The Pack Rule Number 1 No Mates novel Chapter 5

DRAVEN

I scramble toward the other side of the hall so that it will look as if I am coming back from the restroom. Walking back toward the bar I am met with Bart’s sad, heavy eyes.

In an attempt to pretend I have no idea what is going on, I smile as brightly as my disappointed heart will allow. “What’s wrong boss?”

“Um, Draven – I have to-” he cuts off as someone approaches from behind me.

Gee lemme guess who it is. Eyeroll.

I could be deaf and blind, and I would still know who stood behind me. His heat is pressing against my back again and the hairs on my neck are standing at attention.

If I lean back, just a bit… my ass will push right against his…

No Draven no!

“Bartlett has to renovate the upstairs apartment – so you’ll have to stay somewhere else until it’s complete,” Domonic’s low voice interrupts.

What’s this now?

“Somewhere else?” My questioning eyes meet Bart’s and he shrugs. “Where else?”

Knowing what I do – which is that Domonic is lying – sparks an anger in me and I spin on him with a glare.

He is smirking, that sweet dimple winking enough to make my panties damp. “I can set you up in a place, a small condo at the top of the hill.”

“No thanks. I can’t afford it,” I say evenly, pushing my back against the counter to create distance between us. He is much too close. The mouthwatering smell of him is making me dizzy.

“You can afford it.” His jaw tightens and he glares down at me. “You won’t have to pay rent, because I own it.”

My eyes narrow and I tilt my head at him reproachfully.

I can’t let him know that I was listening to their conversation.

“I don’t want anything from you,” I growl.

He hisses, a muscle in his jaw ticking. Placing his hands on the bar on both sides of me, he cages me in yet again. Pushing in closer, so that we are a mere ifew inches away from each other, he replies, “Then you’ll stay with me. At my house.”

I hear Bart drop a glass behind the bar and curse.

I scoff, “With you? At your house?” Well if that didn’t spark a fit of giggles.”I’d rather sleep on the bar or at the train station,” I retort. “No thanks.”

Suddenly he dips his head forward and I freeze. His nose shifts into the long back tendrils of my hair, and his lips barely graze my cheek on their way to my ear. I have to force myself to stand my ground although my instincts have me reeling backward. His breath warms my neck, and I could swear I hear the beginnings of a groan. He whispers, “Then, either you take the condo, or you take the train out. What’s it gonna be?”

My heart begins to hammer in my chest with his closeness. The delicious pine scent of his aftershave filtering through my senses and causing me to tremble within. I can feel his arms closing in on each side of my frame. As if he is inching them closed around me, one tiny milimeter at a time. Electricity sparks when he presses himself closer to my chest. So strongly that I’m surprised it doesn’t crackle.

I open my mouth to speak, but the words catch in my throat as I feel the soft brush of his teeth upon my earlobe.

Oh God. What the fuck is he doing?

He whispers gently, “Please. Just until we can reinforce the security in your apartment.”

Then pulling back, he meets my eyes drectly, nodding at me while I stand there panting for breath.

My gaze narrows at him, and he smirks, crossing his arms over his chest.

Son-of-a-bitch! He did all that shit on purpose. He was just winding me up.

He knows! He must have seen me hiding back there. That’s why he stopped in the hall.

“Fine,” I bite out, poking him in the chest sharply. “But I get to keep my job.”

Domonic scowls at me. His eyes floating up and back toward where Bart stands on the other side of the counter. “That’s not necessary, because like I said, I will not be charging you rent.”

I laugh – this asshole really is something else. “It is necessary because I will be paying you back,” I snap.

“Paying him back for what?” A thick velvety voice sounds from Domonic’s side and I know without looking that it’s Barbie.

Domonic visibly tenses as she places an artfully manicured hand on his arm. Now that I am face to face with her, she doesn’t look nearly as cute as I first thought. Her face is coated in an inch of make-up and her eyes are too close together, strangling the bridge of her pointy little nose. She does have nice tits though. The bitch. But one glance down tells me that is all she has. Her hips are non-existent.

Dead blue eyes find mine and she snarls, “I asked you a question.”

She’s taller than me.

But I can take her.

I smile, nice and bright, then turn my attention back to Domonic. “Can you walk your skank back to your table please?”

“Skank?!” She fumes.

Bart howls behind me, his laughter adding another measure of joy to my smile.

“Margo, this is none of your business. Go and get in the car. We’re leaving.” Domonic says blandly.

Margo huh? Bleh. Boring,,,

Cunt.

I must be crazy. I don’t even like this guy! He could be a serial killer for all I know.