Three Hours (Seven Series Book 5) (24 page)

Trevor’s eyes narrowed and he folded his arms. “April needs to learn to keep her beak shut. I didn’t want to make it a thing. It never was before, so I don’t see a point now.”

Shifters weren’t big on celebrating birthdays. When you live for hundreds of years, what’s the point of keeping count?

“Well, you buy April gifts,” William pointed out.

“She’s my girl. Of course I get her gifts. April’s human and she likes her presents, but yeah… no big deal.”

“Indeed,” William murmured. “Shame.”

Trevor played with the string on his sweats. “What’s a shame?”

“Well, I got you this gift, and now I’ll have to take it back.”

The back of Trevor’s neck turned a deep shade of red. “You got me a gift? Quit bullshitting.” He relaxed a little and spun in his chair.

William’s hand appeared, holding a box with shiny green wrapping. “Go on and take it. You can throw it in the trash if it’s not something you want. No biggie.” He spun on his heel and disappeared out of sight.

Trevor slowly peeled the tape from the edges and peered inside.

“What is it?” I asked.

He unfolded the paper and let it fall to the floor. In his hands was a model-airplane kit. This one looked like one of those old bombers from World War II. Most of the ones in his room were either commercial airliners or jets.

Trevor set the box on the table and rushed out the door. “William—”

His voice cut off and he stopped within eyeshot. I realized William hadn’t left after all, but had been standing in the hall near the door. Trevor’s eyes were downcast, staring at the floor before looking back up. “Thanks, man.”

William reached out and patted Trevor’s shoulder before he walked off.

Trevor kept his eyes steady for a moment before he swaggered into the room. “So what kind of trouble are you in?” he asked in a blustering voice. He noisily wadded up the wrapper and tossed it into the wastebasket.

I stood up. “I suppose you’ll find out soon enough. I’ve been summoned to your game room, and I’m guessing it’s not for drinks and a lap dance,” I said with a sullen smile as I left the room.

I hadn’t even seen Wheeler walk by, but he was already in the room, sitting at the bar with a shot of liquor in front of him. I sat to his left and tasted a sip.

“A whiskey man,” I said softly, licking my lips. “Why didn’t you use your weapon back at Delgado’s? Seems like a lot of trouble to strangle a man.”

His eyes flashed up and he looked at me in the reflection of the mirror. “You once said I didn’t enjoy doing laborious things with my hands. I disagree.”

“Touché.”

I still had my fingers wrapped around the glass when he suddenly reached for it. Wheeler held his hand over mine, lightly stroking my thumb with his pinky finger. My heart spontaneously reacted whenever he touched me, and the slightest connection sent goose pimples all over my body and a flutter of nerves to my belly. And it took a
whole lot
to make a woman like me nervous.

Shuffling feet sounded behind us as the pack entered the room. Wheeler pulled the glass away and knocked it back. He quickly poured a refill, spilling a few drops onto the polished surface of the bar.

“Close the door,” Austin said.

Lexi swept her hair back. “Do you want me to wake Mom?”

Denver plopped down in the beanbag chair, and everyone else stood behind Austin near the pool table. I slowly swiveled around on my stool and noticed Denver tapping his bare feet on the floor.

“I have work in two hours,” he announced.

“It shouldn’t take that long.” Austin strolled in front of me and turned to face his pack. “As most of you know, the little girl’s mother is safe. What you don’t know is that Reno and Wheeler drove over to a man named Delgado’s house, took out several guards, broke into the house, and—”

“Saved two lives,” Wheeler added, still sitting with his back turned to Austin.

“Reno’s taking the mother and child to a safe house, so he won’t be back for a day or two. Delgado is a big fucking shark in our world. He owns Breed clubs, deals drugs, and it’s been brought to my attention that he’s also running cage fights.”

“Then we have to turn him in,” William said with a tight expression.

Austin nodded. “I agree, but as it stands, we don’t have evidence. Our star witness is running for her life, and she’s the only one who can testify what went on in that house—or wherever they originally kept her. The higher authority won’t serve a warrant without concrete evidence.”

Lexi looked up at Austin with a quizzical brow. “You said there were two.”

“The other is a young wolf who’s too traumatized at the moment to think straight. But yeah, he’s our best bet. I don’t know how much he knows about the cage fights—how much he’s seen.”

“I’ll talk to him,” Wheeler volunteered, polishing off the rest of his drink.

With two fingers, I pushed Wheeler’s shoulder to encourage him to turn around and face Austin. He held a submissive posture, afraid of the Packmaster’s judgment.

Wheeler turned just enough to face me, but no more.

Austin stuffed his hands in his pockets and gave him a brisk nod. “I’d appreciate that.” Then he gave everyone else his attention. “I spoke with Wheeler briefly in private, and while I don’t condone anyone defying my orders or keeping secrets, he’s not getting the boot. He’s still on probation, but he saved two lives, and a little girl has a mother to tuck her in tonight. I’d say our job is done.”

“So why are we here?” April asked. A worry line formed between her eyebrows—the kind a girl gets when her man is on the road and not safe in her arms.

“Things won’t be safe for a while,” Austin said in a rough voice. He cleared his throat and lowered his chin. “Delgado is a human, and he’s become a parasite in our world, hiding in dark corners and leeching off our weaknesses to expand his wealth. If we’re going to bring him down, then we’re bringing him down
hard
. But not at the expense of our family. One stupid move and the Council could dismantle our pack or throw us in jail. Let’s keep cool heads, and from here on out, we leave the house in groups of at least two. I don’t want anyone going out alone.”

“What about the shops?” Lexi asked.

“Work is fine, but go in pairs and no one stays in the shop alone. That’s the deal. See if you can flip the schedule so you don’t work late hours. One of the part-timers at April’s store shouldn’t have any problem earning a little extra money. That means everyone,” he said, giving the room a pointed look. “Including you, Denver. When you head out later, I want Ben going with you and staying at the bar for your full shift.”

“Ben’s not here,” Trevor said.

“Where the fuck is he?” Austin glanced at the clock over the bar.

Wheeler laughed richly and threw back his head. “That should be on a fucking T-shirt. Front and back.”

“What happened to your eye?” Izzy asked me.

I reached up and touched the sore spot. Then she noticed my broken fingernails, so I quickly lowered my hand.

“You want to tell me why you brought Naya along on your little raid?” Austin asked. “She’s not pack. She’s someone I offered protection, and you threw her into danger?”

“Throw her?” Wheeler exclaimed. “That what you think of her? You should see how she handled those men.” He laughed darkly and I found myself slinking down in my seat.
Here come the jokes
. “She single-handedly disarmed two of Delgado’s men and took one of them down while fighting the other.”

“Hah!” Lexi blurted out in surprise. “Are you serious?”

Wheeler turned all the way around and leaned back on his elbows. “Your friend is one dangerous woman to mess with. She’s cunning and plays on the weaknesses of her foes.”

Denver chuckled. “What did she do, strip?”

Wheeler hopped off his chair. “Want to say that again?”

Austin pushed him back with one hand. “That’s enough. Both of you. Like I said, on my orders as the Packmaster, no one leaves this house without at least one person with them. And for now, let’s keep the kids at home.”

“That means you, Denver.” Lexi erupted with laughter, and Denver wrinkled his nose in retaliation.

Austin stepped in front of me when I slid off my stool. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“Home,” I said.

“I don’t think so.”

I patted his chest. “Normally I like my men big and strong, but I don’t tolerate men who order me around. Lexi is my friend, so I’ll hold my tongue on what I’d really like to say, but step out of my way. I have no desire to be given a verbal lashing in front of your pack just so you can show you’re the dominant wolf.”

He chuckled and touched the talisman around his neck. Austin was a tough alpha in every way. The tribal ink on his shoulders and upper arms marked him as a Packmaster—becoming a recognizable symbol for anyone who might not know him by sight or name. He was over six feet tall, and that was mighty tall in my book when I wasn’t wearing my heels or platforms.

“You’re staying with us,” he said.

“Was.”

“
Are
. I’m not closing my doors to a family friend.”

I smoothed my right hand along the edge of the bar. “I don’t belong here, and I’ve already ruffled a few feathers.”

“True, but you’re still not leaving. Delgado’s out there, and no offense, but your apartment is a piece of shit. I could kick down that door drunk and on roller skates.”

“I’d pay to watch that,” Denver said with a smirk, rising to his feet.

Jericho barked out a laugh. “We got to see it for free at Maizy’s last birthday party when you had to take a piss and couldn’t get your skates off.”

Denver rolled one of the balls across the pool table in his direction. “Shut it, dickhead.”

“Stay, Naya.” Austin spoke in a gentler tone. “We want you here.”

I gracefully put my hands on my hips and softened my voice. “There’s only one place men want me, and it’s not in their homes.”

When I moved past him, he snatched my arm. “Naya, sometimes I think you put on one hell of a show, but you don’t have to pull that shit in my house. That’s not what my men are about. You’re not just a friend to Lexi, but to all of us. You’ve helped us when we didn’t ask for it, and it’s only right to do a good turn for a family friend. You’ve already got your room set up, and you’ll be here anyway for the party this coming weekend. Just stick around for a little while until the dust settles and we find out what’s what.”

“Oh, crap. The party,” Lexi whispered. “Naya, I called the number you gave me, but I still need to pick up the costumes and decorations.”

“Don’t worry, girly,” I said. “He delivers for free if it’s local.”

“I need a punch bowl or something, and a few things to decorate. You’re the only one who knows how to throw a good party.”

“Hold up,” William said, raising his hand. “You already picked out our costumes… without including us?”

“Of course!” Lexi said with a conniving smile.

“Oh, shit.” Trevor shook his head. “I am
not
doing this.”

“Yes you are,” Austin said. “I approved them.”

Denver folded his arms. “
That
makes me feel better. You’re a bag of nuts if you think I’m putting on whatever she picked out.”

Lexi lifted her chin stubbornly. “We all agreed,” she said in a voice that made every man in that room shift uncomfortably. Perhaps they were feeling a tad concerned about all the times they’d been difficult with Lexi, but I thoroughly enjoyed watching them squirm in their boots.

Despite my resistance, my heart swelled with gratitude. “I’ll stay for the evening, and then we’ll see. How does that sound?”

“Purrrfect,” he said with a deep chuckle.

The rest of the pack snickered, and I shook my head as I left the room.

“Wait up,” a voice called from behind.

I glanced over my shoulder and Wheeler caught up with me.

“I’ll walk you down,” he said.

“Mmm, and tuck me in?” I teased.

Wheeler didn’t reply, but he suddenly reached out and held my hand.

I cracked a smile when I entered the room and noticed my bag at the foot of the bed.
“I guess Austin had no intention of losing our argument.” I reached in the short fridge to get a cool drink while Wheeler closed the door. “Do you want anything?”

When I turned to look over my shoulder, I saw hunger in his eyes. I could almost feel it skate across my skin, warming me like a desert wind. Whatever Wheeler wanted wasn’t in that fridge. He kept his back pressed against the door as if he were holding the wall up with brute strength.

I walked leisurely toward him with a can of soda.

“I didn’t like seeing you with another man,” he said with a throaty growl.

Wheeler hissed when I lifted his shirt and pressed the icy can against his belly. “What did you do that for?” Those sexy brows of his sloped at an angle, and I couldn’t help but find him wildly attractive when he was provoked.

“Remember what I said before about your tone? Each time you speak to me in that imperious manner, I’m going to punish you.”

He tilted his head to the side. “Is that so? And what about when
you
turn on the diva box? Are you beyond reproach?”

“My words are reactive.”

“Ah, so that doesn’t count. You can say anything as long as it’s on the defense.”

A blanket of silence fell between us and was so noticeable that I could hear a faint ringing in my ears.

“I’m afraid to see what your idea of punishment would entail,” I replied. “Subjecting me to more vampire movies, or perhaps shoving a stick of dried meat down my throat?”

He pointed at my shirt and stepped forward. “Your buttons aren’t lined up.”

“So?”

I gasped when he ripped my blouse open. Buttons scattered across the wood floor, clicking against the surface and rolling out of sight. The unopened can of soda slipped from my hand.

Wheeler’s eyes were provocative and predatory as he licked his lips, eyes still on mine.

“You ruined my blouse,” I said, sweetening my tone.

His eyes glittered with intent. “I don’t feel a shred of guilt.”

I reached down and lifted the can of soda. When I pulled the tab back, it sprayed him in the face. Foam ran over the edge of the can, overflowing and splattering on the floor. When I raised it to my lips, he knocked the bottom of the can and sent it flying out of my hand. I listened to the hissing sound of bubbles complaining as they spread below our feet.

“I was drinking that.”

“And now you’re wearing it,” he said, nodding at the droplets on my chest. “Turnabout is fair play.”

“What did I say about speaking to me in that tone?”

His pupils dilated, but he stood absolutely still.

“Take off your shirt,” I said.

“Why?”

My voice sweetened. “You ask a lot of questions.”

Wheeler stripped off his shirt and flung it to the side.

I stepped forward, lightly circling my fingers around his nipples. Wheeler had a light dusting of hair on his chest—just the way I liked my men. When I felt the tips of his nipples hardening beneath my touch, I pinched them hard.

He hissed and pushed out his chest, his breath quickening, teeth clenched.

Wheeler was an impressive male. A firm physique, tight ropes of muscles along his arms, powerful hands, and exquisite eyes. I’d never seen such a pale shade of brown, and it made his pupils stand out when they were dilated. I didn’t mind the short circle beard around his mouth and the light dusting of whiskers on his face… even though some of it had scratched at my skin.

Remembering our kiss in the back of his car filled my veins with heat. But why wouldn’t he touch me?

I pulled away from him and lowered my arms. At the loss of contact, he stepped closer.

“What?” I asked, looking up at him with arched brows.

He scratched his arm, dodging my gaze. “What do I have to say to get you to do that again?”

“How about… something
dirty
.”

A flush of color touched his face. Wheeler wasn’t going to ask for what he wanted, so I began to undo his belt.

“Tell me about the women you normally sleep with.”

“Thin, blond…”

“No, I don’t care about what they look like. What kind of lovers were they?”

He sucked in a sharp breath when I stretched the latch and freed the metal prong. “Submissive. Predictable.”

“But that’s not what you like, is it?” I reached around and loosened the belt from the loops. “I’m a perceptive woman. I pick up on subtle gestures most people ignore, like when your breath becomes shallow, or how many times you blink when I say certain words. I think I know what presses your buttons, but I’ve never met a man so afraid to be pushed.”

“It’s not normal,” he bit out through clenched teeth.

I folded the belt, looking up at him thoughtfully. “What’s
normal
? Predictable? Submissive? Is that more attractive to you than a dominant woman who wants to do something naughty?”

His lips parted, and I glanced down at his erection.

“I didn’t like those men touching you.” He reached out and caressed my cheek with the back of his knuckles. “I got turned on when you attacked them. Do you think that’s strange?”

I licked my lips, drawing in his gaze. “I think that’s the sexiest thing a man has ever said to me.”

Wheeler stepped closer until our bodies touched. He cupped my face with his hand, lightly grazing his thumb over my bruised eye. “I can’t seem to shake you out of my mind. Maybe I’m punishing myself.”

“Why? Because I’m a panther or a stripper?”

His proximity clouded my thoughts, and I found myself aroused by the ink on his body and the sensual feel of his rough hand against my skin.

“Neither. It’s because you’re too good for me.”

I laughed unexpectedly. “Why would you say a thing like that about a woman like me?” I’d never once had a man say I was too good for him, and that made my heart clench.

He touched the curls on my head, feeling the silky strands between his fingers. “Because you’re like those shiny ornaments on the Christmas tree. Too pretty. Too perfect. Something I’m not allowed to touch.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’ll break you.”

I took his hand and held it in front of my face. “Do you think the blood on your hands is still there? Do you think by touching me, it’ll make me dirty? I’m not like those other women you’ve brought into your bed. Your demons don’t scare me.” I pulled his finger into my mouth and slowly sucked.

His eyes hooded, and a needful groan sounded deep in his throat. “Tell me what to do,” he whispered.

Wheeler wanted to submit. Maybe some women would have cracked the belt and punished him hard, but this man had been punishing himself for more years than anyone deserved. He needed to lose control in low doses, without losing dignity.

“Turn around,” I said in a sultry voice. “I want to look at all of you. Do it slowly.”

Wheeler swallowed and turned in a circle. I admired the ink designs that he wore on his arms like sleeves—the wolf on his right arm, and below it the chain that circled around. Tribal designs, a row of skulls, and an intricate sketch of two playing cards: a joker and a king.

“You only have one animal. That’s unusual,” I said, thinking about how most men liked snakes, eagles, or scorpions.

“It’s bad luck.”

“Says who?”

He shrugged, looking down at me over his shoulder. “Says me. My wolf is the only one who gets billboard space on my body.”

But when he turned around, the view stole my breath away. Spread across his back was an enormous dragon with wings. The shading was perfected in such a way that it looked as though it had separated from his skin and was hovering over his back. I traced my fingers over the sharp teeth, down the scaly body, circling them over his serpentine claws. “But this is an animal…”

“It’s a dragon, not an animal. They’re not real.”

I pressed my lips against it. “Maybe they are,” I murmured, thinking about cruel men like Delgado who had slain innocents and ruined lives. I wondered if my dragon slayer would ever find peace.

Wheeler kept turning until he faced me once again, but he no longer held the amorous look in his eyes—only one of ruin.

“I needed something big to cover up the scars. There were more on my back; that’s where they liked to whip us.”

Tears burned hot in my eyes. I didn’t like knowing someone had hurt him that way. Just imagining him alone in a cell while someone was whipping him…

“Hey, don’t do that,” he said, wiping one away. “Jesus, I really fucked this up. You see what I mean? You’re too delicate for a man like me.”

“Is that all you see when you look at me? Just an ornament?”

I walked away and sat on the couch, kicking over the chewed-up coffee table with a thrust of my leg. “Every man has looked at me that way since I can remember,” I bit out angrily. “That is the curse of the panther. I’ve spent my entire life hiding from everyone—even myself. You have the freedom to run in the woods. But me? I have to drive to desolate, godforsaken places to let my panther run loose.”

“Fuck that,” Wheeler spat, kicking the table even farther away. He knelt in front of me. “There’s no law that says you can’t roam free.”

“There doesn’t have to be a law. Imagine if you saw a panther on your property. A wolf you might keep an eye on, but a panther? I’m willing to bet the arsenal would come out. Just look at the panic in your own pack when you brought me here! I’m not free. Even with all the laws and Councils, I’m not
truly
free. You broke your chains a long time ago, but mine will always be locked. You just can’t see them, but they keep me from a life I’m not allowed to live. Just knowing what I am puts a target on my back. I dated two men who were ancients, and despite all the changes we’ve been through, they couldn’t accept me.”

I clenched my fists. Wheeler, still kneeling in front of me, placed his hands over them.

“That what you think? Because you’re a panther, no one will accept you?”

“How open-minded were you before Austin intervened and forced you to watch me? You’ve always suspected what I am, and that fueled your prejudice.”

“Maybe that ain’t about hate. Ever think of that?” He lowered his eyes. “Each time I look at you, I feel guilty because I’m attracted to the one person who should want me dead more than anyone, and I don’t know what the hell that says about me.”

I lifted his chin with the tips of my fingers. “How did you manage to sedate my panther?”

A solemn smile touched his lips. “Fear. Your kind thrives on fear. I don’t know if you can smell it or see it in a subtle twitch of an eye, but if there’s even a sliver of apprehension, your animal can sense it. The only time you’re trusting is with someone who doesn’t fear you. Someone who isn’t afraid to walk up and handle you—even pat you on the side and be rough. Something I learned in the fights. After a while, I wanted to die. When I made that choice, all the fear went away. The panthers trusted me, even allowed me to nuzzle my face against theirs.”

I leaned forward and cupped his face in my hands. “That’s why you carry all that guilt. Getting them to trust you made it easier to kill them and win. It gave you hope that you might get out of there.”

Something broke in Wheeler, something so deep and impenetrable that when the fracture happened, it was like a snap of electricity. That was it. I’d penetrated the wall he’d built to hide his dark secrets—the ones that questioned his morals and integrity. Wheeler’s eyes filled with hot tears, and he grimaced, trying to turn away.

I didn’t let him. I held his face firmly and touched my forehead to his.

“Don’t look away from me. It wasn’t your fault,” I whispered, stroking the lines of his face with my fingers. “Stop blaming yourself.”

“But it wasn’t right,” he said, his voice cracking. “It wasn’t about survival—it wasn’t an honorable fight. It was
murder
. They wanted a fighter, but I was a
killer
.”

I pulled his head to my chest and stroked my fingers through his hair. “
Shhh
. I had no idea. Ben may be the gambler, but you’re the one who wears the poker face. All that anger hiding a man in pain. You deserve so much more than you think.”

Wheeler would never admit the truth to Austin. There was honor in a man who fought for his life, but Wheeler had become suicidal, and men who lost the fear of death were capable of unconscionable crimes. But that wasn’t the case here, not really. No matter how you sliced it, Wheeler was still a victim. Despite how he’d won his battles, the only choices he’d had were to live or die. The animals that trusted him died at his hands, and I wondered if maybe that wasn’t the most humane thing to do.

It made me think of the animals in the shelters that were euthanized. I’d donated money to make more room in those cages because I didn’t want them to die. But which was the real hell for them: living in a cage or death?

My heart shattered as I held this broken man. Wheeler had fought his entire life for his brother, for his family, and for his life. But not one person had ever fought for him.