He reacted as if time stood against them, taking three steps and dropping her to the sofa, following her down, his mouth busy on hers the entire time.
Buttons scattered as he ripped her shirt open. Kisses, hot and wild, peppered her jaw, neck, and collarbone until he reached her breasts. “No bra,” he rumbled against her flesh before taking one aching nipple in his mouth.
She arched, crying out. Splinters of red-hot pleasure whipped from her breast to her begging clit. Then he nipped.
A ringing set up between her ears. She shoved the sound back, lost in the amazing sensation of Jordan’s mouth on her. Finally. His body trapping hers. Desire flowing around them.
He lifted his head. “Phone.”
Oh. The ringing. “Ignore it.” Her hands flattened out across his broad back, not even coming close to spanning the masculine width. The muscles shifted, vibrating beneath her palms. So much strength.
The machine clicked on. A male voice. “Hi, Kate. I have a new set of files and should be there in a minute. Um, we need to talk.” The message stopped.
Jordan drew in a harsh breath.
Shit, shit, shit. “That was Baye—he can see you tomorrow.” Katie’s mind spun. “Let me call him back.”
“No.” Gently, Jordan tugged her shirt back into place. The mood was certainly broken. “His brother will be calling him tonight to return to the ranch—we’ve had to relocate headquarters. I’ll see him after I get you to safety.”
Baye and his two brothers had served as Jordan’s enforcers for about a century. When Katie had ventured out on her own, Jordan had sent Baye with her. He’d swiftly become her confidant, often joining her and Maggie for a drink after work. While cats and wolves didn’t usually get along well, Maggie seemed like one of them. Wolf or not.
Katie dropped her hands from Jordan’s shoulders, not willing to beg. The harsh expression on his face promised it wasn’t going to happen. Ever. “Jordan—”
“I have a meeting, too.” He levered to his feet. Regret flashed bright through his dark eyes. “I, this, we ... this shouldn’t have happened. I’m sorry.” His hands shook. “Be ready tomorrow.”
His words penetrated her foggy mind. “I can’t. Besides my werewolf job, I work hard as a dispatcher for the police force during the day. Just quitting on the spot would be terrible for my coworkers.” She enjoyed her job and heard first about any odd animal attacks.
Maggie worked at the hospital during the day shift for the same reason. But she was just part-time, which gave her freedom to travel west for testing every few months.
Of course, the vampires had to work their magic on the computer systems of both the human police force and hospital to circumvent background checks. Maggie had also needed bloodwork to be employed at the hospital. Such tests were easily manipulated by the vampires—more specifically by Kane Kayrs, the smartest guy on the planet.
Jordan’s eyes hardened. “Call and quit, Katie. I’m not asking.” Three strides and he disappeared out the door.
Damnit. Katie pressed a trembling hand to her burning mouth. Hopefully that huge erection would cause him serious pain. Finally, to have been so close. But no, Jordan had stopped. He didn’t want her—at least not badly enough to take a chance. She’d known him almost her entire life. When Jordan wanted something, nothing stopped him. Time to face that fact and stop freaking pining.
Katie jumped up, her body humming, aching from remaining unfulfilled. Her heart splintering. She ran into her bedroom and changed her damaged shirt, emerging just as someone knocked on the door.
Her breath caught. It wasn’t Jordan. Yet she dashed forward, throwing the oak door open to reveal Baye. All six feet of him—tough-ass feline shifter. Behind him stood Lance, tiger shifter and fighting champion. The three of them made up a squad. Her squad.
Disappointment threatened to choke her. “Hi.” She gestured them inside.
Baye didn’t move, surveying the room, scenting the air. Symmetrical nostrils flared and he ran a rough hand through his dark, shoulder-length hair. “Lion.”
“Yes.”
“I know Pride’s scent as well as my own.” Baye lifted an eyebrow, stepping inside.
Lance followed and quietly, too softly, he shut the door and handed her a file. “We have a new report of an infection.”
Of course they did. Now she had to go out and hunt a shifter who had probably been a good man at one time. “Just one, huh?” Taking a deep breath, she returned to the sofa, trying so hard not to think of Jordan pressing her into the soft leather.
Baye leaned against the door. Lance hovered near the couch.
What was their problem? She frowned.
Baye’s eyes darkened further. “Open the file.”
A tickle set up at the base of her spine. Her lungs compressed. Something whispered she should run. Shrugging her shoulders, she flipped open the file.
Jordan Pride’s picture stared back at her.
Chapter 2
Jordan jogged through the alley, cutting a hard right to end up at his hotel. Cobbled stones protested with each beat of his boots. The city of New Orleans didn’t agree with him. Too hot, too muggy, too many damn humans. Their merriment wandered on the breeze—carefree and joyful at the constant parade and fun. He’d lived his life alone, and the ever present comraderie in the southern town only made him feel more so.
The breadth of magic mixed with the humid air, coating his skin. He didn’t like humidity or water, either. Most cats didn’t—which is exactly why he’d assigned Katie to the area. If she found werewolves, they wouldn’t be former members of her clan.
Maybe when he turned completely into a werewolf, he’d jump right into the sea. Though he’d be dead before that happened.
What the hell had he been thinking? Touching her? Kissing her? Sure, he’d noticed her as a woman years ago. Had known without a doubt, the pretty shifter deserved better than him. Had also known such knowledge wouldn’t have stopped him from taking her. Who knew? Maybe they would’ve stood some kind of chance.
But not now, not with the beast inside him calling the shots.
Scaling the rickety fire escape to the third floor of his antiquated hotel, he shoved open his window and jumped inside. No need to go through the lobby. Stealth had always been his friend.
A rust-colored shag carpet muffled his steps as he strode past the bed to the scarred table to boot up his laptop. At one time, before war had intruded, he’d been able to afford the best. But all funds had been earmarked for war, safety, and more hospitals. The last ten years had been the most difficult his people had ever faced, considering so many had been lost to the virus. Besides, right at the moment, he needed solitude and peace, and the dive provided quiet.
Connlan Kayrs took shape, his angled face filling the screen. “How did it go?”
“Not good.” Jordan dropped into a ripped leather chair the color of a yellow cake Katie had once burned for his birthday. “Exactly what I expected, actually.”
Conn’s metallic green eyes narrowed. He rubbed his short hair. The ends had recently been singed off when he tried to harness his mate’s magic without permission. Moira was an incredibly powerful witch and had apparently set a booby trap, though if anyone tried to ask Conn about it, he hit them in the face. The vampire frowned. “When will Katie be arriving at headquarters?”
“Tomorrow.” Jordan scratched his chin. Tired. He was so damn tired. “We both will.”
“Does she know?”
“No. Well ... maybe. Baye was on his way with a file. I’m assuming my face is in it.” Jordan had handpicked the assassin to cover Katie’s back. Though the enforcer’s services were no longer needed. Katie would soon be underground.