Page 15

B illie Ann’s mind was still spinning from that kiss in the kitchen.

Rafe’s mouth had been hot on her neck, his arms strong and sure as he pressed her against the counter like she was the only thing that mattered.

And God help her, she wanted more. No hesitation.

No second-guessing. She was all in, heart and soul.

Now she waited impatiently in the trailer where he had left her. After locking up the bar for the night, Rafe wanted to run perimeter, saying he would feel better, but promised to return soon.

Running into the bedroom, she quickly freshened up and changed.

Nervousness and excitement rolled through her body.

Looking at herself in the mirror, she smiled at herself as she fluffed her hair.

It was hard to believe she could fall so hard for someone she had just met, but that is exactly what had happened.

Before he left, Rafe kissed her again, his hands running over her body with a promise to return soon. He hadn’t walked away until he heard the door lock. Besides Davey, no one had ever cared enough about her safety, and it felt nice.

With a sigh, she opened her bedroom door and walked out, a scream ripping from her throat. Standing in her living room was Frisco, and the look he had given her earlier played through her mind. Her instincts warned her that this wasn’t a social visit.

“Get out, Frisco!” Billie Ann said, hoping her voice didn’t sound as terrified as she felt. She knew that door had been locked.

“Yeah, that won’t happen until you and I have a talk,” Frisco replied, then turned to look at the still locked door, which her attention kept going to. “Wondering how I got in? I’m a Crow Shifter, baby. I can find the smallest areas to get in. There is no running or hiding from me.”

“I’m not running or hiding,” Billie Ann shot back, her voice sharper than she felt inside.

Her heart pounded in her chest, but she refused to show fear.

She didn’t recognize the man in front of her.

This wasn’t the Frisco she’d worked beside, laughed with, and called a friend for years.

This version of him had wild eyes and a twisted grin, like something had snapped and there was no coming back.

“You need to leave, Frisco,” she said, her tone firm but shaky. “Rafe’s going to be here any minute.”

That only made Frisco laugh loud, sharp, and unhinged. “Fuck him!” he roared, his eyes flashing with something dark and manic. “Your hero’s a little busy at the moment. I made damn sure about that.”

Her stomach dropped. “What did you do?” she asked, barely able to get the words out. A chill skated down her spine, despite the warm night air.

Frisco stepped closer, his smile spreading like oil on water. “Little distraction. I have friends who don’t like new Shifters coming into town, taking our women.”

Bile rose to her throat. “Why? You afraid of Rafe to face him yourself.”

“Bitch I will kill him without blinking an eye. I just needed him out of the picture so we could talk.” Frisco stepped closer.

Billie Ann backed up a step, rage and disbelief battling inside her. “You’re out of your damn mind.”

“I did everything right,” he hissed, ignoring her words.

“I stayed. I worked that bar like it was mine. I waited. But Davey gave it to you . A human. That is not supposed to be how it’s done.

Then Rafe comes strutting in like some alpha knight to take you too?

” His eyes were burning now, wild and frantic.

“I earned you, Billie Ann. I earned all of it!”

She stared at him, horror washing over her. “You killed him,” she whispered as the horror of that realization hit her hard.

Frisco didn’t answer, but the way his jaw clenched and his gaze darted away told her everything she needed to know.

“I knew if Davey was gone, you’d come back, and I was right.

I was fucking right! With him gone I’d have the bar and you, but that fucking bastard came here and ruined it. You were supposed to love me.”

Tears stung Billie Ann’s eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Lifting her chin, she stared Frisco down with every ounce of strength she had left.

“I would never have loved you, Frisco. Especially now, knowing you killed Davey.” She spat with hatred at what he had done and who he had become.

Her words lit a fuse. His face twisted, and in the next breath, his hand lashed out and struck her hard across the cheek.

“We’ll see about that,” he growled.

Before she could recover, his hand closed around her throat and slammed her back against the wall. She gasped, struggling against his iron grip, her nails digging into his wrist as he leaned in.

“You belong to me,” he snarled. “And so does Shift Faced. No one’s going to stop me from having you both.”

Just as dark spots started to fill her vision, the trailer door crashed open.

“And that’s where you’re wrong,” came Rafe’s voice, low and deadly.

Relief hit her like a wave, but it was short-lived. Frisco only grinned wider, a flash of wild satisfaction in his eyes as he reached inside his jacket.

Billie Ann didn’t think, only act. She launched herself at him, tackling him just as he drew the gun. They hit the ground hard, and the sound of a gunshot exploded in the tight space, deafening her.

“Son of a bitch!”

Rafe was already moving. He yanked Frisco off Billie Ann, his heart pounding so loud it nearly drowned everything else out. His eyes scanned her in a flash. No blood, thank God, but the welt on her face lit a rage inside him that was unstoppable.

He kicked the gun under the counter and grabbed Frisco by the front of his jacket, dragging him bodily out of the trailer. The bastard fought him, clawing and swinging, but Rafe didn’t feel any of it. His rage was a living thing now.

Outside, Rafe let loose. The fight turned primal in an instant.

Frisco was fast, slippery, and agile like the crow he was. He came at Rafe with a wild grin, feinting left, then jabbing at his ribs. Rafe took the hit and returned with a brutal uppercut that snapped Frisco’s head back.

“You should’ve stayed gone,” Rafe growled.

Frisco lunged, managing to clip Rafe across the jaw. Pain flared, but he welcomed it. Pain always made him more focused. His Jaguar wanted to come out to play, but Rafe held him back. This was his job, his Mate he was defending.

Rafe grabbed the bastard by the shirt, slammed him against the side of the trailer, and drove his fist into Frisco’s gut, then his jaw—once, twice—bone and cartilage giving under the force.

Frisco twisted free, staggering, spitting blood into the dirt. Rafe hit him again, sending him sprawling into the gravel.

“You laid a hand on her,” Rafe said through gritted teeth. “That’s all I need to bury you, motherfucker.”

Frisco surged back up, wild and desperate now, but Rafe was ready. He tackled him to the ground, fists landing in a flurry of controlled, punishing strikes.

“You don’t know shit!” Frisco roared, bucking under him. “She was supposed to be mine! Davey was going to hand it all to her, so I took it! I took him out, and she still picked you!”

“You took nothing but a life!” Rafe sneered down at him and then smashed an elbow to his face. “Davey never promised you anything did he you sick son of a bitch. You knew Billie Ann would come home, which would be your chance at owning the bar through her. You are a sick piece of shit.”

“It would have worked if it weren’t for you coming here.” Frisco sneered through the blood flowing freely from the wounds on his face.

Rafe’s smile was deadly as he glared down at Frisco. “That’s right, fucker. If, for whatever reason, you think of coming around again, remember my warning. I will kill you slowly and painfully. Better yet, if Jack doesn’t off you...watch your fucking back, Crow.”

“You just sealed your fate, Frisco,” came a deep voice behind them.

Rafe looked over to see Jack Crow and Mac standing nearby, their faces carved from stone. He had called Mac when five Crow Shifters ambushed him. He had known something was going down and needed someone with Billie Ann because he didn’t know if he would make it in time.

“You just confessed to the murder of one of your own, asshole,” Jack said coldly. “We’ll handle it from here, Rafe.”

Frisco stilled. The blood from his nose dripped onto the dirt. For the first time, there was no cocky grin, no confidence—just realization.

Rafe stood slowly, chest heaving and fists shaking. “I can finish him now. It’s my right.”

“Go check on Billie Ann,” Mac nodded toward the trailer. “And Rafe, Davey’s death is a Shifter-on-Shifter crime, and you know that needs to be handled differently. If that weren’t the case, then you would have full rein to end him yourself.”

Rafe wiped the blood from his jaw. “If you so much as breathe in her direction, you won’t walk away next time, and no one will stop me,” Rafe growled down at Frisco before standing up and turning toward Jack.

“There are five or six Crow Shifters who ambushed me. Some may still be knocked out by the creek up the hill.”

“You will never have to worry about him again. I can promise you that. And I’ll take care of the other five as well.” Jack gave him a sharp nod. Mac stepped forward and hauled Frisco to his feet, whispering something low and full of authority. Frisco didn’t fight. His cocky fire was gone.

“The gun,” Rafe said through clenched teeth, his voice still rough from the adrenaline pounding through his system. “I’m sure it’s the one the bastard used to kill Davey. It’s in the trailer. I’ll get it to you tomorrow.”

“Get her out of here. You know where to take her and where the key is.” Mac ordered, then gave him a grim nod. Jack Crow said nothing, his jaw tight, eyes locked on Frisco as he and Mac dragged the broken man away.

But Rafe wasn’t watching anymore. He turned and jogged back toward the trailer, his blood still hot, his mind racing with images of Billie Ann pinned against the wall with her cheek bruised.

It made something twist savagely within him.

He wanted to rip Frisco apart, but that was out of his hands now.

What wasn’t out of his hands… was her.

The trailer door hung crooked on its hinges. He stepped inside and found her sitting on the floor, knees drawn to her chest, eyes wet and wide.

Their gazes met, and in an instant, she was in his arms.

He dropped to his knees, wrapping her tightly against him as she buried her face in his chest and finally let go. Her sobs were quiet but raw, and he held her tighter than he’d ever held anything in his life.

“I’m so sorry I wasn’t here,” he whispered against her hair, his voice trembling from so many emotions ranging from fear to rage that anyone dared lay a finger on her.

She pulled back slightly, her fingers trembling as she reached up and gently wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. Her touch was soft, reverent.

“Are you okay?” she whispered. Her eyes scanned his face, then dipped lower, her hands ghosting over his chest, his arms, looking for any sign of injury. “I was so afraid he was going to?—”

“I’m fine.” He cupped her chin, tilting her head so she had no choice but to meet his eyes. “But if you ever throw yourself in front of danger to protect me again, I swear I’m going to lose my mind. You could’ve been killed.”

“You could’ve been killed,” she shot back softly, her lip trembling. “I saw him reach for that gun, and all I could think was… not you. I couldn’t lose you to.”

Rafe didn’t answer. He just pulled her back into him, cradling her as if she might vanish if he let go. Her heartbeat against his chest was the only proof he needed that she was still here, still his.

He pressed a kiss to her temple and breathed her in.

“Let’s get out of here. I’ll fix the door tomorrow,” he said after a moment, his voice low and steady again. “You’re safe now. I’ve got you.”

And he did.

No matter what came next or how much more they had to face, he wasn’t letting her go.

Not now. Not ever.