Page 20 of Shifter For Hire (For Hire 2)

Gerard hated the music. It blared so loud his ears rang painfully. He shouldn’t have come here, but ever since he met her he couldn’t stay away long. It irked him. He wanted to deny what his instinct was telling him. No, it was more than that. Down to the very fabric of his being, he knew she was his mate, and it drove him insane with annoyance.

People crowded the establishment, swaying to the music and drinking nonstop. With the lights down low, he had no trouble seeing. Some of the humans weren’t so lucky. They stumbled around, bumping into others. They yelled to one and still didn’t seem to hear very well.

Gerard followed his nose, her scent leading him. She stood to the edge of the dance floor, arms in the air, laughing and swaying to the music. A group of men surrounded her, each struggling to gain her attention.

His gaze slipped down over her form as he approached. The dress clung to her curvy form like a second skin. Desire drew him closer. Before he reached her, she noticed him. He breathed in a hint of fear, and then it was gone. She studied him, interest in the chocolate brown eyes. A tiny curl edged the full lips.

He thrust a couple men aside and hardly registered their anger. One man jumped back into his path, cutting off his view of Lachelle. The guy stuck his chest out, not quite as tall as Gerard but still imposing—to a human.

“Who do you think you are?” the man growled with slurred speech. “If you want to start a fight, pal, I’m ready for you.”

Gerard blinked. “I have no interest in you.”

“Oh, yeah? Well too bad.” The man poked his finger in Gerard’s chest. “Anybody who messes with me lives to regret it.”

Gerard grew impatient to see her beautiful face again. He put extra effort into removing the barrier. The guy crashed into several others, and the whole group fell to the floor. Gerard stepped up to Lachelle.

She burst out laughing. “Aren’t the police supposed to keep the peace? What are you even doing here, Gerard?”

“We agreed to meet.”

“Not here. Later.”

“I…” He started to say he couldn’t wait, but he didn’t want to admit that much. She was already so arrogant, so commanding of a man’s attention. He saw it in the way she smiled at the men around her. Small signals with her hands brought them to her side, but she teased them when they got there. He didn’t like it.

“Well, you’re here.” She whirled so her back faced him, and she shook her hips. He almost lost control. Over her shoulder, she laughed at him. Something told him she knew the affect she had.

“We can go now,” he suggested.

“Don’t you dance?” She faced him and flattened a hand on his chest. “Move to the beat. Feel the music. This place is seriously jumping. I love it.”

“I don’t dance.”

“I can show you how.”

“No.”

She frowned up at him. “Good Lord, Gerard, get the stick out of your behind. Loosen up.”

“I need to talk to you.”

“So you said a hundred times.”

She swayed and rocked. Laying a hand on another man’s shoulder, she egged him into dancing with her. The man’s face lit up at his good fortune. He moved closer to her, bringing his hand up to lie at her waist. Gerard caught the man’s hand before he could make contact. With just a little pressure, he could crush the guy’s bones.

“Don’t touch her,” he growled beneath his breath.

“Back off, Gerard.” Lachelle was mad at him. “I’ll dance with whoever I want to. Don’t come in here like you have some type of claim on me.”

“We can go.”

“We’ll go when I say we can go.”

He grabbed her hand and jerked her forward. She fell against his chest. Pressing his lips against her ear, he spoke soft enough for only her to hear. “We’ll go now, or you can take responsibility for what I do to all of them.”

Her big brown eyes grew wide. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

He said nothing.

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