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

"I think you're the kind of guy who probably had a

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Chapter 53

grin widens,

"Maybe."

is

I hate him so

Liam reaches into his

case. He flips it open

against the black

1 blink.

"What the actual fuck-"

He kneels by the lock, fingers moving quick and

under the fabric of his shirt, veins

myself to look away. Definitely not staring.

my boss

twitch again, but he doesn't look

only break into the apartments of

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

of you to

My mouth opens

Dick. Again.

then snaps shut.

open

stare at

actually just carry that

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

not sketchy

something dark flickering

eyes.

"Depends on who's asking."

back of my neck rise. For a second, the hallway

As though maybe I should be more scared of

the

door, leaving

too

should forget about

forget

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Chapter 53

know my stupid,

a puzzle

absolutely going to rip him apart piece

shutting the door behind

in the silence.

still beating faster

+53

the door, clutching

taken off

is coming to

Enoch.

My Enoch.

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

No. Not mine.

Not anymore.

through my nose, holding it until my ribs burn-until

enough for me to lock it down. Deep.

now.

apart. Not

from the wreckage

one overheard

Not for him.

flimsy lock clicking into place, and peel off

from exhaustion, part from holding myself together by sheer fucking

The tiny kitchenette that barely fits a stove. The cracked plaster ceilings with cigarette

Fresh start, my ass.

isn't a

straight into it, hoping I could bury the ghost of

of my hands into my eyes until colors bloom behind my lids. My breathing hitches when the necklace around my throat

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

in my drawer for months

to take it out

warm where it rests against my pulse,

between my collarbones.

His mark.

fucking claim-even if he

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Chapter 53

back in Riverstone. Or

left me.

But I didn't.

who clung to him as he

ever wanted me-who ever saw me -only to

I whisper to the empty room, the crack in

He's not here.

But somehow, he's everywhere.

leaving them in a trail to

a few

stand under the spray long after the heat leaches out, letting it

if I can burn him off me if I stay

memory slams into me

into the creaking

my ear. The sound of

he wanted me and

"Taryn..."

my eyes shut, but it only

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

1. me.

from the first time when he