Page 21

Chapter 21

NATE

“How is this happening?” I growl, slamming my fist against the desk. I'm glad it didn't break, though I still feel the urge to hit it again.

Madeline isn't even at work today, yet the entire office is filled with her scent. It's the only thing that fills my senses, driving me to the brink of madness without her here. I'm definitely going insane.

“I need her here with—” My phone ringing interrupts my monologue. I answer, bringing it to my ear. “Hello?”

“Hey,” Madeline's voice comes through the line, instantly soothing me. “Thanks for letting me have the day off. I'm with Aunt Cora now.”

“How is she?” I ask, digging my fingers into my thighs as I fight the urge to say I need to see her.

“She's asleep, but I think she's alright,” Madeline says. “Thanks a lot. I'll see you tonight.”

“Definitely. I'm looking forward to it.”

I feel empty again without the sound of her voice. If she were here at the office right now, she'd be able to feel the lust coming from every pore in my body. It's been ages since I’ve touched her and my animalistic urges are taking over.

I get up and go to the window to distract myself with the view. The fast-paced city below helps, in addition to the breathing exercises I focus on.

Someone knocks on the door. “It's open.”

Graham saunters into the office, looking about before helping himself to a chair. “Where's Madeline?”

I shrug. “I gave her a day off.”

“I see,” he nods. “Did you guys have a fight or something?” Graham watches me as I shake my head. “Hmm … and you're sure nothing’s wrong?”

“Yup.”

“Okay. I don't want to be insensitive and talk about work when you're dealing with stuff.”

I brush off the concern. “Relax, there's nothing wrong. I just got off the phone with her and told her she could take the rest of the day off. Madeline's really been working hard.”

This seems to put his concerns to rest. “You don't have to tell me twice. She's by far the best intern I know and not because she's working with you.”

“Hey!” I protest. “Do you think she could do this without my guidance? I'm the one who's been showing her the ropes.”

“Oh, please, you don't even like interns. Have you checked your emails this morning?”

“Not yet. What's up?”

“Norris Pharmaceuticals need some work on their accounts for this lawsuit.”

“That will be easy,” I reply. “Has Grant said anything about hunters recently? He hasn't really talked to me.”

“He's lying low,” Graham says. “Besides, he also tells you if there's new information.”

“I'm not so sure that's gonna keep happening.”

“Why not?”

I go back to the window, looking out at the sky. “He acted weird when Madeline announced herself as my mate.”

“Are you sure? That doesn't seem like the kind of thing to get him upset. He seemed to be rooting for Rose and me.”

“It wasn't in your case because you've always been a lost cause. Besides, you were engaged when he was rooting for the two of you.”

“Oh yeah,” he muses. “But that doesn't mean he'll keep you away from valuable information.”

“You're right, I'm just overthinking that part. Speaking of hunters, how many ways do you think they know how to kill a shifter?”

Graham gives me a blank stare. “What's going on right now? Your questions are so weird.”

“Sorry, I should've added context. I'm asking because of Cora.”

“Cora? You think hunters have something to do with her being in the hospital?”

I move back to my chair and plop into it. “I truly have no way of knowing, but you have to admit that it's pretty weird she's been sick this long.”

Graham scratches the back of his head, lost in thought. “I didn't think about that, but yeah, it's kind of strange. I assumed she'd be out of the hospital by now.”

“Exactly. Madeline has been worried and now so am I.”

“I get your point. Do you think silver has something to do with this?”

“She would've just been shot with it,” I surmise. “A well-placed shot wouldn't even give her a fighting chance.”

“True,” Graham says, nodding his head. “I can't think of any poison that would keep her down this long.”

“We should've been doctors instead of lawyers. That would've made it much easier.”

Graham manages a laugh. “You think we picked the wrong profession?”

I shake my head before he's even finished with the question. “Hell no. I'm way too good at this to give it up for something else.”

“Same here.”

I raise an eyebrow. “You? The same person who let his work drop for his girl?”

“I can't even lie, I'll do it again,” Graham laughs. “Speaking of, I've got to go. We have plans. Say hi to your girl for me.”

“Nope.”

I turn around for the hundredth time, trying to make sure my fit is right. “This looks good,” I say, admiring myself and fighting the urge to change into different clothes.

I had seriously considered a suit, and for most of my planning, that was all I had in mind. However, I had to put the brakes on this and remind myself that I'm going out for a simple, albeit fancy, dinner. But this is not a date.

The collar of my black shirt looks a bit crooked, so I quickly fix it and take another look at myself. My dark pants match well with the black shirt.

The short sleeves mean I won't suffer from the heat. I select a watch from my small collection and match it with two silver rings to go on each finger.

“Okay, I need to get a move on.”

I send Madeline a quick text to let her know I'm on my way to pick her up. I get in my car and drive to her place. She appears in the window and waves at me before disappearing back into the apartment.

I wait, leaning casually against the car, watching as the lights in the house go out one by one.

My gaze remains fixed on her door, wondering how often that creep has been coming over to drop off letters. However, as soon as Madeline appears, all my thoughts vanish.

My heart feels like it's trying to break through my ribs and I jump to meet her. I adjust my stance, watching her walk toward me in a gorgeous black dress. We didn't plan this together but somehow, our outfits are perfectly coordinated.

Her plunging neckline doesn't help my concentration at all. Thanks to the absence of straps, her arms move freely. The dress hugs every curve of her body, only flaring out below the knee, where it flows down to her ankles.

Yowza.

My eyes travel up and down her body, trying not to rush toward her and hold her against me. She stops just short of me, looking at me from head to toe.

“You're beautiful,” I growl. The words only register after they've left my mouth.

Madeline looks up and smiles. Her cheeks are so red they look ripe. “You look good too.” In fact, you're the most stunning woman I've ever seen in my life.

I manage to keep the second compliment under wraps. I open the door for her and she enters after giving me a small curtsy.

“Thank you, kind sir.”

We’re quiet for the short ride to the restaurant. I’m afraid I'll confess something I'm not supposed to say if I open my mouth. Madeline looks surprisingly nervous.

Am I imagining that?

We arrive at Charlize, one of the most exclusive restaurants in the city. Like before, I open the door for her, offering her a hand.

In the restaurant lobby, we’re immediately greeted by the host. There's a glint in his eyes when I mention the name of the reservation.

“Right this way,” he says, revealing his British accent. He guides us away from the main dining area, causing a bit of confusion for Madeline.

I try to hold back my smile as we make our way to a private elevator. The ride is short, but the real surprise is waiting when the doors open.

We step out onto a floor with just a handful of tables than those downstairs. Madeline holds my hand as we go to our table. The top is black marble and wood. It feels like a work of art that shouldn't be used for eating, yet here we are.

Menus are waiting for us at the table when we sit down. Our gracious host pours glasses of wine from a bottle Nate selected. “Someone will take your orders in a few moments.”

Madeline beams with excitement. “Are you serious? Look at this place? What is all this?”

I chuckle a bit, really pleased that my plan has succeeded. At least I'm certain she isn’t preoccupied with a million other issues. Today is about immersing ourselves in the experience we're about to share.

The waiter comes to take our orders. It feels like our minds were read an hour ago since the meal arrives almost immediately. We dive into our food, though I sense that something is holding her back from fully enjoying herself.

“Is everything okay?” I inquire as we’re winding down.

“Hmm?” she asks, glancing at me.

“Are you alright? I feel like you're on edge.”

Madeline gives me a shy smile. “I’ve never been anywhere this fancy before.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” she replies, sipping her wine. “I really didn't go on dates after you left.”

I feel a pang of guilt in my throat, especially considering what I'm about to say next. “This isn't a date, though. We're just having dinner together,” I say slowly, hoping to dampen the effect.

“My bad,” she replies. Thankfully, it doesn't look like her mood has changed.

“Either way, you truly are stunning. I can assure you I've never known anyone so beautiful.” God, I can't help myself. I'm going crazy here!

“Thank you,” Madeline says in a very low voice. Her cheeks are so red I'm afraid there's no blood anywhere else. “I have an idea.”

“Tell me.”

“Since we’re having a wonderful dinner, why don't we make it dinner and a movie? I'm sure we can find something fun to end the night.”

I see her expectant look and it completely shatters all my defenses. “Let's do it.”

I'm not ready for our night to end just yet.