Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 58940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 295(@200wpm)___ 236(@250wpm)___ 196(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 295(@200wpm)___ 236(@250wpm)___ 196(@300wpm)
They climbed the stairs—apparently there was no elevator in the place—to the third floor. The stained hallway walls and filthy laminate tile screamed volumes about the care the landlord took of the place. Yeah, he didn’t keep his place spic and span, but that was because it was his and he didn’t care. The houses he rented out or sold to others reflected the pride he took in restoring them, bringing them up to a higher code than people expected. That was what had made him successful.
Melissa knocked on one of the doors and shifted from foot to foot. He dropped a hand on her shoulder to reassure her. Seeing this vulnerable side of her brought out furious protective instincts. He wanted to repair every broken piece of her, sand down every surface of her life, to prevent her from ever getting another splinter.
And the urge terrified the shit out of him. Mad lust for her he at least understood. She was smoking hot, human or not. But this other instinct—the one that didn’t seem to understand they weren’t in a relationship, weren’t attached in any way, didn’t even like each other much—screamed mate. Screamed it even louder than the urge to mark her.
The door swung open and a lanky, sullen teen with blue-tipped hair that hung in her eyes peered out. She scowled at Melissa, although he thought he saw a glimmer of interest at the cake.
“Margot, I’m so sorry I missed our date. My house got broken into and I had to move out and… things just went haywire.”
The girl stared over Melissa’s shoulder at him. “Who’s that?”
Melissa bit her lip. “This is Cody. He’s, uh…” She darted an uncertain glance in his direction.
“I’m her bodyguard,” he filled in. “Until we figure out who broke into her place and why.” Stick close to the truth when dealing with humans. That’s the way he’d always played it.
The teenager nodded, absorbing his position as if most people in her life walked around with beefy tattooed bodyguards. She looked down at the cake, then over her shoulder, where a television blared. A pair of feet hung off the edge of a ratty tartan couch. “You can’t come in right now.”
“That’s okay. I just wanted to bring this over.” Melissa handed her ‘little sister’ the cake, then took the gift card they’d picked up at the grocery store on the way over.
The teen switched the cake to one arm and reached for the gift card, finally cracking her first smile. “Thanks.”
“Hopefully we can meet next week.” She shot another glance at him. “But I’ll let you know either way. I have a new number—I’ll text it so you have it.”
Margot narrowed her eyes. “Is everything okay?”
“Yes, I’ll get it straightened out. I’m really sorry about yesterday.” Melissa gave the girl an awkward hug.
Margot stiffened under the hug and ducked her head, so Melissa pulled quickly away. After an awkward goodbye, the door shut and he eyed Melissa, trying to get a read on how she thought it had gone.
She tilted her head up to meet his gaze. “Thanks.”
Warmth seeped through his chest. It was just one word, but it shivered in the air between them, bare and exposed. She’d shown him her real self today—the one underneath the haughty exterior, and he didn’t take the honor lightly.
He hooked an arm around her waist and started to pull her toward him, when a scent caught his notice. Whirling, his eyes came to rest on the female pup from the mall.
Cody had been about to kiss her, but he stopped and turned. The girl they’d seen at the mall stood behind him, frozen, her green eyes wide.
“Hey.” Cody’s voice was kind—nothing like his usual gruff tones. “Where’s your mom?”
The girl sucked her lower lip into her mouth and didn’t answer.
“Will you tell her I’m here?”
Eyes still glued to Cody, she nodded and backed away from them, running to the end of the hall, where she pushed the last door open and disappeared inside.
Cody exchanged a look with her and set off down the hall, following. Melissa hurried to catch up, but then halted, wondering if she was intruding.
“Should I—? Maybe I’ll wait down in the truck?”
Cody stopped and frowned. “Not safe.” He held out his arm and when she arrived at his side, he tucked her in against him. It seemed so natural, she almost forgot how strange it was to have the tension between them eased. She knew she’d thrown him for a loop when she’d lost it back at his place, but forgetting Margot’s birthday had been unforgivable. She’d worked for months just to get a rapport going with the girl, and to lose it all because she’d been so self-absorbed just killed her.
But Cody had been amazing. She really hadn’t expected him to comfort her or even to take her dilemma seriously. She definitely hadn’t expected him to help her fix things. Maybe she’d misjudged him.