Page 8 of Aftershock's Fury

Shit, what did I get myself into?

I’m about to put a stop to this when the atmosphere around me changes, distracting me.

The shot glasses land on the bar in front of us.

Aftershock

We step out of the office and make our way to the bar. I’m in the lead and notice Loki trying to catch my eye. There’s something sinister in his grin, and when his eyes focus on the chick in front of him, my body stills.

Her long hair is in braids twisted into a bun. I make out the hints of red in her hair, and my long legs are in motion as I watch GB. He leans forward, and she tilts her chin back, exposing her graceful neck. From this angle, and the way my body is responding, I know who she is. Loki does too. Kodiak has moved to my side but hasn’t figured it out yet. He’s going to kill GB if I don’t first.

GB places a hand on her waist and starts pulling her toward him, salt at the ready in his other hand.

I grab his wrist and bend it back, twisting it to the breaking point. If either of us shifts just right, it’ll snap.

“Get your hands off my girl,” I growl loud enough to make everyone stop. The music scratches to a halt.

Loki laughs from behind the bar, but I don’t take my eyes off her. I’m completely focused on those beautiful pale seafoam green eyes. They widen in shock at my words, but when those eyes move over my face, her lips curl into a slight smile. Full, kissable, fuckable lips that I’ll be hard-pressed not to shove my cock across soon. She licks her bottom lip and pulls it between her teeth, and I groan.

“Starlight,” I say softly, using her nickname.

Her eyes go liquid in front of me. I gave her that nickname years ago. The green in her eyes reminded me of the Aurora Borealis one night. Since then, she’s been my starlight, guiding me like the North Star.

“Shock, let him go,” Kodiak barks from behind me. “She’s just some chick.” He chuckles but chokes to a stop when I turn and focus my eyes on him.

“Some chick?” I repeat, flexing my hand slightly as GB’s wrist nears the danger point. “It’s Harlowe,” I growl.

Gasps ripple through the room.

Fuck, what have I done? First, I shocked the crowd by claiming her, and now I’ve identified her. But I had to make it known she was mine. A deep-seated need to claim her burned inside me.

“Let him go, Crue,” she says softly.

Her voice has a slight accent it didn’t have before, but it calms me and gets me to do what others have been unable to do. I let go of GB. Only when I focus on her do I finally hear GB begging me not to break his arm. I drop it, and he falls backward.

Moving closer to her, I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her into my body with her back to my chest. She fits perfectly, like the other piece of my puzzle. My hand slides across her warm skin, and I realize it’s exposed. I want to cover it so no man sees those sculpted abs of hers. I look down at her neck.

“Aftershock,” Kodiak barks, but my eyes zero in on where GB was about to lick.

I lean my head down, making her shiver when my lips brush the shell of her ear. My cock punches against my zipper, and she squirms against me. My hand tightens against her abs, pulling her even closer.

“Did he touch you more than what I saw, Starlight?” I demand.

She shakes her head, looking over her shoulder up at me.

“I wouldn’t have let him actually touch her, Shock. I saw you coming,” Loki says, and both me and Kodiak swing our heads toward him.

“Loki, you instigated this?” Kodiak asks.

Harlowe shifts in my arms, trying to push away. But I won’t give her the space she wants.

“He didn’t. I could have said no, and I didn’t,” Harlowe says, but it doesn’t stop me from staring Loki down. “Crue, stop it. You too, Rylan.” Hearing her use our real names puts a stop to the stare-down. “Aksel was just playing around, and I didn’t stop it.”

Her voice is so sweet and breathy. I can’t wait to hear her moaning my name.

“You knew who I was?” she asks Loki.

He smirks at her. “It took me a moment, but I did.”

---