Page 9 of A Wolf's Treasure
“Yes.”
“And what were ye doing there? Yer a Faerie, are ye no’?”
“So, you know what I am, too.”
They reached his Jeep and he finally set her down. As though he loathed to let her go, his hands lingered a moment too long before they slowly slid away and he straightened. His eyes wandered down to her booted feet and back again. He swallowed hard. “I knew it the first time I saw ye,” he mimicked.
Ryanne’s pulse was pounding, and it had nothing to do with the close call she’d just had and everything to do with the way this wolf was looking at her. “Well, thank you for getting me out of the club.”
He gave her a nod. “Twas my honor tae help ye, lass.”
To her surprise, Ryanne found herself disinclined to leave him just yet, but she needed to be far away from this place when those other shifters figured out they’d left. “We should talk more. Another time.”
“Aye,” he breathed. His eyes travelled over her face. “Uh…I dinna think ye should hang around here. Can I give ye a ride…anywhere?”
Ryanne wondered what it was about her person that caused him to act so unlike himself. As she was short on time, she cut right to the chase. “Why don’t you flirt with me?”
His eyes widened and he brought his fist up to his mouth, coughing self-consciously. He opened his mouth to say something…
Ryanne watched as his big body suddenly stilled. Everything about him became suddenly…aware, though his eyes never moved from her face. “What’s wrong?”
“Get in th’ Jeep, lass.” Though the words were nothing more than a deep rumble, the underlying tone beneath them had her searching the area around them. She saw nothing. Heard nothing.
The shifter grabbed her wrist. “Ye need tae get in th’ Jeep, and ye need tae do it NOW. Please,” he added.
She wouldn’t normally hop into a vehicle with a stranger, and especially not with a shifter, but there was no mistaking the urgency in his tone. And he hadn’t caused her any harm. Actually, he’d done the exact opposite.
He didn’t take her to the passenger side, but pulled her past him, blocking her with his body as he directed her into the driver’s side. Sniffing the air, he scanned the area around the club as he opened the door. “Hurry, lass. They’re coming.”
She got in and crawled over to the passenger side.
He got in right behind her. Locking the door, he started the Jeep.
“Who are those males?” she asked.
“I dinna ken, but they are no’ from around here.” Throwing the Jeep into gear, he checked the rearview mirror and backed out of his spot. “And they’re coming for ye.”
Ryanne looked out the back windshield just as the three shifter males came around the corner of the club. They spotted them pulling out immediately and with nothing but a look exchanged between them, they started jogging after the Jeep.
“Fookin’ hell,” her driver muttered. He upshifted into third gear, swerving into the oncoming lane to get around the slower traffic while he dug a phone out of his front pocket. Holding it up in front of his face, he tapped the screen and held it to his ear. “Cedric, it’s me. I’m in Seattle, and makin’ a quick getaway. Three wolves came walkin’ in tae th’ club tonight.” He paused. “No, this in no’ a bad joke. I’m being serious.” Another pause. “I dinna ken who they are or where they came from.” Glancing at Ryanne, he said. “I have a lass with me, a—”
Grabbing his arm, Ryanne shook her head.
He frowned at her. “—a…a…I mean, I would’ve gotten out sooner but I had tae help a lass get out o’ the bar. No. I dinna ken. Och, aye. I’ll text ye when I get home.” Weaving in and out of traffic with one hand, he checked the rearview again. “No. I got out quick. I dinna want tae lead them tae our home. Aye. I will.” He hung up the phone, shoving it back into his pocket.
Silence filled the vehicle. He didn’t ask her why she didn’t want his friend to know about her, and that surprised her. “Thank you,” she finally told him. “For not saying anything about my being here. I’m trying to stay off the radar.”
“Aye,” he said. “I’m sorry. I was no’ thinkin’. Are they still followin’ us?”
She twisted around in her seat. “Yes.”
One side of his mouth curved into that lopsided smile that jarred all the things inside of her. When he looked at her, excitement danced in his green eyes. “Then ye better buckle up, lass.”
Chapter 3
Duncan tried to slow his racing heart, but it was impossible to do with his mysterious lass sitting right beside him.
Right there beside him.
