Page 40 of Chomp's Challenge

She doesn’t argue or deny it. “I think I’m seeing that.”

I slide my hands around her curvy waist and lift her as I stand, stealing a kiss because I can, and slipping my hand through hers while we walk toward my truck. While I’d prefer to have her wrapped around me on my bike, as hyped up as my gator is, I don’t think it’s a good idea today. It’s a short drive, and we ride in companionable silence, our fingers laced together. At this point, most of the words that need to be said between us have been said. We don’t have to add more until we’re ready.

Leaving Ariel with Callie at the bar under the watchful eyes of one of the prospects, I follow the rest of the guys into the room we use for Church. No one wastes time getting into their seats. Spike lifts a gavel and slams it onto the table, officiating the start of our meeting.

“Chomp, you got something to say?”

“I got a lot to fucking say about that piece of shit downstairs. We all know what Sly found. Black market human trafficking, the sex video operation, and stealing girls. They planned a whole fucking operation, and we need to learn more about it.”

“We won’t let that slide,” Peanut snarls.

“Ariel wants to confront him. She wants to look him in the eye.” I sigh. “I think she needs it. It’s a way for her to slay her demons and gain control back in her life. After what Perry did, this is her closure.”

We still want to bite him, my gator hisses.

Spike nods. “Fine. She gets her closure, but only after we interrogate that son of a bitch and find out who the rest of these men are who want to kidnap and rape girls.” Smoke puffs from his nostrils. “Not in our fucking town or anywhere else if I can help it.”

Fists bang on the table in agreement. None of us condone that shit.

Church doesn’t last long after that, and we head into the basement. I don’t stop, but I do catch Ariel’s eye, and I wink at her, letting her know her time is coming.

She blows me a kiss, and I catch it, curling my fist around that sweetness because I’m about to let my darker side take control. Our feral natures will kick in, and there’s no stopping our animals once that happens. We’ll maintain control, but Jerry’s hours are numbered. He won’t survive the night.

My boots pound the stairs as I descend into darkness and I take Ariel’s kiss, pressing my palm over my heart to push it inside my chest. That light and her strength in the face of suffering give me an extra boost. She’s the strongest woman I’ve ever met, other than my mother. Ariel reminds me so much of her. Abused and broken down yet still fighting, breathing, and smiling.

Fuck. I love my mate.

I find Jerry chained to a wooden beam in the center of the room, anchored by concrete in the smooth slab we poured across the floor. No human can ever conjure enough strength to pull it free. He’s bloody, beaten, and wears only a pair of pants. His bare feet and upper body are exposed as he bleeds from multiple wounds. My gator hisses in elation seeing the bastard in his current condition.

“Who are you working with?” Spike asks, standing in front of our prisoner. “Tell me. Now.”

Jerry laughs.

I think of Ariel, my mother’s beatings, and the women Jerry plans to harm. My gator decides enough is enough. He shifts before I can stop him, and I lunge at the bastard, baring my teeth.

Peanut and Kodiak chuckle. Fang grins with his wolfish smile.

Spike glares at Jerry. “I’ll let the gator fucking eat you. Tell me what I want to know.”

Jerry’s eyes are wide as he stares at me, trying to back away as I hiss and move closer. My gator is loving this shit. He doesn’t see why I can’t rip Jerry apart. I’m barely hanging on to my humanity. If I slip, Jerry is dead.

Crush, kill, destroy! my gator bellows.

“There’s a list.” Jerry’s voice is trembling as he tries to escape. The problem is, he’s tied down so well, he’s unable to move.

“What fucking list?” Spike asks with a growl.

“T-the girls we planned to take. Names. Addresses. Places of employment.”

Reactions around the room terrify Jerry as he cowers, folding his body inward to avoid the snarls, hisses, and growls.

“I can give you the names of all the men involved.”

“Yeah, you will,” Spike agrees.

“I just want one thing,” he says in a rush as I swipe at him with my claws and miss. Intentionally.

He just pissed himself, my gator chortles.

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