Authors: Jennifer Salaiz
You need to know that. Decide what you want to do with him. Either way, I’ll be waiting because you do belong to me.”
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Anger pounded against her chest.
“I am not a possession. No one owns me, mark or no mark.”
Nicole stormed outside and got into her car. If she’d been heartless, she would have left Trevor there to find his own damn way to the hospital, but that wasn’t like her, so she waited for him to get in the car.
Once again, silence. And once again, Ayden broke through her thoughts. Was there an end to all of this, she wondered.
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Nicole and Trevor sat in the silence of Michael’s room. He was asleep, his arms and face bandaged up. The bruises and swelling around the white gauze were shocking.
They’d been quiet for four hours already, and still he slept. Lunch time quickly approached, but after seeing Michael, the last thing Nicole wanted was food.
The doctor informed her that if everything went well, he should be out in a few days. Knowing that, although he looked pretty bad, he would be fine, told Nicole she could finally wash her hands of him and move on with her life.
“Nicole,” Michael whispered so low she barely heard it. Trevor took a step forward obviously hearing him, and he was clear across the room.
“I’m here,” Nicole said, leaning over the bed and grabbing his hand. “Would you like some water?”
He nodded his head yes and took a sip. Michael lay back down, never opening his eyes. The minutes stretched on until they turned into hours. Nicole could feel herself drifting off to sleep in the chair when Trevor caressed her face.
“Visiting hours are over, and I’m starving. Are you ready?”
She yawned and stood.
“Yes, I think I could use something to eat, too.” She squeezed Michael’s hand goodbye knowing this was the last time she’d ever see him. He moaned but went back to sleep. With one last look, Nicole left.
Trevor’s phone began to ring as soon as he turned it on outside.
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She looked over curiously as he began to walk quickly.
“Everything’s fine. We’re leaving the hospital…No, I can’t do that. You’re the one who said you trusted me. Believe me when I tell you…not right now.” Trevor paused, the anger clearly expressed on his face.
Nicole walked faster to catch up with his increasing pace.
“Ayden!” he yelled.
Impatience and anger made Nicole pull the phone out of Trevor’s hands. She put it up to her ear and immediately caught herself trying to dodge Trevor’s hands while he reached to retrieve the phone from her.
“Trevor, don’t tell me no. I gave you an order, damn it, and you’ll follow it,” Ayden growled. “I told you to watch over her. I didn’t want her upset, and she clearly felt upset. I know because you responded emotionally from something that was wrong with her. I felt it. Now you’re going to tell me right now what happened, or, so help me God, I’m coming down there to find out myself! Do you know how many hours I’ve been waiting to hear from you?”
Nicole’s stomach turned. “There’s no need to check on me, Ayden. I’m fine now. Thanks for the concern, though. Just in case you haven’t heard, I don’t need a keeper. I’ve already said that before.”
“Nicole, I…you weren’t supposed to hear that. Listen, I’m sorry for leaving, but I’m no good for you. Trust me on this. You deserve better. Trevor will take great care of you. He’s a really good guy. I don’t want anything but the best for you.”
Anger returned. “Who are you to decide what I deserve!”
Trevor pulled the phone away from her and tried dodging the best he could as she began to jump for it.
“See now why I couldn’t tell you, damn it? She was upset at
you
, if you must know. She’s devastated that you left. You need to come back. We’ll all work this out together.”
“Damn it, Trevor, give me the phone. This is bullshit,” Nicole
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said, making one last attempt. Unsuccessful, she got tired of waiting to bitch Ayden out and walked to the car.
If he thought she deserved better, fine. She’d go find better, starting tonight. Michael was in the hospital, but he was going to be fine. Nicole needed air, needed to go and do something to release all of this built up tension.
“Either you’re coming or you can find a ride home,” Nicole shouted out of her open window.
Trevor got in, still on the phone. Nicole pulled out of the parking lot, keeping silent while he carried on his conversation with Ayden.
“What do you mean your cell is broken? The number’s private?
Well, you’re going to have to wait till I get home to give it to me. No, Ayden, I don’t have a pen…Hey, Nicole, do you have a pen?” he asked quietly.
She snorted. “Glove compartment. Trevor, you don’t mind drive-through, right, because I have plans, and I don’t feel like waiting for seating at any of the restaurants.”
“Drive-through’s fine. Where are you going?” he asked, digging for a pen. “Shit, hold on, Ayden. I don’t even know where she’s going yet. I’m not a mind reader.”
“I’ll tell you when you’re off the phone with
him
. No keeper, remember? And I’m only telling you as a friend and one that I expect not to follow me tonight.”
“You’re going out?” Trevor asked, breaking his gaze away from the glove compartment.
“Damn it, Trevor, not while you’re on the phone,” Nicole hissed.
“Oh, sorry.” He placed the phone against his chest so Ayden couldn’t hear.
“You’re going out? Why? Couldn’t we just hang out tonight? I thought maybe we could watch a movie or something.”
Nicole took a deep breath.
“No offense, Trevor, but what I need you can’t give me. At least, I’m not willing to take it, so it looks like we’re going to have to call a
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rain check on the movie.”
“But, why tonight? Is it because of Ayden? I promise I was trying to keep the fact hidden from you. The last thing I want is for you to be upset. But I had to answer the phone. He’s my alpha.”
“I’m doing this because I need it. I need the distraction, okay? Just promise you’re not going to follow me.” Nicole pleaded to him with her eyes.
“You know if he orders me, then I have to do it,” he said, pained.
“Fuck! I should have never mentioned it.” Nicole hit her steering wheel. Why in the hell was this happening? She pulled into a fast-food restaurant, not even feeling hungry anymore.
“Number five, no onions,” Trevor said, getting back on the phone.
“No, damn it, she didn’t tell me. I covered the phone because she didn’t want you to hear.”
Nicole ignored them and ordered the same thing he was having.
More than likely, she wouldn’t finish it, but she could nibble on the fries. Trevor let out a string of curses while he slammed the phone shut, bringing her attention back to him.
“Well, I’ve been ordered. You sure you want to go?” he said in disgust.
Just as she thought, she knew Ayden would order Trevor to follow her. Well, she wouldn’t make the same mistake with him twice.
Tomorrow, she would go out, and, by damn, she wasn’t telling anyone. Tonight it looked to be just her and Trevor.
“I’m suddenly not in the mood to go anywhere anymore. Movie Night it is, I guess.”
Nicole paid the lady who appeared at the window. Handing the food to Trevor, she drove back to the complex in a daze.
If Ayden cared so much about what happened to her, why wasn’t he here? It didn’t make any sense. Obviously, a mate in werewolf society ranked highly or else he wouldn’t care enough to have her protected at all times. But why wasn’t he the one doing it? She wanted to scream from not knowing the whole story.
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“If you need someone tonight, I would love to fill the position. I know you said you didn’t want to because of the tie I have with Ayden, but I’ll pleasure you. You don’t have to do anything to me.”
Nicole looked over at him, her eyes narrowed.
“Why would you do that?”
Trevor grinned. “Maybe because I love your scent, and I want to taste it.”
Nicole’s eyes grew heavy. She turned back to the road, focusing as best she could with the sensations taking over her body. The wetness that seeped from her pussy at just the thought of his tongue tracing her most private places was enough to tighten her stomach.
“No, I don’t think that’s a good idea. I…” Nicole cleared her throat, at a loss for what else to say.
“I think it’s a great idea.” Trevor leaned toward her. “God, your scent is amazing when you’re turned on.” He lowered his head to the middle of her thighs.
Nicole’s fingers dug into his blond hair while she pulled his head up to look at her.
“Regardless of whether I’m turned on or not, if you’re getting off on it, then so is he, so it’s not going to happen. Stop smelling me, and keep the dirty words to yourself.”
He laughed. “So, it’s the dirty words that turn you on, is it? I thought maybe it was my good looks,” he said, continuing to laugh.
Nicole tried not to smile, but failed.
“Don’t worry about what turns me on, and give me a damn French fry.”
“Mmm, yeah. I want to see how it looks going into your mouth.
That way, I can imagine how it’s going to look the first time your mouth goes around my dick.”
Nicole burst out laughing.
“Forget it! I’ll eat when I get home. My gosh, Trevor, I swear.
You’re absolutely horrible.”
“Oh, come on. One French fry, please,” he begged.
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“No way. I can’t believe you,” she said, laughing.
Trevor laughed again and popped a fry into his mouth. Nicole suddenly realized how he completely took her mind off of Ayden and cheered her up. Had he done that intentionally? She liked Trevor. She couldn’t help but smile at his crude comments. He said them so differently than Ayden. With him, every word sounded more like a joke than seduction. But if he was serious, would it affect her the same way as before when he mentioned her scent? She wasn’t sure she wanted to find out.
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Four days quickly flew by, and Trevor kept her so occupied she didn’t have time to think of much. For the last two days, he woke her in the morning with the smell of breakfast cooking. The first day she thought she dreamed the smell, but once he showed up at her bed with bacon and eggs something inside of her softened toward him.
His humor and jokes took some getting used to, but she quickly found herself joking back with him. He’d go into a big story about,
“Did you know…” and have her enthralled with his words, only to turn around at the end and tell her he was kidding. She stared at him, shocked, and then burst into laughter.
Ayden wasn’t mentioned and not once, since that night, did Trevor receive a phone call from him in her presence. The aching pull in her chest still left her feeling empty, but having her other mate around seemed to ease the pain slightly.
Pressure on the bed caused Nicole to stir. She opened one eye and smiled.
“What, no breakfast this morning?”
“No, I need you to get dressed. We’ll pick something up on the way.”
Sitting up, confused, Nicole tried to think of whether they made plans she couldn’t remember.
“Where are we going, again?”
“There’s a pack meeting, and I can’t leave you here.”
“A pack meeting? You mean, with Ayden?” The thought of seeing him again made her heart race. Could she do it? What would they say to each other?
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“Yes, I’m afraid so. He doesn’t know I’m bringing you, but he’ll find out soon enough.”
“Trevor, I don’t know if I can.”
He softly kissed her forehead.
“I’ll be there. You have nothing to worry about. If things get too out of hand, we’ll leave. All you have to do is say the words, and we’re gone.”
Nodding, she brushed her teeth and walked to her closet to grab some clothes. When she noticed he still sat on the bed, she didn’t even attempt to leave the room. For the first time, she wanted to walk over and kiss him and touch him. The irresistible urge pulled at her until she took a step toward him.
“Trevor, why do you do this, stay with me, I mean?”
He laughed, standing. “Because, that’s what mates do.”
“Ayden didn’t.” The truth cut into her deeply, but she refused to look away from him.
“No, he didn’t. That alone tells me that he truly believes you are better off without him. My best friend isn’t one to run from responsibilities, Nicole. This isn’t like him at all. I’ve known him long enough to promise, he’s not doing it to hurt you.”
“But it does physically hurt. It’s more than missing someone or losing a loved one. It hurts like a raw wound. Every day the aching gets worse.”
“That’s what I’ve heard. I don’t like to see you go through pain. If you’ll allow me, I’d like to ask Ayden again to find a way to remove the mark. It’s probably impossible, but I think it would be best until he decides what he truly wants.”
“I think it might be best, too. Trevor,” Nicole walked until she stood directly in front of him, “would you kiss me again? Just a kiss.”
His lips lowered to hers while his fingers weaved through her hair.
At his taste, Nicole wrapped her arms around his upper waist, desperately gripping his back. They both moaned into each other’s mouth. Her body screamed for more. The pain vanished completely
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from her as Trevor deepened the kiss.
The sound of his phone echoed throughout the room, separating them.
“Well that didn’t take long. Get dressed. We’ll head out when you’re done.”
Nicole tried to catch her breath as he walked out of the room. The sound of his voice disappeared the moment the front door closed.
Dressing as fast as she could, Nicole met him outside.
“Here, you drive. I’m not really hungry so don’t worry about stopping anywhere. Let’s just get this over with.”