Free Motivation (Shifters Forever After# 3) by Elle Thorne Page B

She had to tell him the news and she needed to find out what was going on with his bear.
    Fiona got her wish.
    Between everyone helping to clean and chattering about Laken’s pregnancy, she noticed Jonah had slipped out to the balcony.
    Alone.
    Feeling quite stalkerish, she followed him outside. She pushed the feeling aside. This was important.
    He didn’t turn around to face her when she followed him outside. That wasn’t a good sign. His bear didn’t notice her arrival?
    In Fiona’s mind, her falcon began a low chirping sound, one of sadness.
    Fiona cleared her throat to get his attention.
    Jonah turned. The smile vanished as soon as he saw who’d joined him. “What do you want?”
    She gulped down her trepidation and wished she could gulp down the way he made her feel as well. “You could be friendlier.”
    His jaw muscles worked. “No reason to be. Why are you here?”
    “Your aunt invited me.”
    Jonah’s eyes narrowed to slits. “You should have declined. What are you doing in town anyway? Didn’t you transfer from Colorado to California?”
    She wasn’t about to answer that. Not here. Not now. “Where’s your bear?”
    “What the hell are you talking about?”
    “Your bear. I—my falcon can’t hear him, sense him, anything him.”
    “Maybe he has no interest in touching base with your falcon.”
    She studied him. He rubbed his jaw, on the left side, his tell.
    Why is he lying?
    “Why doesn’t your family know you’re on leave?”
    His eyes gave it away. The slightest blink. “It’s none of their business.”
    She nodded. Who was this new and guarded Jonah? Had she really hurt him that much? “Why are you on leave?”
    “It’s none of your business either.” More jaw muscle movement. “How do you know I was on— Never mind. Let’s discuss this somewhere other than my family’s Christmas dinner, if you don’t mind.”
    “Fine. Let’s go somewhere.”
    “After this. I still live in the same place.”
    “After this.” She knew where. It was the same apartment they’d shared their lives, secrets, hearts, souls. Now she’d have to walk in and pretend that never happened. And pretend he wasn’t still the only man for her.
    Fuck Jonah Romanoff.

3
    J onah paced his apartment . He’d been here for an hour and then some. And she’d left his aunt and uncle’s an hour before he did, making some excuse about an early morning.
    Isn’t she coming?
    Maybe she made up that excuse as a means to avoid coming over to talk to him.
    A part of him was crestfallen—okay, okay—all of him was. It wasn’t a crime to admit he still had feelings for her.
    But I shouldn’t. She dumped me.
    He wanted an answer to that. He’d ask her when she came by. He deserved an explanation.
    Maybe she’s not coming by.
    Why did it matter to him? Why was it…
    God, when I need my bear the most…
    A knock at the door drew him up short. It was a soft knock, yet loaded with trepidation and an assortment of other emotions.
    Really? I’ve lost it. Now, I’m interpreting knocks on doors?
    I’m a regular door whisperer.
    He pulled the door open, it didn’t budge.
    What the fuck?
    He unlocked it, pulled again.
    He’d lost it clearly—so confused by Fiona’s presence he was forgetting to unlock doors.
    I’m so screwed.
    She stood before him. Her pale skin ruddy from the cool New York December temperatures. Her cheeks pink from the wind’s bite, her lips red from the cold.
    And she’s no longer mine.
    He pushed the thought away.
    “Jonah, I—”
    His hand snaked out with the speed of a rattler, locking on her wrist, jerked her into his apartment, nudging the door closed with his foot.
    She licked her lower lip and he knew she just had to be giving off that wonderful scent of hers.
    Fuck the luck to not be able to scent her.
    His cock pressed against his jeans insistently.
    Her lips were still parted, but she wasn’t finishing her sentence. Instead her hands shot out and up, surrounding his neck, pulling