Page 6 of Billionaire Wolf Needs an Assistant (My Grumpy Werewolf Boss #2)

KATIE

"Have dinner with me."

I nearly dropped my tablet. Reeve stood in front of my desk, his usual intimidating presence softened by something almost hesitant in the way he held himself. His eyes flickered with vulnerability. After three days of distance and avoiding each other, his sudden invitation sent my heart racing.

"What?" The word tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop it. Not my most intelligent response, but I was still in shock. What had changed all of a sudden? And why?

"Dinner. Tonight." He ran a hand through his dark hair, disheveling its perfect style. The gesture made him seem like a normal man instead of the untouchable billionaire CEO he was. "Unless you have plans?"

"No plans," I managed, trying to ignore how my pulse jumped when his gaze met mine. Heat crept up my neck under his examination. "Just surprised."

His lips twitched. "I do occasionally eat, Katie."

"In restaurants? I assumed you survived on coffee and the souls of terrified employees."

The corners of his lips lifted into an actual smile. My breath caught in my throat, taken aback by the boyish grin. Reeve was usually handsome in an intense and brooding way, but when he smiled, he was utterly devastating.

Satisfied that he had accomplished his goal, Reeve rapped his knuckles on my desk. "I'll pick you up at your place at seven o'clock," he said. "Wear something warm."

I gaped at him as he retreated to his office. My mind spun with possibilities. Warm? What did that even mean? Frantically, I pulled my phone out of my desk drawer and fired off a text to Lacey.

Me: "He asked me to dinner. Told me to wear something warm."

Lacey's response came immediately.

Lacey: "He's taking you to Elysium. It's this over the top fancy schmancy place at the top of National Tower. Blake took me there for dinner once. The view of the harbor is insane."

My eyes widened. Elysium was one of those places that I had only read about in glossy magazines. It was the kind of place I never imagined I would set foot in.

Me: "How do you know that's where he's taking me?"

Lacey: "Because that's where all the big-shot businessmen here take their dates to impress them. Plus, you'll be so high up that you're among the clouds. There's a walk-out sky deck, which is why he asked you to wear something warm."

Me: "What should I wear?"

Lacey: "Go home and find that emerald green dress you helped me pick out last month. Make sure you put your hair up so it doesn't get tangled from the wind. Wear that thick shawl you have in the back of your closet. And bring makeup for touch-ups. You'll need it after the helicopter ride."

Me: "The WHAT? You can't be serious."

But at seven exactly, I found myself sliding into the backseat of Reeve's car. This time, there was a driver, so Reeve was sitting in the backseat next to me. I looked at him in confusion as the driver took us back to Alpha Fang. My unvoiced question was answered when we stopped in front of the building's private elevator. Moments later, we emerged on the building's helipad. I said a silent thanks to Lacey for her warning and clutched the shawl around my shoulders. The winter wind whipped around us, and Reeve wrapped his arms around me to shield me from the cold arctic air. My hands trembled slightly as he helped me into the passenger seat, his touch lingering on my waist. A shiver ran down my spine, but it had nothing to do with the cold weather.

"Is this yours?" I asked, my voice barely audible over the roar of the helicopter’s blades.

"The company's. I am but a cog in the corporate machine." His voice rumbled pleasantly in the enclosed space. He flashed me a wide grin, once again giving me a glimpse of the mischievous side of him. The man who hid underneath the CEO's crisp suits and the wolf's fanged snarls. "But I fly it whenever I can. There's nothing like seeing the city from above."

The flight was magical. City lights sparkled below us like a sea of stars as far as the eye could see. Reeve proved surprisingly talkative, his voice animated as he explained the intricacies of aviation to me. His genuine enthusiasm was infectious, and it made him seem younger and more approachable. By the time we landed on National Tower's rooftop pad, I was completely charmed.

Elysium lived up to its name. Glass walls offered panoramic views of the harbor, while subtle lighting created an intimate atmosphere. The ma?tre d' led us to a corner table that somehow felt both private and prestigious. Several diners nodded to Reeve as we passed by. Whether it was because they were fellow wolf shifters, or simply in awe of his reputation, I wasn't sure.

After we placed our orders, I took the time to appreciate the view. "This is incredible," I breathed, taking in the glittering cityscape. "Thank you for bringing me here."

His expression softened. "You've earned it. The way you've handled crisis after crisis was amazing." He paused, something dark flickering across his face. "I should have told my mother off for the way she treated you."

I shook my head. "It's fine. She's your mother, Reeve. And I get that Sophia can cause a lot of trouble for you."

"She's not who I want." His voice was low, but the intensity of his words sent a jolt through me. Our eyes met across the candlelit table, and the tension of what was unsaid crackled between us.

"Reeve? Darling, is that you? It's been so long since we've seen each other."

The silky voice shattered the moment like glass. A stunning woman in a red dress approached our table with another equally glamorous woman beside her. Both of them moved with the grace of a predator, which I now recognized as the stealth of a she-wolf. Not even the most expensive silks could mask the nature of their beasts.

Reeve went rigid, his face draining of color. His distress hit me like a punch. He was both in pain and infuriated. The relaxed vulnerable bit of Reeve I saw in the helicopter was replaced by the stone cold mask he wore so well.

"Celeste," he said flatly. "What an unwelcome surprise."

My eyes darted between the two of them, trying to piece together the history that hung heavy in the air. While Reeve stared ahead at the table like he had seen a ghost, Celeste looked like the cat who swallowed the canary. What was the connection between them?

"Aren't you going to introduce us to your little friend?" she purred. Celeste's smile was pure venom. Her companion giggled mockingly. Both women loomed over our table with practiced intimidation. "How sweet to see you branching out socially."

"This is Ms. Clark, my assistant." Reeve's voice had gone cold and formal, all earlier warmth evaporating. "Ms. Clark, Celeste Blackwolf and Rachel Lightblood."

Whoever this woman was, it was clear that her presence caused Reeve pain. And for that, I hated her guts. I forced out a polite smile even though all I wanted to do was slap that smug grin off of her face. "Lovely to meet you both."

"How quaint." Celeste's perfect nose wrinkled as she deliberately scented the air. "Though I suppose someone has to handle the grunt work. Still, darling, dining with the help? What would Victoria say?"

Reeve tensed, the muscle in his jaw jumping like he had been shocked. Before he could respond, I smiled sweetly up at Celeste. "I'm sure she'd say it's none of your business. After all, it appears you are no longer a close part of the Song family."

Rachel gasped. Celeste's eyes flashed with fury, and a low growl escaped her throat. For a moment, I thought she was going to lunge across the table and take a swipe at me with her crimson tipped claws.

Silence descended across the dining room as the patrons waited to see what kind of drama was about to unfold.

"You let your human speak to me that way?" Celeste demanded, her perfect composure cracking to reveal the predator beneath.

"Ms. Clark speaks for herself. If you'll excuse us, we're trying to have dinner."

Reeve ignored her, turning his attention back to me. He topped off both our glasses with wine as if Celeste and Rachel were nothing more than pests.

The two women left after they failed to provoke a response out of Reeve, but the damage was already done. Reeve retreated behind his cold mask and responded to my attempts at conversation with one-word answers through the meal. Tight lines emerged around his mouth and forehead. The candlelight that had seemed warm and romantic earlier now cast harsh shadows across his face.

Later, back in the helicopter, I finally broke the heavy silence. The city lights below seemed dimmer now, the magic of our earlier flight lost to old wounds. "She hurt you badly."

He didn't respond for so long that I thought he wasn't going to answer me. When he finally spoke, his voice was quiet, almost broken. "Valentine's Day. Three years ago. She told me she'd found her true mate in Alexander Blackwolf. I was not wolf enough nor man enough for her." He shot me a sad look. "She was right. I don't know how to be what anyone needs."

"Hey." I reached out, touching his arm gently. His muscles were tense beneath my fingers. "She was wrong. You're everything I want, and more." I finally admitted the truth to myself, that I was falling in love with my grumpy wolf shifter boss.

He looked at me then. For a moment, I thought I had broken through those carefully constructed walls around his heart. He seemed to lean toward me for comfort, but then he turned away as we landed. The walls slammed back into place, higher and thicker than ever.

When we landed, he helped me out of the helicopter, but there was a stiffness to his touch. "Goodnight, Katie," he said once we were back on solid ground. "Thank you for your company."

His shoulders were rigid and bunched as he turned and walked away. I watched him go, my own heart aching with the need to heal his. Celeste might have broken him on Valentine's Day, but I was determined to help him trust again.

Even if it meant risking my own heart in the process.