CHAPTER 4

TAE

“Fuck.”

I jerk my hand back just before the parrot beaks my skin. I almost laugh at how silly it is that Ronan owns a pet, and a parrot at that. My phone chimes again, reminding me that it’s been twenty minutes since I snuck into Ronan’s room.

I listened to what Hyun said, to leave my need for revenge to him. I stopped looking into the Blackwood pack. I even got over my hatred for Hermes Ashford and his family – future Lycan King once his genocidal uncle finally kicked the bucket. But I wasn’t about to let Ronan destroy President Cardenas, just because I’d kissed him.

“If I was Ronan, where would I stash my secrets?” My eyes rove eagerly across his space, moving about and getting a feel of the space. I needed to get any dirt on Ronan if I was to convince him to let his grudge with the president go.

Ronan has his thing spread around like someone who been military trained – everything facing his exit routes, the windows and door. I check his bathroom and frown when I see that his things have been packed in an overnight bag, like he plans to take a short trip after threating his president. He’s planning something.

I move swiftly, opening his cupboard before rounding on his medicine cabinet. The sight of his laptop shocks me – not what I’d expected to find in there. Seriously?

Giddy, I fish the slender device out and settle on his bed, pleased when I see that it’s not passworded. It’s foolish on Ronan’s part, but also a big win for me.

I soon realize the reason he could comfortably leave it accessible to anyone. The system is squeaky clean. The bastard!

Grumbling a sound of annoyance, I shut it down and return it back to it’s original place, accepting that I have to call this ‘investigation’ off.

I check to make sure I’ve not left anything behind and head for the door. Just as I hear a voice.

The door chime and I freeze. Panic surges through me as I realize that I’m about to die in here. I don’t have any time to second guess myself, I rush across the room and dive underneath his bed – just as the door opens.

“Fucking Damon.”

I swallow roughly, steady my trembling limbs and get my panicked breaths in order. If I’m caught by Ronan... my mind races with the consequences. If he finds me, I’m dead.

Ronan's steps are light and deliberate, walking deeper into the room – setting things down. He speaks softly to the parrot – words I can’t hear – and then takes off his shoes. His pants and briefs fall next and my eyes squeeze tight, refusing to let my imagination wander.

Focus, Tae.

His footsteps retreat to the bathroom and I wait silently, keen on every sound. The bathroom door closes soon after and once I hear the shower turn on for a few minutes, I slide out from my position. I don’t think, I hightail it out of his room.

Or, I try to.

“Don’t even think about it.” My hand on the doorknob freezes and I struggle to believe that I’ve been caught. How did he – ?

“Turn around.”

I turn slowly, my breath caught in my throat as I take in the sight in front of me. Ronan stands in front of me, practically naked, with only a flimsy towel hanging precariously on his waist. The fabric barely clings to his frame and as I finally pull my gaze up to his, there’s a predatory look in his eyes.

“Why are you in my room, Sunny?”

His voice is low, too calm. It tells me that he’s readying for a fight, or for another of our ‘moments.’

My eyes drop, just as his feet kisses the tip of my sneakers. “Look at me when I’m talking to you, Sunny. Why are you here?”

“I know what you plan to do with Cardenas. You want to ruin him.” I can’t help the words as they fall from my lips, too pissed – and scared – to hold back.

“I won’t let you, Ronan. You’ve made my life a living hell and I despise you for it. But you can’t touch Cardenas. I won’t let you.”

His eyes are trained on me during my tirade, turning more and more dark as I speak. He’s gazing at me with unleashed fury and I know he’s going to pounce any time soon.

“And you think I’ll stop just because ‘you wont let me.’ Do you think he cares about you?” His voice is calm as he asks this and at my lack of a reply, he scoffs. “You’re more naive than I thought, Sunny.”

My cheeks are burning. No, I don’t think Cardenas loves me or even has that sort of feeling for me. But it still hurts to be called naive, like I don’t have liberty over my own actions and mistakes.

“I won’t let you hurt him.”

Ronan grunts as I say this, finally frustrated at my continued speech.

“Are you naive enough to believe you’re mine, all because of fate? Because your stunted wolf suggests so?” The reference to my wolf has me staggering back, but I have nowhere else to go as I’m already pressed into his door.

“Do you need more clarity before making that decision?”

At my confused stare, he grunts, pushing me with a firm hold on my throat till I’m slack against the door. His thigh wedge between mine and I feel him press into my groin. I let out a breathy sound, clamping my mouth shut to ward anymore sound off.

“You’re allowed to be loud, Tae. This is just for clarity sake. So you can finally decide for yourself and leave me alone.”

I don’t point out that he’s been the one coming at me ever since I shared that he might be my mate. I’m too blissed out from the friction on my dick to be concerned about semantics.

Ronan keeps pressing, jostling his leg between my thighs till my head thumps back against the wood and my eyes roll back, squeezing shut. Oh Goddess.

It’s embarrassing to say, but the moment doesn’t last for two minutes before I’m spilling into my briefs. Ronan doesn’t let up, his movements so sure as he presses into my wet crotch, causing tremors to spread around me as my over- sensitized dick gets more friction.

“Ronan.” I groan, begging him to stop as I try to clamp my thighs together.

He finally moves, allowing me to lock my knees just to keep me standing. I’m still trying to catch my breath – not exactly knowing what to do with this awkward silence – when he says, “Now, get the fuck out.”