Steal the Night (Thieves #5)(15)

“Because you’re a lone wolf.” For the first time, I realized that there was more than just super-senses and strength associated with the condition.

“My instincts make me want to push people away,” Lee said quietly. “I want to be alone. Even when I was a kid and we would run with the pack I would find a way to break away and spend the full moons on my own. I thought about running a thousand times. But I forced myself to stay with Zack and I never regretted it. I looked at that kid and just knew that I would fight my every instinct to make sure he was safe. He was my pack. I only felt that way about one other person my entire life.”

“Why me?” I asked, not making him say it.

He shrugged and wiped away my tears with his thumb. “I don’t know. I just know that you and Zack…you’re like my kids, the only ones I’ll ever have because I won’t put a kid through this. There was a woman I cared about once. Pretty thing, but she left and I knew I wouldn’t try again. I don’t want anyone else to feel like I do. I hate it. I push everyone away and I don’t always want to. I just do it. It’s my instinct. I’ll never have a mate. I’ll never even have a girlfriend. But I have you and Zack and even Neil. I’m comfortable here, Zoey. I don’t feel the need to run like I have in the past. All I know is that I would do anything to protect my little pack.”

“Including not telling the only female member of your little pack’s husbands what really happened tonight?” I asked.

He shook his head. “Damn it. I knew you were going to do that to me. All right, Zoey, but they’re going to find out eventually, and we have to figure out a way to protect you from that *.”

I nodded. “If you have a plan, I’ll follow it.”

“All right then,” he said, helping me up. “Go take a shower and get that bastard’s stink off you. Don’t look at me like that. I have soap. I think. Towels, I’m not so sure about.”

I let him herd me to the bathroom. When he turned to go, I stuck my head out again. “Lee,” I called to him. “I love you.”

His normally taciturn face split into a joyous grin. “I know you do, darlin’.”

I closed the door and took the longest, hottest shower of my life.





“Why did she need to take a shower?” I heard Dev’s voice as I opened the door to the bathroom. I took a deep, settling breath because I was about to have to perform. I couldn’t tell Dev what had happened. I couldn’t give him that guilt. He would feel bad enough with what I had told him.

“Some * spilled vodka all over her,” Lee grumbled. “She didn’t want to walk around smelling like a bar.”

“I’m just a little confused here,” Dev was saying.

Lee snorted. “Well, that’s what happens when you do stupid shit like letting a vampire drain your ass, Quinn.”

“Yeah, that probably wasn’t worth it,” Dev admitted. “I still feel a little weak and Daniel passed out long before he could really enjoy it. He’s going to be very angry with himself in the morning when he finds out Zoey had to face Marini alone.”

I walked into the room, drying my hair with the towel Lee had managed to find. My wolf and I needed a quick trip to Target. Now that I knew how he felt about me, I was going to be much more comfortable in the future about helping him out. His apartment needed a feminine touch. It also needed more towels and maybe a nice yellow rug for the bathroom. He would complain outwardly that I was interfering, but I knew deep down he would like me taking care of him.

“I handled it, Dev,” I said with as much confidence as I could muster. I was feeling better after my shower and the talk with Lee. I’d taken care of it and no one had gotten hurt. All in all, I was going to have to call it an acceptable loss.

Neil stood with Dev, looking pale and worried. “You didn’t come home. I got scared so I slapped Dev awake.”

“He did,” Dev said, touching his cheek. “It was rather awful. He screamed as well.”

“Didn’t work on Danny, huh?” I asked.

“He moaned a lot and he tried to kiss Dev,” Neil admitted with a delighted smile. “He told Dev he had great boobs.”

Dev shrugged at Neil, a frown on his face. “Well, obviously he thought I was Zoey. He played with my hair. I’m afraid he finds my hair confusing since it’s gotten as long as our wife’s. Somehow he ended up spooning me.”

Neil looked around the room innocently.

“He always was an affectionate drunk.” I wondered how many pictures Neil had taken and when that website would be going up. I was going to be a big fan.

Dev put his hands on my shoulders. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. We should never have done that. We should never have left you alone like that.”

I sighed, trying to put him at ease. “I wasn’t alone, Dev. I had plenty of backup. Marini showed up, he postured a lot, he took the Blood Stone, and he left. I came up here to talk to Lee and he couldn’t stand the smell of all that vodka. He’s very picky.”

“Well, you smelled like a drunk, Zoey.” Lee played his part to the hilt. He crossed his arms over his chest stubbornly as he stared down Dev. “She was scared, Quinn. The bastard scared her.”

Neil might be a terrible liar, but Lee knew that the best lie had a kernel of truth to it.