Page 9 of Crow Me A River

“And those Crow dickheads keep showing up trying to court her,” Bruce continued. “Leaving shiny shit all over her porch, puffing their feathers out, strutting around like they’re God’s gift to female Crows. She doesn’t want any of them, but apparently nobody gives a shit what she wants.”

Vin looked across the bar again. Misty was laughing at something Macy said as she swept under one of the tables. Watching her, no one would ever know the shit she was dealing with. She carried the weight of what she was dealing with better than most.

“So yeah.” Bruce swayed slightly on the stool. “That’s what I know.”

Vin continued watching Misty. “And Griffin?”

“He’s Jack’s right-hand man. Or Crow. Whatever the fuck.” Bruce waved a paw. “Point is, he’s an asshole with authority, which is the worst kind.”

Vin wasn’t sure how he felt about the whole situation. Okay, that was a lie. He knew exactly how he felt. It pissed him the fuck off. He hated bullies of any kind, but the rage simmering inside him, along with the restless pacing of his Jaguar, told him this was different. For some damn reason, he felt responsible for this woman, and he’d spoken...what? Two, maybe three words to her?

“Can one of you make sure she gets back to her place?” Bruce mumbled with a burp. “I feel a hairball coming on.”

He jumped off the stool, but the second his paws hit the floor, they slid out from under him, and he landed flat on his stomach.

“Fuck.”

“Bruce, don’t you dare throw up in here,” Billie Ann warned as he pushed himself back to his feet and staggered toward the door.

They all heard the gagging sound as Bruce’s fur stood straight up along his back. Vin chuckled, watching him scurry the rest of the way out the door.

“Damn cat,” Billie Ann muttered, but Vin caught the worry in her eyes as she watched him disappear. She then looked up at Rafe. “He’s right. I don’t think Misty should walk home by herself. Can you take her?”

“I’ll do it,” Vin said before he could stop himself.

What the fuck was he doing?

Apparently, he wasn’t the only one wondering because Rafe’s eyebrow shot up.

“What?” Vin frowned at him. “I’m taking off anyway. Best not to leave Billie Ann here alone just in case those guys come back looking for trouble.”

“Thank you, Vin.” Billie Ann smiled at him before turning back to Rafe. “She asked me for a job.”

“And?” Rafe glanced from Vin to Billie Ann.

“I told her to come back tomorrow, and we’d talk.” Billie Ann sighed. “I wanted to talk to you first. She needs a job, Rafe, and it doesn’t seem fair to turn her away just because the Crows might cause trouble. Macy said that Jack Crow demands due payments weekly from anyone under his protection. I think she needs money.”

“I’ll handle any trouble,” Rafe assured her. “If you want to hire her, then do it.”

“Thank you.” Billie Ann smiled in relief, then reached up, pulled him down and kissed him.

“I’ll see you guys tomorrow.” Vin headed toward the door, waving to Macy and her Mate, Kaelen, on his way out. He stopped when he realized Misty was nowhere in sight. “Where’d Misty go?”

“She left.” Macy took a seat in the booth beside Kaelen. “I told her we’d give her a ride home, but she said she was fine.”

Frowning, Vin gave Macy a nod before walking outside. His eyes scanned the area, but there was no sign of Misty. Reaching out with the senses of his Jaguar, he picked up her trail almost immediately and knew exactly which direction she’d gone.

His motorcycle sat where he’d left it, but Vin walked right past it. If Misty decided to cut through the woods, the bike would be useless anyway. He could come back for it later.

At least that was the excuse he gave himself as he headed after a woman he barely knew. Slowing, Vin closed his eyes and let the spirit of his Jaguar rise closer to the surface. Almost immediately, he knew she’d left the main road. Opening his eyes, he followed her scent into the woods.

He was pretty familiar with the area even though he hadn’t been in Assjacket long. He’d gotten permission from Mac, King of the Shifters, to shift into his Jaguar and had spent plenty of time running the surrounding woods. He knew the path Misty had taken led to nothing but thick trees and a large pond farther in.

Frowning, Vin quietly made his way deeper into the woods, wondering where in the hell she was going. He stopped for a second and cocked his head, listening, but heard nothing other than the normal sounds of the night. Then, just as he took another step, the soft sound of her voice reached him.

She was singing.

Vin followed the sound until he stepped over a fallen tree and stopped dead in his tracks. Misty stood completely naked on a large rock at the edge of the lake, her back to him. She tossed her shorts on top of her shirt before lifting her face toward the sky, never missing a word of whatever song she was singing. He knew he should look away. Hell, he had no business standing there watching her, but for a few seconds he couldn’t make himself move. She was absolutely beautiful, and her voice was mesmerizing.