Page 243 of Secret Shifters Next Door

I couldn’t help but feel awkward. Being stuck between two people having an argument was bad enough, but it was much worse when both people wanted to kill you and your new boyfriend. I glanced back and forth as she spat insults. It was a little like watching a tennis game.

The bodyguard pointed at her. “You’re a public figure. Before you pushed the old man to put you to work, all you did was strutthat ass around and have your picture taken at parties and suck movie-star dick. For whatever reason, Antonio doesn’t want the girl touched. The same rule he’d had for April Knight. Ryland couldn’t stop thinking with his dick, so that got fucked. My job is to make sure you don’t fuck things up like he did.”

Felicity’s face was nearly crimson now. I could tell she wasn’t used to anyone talking to her the way this man was. “Listen, you little fuck?—”

He held up a hand, cutting her off. “I came into that café to tell this bitch”—he pointed at me, and I suddenly understood why Felicity seemed to hate him so much—“to get her ass out of town. That was supposed to be your job, which you obviously failed at.” He looked at Miles and me and shook his head. “As can be seen by the happy couple here.” He pointed at me again. “The boss still doesn’t want any harm to come to you, but he’s not going to protect a shifter. Get the fuck out of town. You stay? You’re as good as dead. You leave? You buy yourself time. One day we’ll kill all of you, but maybe you’ll get lucky and live out your days. Either way, you’ve got a target on your back.”

Miles snarled at him, growling in a rage I’d never seen before. The bodyguard ignored Miles and turned to go. He called back over his shoulder to Felicity. “Mariana, your assignment is done. Let’s get you home.”

“Fuck you!” Felicity screamed. As angry as she was, she still followed him. She shoved past the two of us and stomped toward the man.

Something about the guy seemed off to me, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. Maybe a new sense that came with being a shifter that I hadn’t mastered yet, but there was definitely something about the guy that seemed weird. We watched the two walk away. I didn’t relax until I saw them drive away in a dark blue sedan. I glanced over at Miles and saw he was stillstaring after them, stiff as a board, fists clenched, and a confused look on his face.

“Did you feel something weird coming from that dude?” he asked.

I nodded. “I kinda thought it was just me.”

“Things at the café happened too fast the other day, and I thought I noticed it then, but I wasn’t sure. Then everything happened. But...no…that can’t be.”

“What? What is it?”

He shook his head and furrowed his brow. “I’m not certain, but I think that bodyguard might be a shifter.”

TWENTY-EIGHT

MILES

I rolled out of bed as quietly as I could. Celina was still asleep, and I didn’t want to wake her up. Though, after all she’d gone through the night before, I wouldn’t have been surprised if she slept a full twenty-four hours. I eased myself out the door into the living room and pulled on my clothes. I needed to call the guys and fill them in on everything. Last night had been too chaotic. By the time we’d finally calmed down from the confrontation with Felicity, Celina and I had been too exhausted to do anything. Now, in the light of day, I wanted to kick myself for not letting my friends know immediately.

I grabbed my phone and stepped out the front door, dialing the office as I stood in the hallway. The night with Celina should have made me feel amazing, and it had, but it had been marred by that guy. Something about him didn’t sit right.

Tate answered. “Morning. How’s it going?”

“Is everyone there with you?” I asked.

“Yeah, we’re in the conference room.”

“Put the phone on speaker. I need to talk to all of you at once.”

“Done,” he said after a few seconds.

I took a breath. “Well, I’ve got a mate.”

There was a second of hesitation before all three of them started hooting and hollering. I grinned despite myself. It was good to have one bit of stress off my plate.

“Congrats,” Steff said, barely audible through the noise.

“Thanks, but that’s only the first thing I need to tell you.”

“Has Celina shifted yet?” Tate asked.

Harley had taken weeks before she could shift. Most of us thought it was probably because she’d been pregnant when Tate claimed her. April had shifted within an hour of being claimed, the same as Celina last night. “She did…it went well. We’re all good.”

“Then what else do you need to tell us?” Tate’s voice had shifted from congratulatory to wary.

I proceeded to tell them about the incident with Felicity and the guy from the restaurant. I told them how the guy made me feel, and what I thought it meant.

“Wait,” Steff blurted. “The douchebag that tried to help kidnap Celina? You think he’s a shifter? A shifter working with hunters?” He sounded incredulous.

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