great introduction. Instead of correcting her, he asked, “Who are you?” He had to know her name.
Her eyes went wide. She tensed, glanced down at herself and mumbled, “Shit.”
Shit? That’s what she had to say? Who was she? Where was Annie? Jesus, Annie! His chest squeezing, he said in a menacing tone, “If you did something to Annie, I swear I’ll…” Jacob shook his head. He couldn’t say it. He didn’t know who she was, but it didn’t change the fact she was his .
Her pretty honey-colored eyes narrowed. “Yeah, I kidnapped her, and then I purposely fell asleep on your couch, so you’d find me.”
A surge of laughter bubbled in his throat. He bit his tongue to keep it at bay.
She caught it though. Her cheeks flushed. “How dare you think that? I would never. She’s sleeping.”
A relief. “Who are you? Why are you here, and where’s Ash?”
“She and Clyde had an emergency. They left me to watch Annie. I’m…” She paused, looking away from him.
He shifted and waited.
Her eyes met his. “Valerie.” She then took several steps away.
He shook his head, and then his gaze raked her from top to bottom. “You’renot Valerie. I met Valerie. She’s blonde and not…” Stunning, beautiful . He couldn’t just blurt that. “You aren’t her.”
She swallowed. “I am her. I created an illusion to disguise myself.”
His heart dropped to the pit of his stomach.
His mate had hidden from him. Why hadn’t she felt something for him from first glance like he felt for her? The recognition wasn’t instant for immortal women, but the mated immortal women he knew felt drawn to their mates. Why wasn’t his?
His eyes narrowed. “Why?” He hadn’t meant to bark, but frustration seeped into his tone.
She clasped her hands in front of her, then took a step away. “I…I was scared at the time.”
He mirrored her, taking a purposeful step forward. “Why?”
“B-because…You were angry. You’re always angry and you’re…mean.”
He couldn’t deny it.The only person excluded from his temper: Annie.He fisted his hands. “I’m angry and mean, and you’re afraid of me, so you created an illusion to disguise yourself from me . Anything else?” he asked through clenched teeth.
She shook her head. “I’m sorry, I was just intimidated—”
Annie wailed.
He didn’t wait for his mate to finish. He hated leaving her, but it’d have to wait.
Annie needed him.
Chapter 11
Valerie hadn’t finished her apology, but forgot about it the moment Annie’s sobs pierced the air. She sprinted toward her room, then stopped at the threshold. His ability to materialize meant he’d beat her there where she found him sitting on the edge of Annie’s mattress, facing the girl. The air of animosity that surrounded him, gone. He tenderly cradled Annie against his chest, rubbing her back softly, whispering to her. Words Val heard loud and clear. Her hearing wasn’t as acute as other immortals, but it was still better than a mortal’s.
“It’s okay, pupa. I’m here.”
Unbelievable, but true.
How was it possible a demon, who chose to live engulfed in anger who’d been incensed with her a moment before, could change so swiftly to comfort a child? Had the insight her gift given her been off-base? Was it all a charade? Who was the real man: the unapproachable rage-filled warrior or the caring guardian?
Annie wailed. “I-I…”
“Another bad dream?”
The girl nodded. “The b-bad men…they were…”
“Shh…Remember what I promised you?” Those powerful hands wiped the child’s tear-streaked face with such gentleness she thought them, him , incapable of.
Annie nodded.
He kissed the top of her head, continuing to rub her back. “No one is going to hurt you, Annie. No one. I will keep you safe.”
“But…what if the b-bad men…hurt y-you? What if…they t-take you, too?”
He tensed and pulled away from the child slightly, staring straight into her eyes. “That’s not going to
Her eyes went wide. She tensed, glanced down at herself and mumbled, “Shit.”
Shit? That’s what she had to say? Who was she? Where was Annie? Jesus, Annie! His chest squeezing, he said in a menacing tone, “If you did something to Annie, I swear I’ll…” Jacob shook his head. He couldn’t say it. He didn’t know who she was, but it didn’t change the fact she was his .
Her pretty honey-colored eyes narrowed. “Yeah, I kidnapped her, and then I purposely fell asleep on your couch, so you’d find me.”
A surge of laughter bubbled in his throat. He bit his tongue to keep it at bay.
She caught it though. Her cheeks flushed. “How dare you think that? I would never. She’s sleeping.”
A relief. “Who are you? Why are you here, and where’s Ash?”
“She and Clyde had an emergency. They left me to watch Annie. I’m…” She paused, looking away from him.
He shifted and waited.
Her eyes met his. “Valerie.” She then took several steps away.
He shook his head, and then his gaze raked her from top to bottom. “You’renot Valerie. I met Valerie. She’s blonde and not…” Stunning, beautiful . He couldn’t just blurt that. “You aren’t her.”
She swallowed. “I am her. I created an illusion to disguise myself.”
His heart dropped to the pit of his stomach.
His mate had hidden from him. Why hadn’t she felt something for him from first glance like he felt for her? The recognition wasn’t instant for immortal women, but the mated immortal women he knew felt drawn to their mates. Why wasn’t his?
His eyes narrowed. “Why?” He hadn’t meant to bark, but frustration seeped into his tone.
She clasped her hands in front of her, then took a step away. “I…I was scared at the time.”
He mirrored her, taking a purposeful step forward. “Why?”
“B-because…You were angry. You’re always angry and you’re…mean.”
He couldn’t deny it.The only person excluded from his temper: Annie.He fisted his hands. “I’m angry and mean, and you’re afraid of me, so you created an illusion to disguise yourself from me . Anything else?” he asked through clenched teeth.
She shook her head. “I’m sorry, I was just intimidated—”
Annie wailed.
He didn’t wait for his mate to finish. He hated leaving her, but it’d have to wait.
Annie needed him.
Chapter 11
Valerie hadn’t finished her apology, but forgot about it the moment Annie’s sobs pierced the air. She sprinted toward her room, then stopped at the threshold. His ability to materialize meant he’d beat her there where she found him sitting on the edge of Annie’s mattress, facing the girl. The air of animosity that surrounded him, gone. He tenderly cradled Annie against his chest, rubbing her back softly, whispering to her. Words Val heard loud and clear. Her hearing wasn’t as acute as other immortals, but it was still better than a mortal’s.
“It’s okay, pupa. I’m here.”
Unbelievable, but true.
How was it possible a demon, who chose to live engulfed in anger who’d been incensed with her a moment before, could change so swiftly to comfort a child? Had the insight her gift given her been off-base? Was it all a charade? Who was the real man: the unapproachable rage-filled warrior or the caring guardian?
Annie wailed. “I-I…”
“Another bad dream?”
The girl nodded. “The b-bad men…they were…”
“Shh…Remember what I promised you?” Those powerful hands wiped the child’s tear-streaked face with such gentleness she thought them, him , incapable of.
Annie nodded.
He kissed the top of her head, continuing to rub her back. “No one is going to hurt you, Annie. No one. I will keep you safe.”
“But…what if the b-bad men…hurt y-you? What if…they t-take you, too?”
He tensed and pulled away from the child slightly, staring straight into her eyes. “That’s not going to
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