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I tightened my arm. I wanted to draw him in, hold him close, but his whole body had gone firm, and I wasn’t going to force him. I just kept my thumb moving on his cheek. He didn’t seem to mind that.

Once he started talking, it all tumbled out of him. “I shouldn’t have been surprised, really. I mean, whoactuallysticks around? Not my bio parents. Not my adopted parents—not really. It’s been almost five years, with Donnie, you know? That’s a long time. I didn’t think—I didn’t think—” His next breath was a gasp, edging toward panic.

“I will,” I blurted out.

Dakota flinched, scowling up at me.

“Will what?”

“Stick around.”

His expression only got more pinched, but I pushed ahead before he could open his mouth and tell me what an impossible idiot I was being.

That was for Jillian to do. Later.

“I will,” I reaffirmed. “I’ll be here for you, with you, as long as you let me. I’ll be whatever you need me to be.”

His teeth dimpled his bottom lip, and something swam in his eyes—I didn’t know if it was need or sadness.

He might say no. I couldn’t let him.

“I don’t care if I never take a proper mate, Dakota. Idon’t. I want you.” And he wanted me. I knew it from the way he leaned into me, the way his breathing steadied in my arms. “Dogs are nothing if not loyal, right?”

He huffed, rolling his eyes, and my heart skipped to see the corner of his lip twitch upward. “Don’t say it like that,” he whispered, hoarse and thick. “Don’t ever say it that way.”

Deflating, his shoulders slumped down and he tipped forward, falling into me. His face pressed into my chest, and now that he was close, I hugged him against me, both arms wrapped tight around him.

“You are though,” he mumbled. “Loyal, I mean. Not a—” He went quiet, and I laughed softly, brushing my fingers through his hair.

“I know what you meant.” I leaned down and kissed the top of his head. “What can I do?”

It took him a few second to lift his head. “Can I stay with you tonight?”

“Tonight,” I agreed instantly. “As long as you need.”

“Just until I find?—”

I squeezed his hand hard. “As long as you need. If you need space, my house is plenty big for that.” It was big enough to host the pack. Dakota could take his pick of bedrooms. Even just having him there, hearing his footsteps through the walls—a shiver ran down my spine.

I wanted that so fucking much.

His cheeks turned pink, and before he could respond, the elevator doors opened across the hall.

Scowling, Dakota turned in my arms to look across the reception area outside my office.

Igarashi Jiro was there. He was smiling.

“I’m sorry,” I said, stepping back from Dakota. I left my hand on his arm—no sense hiding what he was to me if we were going to move forward—but I didn’t need to cover him with my whole body in front of a work colleague, even if I wanted to. I didn’t know what Igarashi had to do with this mess with Donnie yet, but we’d damn well discuss it later, when Dakota wasn’t on the edge of tears and in need of a respite. “I haven’t had a chance to finalize terms with Ms. McCallan?—”

Igarashi wasn’t even looking my way. His dark brown eyes were locked on Dakota, and his smile was sharp.

“I’m actually here for him—my little. Lost. Cousin.”

And the bottom dropped out as a strange, crisp emptiness dragged the air from my lungs and forced me to my knees.

31

Dakota