Read Online Four Hard SWATs by Marteeka Karland - Free Book Online Page B

so she isn’t so vulnerable.”
    “She’s not vulnerable,” Niko insisted. “We’re watching over her.”
    “And you’re willing to risk that? With a mandate to her that, while she wears that fucking collar, she can’t defend herself?” Wyatt had never wanted to punch his commanding officer more than he did in that moment. Hell, he’d never actually been angry at Nicholas until this very moment, believing the man was nearly infallible. At least, until now, he’d known Niko never took unnecessary risks. But leaving Tawni alone in a BDSM club full of men who’d love to do a scene with her—or just do her— seemed like an unnecessary risk to Wyatt.
    “Are you saying you’re not up to the challenge?” Niko hissed, in Wyatt’s face even though Wyatt was the taller and larger of the two men. “Because if you’re not able to protect Tawni , tell me now.”
    “Of course I’m up to protecting her. I’d die before I’d let anything happen to that woman!”
    “Then there’s nothing to worry about, is there?”
    Wyatt ground his teeth but moved away from Niko, keeping a sharp lookout for any man who looked like he might even think about approaching Tawni . As he quartered the area, Wyatt noticed Sebastian moving to the other side of the room while Gray took up a position just behind the bar and out of Tawni’s sight. Nicholas watched them all, just like he did in the field.
    Taking a deep breath, Wyatt tried to center himself. He needed to focus on the people around him. Needed to be aware of any threat to Tawni . This was the moment of truth. Fisting his hands beside him, baring his teeth at a nearby Dom who’d glanced Tawni’s way, Wyatt resolved to be the guardian Tawni needed.
    *****
    Being away from the guys made Tawni feel…stripped bare. As if she had no protection. Niko’s instructions to her had been to have a drink and relax. She could talk to anyone who spoke to her but she was not to leave the barstool. So far, she hadn’t had much friendly conversation. Probably because the scowls of four huge men in the direction of anyone who looked her way when they’d come in had run potential Doms off. Which, oddly, relieved her.
    “Well, if it isn’t little Tawni .” The smooth male voice was laced with evil. She might not have interpreted it that way except she recognized the voice. As a form silhouetted in the shadow of the club approached her, she recognized the silhouette too, though not from the same place. The voice belonged to Dylan, her ex-Dom. The shadowy figure was that of the missing man in the woods. Suddenly, she felt like an idiot. Here was a man she’d known intimately and she hadn’t recognized him in the woods when it had counted most.
    “Dylan,” she said, doing her best to pretend his presence didn’t affect her, and that she didn’t recognize him from the raid. Hard, considering her heart was pounding and she felt like she couldn’t breathe. “Brave of you to approach me after last time.”
    “If you think that was bad, wait until I get you alone this time.” He grabbed her upper arm, but Tawni refused to budge. Nicholas had told her to stay here, and she intended to obey him.
    “I’m not going anywhere with you.”
    His grip tightened on her arm, nearly causing her to wince. Normally, she’d have kicked his ass, and it was hard to suppress that impulse, but she’d promised she wouldn’t defend herself while wearing the collar unless the men told her to. Was this a test?
    “I’m your Dom. You’ll do what I tell you or you’ll be punished.” His sneer was almost more than Tawni could take. She wanted to mess up his face but good. Gritting her teeth, however, she kept control, just sitting at the bar, not even tugging her arm free.
    “You were never my Dom, Dylan. I just let you bully me to punish myself. There’s a difference.” Tawni was surprised at how calm she sounded. And she found what she said was true. Dylan had never really been anything to her. Even