*Keera*
Fury didn’t even begin to describe how I felt leaving Trevor’s office. It had been my idea to get the cameras installed in the pack and yet they were going to get them without me. There was no way Trevor hadn’t known it was going to piss me off. It felt like all those years ago when he’d only just hired me and had refused to assign cases to me. My question was why? Why had he done it?
Did he need to talk to Grayson privately?
I got to my apartment in less than no time, taking a shower for the second time that morning. I stopped by the lab to see if I could be of help to anyone before heading back and busying myself with work on my laptop. My lunch date with Gabe wasn’t until three more hours or so.
Contrary to whatever Grayson might have thought, I’d agree to lunch with Gave because I had something important to talk to him about. I wanted to find out about the guy in his security team. The one I caught Elena in the bushes with. Humans were entirely forbidden from getting involved with werewolves. It was a fact I’d had to chant repeatedly like a mantra over the past few days.
And I knew exactly why.
***
The restaurant Gabe had chosen to meet was only a walk away from the hotel and despite my attempt to arrive early, Gabe was even earlier. I smiled, softly whispering my thanks as he pulled out the chair for me. I lowered myself on it, gently pulling it closer to the table by the sides. “You look beautiful,” Gabe complimented with a small smile. I smiled back returning the compliment.
It was a shame we’d decided to be friends. He was a very sexy man. Not as sexy as Grayson, but Gabe was attractive in his own way. He’d tried to start something while we’d been working together but I’d just seen him as a friend then and hadn’t been ready for our friendship to become anything more than that. I still wasn’t but Gabe had gotten it into his head that as long as I wasn’t in a serious relationship with anyone there was still hope for us.
It was a bit cute.
A waiter walked over to us and placed the menu on the table, giving us a warm smile before leaving. “So I wanted to talk to you about Elena,” I said after he was out of earshot. Gabe leaned back in his chair, trying to cover the disappointment in his eyes. His shoulders dropped just slightly and a part of me felt bad. The case had obviously not been the reason he’d asked me to lunch, but it had been the reason I’d accepted.
“Ahh,” He said casually, giving me a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I knew you were going to talk about work.” He admitted lightly, running a hand over his chin. “I just hadn’t expected it to be right away.” I have my bottom lip between my teeth, not quite sure how to respond to that. What did he suggest we talk about in the meantime? Family? Friends? He must have read the awkwardness on my face because he let out a laugh that sounded genuine.
“You’re such an ass,” I shot playfully, realizing he’d only been joking.
His head shook from side to side, his lips tilted so upwards I was surprised they hadn’t met his eyes yet. “You should have seen your face Keera,” He managed before bursting into another round of laughter. I huffed good-naturedly, waiting for him to catch his breath. “You don’t need to worry about me coming onto you anymore, I think I finally got the message,” He said warmly, amusement dancing in his eyes. “Besides. . . I think we both know there’s someone else already taking up most of your thoughts.”
My gaze shot to his as I tried as much as I could to hide my reaction to his statement. Which was basically a feeling of surprise mixed with a bit of panic. What exactly did he mean by that? I tried to play it cool. “I have no idea what you’re going on about,” I stated, my fingers itchin to pick up the menu so I could bury my face in it. He studied me for a second and just when I thought he was going to keep prodding me he chose to let it slide instead.
“Sure you don’t,” He replied simply, turning his attention to the menu. My shoulders deflated in relief as I finally gave in to the urge to take the menu in my hands. Only I didn’t cover my face with it, not wanting Gabe to think I was embarrassed or mortified by his statement. He signaled the waiter back to our table so he could take our orders. “So what about Elena? She’s the pack healer right?”
I nodded.
“Yes,” I affirmed, picking up the glass of appetizer the waiter had left us. “I think she’s in a relationship with one of your men.” I informed him, bringing the glass to my lips and watching him closely for a reaction. His eyebrows furrowed but he didn’t look surprised by my question, or even shocked seeing as he was also aware a relationship between humans and werewolves was forbidden.
He picked up his glass, twirling the contents with the movement of his wrists. “If you’re talking about Gusto, then no, she isn’t.”
“Gusto?” I repeated.
Gabe looked a little uncomfortable, smoothing his shirt out and trying to hide a wince. He brought his voice down to a whisper. “I promised Elena I wouldn’t say a word about it to anyone but since you’re asking cuz you think it’s related to the case. . .” He trailed off, his eyes narrowing like something had just occurred to him. “You are asking cuz you think it’s related to the case, right?” I gave him a small nod, not wanting to explain the reasons for my curiosity till I was sure of it myself. “Gusto is in a relationship with Dahlia, Elena’s volunteer, and not Elena herself.”
I fell back on my seat with surprise.
Those sneaky little werewolves. How crazy was it that they were going around breaking their own rules? Did they not care about the punishment they would get if caught? And Dahlia? I tried to picture Elena’s volunteer. Average height with pale skin, raven dark hair and brown eyes. Dahlia who had seemed a little insignificant.
Until now.
The waiter finally returned with our food and we immediately dug in, laughing lightly at each other because we’d only just realized how hungry we were. I swallowed down my food and tilted my head. “So Elena knows about their relationship but she’s trying to cover up for them?” I asked. He shrugged, letting me know that it was what it seemed like. He didn’t seem to know why Elena was protecting them when they were in fact going against the pack rules.
According to Gabe, Gusto and Dahlia had met the first time Grayson called the team to the pack for security purposes. Their relationship had started two more meetings after that and Gusto had kept Gave in the loop throughout the entire time. I asked Gabe if he wasn’t concerned about Grayson getting pissed with him when he found out and his response was just a casual shrug. Then again it wasn’t in his place to think about that.
Not when a member of Grayson’s council was playing a huge part in their relationship.
Fortunately, the discussion moved to other things and three hours later I was stepping into the elevator so I could head back to my room. I stepped out after the elevator halted on my floor, turning to find Grayson just a few feet away from me, stepping out of the elevator meters away from mine. He paused, taking in the light makeup on my face, the fact that I’d poured down my red hair and the short dress I was wearing.
I could only imagine what he was thinking.
His lips thinned and I thought I saw his lips move but maybe it was a trick of the light. I cursed the fact that right now, our rooms were in the same direction. I didn’t want to talk to him yet. I tried to ignore him, turning my attention back to the hallway and heading to my room. I wasn’t surprised when he fell to step beside me. “How was your lunch date with Gabe?” He asked, trying to be cool.
“Fine.” I answered simply.
He made a sound at the back of his throat but remained silent after that. We’d take a few more steps and then he was asking, “Did he kiss you?” It wasn’t my imagination the way his voice sounded tight, like it had almost killed him to string the words together. Why had he even asked that in the first place? I wasn’t sure how that mattered to him one way or the other.
“None of your business,” I shot at him, adjusting the strap of my purse on my shoulder.
His jaws clenched then, but it was only for a spell before he released a resigned breath, sliding a hand down his face. “You’re right,” He agreed, much to my surprise. His eyes met mine and though I couldn’t decipher the look in them, I knew I didn’t like the way it made my stomach turn. “You at least deserve to have a kiss from someone you won’t regret kissing.” He said softly, pressing his lips together.
Was that what he thought? That I regretted our kiss?
Looking back now it was easy to see why he thought that after the way I’d reacted. The only reason I had regretted it then was because I had felt like he’d been turning me down. I’d moved past lying to myself about regretting it even before he explained his reaction to my touching him. Somehow the knowledge that he thought I’d regretted kissing him made me uncomfortable. “I don’t regret kissing you.” I admitted quietly.
He let out a light humorless laugh. “Yeah, right.”
I turned my attention to him. He didn’t believe me? “I don’t regret kissing you, Grayson.” I repeated, my tone firmer. He must have heard the sharpness in my voice because he turned and slanted a look at me. His eyes held mine for a bit before he shook his head. We’d gotten to his room door. He paused, looking like he wanted to say something but he seemed to brush it off.
“If you say so, Keera.” He stated, swiping his keycard and stepping into his room. I felt the click of his door the same way I would hear someone slam a door. Loud and nerve rattling. I forced myself to continue the walk to my room, ignoring the rising clawing feeling digging at my chest. He didn’t believe me. I didn’t blame him. But why was that scaring me so much? Why did I care so much? It was looking like I’d finally gotten what I wanted so why was I hating it so much?
My own room door had barely been closed for three seconds before I was pulling it open and storming back to Grayson’s room, unthinking. I knocked harshly on his door, feeling a lot like I was about to explode. The idea that he was finally completely done with me, hurt. It shouldn’t. But it did. Grayson opened his door halfway, genuinely looking surprised to see me. “Keera?” He called out.
“I don’t regret kissing you Grayson.” I said for the third time.
I saw the change happen right before my eyes. His expression shuttered. He was standing half an inch straighter, his jaws ticking and his emotions hidden behind his guard. “I already told you Keera, if you say-” He didn’t get to finish his sentence. Because I stood on my tippy toes, one hand circling his head to pull him closer, the other one holding on to the lapel of shirt.
And I kissed him.