Free Be Were (Southern Shifters) by Eliza Gayle Page A

protection from them. Especially not Calder.
    The first night she arrived, she'd surveyed the building and surrounding grounds for possible threats and various escape routes. It wasn't in her DNA not to be prepared at all times. Somehow the big bear had caught up to her after about an hour and politely inquired why she was so paranoid.
    Despite his casual and friendly appearance, she'd been prepared to lay into him. Except his scent hadn't carried an ounce of deceit or anything remotely negative. And his dark, almost black eyes were warm, not cold as she'd expected. While she'd never actually met a bear shifter before, she'd been struck by his sweet smell. Then she'd discovered his loyalty. He had Bhric's back no matter what and that sealed the deal for her. And for the first time in her life, she'd started to build a friendship with someone not related to her genetically.
    "Thank you." She took the offered ice pack from Bhric and placed it gently to her nose while holding her head back.
    "Let me."
    While it wasn't a question, it wasn't a forceful demand either. Wanting to get things back on an even keel, she allowed Dean to lead her to a nearby chair where he placed her in his lap and held the frigid cloth to her face. He definitely had a point about being thrust into this current mess on a dime.
    "Why are you all down here in the middle of the night anyway? Doesn't anyone sleep?" Based on the wild activity she'd seen the last few days, it seemed weird for the place to be void of women, a bar full of rowdy men and a whole lot of noise.
    "Everyone wants retaliation on your behalf. Hard to sleep through that kind of frustration."
    Niki sighed. The need to fight or run was an all too familiar feeling. The nightmare didn't help. The last thing she wanted was to keep reliving the last two days.
    "What do you want to do?" she asked.
    He brushed some loose strands of her hair from her face, caressing her cheek. "That seems to be the question of the hour. What does Dean want?"
    "And?"
    "You gotta know I plan to gut those wolves. No matter how deep their involvement was. They laid hands on you and that's simply unforgivable."
    Niki nodded. "I know."
    "But it goes much deeper than that doesn't it?"
    She simply nodded. It was hard to acknowledge the truth staring at her in the face, but she'd never been one to run away from something when it got difficult. She frowned. Except maybe Dean. Although she'd initially walked because he claimed something she wanted no part of, and to her that was completely different. They'd had sex, which had been the exact plan. Incredible heart-pumping, get sweaty and do it dirty sex, but it was still just sex. Why couldn't it have stayed that simple?
    Now she had bigger problems and he was involved more than ever. As her mind sorted and sifted through all the possible scenarios, Dean leaned forward and nuzzled under her ear. "Anyone ever tell you that you worry too much?" he asked.
    "Only everyone I've ever known. That worry keeps me sharp and allows me to do a job most others can't."
    "And does your mysterious job make you happy?"
    She sucked in a breath. Happy? "I don't see how that's relevant. I have the skills to get a job done and I use them precisely. It's efficient, fast and serves a purpose. Justice. I very much believe in justice."
    His hands had begun a slow trail up and down the sides of her body while she talked, but until they slipped between her thighs she'd barely noticed how incredible he felt. Her mouth dropped open and her eyes rolled to the back of her head as his fingertips approached her sex.
    "Fuck. We're outta here."
    Her eyes flew open at the sound of Bhric's voice. Dean's touch had become so powerful she'd momentarily forgotten they were not alone.
    "Greer, tomorrow morning you are to call our handyman and get his ass over here. We're going to need some soundproofing in this building right away. Lots of it."
    All the men heading to the door laughed. "About fucking time," Greer