Eternal Hunter (Night Watch #1)(17)
Author: Cynthia Eden

She had the feeling that inside, he could be a real snake.

She’d always hated snakes. Back home in Lillian, she’d cut the head off more than her fair share with a handy shovel.

“No.” His hand didn’t move. “Just some friendly advice.” He smiled at her.

Used car salesman.

No, she’d met some really nice used car salesmen in her time.

Snake.

Another woman stepped into the elevator. She glanced at Givens. “Going down?”

He shook his head and finally removed his hand. “See you soon, ADA.”

Unfortunately, he would.

Fucking bastard.

Rage filled him as he watched the men and women in suits drift by.

He’d seen the way the lawyer looked at Erin. Greedy eyes. Knowing smile.

Fucking. Bastard.

Defending that piece of crap drug dealer. Standing all high and mighty in the courtroom like he was doing something special by being in front of the judge.

Like he was something special.

Then the guy had followed Erin. Whispered to her.

He’d caught a glimpse of Erin’s face. Seen the barely restrained anger. He knew his Erin well. She’d wanted to go after the dumb dick, claws out and teeth snapping, but she’d held back.

Because she knows I’m here and I’ll take care of things for her.

He loved to make his Erin happy.

Loved to see her smile…and the hint of her deceptively delicate fangs.

Finally. Home.

A yellow line of police tape barred her door, but Antonio had called Erin right before she left the office and said the place had the all clear.

Erin stared at the tape. She wanted nothing more than to go inside, kick off her shoes and fall into bed.

Little problem, though. Going inside meant she’d have to see the blood.

Cleanup was not really part of the cops’ usual routine.

So she’d be the scrubber who got to remove the dry blood from her wall.

And she’d have to stay in the house, knowing he’d been there. Maybe another night in the hotel wouldn’t be such a bad idea.

“Gonna stand out here all night, sweetheart?”

Jude’s voice. That deep voice packed a powerful sensual punch, one that had her yearning for things best forgotten right then.

“I was strongly considering it,” she murmured, not glancing back at him. Her track record with the opposite sex wasn’t so great.

Gravel crunched beneath his shoes. She’d known he was there, of course. She’d caught his scent on the wind.

He brushed by her and vaulted to her porch. His fingers curled around the tape and ripped it down with one tug. “No sense staying out here in the dark.”

She’d always rather liked the dark. “Where’s your truck?” She hadn’t seen it on the street.

His lips hitched into a half-smile, stretching that scar. Shouldn’t have been sexy. Really shouldn’t. “Somewhere it can’t be seen.”

Her brows rose at that.

“You and I are gonna be roomies until this situation is resolved.”

Erin could only stare at him while crickets chirped around her and lightning bugs flashed in the distance.

A muscle flexed along his jaw. “I’ll keep my hands to myself, okay? But I’m not leaving you alone, not at night. You’re safe enough during the day. You usually have cops around you then, but at night—no, not ’til this freak is caught.”

Hmm. She walked forward, taking the steps much slower than he had. The yellow tape dangled from his fingertips.

“Nighttime protection. Is this part of the package I get for that big-ass fee I paid Night Watch?” Drained her savings, but she couldn’t think of a better way to spend the last of her blood money. She’d sent the check to the agency this morning. Right to the big boss, Pak.

A shrug. “We aim to please.”

She stopped before him. The guy was big. Since she was tall and loved to wear her high heels, she didn’t have to look up at many men.

But her head tipped back a bit for him. “Good.”

He blinked. “Good? That’s it? No argument… from the ADA? ”

She pulled out her keys and was happy her hands didn’t tremble. “I’m not stupid, Donovan.”

“Jude.”

Erin had to swallow at that. Too personal. Be careful, can’t let him too close. “Jude.” Grudging. “Having someone here with me until this jerk is caught sounds like a good idea.” If only she hadn’t been alone the last time he’d caught her.

No. If Jude wanted to stay, yeah, that’d be more than fine with her.

Her hand twisted and she shoved the key into the lock.

“One thing.” His breath blew against her hair.

Erin licked her lips.

“That whole keeping-my-hands-to-myself thing, if you want to change that rule, all you have to do is say so.”

A quick push and the door creaked open. Glancing over her shoulder, she found his eyes blazing at her. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

His gaze dropped to her lips. “Good. ’Cause like I said, at Night Watch, we aim to please.”

She just bet he knew exactly how to please a woman.

He’s a shifter. He can handle anything I throw at him.

The knowledge burned in her mind. It wouldn’t be like it had been with the others. First Jon, with his shaking hands and sweaty palms. She’d almost broken his wrists because she got a little too carried away.

It wouldn’t be like that.

And it wouldn’t be like when she’d tried a bit of bondage in college, thinking the ropes would hold her down and keep Lyle safe.

They’d snapped in an instant and she’d drawn blood seconds later with her claws.

Wouldn’t be like that. Not with another shifter.

“Thinking about it, are you?”

Her cheeks burned. “No.” Easy lie. “I’m thinking I don’t want to see the blood inside.” Okay, true enough.

He nudged her into the house. “You don’t have to. I sent a team by for cleanup before I told Tony to give you the all clear.”

“You did?”

“Umm…” His nostrils flared. “I swear, you have the sexiest scent. Woman, roses, and…wild.”

Wild—animal scent.

He dropped the bag she hadn’t even noticed until that moment— way too busy focusing on the man—and it hit the floor with a thud. “I also took the liberty of upgrading your security system.”

She glanced toward the flashing light on the right. “Upgrade? But I already paid for a top of the line system!” One that hadn’t done a bit of good.