“What if he has rogues?”
“We have more than enough men here to deal with his damn rogues.” He ground out through clenched teeth. In fact, he was counting on it. A day cooped up in the jeep had him ready to let off some steam and there was no better way than ripping into some rogues. The only drawback was having Tasha here. He couldn’t allow her to be hurt.
Stomach clenching, roiling as if he was going to puke with the mere thought. Shit. Could he talk her into going back?
“Uh uh, don’t say it.” She shook her head. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Damn. She was getting good at reading him already.
Her face fierce, cheeks flushed, one hand on her hip as she glowered up at him. She was beautiful and she was his. Pity she was stubborn too.
“Tasha . . .”
Her hand shot up, waggling a finger. “I said . . . don’t say it. I’m not arguing with you. I am going to find this, this . . . person . . . who killed my parents and my Pack and I’m going to watch as he meets his end. Understand?”
His mind raced to come up with words to change her mind. He was Alpha. He always knew what to say to get his way but somehow, this time, words failed him. He was still going to try though, that was until they were rudely interrupted.
“Excuse me, but if you two lovebirds have stopped having a domestic then can we get going?” Zohar’s tone dripped with sarcasm.
Rafe’s eyes spun to spear him with a deadly stare. “Butt out.”
“I would, but we’re on a mission and I don’t usually have to take part in marriage counselling.” The Enforcer smirked, looking at Tasha then back at Rafe. “But I have to say, if you two are starting off like this then it doesn’t bode well for your future. Hey, just saying.”
Rafe strode forward, closing the distance between them, his lips curled back in a snarl. “Don’t. Don’t say, don’t speak, don’t fucking comment. Tasha is off limits to you. You’re a Neanderthal that’s not much more than brawn with not a lot of brains. If you did have brains you’d have your own damn Pack, Zohar. You know it, I know it, everyone fucking knows it.”
Zohar let out a growl, showing his teeth, his fists clenching at his sides. Rafe knew how this went. As it always did. The Enforcer would lose his temper and they’d be embroiled in a down and dirty fight in no time. Well, that’s how it usually went. This time Tasha pushed her way between them, punching each of their chests as she went. She didn’t hold back either, her face red with fury as she spat out.
“Stop it! You two are like a couple of teenagers having a pissing contest. We’re here to find the person responsible for murdering my parents so can we go do that.”
Her words, tone, outraged face were like Rafe had been thrown in an icy lake. His heart dropped like a stone, aching for adding to her already immense hurt and anguish. Zohar seemed to fare no better, his eyes dropping to the ground, refusing to meet Tasha’s.
“Come on,” Tasha said coldly, spinning away and following behind Sherman who was already walking away.
Her back rigid, head high, every muscle screaming her annoyance. Rafe sighed, she’d never looked so magnificent as he jogged after her. Jacy joined him, slapping his back. “Hey, you and Zohar really need to stop this nonsense. I know he’s a bit of a . . .”—his Beta stopped, glancing to check where the Enforcer was before continuing—“ass but you know that so why do you let him get to you? You’re better than that, Rafe.”
“I guess he just knows which buttons to press with me.” Rafe admitted to his best friend something he’d never do to anyone else.
“Ya think?” Jacy chuckled.
Catching up to Tasha he remained silent, simply grasping her hand and slowing to walk beside her. She glanced up, her eyebrow raising briefly before she relented and her lips tugged up slightly, as they walked on quietly.
Taking in the area around them, long grass, trees, sounds of wildlife, large and small. The place would be beautiful if not for the reason they were there. Soft footfalls heading their way, he reached forward, halting Sherman, a finger to his lips.
Moments later Zohar’s men ran into view, sliding to a stop, standing to attention before their commander as he barked, “Report.”
“Small house ahead with a contingent of rogues guarding it. We had eyes on a dozen but there are probably more inside. There’s also a cabin off to the side with lights on, so it’s safe to assume there’s rogues in there too but there can’t be many because of its size.”
Zohar nodded, dismissing them before giving out orders to several of his men, dividing them into groups to surround the main house and cabin. “My men will take care of the rogues. Sherman, you’ll stay with me and deal with the Witch. Rafe, you and your men can accompany us and take care of any stragglers inside the main house.”
“Fine,” Rafe agreed before looking for Levi to give out his own commands. “Levi, stay back with Tasha. Keep half a dozen of our men with you in case of any trouble.”
Tasha opened her mouth to argue but this time Rafe would hear none of it. “No. You will not be involved in the breach. After the rogues have been taken out and Sherman has done his thing with the Witch, then, and only then, can Levi bring you in. That is not open for discussion.”
She crossed her arms, glaring at him, her voice saying one thing as her body said another. “Fine.”
Zohar’s men started to break away in groups, finally the Enforcer turned to Rafe. “Let’s roll and put this fucker down.”
“Sounds good to me.” Rafe snarled as he his
