Chapter Five #2
We enter the hallway and go directly to Rylee’s room.
The door is open, and Rylee is in the center of the room.
Haven pulls away, moving quickly toward her.
I grab Lawson’s arm as he lurches forward, but I can’t stop the low growl he emits.
We can’t keep her away from Rylee. We won’t make any progress with her if we act like animals.
“You were fantastic,” Haven says, hugging her.
“Did you have fun?” Rylee asks, easing back.
“It was…interesting.” She grins.
“She was ready to jump in the ring,” Sally says, chuckling.
“That would have been hilarious,” Rylee says, ignoring the glare Lawson aims her way.
“I highly doubt that,” Haven mumbles.
“Which club are we going to?” Rylee asks.
“I warned Ryker to expect us,” Sally says.
“All of us know shit goes down every time we do this,” Quinn grumbles and crosses his arms. “Why do we go?”
“The shit is the best part.” Sally leans toward him. “Don’t be grumpy.” He sighs and shakes his head.
“It’s easier to give in,” Heath mutters.
“I need to shower off the blood,” Rylee says.
“Have fun.” Heath turns toward the door. “I have to supervise the other fights.”
Bane frowns. “Boss—”
“You need to be with your mate,” Heath says softly. “It’s covered.” Bane nods sharply, and the snake shifter leaves.
“We can escort Haven.” Rylee narrows her eyes, but I meet her gaze calmly. “You know she will be safe with us.”
She grits her teeth. “Are you okay with going with them?” She touches Haven’s arm.
Lawson is losing his control. He knows Rylee doesn’t mean any harm, yet his animal is more in control than the man. We just met our mate; none of us likes to see her touched by anyone else.
“It’s fine,” Haven says softly.
“Everyone out,” Rylee demands. “I want to talk to Haven before you go.” I push against Lawson’s chest when he doesn’t move. Hunter stops on his other side. Bane looks at Haven before stiffly walking out the door. “Wait at the end of the hallway, and don’t eavesdrop.”
“Brother,” Hunter says.
Lawson exhales harshly before allowing us to usher him out the door. Once we enter the hallway, he prowls down it, stopping at the end. Everyone passes him, leaving out the back door, except Sally and her mates. I lean against the wall beside him.
“He wants out,” he growls.
“You have to restrain him,” I whisper.
“Isn’t your animal clawing at your chest?” he asks, pressing his palms against the wall.
“Yes, he’s very impatient,” I confirm, sighing.
“How can you be so calm?” he continues.
“I’m not. I just have more experience hiding it.” I tilt my head, meeting his eyes. “She doesn’t know about us. Being a human thrust into our world has to be jarring. Give her time.”
“I don’t know how,” he whispers.
“I’ll help.”
“We all will,” Hunter says, stopping across from us.
“I doubt she has been with four men before,” Bane drawls, slapping Lawson on the back. “Let’s not fuck it up.”
Lawson laughs abruptly. “You always know what to say.”
“I try.” Bane smiles slightly, and Lawson turns, some of the tension leaving his body.
“As much as we want to take her home with us, we can’t,” Hunter says, looking at each of us.
“Rylee will want her at her place. We won’t rush or scare her.
If she needs to go slow, we go slow. Our animals will be pissed, but they have to deal with it.
This isn’t a woman we're going to fuck one night and never see again. This is forever. Our goal is to help her understand and want to be with us.”
“We’re just going to leave her at Rylee’s? Without our protection?” Lawson asks roughly.
“I never said we wouldn’t be close,” he says.
“Stalking, Brother,” I smirk.
“No. Protecting. She belongs to us. I believe we deserve a family.” Hunter closes his eyes briefly. “Finally, a piece of happiness.”
“We do,” I say softly.
“Are we in agreement?” Hunter asks.
“Yes.” I look at Bane.
“Of course,” he says.
We focus on Lawson.
“I'll do my best, as long as I can stay close to her, even if she doesn’t know I am,” he says.
“Good. Bane will take the first watch with you.” Hunter looks down the hallway. “Heath gave us the rest of the night off. He knows our schedule will depend on our mate.”
“Sally, it looks like you have something to say,” Bane says. I forgot she was still here.
“It’s a good plan.” She lifts a shoulder and moves closer.
“Don’t overwhelm her, yet stay close. Be prepared to expose your life.
A woman wants to know the man, or men, who plan to make her deliriously happy.
” Her mates chuckle. “I don’t think she’s going to run away screaming; she would have already.
She knows about your animal, yet she still sat next to two of you, let you touch her, and followed your directions.
I’d say that’s an excellent sign. Just don’t be a dick, and don’t underestimate her. She may like a little bossiness.”
“Intuition?” I ask. Rabbit shifters can have visions of the future.
“Experience.” She grins and wiggles her eyebrows. The door opens, and Haven slows her progression as she spots us. “I promised Heath we would wait for Rylee. Haven, you good?”
“Yes.” She picks up the pace and looks at me. “I’m ready.”
“Don’t start any fights until we get there,” Sally orders.
“We’ll try,” Bane says, smiling at her.
“No promises,” Lawson mutters as Bane opens the back door. Hunter leads the way out, and I guide Haven.
“Is that really a thing? Is going to a club so hazardous?” Haven asks, easily moving with us.
“When you put shifters and vampires in a club with drunk humans, and the mates they are ready to kill for? Yes,” Bane says.
“Damn,” Haven whispers. “Kill for?”
Haven can’t grasp the depths we'll sink to, but she will.