“What do you mean you didn’t get any money?” Danny’s sudden yell makes me jolt and my eyes fly open. “I let you hang around that faggot and you don’t even come through? I’ve got bills to pay!”
And of course, he expects Raquel to pay them. Anger courses through my body, quickly turning to white-hot rage when there’s the unmistakable sound of a hand hitting flesh, and Raquel lets out a whimper.
“Stupid, useless bitch,” says Danny, the words little more than a snarl.
I’m on my feet before I even think about it, a low growl vibrating in my chest as all thought of letting Raquel handle the asshole on her own disappears. She lets out another cry of pain as I sprint down the hall toward the bedroom. The doorknob won’t turn, but it doesn’t take much effort to kick the flimsy door open. Fury flows through me when I take in the sight inside the room.
Raquel’s on her back on the bed, Danny straddling her with her hair wrapped around his fist, pulling her head to the side. Tears of pain shimmer in her eyes and there’s a visible red mark on hercheek. For a second, specters of the past overlay the scene in front of me, Raquel’s face becoming my mother’s, and I have to give my head a brisk shake to push the memories away.
Danny turns, the surprise on his face quickly morphing into a sneer. “I didn’t think women were your thing, but if you want a piece, you have to wait your turn.”
“Get off her,” I say through clenched teeth.
He laughs and yanks her head even further to the side as Raquel grabs his wrist, trying to relieve some of the pressure on her hair. “Fuck you. This bitch is mine. I can do whatever I want with her.”
“Get off her,” I repeat, my voice strained with the effort of holding back a lupine snarl.
He scoffs, meeting my gaze, nothing but cruelty in his eyes. “And if I don’t? Are you going to make me?”
“Yes.” The word passes my lips without inflection, and I can feel my wolf stirring in my chest, begging to be let out, to bite and claw and rip until Danny’s blood paints the walls.
Danny looks me up and down, a mocking smile curling at his lips. “You and what army?”
“I don’t need an army.” I smile back, letting a bit of wolf shine through in my eyes and not bothering to hide the fact that my teeth are slowly growing sharper in my mouth.
His eyes narrow and he opens his mouth to respond, but then his gaze flicks to the side and he goes pale, scrambling off the bed and backing up until he has his palms pressed flat against the wall on the other side. “What the fuck is that?”
As much as I’d like to think I’m just that intimidating and he’s suddenly scared of me, I’m not what has him practically plastered on the wall trying to make a Kool-Aid man style exit from the trailer. No, what stole all the blood from his face is the fact that Wolfie has stepped up beside me, snarling with his lips pulled back from his teeth.
If a giant, chest-high wolf was looking at me like that, I’d be scared shitless too. I’d laugh at the terrified noises Danny was making if I wasn’t so pissed off.
“Raquel,” I say, my gaze never leaving her asshole boyfriend. “We’re leaving.”
Her tearful eyes dart from me to Danny, painful indecision written on her face. She bites at her lower lip for a second, then looks back to me as she scrambles off the bed and hurries to my side. Still growling, Wolfie angles his body so he’s between us and Danny.
Danny eyes the wolf, then narrows a poisonous glare at Raquel. “If you leave, I’m done with you. You don’t get to come back.” Raquel’s hands move to cradle her stomach and he sneers. “Thatgoes for the bastard you got in there too. It’s probably not mine anyway.”
“I… I… haven’t,” she stammers out.
He scoffs. “Yeah, right. I bet half the men in Vegas have had a piece of you.”
“Well, you’re wrong.” Raquel sniffles and purses her lips, straightening her shoulders and curling her hands into fists. “I can’t believe I’ve been so stupid.” She glances at me, then back to him. “Fuck you, Danny.”
He roars and lurches toward her, but Wolfie shifts forward and Danny backs down. I wrap an arm around Raquel’s shoulders and gently lead her out of the room, leaving Wolfie in charge of Danny.
As much as I would have preferred to keep Raquel out of any more shifter business, I’m damn sure not leaving her here. “Is there anything you want to take with you?”
She shakes her head, a slight tremble in her shoulders. “No, I… there’s nothing.”
I glance around the trailer. There’s not much here, but there must be something that belongs to her. If nothing else, she has clothes and stuff. I sit her down on the couch, then return to the bedroom where Danny still hasn’t moved except to shift slightly to the right, closer to the nightstand.
“I’m taking Raquel’s things,” I say.
He scowls, but doesn’t say anything in response, his attention focused on Wolfie—or maybe the sharpness of Wolfie’s teeth. Either way, he doesn’t give a crap about what I’m doing as I grab a backpack from the corner, walk to the dresser, and start shoving things inside. I probably end up grabbing some of Danny’s things too, but I don’t give a fuck.
Once I’m done, I sling the bag over my shoulder and return to the living room, gesturing with my chin for Wolfie to follow. The wolf pads quietly along behind me and moves to stand by the front door while I walk over to where Raquel is on the couch and kneel by her feet.
“Are you ready?” I ask.
