Page 288 of His Hungry Wolf

“He has a temper, doesn’t he?”

Quin’s eyes flicked up to mine. He didn’t need to say anything. The answer was clear.

“He’s had a hard life.”

“He’s mentioned something about that.”

“I think if Cage hadn’t come along, his life might have led down a dark path. It’s difficult growing up without either of your parents.”

“I thought he said he grew up with his mother.”

“He did. She was physically there. But, in all of the important ways, he was alone. She had a rough go of things, too. She’s only now returning to her full self.”

“Wow!”

“Yeah. So, he might be a little angry and rough around the edges. But he was exactly how strong he needed to be to survive the world he was forced into.

“And the more I get to know him, the more I see how he uses his darker side. Nero is a protector. He looks after his pack. If you’re on the outside, you better watch out. But, if you’re one of those he lets in, you are the safest you will ever be.”

I thought about what Quin said throughout the rest of dinner. It made sense. Wasn’t that what happened with Evan? Hadn’t Nero done what he had to protect me?

“You should come check out the festival,” Quin said as we approached a stopping point for the night. “You’re doing all of this work. You at least need to see me humiliate myself in it. Cage and I just got a place. We have an extra bedroom if you want to stay over.”

“Oh, Nero mentioned that you and Cage bought a house. Congratulations on that.”

“Thanks. And we have plenty of room for guests.”

“Nero had actually invited me up this weekend to meet the fae you mentioned.”

“Oh!” Quin said looking at me surprised. “Did you say yes?”

“I told him I had to think about it.”

“You should do it… if you feel comfortable. I mean, do whatever you’d like. You’d be very welcome if you do.”

“Thanks,” I said feeling tempted.

Agreeing to come back the following day to help him finish his costume, I headed back to my place. I was pretty sure if Nero hadn’t invited me first, I would have already accepted Quin’s invitation.

It wasn’t that I didn’t want to find out what I was or spend time with Nero. I absolutely wanted both. And I wanted more of what we did in his truck.

But, that was the problem. There was a part of me that wouldn’t forget that I was in his life to help him. I knew that somethings were more important like figuring out what I am. But sex with Nero wasn’t one of them. Do I have the strength to separate the two?

And, what if I let myself fall for him? There would be no coming back. How could I resist him? Not only was he as hot as sin, but I liked everything about him.

Quin was right. When I was with him, I felt safer than I had ever been in my life. That wasn’t saying much considering the hell Evan and his asshole friends had put me through every day at school, but it meant a lot to me.

“Cory, I have a dilemma,” I told him when I arrived home finding him still awake.

“Boy problems?” He asked putting down the textbook he was reading.

“How did you know?”

“Kendall, you’ve been glowing the last couple of days.”

“I have?”

“Did you not know?”