โWhat do you mean you want me to move in with you?โ Eve asked Arec, pulling away from him. He smiled at her and repeated, โI want you to move in with me. From whatโs been happening to you, I donโt think you are safe living here on your own.โ She stared at him with her mouth hanging open. Finally, she shut her mouth and shook her head. โI donโt think so, Arec,โ she told him. โWhat would everyone at work think if we started walking into the office together after Iโve been there for such a short time?โ He frowned and shook his head. โI donโt care what other people think,โ he told her. โNot even your mother?โ Eve asked, looking at him with a raised eyebrow. โEspecially my mother,โ he told her. Eve frowned as she looked at him. โI donโt know,โ she told him. โItโs so sudden.โ He put his finger under her chin and tilted her face toward his. โUnless I am mistaken, you feel the same way I do,โ he said. She stared into his eyes before nodding. โI do,โ she said. โIโm just sca
After Eve packed an overnight bag, Arec led her to her car. โIโll drive,โ he said, holding his hand out for her keys. โIโm perfectly capable of driving my own car,โ Eve protested. โYou were kidnapped and knocked out by something,โ Arec said, staring at her with his palm open. โIโm driving.โ Eve sighed and put her keys into his hand. โFine,โ she said. โBut Iโm still protesting.โ โI get it,โ Arec said, grinning at her. โItโs hard to relinquish control sometimes, but right now, I just want to take care of you.โ He reached out to cup her cheek in his hand. She leaned into his touch and closed her eyes, smiling. โAre you sure you have everything?โ Arec asked, breaking the spell. Eve lifted her head, opened her eyes, and nodded. โI packed everything I need,โ she said. โI can always come back for more.โ โNot without me, you canโt,โ he told her. โI donโt plan on you coming back here by yourself if I can help it.โ Eve shook her head but didnโt say anything more. She got into t
When they broke apart, Arec looked at her in surprise. โWhat brought that on?โ he asked. โI just wanted to show my thanks for letting me stay here,โ she said, stepping back and smiling at him. Grinning at her, he said, โFeel free to thank me often.โ She giggled and glanced away from his gaze.โIโll keep that in mind,โ she said. โSleep well,โ he told her. โYou, too,โ she said before opening the bedroom door. โIโll see you in the morning unless you need anything during the night,โ he told her, standing in place. โDonโt take this the wrong way, but I hope I donโt need to see you until morning,โ she told him, grinning at him. He chuckled and said, โNo offense taken. I, too, hope not to see you before morning.โ They stared at each other for another moment before Eve blinked and said, โIโd better let you get to your room.โ He nodded, so she added, โGood night, Arec. Iโll see you in the morning.โ โGood night, Eve,โ he said. โHave a good night.โ She nodded and closed the do
Eve could feel her face warm, so she set her cup down, smiling. Arec set his tray on the table and sat across from her. Glancing out the window at the scenery, he said, โSometimes, I think my favorite time of the day is sunrise. Others, I think the sunset is my favorite.โ Eve nodded and said, โI know what you mean. Both are special times of the day. At sunrise, you have all the possibilities of a new day. At sunset, you have the day and all of its problems behind you and the promise of another day ahead.โ โThatโs beautiful,โ Arec said, staring at her. She chuckled. โSome days, Iโm more philosophical in the morning than others,โ she said. After they finished their meal, Arec stacked everything on one tray, saying, โIโll take these to the kitchen and let you get ready for the day.โ โThanks, Arec,โ Eve told him. Once he departed, she closed the door and proceeded to the bathroom to prepare for her workday. She had just given her reflection a nod when she heard another ta
โAre youโฆare you firing me?โ Eve asked Arec when she could speak. Arec stood so fast that Eve didnโt realize it at first. He walked over to her and grasped her upper arms. โNo,โ he said in a soft voice. โIโm not firing you. Iโm just asking you to take a leave of absence. Fully paid, of course.โ โBut why?โ Eve asked, staring at Arec. โI donโt understand.โArec glanced toward the office door and said, โIโll tell you later today when I return home after work. For now, though, go back to my house and stay there. Iโll call for the chauffeur to bring the car around.โ โShould I pack up my desk?โ Eve asked. Arec shook his head and said, โJust take your purse with you.โ โWhoโs going to take care of the work while Iโm gone?โ she asked. Looking away from her, Arec said, โMother suggested Sabrina take over your duties.โ โWhat?โ Eve asked, her mouth dropping open. โWhy?โ โIโll explain tonight, Eve,โ he told her, looking at her again. โI promise.โ Eve looked at Arec and snapped her mou
When Arec returned, Eve had already dished up the chicken parm and had set the plates on the table. โPerfect timing,โ she told him. โEverythingโs ready.โ He smiled at her and said, โThat looks delicious.โ โThanks,โ she said. โItโs one of my favorite meals.โ โIf it tastes as good as it smells, I can see why,โ he said, walking to the table. Stopping, he smiled at her and said, โI see you put out a bottle of wine. Are you trying to get me drunk, Miss Rolands?โ Giggling, Eve shook her head and said, โI just thought it would go well with the meal.โ He picked up the bottle and looked at the label. โI mean, Iโm sure itโs not as good as you would have at your house, but I like it,โ she told him. โIโm sure it will be delicious,โ he told her, opening the bottle and pouring some into each of the glasses. She smiled at him and said, โI hope you like it.โ He walked toward the table and pulled a chair out for her. โThank you,โ she said as she sat in it. He moved to the other chai
When Eve opened her eyes, she blinked a few times in confusion. The ceiling overhead was unfamiliar to her. Turning her head, she realized she was curled up on a bed. She lifted her head and squinted into the darkness, trying to identify anything that would give a clue to her surroundings. She groaned as her head pounded and closed her eyes again. Reaching up, she smoothed her hand over her forehead, then opened her eyes again. โAt least Iโm not tied up,โ she muttered, turning her head to scan the room again. She sat up and groaned, holding her head as the room swam around her. โWhat the hell happened?โ she muttered. She thought back to what she was doing before she woke here. Arec had just left to return to the office. She walked back into the kitchen to do the dishes and heard the knock on her door. Thinking it was Arec and heโd forgotten something, she opened the door with a smile. The smile left her face as she saw an unfamiliar man standing on the other side. Be
Two weeks flew by as Eve explored Arecโs house while he was at the office. She watched a couple of movies in his in-house theater, swam in the indoor pool, and roamed through the hallways, marveling at how big the house was. However, restlessness began to set in for her toward the end of the second week. She roamed the hallways, not knowing where to go or what to do. She snapped at the servants, and when Arec arrived from work, she kept as close to him as possible. They slept either in her room or his, but they didnโt spend the nights apart. โI love waking up beside you every morning,โ Eve told him as they snuggled in bed one morning. He pulled her closer and brushed his lips over her hair. โI do, too,โ he said. โSo many advantages.โ He moved his hand over her hip, causing her to giggle. โI agree,โ she said, moving her hand down his back and tilting her head to kiss him. Before they could go any further, someone knocked on Arecโs bedroom door. Groaning, Arec lifted his
Eve stretched as she woke, feeling the warmth of Arecโs body still wrapped around her. She opened her eyes and saw another hairy figure with its back to her, staring into the trees. She smiled as she felt Arecโs strong arms cuddle her close, and his nose snuffed her ear. โGood morning to you, too,โ she whispered, turning to look at him. He bared his teeth at her with a wolfy grin, then looked at his brother, who hadnโt turned toward them. He nuzzled Eveโs neck before releasing her and standing up. She stretched and got to her feet.โYou want to know something? That wasnโt as bad as I thought it would be,โ she said. โYou kept me nice and warm, and I wasnโt sleeping on rocks.โArec nodded, then loped toward his brother. Eve watched them communicate before sitting on a log near the now-dead fire. When Arec returned, she said, โI hate to do this, but nature calls.โArec grinned at her before nodding and loping toward the opposite side of the camp. At the bushes, he paused and looked at
After arguing with Michael about lighting a fire, Arec finally convinced him that Eve couldnโt eat anything theyโd caught without it being cooked first. โFine,โ Michael growled. โBut keep it small and smokeless.โ Arec nodded and said to Eve, โLetโs gather some firewood while Michael looks for dinner.โ After Michael changed into his Lycan form, Arec and Eve wandered into the trees, gathering fallen branches until they both had armfuls of wood. Carrying them back to the camp, Eve asked, โWill Craig see the fire and know weโre here?โ Arec nodded and said, โDonโt worry. Michael and I know how to keep it from alerting him to our presence.โ โGood,โ Eve said. โBecause I donโt want him to see us coming when we rescue Linda.โโHe wonโt,โ Arec told her. โWeโll get her out before he even suspects what weโre doing.โShe smiled at him and said, โGreat, because I donโt want him to see anything until Iโm in his face, striking him down for what he did.โArec took her into his arms and said, โI
Eve stared at Craig as he walked out of the houseโs back door and scanned the trees. She shrunk back before realizing they were deep in the trees and doubted he could see them. โHeโs not able to smell us, is he?โ she whispered to Arec as the thought hit her. Arec shook his head, not taking his gaze from Craig, who finally nodded and walked back into the house.โNow that we know heโs in that house, that must mean Lindaโs inside too, right?โ Eve asked, not taking her eyes from the door Craig had used to go inside the house.โMost likely,โ Michael said, nodding once. โI did catch her scent around, though it was faint.โโI wonder if heโs keeping her in a basement room or something,โ Arec mused, scratching his chin.โThatโs possible,โ Michael said, looking at the house. โIt does look like the basement windows are blocked, at least on this side.โโSo, whatโs the plan?โ Eve asked, finally tearing her gaze from the house to look at the brothers.โLetโs move around the house, keeping as out
While Arec and Eve waited for Michael to return, they looked around for a comfortable place to spend the night. โDo we really have to spend the night in the woods tonight?โ Eve asked after a few minutes of searching for a spot.Arec looked at her and frowned as he nodded. โThis will be our best chance to find Linda,โ he told her. โWeโll be close enough to find her and get her away from Craig.โโWhen you put it like that, it makes sense,โ Eve said. โI just donโt have much experience sleeping outside.โโYouโve never been camping?โ he asked her, his eyes wide.She shook her head and said, โMy familyโs idea of roughing it was when the internet went out, and we had to read books.โArec chuckled and shook his head.โWell, weโll try to make it as comfortable for you as much as we can,โ he said. โBut I canโt guarantee youโll like it.โ Eve looked at him and smiled weakly. โIโll be okay for tonight,โ she told him before walking over to him and wrapping her arms around him. โAs long as I hav
Arec and Eve followed the trail through the trees. Arec pointed out the signs of someone crossing through the area as they went. Eve nodded as he did and continued to look for signs that Craig had taken Linda this way or that Michael had been there. They reached a small clearing in the trees, and Arec stopped. โWhat is it?โ Eve asked, stopping behind him. โDid you find something? Did you smell something? Is it Linda?โArec remained silent but held up his hand to quiet her questions. He scanned the clearing before nodding and waving her forward. She moved behind him as he crept forward. โWhatโs that?โ she whispered, nodding toward a rustling noise to her left. Arec turned toward the noise, ready to defend them, when he relaxed and called out, โCome out, Michael. Youโre scaring Eve.โ โIโm not scared,โ Eve protested as Michael exited the bushes. Arec greeted his brother before stepping aside to let him approach Eve. Michael walked toward her with an uncertain look on his face. Ev
Eve ran down the road, occasionally looking over her shoulder to see if anyone was following her. She retraced the route back to the creek where Michael had lost the trail. Checking over her shoulder again to see if anyone had followed her, she crouched beside the creek, looking at the bank. โI donโt know if Iโll find anything,โ she muttered. โItโs been searched by Michael, but Iโll look again for Lindaโs sake.โShe looked at the dirt and vegetation beside the creek and frowned. โHow am I supposed to know what Iโm looking for?โ she muttered. Several indentations in the mud at the waterโs edge that looked like footprints caught her eye. โThese might belong to Craig,โ she said, tilting her head to study them, then frowned. โOr they might be Michaelโs.โ Standing, she looked up and down the creek, then closed her eyes, trying to picture the scene. โI doubt Linda went willingly,โ she muttered as she thought about what had happened. โSo, sheโd be struggling.โ Eve opened her ey
โWhat?โ Arec asked, scrambling to his feet. โYou mean to tell me Michael lost Craig and Lindaโs trail?โ Bella nodded, not looking up as a tear falling from her eye and rolling down her cheek. โHeโs still out there, looking for them,โ she said, โbut he lost it on the other side of the creek.โ โDamn it!โ Arec swore, hitting the palm of his hand with his fist. โI knew we shouldnโt have left,โ Eve said, scowling at him. โWe should have stayed to help him search.โ Arec walked over to Eve and put his arm around her shoulders. She shrugged it off, glaring at him. โI wanted to stay to help, but you told me Michael would be able to find Craigโs trail,โ she said. โNow look what happened. Lindaโs out somewhere with Craig, and we donโt know where they are.โ Arec reached for her again, but she stepped out of his reach. โYou should have let me stay,โ she told him before stalking out of the room. Arec started to go after her, but Bella held him back. โWhat are you doing?โ he asked his
When Eve met with Arec in the gym, she had changed into her workout leggings and tank top. She saw he had put on an old t-shirt and a pair of gym shorts and had spread the gym mats across the floor in preparation for their session. He was already warming up for their session and grinned as he spotted her. โReady to warm up?โ he asked her, leaning with his hands pressed against the wall to stretch his legs. She nodded, stretching her arms and shoulders as she walked toward him, and said, โLetโs do this.โ Squatting, she moved from side to side to stretch her leg muscles. She stretched her legs out before standing. Arec stood from the wall and stretched his arms before jerking his head toward the center of the room. She nodded once. They walked to the center of the room and faced each other. Arec crouched into a fighting position and nodded at her. โArenโt you going to transform first?โ she asked, frowning as she waited for him to do so. He shook his head and said, โNot to warm
Eve waited, holding her breath, as Arec listened to Michael on the other end of the phone. Arec listened, then looked at Eve and nodded. โHe found them?โ she asked, hurrying to his side. Arec moved the phone away from his mouth and told her, โHe has their trail.โ Eve put her hand over her mouth as her eyes filled with tears. She hurried to the couch and sat down. As she waited for Arec to finish his conversation with his brother, she leaned forward with her hands clasped so tightly that her fingers turned white. After Arec hung up the phone, he looked at Eve and said, โHeโs going to track them and call back when he has more information.โโDo you think it will take long?โ she asked, her brows drawn upward in concern. โIโm not sure,โ Arec told her, walking to the couch to sit beside her. โMichael is an excellent tracker, so I donโt think heโll lose their scent.โ He reached over to unclasp her hands and held her hands in his. โLindaโs going to be okay,โ he told her. โHow do