Damon (The Protectors #1)(11)



Damon slapped Jared in the chest and pushed him back. “I think you need to go and make sure everything is getting taken care of.”

“Duncan has already taken him to headquarters.” Jared allowed Damon to push him toward the door. “What the hell is your problem?”

“Your mouth.” Damon growled. “Go on, I'll be there later.”

Jared eyed him then looked over Damon's shoulder at Nicole and Pam. “I'll see you two tomorrow.” He told the women, then with one last WTF look at Damon, Jared turned and left.

Damon walked back to the two women. “Come on.” He took Nicole's elbow. “Let's get you checked out and then home.”

“I'm fine. Just get me home.” Nicole straightened up slowly.

“I think you should get checked out Nicole.” Pam grabbed their stuff and followed them out.

“I have to feed Ren and Stimpy.” Nicole really didn't want to go to the hospital. Hospitals gave her the creeps and she didn't want them to keep her. “I'll be fine.”

“Can you stay with her tonight?” Damon ask Pam. “And who the hell are Ren and Stimpy?”

“They're her turtles.” Pam chuckled. “Of course I will. I'll just swing by my place and pick up a few things.”

“I'll get her home and wait until you get there.” Damon slipped his arm around Nicole when she wobbled a little.

“I'm right here guys.” Nicole grumbled. “Stop talking about me like I'm not.”

“Will you let someone take care of you for once?” Damon scolded gently. Opening the car door he helped her in. He watched to make sure Pam made it to her car okay before getting in the driver seat. Man his nerves were shot to hell.

The purr of Damon's sleek Mustang GT was the only thing that broke the silence. Nicole kept her head away from the seat not wanting to get blood on the leather interior. Sneaking a look, the dashboard lights shadowed Damon's smooth chiseled face, his eyes straight ahead as he maneuvered the downtown streets of Cincinnati. His black hair lay against his shoulders in a uneven cut and was pulled away from his face by the many times he ran his hand through brushing the long stands from his eyes. He was handsome in a hard way, not GQ pretty. His head practically hit the roof and his seat was, from what she could tell, pushed all the way back. Yeah he was a big man, strong and fit, but it was his hands that gave her pause. They were large, the nails clipped and blunt. Small white scars crisscrossed his knuckles, blaring white against the back of each dark hand. Those hands could cause pain, those hands could kill, but those hands could also protect and give pleasure. A warm feeling tingled through her body. As her eyes drifted back to his face, she was shocked to see him staring at her, the light from the dashboard making his eyes glow. Okaaay....this is awkward.

“You gonna answer that?”

“Huh...” Frowning into his eyes, she jumped when her cell phone rang by her feet. Feeling like the biggest idiot, going all gooey eyed over a hot guy, she grabbed her bag rummaging through it. Flipping the phone open she peeked over relieved that Damon's eyes were focused back on the road. “Hello.”

Damon stopped at a red light trying to get it together. He had felt her gaze on him and turned to see if she was okay and what he saw in her eyes was enough to flame his blood to the point he almost pulled the car over. He knew the first time he saw her running into the warehouse that she was different and every protective instinct he possessed jumped out and bit him on the ass. The sight of her black eye that first night sent a killing rage through him. He had almost killed that dumbass human, Chad, for just being disrespectful. He had seen enough mated males of his species to know the signs, but he didn't want to be mated and sure as hell not to a human.

“That was Mitch.” Nicole broke through his thoughts as did the asswipe behind them blowing their horn since the light had turned green. “I need to go to Children's Hospital. There's a sixteen year old who has been put into our care.”

“You need to rest Nicole.” Damon zoomed through the light. “Call Mitch back and tell him you can't make it. He can get someone else.”

“Ah...no.”

“Did you tell Mitch what happened tonight?” Damon persisted.

“Nope.” Nicole flipped her phone open again undoing her seatbelt. “Yeah I need a cab at....the corner of......” Nicole practically had her face pressed to the windshield trying to see a street sign.

“Hang up the phone.” When Nicole ignored him while reading the street sign to the cab dispatcher he reached over and grabbed the phone.

“Hey.” She tried to grab it back.

“Disregard that. She will not need your services.” He snapped the phone closed and tossed it into her lap. “Put your seatbelt back on.”

“If you don't stop this car I am going to get out the first chance I get.” she warned, her hand easing to the handle. “I'm fine, Damon. You need to let me do my job.”

“I said put your seatbelt on.” He stopped at another light. Before she could escape he reached over and slammed her door shut, firmly snapping her seatbelt back in place. Without moving back his breath fanned across her face moving wisps of hair. “I'll take you.”

“Thank you.” Her breath mingled with his, their eyes held for a second. When he moved back to his seat and pulled a U-turn she relaxed. Ah yeah, this was getting really awkward. How was she suppose to work with the guy when all she wanted to do was leap across and straddle him? Good Lord, she had to get a grip. Her job was too important to her to mess up with a bunch of hot meaningless sex...... and knowing what sat across from her, she knew it would be hotter than hell.

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