wind picked up a lock of her hair and tossed it across her forehead. “What are you going to do?”
“I think Odin’s mom would say I’m gonna have a come-to-Jesus meeting with him.”
“What?”
He smiled. “He crossed the line. He doesn’t get to do that.” He doesn’t get to stalk you. Doesn’t get to make you feel uncomfortable or scared or any damn thing.
“War—this isn’t the time to go all alpha, jealous angry on me!”
He thought it was precisely the time to do that. But… “I’m not jealous. I trust you. Completely.” She should understand that. “This is about making sure he gets a message.”
“What message would that be?”
“That he doesn’t fuck with you and he doesn’t fuck with me.” Simple enough. “And there’s a price to pay.” His hand fell away from her cheek.
Her hands immediately flew up to press against his chest. “Don’t do something crazy. If you wind up in jail, what will I do?”
“Aw, Rose…sounds like you’re getting sweet on me again.”
“Sweet?” The one word was sharp. “Did you just say that to me?”
He had. “I won’t go to jail. Don’t worry.” Not his first rodeo. “But I do think it might make things infinitely easier for us if Dylan was cooling his heels in a cell for a while.”
“War…”
“Have I mentioned how insanely beautiful you are?”
“You…you are trying to distract me.”
Maybe. He was also telling her the truth. “I don’t know if I tell you enough, but I think you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my life.”
“Oh, God.” She gulped. “You’re going to do something incredibly dumb or dangerous, aren’t you? You’re trying to butter me up so I won’t completely lose my mind when you do said dumb or dangerous deed.” Once more, the wind blew her hair. “Not going to happen. I will lose my mind if you get in trouble. I don’t want you getting locked up for me. Dylan isn’t worth it, understand? Keep that iron-clad control of yours around him.”
Dylan wasn’t worth jack. But she was worth everything. “I will keep my control.” He would be perfectly in control. It was Dylan who wouldn’t be. “Don’t worry.”
Rose winced. “I am worried. Very worried.”
He leaned down and brushed his lips over hers. “Being worried…does that mean you forgive me for working with the cops?”
Her body leaned into his. “Did you ask for my forgiveness?”
Another kiss. She tasted delicious. But he forced his head to lift. “Will you forgive me?”
Her hands still pressed to his chest. Her mouth was so close. He should kiss her again. He should—
“No. I will absolutely not forgive you, but if you don’t do something dangerous and crazy with Dylan, we’ll talk. Revisit that whole forgiveness idea.” A firm nod. “Time to go.”
Cute. But no deal. He was going to absolutely do something dangerous and crazy to Dylan. The bastard deserved it.
I should have kicked his ass when I first got the picture of him putting his mouth on her.
The way War saw it, he was just taking care of unfinished business.
Chapter Thirteen
As always, the news station was a buzz of activity. War had been to the station before when he’d come by to pick up Rose, so several of the people there—including a security guard munching on a donut—gave him a friendly wave.
Rose had vanished into a closed-door meeting with the station manager. War was using the time he had to do a little recon work. And the best way to do recon work?
With delicious donuts.
“Cordell, nice to see you,” he greeted the guard near the front desk. “Tell me those don’t have lemon inside. I’m not a filling guy.”
“Only pure glazed deliciousness.” Cordell lifted the box toward War.
“Don’t mind if I do.” He helped himself. While he was munching, he casually swept his gaze over the sign-in log. “Gary Strom…” He drew out the name. “Isn’t that the creepy PI who takes pics of cheating spouses? What’s he doing coming here?”
“Dude is creepy.” Cordell nodded. “But he’s tight with Dylan. Got to always let him in when he comes. Standing orders.”
Interested now, War swallowed down the last of his donut. “Just how far back do those two go?” Because he’d thought Dylan had just hired Gary for recent work.
“Since before I started here. That was about a year and a half ago. Dylan gave me those orders on day one.”
Good to know. “Any problems at the station lately? Anyone causing trouble? Trying to get inside when he or she shouldn’t?”
Cordell’s face scrunched as