“I’m going to get you out of P.I.E.,” he said, cupping her cheek in his hand.

“It’s not that simple, Hugh.”

“Good. I like a challenge.” He sensed her pulse speeding up, her temperature rising. The sound of her heartbeat rang in his ears like a drum roll.

“It’s not just me…” She spun on her heels and headed toward the hangar. “Come on,” she called over her shoulder. “We better get a move on.”

Catching her by the arm, he turned her around. “What’s not just you? Did you meet with your boss? What did he say?”

The sentient part of him stirred again, begging to be brought to the surface. He didn’t fight it. Tess’s fear was palpable and knowing she was truly afraid for the first time since he’d met her stoked ferocity inside him. His heart twisted. His jaw tightened.

On the occasions he had no choice, he fed off the fear of others, but this time he had no intention of capitalizing on the emotion that made humans—and Veilers—their weakest. This time he used it to remind himself what he had to lose.

She could blink all she wanted. Hugh saw the tears threatening to slide down her face. “Forget I said anything,” she whispered.

“The hell I will.” He pulled her into his arms and held her tight.

Tess relaxed, wrapped her arms around his lower back. They stayed that way until he felt some tension leave her body, and then he slackened his hold.

She spoke with her cheek pressed into his shoulder. “When and if I’m ready to elaborate, I will. So please leave it alone. I don’t owe you any explanations. My business is my business and I need to take care of it. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of my own mess.”

He let her words sink in. He’d never before wanted to assume anyone else’s problems, and the notion that he gave a shit about hers dragged him deeper into complicated emotions that took root in his soul. A Night Runner did whatever it took to protect his mate.

“I know you can take care of yourself,” he said, “but know this. I’ve got your back. And no one is going to lay a hand on you.”

The shove she gave him thrust them apart. One look at her tough as nails expression told him she’d gotten over her moment of weakness. She didn’t like feeling vulnerable—except when they’d kissed. Then he got a visceral response, a true sense of how powerful their attachment was.

“Who says you’ll be around long enough?” There was no real seriousness in her tone.

“Is that a threat?” he teased. She’d thrown a wall up around herself trying to keep the upper hand. He’d be sure to keep chipping away at it.

“No,” she relented, turning on her heels and heading into the hangar.

“How many times do I have to tell you I’m the one in charge?” Tess entered the lobby of the US Grant Hotel, trying not to think too hard about the man holding her hand. Just because they were together didn’t give him the right to make all the decisions. She wasn’t stuck at his house anymore.

“Another thousand?” The little-boy smile he graced her with was anything but innocent.

Truth be told, she didn’t want to be alone in this mess, but she’d never say it out loud.

When she’d shown up at the hangar earlier, she’d had no idea what to say or do. She just knew she had to see Hugh. Her insides churned at remembering the slow smile that had spread across his face when he saw her. The look of relief. And joy. Criminy. When had her desire for companionship—that deeply hidden want she’d pushed away for fear of losing another loved one—decided to come to the surface?

The moment she’d arm-wrestled him, that was when.

And now they were about to close in on Dobson, the man she hadn’t been able to get out of her head for the past five years. She always thought she’d find him on her own, but Hugh had kept reminding her on the flight to San Diego that he needed to keep his end of the bargain.

Why did that hurt and feel so good at the same time?

What she needed and wanted were very different things. She needed to put the past behind her and get revenge for Jason’s death. She needed to spare her friends any pain. She needed to do the job she’d signed up for because it wasn’t her own life at stake.

She wanted a new life.

With Hugh.

“You’re thinking too hard over there.”

“I’m thinking if you don’t let up on the death grip, I’m going to lose circulation. You’re not worried I’m going to ditch you, are you?”

His hold eased a fraction. “That’s the last thing on your mind right now. You’re thinking about Dobson. About getting closure and moving on. You might not want me here, but you know you’ve got a better chance of finding a wolfen with a wolfen.”

“You think you know me pretty well, don’t you?” She shuddered at his accuracy. No one had ever pegged her thoughts like that.

“Yeah.” He cast a quick glance at her as they marched across the hotel’s marble-floored lobby to the reception desk.

“So you’ll follow my lead? Something tells me there’s a connection between Dobson, the Wolf Seekers and you.” She took a deep breath and swallowed the sick feeling coming up her throat. “I know your elimination is bogus and something brought all of this together.” She couldn’t shake the feeling that she’d walked into something bigger than she or Hugh realized.

“You think this is a setup?” He slowed his steps as if wanting to finish their conversation before they checked in.

“I think there’s definitely more going on than we realize.”

“Agreed. And that’s why I won’t follow your lead.”

She yanked her hand free and stopped walking. “This isn’t up to you, Hugh. It’s my deal. You aren’t going to save me here. You can’t make my problems go away by shifting or using your animal instincts. In fact, you should get your ass back on your plane and fly as far away from me as you possibly can.”

He crowded her personal space and whispered, “You relinquished control over me the instant you told me who you were, so don’t even think about pulling that crap on me. I didn’t run then and I’m not running now. I know you haven’t told me everything and that’s fine. I haven’t told you everything either. But I am here to protect you whether you like it or not.”

“You’re not making this easy on me.”

“I’m not trying to make it easy. I’m trying to get through to you.” His hands came up and cupped her cheeks. The familiar touch made her ache for more of him.

If he kept looking at her with those sincere eyes of his, she’d crumble. “And I’m trying to tell you to knock it off.”

An exhausted sigh sounded before he dropped his hands and answered. “Fine. You win.”

They strode to the front desk in silence. A young woman with a perky nose and perfect white teeth smiled from a distance. Her attentive gaze immediately annoyed Tess. The woman practically drooled as her eyes swept over Hugh. What the hell kind of professional welcome was that? She reached for his hand and tightened her fingers around his.

“Checking in?” the woman asked.

Tess wanted to answer, “No shit, Sherlock,” but refrained.

“Yes. Hugh Langston.”

“Welcome to the US Grant, Mr. Langston.” Her high-pitched voice sounded worse than fingernails on chalkboard. “I’ve got a suite all ready for you.”

A suite? Quivers shot down her arms when Hugh picked up her hand again and led the way to the elevator. She hadn’t given any thought to their room arrangements, but now she wished she had. If she let herself tumble into the sheets with him, she’d lose any last thread of resistance. In a very short time he’d been her biggest influence and changed the way she thought.

And she still hadn’t figured out how to avoid eliminating him.

She concentrated on controlling the beat of her heart because she did not want him knowing what spending the night in a suite did to her. And because she’d gotten good at reading his body language and surmised he had no plans to sleep. His chest puffed out and his steps hurried while his grip on her hand intensified.