fucked things up for us.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to worry about it that minute.
I focused on Billy. “Get rid of your suits and then we can strategize.”
He straightened defensively. “No.”
Kate mouthed an apology. She sidled up to him. “Do you trust me, Billy?”
“ I trust you, but I still don’t know about them.”
I arched my brows. He’d just openly spoke of murdering someone in a room full of witnesses, including the uniform, badge-carrying kind, but he didn’t know if he could trust us? I purposely held my tongue, allowing him more time to explain on his own.
It was Kate’s turn to be patient. “Well, I’m asking you, as your sister, that-”
My head snapped up. My wolf was at attention in a split second. “Sister?” Ellie and I exclaimed at once.
Kate’s brows dipped inwards; she gave us a sheepish grin. “What did you think?”
Ellie surged forward, capturing her lips before any of us had a chance to react. My cock immediately responded to the scene. The telltale tightening in my groin kept me in place. Moving would only draw attention to it.
Billy’s brows damn near kissed his hairline; the way his jaw relaxed as his eyes widened conveyed his shock.
Ellie released Kate’s mouth with a smack, but put a strong arm around her hips, jerking her against her side.
Kate flushed as her gaze skittered first to me, probably waiting for me to scold them again like an asshole, then to her brother.
Her fucking brother. My wolf and I celebrated that news. I probably would have responded like Ellie if we didn’t have more important things to tend to.
“ Uh, when did you switch teams, Kate?” His expression was tight. “And when were you planning to tell me?”
“ Later, Billy. Before bed.”
He glared at Ellie. Ellie continued to wear a shit-eating grin. Her joy probably pissed him off even more. I was prepared to step in but only if I needed to. I always tried to give my pack the opportunity to work through and solve their own problems before butting in.
“ We will definitely be discussing this later,” he stated.
“ Fine.” She nodded her agreement. “Now, please trust me. You won’t need the hired muscle in this town.”
He studied Kate, looking her up and down for a solid minute before conceding. “Guess your car picked a good place to crap out,” he muttered.
He waved the guys off. “Tell Bernie I’ll pay for the full day as agreed.”
The guys exchanged glances before shrugging.
“ It’s your grave,” one of them said.
“ Let’s hope not, right sis?” Billy’s tension was visible. His lips were pressed together; his jaw tight and the vein in his neck pulsating, showing his concern. His muscles were flexing beneath his clothes and, for one brief moment, I questioned if he was one of us, a rogue wolf perhaps.
“ I can’t promise that Donovan won’t hurt you from cyberspace, but I can promise that Ellie and Jerry will protect you physically.”
“ And you?” His tone said he only cared about Kate’s safety, not his own.
“ Before you,” I stated, my hormones under control enough to slip into their little circle.
He still didn’t trust us, but he didn’t have to. The most important person did: Kate.
She smiled up at me, taking my hand in hers.
Billy honed in on our joined hands. He ground his teeth, practically seething.
“ Later,” Kate said.
He met her gaze; I knew he wanted answers now, but he relented. “Later.” He pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes on first me then Ellie.
My wolf was crouched, daring him to force the issue now.
But he didn’t.
—
Chapter Sixteen
KATE
Jerry’s warmth slipped around me. Somehow he and Ellie, as protective as they were – just like Billy – they still empowered me. I sensed that they wanted me to rise up and fight my demons beside
Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to worry about it that minute.
I focused on Billy. “Get rid of your suits and then we can strategize.”
He straightened defensively. “No.”
Kate mouthed an apology. She sidled up to him. “Do you trust me, Billy?”
“ I trust you, but I still don’t know about them.”
I arched my brows. He’d just openly spoke of murdering someone in a room full of witnesses, including the uniform, badge-carrying kind, but he didn’t know if he could trust us? I purposely held my tongue, allowing him more time to explain on his own.
It was Kate’s turn to be patient. “Well, I’m asking you, as your sister, that-”
My head snapped up. My wolf was at attention in a split second. “Sister?” Ellie and I exclaimed at once.
Kate’s brows dipped inwards; she gave us a sheepish grin. “What did you think?”
Ellie surged forward, capturing her lips before any of us had a chance to react. My cock immediately responded to the scene. The telltale tightening in my groin kept me in place. Moving would only draw attention to it.
Billy’s brows damn near kissed his hairline; the way his jaw relaxed as his eyes widened conveyed his shock.
Ellie released Kate’s mouth with a smack, but put a strong arm around her hips, jerking her against her side.
Kate flushed as her gaze skittered first to me, probably waiting for me to scold them again like an asshole, then to her brother.
Her fucking brother. My wolf and I celebrated that news. I probably would have responded like Ellie if we didn’t have more important things to tend to.
“ Uh, when did you switch teams, Kate?” His expression was tight. “And when were you planning to tell me?”
“ Later, Billy. Before bed.”
He glared at Ellie. Ellie continued to wear a shit-eating grin. Her joy probably pissed him off even more. I was prepared to step in but only if I needed to. I always tried to give my pack the opportunity to work through and solve their own problems before butting in.
“ We will definitely be discussing this later,” he stated.
“ Fine.” She nodded her agreement. “Now, please trust me. You won’t need the hired muscle in this town.”
He studied Kate, looking her up and down for a solid minute before conceding. “Guess your car picked a good place to crap out,” he muttered.
He waved the guys off. “Tell Bernie I’ll pay for the full day as agreed.”
The guys exchanged glances before shrugging.
“ It’s your grave,” one of them said.
“ Let’s hope not, right sis?” Billy’s tension was visible. His lips were pressed together; his jaw tight and the vein in his neck pulsating, showing his concern. His muscles were flexing beneath his clothes and, for one brief moment, I questioned if he was one of us, a rogue wolf perhaps.
“ I can’t promise that Donovan won’t hurt you from cyberspace, but I can promise that Ellie and Jerry will protect you physically.”
“ And you?” His tone said he only cared about Kate’s safety, not his own.
“ Before you,” I stated, my hormones under control enough to slip into their little circle.
He still didn’t trust us, but he didn’t have to. The most important person did: Kate.
She smiled up at me, taking my hand in hers.
Billy honed in on our joined hands. He ground his teeth, practically seething.
“ Later,” Kate said.
He met her gaze; I knew he wanted answers now, but he relented. “Later.” He pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes on first me then Ellie.
My wolf was crouched, daring him to force the issue now.
But he didn’t.
—
Chapter Sixteen
KATE
Jerry’s warmth slipped around me. Somehow he and Ellie, as protective as they were – just like Billy – they still empowered me. I sensed that they wanted me to rise up and fight my demons beside
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