SIX MONTHS (A Seven Series Novel)

Reno was on all fours and quickly sat back, wrapping the sheet around his waist. My God, he looked all kinds of hot. He had strong cords of muscles in his arms, no tattoos, and defined abs like male models I’d seen on the Internet. Not that I looked up male models on the Internet, but sometimes a girl accidentally stumbles across pictures when she’s searching for… um… recipes.

 

“You can’t tell anyone, April. That’s the rule. No one. I’m entrusting you with a secret and it’s the kind with consequences if you break that trust. I’m not kidding around. They’ll get a Vampire to scrub your memory if you betray us, and even worse, I’ve seen humans just disappear.”

 

The last thing I needed in my life was more trouble. “Vampires? I’ve finally gone crazy. I’m having one of those mental breakdowns.”

 

“Then I’m on the crazy train with you. It’s real, April. I’d do it again, but I don’t want to frighten you.”

 

My hands trembled and I hugged my knees, staring apprehensively at him. “Is Lexi one of you?”

 

Reno rubbed his hand across his chest and sighed. “She should be the one telling you all this. Lexi just went through the change a few months ago. You were going to find out one way or another. If you two form a long-term business relationship, then you have a right to know. Austin disagrees and thinks you won’t stick around at the shop—that you’ll take off and find a new career. Is that what you plan to do?”

 

I shook my head. “I don’t know. Can we not talk about my career path while you’re shedding on my sheets?”

 

He threw his legs over the bed and planted his feet on the floor. “Is someone after you, April? I can’t help unless you talk to me, and I’m the kind of man who can help.” He stepped into a pair of boxers and crouched in front of me. “I can offer you protection,” he said, cupping my cheeks and giving me a solid stare.

 

“Why was your wolf hanging around my house to begin with? Isn’t it a little out of the way from where you live?”

 

“You’re good at evading answers with questions.” He let go and placed his hands on my knees. “I don’t know. Shifters have to share the same spirit with an animal and that means we have to let them out regularly. I usually go for runs in the wooded area on the outskirts of the city. He knows not to go near humans, but maybe he sensed you were in trouble. I don’t know why the hell he would have shown himself to you. We’re not that different from humans. Wolves form packs and live together as a family. We protect one another and get jobs to take care of our home.”

 

“Except you also have a tail.”

 

Then his eyes went molten. “You saved my wolf, April. That’s a big fucking deal in my world, and you’re not even a Shifter. That’s an act of valor that earns you respect among my kind,” he said, his eyes focusing on my mouth. “I owe you my life.”

 

“You need to leave, Reno. I want you out of my house. I don’t want to see you again.”

 

“Let’s talk about—”

 

“No. There’s nothing to say. You lied to me and I’m…”

 

“What?”

 

“I’m scared of what you are. Besides that, did you think it was okay to just strip out of your clothes and snuggle up in my bed? You must not think much of me. That alone gets you thrown out of my house because I can’t believe you thought I’d be down with spooning someone I barely know! And I go to one party, and the next thing that happens, your brother is giving me drugs. How can I trust you? You weren’t there to protect me. Then some naked guy, drugged out of his mind, decides that he wants to climb on top of me and make me his pet.”

 

Reno stood up in a violent motion and stalked to the side of the bed, yanking on his jeans. “I’m going to take care of that problem.” His voice grew cold and deadly. “And just so you know, my brother is going to get what’s coming to him, but he wouldn’t have hurt you. If you say no, he’ll back off. Didn’t look like you were saying no to Jericho,” he pointed out.

 

“I was stoned!” I screamed, catapulting to my feet.

 

He tugged on a shoe and laced it up. “Another reason his ass is in the doghouse.” Reno buckled his belt while holding his sunglasses between his teeth. “Call your friend and check on him, but be sure you’re here at five.”

 

“Why?”

 

“We have a date.”

 

“Oh, we do?” I made a sound with my lips like a horse and flounced into the kitchen, where I poured a glass of apple juice. “I don’t seem to remember you asking.”

 

“I don’t need to,” he said, coming up behind me. Then he planted a tender kiss on the back of my neck and I wilted like a willow tree. “If you can’t handle this because you think I’m a freak, then I get it. Humans aren’t able to deal with finding out there’s more to life than what they see on the news—it’s why we keep it a secret. Less trouble. But if you’re just pissed off at me for everything else that happened last night, then we’re talking. I’m not turning my back on you.”

 

I turned around. “You’re not a freak.” I’d never want anyone to feel that way.

 

His lips twitched. “Good. Five sharp. And put on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt.”

 

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