Page 42 of Wolf

Malcolm turns his head, sees me, sees my leathers, and he smirks.

He’s wriggling his way into the department at the same time as I’ve been turned away. If he gets a foothold here, we’ll never be able to do anything about it.

I throw the door wide open and storm inside. The Chief looks up, frowning. Malcolm continues to smirk until I reach out to grab onto him. Then, fear blanches his face white. It looks good on him. It makes him look exactly how he should, like a coward who hires drifters to do his dirty work for him.

Hands clamp down on my shoulders, yanking me back just before I can grab onto Malcolm and throttle some sense into him. My shoulder slams into the doorframe, sending a pulse of pain through my body. I’m yanked again, then tossed out into the hall. Edge snags me, hooking an arm around my chest and pinning me against his hard, stinking body. I struggle, but he holds me hard. I’d have to really hurt him to get loose.

I can’t hurt a brother, especially not when Steel is watching. He’s the one who pulled me back before I could get to Malcolm. He stands between me and the bastard, his face twisted with fury directed in the wrong direction, at me instead of the masterminding asshole.

“What the hell is going on here?” the Police Chief snaps. He pushes Malcolm back into the room and slots himself in the doorway, adding another obstacle between me and the man I would love to teach a lesson.

“Nothing, sir.” Detective Reyes suddenly reappears, moving as smoothly as a cat. She grasps my arm, digging her blunt, unpainted nails in my skin. “They were just leaving.”

“Make sure they leave and don’t come back,” the Chief commands. “Their kind shouldn’t be in here if they can’t behave themselves.”

I shove Edge away the second his grip on me loosens and stomp out of the station. Malcolm’s flat stare follows me the whole way, taunting. It’s all I can do not to try going after him again.

As soon as we’re outside in the muggy air, Steel rounds on me, shoving me like I shoved his best friend. I stumble back, almost falling. He shoves me again before I can get my balance and my ass meets the pavement.

He stands over me, fists clenched, eyes blazing like molten metal.

“That was an idiot move,” Steel snarls. “Trying to attack him in a fuckin’ cop shop where there’s not a single piece of evidence he deserves it.”

“He does deserve it!” I heave up to my feet. “You didn’t have much to say about it when I roughed up that drifter!”

“Big difference, you fuckin’ idiot!” Steel throws his hands in the air.

“You wanna go back to prison?” Edge stands back with his arms crossed over his massive chest. “For even longer than before, now you’ve got a record?”

My chest heaves. I stare back and forth between them, shuddering and barely in control.

“You want to leave Julia to deal with this on her own?” Steel asks, his voice lowering.

It feels like a stab to the heart. “No,” I choke out.

“Then, you keep yourself together, at least until you can go home and beat off or some shit.” Steel mimes a pumping motion. “Let off some steam that way. Do whatever, I don’t care, don’t want to hear about it, as long as it keeps you from acting like a fool.”

“We need to do somethin’, this is bullshit.” I kick at a chunk of gravel, sending it clattering off the front walkway and into the parking lot. “Send him a message or some shit, let him know we aren’t being played. Better yet, let’s rally and take him down. They can’t catch all of us. They can’t send all of us to jail.”

“They sure as shit might try.” Steel rolls his eyes and starts into the parking lot to where we parked our rides. “We’ve gotta be careful about this, Wolf. Just keep calm and stay prepared. Whenever it’s time to act, you’ll be the first to know.”

It’s not what I want to hear at all, but when was the last time I got my way?

Well, I’m not going to sit back and twiddle my thumbs. I’ll do what I can, how I can, and pray Steel doesn’t take too long in deciding when it’s time to act.

Chapter 18

Julia

Ismooth my skirt over my knees while sitting outside the restaurant, waiting for my dinner date to arrive. I mean, should I even call it that? I think we kind of skipped past the dating stuff. But Wolf called and asked if I wanted to try out this new Italian place in the next town over. I couldn’t say no. In fact I’ve been looking forward to it all day.

I pick up my phone and send a text to Leah. Artie is staying at hers tonight. He and Liam are having a sleepover. It’s good that he’s mixing with other kids.

Me: How’s it going?

She answers within seconds, like she’s been waiting for me to say something. Probably has, probably knows that I am a big bundle of nerves, as I have every right to be.

Leah: Going good! The kids are playing, having a great time. Steel’s got the grill going, making enough burgers for an army. We’ll send leftovers home with you.