Page 65 of Finlay

I didn’t know if it was my words or touch, but something brought him back to me. He blinked rapidly a few times before putting his hands on my shoulders. “Shit. Sorry, Chester. Didn’t mean to scare ye.”

“You didn’t, but I am worried.” I gestured to the back room. “Come on, let’s sit you down.”

“I’m okay, really.” Finn tried to smile, but it turned into a grimace. “I just need to step outside and make a quick call. Can ye do me a favour and stay right here?”

“Here?”

“Behind the counter,” Finn said. “I just…I don’t want to take my eyes off you for a bit if that’s okay?”

The unease from earlier was back. “Finn, what’s going on? Now you are scaring me.”

He kissed my forehead. “I’m sorry, m’eudail. That wasn’t my intention. Believe me, yer safe. There’s nothing ye need to be afraid of while I’m around. Now, can ye stay here? Just for two minutes?”

I nodded woodenly, wondering what the fuck was going on. Why had he sniffed the card? Why had he hadsuch an intense reaction to finding out about the stranger? Did he know him?

More importantly, what wasn’t Finn telling me?

He kissed my forehead once more before striding for the door, phone already pressed to his ear. I watched him go, wondering why I wasn’t running from this. He hadn’t answered my questions. He was clearly involved in something he hadn’t shared with me.

It was a stark reminder of how little I knew about this man. So why wasn’t I shutting him out of my life? Or hiding behind the walls I’d built for a very good reason?

Just then, Finn’s gaze found me through the glass. Some of the tension leeched away from him as he saw me waiting there, just as he’d asked. He smiled reassuringly, and I knew exactly why I stayed.

Finn would never hurt me.

He just wanted to keep me safe.

It had been a long time since anyone had made me feel that way.

I was going to hold on to it with both hands for as long as I could.

Chapter 20

Finn

Ashifter had been in Chester’s shop.

A jaguar shifter.

A jaguar shifter from the same clan responsible for murdering Sarah and Maria.

A jaguar shifter had threatened Chester.

MyChester.

Even if Chester weren’t someone special to me, I’d still be furious. All beings in our territory, human or supe, fell under our protection. The Clarkson Clan should know better.

We didn’t take kindly to those in our territory being threatened.

I’d picked up on the unusual scent as soon as I’d entered the shop, but it’d been too faint to place immediately. Chester’s story and sniffing the card he’d left had confirmed who it was.

Or rather,whathe was.

Chester might’ve brushed it off, but I knew him well enough to know he’d been scared by it. The pure rage that knowledge had sent through me…it had almost made me lose control. I’d almost shifted right there in Chester’s shop. Which was likely the worst way for him to learn about my true nature. I didn’t plan on hiding it from him forever, but me losing control of the shift? That couldn’t happen. My wolf and I didn’t always agree, but it was rare for him to try and seize control so aggressively.

And even rarer for me to almost let him.

Thank fuck I’d managed to pull it back in time. Although, it hadn’t been me at all, but Chester. His touch had grounded me, reminding me why losing my shit and hunting the fucker down there and then wasn’t smart.

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