With a roar, he bunched his muscles and lunged at Shawn, ignoring the searing pain in his shoulder. There was no time to draw this out like he wanted—no time to maim and tear as he repaid every broken bone, bruise, or mental blow this fucker had given Ana.
There was only time to end the threat to his mate’s life.
He went straight for the asshole’s throat. Sinking his razor-sharp teeth into his throat as easily as a knife slicing through butter, he clamped down and viciously yanked his head back, tearing the other man’s throat out.
For a long moment, he stood over the body as satisfaction and victory coursed through his veins, only vaguely aware of the club members’ quiet murmurs. Sides heaving with a combination of adrenaline, exertion, and pain, he steeled himself to look at his mate.
He’d ended the threat to her life, but how much damage had he just done to her mind? He’d violently killed another man right in front of her. That man, he sneered, gazing down at the dead fuck in front of him, had hurt and terrorized her for years—but would she see that his death had been necessary?
Or would she look at him with the same fear in her light blue eyes that she’d had when she looked at her ex?
Huffing out a breath, he wiped his face off on fuckface’s khakis, not wanting to go to her covered in the other man’s blood, and then he turned to face her. She was white as a sheet, her sky-blue eyes wide, her throat moving as she swallowed convulsively.
Walking over to her warily, he eyed the gun she still clutched in her hand, wondering if she was going to shoot him next. When he was standing next to her, still unscathed, he nudged her hand with his nose, aiming the gun away.
Blinking at him like she was coming out of a daze, she glanced at the gun in surprise, like she’d forgotten she held it. Setting it on the bench, she just stared at him, her eyes blank and almost confused, when he huffed out a breath of relief. Needing her away from the dead man and knowing the others would take care of the body, he gently pressed his head to her side and urged her to walk around the corner of the house.
It took a moment to get her to do as he wanted, but when she did, she surprised him by resting her hand on his neck, her fingers caressing him gently, almost like she was petting him. Relief and hope that she wasn’t repulsed by him washed over him, and the moment they were around the corner, he came to a stop and shifted, hissing as he forced the shift faster.
Ana stared at him in a daze for a split second, and then with a soft cry, she threw herself into his arms. Gritting his teeth at the pain in his shoulder, he wrapped his arms around her as she clung to him tightly and sobbed.
“I’m sorry, il mio cuore,” he whispered hoarsely, pressing a kiss to her hair. “I hate that you had to see me kill him like that. I’m so fucking sorry, baby.”
He continued murmuring those words over and over, not stopping even when her sobs finally quieted. She drew in a shuddering breath and then stiffened, pulling back with a frown.
“Why in the world are you apologizing to me?”
Brow furrowing, he replied cautiously. “Because I killed your ex in front of you.”
“Fuck him,” she spat vehemently. “He deserved so much worse. His death was too merciful. He was going to fucking kill you!”
Stunned that that was why she thought he deserved worse, he stared at her in silence. After all that fucker had put her through, all the ways he’d hurt her physically and mentally… and she was so pissed because he’d tried to kill Bolt.
“He tried to kill you too, baby. Not just me.”
She waved him off, her sky-blue eyes flashing dangerously. “I can live with me being dead. I can’t live with you being dead.”
A growl ripped up his throat. “Yeah, well, you dying is not a fucking option. Not now, not ever, do you understand me?”
The temper faded from her eyes. “I’m sorry, Bolt. I know you’re mad at me for going outside, but I knew you were hurt. He said he hurt you, and you weren’t coming to stop him, so I knew he wasn’t lying. He said he was going to go back and finish the job, and I had to stop him. I wouldn’t survive it if something happened to you.”
Softening just a bit, he cupped her cheek and kissed her softly. “I’m pissed as hell, mate, and as much as I wish I didn’t understand your reasoning, I do. But you had nothing to worry about. Yeah, he got the jump on me, and Blaze, too. Fucker was sneaky when he wanted to be. The only reason I didn’t race after him was because I was waiting on someone to get Blaze inside. I didn’t want that fucker to come back and kill him. I thought you were tucked up safe inside and there was time,” he added pointedly.
“Oh God, is Blaze okay?”
“Pissed as fuck, but he’s fine.”
Closing her eyes for a moment, she shook her head slowly. “I didn’t know. I thought he’d injured you badly. And if I’m being honest, even before I’d found out you were injured, I’d already worked myself up, telling myself I had to face Shawn and conquer my demons.” Sucking in a breath, her eyes popped open wide. “I shot him.”
Bolt couldn’t help the smile that curled one corner of his mouth up. “Yeah, baby, you did.”
Pursing her lips, she considered that for a moment. “Good. I’m glad I was able to take a piece of him, even if I wasn’t the one who stopped him.”
“Bloodthirsty wench,” he murmured
