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“Is there a problem here?” Hollis appeared out of his office halfway up the corridor.

“No,” Kodi snapped, his eyes daring Lennon to say differently.

“I’m just leaving. See you on Tuesday, Hollis.” He nodded at Hollis, hoping his smile reassured his friend, then headed to the stairs rather than the elevator in case Kodi got in with him. Lennon was feeling way too feisty for that.

“Tuesday,” Kodi said, looking confused.

“Kodi, a word,” Lennon heard while he took the steps two at a time. He reached the car lot and didn’t breathe easier until he was inside his car and driving off. If he felt some disappointment that Kodi had given up, then he pretended not to notice. It was just the effects of his heat starting, that was all.

He was halfway home when he caught headlights in his rearview mirror. A car tailgating him. He couldn’t quite see who was in the car, but he suspected straight off who it was.

The man was playing with fire!

His animal was back to being giddy.

Lennon slowed down to see if he could get the car to back off. It didn’t and confirmed it was Kodi. His animal was thinking about all the ways to prove to Kodi they were the perfect mate for them.

We are not mating with Kodi. He isn’t after that. He just wants my paddle skills.

He wants it all.

Honestly, I mean it, I won’t allow you to shift.

During his heat, to get through it, Lennon locked all the windows and doors, sealing them in the apartment to shift and allow his animal the freedom to go through the mating rituals—alone. It was how they had learned to get through them together. Lennon had tried an omega heat club once, after splitting from his last boyfriend, which was when he’d gotten the job he had. His boyfriend, Eddie, had found the extra hours he worked too much and didn’t understand that Lennon wanted to prove himself in the new job, so they’d parted ways. The club had been his only option at the time, and he’d found the whole thing icky and hadn’t tried again.

The job at Starling Enterprises did take a lot of his time, Eddie had been right, and that hadn’t improved with the new structure of management. As a result, Lennon had kind of given up thoughts of dating for now. Most of his free time was spent with family or his friends, anyway. Did that make him a sad case? He should check out the app Isley was talking about.

You’ll do no such thing.

He pulled into his parking space and noted the car behind him blocked his car in, like he’d try to run away. He snickered because it was ridiculous behavior when he could shift and fly away easily. The wolf wouldn’t stand a chance of catching him.

Bag in hand, he exited the car, ignoring the looming figure wordlessly stalking him

He took the stairs to his apartment; confined spaces weren’t going to help. His heart raced as he reached his front door, and it wasn’t from the exertion of the stairs.

Inside the door of his apartment, Kodi placed his shoe in the gap and crossed his arms over his heaving chest, the arms of the suit jacket tightening revealing impressive biceps beneath. He wore a mutinous expression that spoke volumes. Kodi was angry and determined, a combination his bat was finding very attractive.

The glands they had on their chest where they secreted their scent were working overtime right then. Kodi would need to have no sense of smell to miss it.

Stop it.

No.

“Go away, Kodi. You do not want to be near me right now,” he threatened with his animal physically forcing the heat upon them.

“I’m not leaving until we’ve talked,” Kodi stated with a conviction that wound up Lennon’s bat.

I’m serious, behave!

“You have five minutes.” He stepped aside and didn’t wait for Kodi to come in, trusting he’d shut the door behind him. Lennon placed his bag down and shrugged off his jacket, sweat trickling down the centre of his back, making his shirt uncomfortable against his heated skin. He heeled off his shoes and padded through to the kitchen to get a glass of iced water before he said what his animal wanted and say, to hell with talking.

Chapter Fourteen

Kodi

The scent coming from Lennon was sending his wolf into hunt mode. It growled in his head and yipped when Lennon disappeared through an open door.

Go after him and say sorry so we can make him ours.