Page 26 of Venice Heat (Urban Heat 2)

When she said nothing, Charlene continued. “Then again, mayb

e the legendary Keiths aren’t as badass as everyone hears they are. I know that bullshit about the women being beautiful isn’t.”

“Fuck you,” Shae snapped, but without much heat. Thoughts swirled in her mind. If nothing else, the skank was right about her not behaving the way she usually did. She loved going out, and sometimes she bought dresses that were way beyond what she’d put on in public. They were for her and her man to enjoy at home. Tonight she’d slipped into one without a qualm and left the house to come to the club.

“It’s all coming together for you, ain’t it?” Charlene laughed. “Darryl made you, and he can make you do anything he wants. He can even get you to spread your legs right here in front of everybody and fuck you, and you’ll love every minute of it.”

“That’s a lie!” Shae stumbled away from the gloating expressions on their faces. Eiji had said she had a choice. She could be Darryl’s mate or his. He didn’t mention anything else except that Darryl could force himself on her and make her his mate. But that meant rape, didn’t it?

Shae spun on her heel and walked out of the bathroom. She stopped, fear tightening her chest. If she went back over near Darryl, would it happen again? Would she just let that fool touch her wherever he wanted, however much he wanted? Bile threatened to rise up in her throat, and her hands shook. She edged around the room, away from Darryl, knowing at any time he could pick up her scent and know she wasn’t in the bathroom. Her knees quivered. She darted her gaze everywhere, unable to focus on who stood in front of her. When a few men smiled, she just bit off a cry. This was too much. Never in her life had she ever felt so naked, and it had nothing to do with her clothes.

She made it to the exit and burst through the door. Cool night air ruffled her hair, smelling of the ocean. She breathed deep and stumbled away from the club’s entrance.

Someone grasped her arm. “Ma’am, are you okay? Do you need me to call you a taxi?”

She shook off the hold. “I’m fine.”

“I don’t think—”

“Leave me the hell alone!” She punched him so hard he went flying backward off his feet. He landed wrong on the ground, and the distinctive snap of a bone breaking reached her over several people’s gasps.

Shae slapped a hand over her mouth. Oh no! I’m so sorry. She fled, not even knowing where she was going. After a block, she yanked off her shoes and continued on. If she cut her feet, she didn’t know it. Numb and confused, she kept moving. When she couldn’t see, she realized she had been crying. That was another new one too. After some time, she looked at the street sign and saw Dell Avenue. This was one she recognized. A canal ran across this road. Sure enough, she came to the small bridge and turned into a narrow walk with heavy tree coverage over it. Beside her the canal streamed, softly rippling in the dim lighting. A row of manicured bushes separated the walk from the water, and at intervals were docks where people had moored small boats. She had no idea whether this was their backyards and if she was trespassing, but at the moment, she didn’t care.

A shadow moved across the path up ahead, and she froze. Whoever it was made no move to come closer or to go in the opposite direction. She told herself to take a deep breath and ascertain whether the person was human or something else, but her chest burned holding it in. The shadow stirred, and her heart hammered in her throat. Somewhere nearby, a dog barked, and then another sound rent the air. Shae sank to the ground, her shoes slipping from numb fingers.

She dug her cell phone from the tiny purse she carried. Thank goodness she’d brought it. The display read “Eiji,” and she almost wept anew.

“Eiji,” she breathed.

“I’m at the house, but you’re not here. You are not well enough to go out yet, Shae,” he scolded.

She shut her eyes and tried to wet her dry throat. “He…he…”

“Shae!” This time his tone was sharp with concern. “Where are you? Is he there with you? Tell me everything.”

“I’m somewhere on a canal street, near Dell. Eiji, he made me…” Horror washed over her, and she sank farther toward the ground. Having no idea where the shadow had gone or if someone stood over her ready to kill her, she clung to the phone, drawing strength from Eiji’s voice. He seemed so close, yet so far away, and the desperate need to feel his comforting arms overwhelmed her.

“I will find you.”

The phone went dead, and she yelped in alarm. Minutes ticked by, and each sound in the night banged loud in her ears. Something splashed in the water, making her jump. The dog’s bark appeared closer, and a man’s angry voice rose above it all, his abusive words to whomever he spoke grating Shae’s raw nerves.

At any moment, Darryl might figure out she’d left, or Charlene and the other woman might tell him. He could track her and get there before Eiji. Could she resist the magic he’d used on her and fight him? Was the man she’d hurt giving her description to the police even now?

At the end of the short canal, someone flashed a light into the darkness. Her heart leaped in her chest. She fell backward onto her ass and scraped her leg on the asphalt. Two men spoke, and she imagined one had the authoritative air of a cop. She rolled to her knees despite the pain and scrambled for her shoes. A splash. Damn, now she realized what the first splash had been.

She took flight in the opposite direction from the men. Reaching the corner, she had to stop dead because of oncoming traffic in both directions. For the life of her, she couldn’t figure out which way led back to the house. Maybe she shouldn’t go there anyway. Darryl knew where she stayed, and he had more than enough people backing him up. Eiji would be no threat whatsoever.

A woman on the opposite side of the street watched her with leery eyes, and Shae started walking. She hoped the fact that she had no shoes on wasn’t too obvious. People walked around in bathing suit tops and Daisy Dukes all the time out here, so being shoeless shouldn’t be too much of a stretch.

A car inched past her and then came to a stop not far away. Drivers from others who couldn’t get around in the narrow street laid on their horns. A man stuck his head out the window and looked her way, a black man. Shae stopped walking and backpedaled a few steps. She could call her protector—no, it wasn’t fair to drag her family and their employees into a fight with wolf shifters and not tell them fully what they dealt with. She couldn’t explain what she was becoming, and besides that, Eiji might be caught in the cross fire. Despite everything, he had been good to her, and she didn’t want him to die. If anyone had told me a couple weeks ago I would want a shifter to live…

“Hey, baby, need a ride?” the man shouted.

She raised her voice and heard the tremor when she spoke. “No, I’m good. Thanks.”

The passenger door opened, and light-headedness assailed her.

“Don’t be like that, pretty girl.” The threat in his tone had to be her imagination. Not right here, where anyone could see her or hear her scream? Or was Darryl in the car waiting to use his ability to draw her, without a struggle, into its dark interior? All she had to do was scent him, but fear blocked everything, including common sense. She had no idea what to do. Instinct said run and don’t stop. The man took a step toward her, still ignoring the cars lined up behind him. Shae stumbled when she stepped on a rock, and a steely arm encircled her waist. She started to scream.

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