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Killian slammed back his drink, his hands running through his hair again. I sensed his frustration, a burden hanging on his shoulders. I knew all his ticks. We had been together so much, there was nothing either of us could do without the other one picking up on it. It’s why we had made such a great team in starting my crew. He was supposed to be my right-hand man. My first mate.

Dragging his hand over his face, he turned for the door. It was instinct to want to go to him, comfort him. Like we always did with each other.

My paw took a step to jump down.

A hand gripped the back of my neck, yanking me down off the wall. Terror flooded my veins. Spitting and hissing, I shifted back into my human form. Then I was twisted around and pushed against the stone wall, piercing dark eyes glowering down at me.

“Dammit, Katrina,” Croygen snarled, leaning over me, his nose flaring, his hand gripping my throat. “You really want to use up all your nine lives in one night?”

“You know that’s not really a thing, right?”

He rolled his jaw, his chest knocking into mine. “Shut. Up.” He ground through his teeth in a demand, a vein popping on his neck. His thumb pushed up my chin. “I’m saving your ass so I can kill you myself.”

We glared at each other, his anger infectious, triggering my own against him.

“How are you even here?” I hissed.

He slanted his head, his thumb sliding up over my mouth.

“You don’t think I can find you?” He pressed his clothed body into my naked one, his tone lowering. “Knowexactlywhere you are? I can find youanywhere, Kitten. Even from the dead of sleep, I can feel youwhereveryou go.” It was a challenge, a dare to counter his claim. “Besides, I know how your fucking mind works. Iknowyou. There was no way you would let this go. Not when it comes tohim.”

“You sound jealous,” I shot back, trying to ignore how his clothes rubbed at my nipples, how his leg pushed slightly between my thighs. His thumb pressed between my lips, and the desire to wrap my tongue around it and suck clamped my teeth together.

He moved his leg, parting my legs more. “Did you sleep with him?”

“I slept with him all the time.” I smiled cruelly.

“You fuck him?” He tugged down on my bottom lip, his gaze dropping to my mouth, tension riding his vocals.

Part of me wanted to lie, to say yes, just to inflict my anger on Croygen, but looking into his eyes, I could feel him slipping under my skin, bubbling the truth from my lips.

“No.”

Exhaling, his shoulders went down.

“This was stupid, Kat. There are guards everywhere.” He dropped his hand from my face, gripping my hip. “What were you thinking?”

“I wanted to see him.” I swallowed. “To know for sure.”

“And were you just going to slip past all the magic guarding this place and walk right up to the front door, where he would greet you like an old friend?”

“I don’t know… But…” I looked away. “It’sKillian.”

“In name, but you don’t know who he is now. It’s been a long time since you’ve seen him. That man up there is not the same Killian you knew.” Croygen pressed me harder into the wall with his body, his cock hard against me. “Though I’ll bet one thing hasn’t changed.” He arched his eyebrow. “His hatred for me. How do you think he’ll react to find you not only didn’t kill me, but you’ve been riding my cock, coming in my mouth? I’ve tasted the one thing he hasalwayswanted and couldn’t have.” He adjusted his leg, the fabric of his clothes parting my folds, rubbing through me.

I bit back my moan, my desire devouring any sense and reason in my brain.

“It will not be the happy reunion you are hoping for.”

“So, what? I sneak behind his back and rob him instead?”

“Technically, he robbed us first.”

My lids tapered.

“His men knew to follow us specifically. What if he already knows about us? This might be revenge, a trap. The point is… we don’t know. And you can’t just waltz in there, naked, I might add, and act like Killian is the boy who worshipped the ground you walked on.” Croygen ran his hands through my loose hair, tugging on the end. “I don’t trust him. And I’m sorry, but you can’t either.”

There was valid truth in Croygen’s words, none of it I wanted to hear, but I hadn’t gotten where I was by being foolish. I wasn’t about to start now.