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His breath fluttered across my cheek, minty and warm. Dark gray brows lifted in interest, not drawn together in anger. Even with his glasses, it was clear his expression was soft. Curious.
He probably keeps the glasses on to hide his cursed soul or something. One look from his naked eye, and I bet I’d be rolling into my grave.
The stranger inhaled.
Was he sniffing me? What kind of a shifter type was he, then?
Even more, my trusty intuition was stock-still. No urges telling me what to do. Nothing but the desire to freeze—
The stranger examined my face, head turning this way and that.
“A picture would last longer,” I gritted out, pulling my knife away.
Oddly enough, I knew he wasn’t going to harm me right here. So, I pressed my palms on each of his shoulders and shoved.
I was a strong person. Not a bodybuilder by any means, but I ran fast, climbed fairly well, worked out often enough, and could be pretty scrappy in a fight when I needed.
Imagine my surprise when I only managed to shove myself back. The metal shelf knocked into my spine, bruising me instantly.
He rose, towering over me, while I stared up in complete offense. I could handle irritation. But how dare he bruise my pride? He could have at least pretended to be thrown off-balance.
Rude.
Lazy smile back in place, the stranger asked, “Well don’t look so offended. You’re the one who pushed me. That’s no way to treat your newest client, Gray Wilder.”
Client? Was that why he’d been following me? Bullshit.
“Says the stalker!” I scrambled to my feet. “And what do you mean about ‘new client’? New clients don’t follow me around like creeps. New clients don’t sneak up on me. New clients don’t get to decide whether I agree to work for them or not. I’m going to be three months late for my period because of you, dickwad. I don’t work with psychos. No one gets to decide who I work for but me. I said it once, and I’ll say it again. Fuck. Off.”
Positively delighted, he stated, “Stalker and psycho? Aren’t you the name-caller? Just relax! Your cycle doesn’t change the fact that I’ll be paying you by the end of the week. Well, not me, per se, but through my effortless business conductivity, you shall be compensated.”
The motherfucker leaned all six-feet-and-some-inches forward and lifted his hand over my shoulder, resting it against the shelf. Grinning down at me. A single chip tumbled down the rim of his yellow hat, pitching over the edge.
My flesh felt warm. Relaxed, despite the obviously fucked up situation. In truth, he didn’t appear that dangerous. Just… arrogant. He was strange and rude, but maybe he wasn’t here to hurt me.
His black lenses reflected my confused expression perfectly. It was embarrassing.
Stand your ground. Hunters want a chase, and you are done giving him one, Mom’s memory reminded.
Leaning away betrayed my fear. And so, I forced myself to straighten. My chest brushed his ribs. Letting the full weight of my glare onto him, willing my steel to sink through those stupid sunglasses, I spat, “As if you could make me.”
Look at you. All lies and bravado, Gray. What’s new?
His smile grew. Just a touch. “I thought you’d never ask.”
Chapter Five
Enunciating as clearly as I could, I bit out, “It wasn’t. Actually. A question.”
The stranger didn’t seem to care.
Several things whipped through my mind.
He’s going to threaten me. No, threaten Azra!
He’ll torture me to get me to agree.
Or, I’ll undergo slow psychological torment until I agree.
