
Rather than answer him, Finn walks a few steps towards me and takes my hand. His eyes are gentle, but there’s a scathing tone to his voice I know he reserves for the likes of my ex. “Luz, Tommy will never touch you again. I dumped him at the police station of the closest town, along with enough evidence of crimes to keep him locked up for the rest of his life. I waited around until they booked him and spoke with a cop on duty. He’s gone, Luz. For good.”
I blink back tears, and manage a whispered, “Thank you.”
As if my words were the absolution he needed, Finn turns back to the guys. “So? Forgiven?”
Dom takes a step towards him, pulling him in a man-hug and patting his back. Tristan is next, and now all three are grinning like maniacs. “Forgiven, brother.”
Boys...
It’s not long after that Dom drives me back home, dropping me at the entrance and taking off only after my lights turn on. After a shower, I change into sweatpants and a top. I’m about to get into bed when my buzzer rings.
More than curious, I head over to the door and press it, wondering who the hell could be calling on me this late at night.
“It’s me.”
I stare like an idiot at the speaker, recognizing Dom’s voice, but not the need reverberating in each syllable.
“Can I see you?”
It’s only been about twenty minutes since he dropped me off, but there’s no way I can deny the longing in him—and me. Before I can change my mind, I press the buzzer to let him in, and by the time I open my door he’s already at the top of the stairs.
His eyes take in my outfit, but there’s an intensity in his gaze that tugs at me. When he gets closer, I rise on my tiptoes and kiss him without second thoughts.
Dom being Dom, he takes over the kiss and pushes us back inside the apartment, his tall frame towering over me, both his hands at my hips. I pull him closer, wrapping my arms around his neck and tugging him down, only to hear his muted groan.
Rather than take me up on my offer, he pulls back, panting. “I... Sorry, Luz. I couldn’t leave you alone, after last night and...” He trails off, shaking his head.
He’s about to back away, maybe even run, but I place my hand on his forearm. “Stay the night.” His eyes flare, and I smile at him. “Just hold me? I’ll feel safer knowing you’re around.”
There’s a brief hesitation in his eyes, but when I grab his hand and shut the door behind him, I know he’s mine for the night.
Dominic
I’m going to kill that bird.
It’s the middle of winter, yet outside Luz’s apartment there’s a freaking bird that won’t shut up. It woke me up about two hours ago, not that I really minded. I got to stare at Luz sleeping, draped over my chest.
When she dreams, her lashes flutter against her cheeks, and her breathing either deepens or grows faster depending on what she’s dreaming. I also found out she hogs the blankets, not that I care since my body temperature is much higher than a regular human’s.
Still, that damned bird is about to wake her up and ruin my view.
As if on cue, Luz shifts, burying her head in my chest. She inhales, and a secret little smile tugs at the corners of her mouth. The next minute, she’s gluing herself closer, her mouth moving up from my chest to my jaw, then my lips.
I know what’s happening. In her sleepy state, my wolf is linking with her. Like a mental energy, it’s tugging on her baser instincts, encouraging her to act on her most primal desires. Of course, if Luz is responding like this, it means at least a part of her truly wants me.
Biting back a laugh, I sit back and humor her, kissing back, all the while wondering how long it’ll take her to realize what she’s doing. So for the time being, I go with it—I never said I was a saint.
Luz kissing sleepily is an aphrodisiac I could get used to. Her body melts against me, her mouth soft and pliant under my kisses. The only problem? The raging hard-on she’s giving me.
Against my body’s advice, I push her away and kiss her forehead. “Wake up, draga mea. Before you start something we can’t finish.”
She blinks awake and her eyes go wide as saucers when she realizes I’m in bed with her. For a moment I’m scared she forgot she gave me permission to be there. But Luz only flushes to her roots, then covers her face with her hands. “Did I just...?”
I can’t help finding her embarrassment adorable, not that I can really explain to her what happened to make her act like that. “Mhmm.”
Luz peeks through her fingers at my smug tone, smacking my chest. “This is your fault, you know. I don’t do this kind of stuff!”
I laugh, pulling her hands away and kissing her, all while trying to ignore a very obvious secondary effect—I never said I was a saint.
One more touch, and I breathe against her lips, “Don’t worry, I forgive you.”
She glances down at my problem and smirks. “Does he?”
“He’ll learn. Now get out of here while I make us breakfast. Apparently, I’m needed in the shop.”
“But it’s Saturday!”
I shrug, and avoid mentioning it was a direct order from Lucas. He’s doing it to put some distance between us, not that I’m about to allow him.
“Fine,” Luz grumbles, stretching next to me. I try not to pant like a damn dog in heat. “If you go, I’ll come with. Catch up on paperwork or something.”
Not about to argue there, draga mea.
Whether Luz realizes it or not, my wolf speaks to her. That’s what this whole morning make out session was about. She’s responding to my own desires, and I’ll be damned if this bond gets broken by her lust for my alpha.
I watch as she gets up and grabs a change of clothes, then sneaks into the bathroom for a shower. By the time she’s out, I whipped us some toasted bagels, cream cheese and coffee. She wraps her arms around my waist, hugging me tight, before we both dig into breakfast.
“You didn’t have to, you know?”
“I know.”
Luz munches around a bite, then her eyes drop to her plate. “I mean, this being a fake relationship and all.”
I freeze, but force myself to swallow the now ashy bagel. “So we’re still doing that?”
Her eyes search mine for an answer that should have been easy to see. “Aren’t we?”
I want to talk about this, but before work is not a good idea. So I tell myself tonight. Tonight I’ll tell Luz what I can and let her decide what she wants—who she wants. It’s nowhere close to the month I promised her, but my patience where Lucas is concerned is gone.
Without giving her an answer, I clear my plate. Only once I know I’m calm enough do I return to her and kiss the side of her head. “How about we talk tonight? I don’t want to get into this before work.”
She bites her lip, looking like she wants to say more, but ends up nodding. “Okay.”
Half an hour later, we arrive at the office and I lose track of her. Lucas has a pile of shit he assigns me to sort through while Finn and Tristan get to have the weekend off. I don’t bother arguing with him, instead taking it all in stride.
Still, by the time lunch comes around, I’m wired with impatience. If I have to talk to Luz tonight, I’d best make it a memorable enough day for her not to forget what she feels about me.
Poking the bear—Lucas—is not the best idea. So technically I shouldn’t be trying anything while we’re in the shop. But after the rough time he’s been giving me and Luz, I figure it won’t make much of a difference.
So when I see Luz get up and make her way to the kitchen, I drop my stuff and follow her.
Luz is by the sink, cleaning the mess the guys left behind yesterday. I make a mental note to tell them to clean up after themselves. Then I move in, putting my hands on both her sides, caging her in.
I’m rewarded for my efforts when she doesn’t even freeze, whether recognizing my cologne or my beige sweater, but she laughs instead. She turns around, but stops the minute she sees my expression.
“What...?”
The confused frown is my undoing. My mouth drops to hers with all the grace of a tornado. And as our lips move together, she melts against me.
“Excuse me.”
I take my time lifting my head and glancing over my shoulder where, sure enough, Lucas is glaring at us. “What is this?”
“What’s it look like?” I shoot back.
“Do it on your own time.”
He moves to the fridge to put his lunch back in and drops the dish in the sink. When he seems ready to leave, I snap. “I am. It’s lunchtime, smartass. And learn to pick up after yourself, Luz has been doing everyone’s dishes.”
Lucas’ anger abates a little at that, and he glances down at Luz, still under my arm. “You have?”
Luz shrugs, then nods, “If I didn’t, we’d have rats in no time.”
Lucas glances between her and me, then rubs the back of his neck in contrition. “Grazie, I... hadn’t realized. It’s not part of your duties, nor should you be expected to do it because you’re the only woman around. I’ll talk to the guys.”
Her small, “Thank you,” falls on deaf ears, as Lucas already escaped.
Lucrezia
I’m following Lucas with my eyes, not to check him out but because his behavior is frankly annoying me. When Dom grabs my hand in his and tugs me after him, I stumble over my feet.
“Come on.”
I meet his mischievous gaze and lose my train of thought. When their blue hue sparkles like that, he’s kind of endearing.
“Um...”
“I’m taking you out to lunch.”
Once in his pickup, Dom surprises me by driving to the bakery down the street. Bemused, I follow him inside, where he starts picking out treats to bring with us.
This time, it’s not Rose who helps us out but her granddaughter, Elle. With every choice Dom makes, her cheeks flush more and I bite back a laugh. She must be young, to be so shy. Then again...
I try to check out Dom like a stranger would, taking in his tight blue jeans, beige shirt that emphasizes his broad shoulders, and casual attitude. A few locks of dirty blonde hair fall on his forehead, and his mischievous gaze keeps darting between me and the food.
“Dom, seriously!” I tug on his hand in a vain attempt to slow him down. “That’s way too much food for lunch.”
He shrugs, turning a disarming smile to Elle. “You wouldn’t happen to have some of those sandwiches your grandma makes sometimes?”
She nods, mumbling something that sounds like an agreement and heads to the back. I shake my head at Dom and he notices it.
“What?”
“Nothing.” A chuckle escapes me despite my best efforts, and finally I admit, “I think Elle might have a tiny crush on you.”
Dom arches an eyebrow, glancing between me and the closed door to the kitchen. He shrugs. “Too bad, I only have eyes for one.” Then his mouth descends on mine, and I lose track of what I was saying.
When he pulls back, I lick my lips and whisper, “Don’t you think she’d be perfect for one of the guys?”
Dom squeezes me tight, biting back a rumble of laughter. “Trying to play matchmaker, draga mea?”
I want to deny it, but Elle steps out in that moment with another box that smells positively amazing. Dom pays for everything, picks up the food and we head out. Once outside, he throws me a side-glance. “You’re right, she’d be perfect for one of them.”
“Really? Which one?”
Dom shakes his head, refusing to answer as he sets the food inside the truck, then helps me in my seat. Despite my best efforts, all I get out of him is a knowing smile.
∞ ♦ ∞
Turns out, Dom’s idea of lunch is an hour-long drive until we’re amid wilderness, with enough takeout to last us a lifetime. Today’s warmer outside, and the sun is shining brightly.
Though it’s not warm enough to have a picnic on the snow, we get out of the pickup and hop in the cargo bed of the car, spreading our food over a blanket. Over the next hour, as we eat, Dom is a perfect companion, asking me about my childhood, my schooling, anything and everything.
I don’t even see time pass by, nor the food disappear, until we reach dessert. As we dig into a lemon meringue pie, he reaches over and wipes a corner of my mouth. A zing of electricity runs from the tip of my head to my toes, leaving me slightly dazed.
As if nothing happened, Dom takes another bite of the pie and continues regaling me with stories.
My mind shifts back to this morning, and the subject of our relationship. Tonight, he’d said. Without even realizing it, the memory of his promise has me staring at him. Dom’s blue eyes are sparkling, and he's invested in a story about a childhood hike in the mountains of Romania, and I smile.
There’s no doubt about it. Regardless of what I wanted before, this whole ordeal has only showed me that what I most desire has been right in front of me all along.
I open my mouth, about to tell Dom everything, but growls interrupt me. Dom stops talking, instead crouching low and moving to shield me. I peak over his shoulder and see three wolves emerge from the thick bushes around where we parked.
“Dom...”
He throws a glance over his shoulder, but his eyes are no longer all blue. They’re rimmed with grey, fierce and alien. “I’m sorry.”
I can’t even begin to understand his apology before my world—my reality—shatters.
Dom’s entire form shimmers, a golden halo surrounding him. His body bends over until it’s almost in a curled-up position, and a groan escapes him, followed by a sound I can’t identify but that’s halfway between a snarl and a scream of pain.
Under my bemused gaze, his limbs retract, claws and fur emerging from the previously human skin. His features, the same ones I’d been staring at merely minutes before, change and elongate into a muzzle. Razors-sharp canines elongate in his mouth, and another agonizing noise escapes him.
In less than ten seconds, what’s left in front of me is not a human...but a wolf.