Page 30 of Unwrapping Deviance

I see the little weasel tighten his grip on the gun, and I think I’m okay dying when an outside voice halts both of us.

Daniel and Sheriff Brewer emerge with Jacob Webster right on their heels; little snitch must have gone to get help when shit got hot between me and Walton.

What a bitch.

“What the hell is going on?” Brewer snarls, sharp gaze darting from Walton’s bloody face to Parker standing in the middle of the road, cradling his gun and looking torn. In the end, his attention stops on me and narrows. “Did you assault my officers, MacAllister?”

“That depends—” I begin, only to have Daniel step between me and the other man.

“Don’t say another fucking word.” My brother warns before turning to the Sheriff, but whatever defense he has prepared, Mira beats him to it.

“They attacked us.”

The tiny brunette pushes her door open and steps down onto the truck’s footrest. Her eyes are fire and defiance. She angles her arm to show the jagged pieces of torn skin at her elbow and the thin trickle of blood running down her left knee from the shredded skin.

I drag in a breath to calm the urge to break the rest of Walton’s face with my fist. To follow through on my promise and skin him alive.

Walton must have sensed my dilemma; piece of shit scuffles back a step when I turn my head to him in deliberation.

“Christian was protecting me after they forced me out of the truck,” Mira finishes. “They hit him.”

Daniel is molten fury by the time she finishes.

He bares his teeth and faces the sheriff, and even I take a step back because Daniel doesn’t lose his cool. He’s the calm one, the rational one. The one that became a damn criminal attorney to use words to solve problems.

I’m the menace. The one that will punch a guy. Fuck words.

But the fact that Daniel has grown in size, his aura a black smear of blood lust strong enough to catch the attention of themotherfucker pretending their piece of shit town is fine says a lot.

“Who?”

The word is sliced through a clenched jaw and Walton shifts slightly, probably ready to bolt, but only managing to draw attention to himself.

Daniel snaps his head in the boy’s direction, a wolf catching the scent of a wounded rabbit.

“All three of them,” Mira says without hesitation, and I fucking love that. I love that she’s not letting any of them get away with their bullshit. “They came to the car, demanded I get out. Wouldn’t tell me what I did wrong. They were holding me hostage against the car—”

“She’s lying!” Walton breaks in.

“You will not interrupt her again if you know what’s good for you,” Daniel warns deep in his throat.

“I asked them several times to back up, but they were saying disgusting things and getting closer. I don’t know what they would have done if Christian hadn’t shown up when he did. That one,” she jabs a finger towards Walton, “Attacked Christian. Hit him. I begged them to stop and he shoved me.”

Daniel seems to wait until she’s run out of things to say before he draws in a deep, harsh breath through his nose. The nostrils flare in time with the expansion of his chest. A deep, feral growl rumbles up his chest.

I only just manage to scramble out of his path when my brother turns to the deputy practically pissing himself in the street.

“She grabbed my arm when I was restraining MacAllister,” he babbles, but Daniel is headed for him with murder in his eyes.

I don’t stop him because I’m a good brother. That fucker needs his teeth knocked down his throat and if Daniel won’t, I will.

I move to Mira. I stand between her and anyone stupid enough to get close.

“Wait,” she breathes, and I think she’s talking to Daniel because her hands fall onto my shoulders like she’s trying to get past me.

“They need to learn a lesson, sweetheart,” I try to explain, except Brewer takes that moment to step into Daniel’s path.

“Now, hold on a minute, MacAllister. You’re not assaulting one of my officers—”

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