Dodge
Dodge sensed it the moment that the situation became too much for Persephone; her energy changed and her posture changed and he justknew. He moved before he thought about it, pulling her close so he could try to comfort her. He didn’t like the frantic energy and tension, the way her hands shook and she started looking around for an exit.
He’d have been lying if he said he wasn’t disappointed when she said she wanted to put all of them behind her and go back to normal. For just a second, when they kissed, he thought that maybe... Maybe there was something there. Maybe he’d ask her out on a date and figure out how to have a normal relationship with a normal woman. Even if he knew Persephone was extraordinary in every way.
She shook in his arms as he held her; Dodge concentrated on breathing deep and even, to encourage her to follow his rhythm, and rubbed her back in smooth circles. He rested his chin on the top of her head and listened as she hiccupped. Dodge knew the storm wouldn’t blow over in a matter of minutes, and glanced at where the alpha watched with a smirk on his face. “You guys go ahead. We’ll catch up to you at the house.”
Evershaw shrugged, “Suit yourself,” and shooed Deirdre toward the door, since she was still in her witch alternate universe dreaming up spells or whatever she did when her eyes turned silver.
Todd grinned when he spotted Dodge comforting the human; only a ferocious scowl convinced the second-in-command to get the fuck out of there. And then it was just Dodge and Persephone in the small room that still smelled like garlic, grilled meat, and authentic kimchi. He’d traveled in Asia a bit, had been stationed in Korea for a year, and had missed the cuisine. He loved that restaurant, since it was the closest to Seoul-authentic he’d found in the U.S. He couldn’t have said why he chose it as the meeting spot, but part of him wanted to share that place with Persephone. The wolf wanted to see her well-fed, and he knew Korean barbecue would get the job done.
He closed his eyes and hummed under his breath, starting to worry as the architect continued to sniffle and bury her face against him. He hadn’t dealt with any humans when they first encountered the supernatural community, so he had zero practice managing the disbelief and other emotions that Persephone wrestled with. Dodge didn’t mind standing there as long as it took for her to find some peace with the way her world changed.
When she told Deirdre she didn’t want anything to do with the supernaturals, it felt like she’d gutted him. Ripped him open and tore out his lungs. The wolf knew why. The wolf knew exactly why it physically pained him to think that Persephone would walk away from them – fromhim– without looking back.
How was it possible that she didn’t feel the same way he did? How could she not sense that there was a connection?
Not that Dodge wanted to admit it to himself. He wasn’t ready for a mate. He was probably too old for her and definitely too cynical and scarred and jaded. Persephone seemed all bright and shiny and excitable, looking for the good things in the world. His darkness would corrupt her, would dim her light. He didn’t want that. Not for a second. Even if it destroyed him, it was better that Persephone went back to her normal life, found happiness, and lived a perfectly perfect life.
Her hands curled into the material of his shirt. “I don’t think I can handle this. It’s too – big.”
“That’s what she said,” he murmured, and she tensed. He held his breath, hoping the joke would tease her out of the bleakness that paralyzed her.
Persephone leaned back from his chest and her red-rimmed eyes found his. He waggled his eyebrows at her and was rewarded with a very faint smile.
He found it encouraging, but didn’t want to release her yet. He liked having her close, feeling the soft give of her breasts as she leaned into him. He liked the way her hair brushed his neck and smelled like something flowery, the way her fingers stroked against his shirt as she tried to comfort herself. A sudden fear gripped him. Could he actually give her up? Could he stand by while she walked away? She wasn’t his; he hadn’t even asked her on a date or done more than kiss her, even with the opportunity to mark her. It wasn’t like he had any reason to assume Persephone would welcome his attention long-term.
He was just a somewhat familiar thing while the rest of her world fell apart. He’d rescued her from danger. It wasn’t uncommon for people to get super attached to their rescuers. Silas had always attracted followers of all genders after the team freed hostages from militias and corrupt corporations. Dodge never hung around long enough for the kids to thank him, much less fall in love.
Dodge knew her seeking comfort with him was superficial, shallow. It wouldn’t last. It was just adrenaline, nothing more.
But he still couldn’t release her. “Here’s the plan.”
Persephone tensed but didn’t pull away. She took a deep breath and turned her face to his throat. “Okay.”
“Silas and I worked together for a long time, and our team had a saying – worry about the closest alligator to the boat.” His fingers drifted down the length of her spine, almost to the swell of her beautiful ass, and he nuzzled into her hair. He couldn’t resist, not with her leaning on him. Needing him. “Of course, usually it was literally an alligator trying to get into the boat, but still. The saying holds. We have a couple of problems circling around us, right? So we concentrate on the closest one and deal with that, then find the next one, and deal with that. Sometimes you’ve got to slow down and just do one thing at a time. Okay?”
She nodded. “What comes first?”
Dodge smiled and kissed the top of her head, squeezing her tightly. “We can’t stay in this restaurant forever, as much as I would enjoy eating here for the rest of my life. So we have to get somewhere safe, which means the witch’s house. Once we get there, we can figure out what you want to do next. Sound good?”
She hesitated, then untangled herself from his embrace and wiped at her cheeks. Persephone tried to look resolute, although her determination was undermined by her red eyes and the wobble in her chin. “It’s a plan.”
“Sometimes that’s all you can hope for,” he said quietly. He still touched her arm, her shoulder; the thought of not being connected to her felt unbearable. The longer he spent around her, the more hopelessly ensnared he became. “We have the plan and we’ll modify it if we need to, but for now – we’re just going to get in the car and drive nice and careful back to the house.”
Persephone cleared her throat and tried to smooth the moisture from her cheeks. “And then maybe a nap.”
“A nap is a great idea.” Although the possibility of cuddling up with her in his bed almost undid him. Dodge figured he’d have to chain himself up in the storm cellar with Silas just to give the girl her space.
Persephone squared her shoulders and pasted an almost-convincing smile on her face. “Let’s do this. Just – warn me if you see any... alligators.”
Her smile faltered, since the alligators chasing them were armed with guns, so Dodge caught her hand in his. “Will do. If I see anything or think we need to do anything, I’ll give you very specific instructions. It might sound louder or... less friendly than normal, but it’s just habit to sound that way.”
“I won’t hold it against you if you save my life.” Persephone walked next to him as they exited the private room and got to the lobby, where all the waitresses and hostess called greetings in Korean and waved to them.
He did his best to answer, laughing and being friendlier than he wanted, so the waitstaff would remember him fondly and do him a solid in the future if he needed help. It was always best to have people on your side before you needed them to be. Dodge looped his arm around Persephone’s shoulders to hold her against his left side, wanting his right arm free in case he needed to draw and throw one of his knives. She hesitated, then leaned against him as they walked to the car.
Dodge concentrated on their surroundings, relieved that only half the goons were still watching the car. The rest must have followed Evershaw’s car. He wasn’t about to turn his back on a small gift. They gave him some space, so he’d get Persephone back to the house as fast as possible. He unlocked the car and opened her door, still searching the streets around them and examining the car itself for any bugs or trackers. When he finally got in the driver’s seat and started the car, Persephone glanced at him. “Where did you learn Korean?”
