doesn’t get snatched by the panthers or the wolves just for shacking up with you.”
That reality bristled across his flesh, and he flinched backward. He pressed his lips together until they hurt, still trying to remember why he thought it was a good idea to keep her here with him in the first place. She was just another rich broad. A dime a dozen. Still, the idea of taking her back to the condo made his lips part, and the beginnings of a growl lingered in the back of his throat. His lungs tightened, hands fisted at either side.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Silas.” His mother threw up her hands and turned to the side so he couldn’t see her face anymore. “Please don’t tell me you’ve bonded with her?” She turned again and studied his face more closely. “You’ve bonded with her. You have . Christ… She’s not one of us. God knows what that rich little trollop could spew to the rest of the world after her cozy little stay with us.”
“Stop. She won’t. There’s no chance.” He plucked her phone from his pocket and waved the tech around so his mother could see it. Fuck, he wasn’t going to acknowledge all the other shit she’d said. “I’ve got her phone. There won’t be any security leaks, and she can’t call anyone for help.”
“And what about after you release her?”
“Hmmm.”
“So she’s your prisoner.”
That was vaguely what Sabrina had mentioned a few minutes ago. Silas blinked, and wondered if woman-speak was universal. He grunted, shrugged, and shoved the phone back in his front pocket. If his new pseudo-prisoner wanted it that badly, she could have a fun time diving for it. The sudden idea of her petite manicured hand dipping into his pockets so close to his cock made him grit his teeth. But then his stomach rolled. It had something to do with the fact that his mother was in the vicinity and his whole line of thinking was downright weird at a time like this.
“She’s staying. End of story.” Silas cleared his throat, leveled a no-nonsense look that rivaled the one on his mother’s face, and strode out of the meeting room.
“We’re not done here, Si!” she called out as the door slammed behind him.
Nope, that would be too damn easy.
Without looking back, he strode over toward Axe, who was grinning at the pool table.
“Do me a favor.” Silas jerked his head toward Sabrina, who still stood exactly where he’d left her while everyone else went about their usual business as if she wasn’t even there.
“What do you need, bro? Keep an eye on her? Because I got to tell you, spit roasting that piece of ass in my bed tonight wouldn’t hurt my feelings in the least.”
“Shut the fuck up and listen.” Silas got up in his best friend’s personal space as his beast crawled beneath his skin. “Don’t talk about her like that. In fact, don’t even say anything in her fucking direction.”
Axe’s eyes grew wide, aware that Silas was close to going fully over to his beast. “Sure, whatever. Sorry, man.” Axe put his hands up with the pool cue still between his fingers. He licked his lips and grinned a harmless and happy-go-lucky smile.
“Cool.” Silas wasn’t so sure. Beneath his flesh he was boiling, as if his animal would take over without his consent. He took a breath and stopped it, keeping himself on a tight leash. He’d never had a reaction like the one he was having, but at the moment there was no time to explore the reasons why. “Axe, I need you to watch her while I get some things upstairs. Cindy’s on the warpath. I don’t want her in the crossfire.”
“Roger that.”
“And don’t touch her. She’s off limits.”
“I figured.”
Silas gave Axe a suspicious look. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing. Forget what I said. I’ll make sure they leave her alone.”
“Thanks.”
Silas dodged any further questions and booked it up the stairs to his private apartment at the end of the long hallway. Inside, he grabbed the