Андреа Кремер - Nightshade

I couldn’t tear my eyes from his. “What I want?”

“Yes. Anything, everything you need, I’ll give you. Always. I promise. Just tell me one thing.”

“What?”

“That you want this, us.” His voice dropped so low I could barely hear him. “That someday you’ll love me.”

My hands began to tremble where they rested around his neck. “Ren, you know we’re going to be together. We’ve both known that for a long time.”

He gave me a hard look. “That’s not what I’m talking about.”

“Why are you asking me this?” I tried to pull back, but he held me against him.

The glimmer of a smile appeared on his lips. “Why not?”

My temper flared. “Are you trying to say that you love me?”

I meant it as a challenge rather than a serious question, but his eyes seemed to catch fire.

“What do you think?” He touched his lips to mine, softly at first, gradually building pressure, parting them. Startled, I stiffened in his arms. But he continued to caress my lips with his own, gentle and measured, but insistent. I sank into the kiss, drowning in Ren’s warmth, moving slightly against the weight of his hands on my waist, knowing it would make him pull me closer to his body.

The crash of wood and shattering glass brought me back to the room.

Damn it. I knew this was a terrible idea.

I whirled, expecting to see Shay charging toward us. But he wasn’t looking at us. No one was.

The music had stopped. The table where the young wolves had been sitting was turned on its side. Glasses lay broken on the floor; those that remained intact were rolling along the slanted hardwood into the far corner of the room. Dax held a fistful of Mason’s shirt and stood snarling at him. It looked as though Mason had caught Dax’s other fist mid-swing, and he now grasped the larger boy’s hand in his own, pushing it away from him. Fey stood alongside Dax. Ansel’s hands dug into Dax’s forearm, and he struggled to pull the Bane away from Mason. Shay stood just behind Ansel, muscles tensed.

Bryn had half risen from her chair and glared at Fey.

Ren pulled away from me. “What the hell?”

He bolted toward Dax, with me at his heels.

Mason’s face was twisted in a scowl. “You have no right.”

“And you need to learn to keep your mouth shut.”

“Stop being an ass.” Ansel tugged on Dax’s arm but didn’t manage to move him an inch.

“He’s right, Dax,” Shay said. “What’s your problem?”

“Shut up and stay out of it,” Fey snapped.

Neville shoved his guitar at a startled Sabine, jumped off the stage, and came to Mason’s side. He glared at Dax. “Knock it off, man. What do you think you’re doing?”

Dax ignored him.

I glanced around the bar, worrying we were about to get booted. But the rest of the patrons had returned to their drinks, unconcerned by a run-of-the-mill brawl.

Ren gripped Dax’s shoulder. “Let him go, get outside, and wait for me. Now.”

Dax released his hold on Mason’s shirt, throwing one last angry glance at him before turning and walking out of the bar. Fey took a few steps after him.

“Where do you think you’re going?” I blocked her path.

“Sorry, Cal.” There was a flash of steel in her eyes. “I’m with him on this one.”

“Watch yourself, Fey,” I growled.

She didn’t balk. “Do you have a problem with me?”

“I’ll let you know when I’ve heard what happened.”

“Fine.” She stepped around me, running after Dax.

Neville started to follow them, his eyes livid.

Ren grabbed his arm. “Get back onstage and start playing again. Whatever just happened, it’s over.”

“But—”

“I’m fine, Nev.” Mason put his hand on Neville’s shoulder. “We’ll sort this out. Go play.”

With some reluctance Nev headed back to the stage, and a moment later, the music picked up again, though on a noticeably angrier riff.

“Someone want to tell me what’s going on?” I asked.

“It was nothing.” Mason helped Cosette right the table. “Like Ren said, it’s over now.”

“It wasn’t nothing,” Ansel protested.

“What happened?” Ren asked.

“Really, let’s not make a big deal out of it,” Mason said, his face drawn. “He lost his temper, that’s all.”

“I don’t think you can just drop it, Mason,” Shay said quietly. “It is a big deal. Dax was out of line.”

I turned to Bryn. “What did Dax do?”

She glanced at Mason and Ansel. “He didn’t like something Mason said . . . about Neville.”

Ren’s jaw tightened. “I see.”

He started toward the door, and I was right behind him. We were halfway across the room when he turned abruptly.

“I’ll take care of it, Calla.”

“I should be there,” I said. “This affects both of us.”

He shook his head. “I can handle this. Dax already knows he’s in for it. It would be better if you stayed here and tried to convince the rest of them that it’s going to be okay.”

“All right.” It was already happening. Ren was in charge now.

I watched him leave the bar.

How am I supposed to convince anyone that things will be okay? Nothing feels okay.

I was so angry my muscles began to ache from tension. I hated being treated like an inferior. I’d always led my pack and suddenly it was as if all those years of being their alpha meant nothing. I was only Ren’s mate. I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to find Shay standing beside me.

“That was pretty intense.”

I nodded. “It’s a problem. Dax and Fey aren’t handling Nev and Mason’s relationship very well.”

“I noticed that.” He glanced at the door. “What do you think Ren’s going to do?”

“I’m not sure,” I said. “But I trust him.” Like I have any other choice.

“You must,” he said, the corners of his mouth crinkling. “Well?”

“Well, what?”

“May I have this dance?”

I blinked at him. “Excuse me?”

“Ren had his turn on the dance floor,” Shay said. “Now it’s mine.”

“I don’t remember agreeing to that arrangement.” I stepped back. “Besides, I have to talk with the others. Get things back to normal.”

“That’s what I thought,” he said. “I’m going to help you.”

I frowned at him, puzzled, as he put one hand at my waist and grabbed my other hand. He pulled me close while stretching our arms out, straight as an arrow.

“What the hell is this?” I asked.

“The tango,” he replied, guiding me across the floor with melodramatic, sweeping steps.

“How is this helping?” I glanced at my packmates. They were all watching us, looking befuddled.

“Music doesn’t soothe the savage beast, Cal,” Shay said, dipping me so low my hair brushed the floor. “Laughter does.”

I looked toward our tables again, startled at what I saw. Shay’s plan was working. Ansel and Mason were already chuckling. Bryn giggled madly and even Cosette couldn’t stop smiling.

Shay sighed and spun me away from him before jolting me back as if I’d been a coiled spring. “It would be much better if I had a rose between my teeth.

Wouldn’t I be dashing?”

I started to giggle. “That would be ridiculous.”

“Ridiculously dashing.” He grinned. Even the bikers around the bar were laughing now, morphing their hardened faces from Sid Vicious to Santa Claus.

I leaned into the warmth of Shay’s body. When he held me close, I could actually believe everything would be okay. I wondered if he knew how happy he could make me, despite my constant fears about the future. Regret suddenly constricted my chest, cutting off my laughs. Seeing me lip-locked with Ren earlier must have hurt Shay so much. He deserved better, more than I could ever offer him.