Page 53 of Claiming Ours (Anchor Bay #2)

MEMPHIS

I had never felt such an intense anger running through my veins, heating me to the point of sweating despite the cool breeze. How fucking dare that asshole try to take my Kitten away from me.

From us.

The way the air almost vibrated in the truck’s cab spoke to a similar level of fury thrumming through Liam as we weaved through town, headed toward… hell, I didn’t know exactly where. At some point, Liam digressed to only grunts and snarls, which was fine. I wasn’t in a chatty mood either.

Sucking in a gulped breath, I jerked my hand up to grip the oh-shit bar when he took a tight turn too fucking fast. The tires squealed on the blacktop while my heart hammered in my chest from the building terror that the classic truck would flip with us in it, and our revenge mission would never happen.

“It’s not that he wanted to talk to her,” Liam said through gritted teeth as he peeled his white-knuckled grip off the steering wheel to readjust his too-tight hold. “It’s that he waited for us to be the fuck out of town and cornered her in her own business. Fucking coward piece of shit.”

I nodded, but a sliver of unease filtered through the anger fog. The only doctor in Anchor Bay was about to need one.

Liam turned down a side road, where a few cabins sat far off the track, several acres between them. Everything in the truck jerked and bounced down the pothole-infested gravel road, making us both fight to keep our heads from smashing against the windows.

“Ah, fuck, I should’ve known,” Liam said, slamming a fist to the dashboard as he slowed the truck to a crawl.

“How the hell did he know we’d come here?” I muttered, gripping the door handle to jump out the second we came to a complete stop.

Blocking access to a long drive that I assumed led to the doctor’s house, sat Oliver’s official Jeep Grand Cherokee, with the man himself leaning against the side, arms crossed and glaring at the truck in disapproval.

“Because he knows me too well,” Liam grumbled while cutting the engine.

I was out the door before Liam could say another word, storming up to Oliver, who didn’t appear as concerned as he should have been.

Though I had been around him a few times, so the man knew I wasn’t a big threat.

With the tattoos and piercings, most people put me in the scary or troublemaker box, judging me before they ever knew me.

Which I guess, before I got clean, maybe I was.

But not really. I was always dead set on hurting myself through my addictions, not anyone else. That didn’t make me a good man, but it sure as hell didn’t make me a bad one.

“What the hell, Oliver?” Liam shouted from somewhere behind me.

Oliver just sighed and shook his head like we’d drained the last of his patience. “I knew exactly where you’d come after she told you what happened. I can’t let you kill him, even if we are friends. I’m saving you from yourself, Liam.”

“He cornered her,” I said, crossing both tatted arms over my chest. The material of my long-sleeve shirt scratched against my skin. The sweat and dirt from the long ride back made it stiffer and more uncomfortable than it already was.

“But did nothing,” Oliver said, eyeing me and then Liam, who now stood beside me, mirroring my stance.

“I know it was a shitty thing to do, but he doesn’t deserve to die for it.

Plus, Baylee doesn’t deserve to see her new boyfriends behind bars for the next twenty-plus years for doing something stupid.

Hell, probably more than that since he’s technically a lethal weapon with his MMA training. ”

I raised both brows and turned to Liam, whistling low. “Damn, man. Why the hell do you carry that pistol, then?”

His smile held no warmth. “Faster and less bloody. But tonight, I’m itching for a messy one.”

“You’re very scary,” I deadpanned. “I’m glad we’re on the same team.”

“A bloody fight doesn’t sound good for the only doctor the citizens in Anchor Bay have. Think this through, Liam.” Oliver stood and cracked his knuckles one by one. “I really don’t want to detain you.”

We stood in a standoff, the two of us glaring at the deputy sheriff while he acted like this was a daily occurrence.

Hell, maybe it was. I hadn’t been a part of the community for more than a few days, or in Anchor Bay for that matter.

Maybe Liam threatened people’s lives all the time, which was how Oliver knew to come out here.

Based on what I’d gathered so far about Liam, that last one was probably the most accurate.

“If you won’t let us handle it our way, then what will you do with him?” I asked, doing my best to keep a level head.

Oliver cautiously eyed us both. “Legally, there isn’t anything I can do.

There aren’t any laws against telling a woman how you feel, even if he went about it in the shadiest way possible.

Baylee only came to me so I would monitor him.

I don’t think he has anything to do with the missing women along the trail, but I’ll check him out just to be sure. ”

“You need to ask him about the injury to his arm,” I said, tapping my forearm for reference. “It was bandaged the other day, and we think Hank bit the person who killed the owner.”

Oliver dipped his chin in agreement. “Baylee suggested that too. I promise I’m on it, guys.

Listen, you’re both exhausted from all you did in Caper.

Go back home, for fuck’s sake, and take showers.

I can smell you from here. Then spend some time with Baylee.

I’ll handle this the legal way,” he emphasized, “and I’ll update you if I find out anything. ”

The muscle along Liam’s jaw twitched as if he was grinding his teeth. With a clipped nod, he spun on his heels and stormed back to the truck. I watched him for a second before turning back to Oliver.

“He needs a warning that will stick,” I stated. “He has to know what he did is not allowed, to Baylee or any other woman. She felt uncomfortable, and that cannot slide. If you don’t make that clear, then I’ll make damn sure he understands.”

Oliver’s brows rose, lips parted in what I assumed was shock. “Should’ve known that the newest addition to our town and the Uplift community would be just as violent and considerate of women as the rest of them.”

I cocked my head to the side. “Them? Do you not live there?”

“Nope, just outside town, but I can see why you’d think that. I’ve been there a lot lately working with Hudson on the missing women’s cases.” He rubbed his scruff-covered jaw. “I’ll admit, it’s nice there. The community feels like one extensive family that supports one another.”

The dip in his tone spoke to longing or sadness, making me wonder about the deputy sheriff’s life, and if the lure of the community would someday entangle him in its web like it had me.

With a curt wave, I headed back to the truck, a grumbling Liam already behind the wheel and ready to go the moment I slid into the seat.

The ride back was less tense than going, mostly because I couldn’t help but find a pouting Liam hilarious.

He caught my smirk a few times and snapped at me, but it only made me laugh more.

“I’m sorry you didn’t get your bloodbath, Gramps.”

The back of his hand connected with the center of my chest so hard that I swore he broke through my sternum and bruised my heart. I coughed to catch my breath, the force knocking the air out of me.

“How’s that for Gramps, fucker,” he said with a sharp smile.

“But yeah, damnit, I needed that fight to get this buildup out of me. I’m scared of what I’ll do to Baylee if I see her like this.

” At my shocked expression, he cursed. “Not like that, you asshole. Hell, I’d never lay a hand on her like that. I mean I might?—”

“Fuck her until she screamed so loud and long from you taking her over and over that she doesn’t have a voice left?”

Liam grimaced. “Shit, that sounds bad.”

“I bet she wouldn’t think so. Fair warning, though: Don’t hold back. I tried that and got a verbal lashing from that woman. She told me not to make decisions for her, and I listened. Tell her you need it hard and fast, to fuck her until the pictures fall off the wall, and see what she says.”

Liam grumbled something under his breath and shifted on the seat, adjusting his jeans with the hand not on the wheel.

“Maybe she’ll even let us use some of those toys tonight,” I mused while swiping a hand across my mouth to hide my smile. “I have some ideas. Though with your age, should we be worried about getting your heart rate up too high?—”

“I will murder you in your sleep if you say one more word. I can outrun, outfight, outwork—hell, I bet I can last longer with her than you can, kid. Don’t push me. I’m not in the mood.”

I couldn’t help it. It was just right there on the tip of my tongue.

“I think Gramps needs a nap. So grouchy.”

The truck slammed to a stop, the seat belt snapping taut against my chest. For the second time in the short ride, the air was forced from my lungs.

Knowing my life was about to be cut short, I clicked the seat belt free with one hand while gripping the door handle with the other. His fingertips skimmed over the back of my shirt just as I lunged from the truck out onto the wooden sidewalk of downtown Anchor Bay, laughing so hard my cheeks hurt.

The driver’s door swung open, and a furious Liam stepped out.

With the truck between us keeping me safe for now, I waited, breathing harder than necessary from the adrenaline pumping through my veins.

Liam folded his arms over the hood of the truck, and I mimicked his stance, returning his glare with a smile.

People hurried by, clearly sensing something was about to go down, though I had no idea what.

“You won’t hurt me,” I forced out, hoping like hell he liked me as much as I thought he did. “You like me too much.”

“Debatable,” he said with zero emotion, his gray eyes never leaving my face.