“Isabelle…”
I grabbed my flip-flops and keys before flying out the front door. Jericho tried to grab my shirt, but I picked up speed and jogged across the yard. Oh God, I needed to get away from all this drama.
“You don’t really want me here,” I yelled out. “And we might end up killing each other. I told Hawk if he doesn’t pay this guy back, then it’s over between us. I’ve given him an ultimatum, and I’m not really a fan of those.”
When I unlocked the car door, he pressed his arm against the frame and squinted in the bright afternoon sun.
A butterfly briefly landed on his shoulder before fluttering off. I put my hands on my hips and softened my voice. “Why are you trying to stop me?”
“I can’t help it, Isabelle. I have a strong instinct to protect you, and damn if I can’t suppress it. You’ve always deserved a good man. I just don’t think I can stand aside while you settle for some sonofabitch who thinks he can put bruises on you. Let’s get one thing straight: if any man ever puts his hands on you again, I’ll end his life. I don’t care if you’re mated to him.”
I smiled and touched his cheek, feeling his smooth shave and searching his haunted eyes. “Maybe the old Jericho’s still in there after all—the one who cares about people and doesn’t shut them out of his life. I’m not expecting us to be friends again. But there are no other waitress jobs on the Breed side of town, and I need a paycheck. I’m tired of drifting. I’ve been moving around for years, and I want to get rooted somewhere and…”
“Find a pack?”
I blinked and tugged at the door.
“You’re a wolf, Isabelle. It’s natural to feel the need to join up with a pack. Stop living in denial… Stop fighting what comes natural.”
“I know what I am.”
He nodded and looked at me slyly. “You sure do. But when are you going to accept it?”
He knew me too well. I’d always struggled with my upbringing in a house full of cougars and had never known what it felt like to be bonded with anyone.
Except Jericho. In a strange way, I used to think of him as my pack. Maybe that’s why I still felt a strong connection with him. He was the only one who knew my fear of joining a family. It’s an instinct all Shifter wolves had, including myself, and even Jericho once admitted he’d one day settle down in a pack. I’d always told him it didn’t matter to me.
I’d lied.
Chapter 7
Austin was a big enough city that I knew the odds of running into Handlebars again were slim to none—as long as I stayed out of Hawk’s territory.
I checked out a few motels, but the prices were outside my budget. With my hair pulled back in a messy knot, I parked my car in front of McDonald’s and called Hawk.
“Better pick up,” I murmured.
“Yeah,” he answered.
“Hawk! I’ve been trying to get a hold of you.”
“Miss me already?”
“Are you sitting around waiting for this to go away or doing something about it?”
“Working on it,” he replied.
“Does that mean you’re paying him back what you owe? I have a man after me. He’s big and he’s scary, but he’s still a human and my wolf can kick his ass.”
“You aren’t supposed to shift in front of humans.”
“And you aren’t supposed to work for drug lords. Hawk, please. Let me know how this is all going to work out so I can make plans.”
“Where are you staying?” he asked.
I shifted in my seat and watched a kid inside the restaurant smearing ketchup on the window. “You know where to find me if you want to talk, but don’t start any trouble and get me fired.”
“I can protect you, Izzy. Say the word and I’ll come pick you up.”
No way. I kept wondering why I was giving Hawk a second chance, but I saw the good side in him and believed in redemption. What if my staying made all the difference in turning his life around?
“Say yes. I want you back.”
Was I overreacting? No one said relationships were easy. “Where are you hiding out?”
“Can’t tell you, but I can show you. Come on, Iz. I don’t like the idea of you sleeping God knows where or with who. Help me sort this shit out and we’ll go back to the way it was.”
I tapped my finger on the steering wheel, feeling the angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other, each trying to give me sage advice.