Mine for Eternity [Council Enforcers] (Siren Publishing Classic)

like that.”
    The command made Tessa stiffen. “Look, mister. It’s not like we stole anything. The door was unlocked, so we technically didn’t break in. All we wanted was a shower and food, but I would have left you money for whatever we took. No harm no foul. Now, we’ll be on our way.”
    “I meant you can’t leave because you don’t have any clothes on.”
    The smirk on the man’s face, as he looked her up and down, made Tessa want to smack him, but she was too embarrassed to move. She hadn’t even realized she was naked until he pointed it out. She hadn’t thought of anything but grabbing Nico and getting the hell out of there. Their bags with the money and everything they owned in the world were still lying on the floor in the bedroom upstairs. There was no way she was going back up there to get them with the lion just waiting to have her as a snack, so Tessa was screwed.
    “Look, you said you guys were hungry, so why don’t you get dressed while I fix you something to eat.”
    Nico’s stomach chose that moment to growl. Looking at her son’s slim, hollowed cheeks and dark circles under his eyes, there was no way she could turn down the offer of food for him. He needed to eat. “Okay, we won’t say no to a meal, but we’ll leave right after that.”
    The man frowned but didn’t say anything. He just nodded and turned toward what Tessa assumed was the kitchen. There was no way he was leaving them alone in that house, so she quickly followed.
    “Not that I mind or anything, but do you plan on eating naked?” The man grinned.
    “I left my bag upstairs.” Tessa assumed that would have explained things, but the man just stared at her. “I’m not going back up there. That beast you have almost ate me. Who has a pet lion anyway?”
    She didn’t get what was so funny, but evidently something she said was because the man about fell over himself laughing. He even had Nico giggling, although Tessa was pretty sure her son had no idea what he was laughing at. Not amused, she put her hand on her hip and stared at the stranger who had allowed them into his home. “Are you finished?” she asked when it looked like he was finally settling down.
    “Yeah.” The man chuckled. “I’ll go get your bags for you. Just wait right here.”
    He had nothing to worry about. Tessa had no plans of leaving the kitchen while the man was gone. She settled in a chair with Nico in her lap and sighed. She was exhausted. She had been on the run for over two weeks now, trying to distance herself from Chicago as much as possible, and she still had no clue what she was going to do. All she knew was that they couldn’t continue like they were. Every day, she watched Nico getting thinner and the circles under his eyes getting darker. That was no way for a two-year-old to look. He should still have baby fat on his rounded cheeks. She had to find some place safe where they could rest. The problem was that he found them no matter where they went. She had no idea how he was able to find them so easily either. Tessa had even stopped using her ATM and credit cards, thinking he was somehow able to track her and Nico with them. It was the reason they were half starved at the moment and desperate enough to break into someone’s home. With her cash running so low, she couldn’t afford even the cheapest dump for her and her son to stay in for the night. Tessa would have been tempted to use her credit cards again if she hadn’t left them behind in her panic to run the last time he had almost caught them. She was starting to believe the man chasing her was psychic or something.
    “Here you go.” The man came back in the kitchen and handed Tessa her bag. “There is a bathroom right down the hallway that you can get changed in.”
    The man pointed toward what she assumed was the bathroom door, but Tessa didn’t move. “I’m fine thank you. If you could just turn around, I can get dressed right here.” He really didn’t expect her to leave the kitchen alone, did he?
    The man laughed but didn’t say anything as he turned and began pulling things out of the refrigerator. Tessa sat Nico in the chair she had been in and pulled some clothes out of her bag. “I’m Tessa by the way,” she said as she dressed. “The little guy here is Nico.”
    “Mitch,” the guy introduced without turning around.
    Tessa had to wonder why the guy hadn’t called the police yet. They had broken into his home, and all he had done was offer them