Page 15

Jamie

What in the hell just happened with Anders? At least he didn’t wolf out again, but still, he seemed pretty freaked-out.

Jess gawks at the door he fled through.

My wolf, his urges faint without my furs, is pushing me to pursue our mate and make sure he’s okay, but I’ve got to check on Jess. She’s a wounded party in this too.

“Hey, you okay?” I squeeze her shoulder.

“What bit him in the ass?” She looks as bewildered as I feel. “It looked like he panicked.”

“You know how it is. A new job is stressful.”

“You’re not the one he called a wench,” she grumbles. “Who even talks like that anyway?”

A Viking time traveler who is in over his head and out of his element. It’s a good thing he left his furs at home, or he might have shifted.

“I’ll talk to him, Jess. It won’t happen again.”

Bailey hurries over with a mop in their hands. “I’ve got this, Jess. You go and take care of the customers.”

It seems they’re okay. Anders completely blew his first impression with my friends.

I just hope he can fix it. I rush past the line of customers and out the door, only to find Anders sitting hunched over on a bench, face in his hands.

A twinge spasms through my chest seeing him so downtrodden.

I want to give him one of my famous Jamie hugs—my friends always say I give the best hugs—but I don’t want to overwhelm him even more.

“Hey, puppy dog. You good?”

Anders growls, the sound very un-puppy dog of him.

“What happened back there? Jess didn’t mean to bump into you. It was an accident.”

“I know that,” he says, voice muffled through his hands.

Tentatively, I lower myself onto the bench beside him. I want to touch him but ball my hands into fists in my lap instead. “Then what was it?”

A sigh deflates his shoulders, bitter as the chilly October wind. “I don’t want humans touching me ever again.”

My breath catches. Again? My poor puppy dog. “It’s okay to set boundaries. We’ll all understand and do our best.” A sudden thought makes my stomach twist. “Is it okay if I touch you?”

Anders nods, and relief warms me.

“Can I touch you now?”

“If you like.” Anders makes it sound like he’s going to the gallows.

“It’s not about what I like. Do you want me to touch you?”

He sighs. “Must I really spell it out? Aye. Of course. So just do it already.”

Unable to fight back a smile, I scoot over so our sides are touching and slip my arm over his wide shoulders. The tension seeps from his body, and my heart melts when he leans into me.

Oh, I’m screwed. We slept together only yesterday, and yet my heart is all about this guy.

I want him to keep opening up to me, to shed that tough-guy skin and show more of that soft heart I know is underneath.

This isn’t good. I’m going to get myself hurt if I keep giving pieces of myself away to him so fast. “Is that all that upset you?”

Anders angles his head so his chin is on my shoulder, his face out of view. “Just tell your human friends not to touch me.”

“They wouldn’t hurt you, Anders. I promise. They’re good people. A lot like you, actually.”

He jerks away with a scoff. “They’re human. Nothing like me.”

“I meant that they know what it’s like to be outcasts.

Jess’s family disowned her after she told them she was bisexual.

Bailey’s family is great, but they’ve dealt with bullying for years because of their gender identity.

Being ulfhednar isn’t all that different from being queer, I guess.

I promise Jess and Bailey would never hurt you.

Neither of them have a mean bone in their body…

Okay, maybe Jess can get a bit hotheaded, but that’s just because she’s protective of all of us. ”

Anders sets his jaw in a scowl. “I will never befriend humans. They are the enemy, and my fight is with them.”

“Oh my god.” I roll my eyes to the sky. “Do not try and fight Jess. You’ll regret it, trust me. And Bailey teaches self-defense, so they could put you on your ass.”

“Like to see them try.”

How is this relationship going to work if he wants to beat the shit out of my friends? Wait. Is this a relationship?

“Anders. Just give them a chance.”

His entire face turns red with fury, his jaw grinding so tight I worry he’ll break his teeth.

“Please?” I add.

With an enormous sigh, Anders’s rage leaves his body. “Fine.” He spits the word like poison. “But only because I like it when you beg, pet,” he says with a smirk that shouldn’t be as sexy as it is.

I really want to get him alone, and soon, but only once I’m sure he’ll be on his good behavior with my friends. “I know first days are always stressful.”

“Wasn’t stressed.”

I ignore that because it’s obvious he was. “I’m sorry I left you alone. I should have stuck close to you until you felt comfortable, but I had to get some baking done. For the rest of the day, I’ll be right there if you need me.”

Those beautiful emerald eyes finally meet mine as his shoulders loosen. “Truly?”

“Yeah. Promise.” Standing, I hold out my hand.

Anders clasps it, and I tug him up with a strength I didn’t have a few days ago.

It must be the ulfhednar’s influence. I expect him to pull away, but he keeps my hand firmly clasped in his as we head inside.

The coffee has been cleaned up, Jess and Bailey are bantering behind the counter, and all seems well.

Returning to the box of books, I kneel and grab a few titles. “Okay. These are both rom-coms. Take a guess at where they go.”

Anders scrunches his brow, then takes them from my hands and marches over to the correct shelf. “Here.”

“Exactly.”

Anders looks away, but not before I catch a glimmer of a pleased smile.

True to my word, I stay by his side for the rest of the day.

We organize shelves, clean up after customers, and I run out to grab us some lunch from the deli around the corner.

Since Anders is more in touch with his wolf than I am, I get him a sandwich loaded with meat and an egg salad on a roll for myself.

We sit on the sofa together and unwrap our sandwiches. Anders sniffs his. “Bacon!” He digs in with such eagerness I know I chose well.

“Hey, I made plans with everyone to go out tonight. How about you come out with us after work?”

Anders licks grease off his fingers. “Where to?”

“There’s a bar we like in the West Village. We can all grab drinks, and you can have a fresh start with Jess and Bailey.”

Anders glances over at Bailey and Jess with obvious reservations. “That would not be wise.”

“Oh, come on, Anders. It’ll be fun. Trust me, once they get past your scowling face and horrendous personality, they’ll love you. At least stay for one drink.”

“Very well.” Anders leans in, and his lips tickle my ear. “I expect a reward for my good behavior later.”

Noticing Bailey arching a teasing brow, I shove Anders away. “Later, when we’re alone.”

I can’t wait for tonight.

At home that evening, I get ready for our night out.

I squeeze into my sluttiest jeans, super tight and just barely covering my ass crack.

A sheer top that displays my pierced nipples completes the look.

Anders will definitely appreciate this. We went shopping for him on our way home.

He seriously needed some more modern clothes.

It’s cold tonight, but we’ll mostly be in the car or inside the bar, so I finish the outfit off with some boots and a leather jacket.

Jess usually helps me add some dark, dramatic eyeshadow, but we’ll have to do that at the bar since I’m awful with makeup.

I always make myself look like a goth clown without her expert touch.

Anders is lounging on the sofa in the living room. He’s wearing the new clothes I bought him: a leather jacket like mine, tight ripped jeans that hang low on his hips, and a V-cut shirt that hugs his luscious pecs. I want to climb him like a damn tree.

“Hey. Ready to go?”

His eyes go wide at the sight of me, and he lurches off the couch. “By the gods. It’s as if you’re wearing nothing at all.” He sounds absolutely scandalized, his hungry green eyes roaming every inch of my body. “I can practically see your… your…”

“Penis?” I add helpfully. “These pants are awfully tight.” I give them a hike up so the fabric hugs my crotch even more.

He swallows, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “I can’t let you out of the house dressed like that. Every man in that place will be all over you.”

Prowling over to him, I run my hand between his pecs and up to grip his chin, hauling him close so I can say against his lips, “I guess you’ll have to protect me, then, puppy dog.”

He growls low in his throat. “I’ll tear the arms off any man who touches you and flog them to death with them.”

“Easy there, fella.”

Anders leans in, then pauses. A curious frown puckers his brow as he runs a hand along my hip. “What’s this?”

All the desire heating my blood evaporates because I know exactly what he’s asking about. His thumb brushes above my hip, tracing a scar I’ve tried so hard to forget about. Anders drops his gaze, and suddenly, I feel naked and vulnerable.

“How did you get this?” Anders asks, voice low and dangerous. “Who did this to you?”

I laugh because it’s not a who, it’s a what , and I can’t go there. Not tonight, not ever. If I let myself think about how I got it, then I won’t be able to leave the house tonight.

“Nobody,” I answer. “It was an accident.”

I close my eyes against the sudden flare of headlights and tires screeching in my ears.

“Jamie?”

Sucking in a much-needed gulp of air, I ground myself in the now. Anders is here and he smells amazing and his hands are warm and he looks gorgeous. “I have scars as well,” Anders says. “Sometimes, if I press too hard on one, it aches. If my questions upset you, then… I apologize.”

Forcing a smile, I say, “I’m fine.” I pull out of his touch before I can stop myself.

Guilt squeezes my chest. When I find the guts to glance over, hoping I haven’t hurt him, I find Anders frowning at me.

“Really, I’m fine. Let’s just have fun tonight, okay?

” There’s a desperate edge to my voice I can’t swallow down fast enough.

I need tonight to not be about that .

“Let’s get going, okay? We’ll be late.” I still need to get Jace over to Kate for his sleepover.

I’ve never been good about being vulnerable with anyone. A relationship is more than mushy words and hot sex. When things got real, I bailed and fast. If Anders could see who I truly am when my depression gets really bad, he’d run for the hills.

I zip up my leather jacket so Jace doesn’t tease me mercilessly for what I’m wearing.

Also, I don’t want to scar my little brother.

Knocking on Jace’s door, I enter when his quiet voice invites me in.

He sits on his bed, his knees to his chest. His scent is a whirlwind of anxiety, his little heart skipping in my ears.

Kneeling on his bed, I give his knee a tap. “Hey, bud. You okay?”

Jace nods, blinking fast. “Yeah.”

“Hey. Look at me.” When he does, I squeeze his knee. “Are you feeling nervous about my going out tonight?”

His face crumples. “Will you drive?” When I nod, his lips tremble, and he wipes his eyes. My chest clutching with pity, I put my arm around his trembling shoulders.

“Deep breaths for me, kiddo. I’ll be okay.”

“Do you have to drive?” Tears leak from his glossy eyes.

“No, I can always take the train.”

A sob escapes him. “But what if there’s some bad guy on the train? My friends said somebody got shot in the subway last week. What if—” Croaky sobs heave his shoulders as he sucks in gulps of air.

“Oh, bud.” I hold him close and kiss his soft hair. “That won’t happen.”

“How do you know?” Whimpering, he clutches at me.

I’m at a loss for words. Jace is right. How could I possibly be sure something bad won’t happen? Life just isn’t that simple. We both know how quickly things can change. Sorrow stings my eyes. If our parents were here, they’d know what to say to alleviate his anxiety.

If our parents were here, Jace wouldn’t have anxiety.

Because of me, my brother is scarred for life.

“Is the lad okay?” Anders occupies the doorframe, head tilted and arms folded across his chest. “Are you?” he adds, the edges of his mouth creasing.

I try and smile, but I’m sure it’s unconvincing. “Anders, I think I’m going to stay in tonight.”

He dips his head. “Ah. What about Jess and Bailey?”

I sigh. “Guess I’ll have to cancel.”

Anders frowns thoughtfully. “I could go.”

That doesn’t sound like a good idea, especially after how nervous he was this morning. “I’m not sure. Won’t you be overwhelmed?”

“Possibly, but… I want to make things right between myself and your companions.”

I’m not sure if I’m on board, but the determined look in his eyes tells me he is. “All right. Have fun with Jess and Bailey. I’ll call an Uber for you.”

Anders nods stiffly. “I’ll try.” Brows furrowing, he adds, “What’s an Uber?”