Page 81 of Bad Wolf's Nanny

Behind her, she heard him speak.

“Lola—”

Her entire spine went rigid.

“Don’t.” Her voice was sharper than glass. She didn’t turn around. She couldn’t. If she saw his face, those eyes, that guilt, she might hesitate.

And if she hesitated, she’d crumble.

“I need air,” she muttered, “I need space.”

She moved to the door and swung it open. She could feel his presence at her back like a wall of heat, but he didn’t try to stop her. Not yet.

Outside, the cool night air hit her like a slap. It sobered her only slightly, enough to remind her that she had choices.

She wasn’t powerless.

She could leave. She could see friends. She could benormalagain for just one night.

Cassie and Daisy had invited her to ladies’ night at the Pine Shadow Club. She hadn’t planned to go. The idea of socializing with half the women in the pack made her want to crawl and hide. But Daisy and Cassie were her friends. It would be good for her to get out and see them and spend some timeawayfrom alpha males.

A reminder that she still existed outside of Dane’s gravitational pull.

She headed for the car parked down the narrow drive, her boots clicking on the pavement. Her breath puffed out in angry bursts. The cold bit at her cheeks, but she welcomed it. Anything to ground her.

She reached for her keys.

That’s when she saw him.

Dane stepped directly in front of the car, arms folded across his broad chest, legs braced like a damn sentinel.

Her jaw dropped. “You havegotto be kidding me.”

His expression was unreadable in the low light, all shadowed planes and simmering tension.

“I’m not letting you drive off like this,” he said.

Her eyes narrowed. “Excuse me?”

“You’re upset. You’re pregnant. And Red Teeth’s out there.”

She held up a hand. “Don’t you dare.”

“I just want you safe.”

“You just want control.”

“Lola—”

“I amnotyour property!” she shouted. “You don’t get to show up, throw your feelings at me like they erase the pain you caused, and then play bodyguard when I try to leave!”

He took a step forward. “I need to be able to protect you, Lola. I will not compromise on your safety. Not for anything. I wouldn’t be able to breathe knowing you’re out there and I can’t shield you.”

“Then maybe you shouldn’t have shoved me away when you had the chance to keep me close!” she shouted, voice rising with every word. “Maybe you should’ve thought about protecting meemotionallybefore trying to slap a curfew on me like I’m your disobedient teenager!”

His face twisted. He looked like he was barely keeping a lid on his temper.

“You think I haven’t been tearing myself apart over this?” he growled, “You think I haven’t hated every second of watching you pull away, of wondering if you’d ever look at me the same?”