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

think I carry a lock pick set around

combusting. "I think you're the kind of

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Chapter 53

grin widens,

"Maybe."

is that a

him. I hate

word, Liam reaches into his back pocket and pulls

He flips it open with practiced ease,

against the

1 blink.

"What the actual fuck-"

lock, fingers moving quick and precise.

his forearms flex under the fabric of

to look away.

I be concerned that my boss moonlights as

twitch again, but he doesn't

into the apartments of

snort. "Bold of you

you to assume you're

My mouth opens

Dick. Again.

then snaps shut.

lock clicks open with a

hands. I stare at the

you actually just carry

heading back to his own apartment. "Never know when you'll need

not sketchy

shoulder, something dark

eyes.

"Depends on who's asking."

rise. For a second, the hallway feels

maybe I should be more scared of him than I

then the moment's

door, leaving me standing there -

too fucking

should forget

forget

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Chapter 53

myself and I know my

puzzle I have

I am absolutely going to rip him apart piece by

door behind me.

in the silence.

heart is still beating faster

+53

against the door, clutching the necklace hanging around my throat

taken off since the day

is coming to

Enoch.

My Enoch.

to press a

No. Not mine.

Not anymore.

in a breath through my nose, holding it until my ribs

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

now.

can't fall apart. Not here.

myself brick by brick from the wreckage he

one overheard conversation shatter me all

Not for him.

the door shut behind me, the flimsy

aches-part from exhaustion, part from holding myself together by sheer

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

Fresh start, my ass.

isn't a

straight into it, hoping I could bury the ghost of

behind my lids. My breathing hitches when the necklace around my throat digs into my skin-the one thing I couldn't

left this... for you." I remember Kallias muttering as he handed

for months

to take it out

chain is warm where it rests against my

between my collarbones.

His mark.

fucking claim-even if he never knew

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Chapter 53

Riverstone. Or had it tossed

left me.

But I didn't.

still the same pathetic girl who clung to him

saw me -only to watch him walk

you," I whisper to the empty room, the crack

He's not here.

But somehow, he's everywhere.

autopilot, leaving them in a trail to

on after a few violent sputters, steaming the

under the spray long after the heat leaches out, letting it scald my

I can burn him off me if

into me before I can stop

my waist, pressing me into the creaking mattress

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

me

"Taryn..."

my eyes shut, but it only makes it

me in. The scratch of his stubble against my neck. His 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.

still wet from the first time when