Page 89 of The Tracker's Rage

“Really?”

“Of course.” I wrapped her in a tight hug. I didn’t like this idea of her running around like a vigilante, no matter how badass she’d become with a rifle, but if I was going to jump into danger whenever it called my name, I had no right to tell her not to do the same.

When we pulled away from each other, I noticed Damien regarding my friend over the rim of his cup. He had used his magic to fetch himself a serving of champagne and was sitting back comfortably while he admired Rosalina’s beauty from afar.

“Someone’s checking you out,” I said out of the corner of my mouth.

She took a sip of bubbly, blinking lazily at the mage, using all her drool-inducing, female guiles on him. He pushed to the edge of the sofa, unable to resist.

“Hmm, I need more champagne,” I said, even though my cup was half-full.

Jake was halfway sitting on Rosalina’s desk, one leg up and the other still firmly on the floor. After I refilled my cup, I stood in front of him and gave him a once over. His faded jeans hugged his powerful thighs, making me want to run my hands along their muscular length. He wore a dark gray button-up shirt rolled up to the elbows, and his favorite biker boots. They were black, square-toed with one inch heels and several scuff marks. A row of leather bracelets wrapped around his left wrist. Something new to replace the bracelet he’d given me.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were training Rosalina?”

“Because she asked me not to.”

Rosalina had gone to Jake after the rhabo incident at the Pulse Inc. warehouse, and he’d been teaching her all about weapons and self-defense ever since.

“Like I told you,” Jake said, “she’s a natural. I’ve taught her all I could, but I’ve referred her to a buddy of mine because she’s eager to learn more. She also wants to learn how to wield a sword.”

“What?!”

“Yep.”

“What has gotten into her?”

“Maybe she’s an adrenaline junkie, and she never knew.”

More than ever, we needed to get back to just tracking mates. If we didn’t, at this rate, we would end up joining a SWAT team or something.

Another thing that Jake had done behind my back was put a tracker in the bracelet he’d given me. That was how they’d found me at the temple. A tracker on a tracker, wasn’t that ironic? Rosalina had known about it, and when I hadn’t answered her calls, she’d contacted Jake, who traced the signal to the temple. I fiddled with it for a moment, then set the glass down and tried to undo the clasp.

Jake wrapped a hand around my wrist, trapping the bracelet. “No, please, keep it.”

I shook my head. “It doesn’t feel right.”

“It saved your life.”

That, it had, but I didn’t want him knowing where I was 24/7.

He seemed to read my thoughts because he said, “I won’t use it to track you unless I think you’re in danger.”

I jutted my hip out. “What if I’m on a hot date?”

His silver eyes darken, pupils growing wide. “Please don’t.”

“Don’t what? Go on a date?”

He blinked once in response.

“Fine for you to say,Mr. Engaged.”

“I’m working on it,” he said in a low whisper. “I made you a promise.”

“That doesn’t mean I can’t have fun while you do.”

A sad smile stretched his chiseled lips. “I’m not having any fun, I assure you.”