Page 38 of Broken By Her Mate
She was already out of bed and hurrying to the door with one of the sheets wrapped around her. He sighed heavily and flopped back onto his pillow. Winning Laila back was proving to be harder than he thought. Spending passionate nights together and acting like strangers in the morning wouldn’t work for him much longer.
He skipped breakfast with Laila. Perhaps it was time to try a new tactic. He’d leave her alone and let her sort out her emotions. Since she was safe at his house with his impeccable security system in place, he decided to head to the office to give her the space he thought she needed. Besides, Ryder said he had an update on the case of the mysterious kidnappers.
Tolliver found Laila in the kitchen, cleaning up. “Hey.”
She turned to him. “Hey. You didn’t have any breakfast.” Pink infused her cheeks, and she averted her gaze. “Not that I’m forcing you to eat what I make or anything… It’s just that I know you have a healthy appetite in the morning.”
Tolliver shoved his hands into his pockets and rocked back on his heels. He hated the awkwardness that always enveloped them. The only time things went smoothly between them was when they were caught up in passionate sex. “Yeah, I just thought I’d give you space. It seemed like you needed it.”
“Oh…” Laila glanced at him, taking in his slacks and a button-down shirt. “Are you heading out?”
“I’m going to the office for the day. Ryder has an update, which I’m dying to hear about. I know you’re also eager for a break in the case.”So she can be free of me, he thought bitterly.
“I am. Your place is nice and all, but I miss my apartment and my bakery… and my life…”
Her life far away from him. Tolliver held her in an intense stare. In that moment, he wanted to let it all out, bare his soul, and tell how much he regretted the way he left her years ago. But he held back. Maybe she wasn’t in the mood for all of that. “I know,” he said instead. “We’ll have you back to your life in no time, I promise. I need you to promise me something, too.”
“What’s that?”
“Don’t run off into town or anywhere else while I’m gone.”
“Don’t worry,” she murmured as she tugged at her shirt, barely meeting his gaze.
“I’ll stay here and won’t go anywhere. If I absolutely have to leave, I’ll call.”
Tolliver nodded, his jaw tight. “Good,” he replied, forcing himself to sound casual. “Just… be careful.”
She looked back at him, and her expression softened for a second before she masked it with a polite smile. “I will.”
Without another word, he turned and left. Although frustration boiled in his veins, he didn’t show it. Their polite, sometimes detached tone of conversation might drive him over the edge of sanity.
“Just keep it together,” he whispered as he aimed for his motorcycle. The freedom of speeding through town on the thing might help to clear his head and calm him a bit. He straddled the sleek machine and revved it before hurtling out of the driveway. The cold morning air hit him as he made his way down the winding road toward Bellefleur’s town center. It felt good,and he needed the moment alone to work through his raging emotions.
By the time he reached the Black Ops headquarters, he was much calmer and ready for whatever Ryder had to tell him. He strolled through the building, greeting his co-workers until he reached his office. Closing the door, he leaned against it and blew out a long, weary breath. It was tough to come into work and put on an unbothered mask when he was bothered to the extreme. His mate no longer wanted him the way he wanted her, and it was slowly killing him.
Scrubbing a hand over his face, he flopped down in his chair. Despite his inner turmoil, returning to his office felt good. The familiarity of the room comforted him somewhat. The sight of his computer and other equipment was a relief. This was what he was made for—technology. Being the tech genius of the Black Ops made him feel useful, and he needed that. Lately, with Laila, he felt so helpless.
Rolling his neck, he booted up the computer and started working on emails and videos the staff in his department had sent him. Their magical community had several ongoing cases, but the kidnappings had taken precedence. It was time to give the other incidents some attention.
The first video on the long lost that popped up made Tolliver groan. It was of a vampire-werewolf brawl in a bar owned by a human in a neighboring town. Zach happened to be acquainted with the bar owner, who knew about the supernatural community. The problem was that a human recorded the fight. It was released last night. By Tolliver’s guess, it could go viral by that afternoon.
Muttering a curse, he picked up his office phone to call downstairs for the two most promising new recruits. A femalevoice filtered through the speaker. “Good morning, Tolliver. How can I help you?”
“Hi, Margot. Are Benny and Francisco in today?”
“They were sent out this morning, but Francisco checked in a few minutes ago. He said they should be back at HQ in twenty minutes.”
“Send them both up to my office the minute they get back.”
“Will do.”
Just as he put the phone back in its cradle, his door opened, and Ryder barged in.
“You ever heard of that little common courtesy called knocking?” Tolliver murmured as he scrolled to the next email.
Ryder waved him off and sat down in the chair in front of Tolliver’s desk. “The boundaries between us are different from everyone else at this office, bestie. You know that.” He propped his feet up on the desk and grinned broadly.
Tolliver rolled his eyes and shoved Ryder’s feet off the furniture. He then put his feet up, crossed them at the ankles, and smirked.