“Son of a bitch. Friends, my ass.” A person only had so much willpower in a given day. Today, I’d visited three pet stores and resisted buying approximately one hundred twenty cute little puppies. I had none left. I moved her backwards and Lily’s butt hit the desk, scattering papers to the floor.
What was between us was beyond chemistry. It was the chemical reaction, a connection of particles realigned to create a new organism. For the first time, I understood down deep that being with Lily Costello was worth losing my job. But was she worth losing my heart?
I stepped back, letting my arms fall away.
Chemical reactions could have catastrophic results. They burned out buildings and razed cities to the ground. I didn’t know if I could handle that.
“Lil, I gotta tell you something.”
“Oh?”
Just do it, you pussy! My attention wandered to a piece of paper we’d pushed to the floor. It was time I came clean. “The manager at that pet shop...he wasn’t going to give us the info unless we made it worth his while.”
“Yeah, you said. Tickets. Balls.”
“Not just tickets and footballs. Hayes bought a puppy. He’s giving it to his sister,” I added to soften the blow.
Her mouth fell open. “Brody—”
I held a hand up. “He wasn’t going to give us the info unless we bought a dog.” I told her what had happened, expecting her to rain fire down on me. We’d supported the mills we were trying to stop. If Hayes hadn’t bought a dog, I would have. We needed the info, and all those pups curled on themselves... CC would have had a sibling.
Only, Hayes broke first.
Lily’s expression turned warm and inviting, as she settled a hand against my chest. “Brody, it’s okay. I mean, it’s not. But it is. I get it.” She patted my chest, started to pull away. Gently, I circled her wrist, brought her hand back to my chest.
“I’m sorry.” I poured my sincerity into those words.
A soft smile graced her lovely face. When she hugged me this time, it was in comfort. I dropped my chin on her shoulder. “If Hayes hadn’t have done it, I would have.”
She whispered next to my ear. “I know, big guy. It’s okay. Hard on the outside, marshmallows in the center.”
The door behind me swung open. “Hey, Lil—whoops.”
Slowly, she pulled her arms from my shoulders and I stepped to the side.
I didn’t turn around but stayed focused on that slip of paper on the floor.
“It’s fine. What’s up?” She focused on the other trainer.
“You’ve got a student that wants to schedule a private lesson. Do you want me to have them call you?”
“No. I’ll take care of it now. This will only take a minute.” She patted my arm.
I nodded, bent to pick up some of the papers thrown over the edge of the desk as she left the office.
I didn’t mean to read the note.
It was one of those things. You pick something up and a word or two catches your eye, drawing it to the next. Then you go back to start at the beginning.
Bitch, I know you’re looking for me.
BACK THE FUCK OFF!
You mess with my money you’ll pay with blood—yours, and your dog’s.
“What in the holy fuck?” The bottom dropped out of my stomach as the blood rushed from my head. It was written in magazine clippings glued to printer paper like somebody watched too much CSI. It had to be from the mill—who else would’ve threatened one of my girls?
Whoa. What?
I wanted Lily. I cared about her...but, ‘my girl’?
I’d have to revisit that shit later.
I had too much adrenaline swirling around in my system rapidly converting into a seething, dark anger. My teammates liked to say that I was two different guys. One dude most of the time in my everyday life. The other only came out when I put on pads, and I set the monster loose. The only time I was the monster was on the field. He was separate from me as far as I was concerned.
Now, I could feel him doing his damnedest to take over my meat suit.
Nobody fucks with Lily. Over my cold, dead body. I knew I needed to get a grip. But FUCK—tell that to the barely restrained monster currently beating at the inside of my skull.
Focus, Shaw.
After a couple of deep breaths, I shoved him down again. When had she gotten this? Today? Yesterday? “Goddamn it, Lily, why didn’t you tell me?” How did they know it was her searching for them?
The guys at the rental house. They probably connected the sticker on Everett’s car to the training center. Lily had said she was burned in certain circles. I needed to pull my shit together so I could talk to her calmly.
Maybe there was another explanation.
“Another explanation for what?”
I turned, the warmth of her smile usually welcome, but at the moment, frustrating as hell.
“That puppy, though. Ohmygod, poor Hayes didn’t stand a chance against those basset eyes. Cutest puppies in the world.”
Leaning my ass on the desk, I crossed my arms over my chest. “Shut the door.”
Puzzlement crawled across her face as she did as I asked. “What’s up? I’m not mad, Brody. Promise.”
“No, but I am,” I said in a low voice. “Wanna tell me about this?” Holding the note up, I watched her closely for a reaction.
And there it was.
A quick flick of the eyes to the left, a squeeze of her fist, a swallow. “Not really.”
“It’s from the mill.”
“Yeah, I figured. We must have had the right guys at the rental house.”
We were both visibly trying to relax. I crossed my feet. She rested her butt on the folding table against the wall opposite, mirroring me.
I rolled my neck, trying to loosen the muscle. “They know we’re looking for them.”
She nodded.
“When did you get this?”
“A few days after we followed them.”
Christ. That meant she’d had it for over a week. I felt my jaw tense as I stared holes into the floor between us. Anywhere but at her.
Lily was never in danger from me—unlike the people who’d threatened her. But I was pissed, and I knew, at my size, I was a scary motherfucker when I was pissed. When I thought I had it under control, I studied her face.
No, Lily Costello was not afraid of me. She was meeting my glare with her own, fire turning her normal violet to a rich plum as she refused to back down. Pack leader, through and through.