Justin had never met a pure grizzly with blue eyes.

Elianna had to be grizzly, right?

She couldn’t be mixed blood, could she? She was the alpha’s firstborn daughter.  Justin kept Elianna close to him and constantly glanced over to see if she was still holding up.

She’d suffered a vicious clawing.  Even if the bleeding had slowed, she would not heal fast unless she shifted. 

As soon as he had her stable, he was calling the wolf pack alpha. Someone was going to explain why Elianna had been attacked in what was a guaranteed safe zone. He was known for ruling his land with razor sharp claws.

Back at the hotel, Justin kept her close enough to shield any view of the blood still seeping through her shirt.

Wasn’t she healing at all?

Inside his room, he sat her on the commode seat in the bathroom. He got his shirt off of her and said, “We need to take your blouse off.”

“Go. I can do.”

“If you’re not going to shift, then I have to see to your wound.”

She didn’t budge on the shifting part. Dammit.

He unbuttoned her shirt and worked it slowly off her shoulders. The blood had dried in some places so it meant first soaking a towel to wet the area so he could slowly work the material away from her skin. He wouldn’t have been so nervous working on one of his teammates, but Eli’s skin was delicate.

Her white bra had blood on it. That could be washed out later. Shifters were used to naked bodies, but a woman was a woman. This one had been attacked and the last thing he wanted to do was make her uncomfortable.

He knew she could heal, but seeing her creamy skin raked by claws infuriated him all over again. 

Who was that bastard? 

Justin slowly cleaned the wound, grinding his jaw teeth every time she flinched. He wanted to pull her to him so he could hug her once more and take some of the misery out of her eyes.

For a princess, she was tougher than he’d thought. 

She didn’t make a sound the whole time he cleaned her up, but her lips were pressed together tight and pebbles of perspiration broke out on her forehead.

She was clearly in pain. 

Next, she started shivering. Shock had taken its sweet time setting in. 

Finished doing all he could to clean the ravaged skin, he was heartened to see the blood seepage had actually slowed. 

Now that she was somewhat stable, he spoke quietly.  “That’s a nasty clawing. You need to shift and get it healed.”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“No explain. Is my decision.”

Why would she fight that? 

Trying again, he said, “I know you don’t know me well, but I swear to you that you’ll be safe to shift.”

She looked at him.  “You are fine. My bear not ... well behaved.”

Was this a case of a princess who couldn’t control her diva bear?

Could this crap get any worse? 

Justin wanted to be pissed, but he considered how she’d seemed fragile earlier, whether she thought so or not, and all she’d been through since being dumped at the dock. 

She didn’t know anyone. 

Nobody from the Boudreaux Clan had come to meet her, which still bugged him. Not because he wanted to see any of that bunch, but this whole delivery thing just seemed ... off.

Raking a hand over his hair, he assessed his options and said, “Okay, fine, but if you’re not going to shift, you have to eat a hearty meal and help your body heal.”

She lifted those crystal blue eyes to his and really looked at him.  “Thank you. I will eat.”

Finally, a win of sorts. 

He took a clean towel and folded it up, then placed the pad gently against her shoulder.  “If you’ll hold that in place, I’ll have them send up a first aid kit now and the food right behind it.”  He had a great kit in his truck, but he was not leaving her.

She put her hand over the towel compression, but covered his fingers as she did.  He had leaned close to her and could feel that freaky energy zinging through his fingers and around in his body.

What the hell? 

But he couldn’t make himself pull his hand away and break the connection. 

This close, he could see flecks of silver in her blue eyes. He’d never seen anything like those eyes on a grizzly bear shifter. 

She held his gaze without blinking. 

Her tongue slipped out between rosy lips for a second, then disappeared.

Damn, he was getting hard. 

She whispered, “Blood will stain towel.”

Like he cared? “It’s not a problem.” 

“I do not want make trouble for you.”

Too late.  He was staring at trouble with gorgeous blue eyes.

She leaned forward. All he’d have to do is meet her in the middle to kiss her ...

Herc said, Like?

His bear’s voice broke through the fog of sensual heat clouding his brain.

Oh, hell. Justin pulled back and eased his fingers out from under her hand.  “Uh, while I make those calls, why don’t you, uh ...”

“I need second bath.”

Yeah, talking about bathing that body wasn’t going to help the fever she’d stirred up in him.  Now he had perspiration on his neck.

“Wait for me to bandage your shoulder first. Okay?

“Yes, okay.” She gave him a half-hearted nod.

He backed out of the bathroom and hurried to call downstairs.  He offered a tip no one would turn down for the person who showed up in sixty seconds with the first aid kit.

Then he called room service and placed their order, adding more incentive.

A knock sounded at the door as he hung up the phone.

Nothing like motivation.

Justin paid the promised tip, receiving an exuberant thank you from the woman who delivered the bandaging kit.

When he walked back into the bathroom, Elianna sat there with her stoic face.  He’d get her patched up, a hot bath and some food in her.  She should be showing signs of healing by the morning. 

She peeked under the towel bandage.  “Not much good.”

That kicked him back into motion. “I’ll be the judge of that. If you aren’t going to shift, then I’m the doctor tonight.”

She arched an eyebrow at him and Justin’s chest eased. There was the snappy attitude she’d first displayed. He didn’t want to see a wounded look on that face. 

Pulling out all the materials from the first aid kit, he did a job of padding and taping Rory would be proud of, even making sure to tape in different directions to allow her some mobility. 

Antibiotic ointment was unnecessary. Shifters didn’t get infected. 

When he was satisfied with her shoulder, he kneeled next to the tub and put the plug in, then started the water running. 

“What do you do?” She sounded appalled.

Don’t lose your patience with her. She’s tired, hungry and injured. 

“I thought you wanted a bath,” he said as he checked the temperature of the water.  Should be good.

“I can do.”

“I’m sure you can, but it’s easier for me to do it right now.”

When she didn’t answer, he turned to find her staring at him in shock. “What?”

“You should not do.”

“Why not?” He was dying to hear this answer.

“You are alpha bear.  I can tell. You do not serve woman.”

Okay, that floored him. 

She didn’t think he should be doing this because he was an alpha? Well, he wasn’t actually an alpha, but as an apex predator he trumped most alphas running packs and clans. 

Justin couldn’t explain that he was a Gallize so he tried to make light of it. “Running your bath is sort of an honor, princess.”

Her mouth dropped open until she recovered to say, “I am not princess.” Looking down she said, “Water full.”

What?  He swung around and stopped the water in time before the level was too high for her to step into, but he didn’t understand why she denied her birthright. 

When he stood to leave, she said, “I am sorry. I do not mean to not appreciate you.  I ... please do not call me princess.”

“Okay, I won’t.” He was as confused as a bear with two honeycombs.  “Can you manage?”

“Yes, okay.”

“I’ll be right outside the door if you fall.”

“Will not fall. Told you. Am not fragile woman.”

No, she wasn’t, but she seemed wounded in spirit as well as body. 

Justin closed the door and walked to the balcony overlooking the bay as he called the local alpha.  “Justin here. You’ve got a problem.”

“What problem, bear?”

Were all alphas assholes?  This one addressed him the same way the alpha of Clan Boudreaux did. Justin and his buddies used the terms bear, wolf, cat or whatever in the interest of good kidding, but his Louisiana alpha had called him bear as an insult back when Justin had no bear.

Justin ignored the slight and said, “You either have a rogue wolf in your territory or one of yours is not behaving ... wolf.”

This time, the alpha’s voice changed from surly to pissed. “None of my wolves would dare cross me and a rogue knows the price of entering without permission is death. Did you step outside the area I set as a safe zone?”

“No.  The body I’m guarding was attacked by a wolf at the Wave Organ.”

Justin waited through three beats of silence then the alpha said, “Where’s the rogue wolf?”

Shit, this wouldn’t go well.  “He’s at the bottom of the bay unless he figured out how to regenerate a broken neck and swim to shore.”

“How’d he end up out there?”

“I threw him about thirty yards out.”

“That’s not possible, even for a bear.”

Justin smiled to the empty room. “I can show you how it’s done if you want to donate a wolf.”

“Not funny, bear. If you’d given him to me, I could have found out where he came from. Why’d you kill him before we could get a look at him?”

Because I lost my mind when I saw him attacking Elianna.

Justin said, “I had to get him as far from my client as possible and that seemed like the quickest way.  I didn’t have time to hold him until you showed up, during which time humans would have probably come by and noticed all the blood.”

“What’d he look like?”

“It was dark and he wore a black stocking mask. His eyes were more yellow than amber. I saw him maybe two seconds.”

“I can account for every one of my wolves tonight. He had to be a rogue.  I’ll put my wolves out immediately to track any scent left and they’ll bring me an answer. It may not be immediately, but I will know who defied me.”

This guy hadn’t asked the condition of Justin’s injured patient, but that fit his ruthless reputation.  Justin could call the Guardian and let him arrange for the alpha to make amends, but he decided on a better idea.

Justin suggested, “If you’d let me know who it was when you find out, we can consider this situation satisfied.”

He must have surprised the alpha, because the wolf’s tone changed again to one more congenial.  “I’ll let you know as soon as I have an identity, Lebeau.” 

I rank being called by my last name now, huh? 

Someone tapped at the door as Justin ended the call. His nose told him room service waited to get in. 

He checked the hole and opened the door.  “Smells good.”

“Would you like me to set up the food on your table?”

“Sure.”

As the young man wheeled his cart across the floor, he glanced around.  “My order noted two place settings. Will you need more?”

Justin smothered a chuckle.  He’d ordered enough for four husky men, because he and Elianna had expended a lot of energy and shifters ate plenty.

He was concerned about her more than himself.

For a human, it would appear to be too much for two, but Justin covered by saying, “I’m a big guy. I get hungry during the night.  You can just set up two places and leave the rest on the cart for now.”

His server finished placing a small vase with flowers in the middle of the table and turned to Justin with a professional expression that hid any surprise. “Yes, sir.” 

Justin scribbled his signature on the guest check and handed the guy a cash tip.  “Thanks for getting this delivered quickly.”  He locked the door behind the happy server. 

The bathroom door opened an inch.  “I need clothes.”

Damn. He’d overlooked that one small detail.  “Hold on. I’ll be right back.” It took him less than thirty seconds to access her room via the connecting door. 

He appreciated the expedience of having her case packed and no clothes lying around, but it seemed odd that she had left the case ready to go. 

Placing the worn out luggage next to his bathroom door, he didn’t tap on it since he knew she could hear every sound. “Your bag is outside the door and I’ll be over at the table. Our food is here.”

“Yes. Good smell.”

He smiled. Food might just be the way to this little bear’s heart. 

He had to stop thinking that way.

She was a client. Why was that so difficult to program into his mind?

At the table, he kept his back to the bathroom. Everything had been duplicated, so he lifted two of the four silver lids covering the food on the table, enjoying a whiff of each one.

Rare, thick-cut steak with baked sweet potato plus brown sugar and butter. Moving the other covers revealed asparagus and sautéed spinach.

He scrunched his nose, but had ordered the greenery because some women liked green stuff on their plate. The last lid had hidden two slices of some dessert he couldn’t pronounce, but the description sounded like chocolate fig honey cake. And they had a basket piled high with honey biscuits. 

He’d never known a grizzly or any other brown bear that didn’t have a sweet tooth.

If that didn’t do it, the other silver covers protected grilled fish.

At the sound of the bathroom door opening, he stilled, trying not to move too quickly around her. 

When he turned, he really meant to check out her shoulder first, not the way her tank top clung to her curvy body or those workout pants covered sweet hips.  She’d twisted her wet hair into some kind of knot women created with a stick.

It was probably not called a stick, but the thing was five inches long, thin and pointy. 

A plastic stick.

When his eyes finally made it to her face, blue eyes too large for that face hid some dark thought.

Was she angry with him? Why?

She was the one who went strolling around in a strange city after he’d told her to wait for him.

“Hungry?” That was the only thing Justin could come up with to break the silent standoff.

“Yes.”

He had to get more than one-word answers of out her or tomorrow would be the longest day of his life, stuck in a car with someone who he was starting to think really might not like him.

That was the rub.

Women liked him. A lot, dammit. 

She stepped toward a chair and Justin moved quickly to pull it out. 

See? I’m a good guy. He smiled.

She frowned at him, shook her head at something she didn’t share and started for another chair.

What the devil?  “Eli.”

“What?”

“I’m pulling the chair out for you.”

She stared at the chair, then him.  “Why?”

What kind of men had she been around? She was a freaking princess.  Didn’t they treat her like a queen? “It’s what we do here. At least, men who treat a woman properly will pull out the chair.”

Again she looked embarrassed, then accepted the chair.  “Sorry.”

Wanting to loosen her up, Justin joked, “No problem, but it does make me wonder about the manners your alpha’s men are taught.”

She answered offhandedly.  “I am sure they are nice to women they like.”

Justin studied her reply, trying to understand it. 

He mulled over “women they like.” That sounded like they didn’t care for her, which raised the question why?

Since his goal was to find some happy middle ground, he would not ask that question.  He got busy lifting lids out of the way and the rich smell of good food intensified.

Sucking in a deep breath of aroma that had his stomach jumping up and down, he said, “Dig in.  Nothing like steak to get you healing faster.” 

“Okay, yes.”  She started cutting a perfect square of steak. “But not need all this. I heal soon.”

“Hey, this is only the first course. Once we finish the steak and a killer dessert, we also have fresh fish.”

She finished chewing that first bite and wiped the linen napkin over her mouth. Placing both wrists on the edge of the table, she sat there.

Justin chowed down. He had no idea what was going on with her now, but he needed to eat.  He dug in, trying to ignore her, but gave up. When he couldn’t take the quiet any more, he sighed and put down his fork.

Counting to ten did nothing, so he couldn’t help the exasperation in his voice.  “What’s wrong now, Eli?”

Her blue eyes were fierce.  “Where is money from Boudreaux Clan? They promise to me when I arrive.”

“Money?  What has that got to do with anything right now?”

Her lips firmed.  “You spend on fancy room and food?”

She thought he’d spent money intended for her?  What fancy food? 

“No. My boss is paying for the room and the food. Well, he’s paying for the first course. I’m paying for the rest, because I figured we’d both be hungry after burning all that energy and you getting slashed. As for anything due to you, it’s probably in the envelope I was given for you, but we haven’t had time to go through anything like that yet.” Just a bit irritated that money was so important to her after he’d started to think she might be a normal person after all, he added, “I have the envelope so you can look through and count all your money.”

“Oh.”

One word.

It said very little, but the sound had been coated with shame. 

That dampened his irritation.

He stood up.  “I’m sure things are confusing. Sit tight. I’ll grab the envelope and put your mind at ease that whatever you’re expecting should be in there.”

He pulled a thick, nine-by-twelve-inch envelope out of his duffel.

Still, wasn’t this more like a princess to be worried about her money?  He’d never been interested in a woman who cared about living high and the almighty dollar. 

That alone should cool his fever around her. 

He sure hoped so considering how long a drive he had ahead of him. 

Returning to the table where his silent guest waited, he handed her the envelope.

She met his gaze.  “Thank you. Sorry. Did not mean to ... ”

“No big deal.” He waved off the apology, still willing to give her space to be tired and injured. “My boss said everything you should need is in the envelope and to let me know of any special requests on our way to the Boudreaux Clan tomorrow.”

She had nodded and taken the envelope to her lap, intent on opening it until his last words. “Tomorrow?”

“Yes. Unless you’re not ready to travel.” He hoped she was up for it.

“I will be ready.”  Still appearing confused, she dug through the envelope. First, she pulled out a black credit card she gave a long look and turned over, then set aside.  Next came a stack of hundred dollar bills secured with a paper band, which Justin estimated to be a thousand dollars.

She placed the money beside the credit card.

Then she withdrew a black folder the size of her hand that looked like a passport and even had PASSPORT embossed in gold on the front, but it was actually a US National Shifter ID. Most shifters used a driver’s license for identification, so few people would recognize the difference between a shifter and human passport.

Once a person passed the inside back cover of this ID under a black light, the shifter stamp would appear.

Shifters worked within the laws of humans, but they weren’t considered citizens of the US.  For that reason, this ID would not have allowed Elianna to pass through customs or surely she’d have flown over in first class.

Maybe she carried an old beat-up suitcase as a cover. 

That made more sense now.

Her eyes sparkled as she looked at everything, but still no smile.

Not even after the clan gave her a black card, which probably had no limit, and a wad of cash? What was it going to take to make this woman happy?

She put it all back in the envelope, which she placed by the leg of her chair, and started eating.

Okay. Evidently getting her hands on shopping money set everything right.

Justin let it go and returned to his meal. It took more than a glass of wine to get a shifter intoxicated, but he liked the taste of sweet wine. He poured them both a glass, which she sipped.

She finished eating first, only pecking at her dessert. If she left that, it was fair game.

He pushed back and folded his hands over his chest. “All better now?”

She nodded. 

Now he was down to less than a one-word answer.  “Let’s talk about tomorrow if you’re up for the drive?”

“Yes, okay. I am good.”

Now she was the anxious one to hit the road?  That tweaked his nose, but whatever.  Hadn’t he been saying he was in a hurry to get her delivered?

He kept his voice upbeat. “Great. If we hit the road early and stop only for food and gas, we can ... ”

“Must shop.”

Of course she wanted to shop.

That money probably wouldn’t last the week.  He was not going to follow her around a mall like a lackey.

But arguing with her might be as fruitless as it could be with Herc, so Justin offered, “I’ll find a mall on the way out of town and we’ll stop for an hour. Sound fair?”

“What is mall?” 

“A big building with a lot of stores in it so you can find everything in one place. Plenty of shops with dresses and shoes.”

“We have shops.”

Good. She knew what he was talking about.  “So we’ll hit the mall first then get on the road.”

“No.”

He mentally watched the fraying line of his patience unravel a little more.  “You’re gonna have to give me more than a no.  I don’t understand the problem.”

“No dress.  No shoes.”

Bewildered, he asked, “Then where do you want to go?”

Studying him, she said, “Your store.”

“Me? I don’t shop.”

She took in his clothes and arched an eyebrow. 

“Okay, fine. Yes, I buy clothes and gear when I need it, but I don’t go to malls.”

“Good.”

Don’t growl, he told himself. That would only stir up her bear, which had to be a bit on edge.  “Good ... what?”

“Good. Your store.”

He sat back and imagined her trying to find something fancy where he liked to pick up clothes.

Smiling, he said, “Sure.”  If she complained, he’d remind her that he offered the mall first.

Then he’d drive as hard as he could for thirty-five hours and drop her at the Boudreau Clan where she would be their problem.

“Leave early, yes?”

“Works for me,” he replied.  “That way we should reach Louisiana by midday Sunday.”

“No.”

That word was back.  Did she think it automatically explained anything?  He worked his jaw, which had become tight from clenching and unclenching his teeth, then sighed hard.  “What are you saying no to?”

“Five days, then meet clan.”

Oh, hell no.  He deserved a medal for shouting that only in his mind.

Herc chortled. 

Justin didn’t want to know what the fucker found funny in all this.  He told her, “Sorry, but that’s the plan.”

“No.”

One more no and Justin could not be held responsible for his actions.  He dropped his hands to his knees and leaned forward.  “We need to get a few things straight. One is that I am in charge of delivering you to that clan.  Two is that I am not your fulltime driver for a vacation.  Three is that it will go much easier if we can have a real conversation and that isn’t going to happen if you just keep saying no. Understand?”

“I know English.”

“Great. Now try using all your words.”

She sat straighter and pinned him with a hard stare. “No. Is not plan.  Both alphas agree five days before meet Clan Boudreaux.  I am told you make my requests.” 

“Not make. Fulfill,” he corrected out of annoyance. 

He noted she hadn’t called the alpha of her Russian clan father, but Justin put that aside mentally to dwell on later.  For now, he needed to fix this somehow.

Trying again, he explained, “I said I would take you shopping.  Tomorrow. I did not say I would spend five days—and before you argue about it—what exactly do you need five days to accomplish?”

“Plan each day.”

That meant she did not intend to share her plans in advance, which only upped his irritation.

He got up and walked around the room, scrubbing his face with his hands.  This was crazy. 

Pulling his phone out, he hit speed dial for the Guardian who answered, “Hello, Justin. Did Elianna arrive as expected?”

“Yes, sir, but she’s confused about something.”

She said, “No confused.”

He waved a hand at her to be quiet and continued explaining to his boss, “She thinks I’m going to drive her around for five days doing I-have-no-idea-what before I deliver her to Clan Boudreaux.”

“I did tell you to take care of any special requests on the way to her drop-off point.”

Justin’s stomach hit his feet at realizing the file he’d received from the Guardian had said to do that, but Justin had assumed his boss meant only during the drive tomorrow.

Had the Guardian known about this and withheld information until Justin was neck-deep in this mess? Why? It hit him. His boss felt he was too close to Adrian’s problem and wanted Justin to gain some distance. This would definitely give him space, but he didn’t like it. 

Needing to confirm his guess, Justin asked, “Don’t you want me to give the guys in Wyoming a hand?”

“They’ll be fine. I have known the Romanov alpha for many years, which is why he asked that I oversee his daughter’s security and delivery. It is my responsibility to fulfill the terms of his agreement with Clan Boudreaux.”  The Guardian paused then added, “If I thought Adrian’s healing depended on your presence, I would not have asked you to do this, but I needed you in particular, and I believe you’ll be more useful to Adrian after this assignment.”

Yep, Justin had failed to hide how much Adrian’s problem was affecting him.

His boss had given his word to the alphas. 

Now it was Justin’s responsibility to make good on that word. 

Without waiting on Justin to comment, the Guardian said, “Elianna knows the limit of those terms. From what I understand, of all parties involved she is the one most determined not to deviate from the agreement. Is there anything else?”

“No, sir.”

“If you need anything or support of any kind, call me back.”

No way in hell that was happening. 

The Guardian’s casual offer of help was the same as asking Justin if he had doubts about handling his mission.

Herc made a huffing sound again, poking at Justin.

Stuff it, bear, Justin muttered mind to mind.

“Thank you for meal,” Elianna said, standing. 

Justin put his phone away and turned to her, now in an entirely new mindset.  “You’re welcome. Keep in mind that I didn’t tell my boss what happened tonight ... yet.”

She went very still.

It might have been the new tone he took with her, or her normal reaction.  He had no idea with this woman. 

He continued.  “I’m expected to report everything that happens to my boss.” That was a stretch, because the Gallize shifters had a certain amount of autonomy. On the other hand, if anything went wrong after today, Justin’s ass would be in a bind for not reporting the wolf attack. 

What could Justin say?  That he couldn’t protect her from a rogue wolf shifter?

Unfortunately, he hadn’t, but that wouldn’t happen again. 

Elianna’s face went from soft to angry.  “You would tell and ruin plans?”

“I don’t want to ruin your plans.”

Herc said, Lie.

Justin ignored his irritating bear so he could deal with one conversation at a time. 

He told Elianna, “But the minute I report that attack, my boss is going to change my orders to deliver you either to a safe house for the next five days or to Clan Boudreaux, who will take over your protection.”  Considering someone else taking over bugged him. Why?

“No.” She came alive, stepping toward him with her fists clenched.  “We make deal. All agree. Must have five days.”

Justin had thought she was starting a diva fit at first, but her voice quivered and that last sentence pinged with importance. She could have said no one was being fair or she would call someone and demand a new driver.

No, she had said she must have five days.

Must.  Very little emotion had entered her face until now, but Justin picked up the scent of her fear.

Not just fear, but terror.

What was going on with this female bear shifter?

Then as if this reaction had not been unexpected, she surprised him again when she said, “Please.”

One word filled with anguish that had come from somewhere deep in her soul. From a place where she locked away her worst pain.

Justin knew that spot. He had his own.

His gut argued that she wasn’t telling him everything, but his instincts told him she kept her emotions and her secrets tucked close out of a need for self-preservation. 

If she had smiled sweetly and teased him to get what she wanted, she’d have come up empty-handed.  Justin had been with all kinds of women and he could spot a manipulative one a mile away.

This one had fought him at every turn and rolled out the word “no” as if it were a universal bargaining chip. 

Her frightened eyes and softly spoken plea did what nothing else could have.  It made him fold faster than a gambler with a bad hand.

“Okay.”

Her eyes brightened.  No smile, but he held out hope that over the next five days he could coax one happy face out of this woman at some point.

But he was not taking any more chances with her safety.

He offered, “I’ll wait to report the incident until after I’ve delivered you.”

“Thank you.”

Justin held up a hand. “We need to have an understanding.  First, we roll at o-six-hundred.” He shook that off. “Six in the morning local time. You need to be dressed and packed.”

“Yes, okay.”  She started for the door to the hallway and Justin reached it first, blocking the handle.

“What?” she asked, eyes flashing with warning. 

Really?  She thought that look would scare him?

Moving on, he said, “You’re staying in here tonight.”

Her anger fell away.  “No.” But this no came out soft and unsure.

“Yes.”

Once again, she got her grit back quickly.  “Stay in my room!”

“Actually,” he said, pulling his phone out and hitting the redial for the hotel, “it’s my room under my name.” When the front desk answered, Justin gave them her room number and said that party had decided to check out.

She gasped.  “No. Can not do.”

He ended the call and shoved the phone in his pocket. “I just did.  Before you get all jacked up, you’re the one who broke the rules and ended up attacked. If we’re going to spend five days together, you’re going to be where I can keep an eye on you the entire time.  It may not seem important to you, but my boss expects me to keep you safe until I deliver you.  I do not let that man down.  Until we arrive, I’m not chasing you down again and I’d just as soon avoid fighting other shifters as well.”

“Not nice.”

True. Herc found that amusing and snorted.

Fucking bear.  Justin said, “That’s not a fair statement, Elianna.” That was her name. Not Eli. She was a client. “I’m making sure you get the five days. That’s nice, right?”

Her face fell. She muttered as if the words might choke her.  “Yes. Thank you for duty.”

She was turning his insides into a pretzel.

One minute she shouted angry words at him, the next minute she turned him into putty with her pleading, then she went back to demanding and now insulted him with her backhanded thank-you for performing the job that he’d been assigned.

The wiring got crossed in his brain, because he still found her hot. Even more so the few times she let go of that tight control and yapped at him. 

Five days. 

He shouldn’t do this, not with the way she affected him, but he’d said he would.

He kept his word, no matter how much anyone annoyed him while doing so.  

Unlike the Clan Boudreaux alpha, who Justin didn’t consider high on the integrity ladder.

Justin had done everything he could to distance himself from that bunch, starting with being a man he could face in the mirror every night.

Now he had to go back to the place he never wanted to visit again. Five days from now.

“Am tired.” Turning away, she dragged her suitcase into the bathroom and shut the door.

Justin’s stomach growled.  He was still hungry so he went back to the table, determined to enjoy the rest of his meal while she did whatever she had to do to get ready for bed.  He normally stayed up late, but the last two days had been long and it was closing in on eleven locally. 

When she didn’t emerge in twenty minutes and Justin didn’t hear any water running, he tapped on the bathroom door. “Elianna, please come out.”

“No.”

“I thought you wanted to go to bed?”

“Yes. Sleep here.”

He thunked his head against the door.