Page 63 of Taken by Moonlight

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Dante didn’t answerme at first. And then he pointed to the nearby forest. “Over there is where we run as wolves. Sunday’s a full moon and we’ll run as a pack. Have you ever seen the wild wolves run under themoon?”

Asking a question to dodge answering one was an old tactic I’d encountered several times on the job. This time, I neededanswers.

“Dante, why did you bring mehere?”

He started to say something about the Browns, and I cut him short. “No. The real reason. You had this planned for some time. Those clothes didn’t magically appear in the guest closet overnight. You had me measured, and the clothing made.Why?”

His expression shuttered. “I will tell you, Peyton. I promise. But not now. For now I only ask that you enjoy yourself, and get to knowus.”

“When?”

A half growl, half laugh tore from his throat. “Woman, you are tenacious. Very well. Monday after breakfast. For today and tomorrow, my wish is that you simply allow us to indulgeyou.”

Did I have a choice? I suppose even out here, on a ranch run by powerful shifters, I could call for an Uber to take me home. But I had a deep desire to learn more about Dante and his pack. Maybe learn from them aswell.

And the sex, wow, there was no denying the sex was amazing. I washooked.

I shrugged. “Allright.”

“You willstay?”

“Can I leave?” Iasked.

He narrowed his eyes. “We do not hold anyone prisoner here, Peyton. You are free to stay, orleave.”

I shrugged again, not really wanting him to see how much I did want to stay. Doing so would give him more power over me, and sexually, I was already toast because I craved him, and his betas, like a drug. “I don’t have any plans, so soundsgood.”

Cheerful orange and calm, balanced green glowed around him. How quickly his aura had changed with my agreeing tostay.

He flicked the reins. “I will share with you a secret. It has little to do with you. But first, you must share a secret of your own withme.”

Impish light gleamed in his darkeyes.

I searched my memory. “All right. My secret is that I have an underwear fetish. I like buying panties in all differentcolors.”

Dante laughed. “I like that. Would you like to know mysecret?”

I smiled at this side of him, relaxed and unguarded, unlike the fierce, concentrated intensity when he’d takenme.

Or the troubled, burdened alpha of a large shifterpack.

“Sure. I adoresecrets.”

“Norman is not the owner of Crossroads. I am.” He gave a crooked smile. “Rather, my corporationis.”

I sat up straight in the saddle. “You’ve got to bekidding.”

“There are three things I do not ‘kid’ about.” He ticked off his fingers. “One: My pack and defending my own. Two: Business. Three:Sex.”

At the last the hungry look returned to his face as he gazed at my breasts. But I needed answers before he engaged in RoundTwo.

“Norm’s listed as the owner! I checked before I came to workthere.”

I didn’t want to get involved with any more werewolves. The Brown brothers already had me in their claws. Why would I work in a strip club owned by anotherwolf?

“I did it on purpose. If any other alpha wolf discovered I owned the club, there would be fights, destruction, vandalism. Norman is listed as the owner of record, but he is the manager. In turn, he takes a share of theprofits.”