Chapter 114

I finished my drink, feeling it when I stood up to follow Matt over the pool tables. The floor swayed slightly, and my limbs felt loose. The nerves from earlier had gone too. A wide smile emerged on my face as Matt claimed one of the pool tables and handed me a cue.

“Do you know the basic rules?” he asked, turning to me. He leaned against his pool cue, the muscles in his arms bulging around the edges of his short sleeves.

“Um,” I said, too focused on admiring him.

He chuckled. “Do you know anything about pool?”

I shook my head, forcing myself to concentrate. “No, not really.”

He explained the rules to me, pointing out a few of the games going on around us. A guy at the table next to us nodded at Matt, and he returned the gesture.

“Do you know a lot of people here?” I asked.

Matt was bent over the pool table, arranging the balls into a triangular shape. “Some regulars, yeah. My friends and I come here a lot.”

I glanced around but didn’t see anyone I recognized.

“They’re not here tonight,” he said, following my gaze. “I think most of them are celebrating on campus after the game.”

“But you didn’t want to?”

“I figured you wanted to go somewhere more private,” he said, flashing me a smile. “Plus, I’d much rather spend time with you.”

I smiled down at the ground.

He grabbed my chin and titled my head up. “Why do I get the impression you don’t believe me?”

I shrugged.

He smiled and kissed me lightly on the mouth. My legs felt like Jell-O by the time he pulled away, letting go of my face and taking a step back. “I’d much, much rather be here with you.”

“Me too,” I whispered.

He heard me despite how quietly I said it, even over the pounding music. Another werewolf perk, I guessed. A grin split his face, and he gestured for me to approach the pool table. “I’ll let you break since you’re a beginner.”

I swallowed hard and approached the table. I leaned down and tried to line up my pool cue like he showed me. It felt odd in my hands.

“Wait,” he said, stopping me before I could hit the ball.

He came around behind me and wrapped his arms around my shoulders, reaching for the cue. His muscular chest pressed against my back, and I felt a heat pool in my core. Every place his body touched mine was electrified. I’d never felt anything like it.

“Like this,” he murmured in my ear, adjusting the pool cue. I swallowed hard and tried to focus on hitting the ball straight. He helped me, and the ball struck the others, sending the rest into the different corners of the table. A solid red ball went in one of the holes.

“Alright, you’re hitting solids,” he said, leaning away from me. I missed his warmth immediately.

He beat me easily, but I didn’t mind. I couldn’t decide what I liked more. Watching him play or having him come back over to help me when it was finally my turn. He seemed to take every opportunity he could to get close to me. In fact, I kind of had the feeling he missed a few times just so it would be my turn again.

We played two games before I noticed my phone buzzing. I glanced at it, noting a string of calls and texts from Jack. The first demanded another picture of me and Fiona. The rest were a string of frantic, angry texts asking me where I was.

I sighed and texted him back.

I’m out. Will be home soon.

The three bubbles popped up right away, showing he was already texting me back, but I put my phone in my pocket.

“I think I should probably get home,” I told Matt, frowning. “Jack’s losing it.”

Matt bit his lip. “Does he know you’re here with me?”

I considered lying but figured that might not end well. “He knew I was going to the game, but I didn’t tell him we were going out after.”

He frowned. “He doesn’t know you’re here with me?”

“No, but he’s not my keeper. Not after everything he’s hidden from me.”

“No, he’s not.” Matt glanced around the room, his sharp eyes roving over the crowd. I couldn’t figure out who he was looking for. Jack didn’t know we were here. How could he?

“Come on,” he said, putting his arm around my shoulders. “Let's get out of here.”

“Okay.”

I couldn’t understand his sudden change in mood. Matt didn’t seem worried about Jack when we went to visit my father. Why would he care now? I knew their friendship was shaky at the moment, and I still wanted to find a way to help them repair that somehow. But why would he be on edge? Did he think Jack would attack him or something if he found him here with me?

Matt helped me into my coat, and I zipped it up. He didn’t even bother to put his on before leading me outside and over to his car.

“Everything okay?” I asked when we were finally moving. Matt kept his eyes on the road.

“I just don’t want to make things worse with your brother.” He sighed. “I want to do this right.”

“You think I need his permission to date you?”

He gave a harsh, low laugh. “God, no. Never.”

“Then what? Is it about my family?”

He turned down the radio, his expression thoughtful. “They’re a powerful family, and they hate werewolves.”

“And you’re worried about it?”

“No, I just don’t want to provoke your brother too much.”

“Okay,” I said, not quite believing him, but letting it go. I could tell there was more than that, but I didn’t want to push it. We were having a great night, and I wanted it to end on a good note.

When he pulled up to my house, he parked along the curb instead of pulling into the driveway. “I wish I never had to say goodbye,” he murmured. “I want you to stay with me.”

I looked over at him, taking in his earnest expression. “I want that too.”

He gave me a half smile, then closed the distance between us, kissing me lightly on the lips. I leaned into him, and the console dug into my hip. A low groan escaped him as I bit at his lip. Suddenly, he was kissing me back even harder, his mouth capturing mine. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close until I was nearly sitting in his lap.

“You’re so hot,” he said, his voice low and rough.

Warmth blossomed in my chest at his words. It didn’t matter what Jack said, Matt obviously found me attractive. He wouldn’t act like this if he didn’t.

I gripped the edges of his hair, eliciting another low groan from him.

The slam of a nearby door caused us to jump away from each other. I turned my head to find Jack standing on the front stoop of our house, his arms crossed and a thunderous look on his face. He gestured for me to come inside, and I swallowed hard.

Matt was breathing heavily, a dark expression on his face as he gazed at my brother. “Are you going to be okay?” he asked. “You don’t have to go in there if you don’t want to.”

I gave him a light kiss on the cheek. “I’ll be fine. I’ll text you later.”

“I’ll be waiting.”

I slid out of the car and closed the door softly behind me. I could feel Matt’s eyes on me as I crossed the lawn and approached my brother.

“I thought you were with Fiona,” Jack snarled, his voice dangerously low.

“I was,” I said.

He grabbed my arm, stopping me from walking past him. “Remember what we talked about,” he said. “You made a promise.”

“I remember,” I snapped.

His face reddened. I didn’t normally talk back to him like this.

“You lied to me,” he grumbled. “That’s going to have consequences.”

I tore my arm free. “Well, you’ve been lying to me my whole life. I guess these are yours.”

I stomped away, leaving him stunned on the front porch. I was tired of submitting to his every whim. He said he was just doing it to protect me, but if he never told me the truth, how could I ever trust him?