He went on, his voice quiet and calm. His matter-of-fact recitation of events achieved what O’Brien had suggested: it sounded like a movie he’d seen or maybe a book he’d read. It didn’t sound real, just a random collection of facts. Occasionally my interest was piqued by some detail about his wolf senses and the thought process behind how he searched for me and for the bad guys.
Still, though, the smooth cadence of his voice began to lull me to sleep. Everything that day caught up with me and should have sent me running for the hills, but instead I couldn’t imagine myself anywhere but in his arms. My eyes drifted shut and I breathed him in. I didn’t mind at all the thought of drifting off to sleep.
Chapter 22
Dodge
Dodge knew it the moment Persephone fell asleep; she totally relaxed and sighed against his throat and nuzzled closer. Whatever he’d been telling the detective trailed off as all of his attention went to the human in his arms. His eyes closed and he took a deep breath. He needed to fight against the sense of completeness that came with having her close, otherwise there wouldn’t be any coming back from it. He couldn’t be alone again, not after feeling her fall asleep in his arms.
“I hate to interrupt,” the detective said, her voice uncharacteristically quiet. “But you were about to tell me when you noticed the men following you.”
He would have growled at O’Brien to keep her trap shut, lest she wake Persephone, but the growl might have woken the human and he wasn’t about to risk that. So he forced his eyes open and tilted his head just a bit until he could meet the detective’s gaze. “I’ll keep talking but if anything wakes her up, we’re done.”
The detective held up her hands. Her mouth twisted in some kind of smile – maybe it was a smirk, maybe it was just the way Irish banshees smiled. “I won’t wake her up but I can’t guarantee one of your asshole packmates won’t come stampeding through here.”
Which was a good point. The faster Dodge told the detective what she wanted to know, the sooner he could get Persephone upstairs to his den.Thereshe would be safe and no one would bother her. He adjusted his arms around Persephone, rewarded with her sighing and wiggling to try and get even closer, and took a deep breath. “Fine. I saw them after we left her apartment. I thought they might have been there when we first departed, but I wasn’t sure until we stopped at a coffee shop. One of them came into the place with us. I didn’t tell Persephone because I didn’t want her to freak out.”
“Describe him,” O’Brien said, and flipped to a new page in her notebook.
He did, then described the five other goons he’d spotted following them, and gave the detective a description of the cars as well. O’Brien tensed when he mentioned the car following them to Deirdre’s house and parking on the street. Dodge rubbed Persephone’s back in slow circles, trying to soothe her as a few tremors ran through her. “You’ll need to sneak out of here, however your kind do it, so they don’t spot a homicide detective visiting the same house where Persephone is holed up.”
“You’re holed up here as well, wolf.” O’Brien checked her watch, then glanced over her shoulder at the kitchen and a ruckus from where Deirdre’s workroom was. “Don’t think they’ll leave you alive. You’re more a danger to Bridger than a human. If Lawson went to the news about this and mentioned seeing a wolfman and someone working magic, no one would take her seriously. And a human – even one far stronger than this one – isn’t really a threat to Bridger or her people. You, however,are. You’re strong and well-trained, and know how to fight them. You could very easily get to Bridger any time you want. She knows that.Youare who scares her. She doesn’t fear Lawson.”
She had a point. Dodge scowled at the realization. He hadn’t even considered whether he was in danger. He had no concern about his own safety, just Persephone’s. She was vulnerable. He’d lived a dangerous life and used up more than ten miraculous second-chances. He’d survived enough that he’d survive Bridger and her people, no matter how determined they were to get rid of him. “It doesn’t matter. Just that she’s safe.”
“And have you stopped to think who’ll protect her if you’re chopped up for tiger chow?”
His eyes narrowed and a low growl rumbled in his chest. Persephone’s face scrunched up in her sleep, and he immediately silenced and started rubbing her back again. He didn’t go on until he was certain she wasn’t going to wake. Then he turned a warning look on the detective. “The pack will take care of her. They’ll protect her.”
O’Brien’s eyebrows arched, and she gestured at Persephone with her pen. “What makes you think she’d tolerate anyone else from your pack following her around?”
Dodge tensed. He hadn’t really considered that.
When he didn’t speak, the detective sat forward and put away her notepad. “Look, man. You two are connected. She might not understand it now, but you damn well better explain it, and soon. She obviously trusts you. You don’t want to risk that trust by keeping this from her.”
“She’s not ready,” he said quietly. “She doesn’t want anything to do with the supernatural or the pack.”
“All the more reason to be very clear on what ties her to you and the pack.” O’Brien stood, glancing around the living room. “She can’t walk away, not now. She’s in it, especially if Bridger has her sights set on Persephone. She’ll believe it if you tell her, Dodge. She’s not going to trust anyone else when they say the same thing.”
Dodge frowned but didn’t want to argue. Instead, he rubbed his chin against Persephone’s head, soothed by the sensation of her hair against his skin and beard. The detective snorted and held up her notepad. “I’ll be in touch if I need more information. Don’t worry about me being seen here; I have a few tricks up my sleeve. I’ll check in with Evershaw and be on my way.”
He didn’t take his attention off Persephone, but managed to call after the detective, “Notify me immediately if you see anything that poses a danger to Persephone.”
“And if there’s someone after you, too,” O’Brien said, then she disappeared into the back of the house.
Dodge exhaled his irritation and closed his eyes, concentrating only on Persephone. She was finally snuggled in his arms and pressed against his chest. Safe. Close. But not safe enough. Not comfortable enough, either. Not that he knew how to get up and carry her upstairs without waking her. She hadn’t rested enough yet, he knew that.
But someone had started rattling around in the kitchen. It was only a matter of time until Todd barged into the living room, or Mercy tossed around dishes in the dining room, or Evershaw started bellowing orders. Dodge smoothed his hand over Persephone’s head, playing with her hair, and whispered to her, “I’m going to take you upstairs where it’s quiet.”
She murmured something sleepily and sighed. He took that as approval of the plan, and carefully eased off the couch. He maneuvered her into his arms and easily lifted her up. Persephone wrapped her hand in his shirt as he started up the stairs, and she yawned before nuzzling closer under his chin. “And you’ll be there?”
His heart cracked. He should just put her in his room and maybe sleep on the floor across the doorway so no one would bother her. Or he should flee downstairs the moment she was tucked in. Dodge knew it was better to create some distance. Everything about her entranced him. He was lost already, and it would only be harder to walk away if their physical contact increased.
But he kissed her forehead and said, “Of course.”
“Good.”
Dodge nudged his door open and maneuvered Persephone through without whacking her head or legs into the wall, which took more skill than he’d thought. He frowned at his unmade bed, then bent to slide Persephone across the sheets. He removed her shoes and absently squeezed her ankle, then started to pull the sheets up over her.
