Page 18

Chapter

Eighteen

Athena woke up with a startled jump, gasping for air. She had been having nightmares for the last three days.

She’s struggled to make it through work during those three days, barely maintaining a smile and interacting with people. During those three days, Dana, aka Arrow, was her constant shadow.

She would be there from the time Athena woke up, until the time she went to bed each night. She figured Draco was avoiding her, but for the life of her she couldn’t figure out why.

Getting out of her bed after throwing the covers off of herself, she rubbed her face, trying to shake off the last of the nightmares from her mind. Her nightmares seemed to be on repeat, night after night.

The last several days have turned her world upside down. Before she could comprehend one thing, something else would shake her world even more.

Her own mother had sold her to her worst nightmare. Shifters were fucking real.

The hottest man on the fucking planet was her best friend’s brother. They were all shifters.

Her mother and brother attacked her in her own home, after they had helped bad shifters destroy her home. Shifters were fucking real!

She wanted to fuck a certain shifter more than her next breath. But she wasn’t his type, so that would stay a fantasy until the day she died.

Water. She needed to get a cold glass of water to cool her burning libido, and her heart at the rejection.

Going into the kitchen, she got herself a cold glass of water. She held the cold glass against her chest for a few seconds until she heard the voice behind her.

“Everything okay?”

Athena squeaked when she jumped, spilling the water down her front. “Shit.”

Athena turned around to see a nearly naked Draco standing behind her with his dark hair sleep tousled. Not to mention he was standing there with just his boxers molded to his perfectly chiseled body.

Well, shit, that didn’t work out and she highly doubted a cold shower would now. Guess she was going to have to get her rose out.

Best investment ever. She needed to remember to thank Dee for that toy later.

Draco’s dark black hair looked tousled as if he’d just run his fingers through it, his chiseled, perfect chest with his six-pack abs, tattoos, and sleepy looking eyes that were as blue as the ocean.

She didn’t know if that was the sexiest thing in the galaxy or if it was the fact he was the skintight boxers with his impressive package that was growing by the second.

Oh my! The things she wanted to do just from staring at him.

“Eyes up here, little one,” Draco ordered gruffly.

“W-what did you ask?” Athena stammered, embarrassment hitting her hot cheeks.

“I asked if you were okay.”

Athena looked up at Draco’s concerned eyes. Damn it, he looked exhausted.

Shit. She was disturbing his sleep that he obviously needed and here she was drooling over the damn man thinking of ways to jump his bones.

“Wait a minute…I thought Dana stayed the night too, since she was my shadow.”

“She’s with you during the day. At night, I’m here.”

“Why?” Athena forced herself to ask for some reason.

“Why what?”

Athena shook her head, it didn’t matter. She moved away from the counter to go around him.

She stopped when he reached out to touch her arm. “Why what, Athena? Everything okay?”

“Why are you here? Why do you care if I’m safe? I’m nothing to you but your sister’s friend.” Athena laughed as she threw out her hands. “You don’t even like me.”

“Why do you think that I don’t like you?”

Athena stared at Draco intently for several minutes. She shook her head and started to walk around him again.

“When I ask a question, I expect an answer,” Draco ordered, turning her around to face him, his eyes dark and assessing.

“You run the minute I walk into a room. You kissed me and nearly had me naked and now you can’t stand to be around me.

You know what, it doesn’t matter. I get it.

I’m not model material. I’m not beautiful or skinny and I have baggage.

Just have Dana stay here so you don’t have to.

You’re not obligated. Not like I could satisfy you if you had ever considered fucking me.

I think I’ll take Dee up on setting me up with the guys she suggested.

Maybe then I’ll know what it’s like to be fuck… ”

Athena never got to finish her tirade as Draco shoved her against the kitchen wall and crushed his lips to hers. She felt his hand go around her throat as he held her in place.

She gripped his waist, trying to hold on as he devoured her lips, stealing the air she breathed. She couldn’t stop the moan that escaped her lips.

When Draco broke the kiss and placed his forehead against hers as he breathed heavily, she whimpered when he backed away. She wrapped her arms around herself.

“I shouldn’t have done that.” Draco ran his fingers through his hair.

“Okay.” Athena pushed off the wall and walked away.

“Athena…”

“No! Don’t. I get it. I’m not your type. Even for an hour. Just send Dana or one of the others. I’ll find someone who can stomach my presence or touch to help me get through my nightmares. Good night, Draco. I’ll be out of your hair in a couple of days.”

She made it as far as to the doorway to her bedroom when she felt Draco behind her. She gasped when she felt his hand on her arm as he spun her around.

“What do you mean you’ll be out of my hair in a few days?” Draco growled low as he got into her space.

“I’ve accepted an offer from an organization to go to Africa to teach children there. They work with doctors, nurses, teachers, and religious missionaries. I can ask Dana and Dee to help me find someone for one night before I…”

She didn’t get a chance to finish her sentence before Draco was backing her up toward her bed. Stalking her like a hungry wolf ready to pounce on its prey.

When the back of her knees hit her bed, she yelped as she stumbled. Before she could react, Draco shifted one of his hands into claws as he shredded her nightgown without leaving a mark on her body.