We both rushed to get dressed. I threw on the cute skirt and top I’d had on earlier; there was no time to find something else. I slipped on some heels and picked up my handbag while Dave grabbed the car keys, and in minutes, we were out the door.
Tension filled the air as we drove to Slice of the Pie. I chewed on a cuticle nervously and bit my lip. Maybe the fight had gotten out of hand, or maybe …
“You know, he might not be at the pizzeria. If the fight went nuts, he may be at the police station. Who knows, he may have even gone home,” Dave said.
I wiped my moist hands on my skirt. “I hope he’s at the pizzeria,” I replied nervously.
Dave gripped the wheel tightly and gunned the engine, driving faster than normal. Thankfully, the restaurant was just a short distance from our apartment. Though we made it there in record time, it seemed like it took forever.
I felt some of the tension leaving my body as we pulled into the pizzeria’s parking lot. Nothing looked out of the ordinary. There were a number of cars but no policemen, and Todd’s car was there so he had to be inside. As Dave and I entered the restaurant, it looked like the usual early evening crowd, filled mostly with students and a family or two.
Ms. Boobilcious herself was near the cash register. Even though I knew Todd did not have feelings for Jenna, the sight of her in her sheer, tight white Slice of the Pie tee made me want to vomit. She was busy studying her purple, polished nails.
“Jenna, do you know where Todd is?” Dave asked.
Jenna didn’t bother to look up. “He’s in the backroom with Jerry. But you can’t go back there.”
“Why not?” Dave asked, puzzled.
“Jerry said he needed to have a private discussion with Todd and they are not to be disturbed.”
“Well, we need to talk to Todd, and then we will let them continue their discussion.”
“I’m not the boss,” Jenna said, picking at her polish, “so whatever…”
Dave grabbed my hand and led me to the back. We were steps away from Todd’s office, but we could already hear the sound of angry voices through the closed door. Dave motioned me to be quiet and still.
We stood in the hallway, listening to their angry voices.
“Call them or you will regret it,” Jerry snarled.
“I won’t do it,” Todd said firmly.
“Call them! Call that good for nothing Dave and that skanky bimbo you are sleeping with,” Jerry’s voice yelled out.
Dave shook his head at me. His eyes flared with rage and he pointed to a large cabinet near Todd’s office. “Get behind that cabinet,” he whispered.
“Dave, I…”
Dave puts his finger to his lips and motioned to the cabinet.
As I followed his direction, he transitioned to his wolf. He seemed to grow larger at first, then his body collapsed into itself, bone crunching on bone as his limbs grew longer. In seconds, Dave’s massive, powerful wolf was before me, and I could smell his aggression.
Snarling, he leapt directly at the office door, his powerful animal knocking it down in one fell swoop.
From behind the cabinet I gasped. I could see Jerry clearly. He looked up, his jaw dropping in shock, and his face turned a pale, ghostly white. But the whole time, his hand remained steady.
Jerry was standing over Todd, pointing a gun directly at his head.
Part IV
Part Four
28
I gasped as I peered out from behind the cabinet. My beautiful Todd was sitting in his office chair, a light glimmer of sweat on his brow. His hands gripped the corner of his office desk tightly. Jerry stood directly behind him, cocking a gun towards his head. Though Jerry’s face was pale, his hand remained steady. Dave was directly in front of the pair snarling, his smoky grey, salt and pepper fur bristling with anger.
“Dave, don’t....” Todd said, his voice low and raw with emotion.
“Dave? What the hell!” Jerry shouted. “I thought this monster in front of me was Beverly. Dave’s a shifter too? Where is Beverly? Where is that skank ho?”
I could see from Dave’s wolf that he was ready to pounce on Jerry. Shaking, I could feel my knees starting to buckle. A wereman has incredible strength and power, with the ability to fight off multiple men, but he is no match for a gun. If Dave were to leap at Jerry, I knew for sure he would be shot. If Todd tried to protect me, he might be looking at a bullet too. The thought that one or both of the two men I loved could be hurt at any moment was horrifying.
“I know she has got to be hiding back here somewhere. Oh, Beverlyyy,” Jerry sang, keeping the gun focused on Todd, “come out, come out wherever you are!” his voice rang out. “Get the fuck out here bitch, or your werewolf man’s gonna get it!” he growled, low and guttural. “This one…” he shook the gun towards Todd, “…or this one,” he pointed menacingly at Dave.
He’d left me no choice … there was only one thing I could do. Trembling, I stepped out from my hiding place behind the cabinet. “Jerry, please put the gun down. Let’s talk this out.”