By the time he made it downstairs, the cops were walking away and he could see the coyote walking down the street. He had been let go. Baker should turn around and go back upstairs. Nothing had happened, so why in the hell was he heading down the street after his stalker?
God, he was fucked in the head. “Wait!”
The coyote glanced over his shoulder and Baker nearly stumbled when he saw the expression in the guy’s espresso eyes. He really was handsome as hell. Why did it seem all the good-looking guys were either straight or crazy?
Against his better judgment, Baker caught up with the shifter. The guy stopped walking, turned, and raked his eyes over Baker. “What, gonna have me arrested for stalking you now?”
The tone was bitter, even if the man’s eyes looked at Baker like he was a snack. Maybe he should have just gone back to his apartment. “You warned me,” Baker replied, not letting the withering look make him back down. “Now I’m warning you. If you want to play this game, then be prepared to have your balls nailed to the wall.”
Was he really encouraging the crazy man? Kenway had said this shifter was his mate. Baker wanted proof. Just because the guy was—damn, he really was gorgeous. His brown eyes seemed intent, penetrating as a smile curved his lips. “Challenge accepted.”
“What’s your name?” Baker asked.
The man moved closer, his heat searing Baker as he leaned in. “You can call me whatever you want, little baker.” The words were tinged with sarcasm, but they were also very playful. Baker had never seen such a mixture of emotions before. It was strange.
“How about your birth name?”
The guy leaned in just a little closer until his warm breath could be felt on Baker’s ear. “That is part of the fun, mate. If you really are interested in playing with me, then you’ll find out, now won’t you?”
Before Baker could open his mouth, the man turned and began to walk away. Baker grabbed the guy’s arm, pulling him back. He quickly released the shifter when he heard a low, throaty growl. “How do I know you aren’t just some deranged man having his kicks with me before I’m diced up into tiny pieces?”
The guy actually looked offended. His eyes narrowed as he took a step closer. “I may be a lot of things, little boy, but a monster isn’t one of them.”
“I’m not a little boy!” Baker was getting pissed. This guy wanted Baker to trust him, but he didn’t know shit about his crazy ass. Baker didn’t know shit about shifters. This was all new to him, and Mr. Stalker McCrazy just wanted him to blindly follow the rules of engagement. “You know what, go stalk the postman. Fuck you. I’m done with this shit. I’m going back to work. If you come into the bakery, I’ll beat you over the head with a rolling pin.” This time it was Baker who stalked away. “Bent fucking bastard,” he grumbled to himself.
Instead of going back home, Baker walked to work. He wasn’t going to run and hide from anyone. He wasn’t going to let anyone upset his life for a little fun. Baker had a job and he was damn well going to do it.
As he walked into Sweet Delight he could see the shocked look on Kenway’s face. “Didn’t I send you home?”
Baker threw his hand up in the air in frustration. “Screw that psychopath. Let him come near me. I’ll cut his balls off.”
“Damn, what’d he do?” Kenway asked, an amused smile on his face.
Baker spun on Kenway. “Are all shifters nuts? I mean, he wants me to blindly trust him, yet he won’t even tell me his name. How do I know he’s really my mate? Because that was what he said? He could be a fucking loony liar for all we know.”
Kenway straightened and came around the counter, stopping in front of Baker. He stopped being intimidated by the buffalo’s size weeks ago. The man towered over him as he laid a hand on Baker’s shoulder. “His name is Reno Davis. I called and found out. He works at the fire station. And yes, he expects you to believe him. Shifters don’t take mating lightly. It isn’t something we joke about, Baker. A mate is for life and is very sacred.”
“He’s still a nutjob,” Baker stated as Kenway’s words played in his mind. For life. God, he couldn’t wrap his head around that time frame. That was the next sixty to seventy years, if he was lucky. Baker couldn’t imagine being with someone that long.
When Kenway snatched his hand away from Baker, he looked at his boss like he lost his mind. “What’s wrong?”
“Not sure how I could forget.”
“Forget what?”
“Reno is going through the mating dance with you. I’m told that anyone who touches you is asking to get his throat ripped out. Coyotes are extremely possessive, especially when they are courting their mates. All shifters act nutty about their mates, but Maverick told me coyotes are ten times worse.”
Baker rolled his eyes. That only confirmed his belief that Reno was a nutjob. “I’ll be in the back if you need me.”
* * * *
Kenway watched Baker walk away and wondered if the human knew just how much trouble he was in. The guy didn’t look like he believed Kenway. The desire to claim Ross when he first discovered his mate had been an all-consuming need.
If Maverick was right about Reno, Baker was going to learn the hard way what denying his mate felt like. He had a feeling Reno was just getting warmed up.
“Everything all right?” Ross asked as he walked from the office, slipping his arms around Kenway.
He pulled his mate into his arms and shrugged.
