This man smelled like those drugs. We hadn’t seen their kind for almost ten years, and everyone knew this was Dark Leopards territory, so why the fuck would anyone try to come here?
When I landed, knocking him to the ground, he screamed like a bitch and passed out. I didn’t need to do anything. My mate got away, but I could always track her down later. No, I would track her down as soon as I took care of this idiot. She was mine.
Shifting back to my human form, I reached for my cell phone only to remember I was buck ass naked, and my phone was wherever my clothes had landed. I breathed in deep to make sure there was no one else around, not sensing or scenting anyone, but instead of getting my phone, I focused. I had a few calls to make. First, I called out to a prospect ordering him to bring me the van and a change of clothes, since my cut wouldn’t hide shit. Mindspeak was great when I didn’t have other communication devices on me.
The second was to my president. “We’ve got a problem,” I told him through our communication waves. That was the nice thing about being a shifter and bonded to a brotherhood.
“Where are you at? What’s wrong?” Knox asked; his voice had an edge to it.
“The sweet drugs are back.”
“What?”
“Not only that, but I had to rescue a damsel in distress. The fuckwad who was attacking her smells like those sweet drugs.”
His growl was loud and ferocious. “Fuck!”
“I shifted, and the guy pissed himself. The woman ran away. I’ll find her later. I’m taking this asshole back with me.”
“Have a couple of the prospects do that when they get there. I’ll have Manic meet you, too.”
“Knox—”
He cut me off, “No, right now, they can watch him, and you get your ass to the bar. Siam is looking for you and is pissed off you haven’t gotten here yet.”
My fingers raked through my shoulder-length light brown hair. “I really think—”
“Why don’t you let me do the thinking right now? The man was probably scared shitless and will be out for a while. Get your ass here and celebrate your birthday with your sister.”
“Dammit!”
“That’s what I thought.” His laughter abruptly ended. If my phone was in my hand, I probably would have thrown it at the wall.
Grabbing the asshole who dared lay his hands on what was mine, I dragged him by his arm toward my bike. If I hurt him some more or dislocated his shoulder, it was nothing more than he deserved. He would die, but first, I needed some information.
365
Verity
“You’re late,” my friend Siam pouted as soon as I got to the bar I’d agreed to meet her at. She knew I had an errand to run, but I didn’t tell her what I had to do. We’d only met when she and I became roommates six weeks ago. Tonight, she and her elusive brother were celebrating their birthday, and I’d agreed to make an appearance like a good roommate.
“I told you I had somewhere to go before I came here,” I said a little more sharply than I intended.
“I know. Everything okay?”
Did I tell her the truth? “I’m fine. Just got into it with an ex-friend. I need a shot,” I finally answered. Before I’d come in here, I called the police, who brushed off the attack as nothing and told me they would send someone out there. I wasn’t crazy, but they acted like I’d lost my mind. Then again, calling the police and saying a snow leopard attacked my ex did sound a little out there. After they hung up on me, I wiped my neck clean and plastered on a fake smile, but I couldn’t hide the trembling in my hand. Therefore, I kept them down at my sides where no one would be able to notice them.
I didn’t even know why I was here. I should have cried off, telling Siam I had a headache or some other excuse, but I would have felt guilty. Maybe instead of SUCKER, I needed MORON tattooed on my forehead. I was the goody-two-shoes that wanted to help everyone, support my friends, and save everyone I could. And it got me in trouble a time or ten, much like tonight.
Leaning against the bar, I waved my hand frantically, trying to get one of the three bartenders’ attention. Liquid courage would calm my nerves and help to settle me down.
“Why are you over here? We have a table and liquor over there,” Siam informed me.
When Siam moved in, I was just happy to have a roommate again to help share the cost of my two-bedroom apartment. My last roommate moved to New York to pursue her dream of Broadway. I didn’t have the heart to tell Lindsey a howling dog would have a better shot than her. I thought I could go at it alone, maybe find a one-bedroom unit, but I liked my space, I liked the apartment I had, and I didn’t find anything comparable. One month of paying everything myself, of having to dig into my savings because I didn’t make shit working for legal aid, and I realized I needed help. Siam showed up two days after I’d placed the ad, and she had been a great roommate ever since.
I remembered the guys who had helped move her in. They were hardened
