“So,” he sighed. “Listen, I need to apologize to you. I really shouldn’t have taken you like that. Your sisters said it was okay, but I wanna make it clear that I’m not usually out there kidnapping women. I’ll take you back to your sisters. Whatever you want.”
She toyed with her hair. “Actually … can I stay here?”
He nearly dropped the coffee carafe. “What?”
“I know that you took me, but I get why you did it. But … I don’t want to be a cockblock for my sisters, and I’m a bit of a mess. No one wants to deal with me during the honeymoon phase.” She gave a sad smile and shrugged. “I get that it’s a lot to ask…”
Atlas could point out that he had properties. Empty properties. He could set her up in one of them.
Mate.
Maybe he could keep her here. Not for any nefarious reason. But if his mate had nightmares and felt like shit about who she was … his own behavior had definitely not made it any better … then he would help her through it.
He didn’t have to mate her. Or tell her what she was to him. He could be there for her, and when she was better, he would send her on her way. Shewastrouble, and he didn’t need his life to be any more complicated.
“You can stay here,” he said. “I don’t mind.”
“I’ll give you your bed back.”
“It’s fine. All yours.”
“Thinking of locking me in again?” she teased.
“Fuck, Lilliane, I never should’ve done that. Fuck, what you must think of me.”
She rolled her eyes and hopped off the stool. She stepped right up to him. She was so close he could count her eyelashes. “I slept for the first time in months. What do I think of you? You’re a confusing man, Atlas.” His heart rammed against his chest as she said his name. “You are sweeter than I would’ve thought.”
“Don’t spread it around.”
She grinned. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone it took me only a few hours to wear you down from captor to friend. Your secret is safe with me, wolf boy.”
He barked out a laugh, surprising them both. “You’re a formidable foe, trouble.”
Lilliane rolled her eyes. “You can stop calling me that.”
“No,” he sighed. “I really can’t.”
“Then you better get used to wolf boy. Though, judging by that morning erection, I should really change it to wolf man.”
His eyes nearly popped out of his head. “Did you really just say that?”
“What? I was surprised. I never sleep, and then when I do, there’s an erection in my face. Well done, by the way. Your wolf ladies must be really happy.”
He blinked at her as she left the kitchen, glancing back at him over her shoulder. His heart stopped. She had to know how beautiful she was. How sexy that look-back was.
Lilliane was trouble, all right. And he’d just invited her to stay.
In his bed.
SIX
LILLIANE
Lilliane showered in Atlas’s bathroom. Used his clean towels to dry off. The sandalwood and pine scents that always lingered on him were everywhere in the room. After spending a night on his lap … a glorious nightmare-free sleep … she would forever think of that aroma assafe.
Yup. The man who took her to his place and locked her in was safe.
She didn’t know why or how, but she justknewdown to her toes that Atlas wouldn’t hurt her. Maybe it was because she’d been vulnerable, and instead of taking advantage of it, he had made her feel better.
