Page 11 of Hers

“If you’d told me you wanted to go slower, I would have gone slower. You said to do what I did with Brock, so I did.”

Slater felt like pulling his hair out again at the tone in her voice, it sounded like she was annoyed with him when she was the one that almost killed them. How could Sammy not know to go slower around corners and roundabouts? “For fuck’s sakes, didn’t Brock teach you to go slow and stick to speed limits yesterday?”

“Not really. Brock said he wanted me comfortable with the car first. He said to get a feel for it and what I thought was safe.”

“Fucking hell, no wonder he looked frazzled yesterday. Did he teach you anything?” Slater threw his hands up in the air. “How on earth can you think what we did was a safe speed? Only an idiot would think that!”

“You’re yelling again. There is no need to yell at me. I don’t like being yelled at or told I’m an idiot. I think I’ve had enough for today.” She slowed the car to a crawl.

Slater couldn’t believe it. Brock was in the wrong, and he was the one copping it. “No. You’re not finished. We are going to drive this carpark if it fucking kills me.”

She pulled to a stop. “I’m not going to do anything if you keep yelling at me. Please stop yelling.” She crossed her arms over her chest and shot him a glare that had even his bear hunching back in fear.

Sammy went to get out of the car. He grabbed her arm, holding it tight before she got any further. “I’m not yelling!”Shit.He was. Maybe he wasn’t cut out to teach Sammy to drive. He knew aggression and yelling were two of her triggers.

“Let. Go. Of. Me. Now. Slater.” Sammy wrenched her arm from his hold as she emphasized every word. When Sammy was free of him, she opened her door and got out.

Smashing his fist into the dashboard he swore when he heard it crack. This wasn’t how he wanted this to go. He’d been so hopeful this morning, that this would bring them closer, but he had a feeling it was the opposite. Getting out of the car he went after Sammy.

“You can’t walk home. Come on and get back in the car. I’ll drive you home.” He tried to reach for her, but she avoided him.

“No, thank you. I don’t feel like going anywhere with you right now.” He could see the tears glistening in her eyes and his bear whimpered.

Growling at the situation he grabbed Sammy by the waist and hauled her back to the car.

“Let me go now, Slater. I can’t believe you’re doing this to me. Put me down right this minute, or I’ll never forgive you.” She kicked and banged on his arm and her voice was as loud as his had been earlier.

Placing her down in front of the passenger side, he tilted her head up so he could catch her gaze. “You need to calm down. You’re overreacting. You don’t get to act like a child. This is all over me telling you to slow down. If you can’t handle this how will you handle the rest? Don’t be an idiot about this. You can’t run away or ignore the situation any time you don’t like it.”

Oh crap.He heard the words come out of his month, and he couldn’t believe he’d grabbed her like that, and to go as far as to call her a child … surely, she’d been called many things before by that bastard. How could he repeat the behavior? Sammy’s eyes were as wide as saucers, and he watched as a tear fell down her cheek.

Slater knew he’d done and said the wrong thing. He stepped back, and as soon as he did, she straightened and opened the car door and got in without saying a word. He felt like shit. He should never have called her an idiot or do what he did, especially with Sammy’s history. If his mother ever heard what he’d said he’d never hear the end of it. She’d told him that humans were more sensitive than shifters, and if he did what Slater’s father had done to her, she would personally castrate him.

Going around to the driver’s side he got in and put the car seat back and fixed the mirror, started the car, and drove back to Sammy’s place.

After a good five minutes or so of silence and waiting for Sammy to say something, he sighed. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said what I did. I thought I was patient, but I’m not.”

Sammy didn’t answer, and he glanced at her to see her cowering almost huddled in her seat. His heart sank, and he felt worse. His bear whined, and Slater could feel he was angry with him for treating their mate the way they had. He hated the way she was right now. He’d rather her yelling and fighting than cowering in the corner.

****

Brock sat in his captain’s office waiting for him to come out and tell him why he was called in. The small talk was almost over, and Brock knew it must be something big if he started the conversation with small talk rather than getting to the point.

“As I said, I’m glad you’re doing better now your mate is giving you a chance, but I was thinking that maybe you could casually drop some questions to her about Breakaway precinct. Internal Affairs has asked for information, and I said I would have a talk to you. I thought you could maybe slip a couple of questions in.”

Brock growled and stood. “I knew something wasn’t right with that station. I don’t know anyone in our precinct that would let someone treat their wife, mate, or girlfriend like Greg did. I don’t like bringing it up as it makes Sammy really uncomfortable. She goes into a shell, and it takes a while to get her out of it. So, no.”

Brock paced back and forth in his captain’s office, unsure of what he should do. He wanted to make sure his mate was safe, and he needed to know he could protect her. He needed to know he was better than any other shifter for her. He would slay all her demons. Maybe if he could find out what happened and put them all in jail Sammy would feel safe. She might stop hiding and shrinking back in fear at the mention of Greg or anything to do with his precinct.

“Fuck...Fine. I’ll do what I can. I’ll work with her. But you have to give me time.”

His captain stood and nodded. “Fine. We will try and see what you can get out of her before we try drastic measures.”

Brock opened the door and left the office. He hoped it didn’t come to drastic measures. He didn’t want Sammy in danger.

Going to the lockers, he got changed, and got in his car to head over for his turn at having lunch with Sammy. He wondered if Slater had survived her driving. Brock had let her go and have fun yesterday with him. He wanted her comfortable in the car. He wanted her confident before he drilled all the rules and instructions into her. Brock hoped Slater wasn’t too hard on her.

He started his car and drove out of the car park and to Sammy’s house. Brock pulled up just in time to see Slater pulling into Sammy’s driveway. Brock got out and watched as Slater jumped out of the car and Jogged around to Sammy’s side. He opened the door, and Sammy shrank back in her seat.

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