Read Online The Strip by Heather Killough-Walden, Gildart Jackson - Free Book Online Page A

good idea,” she said. “Honestly, I never drink this much. I mean….” She was embarrassed suddenly, as if admitting as much made her some horrible cross between the drunk blonde bimbo and the teetotaler. “I mean, I may not be able to drink it if you order it.” She smiled sheepishly and put her hands in her lap. “But, thank you.”
    Malcolm’s hunger ripped through him with a vengeance. Every time she bit her lip, every time she smiled, he lost a little more control. He was a very strong alpha; from birth, he’d been granted abilities that other werewolves did not have. In the same way that some humans could run a faster mile and others could lift more weight, Malcolm possessed powers which set him apart from his werewolf community. Though these powers came in handy quite often, he honestly hadn’t planned on using any of them on Claire St.James. He’d gone down that dark road in the past and his actions haunted him now, riding him with guilt.
    This time, he had truly wanted to get to know Charlie; to have her get to know him. But she was too tempting. And the effect she was having on him was far too strong. It shouldn’t have been like this. He needed to regain ground with her, and fast.
    So, with both resignation and determination, he released another tendril of his power and let it coil around his blue-eyed prize. She squirmed in her chair for a moment and he knew it was lighting fires within her. He willed her to let go. To stop caring.
    To trust him.
    “Actually, I’ll have the beer after all.”
    His arm was instantly up again, summoning the waitress back to their table.
    “Another beer, sweetie?” The waitress guessed, before Cole could order. Claire nodded, smiling. “Sure thing. Be right back.” She picked up the empty bottle and strode away.
    Then Claire looked up as something over Cole’s shoulder caught her attention. He turned to look and smiled when his gaze settled on Jake. He was holding Claire’s companion, Mary Jane. And he was kissing her.
    “Oh my god!” Claire exclaimed softly. “She just met him!” She blinked, obviously stunned at what she was seeing. Though she was clearly shocked, he could also hear the humor in her tone. She shook her head admonishingly. “How dare he?” she asked, trailing off into a chuckle.
    Good girl , he thought. Let go .
    “It takes two to kiss like that, luv,” Malcolm drawled casually, his gaze still locked on the two figures.
    When he turned back around, it was to find that Claire was staring at him openly. He felt pinned to his chair beneath her baby blues and the air around them heated with un-spent electricity.
    “Say that again,” she said.
    “What?” he asked, truly not understanding.
    “Say ‘luv’ again.”
    He blinked. And then, when he realized that her breathing was shallow and quick and her eyes were glittering, he allowed himself a slow, dangerous smile. “Anything else you would like me to do for you, luv?”
    Claire’s gaze flicked from his eyes to his lips and back up again.
    “Here you go, sweetie.” The waitress set the beer down on the table and, luckily, was quickly rushing off again, because neither of them were able to pay her any attention.
    “Um….” Claire distractedly picked up her beer and placed it to her lips, swallowing a few small sips. Her eyes were still glued to Malcolm’s. “Yeah, but….”
    “Charlie, I’m gonna head back to the hotel.”
    Claire blinked and finally managed to rip her gaze away from Cole’s in order to look up at her friend, who had just approached the table. Jake Samson was behind her, his arm around her waist. Cole met Jake’s eyes and registered the barely perceptible nod his second in command gave him.
    Across from him, Claire pushed out her chair and stood. “What? Why? Are you okay?”
    Cole stood as well. He frowned as he felt his powers begin to slide and slip from where they’d been wrapped around Charlie. It was as if she was somehow pushing them away. Was that