A Mate for Titan (The Program Book 7) Page 14

  She leaned forward. “I really think that some of the individuals we interviewed need to be tailed. We can get through a ton of surveillance footage while on stakeouts.”

  Titan’s whole stance relaxed and he sank even further into his chair. “That’s a great idea.” She could see him bite back a yawn. The black smudges under his eyes were more pronounced.

  “I think we should get a few more hours sleep and then we can tackle it. We can tackle it, together.” She pushed back the chair and rose to her feet. “None of this vigilante shit going forward.”

  “Yeah, I’m good with that.”

  She gave a small nod and headed for the door. “Sleep well.”

  “You too,” Titan’s deep voice rasped behind her. “Partner.”

  Hearing him say that caused goosebumps to rise up on her arms. Hearing that one little word had her grinning like an idiot, at least for a moment. “Maybe one day you’ll confide in me on a couple of other things.” She kept her eyes straight ahead.

  “Not gonna happen.” Shit! He sounded sad.

  It took everything in her to keep from turning back and chewing him out all over again. “I can tell you more about Special Director Richard Evans’ pathetic attempts to—”

  “It might make me go after the fucker, so I wouldn’t recommend it.”

  “See.” She turned back, her hand on the door. “You’re a good guy.”

  His eyes turned stormy and a muscle ticked in his jaw. Clearly he didn’t agree.

  “I’m here if you feel like talking about it. For the record, I think it would help you to get it all out.”

  “You would hate me.”

  “I thought we weren’t friends, so why do you care?” She held her breath.

  “We have to work together. It could affect the investigation.” Titan was all business, which was one hundred percent correct. Still, Natasha couldn’t help but feel disappointment. What had she expected him to say? Maybe that he cared what she thought of him. It felt like they were becoming friends. At least it did to her. Turned out that she had been wrong. It stung. It shouldn’t, but it did.

  14

  The next day …

  Titan seemed on edge. He stood up and then sat back down. He was all fidgety.

  “What’s going on with you?”

  “Nothing.” His eyes were straight ahead.

  “You talk such rubbish. Just tell me already.”

  “Drago is coming around.” He didn’t sound happy about it.

  “Why?”

  “He needs to bring me something.” Cryptic. Oh well. It was none of her business.

  She shrugged. “Okay.”

  After about two minutes of silence in which she read and re-read the same magazine page twice, Titan turned to her. “Aren’t you going to ask why? Or ask me what he’s bringing?”

  “None of my business.” She wanted to know so badly. It was killing her. Damned if she was going to tell him though.

  Titan frowned. He didn’t say anything more.

  A couple of minutes later and there was a phone call from reception. Titan answered.

  He looked up at the ceiling while the other person talked. “Yeah, you can let him up.” He put the phone down.

  Natasha turned the page. Even though she still hadn’t taken in a single word of that article. She began reading the next one. Reading without comprehending. Nothing.

  There was a knock at the door and Titan jumped up.

  “Hey, buddy,” Drago said as he walked in, he gripped Titan by the wrist.

  “Thanks for coming.”

  “No sweat.” Drago looked over Titan’s shoulder and grinned when he saw her. “Hey, Natasha. How are you?”

  “She’s good,” Titan answered for her. “I’m good. We’re all great.” Titan gripped Drago by the arm but he shook him off.

  “Take it easy. Are you that desperate?” He rolled his shoulders. “I know you prefer the wrist but the neck might be better.”

  “No … fuck!” Titan glanced her way. “I didn’t want … forget it,” he muttered.

  Oh … flip! That’s what this was about. “Don’t mind me.” She put up her hands. “Go wild.”

  Titan groaned. He rolled his eyes. “Let’s go to my room. Get some privacy.” He gave her a dirty look and then gave Drago an even dirtier one.

  They disappeared into his room. Wrist or the neck. Flip! There was something really wrong with her because all she wanted to do was watch. The door was firmly closed though and Titan would never go for something like that. Although she’d noticed the stash of blood slowly going down, she’d yet to see him drink a drop. What she wouldn’t give to be a fly on the wall. A really nosey, bug-eyed fly. A mildly perverted fly.

  Natasha sighed. She picked up her magazine and tried, in earnest, to read through the thing. Ten minutes later, Titan’s door opened and they both came out.

  “You should have seen him in action,” Drago was saying. “The guy has skills.” Then he clapped Titan on the back. “I miss you, bro. Hurry up and catch these fuckers already.” Natasha hadn’t realized that these two were such good friends.

  Friends. That meant that they were close. Shit! Why hadn’t she thought of it sooner. Dammit! It could just work. Maybe.

  “Um …” She smiled. Think quick! Think quick! “I just ordered a couple of pizzas from that place down the road. You know the one.” They had eaten there before. She glanced at Titan.

  “Yeah, but they don’t deliver,” Titan frowned.

  “Luigi’s make authentic Italian and the best pizzas. I figured since Drago was here, he could hang with me … I know how you worry.” She smiled sweetly at him. “And you can go and fetch the pies.”

  Titan growled. “That’s a bad idea, especially considering that Drago was just leaving.”

  She pretended to be shocked. “You can’t make him leave without feeding him. He just fed you … direct from his vein.”

  Drago chuckled. “I like this female. I don’t mind hanging with her while you go fetch the pizzas.”

  Titan narrowed his eyes. “I’m sure you fucking like Natasha. Her name is Natasha, not female. She does not like being called female.”

  “Natasha,” he said it carefully and pointedly, “is right! I deserve to be fed.” Drago grinned, dropping down on the sofa next to her.

  “We’ll be fine. Drago will be the perfect gentleman. He learned his lesson.” She moved over, putting some space between them.

  “Listen to Natasha. She’s right. We’re friends.” Drago leaned back.

  Titan looked at each of them in turn. “I’ll be back in ten minutes. You had better not try anything.”

  “I’ll shoot him if he does.” Her gun was still in its holster under her arm. She opened her jacket and pointed at it.

  “Wow.” Drago’s eyes bugged right out of his head. “Those are big …” he cleared his throat, “that’s a big gun you have there.”

  She ignored him and fought not to roll her eyes.

  Titan didn’t look convinced. Just when she was sure he was going to change his mind, he sighed and grabbed his keys. “I’ll be back before you know it.” He looked at Drago while he spoke.

  Then he was gone and Drago was sliding over to her side of the sofa.

  “I meant it when I said I would shoot you if you tried anything.”

  Drago looked shocked. “But I thought you were trying to get rid of him so that …”

  “Stop. No!” She shook her head. “Forget that.”

  His eyes still had that glazed over look.

  “Stop right now. You and I will never happen.”

  “Why did you orchestrate it so that we could be alone then?” He frowned.

  “I wanted to find out … Oh shit! I never ordered those pizzas.”

  She grabbed her phone and looked up Luigi’s, then she placed a rush order for three of their specials.

  “I’m all ears,” Drago said, as soon as she ended the call. “This has got to be good.”

  “Oka
y, we don’t have much time. What happened to Titan? He said he raped a woman but I don’t believe him.”

  Drago straightened up. He went from grinning to completely serious in an instant. “Why would he say that?” he sighed. “What is it to you?”

  Natasha swallowed hard. “He’s hurting. It’s easy to see that he carries this weight around. He’s a good guy. The Titan I’ve come to know wouldn’t hurt someone in that way. I just can’t fathom …”

  “Oh shit!” Drago smiled. “You like him. You fucking like him.”

  “No!” she was quick to respond. “I mean yes, as a friend and colleague. Not anything more though.”

  Drago looked at her like he didn’t believe her. Then he smiled some more. “You fucking like the shit out of him!”

  She grabbed his forearm for a second. “No, listen. I want to help him. I’m not sure how though.”

  “Okay. I like you, female. I hope you succeed in helping him. God knows I’ve tried.” He paused. “I will tell you because I think you might just be good for him. He needs a break.” Drago continued, “Titan walked in on a greatly aroused female. I’m not going to get into the details because we don’t have much time. She had recently rutted. Scented of non-humans. The female was a human. Titan caught her scent. Picked up on her need and pretty much threw her over his shoulder – not literally but you get my meaning. The problem was that she was aroused by another male and not him.”

  “What? He grabbed her and just carted her away. Why would he do that?”

  Drago shrugged. “We have since learned more about human females. You must understand that at that stage we had little to no contact with humans. No contact in a personal capacity. Vampires are base when it comes to sex. If two people scent need and arousal on one another, they act.”

  “You’ll smell that someone is horny and go and …?”

  “Yeah, we’ll rut. We see sex as a function, like eating or breathing. Get horny … fuck. Get hungry … eat. No difference.”

  “Okay. No questions asked. No discussions though?” She tried not to sound so shocked.

  “That’s just it. No. Titan could scent her need. He reacted. The fact that she said no several times didn’t register. He literally didn’t hear her.”

  “Oh, my god!” She was frowning hard. Her heart was pounding.

  “Don’t judge him too harshly. He has agonized over this ever since.”

  “So, he actually raped her.” She could hear the shock in her own voice. “I can’t believe it. I was so sure …”

  “No!” Drago gripped her arm. “He was pulled off of her by a male that is now her mate. It’s a long story. Titan was beaten unconscious. He swears he realized that the female was afraid and was about to apologize to her when he was pulled off. I believe him. My kings believe him. Anyone who knows that male believes him. Titan would never hurt a female. He was quite cocky and arrogant back then. All the females liked him. He had his pick of rut partners.”

  “Did he …?” She was almost too afraid to ask. “Did he rape her though?”

  “No! The female was still fully clothed. There was a small rip in her shirt. He apologized and explained everything to her. As did the kings. She forgave him but he has yet to forgive himself.”

  “It was a misunderstanding then? A case of two different cultures getting their wires crossed?”

  Drago nodded. “That’s exactly it. He was punished, but the punishment he forces on himself is ongoing. He hates himself for what happened. He doesn’t socialize much. The female vampires won’t let him near them because they are angry about what went down. They remembered him as being a really horny male. They’re ultimately full of shit. It doesn’t matter though because he isn’t interested anyway. I suspect if he approached one that she would be quick to let him into her bed but he never does.” Drago lifted his eyes. “I hear something,” he whispered. “I hope you can help him see things as they actually happened and not how he remembers them. Titan is a good male. He deserves to actually live his life. To have fun.”

  Drago moved back to the other side of the sofa and put a finger over his lips to silence her. “What kinds of things should I say to a human female if I think she is attractive?”

  “Be honest. If you like her hair then tell her,” she quickly blurted, trying to sound normal.

  The door opened and Titan walked in carrying a couple of boxes. He looked pissed. For a second she was sure he knew what was going on.

  “What if I think she has stunning breasts? Can I just be honest and tell her?”

  Natasha gaped.

  Drago laughed. “What? Why is that a bad thing?”

  “You can’t say something like that to a human,” Titan growled. “They’re too timid.” He put the pizzas on the table in front of them.

  “You could tell her she has a sexy body,” Natasha said.

  Drago looked like he was thinking it over. Natasha could hear Titan fetching plates. “I think I would be honest and direct. I would tell her she had really great breasts.”

  Titan rolled his eyes. Natasha laughed. She thought about all the times guys had made lewd comments or stupid analogies. “I think you might just get away with it, Drago.”

  Titan scowled.

  “I like you female,” Drago said.

  “Natasha,” Titan warned.

  Drago winked at her.

  15

  One day later …

  It felt so good to be able to walk around in her pajamas and not feel icky. Most guys would have undressed her with their eyes. Or made stupid comments. Not Titan. Despite the fact that she knew he was attracted to her, the guy didn’t look. In fact, she would go so far as to say that he purposefully looked away whenever their paths collided. As much as she liked it, it annoyed her as well. So much so that she found herself almost driving him into looking, which was really wrong of her. Oh so very wrong.

  There was a perfectly good robe folded neatly on her bed, but she didn’t use the thing. Oh no! She wore her sleeping shorts. The pink pair with the mint green polka dots and mint green little bow at the front. It came with a strappy pink top with mint green trim and a tiny green bow at cleavage level.

  The shorts covered her ass just fine but left her legs bare. The top had a built-in bra … okay, not really … it had a double panel at the boob area, which did little to keep the twins under control. There was cleavage everywhere and well, she had decent nipples on her ample boobs so those were kind of in your face as well. She really shouldn’t be doing this but she couldn’t help herself. It was like she was compelled to get a reaction out of him. Anything would do.

  Natasha wasn’t really sure why though. It wasn’t with the intention of starting something with him. A relationship, even a sexual one was not going to happen. They worked together and Titan was a self-imposed celibate. The guy could have anyone he wanted and without even trying. She’d seen the way women, of all ages, looked at him. Drago had said he could get a vampire woman if he really tried. Natasha was sure that they may have initially been upset with him over the assault incident but that they were more upset nowadays because they couldn’t have him.

  So, the celibacy thing was definitely self-imposed. What she was looking for, was a reaction, anything. She needed to pull him out of whatever funk he was in. Titan needed to talk about his past. The walls, the celibacy, all of it was related. He needed to get it out in the open. If prancing around half-naked got a reaction out of him and that sparked an argument which in turn got him talking, even in anger, she would be happy. He needed help. He was a good guy. He deserved … more. It wasn’t because she had feelings for him. Not at all! Was she attracted to him? Hell yeah! Did she want him? No way!

  Titan walked into the kitchen already fully dressed. Suit pants, white shirt and a royal blue tie that didn’t look right. He walked into the kitchen, caught sight of her and turned on his heel … Running away. So typical!

  Natasha rolled her eyes. “I made you coffee.”

  He stopped in his tr
acks.

  “Here. Don’t run away. Let me pour you a cup.” She tried not to smile. He was so cute when he ran.

  “No that’s …” Still facing the other way.

  “No trouble.” She already had a mug out. Natasha poured before he could stop her. “Just the way you like it.”

  Titan turned. His jaw was set, his whole stance tense. His eyes went from her face to the mug which he took from her. Then he looked somewhere over her shoulder. So darned cute when he avoided looking at her. His cheeks were a tad flushed and his jaw was set. So, not as unaffected as he pretended to be.

  “Did you sleep well?”

  Titan nodded. “Yes.” He took a sip. Oh boy, if he clutched that mug any harder the porcelain would crack.

  “I’ll chat to someone at reception today about getting another room.” Not that she wanted to leave. She enjoyed … well … this. If that made her twisted then so be it. Natasha held back a sigh. Her life really was the epitome of boring and dull. Her only consolation was that Titan seemed just as bad, maybe even more so. They were a sorry pair.

  His eyes locked back with hers. “Has there been any feedback on how those assholes gained access to your room?”

  She shook her head. “No. Although they have cameras up in the lobby, it seems they’re for show and don’t actually record anything.”

  “What’s the point?” He took another sip.

  She shrugged. “It’s a deterrent.”

  “Any feedback on the prints off the door?”

  She shook her head. “So far, nothing unusual has come up. The CCTV footage from across the road shows the perps parking and entering through the front doors. They looked like they belonged.” Unlike the earlier spray-painting incident which had shown one person entering around three in the morning. They wore loose-fitting clothing and a hoody that covered their face. The person had a slight stature and could have been male or female.

  “Hold off on getting another apartment.”

  Natasha frowned. “But …”

  “It isn’t safe.” He looked back into her eyes. “Just humor me, okay? I’m sure you want your own space. I know you can take care of yourself but no need to risk it.”