Iwasforearm deep in bread dough when my doorbell rang. I let out a squawk because I was in a position where I couldn't really stop. Martin stepped out, saw my predicament and offered to get the door forme.
I nodded a sheepish thanks and continued kneading the bread dough. I still had one more rise to go so I needed to make sure I worked the dough enough but not toomuch.
My hands stilled when a man walked into my kitchen. Martin's expression behind him was positively thunderous. I opened my mouth to speak, but I couldn't think of a single thing tosay.
Jeff Hunt stood there looking handsome as all get out and wearing the sheepish look that had eventually worn me over and gotten me out of mypants.
The words finally came. "Get out," I said and turned my attention back to my bread. "I don't care why you're here. I have nothing to say toyou."
I could tell by the look on his face he remembered everything. The spell I'd put on him to prevent this had for sure failed. Why it had taken him so long to get back to me I would never know. Also, I just didn't care. I wanted to punch Portia Kadish in the nose for this. It was like she'd purposely not only blasted my single status to everyone in this godforsaken place, she'd also placed a blazing neon sign over my head announcing exactly what my powers could do for them. From all the stories I'd heard about her, I would have thought she'd be a little more choosy than that. Her methods, if she had any at all, weren't genius. They were madness. If she had a label, she would be Chaotic Neutral. Forsure.
Jeff shifted on his feet and glanced behind him. Martin still stood there like an angry telephone pole. A hint of irritation crept onto Jeff's face but he quickly shoved it away before hespoke.
"I want you to consider taking meback."
Martinsnorted.
I punched my dough with the ferocity of an angry boxer. "No chance in hell." I glared at him. "And if you make me ruin my bread, I'm going to curse you with jock itch for the rest of your days." I couldn't actually do that, but he had no idea of the extent or lack of mypowers.
"What I did was wrong. And inappropriate. You being what you are was never the reason I fell in love withyou."
I rolled my eyes and put my focus back on my bread. But his next words gave mepause.
"I've paid all of my debts off and moved into a small apartment in the heart ofdowntown."
Martin pulled his cellphone out of his pocket and stepped outside. My heart dropped at the thought of being alone withJeff.
"I want us to have another chance, Katie." Jeff reached into his wallet and pulled out a card. He dropped it on the counter. "This is my new cell. I'd like you to call me when you have some time tothink."
Martin stepped back into the house and unceremoniously jerked Jeff of his feet by the back of his shirt. All Jeff could utter was a strangled, "Urk," before Martin got the door opened and tossed him out on his ass. Jeff landed in a tangle of arms and legs and was up in an instant shouting at mycontractor.
My hands paused in the dough and I stared at Martin's back wide-eyed with both confusion andadmiration.
I watched as Jeff stalked toward Martin, his eyes glowing golden and his hands starting to fur out. I quickly pulled my hands away from the bread, grabbed a towel and walked toward him having no idea what the hell I was going to do if things gotugly.
Jeff barely took five steps before Martin raised his hand and uttered a single word. The wolf's eyes widened and quickly turned back to their normal color as he sank to his knees, his hand around histhroat.
"I spoke with your Alpha a minute ago and he had some interesting things to share." I stood directly behind Martin and my heartbeat picked up. I had a feeling I was Jeff's last ditcheffort.
His gaze narrowed and a nasty sneer formed on his mouth as Martin continued to speak. "Mark informed me you've been kicked out of the Lupin pack after it was reported you planned to return here and force Katie to marry you." He made a tsking sound. "Apparently neither Mark, nor the rest of the world, likes your attitude. Nor is it legal to force someone into marrying you." I stepped out from behind him and looked up at his angry countenance. "But according to Mark, you weren't going to convince her the niceway."
Martin stepped off the porch, his right hand still raised at Jeff who remained mostly motionless. He reached inside Jeff's pocket and pulled his car keys out. I followed behind him confused about what was happening. I wasn't surprised about Jeff's removal from the pack, but I didn't know what his car had to do withit.
Martin popped open the truck and with an apologetic expression on his face pulled out rope, zip ties, a gag, and a small bottle of a pale colorlessliquid.
All the color dropped from my face as I took a stepaway.
"Zip ties and a rope? Don't you think that's overkill?" Martin took a deep breath and held the vial up to the light. "On top of that, GHB? Isn't that what thisis?"
Jeff onlyglared.
Martin turned his attention away from the wolf. "I think you should go back inside,Katie."
I shook my headmutely.
"Mark has asked me to bring him back to thepack."
Tears formed in my eyes. There was only one reason Mark would ask him to do that. Jeff's face went white and he shook his head violently, but he still couldn't move his body. I looked at Jeff, really looked at him, and knew he wasn't remorseful, nor would he ever be. From the items in his car to the way his eyes burned with fury, there was nothing about him that made me feel like I wanted to savehim.
