would tell her about his true
nature, but he knew it had to be soon. It wasn’t fair to either of them to keep
getting closer and plan a future if she wasn’t going to stay once she found out
he was a werewolf. Nor could he tell her too quickly and risk having her run
from him while she was still in danger. Until those killers were locked up, she
wasn’t leaving his side. Looking inside himself, he acknowledged he had no idea
how he would let her go if she wanted to when the danger passed. Wolves mated
for life, and he was wolf enough to feel that way. Natalie was the other half
of his heart. How could he carry on with only half a heart? Pulling her even
closer, he prayed he would never have to find out.
Chapter Five
Due to an afternoon spent indulging in lovemaking between
appointments, Natalie and Orion ended up working late in order to finish up the
day’s work. She knew they would have to behave themselves tomorrow, or they
would never get out the door. Another day like today and she might not
physically be able to walk out of the office anyway. Tender spots made
themselves known as she strode beside Orion out of the elevator, headed toward
his sports car. Places that hadn’t ached this way in years, if ever, and the
flush of satisfaction coloring her minimized the discomfort.
At his car, she walked around to the passenger side, not
giving him a chance to be chivalrous. After a hesitation, Orion went to the
driver’s side, clearly nonplussed that she hadn’t allowed him to open her door.
He pushed the button on his key fob, but she didn’t open her side when the lock
disengaged with a soft click. Movement from the corner of her eye made her turn
her head just in time to see three men emerge from the shadows. The one who had
grinned so coldly at her last night held a gun in his left hand, pointed right
at her. “Secure him,” he said to his two partners, jerking his head in Orion’s
direction. “I’ll take care of her.”
Natalie backed up as he neared, until the car bumper against
her legs kept her from going any farther. She couldn’t tear her gaze from the
gun until Orion grunted. She jerked in his direction, shocked to see one of the
two goons go flying through the air. The concrete connecting with his body made
her wince when the man landed, not uttering even a groan before succumbing to unconsciousness.
She took a step toward Orion as the other man circled him, a switchblade in
hand.
“Stop right there.” Automatically, she froze, but the gunman
was pointing his pistol at Orion.
“Why should I?” He sounded bored, though his watchful eyes
darted between Mr. Knife and Mr. Gun. “None of you are wearing masks, so you
don’t care if we see your faces. That means you’re going to kill us.” With
speed that made him almost a blur, Orion lunged at the man holding the knife,
knocking him down to the concrete and smashing his fist into the side of his
head with a sickening thud. Still crouched on all fours over the man, he looked
up at the one holding the gun. “Why should we let you do that?”
Natalie was stunned by how quickly Orion had dealt with the
two men. Apparently, the one holding the gun hadn’t expected it either. Seconds
before, he had seemed to be darkly thrilled with the forthcoming violence. Now
a sheen of sweat made his pale face glisten in the weak illumination from the
nearest light. The gun in his hand trembled noticeably for a moment before he
secured it with his right hand, gripping the pistol in a professional shooter’s
stance. “Don’t move. I damn well mean it.”
Orion leaned back to shove aside the body of the gunman’s
fallen comrade. “Shoot me if you’re going to. Why draw it out?”
“How about I shoot her ?” Natalie flinched when he
trained the gun on her again. “I could splatter her guts all over your
eighty-thousand-dollar car. How’s that sound, man?”
As though it didn’t concern him at all, Orion got to his
feet, stretching to his full
nature, but he knew it had to be soon. It wasn’t fair to either of them to keep
getting closer and plan a future if she wasn’t going to stay once she found out
he was a werewolf. Nor could he tell her too quickly and risk having her run
from him while she was still in danger. Until those killers were locked up, she
wasn’t leaving his side. Looking inside himself, he acknowledged he had no idea
how he would let her go if she wanted to when the danger passed. Wolves mated
for life, and he was wolf enough to feel that way. Natalie was the other half
of his heart. How could he carry on with only half a heart? Pulling her even
closer, he prayed he would never have to find out.
Chapter Five
Due to an afternoon spent indulging in lovemaking between
appointments, Natalie and Orion ended up working late in order to finish up the
day’s work. She knew they would have to behave themselves tomorrow, or they
would never get out the door. Another day like today and she might not
physically be able to walk out of the office anyway. Tender spots made
themselves known as she strode beside Orion out of the elevator, headed toward
his sports car. Places that hadn’t ached this way in years, if ever, and the
flush of satisfaction coloring her minimized the discomfort.
At his car, she walked around to the passenger side, not
giving him a chance to be chivalrous. After a hesitation, Orion went to the
driver’s side, clearly nonplussed that she hadn’t allowed him to open her door.
He pushed the button on his key fob, but she didn’t open her side when the lock
disengaged with a soft click. Movement from the corner of her eye made her turn
her head just in time to see three men emerge from the shadows. The one who had
grinned so coldly at her last night held a gun in his left hand, pointed right
at her. “Secure him,” he said to his two partners, jerking his head in Orion’s
direction. “I’ll take care of her.”
Natalie backed up as he neared, until the car bumper against
her legs kept her from going any farther. She couldn’t tear her gaze from the
gun until Orion grunted. She jerked in his direction, shocked to see one of the
two goons go flying through the air. The concrete connecting with his body made
her wince when the man landed, not uttering even a groan before succumbing to unconsciousness.
She took a step toward Orion as the other man circled him, a switchblade in
hand.
“Stop right there.” Automatically, she froze, but the gunman
was pointing his pistol at Orion.
“Why should I?” He sounded bored, though his watchful eyes
darted between Mr. Knife and Mr. Gun. “None of you are wearing masks, so you
don’t care if we see your faces. That means you’re going to kill us.” With
speed that made him almost a blur, Orion lunged at the man holding the knife,
knocking him down to the concrete and smashing his fist into the side of his
head with a sickening thud. Still crouched on all fours over the man, he looked
up at the one holding the gun. “Why should we let you do that?”
Natalie was stunned by how quickly Orion had dealt with the
two men. Apparently, the one holding the gun hadn’t expected it either. Seconds
before, he had seemed to be darkly thrilled with the forthcoming violence. Now
a sheen of sweat made his pale face glisten in the weak illumination from the
nearest light. The gun in his hand trembled noticeably for a moment before he
secured it with his right hand, gripping the pistol in a professional shooter’s
stance. “Don’t move. I damn well mean it.”
Orion leaned back to shove aside the body of the gunman’s
fallen comrade. “Shoot me if you’re going to. Why draw it out?”
“How about I shoot her ?” Natalie flinched when he
trained the gun on her again. “I could splatter her guts all over your
eighty-thousand-dollar car. How’s that sound, man?”
As though it didn’t concern him at all, Orion got to his
feet, stretching to his full
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