Babysitting The Amnesiac Lycan King

King Novel 53

Chapter 53

1 fucking hate this day.

It's the kind of day that grinds you down to dust-one inconvenience at a time until you're two seconds away from committing a felony just to get the universe to cut you some slack.

First, I humiliated myself in front of the entire office during my first day. Then I found out he is coming to the city Lycan King, the ghost who ripped my heart out and walked away like it was a favor.

Enoch. Fucking Enoch.

Goddamnit, I don't even know his last name.

The rain is pouring hard outside and I glance down.

the

For thirty minutes now, I'm locked out of my shitty apartment, staring at the door as if I can manifest telekinesis through sheer, simmering rage.

I jiggle the handle harder, biting down a snarl. The lock doesn't budge. My keys sit

on the kitchen counter inside-right next to the half-empty bottle of cheap wine I was supposed to drown my misery in.

Of course, they do.

"Perfect," I mutter, smacking my forehead against the door with a hollow thunk. "Fucking perfect. Love that for me."

I exhale slowly through my nose, forcing down the panic bubbling under my ribs. I could call maintenance - but knowing my luck, they'd take three hours to show up and charge me half my rent for the pleasure of unlocking my own goddamn door. Option two: break a window.

Tempting - but considering this apartment is hanging by a thread between livable and crack den chic, I'm not convinced the window wouldn't just shatter into toxic dust the second I touched it.

Option three: camp outside like a pathetic little stray until morning.

I glance down at my crumpled blouse, the coffee stain dried into a sad brown blotch near my boob. Yeah, I'm one missing shoe away from full-blown Disney princess breakdown territory.

A door creaks open behind me.

Oh, for fuck's sake.

I don't even have to turn around to know who it is because the universe clearly has a hard-on for kicking me when I'm

down.

Liam fucking Beckett.

Of course.

Because if there's one thing this day needed, it's my boss-slash-neighbor-slash- certified pain in the ass witnessing my rock bottom in real time.

"You lost the key to your kingdom, Your Highness?"

grind my teeth, slowly turning to face him. He's leaning against his doorway like the world's i

infuriating male model

tousled hair, gray sweatpants slung low on his hips, plain white T-shirt stretched across lean muscle. Casual. Effortless.

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Completely unaware that every woman in this building probably thinks about

riding his face at least twice a week.

I wouldn't know anything about that. Obviously.

I cross my arms, trying to pretend I don't feel like a half-wet dog left out in the

rain. "What are you doing here?"

He lifts a brow. "I live here"

Smartass.

I scowl, heat prickling under my skin. "I meant, why aren't you out feeding on the tears of interns or sacrificing virgins to the journalism gods or whatever the fuck you do after hours?"

Liam's mouth twitches, the corner of his lips tugging up like he's trying not to smile.

God, I hate that smirk. Hate how it makes something hot coil low in my stomach. He's nothing like my sweet Enoch.

"You're in a mood."

"No shit." I slap my palm against the door again, rattling it in its frame. It holds firm the stubborn bastard.

Liam's gaze flicks lazily between me and the door, enjoying this a little too much. "Locked out?"

I plaster on my sweetest fake smile. "Nope. Just bonding with my door. We're trauma-bonded now. Very intimate stuff.

actually fucking snorts

He snorts

- like I'm the most amusing little disaster he's ever seen.

Dick.

"Well, don't let me interrupt your spiritual awakening." He turns like he's about to walk back inside - and I swear to God, something inside me snaps.

"Wait."

The word punches out of me before I can stop it. I immediately regret it.

Liam freezes mid-step, glancing back with one eyebrow raised.

His eyes are sharp- too sharp - like he knows exactly how badly I don't want to need his help.

I swallow my pride. It tastes like broken glass and humiliation.

"You wouldn't happen to know how to pick a lock, would you?"

There's a long pause.

Liam fucking grins.

Of course he does.

Then

lock pick set around for

against the wall as if I'm not internally combusting. "I think you're the kind of

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Chapter 53

widens, teeth

"Maybe."

is that a

hate him. I

word, Liam reaches into his back pocket

flips it open with practiced

gleaming against

1 blink.

"What the actual fuck-"

He kneels by the lock, fingers moving quick and

flex under the fabric of his shirt, veins tracing up his

to look away.

my

lips twitch again, but he doesn't

I only break into the

snort. "Bold of you to assume I'm a

you to

My mouth opens

Dick. Again.

then snaps shut.

clicks open with a

stands, brushing off his hands. I stare at the

actually just carry that

shrugs, already heading back to his own apartment.

sketchy

glances over his shoulder, something dark flickering behind

eyes.

"Depends on who's asking."

hairs on the back of my neck rise. For

should

then the

his door, leaving me standing there -

way too

forget

should forget about

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Chapter 53

I know my stupid,

became a puzzle I have no business

absolutely going to rip

apartment, shutting the door behind me. The lock clicks

in the silence.

is still beating

+53

back against the door, clutching the

haven't taken off since the

coming

Enoch.

My Enoch.

press a hand to the wall to steady

No. Not mine.

Not anymore.

through my nose, holding it until

down. Deep.

now.

apart. Not here. Not

brick from the wreckage he left behind, and I'll

let one overheard

Not for him.

shut behind me, the flimsy lock clicking into place, and peel

whole body aches-part from exhaustion, part

sheets still tangled from last night's insomnia spiral. The tiny kitchenette that barely fits a stove. The cracked plaster ceilings with cigarette burns from the

Fresh start, my ass.

city isn't a clean slate-it's

I could

bloom behind my lids. My breathing hitches

remember Kallias muttering as he handed me this.

my drawer for months until I had the

to take it out

warm where it rests against my pulse, the small iron pendant

between my collarbones.

His mark.

fucking claim-even if he never

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Chapter 53

in Riverstone. Or had it tossed it in the woods

left me.

But I didn't.

the same pathetic girl who clung to him as

ever saw me -only to watch him walk

room, the crack in my

He's not here.

But somehow, he's everywhere.

clothes on autopilot, leaving them in a trail to

kicks on after a few violent sputters, steaming the cracked

stand under the spray long after the heat leaches

if I can burn him off

me before I can

into the

The sound of his voice when

he wanted me and didn't know

"Taryn..."

but it only makes it worse-makes him

hard erection on my back then. The way his fingers bruised into my hips while he dragged me down onto him, as if he couldn't get close enough

1. me.

the first time when he rolled