Page 16 of Lone Wolf
My eyebrows flew up. “Really?”
He turned the screen a little, inviting me to come look.
I leaned over the edge of the desk—there wasn’t really room enough for two of us behind it. The building was spacious and lovely in the public areas, but anything the clients couldn’t see was very efficiently built. “Wow,” I said. “That works out to what, percentage-wise?”
“Just over thirty percent.” He paused and the pen started its clicking again. “Salem, you know I have to ask…”
“I didn’t do anything I wouldn’t do with anyone else,” I hastened to assure him. “No bruises, no welts, nothing’s sore—or more sore than it should be. I don’t know. I guess he enjoyed himself?” I didn’t mention the little fur show I’d put on for him. It wasn’t a part of our menu and I could get kicked out of the houses completely for doing it. “Maybe… He was kind of fascinated with my omega line.” It was still a little embarrassing to talk about, though Peregrine obviously knew all about them just from his work in management.
But omega lines were kind of personal. Private. It was what made the male omegas the most expensive dish you could order here in Nevada Ashes.
Peregrine gave me a searching look, so I shrugged and held my hand up in a ‘who knows what clients think’ kind of gesture. “What’s the schedule for the medical look like for tomorrow?”
He clicked open another window on the screen. “Morning or afternoon?”
“Ugh, afternoon,” I said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
He laughed and booked me an appointment, writing the time down on a sticky note. “Don’t miss it.”
“I won’t.” I stuffed the little square in my pocket and yawned. “Okay, I’m off unless you want something.”
He waved a hand at me, his attention already going back to the screen. “Go, get some sleep. No, wait—can you work Tuesday? We’re a little short.”
I’d already been turning away, so he didn’t see the face I made. “Sure,” I said brightly. “Extra shift though, okay? Don’t trade away one of my good ones?” Now I did make a face, because his expression said that was exactly what he’d been planning. “No, Per, really. I’m saving up for a place of my own. I don’t want to give up a good paying shift for a Tuesday.”
“You’ll burn yourself out,” he said.
“I’m being careful,” I promised.
After a moment, he sighed. “I’ll make Tuesday a short shift then. Four hours okay?”
“Four hours is easy-peasy,” I said in delight and swooped in to drop a kiss on his cheek. “You’re the best. Thank you!”
“Go on, get. Go have a soak in the hot tub and relax a little, then get some sleep before tonight.”
“You got it, boss,” I said saucily and scooted out the door before he could change his mind. Yes! An extra four hours wasn’t much, but every little bit counted. I almost skipped as I went down the hall, my head full of dreams of my own apartment and my own furniture and just my own everything.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Monday morning should have been like any other morning driving into the Agency, except for the hole in Damian’s gut that had seemed to grow like a movie monster overnight. His bed last night had been lonely in a way that shocked him, and made him realize that a shifter without a pack was only half-alive. He missed the touch, missed the scents, missed being able to be himself, instead of just the parts that were safe to show the humans.
At work, Damian took his seat beside Oscar like usual for the morning briefing.
"How was your weekend?" Oscar asked, his voice rich with innuendo.
"Fine," Damian said shortly. "Had a good meal, played some slots. Lost money at blackjack. The usual."
"You didn't go anywhere else?" Oscar demanded, obviously disappointed.
"What do you want, Oz?" Damian demanded, suddenly tired. "So I took your advice. I went to Nevada Ashes."
"I would have thought you'd come back more relaxed," Oscar observed.
Damian let his head tip back so he was looking up at the lines of fluorescent lights on the ceiling and let his eyes close. "I don't think I'll be going again."
"Was it bad? I thought they had a good reputation?"
Damn these humans. "They do. They live up to it." He bit back the rest of the diatribe that was waiting to spill out of his mouth. "I had a very good time, but it just wasn't for me. Maybe I'm one of those guys who doesn't like sex for the sake of getting his rocks off." He could still feel the softness of Salem's undercoat against his fingertips and it took everything he had in him not to raise his hand to his face, as if he could bring the sensation with it.
