So, for now, he decided to just keep things cold and professional. Even if all he wanted to do when she came into his office was bend her over his desk and bury himself in her.
He raked his fingers through his hair in frustration. He hadn’t even wanted sex in a very long time. No. He couldn’t risk it again. Staying away was the best thing. For her own safety.
A ringing sound jolted him out of his thoughts. Reaching for his phone, he answered it. “Cooper.”
“Chief, this is Mathers. I need you to check something out in sector Two-A.”
Normally, he would tell whoever it was to fix it on their own because he wasn’t a micromanager, but it would be a good excuse to get out of here—and away from Anna Victoria. “All right. Give me five, and I’ll be there.”
Getting up from his desk, he marched out of his office, already focusing his gaze away from Anna Victoria’s desk. The plan was to avoid eye contact or any contact. At least, it was until he saw Harry Wolford, one of his rangers, leering at Anna Victoria’s bust. The top two buttons of her blouse were open, and whenever she leaned forward to answers questions, her breasts would push together.
“Wolford!” he barked.
Wolford’s body went straight at attention, and he turned around, his eyes widening. “Ch-Chief!”
“If you’d pay attention to anything else but tits and ass, maybe you’d get your patrol done on time!”
“Y-yes, Chief. Sorry about that! I’ll get right on it, sir!” Wolford made an about-face and scampered away.
“You didn’t have to shout at him,” Anna Victoria berated. Her lower lip trembled, and he had to admit, she had balls to talk back to him even though he could clearly smell the nerves rolling off her. “He didn’t do anything. We were just talking.”
The fact that another male even dared talked to her was enough to rile him and The Demon up. “Perhaps next time, you can dress more appropriately, Ms. Hall.”
“Dress appropriately?”
He nodded to her blouse. “Wearing stuff like that won’t score you any brownie points around here.”
Her hands went to her chest, and her face went red as a fire engine. “I—excuse me.” She swallowed hard, got up from the chair, and spun on her heels.
He didn’t miss the way her hands shook or how her blue eyes went shiny with unshed tears, but he couldn’t do anything but watch her walk away. The Demon roared at him, furious that he made their mate cry.
“Goddammit!” he roared back as he marched into his office and slammed the door behind him. “Motherfucker!” He wanted to destroy something. To rip up the walls and furniture with his claws, whatever it took to get out this frustration of being so near the one person he craved, but couldn’t have.
“Damon, what the fuck?”
He had been so consumed with his anger that he didn’t hear the door open. Letting out a snarl, he spun on his heels. Of course, it was Gabriel. “What do you want?”
Gabriel was an easygoing and laid-back person. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen his best friend angry, so it was a surprise to see his face red with fury, the muscles in his neck straining. “What the fuck did you say to her this time? She was near tears when I saw her.”
“Leave it alone, Gab,” he said, full warning in his voice. “You do not want to mess with me right now.”
“Is that so?” He could feel Gabriel’s lion, raring for a fight. “Maybe it’ll help knock some goddamn sense into you.”
“Try me, Russel, just fucking try.”
“Jesus, Damon, are you hearing yourself right now?” Gabriel said. “What the hell is the matter with you? You weren’t this much of an asshole to your other assistants. Why are you so determined to punish that girl when she’s done nothing to you?”
Gabriel was right, he knew that. And his last remarks to her had been personal and uncalled for. But he couldn’t help himself. The Demon’s temper was always difficult to control, but when it came to their mate, it was utterly unmanageable. It hated Damon right now because he hurt her, and he hated Gabriel for the friendship they had formed in the last week. “Are you trying to screw her, is that it?”
“Fuck you, Cooper,” Gabriel shouted. “It’s not about that, and you know it.” Anger rolled off him in waves. “Please do us all a favor around here and spend your weekend pulling your head out of your ass!”
Goddammit, he couldn’t believe he said that to Gabriel. His best friend. “Gabe, I’m so—”
“Save it.” He raised his hands and then spun around and marched out of his office.
Fucking hell, this wasn’t what he wanted. He didn’t want to fight with one of the few friends he had left. But he didn’t have a clue how to fix all this. Maybe this was for the best, and he was meant to be alone all his life to atone for the sins of his past.
After Damon responded to the call from Mathers, he decided not to go back to HQ. Instead, he stayed out, patrolled a couple of sectors that he knew would be empty and came back when he was sure Anna Victoria and most of the people on day shift would have gone home. It was Friday night after all, and for most normal people, that meant a relaxing weekend ahead.
When was the last time he had any time to relax? He couldn’t remember. Though he was technically off on Saturday and Sunday, he still checked in at the station on weekends or caught up with paperwork. Being alone with his animal was never relaxing, and he needed the distraction.
Taking his
