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.

1/7

Chapter 58

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

I carry a lock pick set around

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

2/7

92%

Chapter 53

widens, teeth

"Maybe."

Christ, is that a

him. I hate him

into his back

He flips it open with

against

1 blink.

"What the actual fuck-"

the lock, fingers

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

to look away. Definitely not

I be concerned that my boss moonlights

again, but he doesn't look

into

snort. "Bold of you

you to

My mouth opens

Dick. Again.

then snaps shut.

open with a soft

I stare at the open door, then back

just carry

heading back to his own

sketchy

glances over his shoulder, something dark

eyes.

"Depends on who's asking."

hairs on the back of my neck rise. For a second, the hallway feels smaller

though maybe I should

then the moment's

his door, leaving me standing

too fucking

should forget about

should forget about

3/7

Chapter 53

I know myself and I know my stupid, stubborn

a puzzle I have no

going to rip him apart

my apartment, shutting the door

in the silence.

still beating faster than it should

+53

door, clutching the necklace hanging around my throat

haven't taken off

is coming to

Enoch.

My Enoch.

seizes so hard I have to press a hand to the wall to steady

No. Not mine.

Not anymore.

nose, holding it until my

for me to lock it down. Deep. Buried. Where it's been for

now.

fall apart.

brick by brick from the wreckage he left behind, and

let one overheard conversation

Not for him.

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

My whole body aches-part from exhaustion, part from holding myself together

the wall, sheets still tangled from last night's insomnia spiral. The tiny kitchenette that barely fits a

Fresh start, my ass.

isn't a

hoping I

colors bloom behind my lids. My breathing hitches when the necklace around

I remember Kallias

for months until I had

to take it out

where it rests against my pulse, the small iron

between my collarbones.

His mark.

he never knew what it

4/7

07,92%

Chapter 53

back in Riverstone. Or had it tossed

left me.

But I didn't.

the same pathetic girl who clung to him

ever wanted me-who ever saw me -only to watch him walk away without a backward

I whisper to the empty room, the crack in

He's not here.

But somehow, he's everywhere.

clothes on autopilot, leaving them in a

a few

under the spray long after the

can burn him off me if I stay under long

slams into me before I can stop

into the

His breath hot in my ear. The sound of his voice when he forgot

wanted me and

"Taryn..."

squeeze my eyes shut, but it only makes it

back then. The way his fingers bruised into my hips while he dragged me down onto

1. me.

time when he rolled me onto my stomach,