Panther’s Partner

Excerpt

Brock smiled. “After getting her belly full, she was so worn out from being sick that she fell asleep in the bathtub. Thomas is staying with her. I wanted to come down and talk to you. Needed a run?”

“Yes.” Dane continued up the steps and into his house, knowing that Brock would follow, and made his way to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water from the refrigerator.

After guzzling the bottle, he tossed it into the recycling bin and reached for another, offering it to Brock. “What did you want to talk to me about?”

Brock accepted the bottle and cracked it open while Dane reached into the refrigerator for another, still without turning on any lights. “Callie’s afraid that she upset you by telling you about Alana going on another job.”

Dane snorted and opened his own bottle. “Her entire career upsets me. I can’t have her putting herself in danger that way. Why doesn’t she tell Callie where she’s going?”

Brock shrugged. “Sometimes Alana doesn’t know where she’s going to end up when she’s tracking someone down, but mostly because Callie worried when she knew Alana was going somewhere dangerous, which she usually is.”

After sipping from his bottle, Dane turned. “And she’s dealing with dangerous people.”

Brock took a sip of his water and leaned on the island. “And that worries Callie, as well as Thomas and me. Have you tried to call her?”

“Yes. When I told her that I don’t want her doing any more bounty hunting, she suggested that I bite her, which I plan to do at the first opportunity, and then the brat hung up on me.”

Brock threw his head back and laughed, cutting his laughter off with a cough. “I’m sorry, but I can imagine her doing just that. She’s a little spitfire. You’re going to have your hands full with that one.”

Dane clenched his jaw. “No woman has ever hung up on me, and none have ever told me to bite them. They’re usually docile and very accommodating.”

Brock grinned. “That’s because the animal inside us makes us good in bed. Our senses are sharper, and until we meet our mate, our stamina in bed is better. Mates tend to rip at our control.”

Dane frowned. “What? I’ve never heard anything like that before. I enter the information into the files, and I’ve never seen anything about that.”

Brock shrugged. “It came about during a couple of beers and a conversation between those of us who have mates. We realized that we had a hell of a lot more stamina with the women we’d been with in the past. Once we found our mates, the hunger is so intense that holding back is impossible. It’s raw and a little out of control.”

“I’m never out of control.”

“You will be. A mate affects us a hell of a lot differently than other women. You’ve already experienced that for yourself.”

Remembering the way he’d felt when he met Alana, Dane inclined his head. “Yes, but I’m prepared for it now. I can’t protect her if I allow myself to get distracted.”

Dane thought about how attuned he’d been to Alana during those few brief minutes. “She’s mine. My mate. She can’t continue bounty hunting.”

Brock finished his water and crumpled the bottle before tossing it into the bin for recycling. “I don’t blame you. It’s a fucking dangerous job. Callie’s hoping that you can keep Alana safe.”

Dane allowed a small smile, his worry for Alana distracting. “Tell her I will. Your mate’s pregnant and doesn’t need to be worrying about anything.”

“I will.” Brock sighed. “I’m going to get back to Callie. Let me know if you need anything.”

“I need a key to Callie’s house.”

“You’ve got it.”

Dane sipped his water and watched Brock go before turning his attention to his phone.

He’d never settle until he was with her again, but at least he had to make sure that she was all right.

He speed-dialed her number, cursing when the call went straight to voice mail.

Fighting the urge to throw his phone against the wall, he calmly disconnected and dialed again, only to get the same result.

He disconnected again and wrapped his hand around the phone, fighting the urge to crush it.

Fighting not to shift.

Drenched in sweat from his run, he carried the phone with him toward the bathroom, glancing at his bed on the way. He imagined Alana lying naked in it, her blonde hair mussed from his hands and splayed over his pillow.

His palms itched to feel her soft skin, to explore every inch of her body until he knew it as intimately as he knew his own.

Turning away from the bed with another curse, he went into the bathroom and set his phone on the counter, not wanting to miss the call if she called him back.

After showering, he swiped the towel over himself and set it on the counter before picking up his phone and calling her again.

His gut twisted more with each ring, the mental image of her lying somewhere in a pool of blood making him physically ill.

“What?”

Stunned, not only that she’d answered but her angry tone, Dane frowned. “Alana?”

“What? Who is this?”

“Bitch! You broke my fucking nose!”

Dane blinked at the angry male voice. “Who the hell is that?”

“Shut the hell up and don’t get blood all over my car!”

Dane clenched his jaw but fought to keep his tone calm. “Alana, it’s Dane. Are you all right?”

“Of course I’m all right! I’m a little busy right now, Dane, and not in the mood for your bossiness. Don’t call me again.”
Dane stared at the phone in disbelief.

She’d hung up on him again!