21

Ranger

“What is Ivan doing here?” Fallon slammed the door to the penthouse suite.

“Hello to you too,” Ivan said. He looked at me for permission to leave and I waved him away. If I had the chance to avoid this conversation, I’d take it too.

“I want answers.” Fallon crossed her arms over her chest. “And you owe them to me. Starting with, why did I have to keep Aspen occupied for the last hour?”

“There was something I needed to take care of,” I said as Ivan hurried out of the room, away from the coming fight. Smart wolf.

My sister looked to the door as it closed after him. “Something that required keeping Aspen busy?”

I arched an eyebrow, waiting for her to come to her own conclusion.

She smacked her hands over her face. “Oh Goddess, what did you and Ivan do?”

“Security,” I explained.

“Ranger, listen to me,” Fallon pleaded. “Aspen is not the kind of female who is going to appreciate a male going all stalker on her.”

The words gave me pause, but I shrugged them off. “I don’t need her to appreciate anything. It’s non-negotiable. This place is dangerous and someone needs to watch out for her.”

“She has an Alpha.”

My upper lip curled as I snarled. “That pimple-faced prick is a child and isn’t a true Alpha yet.”

“News flash, no one here is an actual Alpha,” Fallon screamed. I hated when she got all worked up like this.

“There is me and the one, John O–”

“Fine,” Fallon cut me off. “There are two Alphas here. But Aspen is a big girl and has her own pack. She doesn’t need you doing your hyper fixation thing.”

“Hyper fixation?” I stared her down.

My sister sighed, making her way to the couch. “It’s okay, you know? But you do this sometimes when you get involved in a new project.”

She isn’t a project. My beast started growling.

Fallon sat up straight as her eyes widened. “Oh. You like her, like her.”

“It’s none of your business if I do.”

“I disagree.” She shook her head. “We were here for one reason. And now you have an ulterior motive which complicates things.”

“It’s not a complication.” In truth, I wasn’t sure what it was. I’d be the first to admit that the Aspen situation was messing with my head. But I felt rational. Sure of myself.

“Do you know what you’re doing?”

“Of course I do,” I snapped, scenting the bitter lie in the air.

Fallon smelled it too. “We’re screwed.”

I sat on the edge of the couch and dragged my hand over my face. “I don’t know what it is. This is the last place I’d expect to meet a woman I desired.”

“It’s getting close to mating season. Is your beast feeling the effects of the rut?”

Despite the disgust I felt talking about these things with my sister, she was the only family I had to speak with about… anything.

“The rut doesn’t affect me like it does most males,” I explained.

“That’s only because you have more self-control,” she said. “But maybe it’s time and your beast wants to settle down.”

I do. “He doesn’t know what he wants.”

“What do you want to do?” she asked.

The million-dollar question hung in the air, begging for an answer. “I want Aspen to leave the show and for me to finish what I came here for, then I’ll go find her later.”

My wolf cocked his ears, agreeing to my plan.

“So this is serious.” Fallon nodded.

“Since when am I not serious?” Everything I did was calculated and thought through. Which is why I felt like I was drowning in uncertainty now.

Fallon blew out a heavy breath, letting her lips vibrate with the exhale. “She’s way out of your league.”

“Is she?” I smirked. The thought of learning more about her teased my beast.

“So far above you and me it’s not funny.” Fallon laid back against the couch. “At the hospital today, she gave the director a wad of cash. I think it was from her own bank account. Then she shifted so all the kids could pet her. It wasn’t for the cameras either. She even got my wolf to come out and play.”

I frowned, feeling a little tug in my chest. “I need her bank information and I’ll refund the withdraw.”

“See that’s what I mean.” Fallon glared at me. “The possessive stalker thing doesn’t work for most women. She’s got too much pride to accept your protection.”

“That’s stupidity, not pride. Why wouldn’t she accept my protection if I can keep her safe and make sure she is taken care of?”

I didn’t see what the problem was here.

“Oh Ranger.” Fallon groaned, rubbing her forehead. “You’re going to mess this up.”