Page 36 of Saved By the Wolf

“I was drunk on happiness and freedom that I wasn’t thinking when I followed my first dance partner upstairs,” I continued, feeling my heart begin to pound with the memory of that moment. “He led me into an empty room.”

“He didn’t do anything to you, did he?” Luc was instantly on high alert. I could also hear him breathing fast, and a low rumbling sound was coming from his chest.

I rubbed his shoulders and looked him in the eye, trying to soothe him. I was afraid he might explode. “No. No, he didn’t do anything. It was just Rich’s goon leading me to Rich,” I assured him. Maybe I shouldn’t be telling him any more about Rich?

“But he did something,” Luc seethed.

“No! Luc, it’s okay. I mean, he tried, but a group of people came into the room just in time and I was able to escape. I ran and fell down the stairs. That’s where I got most of my bruises and cuts. Rich didn’t hit me, though.” Surprisingly enough, it was the one time he hadn’t managed to get his fists on me.

“What did he do to you before when you were with him?” Luc asked in a low, controlled voice. If it wasn’t so dim in here with candlelight dancing around the room, I would have sworn his eyes had just glowed.

“Why do you ask?” I whispered.

“You’re shaking, and you do that every time you mention Rich. I want to know who hurt my mate.”

“Your mate?”Did I hear that right?

Seeming to realize what he’d said, he changed directions. “I care about the people around me. We recently found out Rich is the same person that hurt my sister many years ago.”

“You have a sister?”

“Yes, she’s the oldest sibling.”

“And Rich hurt her?”

“His name was Pac back then.”

I started shaking even more and felt cold all of a sudden. Luc noticed. He took off his jacket and put it around my shoulders. “I’m sorry,” he murmured. “We don’t need to talk about him anymore. I’m sorry for bringing him up right now, especially when we were having such a wonderful evening.”

“No, it’s okay. I knew I would have to tell you at some point. It’s just . . . the thought of him hurting another woman makes me sick to my stomach.”

“Okay, that’s enough,” he said firmly.

I turned to face him. “What about you?”

“What about me?” he asked, a brow lifted.

“Do you have a girlfriend story?”

His muscles tensed, and I wondered what his story was, but he only said, “No.”

My instinct was to push further, but I reminded myself it was our first date, and we’d just tried to go through my story already. We could save his one for another night.

“Okay, shall we go dance?” I asked him instead. “I remember passing a room that had louder music.”

“Sounds good.” He got up and held out his hand. I took it and followed him out of the bar.

Jill

My bed was rocking.I peeled one lid open and saw Becca lying next to me with an expectant look on her face.

“Good morning to you too,” I mumbled, and I went to roll over and go hide under the covers.

“Oh no, you don’t!” Becca exclaimed. “Spill! How was your night?”

“Let me get some more sleep first.”

“It’s almost nine, and you’re going to be late for work.”