Chapter 188
Liv readied herself for the date as she stepped out of the elevator and bumped into a man.
“I’m sorry,” she said as she was grabbed by a pair of hands before she fell on her ass.
She glanced up, and up, to his heart-stopping face. What the fuck?
“Liv?” Gerri said with surprise. “You live here?”
Liv had a hard time detaching her tongue from the roof of her mouth. The man she’d bumped into was walking with Gerri. He was big. Really fucking big. With all kinds of delightful muscles shifting when he let go of her.
“Ah, yeah. I live here,” she said to Gerri, her gaze stuck on the man.
His hazel eyes studied her with open appreciation. Her cheeks warmed and her breaths came faster the longer he looked at her.
“Going out?” Gerri inquired with a curious smile.
“Across the street for another…” She bit her lip and watched the big guy’s arms flex. Oh, my. “Another, uh, gathering.”
She sighed, not wanting to say she was going on a date. She didn’t want to say those words when such a mesmerizing male specimen stood in front of her. So close she could touch him.
“Come on, Karel.” Gerri tugged on the big guy’s shirt. “Have fun, Liv.”
She nodded.
Karel, the big guy, continued staring at her for a moment before stepping into the open elevator, then watching her the entire time the doors closed.
Her cell phone buzzed. It was her date. He was at the bar and waiting. Let the good times roll.
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Liv glared at her date, Gerard, for the millionth time. He’d gotten it in his head that she was playing games.
“When I said I’m not into being tied up and hit with a paddle, I meant that,” she snapped.
Instead of realizing her tone and look meant business, the idiot grinned and winked.
“Sure you’re not.”
She almost slapped a hand to her forehead. There really were people this stupid in the world. She picked up her drink and glanced around the bar. Since it was right across from her building, she felt comfortable having a few and crossing the street to go home. No need for anyone to drive her anywhere.
She sipped the last of her drink and noticed heads turning toward a corner. Two women sat in front of her table, so she couldn’t make out what was going on. Music played and people talked through the noise.
She hadn’t bothered to come to this bar in years since Monica got married and had her kids. It wasn’t the same without someone to have fun with. Most of the time she stayed home. When she did go out, it was usually with her neighbor Cassie, who was traveling on business that week.
A couple waitresses stopped close to her chair.
“Did you see him?” Her question was directed at the other server about to take a tray from her.
“Not yet. I’ll check him out now.”
“He’s fucking gorgeous. Big and muscular. I think he’s some kind of movie actor or something. The eyes on him are beautiful. They glow this gorgeous gold that made me stand there like an idiot for a while.”
That description sounded way too much like Karel. She scoped the bar, searching to see if he was there. Her attention rushed to the corner that had been blocked before. Sure enough, there he sat, a drink in one hand and his gaze firmly set on her.
“Do you want to go somewhere less crowded?” Gerard asked, intent clear in his eyes.
Not tonight, buddy.
“No. I’m good here,” she lied.
She’d been dying to go home before, but now that she saw Karel, her attention had been drawn to his table.
“I need to go to the ladies room. I’ll be right back.”
Karel watched her go. The one who belonged to him. Gerri had said human women didn’t appreciate being spoken about that way, but he couldn’t help it.
She. Was. His.
Not a single doubt existed in his mind that Liv was the one. He traveled from Aurora on an urgent mission, and the first woman he met was his mate.
Mine.
She glanced at him, her gaze curious and puzzled. She entered a ladies restroom, her wide hips swinging in a primal calling that made his beast growl.
The man she’d been sitting with ordered more drinks. Karel clenched his jaw. He hated that she was sitting with someone else, giving her company to another when he was low on time and wanted to meet her. She should be with him, letting him get to know her, giving him her time.
“Can I get you anything, handsome?” a waitress asked, pulling his attention from the man to her.
She leaned forward, the neckline of her shirt pressing tightly against her tits, pushing them up to display more.
“If you’re feeling lonely,” she said softly, placing a hand over his on the table, “I get off at eleven.”
The scent of desperation and lust clung to the waitress. He’d done enough language and custom analysis of Earth people to know how they worked, especially in North America. From what he deduced of the waitress, she wanted sex, and he wasn’t interested.
“I’m fine, thanks,” he grumbled.
Besides, if he wanted female company, the only one he wanted in his bed was Liv.
The waitress pouted and shifted from foot to foot. Her heels had to hurt. He didn’t understand how women wore anything that looked like a torture device.
With her movement, he got a glance of the man with his Liv.
From his seat, the man appeared to drop something into Liv’s drink. He glanced around as if to make sure nobody caught him. That told Karel whatever he put in her glass wasn’t good.
It was a few minutes before his beautiful woman came out of the ladies room, her fingers pushing long, shiny strands of hair over her shoulder.
Her lush figure became a beacon to his eyes. Karel couldn’t look away from her. Her hips swayed with every step. Her short dress flattered her waist and ass. The cold glass in his hand slickened from the heat of his palm.
She stood by the man. He grasped her hand.
A slow, angry growl started at the center of Karel’s chest, working its way to his mouth.
Liv tugged her hand from the man’s grasp, sighing and taking a seat. He pushed the drink toward her.
A new waitress stopped in front of Karel, blocking his view of what was happening with Liv and the man.
“This is on the house,” the young woman said with a wink, her voice throaty and soft. “I hope you like them.”
She placed a basket of meat in front of him. She’d called it chicken wings. He’d yet to eat, so he was hungry, but at the moment, all he wanted was for her to move out of his fucking way to see Liv and the man.
“Thank you,” he rumbled.
She stood for a moment, not saying anything but staring at him.
“If you need anything,” she whispered. “Anything at all…”
He nodded.
“I’m fine.”
She took her time moving to the next table, her gaze lingering on him.
Karel’s vision landed on Liv’s table. It was empty.
Alarm spread through his system like a shot of tequila. He stood, tossing paper bills he’d gotten from Gerri onto the table.
A hazy red hue covered his vision. His anger came out of nowhere, clawing at his chest and pushing the animal inside forward.
Where did they go?
Marching through the crowded bar, he tried to sidestep patrons laughing and having a good time. He wasn’t a fan of loud noises and powerful perfumes, but he wanted more time looking at his mate. His Liv.
When he got outside, he saw her jerking out of the guy’s grasp in the quiet street, not another soul in sight.
“Let me go this instant, Gerard!” she snapped, her body tense and eyes spitting fire. “I swear to God, I will make you sorry if you don’t.”
“What will you do?” the guy she called Gerard asked. “All I want is a goodnight kiss.”
“And I said no.”
She yanked out of his hold, stumbling backward, her heel catching in a crack in the parking lot. She fell against the car at her back.
Gerard laughed, looming over her. He was much bigger than Liv, making it easier for him to intimidate her.
“Looks like I’m getting my kiss after all.”
He approached her fast, caging her with his body.
“I don’t want to hurt you,” she growled, her hands pushing at the big man.
She tried kneeing him in the groin, but Gerard defended quickly, stopping her move.
“Nuh uh,” he warned. “That’s not a nice way to end the night.”
“You fucking idiot,” she hissed, but the sound of fear in her voice tore through Karel’s ability to approach peacefully.
She glanced to her left, and her gaze met Karel’s. Terror and anger flashed through her eyes.
The jaguar demanded to be let loose, to protect what was his. Liv.
The shift transpired quickly, his jaguar taking control of his body and Karel letting him.
Her eyes widened. He’d bet she’d never seen a shifter change. Bones reshaped and fur sprouted over flesh. He landed on all fours and gave a loud roar.
Time to play.