Winnie was trying to sound sarcastic, but a longing filled his chest. A longing to have some purpose in life, to belong to someone, to be cherished the way he’d seen other people cherish those they loved.

  He had his cousin, but god, Winnie wanted so much more.

  “How many times do I have to tell you that I’m just trying to protect you?” Wallace clenched his jaw as he stared out the window. “I don’t want you to be a prisoner, but until I figure out who the traitor is, I can’t let you roam around.”

  Winnie turned and looked wide-eyed at Wallace. “How could I have forgotten? When I was trying to escape, I used your secret passageway that led to the wine cellars.”

  Wallace cocked his head as his eyes darkened. “What did you hear or see?”

  Winnie wasn’t sure if he should reveal that he’d heard Wallace working Viper over, but he squared his shoulders. “You trying to find out who had hired Viper.”

  Wallace looked away.

  “I was hidden behind a stack of crates. When you left, someone came into the room.”

  Wallace spun, baring his sharp canines. “Who?”

  Winnie shook his head. “The shadows kept his face covered. He said he didn’t want Viper revealing who had hired him, that Viper was supposed to have left town as soon as he tried to stab you.” He rubbed his arms. “The stranger choked Viper until he killed him.” Winnie chucked a thumb over his shoulder toward the door. “It might’ve been Fernando or Gorilla, or even the corpse butler. I’m not sure since I couldn’t make out the person’s voice.”

  Wallace’s brows dipped. “Gorilla?” A smile curled the side of his mouth. “Yes, Gibson is ancient. He should’ve retired long ago, but he’s been working for me for the past three decades, and I trust him with my life.”

  “I think you called Gorilla Chapman.” Had the butler been Wallace’s nanny? Wallace didn’t look a day over thirty.

  Wallace gave a slow nod. “Now that you mentioned it, Chapman does have the body of a silverback gorilla, and the jawline, too.” He chuckled, and Winnie was taken aback by the beautiful sound. The smile made Wallace’s face light up and made him seem friendlier and more approachable.

  Winnie shouldn’t be lured in by that false sense of security, but he couldn’t help but be fascinated by this dangerous, beautiful creature.

  “It’s what I thought of the first time I saw Chapman,” Winnie confessed. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be of more help, but I have no clue who that guy in the cellar was.”

  “You’ve helped more than you know,” Wallace said.

  Winnie hadn’t heard Wallace’s brother speak, so he couldn’t be sure if he was the culprit. All he’d seen were teeth and death, and then another tiger had stood over him before Winnie had passed out.

  “Let me help you figure out who is behind all this.” That would give Winnie something to do besides pace his bedroom. He needed a task to concentrate on, something he could sink his teeth into.

  Wallace shook his head. “It’s too dangerous. I can’t risk your safety.”

  “My safety is already at risk,” Winnie argued. “You have no idea who the traitor is, and I’m pretty sure the culprit has eyes on you. I could use the secret passage to move around, and—”

  “No,” Wallace snarled. “I’ll not use my mate to spy.”

  “Then I’ll do it behind your back,” Winnie threatened. “You’re not keeping me trapped in here.”

  Wallace growled as he towered over Winnie. His features were dark, his eye blazing with anger. “Step one foot out of this room and—”

  “And what?” Winnie refused to be intimidated. He’d grown up with an abusive alcoholic father who’d wielded a thick leather belt. Winnie had hardened himself a long time ago against men like that, and Wallace’s empty threat didn’t faze him.

  Maybe a little. Okay, a lot. The guy was ten times scarier than Winnie’s father considering Wallace could change into a tiger. He also had an air of lethalness to him that Winnie’s father had lacked.

  Wallace took a step back. “You’re terrified of me.”

  “Look at how you’re acting,” Winnie said. “Like a savage. Stop trying to intimidate me. If I’m willing to get sucked into this insanity, the least you can do is be on my side.”

  “I am on your side,” Wallace snarled. “You wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t.”

  “You have a really twisted sense of logic,” Winnie huffed. “I’m scaring you because I’m protecting you. Who thinks like that? I’m trying to make us a team, but you’re too pigheaded to see the brilliance behind my plan.” Winnie took a chance and grabbed Wallace’s hand. It was large and warm, and he wished that hand was on other places on his body. “Stop looking at me like some helpless…human. I can be an asset. Let me prove it to you.”

  If there was one secret passage, there had to be more in this ginormous house. That was what Winnie was hoping. He could use them to sneak around and figure out who was plotting against Wallace.

  The thought of sneaking around and spying on others actually thrilled him. God, he really did need to get a life, but his current life seemed to be shaping into something more interesting, and Winnie wanted to see where that led.

  “Come on.” Winnie tugged at Wallace’s hand. “You know you wanna let me.”

  Winnie felt like he’d struck a win. Wallace hadn’t said yes, but at least he was mulling the idea over.

  “Can we at least sneak down to the kitchen?” He rubbed his flat belly. “I’m starving.”

  “I can have—”

  “No, I don’t want anyone to bring me something to eat. I wanna sneak down there with you.” Winnie winked. “Call it our first adventure together.”

  Before he knew what was happening, Wallace swept Winnie into his arms and placed a blazing kiss on his lips. Taken by surprise, Winnie was stiff, and then he melted against Wallace, groaning into the man’s mouth as he slid his arms around Wallace’s neck.

  Wallace cradled Winnie’s head in his hand as Winnie arched his back, trying to get closer. Wallace’s beard scraped along Winnie’s sensitive jaw, and Winnie loved the abrasion.

  When Wallace finally pulled back, Winnie felt lightheaded. He smiled as he licked his lips. “That was dessert. Can we go get the main course?”

  He brushed his thumb over Wallace’s moist lips. The guy looked just as dazed as Winnie felt. He took Winnie’s hand and led him to a corner of the room, pressed the wall, and a door sprung open.

  Winnie gasped. “This is so fucking cool!”

  Wallace looked back at him, his eyes filled with liquid desire. “I ever catch you using this when I’m not around—”

  “Yeah, yeah,” Winnie said with a smile. “You’ll put me over your knee and spank me.”

  Wallace furrowed his brows. “Why do I have a feeling you’d enjoy that?”

  Winnie shoved at Wallace to get moving, embarrassed that he was thinking along the same lines.

  * * * *

  One goddamn kiss and Wallace was taking his mate down to the kitchen. One fucking kiss. He wanted to smack himself for allowing his dick to lead the way. But…god, that kiss, it had been spectacular, just as he’d imagined, yet even better.

  He still had a hold on Winnie’s hand as they descended the steps. Wallace could navigate the passageways with his eyes closed. He’d grown up here, had explored every hidden secret this house held. He’d even once, when he was a juvenile, gotten lost in the walls.

  Instead of being frightened, Wallace turned it into a puzzle that needed to be solved, determined not to call out for help.

  Wallace had learned the inner workings of his family by using the passageways. He’d never even told Lucky about them. They had been Wallace’s secret, his adventure in his youth.

  Now, many decades later, Wallace was once again using them to navigate around his home—a home he’d inherited from his grandparents.

  That had been another bone of contention with Lucky, that Wallace had not only inherited the family business but the family home, as well. Wallace never understood why, either.

  Lucky had been the second born and should have gotten something in the will. But his brother had been left out in the cold, and Wallace had always hated that fact.

  He listened when they reached the wall. Wallace heard the clock ticking down the hallway, the central air kicking on, and the minute beep of the alarm system telling him it was armed.

  With a gentle ease, he opened the wall and stepped out, Winnie’s hand still in his. His mate had yet to let him go, and that made Wallace feel as if maybe, just maybe, their relationship had a chance.

  “Tell me there’re more we can explore,” Winnie said when Wallace closed the wall behind them. His mate chuckled. “I didn’t mean to rhyme. It just came out that way.”

  “They’re at least a dozen.” He led his mate to the island and waved for him to have a seat. When Winnie let his hand go, Wallace immediately missed the connection. He wanted to pull the little human into his arms and pick up where they’d left off upstairs.

  “Really?” Winnie sounded excited.

  Wallace pulled out the leftover chili and spooned some into two bowls before putting the first one into the microwave. As the food heated, he joined Winnie at the island and leaned his arms on it.

  He liked looking into his mate’s crystal-blue eyes. Now that Winnie wasn’t handing out threats, there was a sparkle in them. “They branch off. If we’d stopped on the second floor, there was an exit we could’ve used. All the passageways have multiple exits.”

  The microwave beeped. Wallace set the second bowl inside and pushed the buttons. He searched for crackers in the pantry and came away with an entire box of the butter-flavored kind.

  “This kitchen is amazing.” Winnie looked around as Wallace grabbed his mate’s bowl and brought it to him, along with a sleeve of crackers.

  “Thanks. I had it remodeled last year. It needed a facelift. Everything was dated, and I wanted a more modern feel to it.”

  Winnie accepted the bowl and dumped half his crackers into it. Wallace went to the fridge and grabbed them some bottled waters. When he set them on the counter, he grabbed his bowl from the microwave and took a seat next to his mate.

  This was risky. Any minute someone could waltz into the kitchen. Gibson knew Winnie was there, as well as two out of five guards. The two that were shifters. Chapman and Fernando. Wolf shifters. The less everyone knew about Winnie, the safer his mate would be.

  Lucky also had a bad habit of showing up at all hours. He knew Winnie was there, but everything else was a mystery to his brother. Wallace didn’t want Lucky to know what Winnie meant to him.

  He’d tried to be there for Lucky when they were growing up, but Lucky had always been a loner, the kind of guy who had to do things on his own.

  He was still that way.

  “Who made this chili?” Winnie took a big bite, moaning as he chewed. Wallace sat there with his jaw clenched at the sound. Unable to stop himself, he waited for Winnie to swallow then cupped his face and drew his mate to him.

  Winnie came willingly, but when he tried to curl his hands around Wallace’s biceps, Wallace pulled away.

  “What?” Winnie blinked several times.

  “We shouldn’t linger. Eat up so we can return to your room.” Wallace took a few deep breaths and let them out, trying his best to get his body back under control.

  It was as if every time he was around Winnie common sense went out the window—like bringing Winnie down to the kitchen.

  “You got any dessert?” Winnie licked his spoon, and Wallace nearly lost his mind. “I could go for some ice cream. Chocolate if you have it. That would complement the chili.”

  “I’ll take a look.” Anything to put some distance between them. If Wallace wasn’t concerned for Winnie’s safety, he would’ve bent the man over the island and fucked his brains out.

  Winnie had no idea how close Wallace was to unleashing his beast.

  “You’re in luck.” Wallace pulled out two cup-sized ice cream treats. “Why don’t we take this to the room?”

  Winnie patted his flat stomach. “Fine, I’m full anyway.” He took their bowls to the sink, grabbed their waters, and followed Wallace to the wall.

  Wallace stopped when he heard footsteps approaching and low, murmured voices.

  “Hurry up. Get inside.” Wallace opened the wall and rushed Winnie into the passageway. He stepped in next, closing it in time as the voices grew louder.

  “You’re telling me you have no idea who that guy is?” It was Lucky’s voice. “I find that hard to believe. My brother trusts you with everything.”

  The other person remained silent, and Wallace couldn’t stick his head out to see who it was.

  Who was Lucky talking to? There were very few who had Wallace’s trust. In this house, it was Gibson and Chapman, but only to an extent. Wallace didn’t fully trust anyone.

  That was what happened to a person when they were raised in a cutthroat family who practiced shady business dealings. Wallace had learned to mistrust at an early age, back when he thought his family hung the moon and the stars.

  Boy, had he been wrong. His father was having a secret affair. His mother was more interested in throwing outlandish parties than the lives of her sons.

  Even his grandfather had tarnished himself when Wallace discovered that dear old gramps was into gunrunning.

  Wallace wanted to get away from all that. But it was all he knew, what he’d cut his teeth on. But with Winnie’s arrival, Wallace felt change coming.

  He just wasn’t sure if that was good or bad.

  Chapter Six

  “Stay right here and keep your door locked. I need to find out who Lucky was talking to.” Wallace handed Winnie both cups of ice cream. “I’ll be right back.”

  Winnie noticed how Wallace massaged his temples as he used the adjoining door in their bathrooms to exit.

  Like hell Winnie was staying put. He’d gotten adventure in his blood, and now he needed to creep down to the kitchen to find out, too.

  He set the cups on the table and used the passageway. Even if he didn’t see the other person, Winnie wanted to hear what Wallace said to them.

  Too bad Lenny wasn’t here. He would’ve loved all this spy stuff. Winnie needed to call his cousin and let Lenny know that he was okay. Well, not exactly okay, but he wasn’t in any danger as far as Wallace was concerned.

  He slipped into the hidden staircase and made his way down, stumbling twice in the dark. Wallace really needed to install some lights. Winnie kept bumping his hands on the unfinished walls. He nearly shouted when his fingers went right through a spider web.

  Winnie swatted his hand up and down his pant leg, hoping no spiders had come along for the ride as he reached the bottom. He wasn’t there five seconds before the wall opened.

  He couldn’t help it. Wallace had taken him by surprise. Winnie shouted then clamped a hand over his mouth to stifle the noise. “You scared the crap out of me.”

  “And I told you to stay put.” Wallace entered the passageway, crowding Winnie. “Get back upstairs, now.”

  “Who was in the kitchen?”

  “Nobody.” Wallace sounded irritated. “It was empty by the time I got back down here.”

  “How did you know I was in here?” Winnie should’ve let Wallace lead the way. He kept stumbling up the steps.

  “You’re not exactly quiet.” Wallace grabbed Winnie’s hips and guided him, but his hands felt scorching on Winnie’s body. His butt was also right in Wallace’s face, and many wicked ideas flashed through Winnie’s mind.

  His body felt electrified with Wallace touching him. Winnie had butterflies in his stomach, and his heart was doing a little dance. He wasn’t sure what was wrong with him. Why was he attracted to his captor? Winnie should be trying to get out of this insane asylum, but instead, all he could think about was Wallace’s hands.

  And that amazing kiss they’d shared.

  Winnie stumbled, and Wallace pulled him against his body, stopping Winnie from whacking his knees against the concrete steps. Winnie’s breath hitched as Wallace’s arms circled around him.

  “You okay?”

  Wallace’s deep, sensual voice was right at Winnie’s ear, sending ripples of pleasure through him. Winnie’s mind was chaotic as he swallowed, trying to push words past his dry throat.

  “Yes.” Winnie hated to answer him, because that meant Wallace letting him go. All Winnie had to do was turn his head and their lips would touch. He’d never wanted to kiss someone this badly. Winnie was mesmerized by this dangerous creature, who had the ability to change into a beast, yet Wallace was so gentle with him.

  “We should keep moving.” Wallace gripped him tighter, his actions contradicting what he’d just said.

  “We should,” Winnie agreed, though he didn’t move an inch. He wanted that kiss, was desperate for it. The air felt charged as Wallace cupped Winnie’s jaw and turned his head.

  Too bad Winnie couldn’t see Wallace’s face. He loved looking into his eyes. Gorgeous Eyes.

  “I thought—” Winnie’s words were smothered by Wallace’s lips. It felt wild and forbidden. They were sharing a stolen moment in a dark passageway, a moment no one could take from them. This beautiful savage was wrecking Winnie, stealing his very soul.

  Winnie pressed his hand against Wallace’s hard chest, needing to get closer as the kiss deepened. Winnie was pinned to the steps, although the edge dug into his back. He didn’t care. Winnie forced the discomfort out of his mind as he curled his legs around Wallace’s waist.

  “My little kitten wants to get fucked,” Wallace snarled against Winnie’s lips. No sentence could have been truer. Winnie mewled and jerked as he ground his hard cock into Wallace’s stomach.

  “Dying for it.” He kissed his way down Wallace’s bearded jaw, teasing the hairs with his teeth. Wallace hissed, his hands cupping Winnie’s ass.

  Winnie’s emotions were all over the place. He was liquid in Wallace’s powerful arms. His manly, dark scent, that deep voice, the purring rumble emanating from his broad chest… With his hands still cupping Winnie’s ass, Wallace lifted Winnie and hurried up the steps.

 

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