“Can you flip yourself up to put the keys in your fingers?” Jackson asks.
“I can try but can’t guarantee it.” I swing back and forth like the gymnasts on the rings that I watched growing up. I try once, and my feet were almost there.
“You know, you’re turning me on right now,” Jackson smirks.
“Oh, baby, you haven’t seen anything yet,” I tantalize him. I try one more time and am able to grab the keys with my fingers. “Now what?” I try to unlock it, but I can’t seem to reach the lock.
“Can you dislocate your hand or something?” Jackson questions.
Moving side to side, I try to dislocate my shoulder, so I can stretch a little more and free myself. I feel my shoulder come completely out of socket, and I yell out in pain. “God, that hurts like a son of a bitch.” I breathe in and out, trying to calm myself.
277
Jackson Hughes
The strength Polly is exhibiting is awe-inspiring. I’ve never met anyone like her, and she loves me, too. She hasn’t come and said it yet, but she will. Jason’s out cold but won’t be for long. I wonder where my club is because they’ve had plenty of time to get here. “Are you okay?” I hate seeing her in tears. The way she stood up to Jason and didn’t falter, made me fall even more in love with her.
“No, but I will be.” She unlocks her chains and then comes over to unlock me. She only manages to get one hand free when Jason begins to wake. She tosses me the key when Jason tackles her, and she screams out in pain from the shoulder and impact. He has his full weight on her with his hands around her neck.
I unchain myself in time to grab Jason’s shoulders, throwing him across the room and denting in the wall. I whip around to see Polly with her hands on her neck, coughing. She reassures me that she’s okay before I can ask.
Jason laughs. “Is that all you got, big brother?”
“I’m just getting warmed up, little brother. Do you want to do this human or cat?” I bark, snarling at him. He knows I’m stronger and faster than him, but he still shifts into a lion. I need Polly to get out of here, but I can only protect her until my guys get here.
Bones cracking, hissing, and a roar fills the room as I run and leap on Jason. I scratch his face with my claws. He hisses, throwing me against the wall. He stalks me. Colliding again, we roll together, scratching and biting each other. With all of the rolling around, we get twisted up somehow, and I’m on my stomach when Jason bites my back leg. He tore the skin straight down to my bone, causing me to yelp in pain. Thankfully, it starts to heal itself almost immediately. I manage to get up on all fours, but Jason continues to bite me on my back.
Jason is lifted off of me. Polly has somehow wrapped the chain around Jason’s neck. He growls and swipes his paw at her. She slaps him across the face as he morphs back into a naked human being. I follow suit. I’m naked, standing in front of the woman I love.
“You okay?” She comes over to me, holding me up.
“I self-heal. I’m good.” I take her in my arms and kiss her. This is the kiss that should’ve been our first. It’s deep and long. I’m hoping she can feel the emotions I’m trying to convey. “I was so scared when I was told you were taken. I need to get him chained up. Are you okay for a minute?”
“I’m good. My shoulder is still out of place, though. Can you help me with that?” I nod, forgetting about Jason momentarily to focus on Polly. I grab her arm with one hand and place my other one on her shoulder, I move it in a circular pattern until it pops into place.
“You still need to get it looked at,” I tell her. “It’s too quiet out there. I don’t know where Jason’s followers are or why the Dark Leopards aren’t here yet.”
“Are we safe here?” Polly’s voice is trembling, and she keeps scanning the room.
“Yes. I got you, and I’m not going to let anything happen to you, I promise.” I kiss her again. “Polly, I—” I’m interrupted when she gasps. “What is it?”
“More shifters are coming,” she whispers. I shift into a panther, waiting while Polly cowers behind me in the corner. She knows from her dream that Jason turns her into a lioness. Shifters can’t communicate with other shifters unless we’re bonded.
“Hello?” I inquire mentally.
“Jackson, where are you?” I hear August’s voice.
“In some room. I think like five doors down one of the hallways.”
“Okay. We’re kicking in doors. Is Polly alive?” I glance back at Polly, who is terrified and shaking.
“Yeah, she’s good. Polly gave Jason a run for his money,” I inform them. They all cheer in my head, making me chuff.
The guys burst through the door, and Polly screams. Immediately, I shift into human form to let her know that it’s okay. It’s the Dark Leopards. One of the prospects brings all of us some clothes.
“We took care of the ones guarding the place. What do you want to do with Jason?” Tyson asks.
“I don’t even know. What do you think?” I question Tyson and August as we stand there. Polly’s holding my hand but standing off to the side, trying not to listen.
“I’d kill him like the rest of them. I don’t know if we can ensure we’ll keep Polly alive if he’s still around,” Tyson remarks.
I nod, releasing a pent-up sigh.
“Are you okay?” Polly asks me.
“I’m going to have Finn do it. You need to get her to the hospital and get her checked out,” Tyson says. We all start leaving the room together when I feel
